About time, huh?!

Hi everyone! Sorry it’s been awhile since I’ve updated this… yet again! Something’s going on with my solar power and it seems I can’t run a laptop for very long before the system starts freaking out at me and whistling and flashing its lights, so I’ve surrendered to only using the computer occasionally, which doesn’t leave me with much time to update everyone! Gosh I love run-on sentences. haha Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying summer. I’m pleased to say I think we’ve started to transition into springtime. Springtime here seems to be synonymous with windy season, but at any rate, it doesn’t feel as chilly in the mornings and when the sun goes down. The windy season came with one extremely windy day where there was so much sand blowing around in the air, the air was hazy and you could see a dull brown layer on the horizon. Since then it has mellowed out and now it’s more of a constant breeze. I hesitate about saying too much about the cold, because I know in a few months I’m going to be wishing it were back. haha Even now during the day when I’m in the sun or packed in the back of a pickup (my record so far is 17 people! Beat that! haha) and I’m feeling hot, I just tell myself how much worse it’ll be in the summer. So I’m okay with things now! I won’t complain anymore! :)

Other updates… I hope to be getting some pictures up on the internet sometime soon. I’ll be sure to post the link when that happens. It seems that most of the time I don’t have my camera when I want to use it, and when I carry it with me I either forget to use it or nothing presents itself as quite picture-worthy. You know how it goes! But I must say I brought it with me yesterday and came across the perfect opportunity to take a picture I’ve been dying to get. It was of a baby donkey. Oh yes, they’re adorable! And what gets me is I’m pretty sure they grow into their fur because when they’re young they are shaaaaagggy! Or maybe fluffy is a better word… I don’t know. haha But it’s so cute! Just makes ya want to go up and hug ‘em! So anyway, often times I have to weave my way through the cows in the road, but the donkeys tend to be more skittish and usually get out of the away before I reach them. But yesterday there was a group of them walking in the same direction as me, so when I walked by them I could get close enough for my camera to pick up the shagginess! haha so very soon you will be able to share in my excitement about baby donkeys! You might not think so right now, but just wait! ;)

While I’m on the subject of baby animals… I’m not sure how many times a year insects reproduce, but I guess I’ve been lucky enough to arrive just in time for the phenomenon. Fortunately I cleaned out most of the spiders from the corners and ceilings when I moved in, but there was one I left alone because I was sure it would fall on me if I tried to take a broom to it. Well, two weeks later I noticed a small little something that looked like it could be a ball of eggs, but I instead told myself that the spider had probably just caught itself quite the feast. Whatever helps me sleep at night, right?! haha Then the following week I was sitting and chatting with a friend in my living room when I looked up and noticed about 50 little black dots. Long story short, they had to go. I don’t like killing bugs because A) I feel bad and B) it grosses me out, but nu uh, 50 new spiders is NOT cool with me! Another insect that has quadrupled in number are my friends the crickets. At first there were just a few big ones here and there, then one day I came home and aesh! I didn’t even know they could be so small! And they were everywhere! I, naturally, entered into a state of anger and therefore any lingering inclination towards reprieve dissipated and I went on a killing spree. haha Wow, that sounds horrible. But anyway, it doesn’t appear to have done any good because I still have crickets everywhere. I’ve taken to scooping them up in tupperware and taking them outside, but I haven’t noticed a difference in number. I bought some Blue Death [I’m sure it’s as horrible as it sounds], but haven’t had the guts to use it yet. I know, I know, I see the pattern developing. I put off getting rid of them hoping that nature will not take its course and it’ll remain the same, but when it does, and it always does, something will have to be done about it. So why not just take care of it from the beginning?! I don’t know… haha Agh, I hate it! However, I forget that its winter and when the rain comes, I’m told the plagues of insects come with it so ya never know, my feelings might just change. Ok, enough about that!

As you may recall, in one of my blog posts from before I left I declared my first purchase upon returning to the States would be a spice rack. Well, I guess I couldn’t wait and I’ve gone and splurged some of my settling-in allowance on spices. So lately I’ve become a cooking fiend! haha I’m telling ya, it’s the perfect hobby. It takes up a good chunk of my time and I get to eat at the end! :) Since I have to travel an hour and a half for groceries, it’s easier to stock up on all the essentials and make things from scratch. I haven’t done anything too fancy yet, but I’m slowly working my way up to it. Also, many of the grocery stores in Botswana are Indian-owned, so one can find several Indian food ingredients and products. Those have been fun experimenting with! So far it seems I can only get curry to work for me half the time. Haven’t figured out why yet. More work is needed there. What else have I made… I’ve made two different lentil soups, pumpkin soup, a few different bean dishes, some jazzed up egg and tuna pasta salads, and last week I somehow unintentionally made my favorite dish from Noodles&Company. haha That was a pleasant surprise! Mmmm…

And last but not least, the soccer tournament I mentioned in the last post was SUPPOSED to happen this weekend but didn’t. I had been looking forward to it this whole month and then Friday, the day before!, I find out it isn’t going to happen anymore. Or at least not for some time. Man, I was bummed. And I know the team is disappointed too. They’ve been working so hard, and I can’t believe how much they’ve improved in just a month. Ah well. Hopefully it’ll still happen at some point. I guess this just gives me more time to find someone else to play goalie! ;)

Ok, that’s all I’ve got for now! I realize it doesn’t include anything about my work, but the truth is right now I don’t have a whole lot going on. We’re not supposed to start up any projects our first three months at site. So for now I’m just getting to know people and discovering how things work around here. There’s something new to learn everyday, even if it’s small.

Oh! And I know books come up a lot when people ask about what to send in packages and what I do in my spare time, so I thought I would post a list of what books I’ve read since being here. Feel free to spark up a conversation about any of them, if interested. All the most recent additions have been books from the library in my village, which has the most random compilation of books thanks to book donation projects! haha But, random books are better than no books, so I’ll take what I can get! I’ve still managed to find a few I’ve always wanted to get my hands on, so I’m content! :)

Ok, I’ll try not to take forever before I update again! Hope everyone is enjoying the summertime! Talk to ya’ll lata!