Pet Heaven

So we are now in the business of burying all the dead birds in the area...seems everytime Nell leaves the property she comes back with a dead bird...our cemetery is quickly filling. Nell and Pearl's Great grandmother (kind of) died this week. These burials have been a bit of a springboard for discussing her death at 100. They are sad....but in Nana fashion....her death serves a lesson for us all....she was a warm and moral compass for the Wood-Prince family, providing continuity and love for them all. Nana always said she wanted to be buried with all the family pets at the pet cemetary at the family Farm....somehow our little cemetery makes sense. Pet Heaven.

Our chickens or "kookoo" in swahili are on the way....Nell and Mapenduzi are working on their habitat today...what she doesn't know is that some 'sunguras" or rabbits are on their way as well....Robby has captured two for them and just has to get them here from Marangu which is just a the bottom of the mountain. He has one more trip up the mountain for the season....so that makes 9 for anyone who is counting. Sheesh.

Speaking of the mountain...our porter training project kicked off this week at Tumaini Center in Arusha...the turn out was well beyond what we expected. Setty had 31 students....including 13 girls!!!! This program has major momentum....it will culminate with a week on the mountain. the kids will take a bus from Arusha and attempt a climb, learing about the flora and climate zones along the way. Sleeping at altitude and food preparation will also be things they will be tackling. This program is really really exciting for me....it really is sort of groundbreaking to be first of all training porters WELL...providing them with knowledge of the mountain, good gear and a respectable salary. I just can't wait for GAA groups to climb with these kids....now we can know ALL our porters have first aid training, english training and tons of info about the mountain. They are ecstatic about getting to have this field trip!!! I am going to take care of setty's kids so his wife can joion him for the training...she has always wanted to try....she is borrowing my gear...I can't wait to hear her impressions. It will be great for their kids as it is for anyone's that are climbing to see their parent attempt this.....not too many Tanzanian women would even think of wanting to try....she is different. So...I know people wrote me about donating gear...looks like the numbers are going to be much higher than I originally thought...perhaps we should start with wool socks, hats, maybe wicking shirts or long underwear....Shawna is coming in Oct. Sam in Nov and Tom soon after both....

It would be great for these kids to have their first piece of gear before their trip which is tenatively set for

Lucky Lucky Lucky

Lucky is how I feel today...well today and almost everyday lately. We are just having such a great experience. My instincts were correct in our coming here...the impact it is having on all of us is incredible. We did, however, have a small tragedy this weekend.....but a life lesson learned in the most delicate of ways. A dove flew into Nell's window and injured itself. Nell and Mapenduzi (which means revolution) saved the bird and it became Nell's pet. This was Saturday. Sunday Mapenduzi leaves our property and goes to church and sees friends...Nell waited by his door ( he has a little house on our property) literally most of the day. When he got home she got Amy, pronounced Aamy....to feed and bathe? She and Pearl proceeded to bathe the bird 7 times....then run around the yard with it to dry it...applied "baby wax" (still not sure what that was) and then were trying to train it to perch on the swing they made. Well...Amy passed away in Nell's grasp....as she put it "two big tears squished out of her eyes" I think it was bath related...but I'm not a vet. So we have since had a burial and many discussions about the circle of life etc. I have had to tell them both all my childhood pet exploits...like the time I accidently boiled my fish, or the time our "male" cat had kittens or sadly....dead Fred. Luckily I was allowed lots of pets to learn these lessons....I need to remember this when we go back...pets for the girls are important regardless of the outcome. Our next animal endeavor here are chickens...Nell and Mapenduzi are building a coop....then we go to the market and choose our chickens. Can you imagine that ride home? Where should I put them? In the trunk? One of the main reasons Nell wants chickens is because she still has an egg she got at a friend's farm a few weeks back..she thinks it will hatch under these new chickens...hmmm.
Today is glorious weather-wise...a bit dusty but really to know this weather is continuing basically the whole time we are here is GREAT!!!
Neerad a friend of mine has just written me that he would like to visit. He just finished a movie that was filmed mostly in Sierra Leon...it highlights the diamond mines and their juxtaposition to the rapculture and bling. He has had it at several film festivals this summer. He wants to come in March and when the kids are on Spring Break I may travel with him to see where he filmed. I have never been to the West coast of Africa...could be very interesting.
Pearl is a major digger...almost everyday she comes home to dig in the same spot...it is nice for them to be able to be free,dirty and happy. I love to secretly watch her out the window because she is always singing...she makes up the funniest verses...I'll write one down next time togive you an idea!
So Skype has been working well lately...glad to talk to you!!!!!! Our Skype name is Sarahnellpearl if you want to talk to us...best part is...FREE!!!!
Oh...I feellike I should put a counter on my page to chronicle how many times Robby has been up and down the mountain JUST since we have been here....we have been here almost 2 months and he has been up and down 8 times.....sheesh....those of you that have done it know what I am sayin here...SHEESH.
Love to you all!!!!!!
Sarah

Lay or lie down on the carpet...

I'm lettin my Linda Yu hue show?! HAHAHA.....that's for josh!