November rains

I asked Mr. Zulu why a certain man in the village, a certain man who always finds ways of making money for himself at the expense of others, often at the expense of community development, is ever allowed on committees, as he is generally known to be untrustworthy. I would even say crook. Mr. Zulu said it was because he was a powerful witch. I guess that does explain it.

Mrs. Zulu: Keli I am coming.
Keli: Where are you going?
MZ: uh African doctor.
K: Where is the African Doctor?
MZ: Mr. Kapaso
K: Mr. Kapaso my neighbor?
MZ: Eay.
K: Huh. Is there a witch doctor in Mwakomkoma?
Mz: Uh...Musonda.
K:Musonda? (Musonda that smiling Bemba man in mud boots who was so happy when I greeted him in Bemba? Musonda Musonda with only one name and a small son with the same?)
Mz: Eay.
Keli: Huh.

~Time Elapse~

Keli: Muli Shani Musonda.
Musonda Musonda: Bwino (laugh giggle smile)
K: Musonda are you a witch doctor?
M: Yes! (laugh giggle smile)
K: O-kay! (Laugh giggle smile)

Ha ha Zambia. Good witch doctor I would imagine. I wonder how much a protective juju charm costs...

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The rains have come and that means a bit of reorganization in your daily life. And I look like this now (See Fig 1.) And an impressive amount of my house washed away. Well the mud plaster at least so also the nice mud designs. Too bad. I wanted it to look charming for my sister.

Who is coming in three weeks! Lalala! I am already making lists of things that MUST be done to my little house.

1) Sweep the yard
2) Sweep the house- maybe even scrub the floors -hey!
3) Clean off the food buckets
4) Wash all my linens, sheets and Chitenges
5) Don't wash the blanket so it can be used as a sleeping cushion
6) Hoe up the intruding weeds and clear the yard of grass
7) Build a table so my storage shed is properly set up
8) Whisper sweet nothings to the mango trees so their fruits will ripen quickly
9) Have Musonda put a snake protection charm around the place

PLUS I need to start my garden. Which doesn't leave much time to keep up with Mr. R. Gray's demanding list of Robot Animals (see Flickr Fig. 2)

Luckily rainy season also means that often Zambia is washed in stormy blue -which is lovely.