Mum Lydia came into the house this morning as I was trying to remember what happened yesterday. She was holding a string in her hand with a puzzling look on her face. It was the pull string of the light that is in her room. The fixture broke as she was pulling to turn off the light. I was trying to think of how to fix it.. but whatever I did, I was going to have to go to the store to buy some new parts. I have been meaning to head into town with George for some errands. I had made a list the other day, and now was adding to it, which is a good thing; rather than having already gone, and having to make another trip.
George showed up at the gate to the orphanage and parked under the shade of the palm tree outside the gate. He called my cell phone and told me that he was here, and was ready to go when I was available. I had a few things that I was doing, so after finishing, I ran up to where he was parked and found the van empty. He had walked over to the neighbor’s house, who had lost her boyfriend/husband but not married, to complications with Malaria a few weeks ago. I took the opportunity to jump in, turn it on, and drive it over to her house so we could head into town. As I drove up to the house, he met me in outside and shouted an interesting acronym “DMC”. I jumped out and got into the passenger’s side, and when he got in, I looked at him and asked, “DMC?” He said, “Yerrrrs Dearrr, Dangerous Mechanical Condition. Vehicles in Uganda are all DMC.” I had to laugh.. I wish you could hear his accent. We went to the bank to get small bills with which to pay wages, to the hardware store, and to the Electrical store to replace Mum Lydia’s broken fixture.
While I was at the orphanage today, I was down assisting the masons start to build the wall in the wetlands. I stand on the outside of the wall and clean up the mortar as they lay their bricks. One thing that they do, is they align all of the bricks on one side of the wall so that it is smooth and plumb. In doing this, the other side ends up being jagged and un-smooth, because all of the bricks are different lengths. They don't bother too much with that side of the wall, and leave considerable gaps of mortar missing. The bricks are typically unsupported, making a weaker, and more unsightly wall. I stand there with my trowel, and fling mortar into the voids and make the transitions from brick to brick smooth. It makes me feel a lot better about the strength of the wall, and it looks better. 
My water was heating up all day. After work is typically when I like to bathe; especially when it is a cool afternoon. This way I dont sweat before I go to bed. I got all that I needed to bathe, and walked down to the bathroom when my phone rang. It was Urs Klauser from the orphanage across the wetlands, “God Helps Uganda”. I had forgot about accepting an invitation to eat at their house for dinner, and I was a half hour late. As quickly as I could, I ran back to the house, put my things inside, and jumped on the bike and rode to his house. I sat down to a nice dinner of Pizza and salad. Then frozen banana ice cream with Chocolate and coffee... We spoke about many things, he told me that he would love to have someone like me that could stay at the orphanage and monitor construction of his wall. I think it would be very fun if I could help him, and it would give me friends in switzerland, but then.. I have already made friends with people in switzerland. They are a very nice couple.
Coming back home, I finally got to bathe.
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