I must apologise for the delay in delivering your kindly donated mosquito nets, except for the first few early last week. Searching out safe reliable transport has been a big problem. I just don’t seem to have much luck with hiring a safe and reliable vehicle, as those of you who have been following me over the years have been witness to! Remember the two last year – the one with the dead bear on the dashboard whose owner was so proud of his car but didn’t inform me it’s ignition didn’t work and various other crucial elements were lacking, and we got stuck in shallow flood water where other vehicles of similar type had coped! We got stranded miles out and there was little shade! Fortunately I had taken plenty of water and emergency rations for us all! I did get the cooling benefit of a paddle with the local cows though!

That car apparently got scrapped as it wasn’t the first time it had let people down!

Then the small black one that arrived to replace it with a flat battery and an even worse ignition problem so I was having to be push started every morning! This car had its spare tyre stolen when it was parked outside my bedroom window one night so we had to go to Kamuli, the nearest town, to buy another and guess what, unknowingly we bought the stolen tyre back!! I did treat the owner to a genuine new car battery though!

This year we have gone through two vehicles already! The same black car, with my financial help, was returned with the promise from its owner that all problems were solved. But oh dear, it was in such a dangerous condition I never even got behind the wheel! I was so annoyed and upset to be taken advantage of like this but honesty is lacking in certain quarters of this society if there is money involved!

The black car was replaced with a big Land Cruiser which, as you read about in a previous blog, was even more dangerous and could have cost me and my young friends their lives!

I suppose part of the problem is my ignorance of cars but also that I trust too easily! I don’t think either will change but there are certain people who are now black listed when it comes to trusting, that’s for certain!

But, I haven’t given up yet and I’m looking forward to driving a small pick-up for the first time!

Today my very good and trustworthy friend Godfrey is bringing his pickup from Jinja for me to borrow for the rest of my stay so tomorrow, Sunday, we can start delivering the nets around Nawanyago.

Then the following weekend Innocent will accompany as I drive the pickup to Kasozi, an outlying village and the home of my Ugandan family, the family of seven brothers some of whom you met on Monday, Mike, Bosco and Paul. Wish us luck!

During the big storms soon after I came to Uganda much of the roof of four of the classrooms at Brain Trust Nursery and Primary School were blown off leaving the children exposed to the scorching sun and rain. I reported this to Poynton Rotary Club who had already been generous with a donation for mosquito nets, hoping they would help out again and was so pleased when they agreed.

As soon as I received the money Innocent my Project Manager went to work searching out the best value materials, in fact the bricks were made and baked by a family in their own garden, just near Innocents home and were just the right amount so he bought them. Innocent always tries to support the local community by sourcing as much as locally. Because most of the children have the day off today only leaving the exam candidates, the building work could commence and I’m told will be completed before lessons on Monday!

Written on Ash Wednesday but posted on Friday!

Pancakes in Uganda!

I always try to introduce my friends to something typically English during my visits varying from scrambled eggs or omelette  with Ryvita on the side(!) to mince pies & custard when I stayed for Christmas! They are amazed by cuppa soup!!

As yesterday was Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, I had taken a pack of dried pancake mix to Uganda to make up on Shrove Tuesday but there was no cooking oil left so I just told the family I would cook them on Wednesday night instead. They always smile and look at me that warily way wondering what weird food I am going to produce! So far everything has been enjoyed, only complaint there being not enough of it!

Of course with the storm and flood, supper was delayed by several hours, it was getting on for 10 pm, so I didn’t mention the pancakes. The cooking was being done inside rather than outside for obvious reasons, over two charcoal stoves in the room that is the bedroom for Betty & Baby Norman, Mama Judith and fourteen year old Alex. The room also stores my big metal school trunk full of craft materials, a big hand of matoke (savoury banana), sacks of grain, buckets and bowls and various other items.  Innocent sleeps behind a curtain in the living room and Madam Gerry, well she gets a whole room to herself! They wouldn’t have it any other way and, if I’m honest, nor would I! I need my ‘me’ space.

Anyway, back to pancakes! Alex came and told me in his very limited English that the charcoal stove was ready for me. OK so pancakes were expected after all! I’d already made up the mix which I had kept chilled by keeping a wet tea towel over it, the old fashion way! I put my small pan in to heat with a little oil, waited a while and poured in some mixture. Nothing happened. The charcoal was not hot enough. So Alex built up the fire and ten minutes later, to my surprise and all watching, I was producing ten perfect pancakes. And, as tradition demands, every one was tossed and safely caught! This was a miracle in itself because, as many of you know, I have a very dodgy right hand and I am due an operation for carpal tunnel syndrome when I return to UK!

The pancakes were kept warm over the dying coals while we had our meal then with oranges and lemons bought locally, I demonstrated how to eat a pancake! Result – three happy sticky faces with the request for more!! Even baby Norman joined in sat on my knee sucking the juice out of an orange!

Happy 😃 days!!

The milkman came this morning as he does every morning, milk for baby Norman.

I made it to school! Run run as fast as you can you can’t catch me I’m the Gingerbread Man!

Shady and cool in the hall you helped me build last year

The nursery children came to take a closer look at me!

Thanks Fiona for all the stickers. Today the children were Bright stars!

I was exhausted after three hours! However did I work full time!? Had a great morning though reading the Gingerbread Man and making puppets. The Kim’s game went down very well too but they were too clever! Saying the item in English was the challenge though!

Written Tuesday, I enjoy the great majority of my time her In Uganda but as everywhere, there are a few people and situations that spoil it!

Yesterday I took four of my Ugandan family into Jinja, the tourist capital of Uganda, to celebrate Paul’s A -level results. I ‘borrowed‘ a car, a great big Land Cruiser! I was told of its particular mechanical problems and knew I could cope with them but, it was the hidden one that almost ended in tragedy! The steering wheel suddenly locked and the car stopped dead! Fortunately I had slowed down to turn off the busy fast road otherwise I hate to think what could have happened!

As usual the boys, actually I should be calling them young men by now, rallied round, made plans to ‘dispose ‘ of the death trap, and sorted me out emotionally! I was OK at first but then a quivering mess once the thought of what might have been hit me!

Despite all this we managed to have a good time at the resort swimming or drowning in the case of Innocent and Mike who can’t swim but love trying! Having a pizza, lots of chatting and catching up as they don’t see each other very often.

After a couple of hours though the boys started urgently collecting all our belongings together and when I looked towards the Nile I could see why! The sky was black and extremely threatening! Within minutes the resort was being hammered by a tropical storm! Fortunately there weren’t many tourists about so we took over the hotels’ open air lounge and spent the hours happily chatting and playing dominoes!! As it got late and darker I kept saying to the Mike, Bosco and Paul (all Alex’s brothers who many of you know from my years of blogs!) that they should go. Innocent and I had picked them up at points along the route and they would be going in the opposite direction, and travelling at night here is so risky, but they insisted they stayed until Innocent and I were safely on our way. I’m so lucky to have these wonderful young people in my life, it truly warms my heart. Soppy I know but that’s how it feels. We might have helped them along the way but their deep friendship, love and care now is one of the main reason I come to Uganda, they are my family!

I’m writing this in the middle of the night listening and watching through the window bars (no curtains) as another big storm hits us! These are really helping to cool the temperature down! And to top it all I have an upset tummy!

I shall be rushing towards my biodegradable bucket bag very soon, I can feel ‘it’ coming!! I might not be able to go to school later as was planned!!

PS no school today for me! Just a day of R&R x