Jambo England

Hi Everyone,

hoping my email finds you all well and life is treating you well too.

You will be pleased to know that I know have a stocked fridge, with minute freezer bit (I have some chicken sausages in it - that makes it full, no room for ice (sorry Nats). I have been cooking and entertaining myself well.

I have so far managed to complete one set of curtains for my bedroom, and all the nets are done. I ran out of curtain material, luckily the fabric that I bought on offer was hiding in a corner of the shop so I managed to get some more. I now have the sewing machine in my room to help me regulate how much sewing the boys give me. As those of you will remember, when I was sewing outside on the verandah I ended up sitting under such a pile of clothes - it would have taken me a year just to get through it all, at least this way I can take in as and when I can.

We have had the BBC at SCANN today. A British Director is making a pilot movie for a series and wanted to incorporate some boys in the movie about Africa, luckily for us one of his staff had been a volunteer last year and suggested they use our boys. They visited us today and did some drama workshops to short list the boys, it was great to watch, improvising is so hard with these boys, they need to see what is there, but they managed well. We have a shortlist of 12 boys and filming will take place next week on Thursday and Friday, so fingers crossed that it doesn't get cut and it reaches the TV screen a some stage. If I hear anything I will let you all know, but these things usually take an age to come about.

Last night I attended the SCANN monthly Board Meeting, lots of interesting plans for the project and although we lost 2 acres of our farmland where crops of produce were grown to help feed the boys, thing still look positive. I have even offered to start my own small kitchen garden!! (Watch out Nathalie I am in competition with you!!)

While I was at the meeting I caused a bit of a stir, you remember when I was awoken in the middle of the night by the water coming back on...... well, it appears that the same thing happened while I was at the meeting, I returned to my accommodation to find a flood, it had poured out of my kitchen door and down the drive into the storm ditch. Someone must have noticed and turned the tap off through the louvre window with a stick but not until my kitchen had been flooded.

I spent ages clearing up and then found a half drowned mouse lying on my draining board watching me. I gave it a prod and it moved but didn't offer to move itself out of the kitchen. I stood thinking OK be the MAN!!!!! I took 5 mins to decide that I had to move it, I found some paper and managed with a spoon to get the mouse, who I may say was not being co operative at all, onto a piece of card and placed him outside the door. I prepared some food and went off to bed, I turned on the light in my bedroom only to find a HUGE HUGE HUGE flying thing bashing itself against the flourescent light tube. It drove me mad, I had to dispose of that too, it took half an hour for the offending creature to get tired enough to land so I could swat it. (I know it was Gods creature but I wouldn't have had any sleep). Needless to say, I got little sleep, my mind was creeping and crawling by the time I hit the pillow, mosi net tucked tight in place all round!!

I don't want to tell you all that the weather is hot hot hot....... he he, I spend a lot of the time out of the sun as I would melt. I have brown arms, face and feet, very interesting, I need to visit the pool at Hotel Merica (prounounced like America with out the initial A). May get there soon, but want to get used to the heat first.

On Sunday I have been invited to visit Ruth (the bead lady) who has moved into a lovely family home, she is so friendly and always greets me like a long lost member of the family. Both Ruth and her friend Milicent have discussed having a surprise 'rooftop' party for me, although I pointed out as they had told me it wouldn't be a surprise...... Milicent runs a big tour business on the top floor of a building that overlooks the tourist market, she has a huge roof patio and has found it great for parties. Any excuse for a party is good for me, she even offered to hold a party to celebrate Kimberley's 21st birthday in February so I could phone her and tell her we are celebrating in her absence!! Love you Kimberley!! XX

If any of you want to send something small (weight limit is a problem) my sister Nathalie is coming out in March and Kimberley will be visiting later in the year (she is busy earning money to visit me!) If any of you want to know what we need here I can start keeping a list of items, just ask.

Love to you all, wish I could share more with you but its time to go get some more fresh food, it doesn't last long here and neither does the large bottles of water!!!

Hugs all round, best wishes to you all.

Susannah