Let it Flow!

I can't help but share with you my excitement about getting running hot water for our washing machine. We're lucky enough to have an automatic washing machine (thanks to the previous Deed Misionaries, Jack and Trudi, at SWIM), as opposed to having a twin tub (ARGH Hate Twin Tubs) or washing by hand (which is ok when you're in the village and doing the whole simple thing, but for every day life is rather tough work on your back, or as the word is in Pijin, backside.

So we're blessed... Blessed that we can turn the washing machine on at night (only at night because that's when we have enough power thanks to the generator) and throw the clothes in and take the clean and wet stuff out 40 or so minutes later.

But for Theresa's stinky nappies... and actually, our stinky clothes (it is hot here, ok, you sweat "like a bush pig" as Jair says) a bit of hot water to wash the water in does alot to get them cleaned. Hot water only comes from one tap in our house - the cold tap in the shower. We have on our roof (again, thanks to Jack and Trudi) this black piping which the water sits in and then heats up. So between 10am and 4pm on a sunny day, you can have hot hot hot water. So in the past I would carry 20 litre buckets of hot water from the shower to the washing machine (which is in the dining room... some people complain to us when they come over for dinner that they don't like eating their dinner in the laundry.). It was heavy work.

But now, thanks to our plumber, Jair ( I know, he's amazing... he does everything!), we now have hot water also plumbed to the tap that pours straight into the washing machine. YAY!

I was so excited I took a photo to show you. It's fantastic. And so much easier on my backside, as they say in Pijin.

In other news, the two new apprentice mechanics, Frank and John (another John) started today. When Paul arrives back from his sojourn in NZ, he will be training them most of the time, under the eye of Jair. But Jair's been showing them the ropes so far.

Also Theresa is rather lonely without her cousins in NZ with whom she had a wonderful time. She mopes around looking for people to play with, or talk to or even just look at. She doesn't want to play with her toys unless someone's with her. She's not a very good only chid, but she does have her faithful snuggle buggle... who is looking dirtier and rattier by the day.

So right now, as I'm cooking dinner, I have to try keep her occupied, otherwise she will occupy herself by opening cupboards she's not supposed to etc. So she's got her snuggle buggle, and some crayons... although I think she did more eating of the crayons than drawing... oh well, it is close to dinner after all.

Bon Appétit for me.

Snuggle Buggle is French, by the way, thanks to Jair's Tante Corrie and Oom Claude who live in France.