Recovery Day
We heard the family bustling around yesterday morning, but didn’t make any effort to get up. Tim leaves for work at 6:00 and Dani and the kids leave for the school at 6:30! We slept in till 7:30, by which time the sky was filled with the drone of crop-duster engines. We are in the middle of a huge farming area.
Walter took his shower first, and then I went to take mine, with a certain amount of trepidation. I’m still pretty traumatized after my fall on Saturday. And I managed to acquire another injury during the night, when I got up to use the bathroom and then misjudged the corner of the bed on the way back and slammed my right foot into it. *sigh* The toe is now swollen and sporting a new color scheme of grey and black.
Anyway, I made it through the shower unscathed this time, and when I joined Walter in the kitchen, he said, “You’d better be hungry.”
Dani’s two house helpers were already hard at work and one had cooked Walter a big breakfast of eggs, sausages, and toast. She was already cooking more eggs and sausages for me. When Walter saw natural local peanut butter and local honey on the table, he couldn’t resist having some peanut butter and honey on toast. (Turns out Dani is a beekeeper!)
Maybe I might be a little biased after growing up here, but honestly, Zambian honey is the best in the world, especially if it’s wild. It has a depth of flavor that is matchless, and I’m very sad that I can’t have it anymore. I did sniff the open jar, and it brought back a host of delicious memories.
When I went to the bedroom to get something after breakfast, I found the bed made and one of the ladies mopping the floor. The whole house is mopped from stem to stern every morning. Those ladies work very hard so Dani doesn’t have all that housework waiting for her when she returns from work in the afternoon.
There is also a man who comes in and cleans out the remains of the last night’s fire, and lays a new one:
Tim arrived midmorning to have his breakfast, so we sat and visited with him while he ate. He manages a huge farm here that is owned by a Greek family. I loved hearing about his work. He is doing such a good job, as we knew he would.
After he returned to work, I sat down to write and get caught up on my blog so I don’t forget what’s happened in the last few days. I had internet on my phone, thanks to Tim, but not on my computer. Later Tim got me connected at last!
I did take a nap in the early afternoon, a necessity after a rough night and after sitting to write for so long. My back needed a break. Walter, meanwhile, went out and explored the yard and farm a little bit. There’s a pool here, and they keep it clean, but the water is cold.
Later in the afternoon Tim came home for his tea break, and then offered to take us with him on his rounds of the farm. He manages two farms with a total area of more than 28,000 acres.
It was a very educational drive, bouncing over the tracks between fields of wheat and maize. Right now there are dozens of farm workers husking and removing the kernels of the seed maize:
We also drove up onto one of the dams:
And saw a herd of sheep belonging to a neighboring farmer.
By the time we returned to the house, Dani was already home and we finally got to meet two of the kids! Rachel is 6 and John, the youngest, is 5. Jasmine, the big sister, is away on a campout so we won’t meet her until Friday. The kids, by the way, are adorable. I’m hoping to get some photos of them. Young Rachel is quite talkative, and called me to see “Mr. Skinny Legs,” who turned out to be an insect. They loved the pillowcases I made them.
Sammy also arrived and eventually we sat down to supper. I am so enjoying getting to know Dani and getting caught up with Tim after 13 years. The three brothers (Joel is in the States) are all so different and yet all so fiercely loyal to their family.
Tim lit the fire to warm the living room for the evening:
It was almost more of a bonfire! But it burned all evening and kept the room quite warm while we visited.
I would appreciate prayers for quick healing of both my injuries. So far there has been no lessening of the pain, and in fact there is nothing I can do right now that doesn’t hurt. I’m doing my very best to tough it out.
Parting Shot:
The lake behind the dam.