Good Afternoon
Many of you have asked for pictures, so I will begin to add some to the blogs. So far it has taken me at least a half hour to add this one, but I am sure as I become more adept it will not take as long.
This is picture of our home. In the very front is "my porch" off our bedroom. You can also see the front porch that leads into the living area and behind that is the car port. My intent is to take them from various angle so you can get an idea of the size of the house.
At the present time I am on "my porch" observing the goings on around me. Grandson Koyo is home from school and reluctantly getting water for the house. To my left, a young man is climbing the coconut palm barefoot with a machete in his moutn and cutting down several coconuts. They fall to the gound with quite a thud. Daughter Patient is in the kitchen cooking groundpea soup for supper, Timothy is taking a nap because he had no place to go today.
Son Jonathan is out purchasing tile, cement, and a commode to work on the second bathroom so it will be in a decent condition for guests. It was deplorable and I didn't even want the children using it. Jonathan and his helpers took a sledge hammer to it a couple of days ago knocking down the old bathtub, tile and flooring. Tomorrow they will finish the walls, add new tile, rebuild the bathtub, lay floor tile and install a new commode. The entire remodeling will cost about $500.00 USD. Yesterday he did his part of the work on the pantry. I found that kitchen supplies were stored all over the house and no one special place. Since Timothy had a small room that was designed as a half bath that was never finished we decided to turn it into a pantry. Jonathan finished all the walls and floor yesterday. Today, Son Jackie who is the carpenter has been gathering the supplies to put up shelving and add a door. When he is finished, Jonathan will take leftover floor tile from the bathroom and finish the floor. After it is whitewashed, it will be finished and ready to receive the dishes, cooking pans, and other items. How wonderful to be able to go to one place for everything pertaining to the kitchen. Last night,I introduced Patient to hot pads in the kitchen. They either use their bare hands or a towel to remove pans fron the heat. She thought the hot pads were really nice. We laughed that someday we might have a real American kitchen.
Koyo just brought me fresh coconut from the trees. He likes the coconut milk and I like the coconut meat so we shared. Rolf decided that he liked coconut meat as well. Koyo also brought $200.00 Liberian dollars from the boy who was cutting the coconuts. That is not quite $3.00 USD but will almost be enough to buy Koyo the sandals he has been eyeing for the past week. I told him if he countinued to help without being told, I would buy them for him by the end of the month. A Liberian form of allowance.
Last night I fixed spaghetti sauce for supper and we put it over rice. The ground beef was $7.00 for 2 pounds, green pepper $1.75, onion 3 small ones for $1.00, 2 cans diced tomatoes at $1.00 a can and regular sauce for $2.75 a jar. I added garlic salt and basil to it along with some hot Liberian pepper for seasoning. The children all loved it and of course want me to fix it again. It will be a meal saved for special occasions, maybe for Thanksgiving. I understand they also like regular spaghetti pasta and haved learned that it is fixed with cucumbers, onion and Miracle Whip.
At the same time we were shopping at the supermarket, Timothy wanted a new weed whip to cut the grass here at the house. A weed whip is similar to a machette but the tip is longer and curves out at an angle. Sort of like an L shape. It has a wooden handle like a knife and is swung to cut the grass and weeds. A Liberian lawn mower. I was concerned about the price, but was amazed to find the price was only $2.50.
Sunday several of the grandchildren were here and it was a bit chaotic. I can handle one or two at a time but not an entire house full. Sunday night everyone was gone and the days have been peacefilled ever since. We continue to gather for the story time each evening. Last night it was Hansel and Gretel and tonight is Aladden and the Magic Lamp. They have caught on that there is either a wicked step mother or wicked witch in each story. This time also helps them to understand my English as I begin to develop my ear for their English as well.
Day is drawing to a close, evening meals are being prepared, children are coming home from school in their different uniforms and others are coming home from work. Soon supper will be eaten , baths taken and the sun goes down on another day.
Peace and joy,
Timothy and Anne
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