Never a dull moment

Leo and I have colds and it's 100% not fun.  Not one bit.  We're both cranky, and coupled with the fact he's crawling and bumping into everything is making it a million times worse.  There's no off switch to his runny nose and it's leaking over me, my t-shirts and the furniture.  'Boo- bloody-hooo' I hear  you yell, 'at least you're warm'. 

Well yes, we are, but sometimes that's even worse.  At least when you have a cold in a freezing climate you can snuggle down under your duvet, get cosy in a big jumper and drink delicious mugs of hot chocolate dripping with marshmallows.  Here we're eating nasty biscuits by a brand called Mangi (more like Manky) and drinking tepid water.

Every cloud and all that rubbish....so a couple of things have made me smile in the last 24 hours and I thought I'd share them with you. I'm generous to a fault when I'm suffering. 

Death in Africa is spoken of very differently to how we speak of it in the West.  Here it's a way of life - you're born and then you die and somewhere in the middle you live your life.  Peter, who we're putting through college, works at the weekends on a piece of land we have downstream of Jinja.  I saw him the other day and we were chatting about families, football and school.  He told me his grandmother was sick and was being looked after by his mother. 

'I'm so sorry to hear that, do you know what is the cause of her sickness?'

'Errrr, no, she's just v-e-r-y old and is sick from being old, because this is what happens when you get old.'

'How old is she?'

'Old.'

Then yesterday I received a text from Peter:- 

"Hi Georgie, my grandmum has finally died!  Peter."


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Yesterday was all about the humour.  A bit later I received a handwritten letter from a young woman who I've never met, but she would like a job.  The letter says, word for word:-

To, THE MANAGER MARKSON HOTEL

Re:  APPLICATION FOR A JOB AS A COOKER

I here by submit my application to your office for the above mentioned post.  I am a ugandan by nationality, Emuganda by tribe aged 25 years.  I have experience for two years because I was working some where.  I will be greatfull if my request meets your kindly considaration.

Thanks

your kindly
Namato Peace


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What more can I say, enjoy your hot chocolate!