Not My Best Week

This is the particularly hot season when no rain is in sight; the temperatures are  easily in the mid to high 90s (F) during the day, often rising above 100. Not an ideal time for our refrigerator (brought over in a container from the U.S. eight years ago) to bite the dust - with the help of my carelessness.

Even a basic understanding of physics has never been my strong suit and while attempting to make use of an extension cord, I inserted a 110 volt U.S. plug into a 220 volt Ghanaian outlet without remembering to use a converter. Alas, all the fresh produce purchased yesterday in the market (including two dozen eggs) now rests in a warm frig, begging to be cooked and eaten.

No sympathy from Jim, who always has much more important things on his mind - two young boys who can barely breathe and a young woman with problematic bleeding.

Lunch with Philomena

Typical shopping display - much longer than I could capture with my camera!

Seeing Friends

The friendly woman with the small convenience stand across the road was so happy to receive some photo prints of her which I had made in the U.S., as was Grace at the COLWOD batik shop and Veronica, who continues to work hard at helping to keep the Harmattan dust under control in the house.

When stopping to greet Rahi at Melcom's general store where she works, she presented me with three beautiful Ghanaian dresses that she had specially made for our granddaughter, Scarlett. What a nice surprise!

We went to the festive wedding of one of Jim's nurses, Faustina, on Saturday and I joined Barbara, Jane, Annelyse & Ziblim for our always enjoyable weekly lunch on Sunday. We tried a new place, Don's - a bit off the main Bolga road. A number of items on the menu not available (common occurrence in Tamale!), but the veggie pizza was good.

Accra to Tamale by Bus

After a beautiful Christmas holiday in the U.S. with family and friends, then a wonderful six-days in Germany visiting the charming town of Tuttlingen, home to several medical instrument companies, Jim & I arrived in Accra. We had hoped to fly directly north, but the dusty Harmattan wind is again in full force with all flights to Tamale cancelled. Finally resorted to taking the twelve-hour bus ride, pulling safely into Tamale around 8 PM.