Re-stocking The Cupboard

Have been getting some food and miscellaneous kitchen supplies for the house while writing a reminder to myself in big, red, block letters to follow my own intuition in the future re: items to bring from the US or even while stopping over in Accra. Jim is always quick to say "you can find anything in Tamale, - no need to pack extra weight in our suitcases." A big jar of Skippy or Jif peanut butter would've been nice. A hand-held electric mixer (which could easily be used with a local plug/voltage adaptor). A few favorite spices, etc., etc. No doubt that some shape or form of the above can be found here but quality and cost are a different matter.
On the other hand, open air markets and roadside stands for fruit and vegetables are plentiful with the produce fresh and delicious. Preparation of meals is what takes a fair amount of time - necessity of boiling the water, for example.
In any event, we certainly don't go hungry. Unless, of course, we join our Muslim friends in this current period of fasting during the 30 days of Ramadan. No food or drink all day between sunrise and sunset.

Daily Life

With the many frustrations and difficulties he faces every day in the hospital and even in maintaining the house, Jim thrives on his work. Without question, he is making a difference in the lives of people around him. Me, - not so much. I feel I should be doing more and then rationalize that I'm not here long enough during one stay to commit to a full-time position. Lame excuse because I can always get involved in one thing or another. Some days I do get a little sense of accomplishment in just taking care of mundane chores like food shopping, going to the bank for a new ATM card, or picking up a package at the post office.
The bank, for example, was total bedlam on Monday with at least 100 people milling inside and another 50 on line outside by the ATM "waiting for it to be repaired." Determined to succeed, I was able to find the bank manager, and after interacting with him and a series of his assistants, I departed with both cash in hand and a current ATM card (which should eventually be able to work).
The post office was my next stop. We received a notice in our box to pick up a package which turned out to be Beth's Father's Day gift. It had arrived shortly before Jim left for his stateside visit so he never got a chance to retrieve it before his departure. While one clerk in the main building watched over my two large bundles of shopping, I was directed to another location across the back courtyard, filled out a few forms for two other clerks chatting among themselves and other customers, watched them open and inspect the contents of the box, paid 3 Ghana cedi (about $2.25) for the paperwork, and finally left with a beautiful laptop carrying case filled with an assortment of US magazines and lots of good wishes.

New Adventures Ahead

Hope to add yet another positive experience to life in Tamale. My first sojourn in Ghana was total novelty, the second was getting accustomed to our own home, and this third.....remains to be seen.
One of our sons once introduced us to a game of "Highs and Lows" and I thought of that in my first few days back. "Lows" included a dust-covered house, a multitude of cobwebs, and electrical problems affecting refrigerator, computer, and lights. The "Highs," however, won out with the house still standing, beautiful plants surviving, being met at the airport by one of Jim's colleagues, and having a home-cooked breakfast prepared by Kris, the son of a good college friend who recently accepted a job in Tamale with Catholic Relief Services and who just happens to live a short walk from our place. Last but not least were the warm greetings of both strangers and friends.
The house is now cleaned, a knowledgeable electrician has put us back on track, and Jim was enthusiastically welcomed time and again by people on the street and his co-workers in the hospital.

2009 Return to Ghana

Back to West Africa 28 August 2009, returning with Jim after his visit home to the States. Stayed once again at the convenient and comfortable Transit Lodge in the Cantonments section of Accra, only about a ten minute drive from the airport, and enjoyed a favorite dinner of cassava fish with lobster sauce just around the corner at Captain Hook's.
The next morning we boarded our Antrak domestic flight to Tamale and were accompanied by the reigning beauty queen adorned with a golden crown and a "Ghana's Most Beautiful" sash draped over her colorful blue and pink print dress. I feel fairly certain in assuming that the photographers waiting upon our arrival were not assembled to welcome Jim back to Tamale Teaching Hospital.

A Look Back ... Some Photos

Mary and little Fatima at work

Jim in the hospital ward

Our local Holy Cross Church

Jim with Mumuni, our night watchman

Walking safari at Mole National Park

Godwin, our cook, with his delicious bread

The waiting area at the hospital

Local scene, women and goats, Tamale

Our bedroom

Downtown Tamale

Sylvia, and me modeling the dress she made for me

Water supply poly tanks in the hospital

Visit to Mole National Park with Conor and Katie

Our new living room furniture, made by local carpenters

The COLWOD women at my bon voyage gathering

Jim, hard at work

Jim and colleagues in the OR

Jim and his nurses

Tamale market place

Young girl carrying water sacs

My Kenyan friend, Rosemary, on her visit to Tamale

The Marshall family from South Africa

Katie and Conor with our next door neighbor, Jabal

Relaxing at home

Travel

Last year, when I left Ghana in the fall, Jim had the arrival of our daughter, Beth, to look forward to in December. This year, two of our sons, Jim and John, plan to visit him in early November. Stephen will miss the trip as he is working knee-deep in election mania out in Nevada. After about seven days in Ghana, Jim, Sr., Jim and John will all board a flight to Casablanca. John is to continue directly on to the U.S. whereas Beth will then fly from New York to join Jim and Jimmy for a week of adventure in Morocco. I plan to skip this jaunt but hopefully we can select an interesting destination at which we can all meet sometime in 2009 (New Jersey is not Jim, Sr.'s first choice). Any recommendations?
Thanks for reading our blogs. Please look for photos to be posted in the near future.

Pizza, Ice-cream, Seminarians and COLWOD

After a traditional lunch at SWAD with Rick and Mmathuba, I transported my "take-out" order of three veggie & Hawaiian pizzas back to the house in preparation for the seminarians who I had invited over for a farewell party at 4 PM. Figured they may have had their fill of jollof rice and yams so an American feast of pizza and ice-cream made up the menu. Four of the young women from COLWOD also joined us and midst tears, smiles, and lots of photo taking, we had a great time. A highlight of the afternoon was our son John's call on SKYPE. The seminarians and the girls all took turns speaking with him and thoroughly enjoyed seeing one of the persons I'm always talking about live on screen with the computer's video camera. John's comments provided some great reactions and laughter and it was truly a special experience for my guests.