Turkey day without the turkey...

Well, it's Thanksgiving in "the warm heart of Africa" and it's actually kind of weird to be thinking about Thanksgiving. I have never experienced hot weather and the opportunity of swimming at the US Ambassador's house on Thanksgiving. The funny thing is that we are NOT having turkey, but have instead decided to roast a gianormous pig. It is kind of disturbing to me to have to go through this...oh well. So, I baked ALL day yesterday at the country director's house. Let's just say they have it a little bit better than us volunteers! The country director's wife was definately a firecracker. She was very nice and entertaining. Since it took a lot longer than we expected, their housekeeper/cook made dinner for all of us. We made lots of desserts from apple cobbler, pound cake, pecan pie, chocolate chip cookies, and snickerdoodle cookies. We ate lots of cookie dough and everyone loved the cookies that I made! I have been in town since Friday because it is pouring at my site...the rainy season has definately begun! I wanted to make sure that I would be able to get out of my site with all the rain and mud. The first rains began 2 Saturdays ago. It was the most unbelievable storm I have ever experienced...it was so rainy and windy that when I was standing on my porch all I saw was sheets of white. I put out an 18 litre bucket to catch rain from my roof and it was filled in about 1/2hr! Due to the rain, my fence has completely fallen down and looks pathetic! Oh well...Three power line poles also fell down, so it was fun watching them put it back up on Sunday! On to other things...I have talked with the Traditional Birth Attendant Coordinator at the District Hospital and it sounds like alot of work...she wants me to set up trainings for the entire district! I hope she can help me fight the district on gettting funding for this! I also spoke with the Malaria Coordinator and they are going to get mosquito nets for the maternity ward! I just have to find funding so that we can give the women leaving the maternity ward a mosquito net to use at home! If you have any ideas of where to get this funding...LET ME KNOW!!! Well, I love and miss you all and wish that I could be eating some turkey and pumpkin pie in the rain with the rest of you! Keep me posted on all the fantastic things you are up to in the US!