Getting Things Fixed

(Here's a shot of a beautiful Jacaranda tree. They're in bloom now in South Africa. Apparently they're considered a weed, but most people like them.)

Well, our week in South Africa has been a busy one. Our vehicle needed some urgent attention and apparently it's 'very tired'! After over 250,000 km of bad roads and being used to haul just about everything imaginable...I'd be tired too! We repaired what we could so it can take us a little further, but I'm afraid its days are numbered. We will need to look at a replacement for it in the near future. Mozambique is no place for 'sick' vehicles!

The day we arrived here, it began to rain. Apparently it had been very hot the day before...up to +40 or so. But then the wind began to blow and cold, rainy, dreary weather settled in and stayed for the entire week we were here! It warmed up briefly one day mid-week, then promptly clouded over and poured rain the next. I only packed 2 thin jackets and brought NO closed shoes. This is hot spring in Africa after all! Well, I survived the experience, but certainly drank my fair share of hot tea with a warm cat on my lap.

I was the other one who needed some fixing while we were here. Tylenol had become part of my daily diet for the previous 3 months due to a tooth that was ailing. Oh the joys of growing older...it seems that between Dr. and dentist visits, I keep pretty busy (when we're here at least)! Anyway, I had another root canal done and it was a particularly sore one. I told the dentist I have very unhappy teeth. He just chuckled. I wasn't laughing though. I think the only place in the world where I would rather not be in the reclining chair is in a dentist's office!

All in all it's been a productive week. The vehicle has had its 'face lift', I'm now off Tylenol, and we've been able to pick up some much needed items for the work in Moz. It's been great to see our Mercy Air family again too. So yes, tomorrow we cross the border into Mozambique again. We'll produce those same very official travel documents that the nice immigration official gave us. Then, once back in Chimoio, we have to face the music (begin the process of getting those important stickers in our resident's permits). Oh, we heard of another fellow-missionary couple who also missed the announcement to go through the expatriate census process. They're Canadian too. Hmmm.