Life continues to be interesting...

The past week and a half since I came back from Lusaka have had some wonderful times of rest, but have also been very stressful for various things that are beyond my control and not to my liking! First of all, I'm trying to make some decisions about final treatment for my broken tooth. It looks like I'll have to spend a week on the Copper Belt again, and I'm trying to figure out details and how much trouble I'm willing to go to for this tooth. Secondly, my dog Ceili was apparently bitten by a snake, and her face has swollen up in a very alarming fashion--for awhile her head was about twice its normal size! As there isn't really a vet out here, I got some advice from an experienced nurse who has treated her own dogs, and this morning she is looking a little better. Yesterday she was obviously very uncomfortable and was pacing the backyard, whining, and rubbing her head on everything. How I wished I could explain to her that I'm doing all I can! There is hardly anyone on station right now--five of us single ladies and a family. It's been so nice to have some time to work on projects like card making, knitting, cleaning my house, and reading ahead for next term. It's also been a lot of fun planning our supper get-togethers. I very much enjoy having a chance to cook and bake and play with new recipes during the term break. Being a cook in the bush means that you have to be really creative with ingredients, and take the ever present altitude into account! Last night we had pizza, and I'm thinking there will be some enchiladas in the future... Dry season is starting to arrive--my favorite time of the year! Finally I have a good reason for being a knitter--my work is no longer just a hobby, but protects me from the cold! Mornings and evenings are all times when a shawl and pair of socks are beginning to be appreciated; the really cold months are June and July. I love the deep blue skies, the winds that keep the mornings fresh, and amazing cloud formations that continue to roll across the sky (but don't mean rain!). Soon the burning process will start, and that air will always have a tinge of smoke in it, and little bits of black ash will be everywhere. God is so wonderful--knowing that patterns and rhythms are dear to our human hearts, He set up several distinct rhythms of nature for us to enjoy depending on what part of the world we're in!