Unwanted Creatures

Okay, I will start with the story of unwanted creatures. I thought last night’s millipede was bad. I have one today that will top that. Lunghi (the office driver) was here helping me today get the t.v. mounted on the wall, install the washing machine and the closet rods. I had been hanging clothes all day and unpacking suitcases and bags. I still don’t have nightstands for the rooms. I had gone and bought some little ones for each of our beds. So, my book, purse and other things you keep on a nightstand was in the floor by my bed. I have been reading this book that mom gave me called “Say Goodbye” by Lisa Gardner. It is about this guy who is fascinated with spiders and all through the book it talks about brown recluse, tarantula, etc. Well, right on top of this open book sat a big fat tarantula. It gives me the shivers thinking about it. Sorry, mom, I didn’t want to tell you about it but I want to be sure and capture all the challenging (and good) times while we are here.

So, I went and called Lunghi to come and kill it. He got a broom and the thing ran under my bed. Originally, when I first went in the room he was sitting about 3 inches from my bed on the floor on the book (about spiders). Lunghi chased it around and when I peeked into the room again I saw it run to my purse. Lunghi finally killed it. During the day I open all the windows and doors to get a breeze. There is only one small air conditioner in the master bedroom so you have to open the house up. And there are no screens on these houses. So, apparently, he climbed in my bedroom window. I am just glad I saw him and he didn’t wind up in a shoe or the girls see him. Lunghi said they are not poisonous. I don’t care, I don’t want them in the house. I am calling a bug man on Monday to come and spray the house and the vicinity.

I did think it was very ironic that the spider was on top of the book about spiders. The girls had all their stuffed animals on their beds. I made them take everything off the bed so nothing could hide in amongst their toys on the bed. I didn’t tell them about the unwanted guest.

So, just another typical day in Africa!

Otherwise, I was very busy today. The girls and I went and bought some household items like bathroom rugs, fruit baskets, pillows, bathroom trash cans, etc. I hung up clothes and unpacked.

I got to use my new little washing machine today. It took 3 hours to wash a load of clothes. I don’t have a dryer yet so I had to hang all the clothes in the garage. It was drizzling outside so I couldn’t hang them outside. There are clothes lines in the garage as well. They don’t sell the liquid washing detergent here. It is all that powder stuff like we used to use years ago.

Lunghi brought his little boy, Njabulo, over to play with the girls. He is 9 and very shy and quiet. They girls was happy to have someone to play with. Sofia was very curious about him. She asked where Lunghi found him and whether he found him on the road and brought him to play with her. She also said she was glad to have a brown African kiddo to play with. She is so funny.

We have a lemon tree on the property and they picked some ripe ones and brought about 6 in the house. They are huge like oranges! I will make some fresh lemon aid tomorrow.