A Rewind to Easter

In an effort to keep this blog somewhat chronological, I am going back in time.  This Easter, like last Easter, was spent in the picturesque foothills of Mt Elgon at Sipi Falls.  But this year, it was not just a getaway for Phil and me, we were lucky enough to spend the holiday with Phil's parents, Peter and Ann, and longtime friend Noah.  Noah used to live with us at Claire's house but has since moved to Southern Sudan and now onto Brussels.

Peter, Ann, & Phil

We stayed at Lacam Lodge, a lovely place on an escarpment above one of the largest waterfalls in the area.

a moon flower we spotted while walking around

underneath one of the waterfalls

at the top of the falls

Phil decided to buy some 20 coffee tree plants.  While we waited for the farmer to find and deliver our purchase, all these cute kiddos came to play.

What we hope our coffee trees will someday look like

a fresh water crab in a cave

looking for bats in the cave and learning about the ancestors of the local tribe who used to call this cave home

the waterfall below Lacam Lodge.  Phil & I repelled down next to it last year.

Noah

enjoying sunset

Noah kept the fire going 

On the drive home, we stopped at Bugali Falls on the Nile

We had a wonderful time.  But...on the way home the car started making some very strange noises.  People were staring, wondering if we were riding a birthing hippo or a Land Cruiser.  Phil was down shifting to break and we were all worried we'd be spending the night in Seeta, a small town on the other side of the Kampala.  Luckily, we screamed into the driveway.  Phew.  

I hope your Easter was equally enjoyable.

Farewell to Elsie

Tuesday evening, after one last dinner at our dining room table and cappuccinos on the couch, Phil and I drove Els to the airport to bid her adieu.  Her contract with BTC in Uganda is over and despite her best efforts to get it extended a third time, she had to hand over her work and fly back to Belgium.

Els has been a very important part of my life the past 2 years.  She has been a yoga buddy, going to and from Muyenga with me, even on Saturday mornings.  When we had missed classes, we would practice at home and on weekend getaways.  

Els was a regular at our house for dinner, averaging 2-3 times each week.  She is much more helpful than Felix Chill in the kitchen, especially in  the clean-up department. I fear our dinners will greatly suffer, but not just in food quality, also in conversation. 

Tuna and Sahara think of Els as a second mommy.  Although I don't think they yet realize she is gone, they will sure miss seeing Aunty Els and licking her toes.

Els has entertained us for hours with all the games she knows.  I can't believe I will have to wait months for another game of Alhambra.  (I only once beat Els at this game.  She's so good!)

Els was my co-conspirator in the art of baby snatching.  Although we never went through with our plans, we have spotted the cutest babies in Uganda together, watching them dance or sleep on their mommas backs.  

Above all these things, Els is my best friend.  She is one of the smartest, funnest, thoughtful, and kind people I know.  She will be sorely missed.

The New York Times

has Phil on their webpage!

Phil flew Jeffrey Gettleman to Southern Sudan and Northern Congo in January for Gettleman's research on the LRA, and Phil happens to be pictured in his video on the The New York Times website.

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/04/10/world/africa/1247467554547/on-the-hunt-for-joseph-kony.html

No big deal.

My Parents Are Here

The following is an email I received my parent's friend Kevin several hours before they arrived at the Entebbe Airport:

Hi Angela,

Please let your parents know that the cat has been found, treated by the vet, and is now resting comfortably.

As you may be aware, your parents were literally on their way out the door to see you yesterday morning when they discovered that the cat was limping badly.  Your dad called and asked if I would take it to the vet.  In order to ease his obvious anxiety, I quickly agreed.  But in truth, Angela, I was thinking, "Yeah, right.  Hey, Bill, I don't even take my own kids in for medical care unless there is lots of blood or exposed bone.  And you're calling me about a limping cat?  I'll check on it in a day or two, maybe three.  Yeah, three days is about right.  It's Easter-- I'll give the cat three days to resurrect itself."

That's what I was thinking.  But all I said was, "Of course, Bill, I'll be happy to take care of that.  Have a wonderful trip and don't worry."   Later, Bill called from the Tulsa Airport to inform me that the cat had vanished.  He gave me all sorts of details about how the neighbors were leaving their garage open, and how I could check to see if the cat had returned, and where the cat carrier was, and that Tim Collins had a blank check to pay for the vet.  I let it all wash over me, white noise running gently in one ear and out the other, while I made mindlessly reassuring noises in response.  The bit about the blank check stuck with me, though.

I later learned from Tim Collins that it was your Mom who gave him the check at the Tulsa Airport, along with instructions that treatment was not to exceed $500.  There were to be no heroic measures.  Bill was less willing to draw a firm line--  "Maybe a little more than $500," he suggested.

I had successfully ignored the cat issue most of the day, when Bill called AGAIN from the Atlanta airport, hoping for an update.  I assured him AGAIN that I would take care of it, and actually considered going over to the Inglish house to take a look that very day, instead of waiting for three days.  I was beginning to get the idea that Bill is attached to this cat in a way I had not understood before.  I recalled that, several days ago, when I mentioned reading about your pizza oven on your blog, Bill seemed oblivious.  Yet when it came to the cat, he appeared to be very eager for any tidbit of news.

Just as I was getting ready to actually DO something, I got a breathless call from Cindy, who had been working at the Bargain Box / Cindy Store.  She had heard from the neighbors.  The cat had returned, and she was going to go take it to the vet.  She wanted me to call the Collins' and get them to meet her there with The Blank Check.

Using state of the art diagnostic techniques, the vet discovered a metacarpal laceration (cut paw) accompanied by moderate fever.  The cat received two injections to ward off infection, and was transferred to the Baughman Recovery Center next door to the Inglish home.  Cost of treatment at Manley Animal Clinic was $100.  However, rest assured that Tim will find a way to spend up to the budgeted amount of $500.

I'm hoping that news of the cat's recovery will ease Bill's mind enough that he could manage to be a guest blogger on Inglish as a Second Language.  I am very interested in the trip and would love to hear all about it.  I'm so interested, in fact, that I may write to you again this afternoon requesting an update!

Kevin

I will try to keep you posted on their visit and the cat's recovery.