Musings from Africa

Things I have pondered in the recent weeks:

1. Why do geckos love living inside instead of being content to live outside with all the other lizards?
2. Is the black speck in my crêpe batter - originating, I believe, from the sugar - extra protein (read: bug) or sand?
3. How I can sleep my whole life 'mosquito-net-free'; yet after 4 months of sleeping with a mosquito net, why do I suddently feel exposed to sleep without it?

Okay, this one I figured out! The other night I was reading on my bed and happened to look up in time to see a mosquito dive-bombing at my face. I swiped at him 1/2 inch from my eye, but missed. He quickly retreated to the ceiling and I just as quickly put the mosquito netting back around my bed!!

4. Why children believe that running after/at a moving vehicle to:
   1. hit the side
   2. jump in the back box
   3. dangle off the tailgate
   is a game?!!??

Note to self: Drive down different road home when school is recently out for noon-break.

5. How dumping chunks of cement blocks in a hole in the dirt road somehow makes the road better to drive on.
6. How Harmattan winds bring in so much sand from the desert that one can look at the sun bare-eyed.

   Yup . . . desertification in it's glory!

7. How the same food item on a restaurant menu tastes different every time I order it.
8. How do cockroaches get out of the shower drain when the drain cap is on?
9. Why the ratio of onions which make me cry while cutting them is higher here than Canada.
and finally, pondering . . .
10. the joy of cold season and how after 8 months of sweating, how wonderful it is to discover a state of non-sweating once again!! I was beginning to wonder if such a state existed over here! As my friend said this week: 'It finally feels like we are outside on a nice hot summer day instead of in an oven!' I whole-heartedly agree, what an apt comparison!