Our House

Our House. What can I say about our house? Where to begin…..? Well, it’s new. It’s got a yard, that’s a plus in this city of inclines. It mostly keeps the rain off of our heads, but we’re still working on that. Yesterday, we were down to only two leaks—one in the kitchen and one in the middle of the living room. The plumbing and the electricity are somewhat sketchy. At first there was entirely too much water pressure and the water would just about explode out of the tap when opened. Soooo, some adjustments were made and now there’s only just a trickle coming out of the bathtub taps. It takes about 20 minutes to draw a comfortable level of water in which to bathe, but hey at least we get a bath.

We live off of a dirt road just on the edge of the modern housing. Below us, most of the residents live in what can only rightly be described as mud huts with tin roofs. Most are without electricity and running water. Everyday, there is a steady stream of little, and I mean very little, boys and girls trickling down the street/mud path in front of the house with containers they must fill and bring home to mama for various purposes—cleaning, cooking and drinking. I haven’t yet located the water source, but it’s got to be relatively close to us given the number of kids hauling around yellow water “bidons”. Such a sight tends to put our electrical and water problems into the proper perspective.

Ah, the furniture. What to say about the furniture? The phrase African kitsch doesn’t even begin to do it justice, so I’ve posted a few photos for your viewing pleasure. You all will have to e-mail with your comments because I truly haven’t the proper vocabulary.