It's Christmas!!!!!

Well, almost.

As we write this on Christmas Eve night we are in the middle of a heavy thunder storm. Near the equator we knew there was never any hope of a white Christmas, but the weather is trying its best to make it seem like England as there are hailstones falling as well.

It has been unusual getting accustomed to a different sort of Christmas for us. The weather has been getting hotter, and there has been minimal signs in the town that it’s Christmas with few if any decorations. One or two more shops have started playing Christmas music in the last week, and there has been the occasional Christmas tree in tourist hotels but that's more or less it.

The last office day at the Diocese was Tuesday, and that was the day the office tree was installed and decorated. Malcolm was quite relieved that it hadn’t been there for a week or so. This is because when the lights are turned on a tinny electronic version of ‘We wish you a Merry Christmas’ is continually played, over and over and over. Any more than a few hours and he might have been forced to bring a hammer to work!!!!






The last working day also meant lunch together. Although this did not include traditional Christmas fare (i.e. turkey, sprouts, mince-pies) it was a very pleasant sausage casserole and a range of vegetables.



We are not the only ones tucking in. As you see some cheeky birds have been pinching the peas in our garden – its been a race to see which of us gets them first.







The closure of the Diocese offices has not meant we have stopped working! On Wednesday Malcolm spent the day doing the books at Potters Village. This meant he was unable to goto a rally in Kisoro attended by the country’s President – not that he would have gone as we won’t be involved in next February’s elections. Since then Irene has been making Christmas presents for friends here, and Malcolm has been doing some painting outside – he just finished touching up the emulsion before the current storm. Shame!! He also found time to put up some decorations our daughter sent him for his birthday earlier this year.


The ‘sign’ this week is unusual for Uganda. A couple of weeks ago a team of men turned up in town to dig up some small potholes in the main roads. They’ve done a good job, deepening the holes considerably and squaring them up ready to be filled. Unfortunately there is no sign that they are about to be filled. One did originally have a row of stones marking it out, we assume to warn motorists. This is highly unusual as potholes are normally left unmarked to surprise the unwary motorist. However, the stones have long since gone and motorists now have the excitement of trying to avoid the man-made ravines / water holes!!!

Finally, we wish all of you a relaxing Christmas and a very happy New Year.

You know you live in Africa when….

… whilst outside painting your door children from the school across the road shout for about 20 minutes ‘Mzungu, Mzungu. How are you?’ even after you’ve given up repeatedly replying “I’m fine; I'm fine”

… ripe oranges have pips – and are green