Feasting

Saturday - Sunday, March 2 - 3, 2019

The rains begin in March and they were right on schedule this month. Each day, we have had warning thunder and then drenching downpours. The rain usually comes in the daytime—in the first half of the morning or the later afternoon,  Fortunately on every day there have been long breaks in the rain and even bright blue skies. Nothing we have planned to do has needed to be cancelled because of rain.

Saturday passed uneventfully until 4:30, when we needed to leave for the long rattling drive to Erik and Bernice Rowberg’s house for a pizza feast. I had told John to arrange for a different taxi than Ray’s since I didn’t’t think that Ray’s bald tires and sagging rear end could make it up and over the savage roadway to the Rowbergs’ place. If we went with Ray, I was certain we would end up stranded with a flat tire or a rear end rupture. Ray, however, pleaded his case with John, and John, of course, gave in. In spite of my fears, nothing gave out, and we arrived at the Rowbergs safely.

Note: Erik grew up in the Spokane Valley and is a good friend of Dick Finch, the former pastor at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church on Spokane’s South Hill. He’s been here probably 40 years, but I keep forgetting why or how he came. That really doesn’t matter as much as what he’s accomplished here in establishing the computer service company Habari Node, which he began in the 1990s, and the large circle of friends he and Bernice have gathered around themselves. Bernice is Tanzanian and works for World Vision. Their daughter now attends Evergreen College in Washington State, where she is studying sustainable agriculture. In addition to his computer company, Erik also owners a large brick factory. A couple of years ago, he used some of his bricks to have a large pizza oven built in his back yard, and his pizza evenings are wonderful.

Since we arrived at the Rowbergs before dark, I was able to walk around and take photos of their house and the many plants Bernice has planted everywhere. There are several large tree that have huge dragon fruit plants growing on them. However, this time there were no ripe fruits on them. There were flowers and succulents everywhere, too, and even orchids here and there.

The house that Erik built.

A large Dragon Fruit plant.

Some of the many flowers in Bernice's garden.

Friends we had met last year, Robert and Anya and their 3-year old daughter, Sipi (sp?), were present as well. Robert and Anya operate an ecologically responsible safari company, and Sipi just capitalizes on her cuteness. Robert loves to cook, so he and Erik made a great partnership preparing and baking the pizzas. Bernice, Mary Lou, and Bernice’s 8-year-old grandniece, Louella, also made some of the pies, but mostly we women sat and visited. Once again, I was astonished at how little Sipi transferred effortlessly among Swahili with her father, German with her mother, and English with the rest of us.

Erik heating up his magnificent pizza oven.

Robert and Erik the master pizza chefs.

Louelle making pizzas, too.

Bernice and Erik creating some pies.

Sipi and her dog, Colin.

Me chatting with Bernic

Ray returned at 9:00 to take us back to Kundayo, and once again we miraculously made the trip with no flat tires or broken axles. Once home again, I went in to use the toilet, but when I lifted the lid, I was disgusted that someone had not flushed well and quickly reflushed. OMG! Not only did the offending object not disappear, it suddenly showed franticly moving legs and tried to climb out of the water. I shrieked and called for Beatrice, who was on night duty. She, John, and MaryLou came quickly to see the rat and to discuss how to get rid of it. John flushed and flushed, while Beatrice stood by to slam down the lid if the rat started to make progress climbing out. MaryLou crowded in to try to take photos.  Flushing didn’t do anything, so John then filled the big red bucket and poured several of those in the bowl. The rat finally disappeared, but just to make sure it did not reappear, I had boiled water and poured several liters of that down the toilet as well. The rat was gone; however, we made sure to keep the lid down and take a flashlight with us to check what was in bowl when we got up in the night.

Fighting the rat.

During the night we had severe downpours and the din on our metal roofs made it difficult to sleep. In the early morning, however, the rain stopped. and we had no problem getting to church. 

Sunday bouquet

There was also a second very different bouquet.

Watoto making sure to get chai with plenty of sugar.

After service mingling.

MaryLou with Mrs. Olson and her daughter. the Ladies in Red today.

Another friend, Sharon Mkisi invited us to join a group of friends who were driving out to Usa River after church for a special buffet at Windtrees.  It would cost 25,000 TshZ ($10.87), but, what the heck, an all-you-can-eat buffet with good friends in a beautiful setting with live music was irresistible. There were a variety of mixed vegetable salads, and I particularly liked a well-seasoned eggplant salad. The meat offerings were several preparations of pork and beef filet. I think this was the first buffet I have been to in Tanzania at which neither chicken nor mutton was served. There were also delicious fresh rolls and pizza for the children. The best part was being with friends once again and enjoying the beautiful grounds and live music. Just after Sharon had suggested that we stay on longer to listen to the music, thunder rolled, and we knew we needed to get back to the car before the rain hit. We barely made it, and it poured most of the 27 kms back to Arusha.

The main lodge gathering and dining area.

Sharon at the buffet line.

The musicians.

When it was time for our weekly video chat with Peri, the initial connection was good, and we got to see and compliment her on her new haircut. However, after only 9 minutes, the internet failed, and we couldn’t get reconnected. What a disappointment. Still, when I think about seeing and talking with Peri from so far away, I am amazed and happy for any minutes we have with her.