Jan 22/04
Today Jim & I finished up putting new screen on the porch.  Took about all day.  Before dinner a delegation of men showed up.  There must have been at least a dozen representing the courtyards close to Bwalon.  After dinner Paul took Arnold & Art to pay their respects at a funeral.  An old woman had died & then for a week visitors come to pay their respects.  Melfort put ceramic tile on the corner kitchen cabinet.  Art worked on hooking up the water to the new sink he & Arnold installed in the porch.  I aslo had to service the sewing machine.  It started making poor stitches again so I cleaned & oiled it and it was back to normal again.  Tina spent the day sewing.  She has spent about all her time at that.  Thelma & Lois started varnishing the wood in the porch.  Kendale finished sanding & started closing up the gable ends with screens.  At about dark I spent about 1/2 hr at the radio & counted up about 25 contacts.  They ranged from Spain, to Cuba, California the furthest West and 2 from Nova Scotia & 1 in Toronto.  Lots of fun.  For supper we went to Lillians in the Tendenau Courtyard.  We had rice & sauce and most of us ate with our fingers.  After supper we joined the party just outside of the courtyard.  Lillian had hired a bunch of musicians to perform for us.  The music continued almost constantly and the belaphones appparently talk to the people all the time.  At one point someone told Carmela that the belaphone was talking about her & the dye she had put on her feet.  Supposedly they continue all night.  Sometime after 9 Paul asked for the road and we were given it.  Most of us left on the first vehecile.  Carmela and Lois and the Haas's at least stayed.  Carmela & Lillian are right at home.  Not sure what the rest are doing.  On the way back to Oradara we saw 2 camels at the edge of town.  Paul says they travel around & let people take pictures & charge money for it.  Today should have been our last day of work.  The original plans were to go shopping in Bobo.  Most of us are going to work tomorrow.  At least the men are.  Shower & pill time.