Dec. 18

Dec. 18
Kenny actually slept in this morning, and so I decided to go down and eat breakfast while I waited for him to wake. I sat curled up on a plastic chair drinking my warm milo watching Doris work. That woman does more in a day than most people do in a week. I feel terrible that she has to continue work at Holy Child School even though school is out. For breakfast Doris pulled out a box of corn flakes cereal she had bought so I felt at home. I searched till I found the price tag, 15 cedi. I almost wanted to cry. That is more than she makes in a couple days of work. I was again touched by her love. She never ceases to amaze me.

Kenny and Jude played all morning, and now Kenny is singing songs with Jude in Fante, and they have a little handshake they do every couple of minutes. Jude is also teaching kenny some fante phrases, and Doris loved when Kenny finished eating and said dinner was delicious in Fante.

Today we visited the Internet cafe for a bit. As I waited on the slow Internet I was reminded of awfully long visits on those computers... I was happy when we were able to leave. We ate lunch at baobabs because that was my usual lunch spot!

Afterwords we caught a shared taxi to elmina which is now 1.10 a person. Everything is going up in price. We dropped at the castle, and walked along the beach for some time. The crabs were huge and kenny was chasing them around with the gopro. I love how much he loves crabs. We visited with the fishermen as they carved out one of the local canoes. It was amazing watching them work. Then we sat on a rock off the pier and watched the boats come in. It was beautiful besides watching the locals jump onto the rocks and take a poo. Then I  started noticing the poo on the rocks...ha ha oh Ghana. Some children were in the water washing their clothes by hitting them into the waves, and periodically yelling obruni and waving. What a life to live. Even seeing it first hand I still have a hard time imaging what it would be like to grow up here.

We caught another taxi back to cape, and halfway there we all had to get out because of an engine problem. Then we had to catch another tro for the rest of the way into cape. We dropped at kings street, and walked to the castle. We had an ocean view seat with two Alvaro's and watched the waves. After some time I practically jumped up in shock, their were about 8 pigs trotting along the beach. I never saw a pig while I lived in Ghana, and there they were...I was so happy. We went to visit with Felix for a bit until we could hear the drumming coming from the castle. The korree drumming and dancing practice at the castle almost daily, and I wanted Kenny to have a taste of what it's like. They let me video their hands pounding on the drums, and I can't wait to see the clip in a video. We also videoed Francis kente weaving, and the old men around the castle repairing the nets. All of these scream Ghana to me.

We went back to my seamstress so I could be measured and leave her my fabric. She is the sweetest. I wanted a picture so she said she would continue measuring till Kenny snapped the picture! We made our walk back to Doris's house, and she already had the rice balls finished, and she was heating the groundnut soup. I wish she would slow down and just let us help her cook and clean.

Jude and his cousin had been fighting and Doris said to talk to him because he is arguing too much, so Kenny and I had a parenting moment while we talked to Jude. The way he talks and explains things kill me. At many points he would finish and say do you understand, and Kenny and I would look at each other as we tried to smother our smiles. He is the best kid. Doris told us we could adopt him...she was joking and laughing while she said it, but I think my dad would take up that deal in a heartbeat. Mid sentence he will say I miss grandpa, and grandma too, why didn't they come.

Our skin is changing because the sun is too much... Im happy to be getting my summer tan back, and Doris is worried we aren't putting enough sunscreen on. Ha ha I'm telling you she is really my mom!