BANG! BOOM! CRASH!

October 16, 2006

What a crazy week.
Wednesday we took a trip to one of the satellite pits so that each of our students could ride in a piece of equipment. Moolmans is a company that is responsible for actually digging. They transported us to the pit and placed each student, one by one, into; a 777 dump truck, a giant front loader, or a huge water truck. When they weren’t riding, they were playing in the dirt and having a ball.

We were supposed to see a blast as well, but that got postponed due to technical difficulties. The fellas at Moolmans picked us up the next day and took us out to watch them blow up a big chunk of ground (180,000 cubic meters). Not just one, either, but two blasts in the same day! The kids thought it was awesome.
Blasts are an incredible experience. We stood and stared at a piece of ground; it’s marked by cones. If you look closely, you can see holes drilled where the explosives are. We were standing on top of several containers which house conference rooms, overlooking the main pit. There is a siren that is turned on when it’s time to clear the pit. The whine continues throughout the blast. It is a grating noise; before the blast was over, I wanted only for that sound to stop. Hennie was the man in charge of the blasting. We stood next to him as he counted down from ten. After a slight delay, the ground erupted into plumes of dust. It rippled towards us until it had exhausted the explosives. Then we felt the ground move and heard the noise. It’s over almost before it has begun.
Two afternoons of school shot, just like that. They were experiences that none of us will soon forget.
MJR

October 31, 2006

Okay, I totally tried to post a picture of the hot tub. Ever since then we have not had service at home and I have been unable to check it from work. So here is the picture I wanted to post:


MJR

Flying Tubs and Chameleons

October 9, 2006

What is there to say? We are in the throes of living our lives. It’s been cool (temperature wise), the rain has come, but not nearly enough. Farmers are hurting.

Morné built himself an outdoor tub. It’s got a circulating pump and a heater. It also has a cool roof over the top. It seats about eight. It feels great on a lazy Sunday afternoon. He also remodeled Theola’s tub. Now hers is even bigger and deeper. He does it all with scrap materials from the mine and parts he buys from SA. He drains it every night because he doesn’t want anyone drowning, but it only takes forty minutes to fill, so it’s okay…

It’s amazing, this separation. We live in Africa, yet hardly experience it. A night out at Togola’s or a few drinks at Collie’s Place is about as close as we get to immersing ourselves in society. Many here would never eat at a restaurant in the village. We have managed to convince a few folks to go with us. The food is amazing, the atmosphere is unique, and Togola is always happy to see us.

Mostly, we just hang out at home or at the club. Volleyball is fun and the pool is always nice. I love hangin in the bar and never having to deal with payment. One soon starts feeling like Cliff Claven; walk in and there’s your drink. You have a few cocktails and order some dinner, all from the comfort of the swimming pool. After some good conversation and a lekker meal, you slip out the back, never paying a cent. It’s a real eye opener, though when the bill shows up and you actually see how much you spent!

Life here is pretty dull; a day to day routine much like that I lived in the States. I wake up, I go to work, and I come home. We watch movies and play on the computer and play with Zachary. On the weekends we drive to a river or a shady spot for a braai and a swim.




When I look at the pictures again, I have to marvel at the beauty and environmental diversity of this place. The Hornbills are coming back, as are the Rollers. The other day on my way home from the market, I came upon a chameleon. It was the most remarkable creature. It almost didn’t look real. I remember chameleons being really small; a prize to be won at the Puyallup Fair. The one I saw in the street was the most elegant creature. I chased him out of the street so he wouldn’t get run over. He shot me an unbelieving look and moseyed on his way, one step at a time. His feet folded together every time he picked up a foot. He kept giving me that look; like he couldn’t quite believe that I would have the audacity to move him along.

I suppose, in the end, that is not a typical day’s commute.
MJR