FEB1st

Oops, I've been a bit absent from this blog for awhile, just getting my head down so I can send money to the guys at Albreda.  The walls are plastered and now just waiting for the plumber to come and lay the pipes. The builders are going off for a week to the GAMON in Senegal, which is kind of like our Glastonbury Festival, or Edinburgh rolled into one. They'll be celebrating the birth of the prophet, with people coming from all over Africa, bringing stuff to sell. Its in Tivaouane, which is there home town.There will be lots of music and drumming, and the BIFAL Muslims will be out in force too, with their amazing clubs that they swing around you can hardly believe how they can lift them off the ground.
I'm missing Albreda though, and whilst spring is coming along ok here in WALES, its lovely in fact, but I miss that cool river Gambia, and the fresh fish and the lovely smiles and energy of the builders , and the  children, and all the people, goats, donkeys and chickens.
Grass hat been cut for when we are ready to thatch the houses. I'd like to be there then . With tickets at the silly price of £90 return, to the Gambia at the moment, that's with Thomas Cook, I could easily nip there in May, and take some stuff out with me too, like sheets. I fancy cotton sheets. Just about everything else is gettable from Gambia, like kitchen stuff, beds, doors. Oh maybe I'll bring some locks with me. It seems like you can only get Chinese locks in Gambia, and the are more like ones you get in crackers.
Its funny running a building project by phone, but now were getting used to it, so its strangely easy. Better not speak too soon, but really our builders there are amazing, and full of joy in their work. Lovely vibes in the walls and floors, will be there for us to draw on when we come.