The Calm Before the Storm

Saturday was such a relaxing day on the farm. Most everyone travelled down to Kisumu for overnight. Brenda, our nice boma-mate went to the wedding of one of her former students as did the family. Geri and I went into town to buy just a couple of things. The couple of things turned into a four hour shopping day. We bought some nice shirts for ourselves ($7 each). A new floormat for the front door because we track so much dirt/sand into the boma. We also bought a kerosene lamp for the nights. Think propane lantern, but one that you have to manually pump to pressurize. We stopped for lunch at a coffee/teahouse that some of the experienced volunteers recommended. We went for a light meal of curry chicken that turned out to be huge -- and all for $2.50.

We got home and swept out the boma and washed down the floor just in time for an absolutely drenching rainstorm. So much for doing my laundry. It did give me time to make some progress on my journal. The problem is that I write the blog and then don't feel like writing with more detail in my journal.

Things ended up coming to a head with our little friend Kitty. She had taken a matatu down to Kisumu (2 hours on a good day) with Reuben and Mama Betty's 15 year old daughter. She was specifically told to be back before it got dark (6:30-7). It's really important because the matatus quit running around 7. Also, it's not like there are street lights or anything. They ended up making it back around 8:30. Mama Betty was both worried and fit to be tied. Kitty came into the boma and Brenda told her she needed to go talk to Betty, but she wouldn't go up there. I left and I guess Geri said "You really need to go up and talk to them." Kitty was like "No, I need to clean up and do some things here." Geri said, sternly, that she didn't realize how worried everyone was and that she needced to go and apologize. Kitty blamed it all on the daughter, Donna. Geri said "You're the adult and you were told to be back before dark." She simply would not take any responsible. Then when I came back into the boma, Kitty told us that we talked down to her and that she didn't appreciate it. Well, you know me, I lost it. Kitty ended up crying for about 2 hours to Reuben and Mama Betty. What absolutely ridiculous and unneeded drama.

Reuben this morning talked to us and said that they were trying to figure out what to do with Kitty since she has been such a problem for everyone. I think they are going to move her into their house in the extra bed in the girl's room. Reuben has really appreciated us and said he was trying to get things straight. He said that they have had some problem volunteers, but none of them have been quite like her. Anyway, enough of that whole mess.