My elder son seems to think I don't work much as he hears more about the fun stuff. I have assured him that I am working plenty hard--5 and 1/2 days a week and on call the rest of the time. I have "formal" teaching duties with the clinical officers where I prepare handouts, discuss cases etc in addition to daily rounds. I also consult in maternity which is generally fun. The maternity structure is about 25 yards away from the hospital and the midwife supervisor calls me when they have any non-pregnancy related problems with their patients. Hasn't been too much work until the last couple of weeks when we had 5 cases of neonatal sepsis, 1 of meningitis and 1 of congenital syphilis. Last week the midwife told me there was someone about to deliver if I wanted to catch a baby. I ran over but missed the delivery. As I walked in the translator fainted and was heading for the floor so I caught him instead.
Waiting for the game to start |
Dry season has arrived and with it very dusty roads (sometimes it is like thick fog). Tall brown grass is everywhere. The practice here is to set fire to the dry brush so new shoots will come up for the animals to feed on. It's a bit uncontrollable what actually burns so I'm told it's not unusual for houses to be burned as well as grass. In addition to dust in the air now there is often smoke as well. The other night the guards alerted us there was a nearby fire burning out of control parallel to the side of the compound where there is an above ground fuel tank. We all left dinner to go watch the flames leap into the sky. Every once in awhile there would be loud crackling and sparks as a tree exploded in flames. It reminded me of brush fires in Malibu. Fortunately it passed by without turning our way and eventually died out. I miss the daily thunderstorms and amazing cloud formations!
I'm not enjoying the various bugs that seem to come in waves but I did have one nice bug experience. I went to bed (under the mosquito net) and read for awhile the other night. When I turned out the light there were fireflies all over the room but outside the net. It was a magical light show until I fell asleep!
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ReplyDeleteCould not find the edit function. So. Deleted & reposted exactly what follows below.
DeleteAmazingly wonderful! Yes. Burning off for new growth is a long standing method of renewal. Actually the LodgePole PineTrees of Yellowstone require fire to open the pinecones that release new seed. Fire is both natural and needed. Sweet secret, promise of new life. Considered a miracle of fire. 25 is the magic number. Each tree burns in the tree canopy and flames for 25 seconds. In that time the cone opens to release new seed. Longer, the resin in the cone burns the cone; less, the resin does not melt and cone does not open.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUYSDEYdmzw&feature=youtu.be
Link to Netflix version, should you have the opportunity to share this amazing tour of Yellowstone. Malibu fires, yes. Quite another story.
Again, I hear a quiet. So glad to step into that quietness. Thanks for this posting.