Day 26: Photo a Day: 12:00

Twelve o'clock noon found Lindsay and I, with one of our favorite taxi men, Youssof, on our way to swim laps at the American Rec Center.  Even though the water is as warm as bath water, it still is so refreshing  on these hot, hot days.

We'd been to the big garage sale day at Lindsay's school all morning where I'd had a table selling my hand stamped cards.  We made some key purchases, i.e. The Walton's DVD series!  Memories of years gone by.  The garage sales the past 2 weekends have added to our minuscule video collection with a NCIS series as well.  Does Wheel of Fortune come on DVD's?  That would make my life so sweet!

Day 25 Photo a day Challenge: Unusual

It's an unusual sight for our Kansas eyes as we are used to seeing a pen full of fat cattle eating at the bunks or the green Flint Hills dotted with cattle delightfully grazing.  But it's not an unusual sight here.  Cattle are herded through the streets along with the cars.  Grazing possibilities are slim so a pile of trash is what's available.

I realize that I've had three posts of animals in the last three days.  Some days it's hard to believe we live in a city of 1,000,000 people due to the huge amounts of camels, goats, sheep, cows and chickens that freely roam the streets along with us.  But, as shown by the amount of "animal" pictures, it makes taxing around town more interesting.

Day 24 Photo a Day: Something new

We walked out of our gate last evening and looked across the road to see an honest to goodness Billy Goat Gruff!  What do you think?  We've never seen one like it.  He must be visiting the neighborhood.  He certainly acted like he was boss and joining the other goats eating black plastic bags.

Day 23 Photo a day: Technology

Technology is today's challenge.  Orange is the name of our internet company  as well as a cell phone company.   This camel was roaming around the round-a-bout.  I'm not sure if there is a subtle connection between camel and cheaper cell phone rates or if it was just a means to have a roaming billboard.

Days 18,19,20,21,22 Photo a day

Wow!  Where have the days gone.  It's time to play catch-up.

BTW,  Happy Anniversary Bob and Clare!

Today is also the anniversary of our evacuation from the Central African Republic after the attempted Coup d'Etat way back in 1996 when Erika was just 4 years old and Lindsay lost all her  presents from her recently celebrated 6th birthday and Andrew got a picture taken with the  US Marines as he was holding a big, bad gun and Melissa had the nightmarish experience of being in our pickup with her dad when it was seized at gunpoint.  Remembering God's faithfulness during those difficult days renews our trust and faith in our loving Father today.

On to the photo challenge:

Day 18:  Something you made:

I made Tom a couple of shirts:

Add caption

and here is a collage of some of my favorite cards I've made lately.  Anyone need cards?

Day 19:  A Favorite Place

I really enjoy wandering through the local marché (open market).  There is one just a 5 minute walk from our house and there are always so many intriguing grains, potent spices, stacks of plastic ware and shops full of items for sale.  At times the smells are overpowering, but that just makes me walk a bit faster past those stalls.  It's not quite like window shopping at the mall and I certainly don't spend as much money or time.

I'm finally learning my way through the amazing maze of alleys and paths so that I can end up at the same place two times in a row.  That way I  get to know some of the merchants so I don't have to "re- barter" the prices for the items I buy regularly.  It really is a fascinating place.

Here are some photos I took this morning when I went to buy onions and sugar.

My "peanut butter" lady.  A 30 gallon can full of natural peanut butter.   

Our pumpkin squash.

Day 21  Where you stand.  Skip

Day 22  Pink:  Bouganvillea bushes at the office.

Day 17: Photo a Day Snack

Lindsay's favorite snack is a little donut-like cake that is fried over a fire on the side of the road around 4:30 in the afternoon.  A "beignet" goes into the bag with a spoon of sugar dumped over it and yummy! But, alas, today the first bite shouted "rancid flour".  Hope deferred makes the heart sick.  So does bad flour.

Day 16 Photo a Day: What I'm reading

I just finished the classic Crime and Punishment  by Dostoyevsky.  Quite a read.  Lots of details.  An entire book devoted to guilt.  Definitely worth the read.

I'm also reading several books on the Kindle...at the same time.
And a great book to process is Rebuilding Your Broken World by Gordon MacDonald.
Very insightful book.

Tom is re-reading yet another biography.  He's such a good reader and thinker.