Morning starts before dawn. I hear Marshall upstairs shoveling and sweeping preparing for the two man team of masons who will be rendering walls today. With no pipe water, I have to fill a wash bucket and a face basin from the catchment barrel and take a PTA shower in the unplumbed shower stall. The water is cold but refreshing as I hurriedly finish the task, dry off and get dressed. I look out the louvered bathroom window and see that it is still at least another half hour before dawn. I quietly leave the room as not to wake Shereth and give her some space and privacy to get ready for her day. Cleaning, washing and helping me pack out my things takes up much of her waking time.
I climb the steps to the second floor where all the construction is taking place pausing long enough to catch a beautiful sunrise while marveling at just how quiet it is here in Accompong Town.
Marshall is shoveling up the dried tailings from yesterdays rendering. He pauses long enough take a smoke and chat about things around town before making a cooking fire and putting a breakfast together.
Dasheen, yellow yam, boiled banana, whole wheat bread, mackerel in a tomato sauce seasoned with peppers and scallions along with bitter orange juice and hot tea. A perfect start to a perfect day.
Peckish, my friend and driver, stopped by with some 5 gallon jugs of water to refill our catchment for my room's use that he brought all the way up from Retirement on the main road where they still have pipe water from Niagra.
We joined the workmen on the verandah for a smoke break and some jokes. Accompong is such a happy and friendly town. People drop by and chat about the many years we have all been friends. In my wildest dreams I never could imagine a place better than here to live. I take the time to shoot two pictures from my vantage point on the verandah. First to the left.....
and then to the right. I show my assembled friends and workers the pictures and one remarked, "See wi dis evryday". I could only smile and say, "Seen".
Mikey, the neighbor brought me a hand of fresh bananas for snacking and his brother brought some dasheen and yam as a house warming and friendship gift. You see, this house is on Marshall's great grandmother's side of the family land and on the other side of the road is the land of his great grandfather's descendants. These are my friends and neighbors and I have never felt more at home and accepted in a home at anytime in my life.
I will try to get some pictures around the community in the! coming days and weeks and, yes, even months!
Peace and Guidance
