Chuck's visit part 1

Sorry for the delay in getting pictures up. I never have time to blog when we have company, then once we got Chuck safely to the airport we both got sick...so, finally, here are some pictures.

Naturally, we had to go to the beach. The weather was nice enough to hold

out cool for Chuck, so that was a blessing.

On our walk down the beach we ran into these guys. They really wanted us to take their picture, which is kind of sad because realistically, we may never get an opportunity to give them a copy, but in any case they were sweet.

Father and Son on the West Coast of Africa.

Chuck took some time to paint the "wild life" while he was here.

The infamous, community bowl for lunch, this is one of our favorites: Cebbu Yepp (rice and meat).

K, that's all for now, more soon.

He made it!!!

Scotty's Dad has been in Senegal for a day and a half!  Hurray, he is still alive.  Today, we worked in the shop and walked to the beach.  We are SO happy that he is here, even though it is only for a few days.  More to come, but for the loved ones back at home..."Dad made it safe and sound".  

Loves.

cooking lessons

Have I mentioned that the food here is AMAZING?!  Because I know I am going to want to take all this goodness back home with me, I have started taking "cooking lessons" from Nia.  This day was Cebbu Jen (pronounced "chep u junn") or fish and rice.  

I should have taken more pictures, but you know how it is?  This is us dividing the HUGE amount of food onto 3 large platters for the 20+ people that would be eating lunch.  

I LOVE plate style.  Imagine having a dinner party and only have to clean a bunch of spoons and 1 plate, so cool.

they grow so fast

Hair for Senegalese women is a BIG deal.  I have learned in my time here that if you see a Senegalese woman with really nice hair, it's probably a wig.

Case in point: Alison found this wig just laying on the shelf in the bathroom of our friends house.  Their housekeeper gets all dressed up for the walk to work, then once at work, gets into her work clothes, and apparently work hair too.

Just for fun, I thought I would put together a little photo timeline of the life of my dreads to date.  Just to warn you, some of this is scarey, we are talking BAD hair...enjoy.

Pre-dreads November 2006

Newborns:  December 2006

Newborns:  December 2006

Fluffy Wedding Dreads (Thanks Jenna)

Two weeks old: December 2006

Stringy Pigtail Dreads

2 months old: Feburary 2007

Stringy Ponytail Dreads

5 months old: May 2007

Gross Dreads

6 months old: June 2007

Bun Dreads

7 months old: July 2007

Casual Dreads

9 months old: September 2007

Half-back Hippy Dreads

10 months old: October 2007

Backpacking Pony in a Beanie Dreads

11 months old: November 2007

Half-back "Surprize" Dreads

1 year old: December 2007

Pony Dreads with Visor

Year and a half old: June 2008

Flying Through the Air Dreads

Year and a half old: June 2008

Low Pony Dreads

1 year 7 months old: July 2008

Wedding Anniversary Dreads

1 year and 8 months old:  August 2008 

French Braided Dreads

1 year 10 months old: October 2008

Princes Leah Dreads

2 years old: December 2008

Casual Dreads

2 years 5 months old:May 2009 

poor dog

One of the disadvantages of living in sand is the problems it produces for animals, specifically skin issues if the animals lay in the sand all day.

One of Herma's dog's is named "Suuf" which means sand or dirt in Wolof.  Poor Suuf has major skin issues right now (from laying in said sand).  The problems are only made worse when she licks and bites at the sores on her skin so.....

....Herma fashioned two cone collars to prevent Suuf from making the problems worse.  This first one (made of a water bottle) worked well but is too short and too abbrasive on Suff's neck.

This second one (made of egg carton) is much more comfortable and functional, though I wonder how long the cardboard will hold up?

Ahh, the joys of inventive living in Malika.

Steep and Cheap is KILLING me!

Despite being half-way around the world and really not in NEED of any more outdoor gear, I still MUST check the Steep and Cheap listings regularly....

WHY????? Why does S&C have all this super cool gear when I am not in a position to get it?!?!? Why?!?!?

Please, if you need gear check S&C, all items are AT LEAST 50% off retail.  They have so much cool GOOD gear (the kind that will make you happy you paid the extra $20 for a REAL tent when you are in an Oregon downpour in the middle of summer).  

They have it all: 

Arcteryx

Smith

Big Agnes

Camelback

Osprey

Backcountry

Marmot

Man......

I know, I know

I know, it's been forever since we've posted.  We're going to go ahead and blame the computer for that.  We got a new TINY computer and within 1 week we already got a virus on it and had to reboot the WHOLE thing, at the same time as when Scotty was rebooting the older computer, so that meant 1) lost pictures and 2) no computer ie. internet access.

But it's all okay now.  The Dox boys are working on getting us the pictures we lost back and now BOTH computers are up and running so it's all good.

So, no new pictures from the Dox boys visit, least not for a little while.

What have we been up too?  The last couple of weeks have been very busy with visitors.  The Dox boys left (so sad) and on the same day Herma's mom and two nieces arrived for a two week visit (they are still here).  Also, we have had some visitors from Dakar come just get away for the weekend, so just like that all the rooms in the inn are full and there is lots of hussle and bussle.

The monkeys have been busy getting ready for upcoming sales events.  We were invited to display our products at an International Women's Convention, thingy.  VERY excited about that.  We also have lots of special orders, so things have been busy for us and the monkeys.

More soon.