The weekend

---

Friday morning we mostly bundled the bunches of thatch into bigger bundles ready to be thrown up to the roof. There's a huge pile that gradually gets smaller as we stack it onto pole frames. Some of the small bundles come untied and spread straw around, which is incredibly slippery. I make it a personal target to try and spot the bundles coming adrift and retie them to prevent wastage. We try difernt ways: some people like to work alone, collecting 4 large bunches and tying them into a half bow with 'line', which is a thin strip of rubber torn from a car tyre. Others work in pairs, collecting 6 small bunches each, combining them into a bundle between their legs and then tying them. Some collect into bundles to feed those who are better at tying. It's not hard work, but it's dusty and straw splinters are a nuisance and difficult to remove. Also it's dispiriting to look at the remaining pile, which still seems huge. Rich brought down his iPod today and borrowed Nyomi's solar-powered dock. REM and U2 kept us going at a brisk pace. Andrew, the local librarian, who came to help as the library isn't open yet, asked Rich if he had any Westlife on the iPod. 'No,' said Rich, perhaps a trifle tartly.By his own admission he has eclectic tastes, but I think he has standards. Andrew is friendly and speaks very good English. Unusually for Malawians, he can pronounce 'l' and 'r', just as well when he tells people he is a librarian. The library has some books, but need more. They have been donated by partner schools in the UK, a private school in Lilongwe, and by individuals. The library will be used by trainees on courses, as well as schools from the surrounding area.
Hattie and Caroline popped in there the other day to check on the phases of the moon, which looms large in an area without electricity, though yesterday George, the site manager, took possession of 4 banks of solar panels and posts. The pits for the posts have been sunk by each building and will be cemented in.
But, back to the moon.In the UK, if the crescent is on the left it's waning, if it's on the right, it's waxing. In the Southern hemisphere it's the other way round, so as the moon is shrinking we're trying to observe the phenomenon. Thursday evening the flattened part was on the top, but by the morning it was clearly on the left. We try and identify the Southern Cross, but can't. Some of us think the Plough is visible in the Southern hemisphere, but can't see it. Maybe when we have no moon next week we'll see more stars, but as none of us can seem to stay awake beyond 9pm, it's doubtful. We have many skilled professionals in our group, but unfortunately no astronomer.
Friday morning was a first in camp - a hot cup of tea, due to what Caroline termed "the Bill factor'. Bill, the coordinator, who ran the Malawi trip 2 years ago, and is a Cameroon veteran, knows the secret of hot tea, is to get the fire on early, and get it very hot. It was wonderful. Up till now the tea has been a lukewarm drink of indeterminate taste.Thursday evening was the best meal so far as well, with a stew of lentils peas and whatever else was in the store, with...chips. Pat, Carrie and Ian managed to keep this a secret until nearly dinnertime, and it sent a frisson of excitement rippling round the group. You might be top of your profession in England, but producing chips on a smoke-ridden fire is what should get you onto the Honours list.
The weekend - Friday afternoon we came to Mabuya Camp in Lilongwe again, with showers, and a pool, and a few of us play catch with a ball in the water. Last weekend, we looked at the pool rather disparagingly; though it's cleaned each day, it is quickly liberally sprinkled with leaves and bits of blossom from the surrounding trees. This weekend, I don't think we noticed, or if we did, we didn't care. It was bliss.
We're bonding well as a group, either through sharing tents, work skills, or life experiences. At Mabuya I have an A-frame hut to myself, but at the project village I share a tent with Carrie and Joolz, who have been friends for 40 years. Over breakfast yesterday we discovered we'd been providing the after dark cabaret. Our tents are all very close together, no Camping Club restrictions here, we are camped about two feet apart. Everyone else seems to climb into bed and settle down. Joolz, Carrie and I seem to take longer. Those who have ever shared room space with me will know how quickly I can create chaos in a storage area. In Carrie and Joolz, I have met my living-space soulmates. Luckily the tent is large and we can all spread out comfortably, but sorting out what you need by torchlight can be a bit of a rummage situation.Joolz has commandeered the Rummage Queen crown, and with her running commentary of frustration can reduce Carrie, of the infectious laugh, and me, to fits of giggles. Such goings on promote teasing and questioning of life experiences. Everyone else listens in, laughing silently, and because we can't hear anything outside our tent, we forget that everyone else can. At breakfast today we found this out, and Joolz and I are trying to recall what we have said about our failed relationships or singledom. I remembered the occasion I'd farted while Carrir and Joolz were out of the tent, and when they came back sooner than I'd expected, I had to confess because it hadn't dispersed. "Yes," said Caroline. "I heard that. I heard you fart too."

---