An evening with Madam Flossie

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I thought I'd describe this evening as it is fairly typical.

We were invited up to Madam Flossie's for tea ( she also teaches at the school). She lives up on the hillside so we walked up on the dusty tracks, through the banana plantations, bean plants, avocado and mango trees, passing houses ( where everyone greets passer bys), goats, children returning from the bore hole with their jerrycans aloft, accompanied by the sound of many crickets chirping.

On arrival at her house there is a routine set of greetings: weloming, thanking for coming, thank you for inviting, what news? nothing new etc. This I can more or less manage in Runyoro. I had taken a set of playing cards as a gift and later taught Flossie how to play 'sevens'.

They brought furniture out from the house as it was still warm. Her house is also a concrete construction, with an outside kitchen, latrines and bathing area. There was also a hen house so various chickens and a cockrel were strolling round. We sat to take tea which was African tea ( with lots of sugar) bread, blueband (marg.) and chicken pieces. We all wash our hands first and say grace.

I was grateful for all my years living in the countryside as there was suddenly a pounding sound which heralded the cattle charging into the compound! With their long horns, these could be more than a little intimidating! They were being hurded by her husband who works as a subsistance farmer.

We sat round talking, in a mixture of Runyoro and English and then I took some photos ( this always goes down very well, especially on my digital as they can then see them, which always causes great hilarity).

The view from the house was amazing and we were looking down on a storm in the distance. At around 7.30 it was getting dark, so Flossie and her husband accompanied us back to the main road and we made our way home.

Bearing in mind I'd eaten chicken pieces, bread and butter and a banana, I still had to really insist on not then eating another supper, which Atenyi would then have had to cook. They are all concerned that I don't lose any weight as then my family won't let me come back to Africa!

Incidentally, did I tell you my pet name? It's Akiiki.

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