no witty subject title‏

hello all

Not a whole lot has happened since the last email. I returned to site for only a few days before leaving again for PEPFAR training. Not sure what it stands for, but it was a week full of AIDS education. Go on, ask me anything. I should probably know the answer. Not saying I will, saying I should. While at this training, we stayed in the Peace Corps house in Serenje, and two volunteers got sick from the mold and dust and just genuine lack of cleanliness that associates itself with the typical Peace Corps volunteer kind. One volunteer, Scott, was sent home because of an allergic reaction. But hopefully he'll return.

As I returned to site and got out of the bed of the truck I was hitching in, I dropped my pack down to the ground (as gentle as could be) then I jumped down but before I could move, the pack was run over by the truck crushing my camera. So no pics for a while. My sister is (hopefully) bringing one for me. Everything else was covered in veggie oil. I salvaged most, but a bag of Combos sadly was a casualty. Other things were broken too, but hopefully insurance will cover it.

Back at site, I weeded and weeded and weeded. And slashed the grass in my yard. But not enough to make the snakes feel uncomfortable enough to leave. I almost stepped on a green mamba a couple days ago, but I did a triple reverse back handspring and landed 15m away in the open field. (actually it was more of a shriek, jump and a run, but all the same). I started to build a dove coop. I'm getting some doves with plans of training them to carry messages for me to my farmers. Instead of bringing development, I'm taking a step back. Screw cell phones. They're unreliable and cost money. And, unlike a phone, if they don't work, you can eat them. My stove is almost done but I want to add a spit for rotisserie because I think my plan is destined to fail (hmmm strikingly similar to a cell phone).

So here I am at the PC house. I came in to help my friend Kathy fix her bike and to take pills for my infected wounds that just won't heal (and I think I have worms now too! YAY). But mostly because my buddy Rod said I had some packages at the post office. Today I picked up 7 (!) packages from: Becky (It finally arrived! Along with 4 letters), Walter & Keighty, The Bownes, Ms. Hain, Mom & Dad, Eric Ferree, and Dr. Connaughton who is currently winning the package competition by a few lengths, but I'm not closing the polls yet. Last week, I got packages from Theresa (2!), mom & dad, Amanda, my Grandparents, Ike & Angie, and my USDA coworkers. You guys really know what I like. I got a few cans of Old Bay (which go splendidly with my few cans of crab meat!), baseball cards, car magazines, candy (I've eaten more candy these past few weeks than I have in my entire "adult" life), a knife because Walter knows I like to stab and cut things and people, but I most enjoy reading about how you guys are doing so let me know. Don't leave that stuff out.

The other day, I was going through my goodies thinking how much I love my friends. And I got the song "Big yellow taxi" in my head. It's not that I didn't know what I had til I was gone, because I always appreciated you guys, but I don't think I knew how good of friends you were when I was still around. I don't think I took enough advantage of the time that we had together. I'd kill for another wing night or bowling night or even just to punch Walter in the face, because, well, we all know he deserves it.

My sister, Amanda, comes to visit in March. I'm excited for that. I spent a couple vacations touring around with my big sister, twice on her turf, once on neutral, now I get to be the tour guide, so I'm trying to put together the best itinerary that she can afford, for herself and for me.

That's all, nothing exciting this month. My next travel plans include going to Mike's site in Copperbelt. He lives on a lake where he goes spear fishing, cliff jumping, all kinds of things moms don't want to hear about. But it's ok, mom, because we're going to use needle drugs before we do any of it, so we won't even feel the pain.

Thanks guys, for being awesome…sincerely. I mean it. Well, some of you…you know who you are.

Pat