The pantry is always the coolest room in any house. The same applies in Africa. I got up and beat my all comers records, not half a bucket, instead I used only one bowl of water this morning. Collecting water is a labour, not of love, but of necessity. I carried twelve buckets of water and poured them into the 25 gallon tank yesterday. There was no way this water was going to be wasted. Irony is not wasted on me, and I thought given our current drought, that it was ironic that Mr Jeff received his water bill today. I think where I come from, the utility company would have received what is known in the trade as 'a Bennett Broadside'. A dismissive letter of sufficient length to deliver a worthwhile message. Theirs would have been 'Get Lost'. It was only 8 a.m. and I moved into the pantry to get my breakfast. Cereal in sealed containers to protect the food from the insects. I open the tub and started leaking. Who turned on the tap? I leak a lot and this was going to be the most leaky day of the trip. European clothes are a bit heavier than African. I had been promised traditional wear, that's one piece of clothing and lots of air gaps with one shoulder bare. My suit was two piece. Worse still, a heavy two piece. Jeff and I wore similar ties, white shirt and gold tie. Dark suit. He buys his from Burton and I buy mine from where I can. I left the pantry and I leaked more. I put on my socks and the real leaking started. I paused, it was a long pause, I did not start again until 9 a.m. I had cleaned my shoes in the bowl of water. In fact I managed to bathe, clean the mud of two pairs of shoes and flush the toilet with the same bowl. Not bad for a European. Jeff ironed my shirt, I don't do ironing. I used to, but I became lazy. Pauline does the ironing, and a grand job she does as well. I think Jeff and I agreed that the ironing was in exchange for the twelve buckets of water yesterday. We had negotiated. The funny thing was, I thought that I had the better deal. The shirt looked good. Trouser, and shoes were added, but by now I was leaking a lot. It was 0930. I dived into the pantry. I emerged cooler, but where was the climate control that I use daily in my car? I struggled to put on the tie, it was too hot. I mentioned to Jeff that some friends laughed when I mentioned taking a suit to Africa. The suit, shirts and extra trousers were carried all the way in my suit holder. Jeff laughed back, "It is a good job that you did, everyone will have a suit on". The tie was done up, we had to leave for the Church. No African bus today, instead we travelled in style in Jeff's 4x4. "I'll be there now", I shouted. I just had to pop into the pantry.
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