Weird Weather again and Lily reads to our kids.

This week we encountered some strange weather.  After a couple of weeks hitting into the 100s the weather broke Monday afternoon in a strange wind storm that made visibility about 5 feet due to the sand storms.  Overnight it started to rain and by the next morning the temperature had dropped to the 50s where it stayed almost all week.  It was not until yesterday that the sun peaked out and started to show itself from the cloud cover.  Personally I loved the cooler temperatures though morning baths were eye opening and I had to moderate my power consumption since there was almost no sun all week to recharge the solar system.  In fact the highest percentage of power from the panel that I got was 5 all week.

During our "Reading with Barnabas" program this week we featured a video from another daughter, Lily, from my high school friend.  She read the group Dr. Suess' Cat In the Hat.  The kids get really excited when they see me walking to the classroom with the computer.  They know what is coming and love story time. 

I had a rare opportunity to watch a Clemson Football game live while here in Tanzania.  I had gone to Arusha to purchase more "100 Best Loved Bible Story" Books from SomaBiblia in Arusha.  At the last minute I decided to stay at my favorite hotel there called Raha Leo.  It is a great small, quiet hotel run by a family.  It is inexpensive, clean, has hot water and the staff are really nice.  Recently they upgraded their internet service, so I was able to get a strong enough wifi service after connecting to the VPN that I was picked up ESPN Live Stream.  What a game to watch live!!!  That was so much fun I have had to remind myself I can't go to Arusha every Saturday already.

I was purchasing the Bibles because a church in NC has asked to do a Operation Shoebox alternative with our school kids.  The discussion started out with what could they send over, but that is so expensive we settled quickly to what could we buy here.  So the gift bags will include a nice book bag, exercise book, pencils, sharpener, eraser, ruler, candy, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap and a handmade washcloth.  Older kids (those that will be in actually standard classes next year) will get their own copy of the book we use for morning devotions.  Younger kids will get coloring books and crayons.  It was a really good deal coming in at around $10.25 each.  I am also getting kits together for our staff and the teachers will get a special surprise (one of them reads my blog so no spoilers).  This is why I switched from making the dolls for the July team visiting us and started crocheting the washcloths.  So far I have 23.  I need to keep a pace of 13 a week to make everyone a washcloth. 

 

ribbed using the back loop

not ribbed crochet as normal

I am making several types including a standard rectangle typically with an alternating color border, round, granny squares, ripple patterns, and clamshell rectangles.  The standard rectangles feature the ribbed effect of working the back loop causing each row to alternate which side they stick out to instead of being straight up. 

I am trying to employ the prayer technique where I start each row praying for the person who will receive the washcloth and then each stitch is a specific item to pray for similar to doing prayer beads or rosary beads.  Unfortunately I sometimes get going a little to fast on the simple patterns and end up each row is a prayer for a specific item.  The circle pattern and ripple patterns require I count all the time so I tend to stop and pray before each round or row.  The good part about going to Arusha was that I could visit my shop to get more carpet yarn which is about the same weight (thickness) as the yarn I normally buy in America.  One of the teachers has put their hand at making some as well.  There has also been renewed interest in my putting on a crochet class next year.  So while at the shop I worked up the budget for that (expect me to be asking for that money later haha).  While I am worried I will be cutting myself short of time to make all the dolls, I am really happy to be making the washcloths because I know it is something that will be used and is needed as well as kept our price per gift bag down.