Dream

I had an alarming dream. It was a naked dream, in which I was looking for various friends, but whenever I found them I had to hide because I wasn't wearing any clothes. Finally I found a towel. Then, I looked out the window (I was on the second or third floor) only to see an infestation of marmots! Thousands of them! Scurrying around outside.

?

Photo of the day:

Mystery Man Information for ye pestering inquiring minds may come sporadically. First, candid photo:



Yup. I know.

perching on the edge of a porpoise

Sometimes my students' spelling mistakes are amusing. One student in particular seems to have a subconscious obsession with marine life.

One of her love poems is entitled "Self fish."

In another poem, she writes, "My sole cries" blah blah blah.

Makes me giggle.

Friday Relaxing & Reminiscing

As I was relaxing in the sunshine, gazing up at the chickadees in our front yard tree, I was reminded of being pooped on by a baboon.

True story (both the reminding and the poo).

I then realized that I stopped writing about Malawi without sharing a heck of a lot. I've been known to talk for at least an hour straight or show all 800 of my pictures (thanks, David) to unsuspecting inquirers. But not here. And wondering if I would be pooped on by a little bird brought me back to that fateful night under the baobab tree and irritated, loose-boweled baboons.

Here's Mary's Zambian Safari

After living next to and working in the midst of severe poverty for three weeks, Nichole and I joined a team of about a dozen missionaries on a safari in Zambia. We were greeted at the Kafuntu Lodge with glasses of cold juice, our own huts with porches and bathrooms, and four-course dinners. It was a little shock.

The rainy season keeps tourists away and makes animal watching a little risky. The Jurrasic Park-style vegetation is easy to hide in, and animals don't like rain either. However, we happened to hit the jackpot. The weather was rainy in the mornings (we were soaked through), but sunny and hot in the afternoons. We saw everything. Everything.

The most unusual things we saw were the very rare African Wild Dogs. We ran into a pack of thirteen dogs taking naps twice. The first time our guide Mayem was so surprised to see them (they are very rare) that we stayed and watched them for 20 minutes. We also saw a warthog family twice. Leopards, hyenas, a miniature owl, and a python were also on the Oh! I Didn't Expect to See That List.

We also ran into hippos (dead and alive), zebras, giraffes, elephants, baboons, and a few lionesses. The baboon poop shower took place on a night safari. One of the land cruisers got stuck in the mud under a baobab tree, and while the other vehicle tried to tow it out, the baboons sleeping in the tree became upset. And pooped on the lot of us. Seeing the lionesses guarding a hippo they killed was also amazing. They are so powerful and beautiful and frightening in the way that you can only admire. We were really really close to them. THe thought crossed my mind that I would die right there. But I only really feared for my life once - far away from lions. There was a group of young male elephants hanging out in the park. Elephant males usually enter musth (take a guess. I don't feel like explaining it) one at a time, otherwise their hormones are so out of control that they fight each other or anything near them. We happened to run into two male elephants fighting. In the road immediately in front of us. I can't put the scene into words. It was terrifying, and I was sure at any moment they would either just trip over us or turn on us.

[tik-uhl-lish-uhs]

I think I accidentally made up a fun new word.

Ready?

Ticklishest (adj.): The most ticklish part. My feet are my ticklishest part.

Now, this may not sound as cool as you thought because you're pronouncing it incorrectlty. It should almost rhyme with Bootylicious.

[tik-uhl-lish-uhs]

Spring Break Summary

Brain-Candy Books Read: only 3. I recommend "Death of a Nationalist" for a fun murder mystery read.

Days in Seattle: 4

Minutes spent pacing the airport awaiting boyfriend's (late) plane: 47

Things crossed off to-do list: 3 of 10... oops

Days spent lounging in blissful sunshine: 2

Evenings eating an actual dinner: 8

Mornings I woke up before my alarm: 8

Days I didn't check my school email: 6 ... in a row

Days I exercised: 3 !! yay! back on track

Movies seen: 1 (TMNT)

Haircuts: 1 (a success the first time)

Now, while I feel pretty relaxed and happy, I'm a little anxious about school starting again tomorrow (see to-do list note). We should do spring break Spain style - have Holy Week off... then have a week or two of school... then have an April Fair for a week. That would be nice. Just imagine how peaceful the teachers would be.