And something Long and Flat
The team realized that a stand for one of their pieces of equipment didn't make it... We rigged something out of parts and pieces from our tool shed on Sunday night, but I was asked to run to the hardware store to see if I could buy pipes so we could build something more permanent. After trying just about every option available at the store and not finding the most critical components in any case, I decided to head home.
I was in a total hurry, trying to get home in time for lunch, but getting to or from town is rarely a feat you can accomplish in a short amount of time due to the potholes, speed bumps, donkey traffic, foot traffic and people asking for rides along the way.
But as I was passing this one marshy area on my way home, I saw something different in the corner of my eye. I'm used to seeing great egrets and even a hamerkop in the marsh, but I noticed that this one bird has a long and FLAT beak. There it was: a spoonbill wading in the water! I don't think I've ever seen a spoonbill that I can remember, so I was really excited!
Going to town to pick up supplies for dinner tonight, I looked for it again to verify whether it was an African spoonbill or the more scarce Eurasion spoonbill.* But the bird was no longer there. I'll keep looking every time I drive by there. (*The main differences between these two are that the African spoonbill has no feathers on its forehead, and its legs are red as opposed to black.)
And the sticky tongue
After lunch today, and before the afternoon rush of patients came in, I took the team to have chai at Mama Chiri's home. I decided to multi-task by taking BarraBarra with me. (She has often mentioned, "You can bring him to my house. There are many flies!") He had a good lunch and I didn't have to bother feeding him in between the busy-ness of getting things done for the team.
Oh, the joys of living in Africa...
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