TUESDAY  27th November.
Sorry I broke off rather suddenly yesterday  but I was running on  BATTERY  with no power and the machine began to hibernate.........
Yesterday was such a good day for a Monday!
I struggled in to school after successfully finding Baz's emails. We'd had a bit of a drama when he  couldn't find them on my laptop ...  Al had kindly modified the computer for me when I was having trouble (it was actually MTN)  and said he knew what to do as his parents were always bothering him so he had worked out how elderly people could  do what they wanted to do in 3 easy steps....... I'd forgotten that once he was here Baz would want to use my computer..............
School was very quiet as they had finished End of Term Exams and the teachers were marking them..........
I handed over the magnets much to Science Teacher George Byaguraba's delight who says that now his lessons will be very interesting with the magnets to play with! Mary Headteacher was  equally delighted with the  2 new clocks Daniel had found for us so now every Year Group has one clock and several have two which means  most classrooms now have a clock on the wall.
I strolled over the compound to find Olive  and Nebbert marking and a number of children playing outside so we rounded them all up and eventually herded about 50 (total year group numbers 130 ish)  into one room,and I went over some phonics with them, making little booklets with the photocopying paper I had brought.
Had to walk on to the main road in the boiling sun to find a boda boda to take me back to Courtview so was glad I'd remembered my suncream and hat!
At 5pm teacher Jackson arrived to escort Baz and me to his teeny house (One room) in town to see his 4day old baby boy. Absolutely beautiful!As honoured guests we were given a huge bowl of matooke with groundnut sauce and not only a bottle of soda but a bottle of water as well. So hospitable!Then we quickly rushed to The new Bishop's House where I photographed George in all the finery Baz had brought from U.K. These robes are absolutely beautiful and George and Joyce are so thrilled with them. I hope to go to Wales in the New Year and show Bishop Ivor's family the photographs etc. I have taken.
Bishop George and his wife Joyce were really pleased to be talked into going back to Courtview  for Dinner
with Baz and me and Audrey and Roger Collor who really are FRIENDS OF MASINDI KITARA DIOCESE.They had brought an Altar Cloth among other presents for the new Bishop. Incidentally, between us we'd forgotten to bring any purple socks but the purple handkerchiefs were a great hit!!!!Everyone thoroughly enjoyed our 3 hour long dinner together and especially the huge box of Thornton's chocolate that Sallie had brought back from U.K. on Saturday. It was a lovely evening after a lovely day.
We go to Kampala tomorrow so I will expand on the Consecration when we get back at the weekend....
Tonight a meeting with the welder about securing the classroom windows.
Thursday to the Soroptomist school near Masaka where apparently I am to present the prizes.....
And  a  wedding on Friday!

MONDAY 26th November
What a lot has happened in the last  4 days and although Baz has brought me Daniel's camera to replace the one stolen  on Kabarole Hill I havn't yet worked out how to transfer the pics on to this Blog so no pics for the moment!
Met Baz who arrived on time at Entebbe with the huge parcel of Bishop's robes. Godfrey Taxi Kampala drove us directly to Masindi, stopping off at a petrol station at Kawempe suburb for a cold coke and packet of Gnuts! Arrived in Masindi just before dark and ALL the staff came out to greet us, saying that they had seen me on T.V. at The Royal Wedding!. I think  they saw me at the church service.
The Bishop Elect, George Kasangaki asked me to deliver the parcel of Bishop's robes the next morning at 9am so after a bite of supper (Baz was not hungry after journeying for over 24 hours without sleeping) and meeting up with Roger and Audrey Collor (friends of both Archbishop-elect stanley and Bishop-elect George) we fell into bed without really unpacking!
And so I got myself and the parcel to the Bishop's house  by 9am, leaving Baz sleeping. George and Joyce were SO excited at unpacking the parcel. We were amused at  finding a wonderful thick and huge black cloak - the temp. here is in the eighties as the Rainy Season  comes to a close..........We discovered 3 mitres and the most wonderful cope etc etc. Unfortunately the robes are just ever so slightly too long for George so he chose to wear  on Sunday the very shiny ones made locally.
Sunday was the dayof George's Consecration and all went wonderfully - especially since there were about a thousand people attending. The Service was held in the open air under 30 or so marquees in Kabalega PPPPrimary Primary School's playing field. sPrimary

WEDNESDAY EVENING November21st
I shall try to finish the story of Princess Ruth Komuntale's Introduction Ceremony last Thursday 15th Nov.
Before Christianity arrived in Uganda, it had been the custom for the boy and his friends to kidnap the girl and take her back to his village then his father and elders would go to the girl's village and start negotiations for them to marry. These would include demands and offers of beer and finally the number. of cows as Bride Price. Nowadays this custom has been modified to The Introduction Ceremony when the girl introduces the boy to her parents who finally agree to the wedding which can be the next day or several years later!
I was lucky enough to be invited to attend the Introduction by my friend Evah who is related to the Royal Clan.

As usual, we sat around and waited and eventually things began to happen when the Royal Musicians appeared followed by delegations from the Kingdoms of Ankole and Bunyoro.They  brought greetings to The Princess's Uncle.Her brother, the King or Omukama could not be present at this ceremony.Whilst we continued to wait for the Princess and her groom we were entertained by singers and dancers.Eventually the groom - Afro-American Christopher Thomas with his mother and brother.They sat in their marquee.

Finally  The princess was ready and several different groups of beautiful girls were led out so that Christopher could choose the correct girl-eventually the PRINCESS CAME OUT AND WAS CHOSEN!
The grooms aunt then presented the bride with  a basket of fruit and flowers that she may be fruitful .

Then they signed a marriage contract and we could all be served a feast of traditional Ugandan food!I forgot to say that it rained heavily at the point when food was to be served so we had to wait ....................................................................................................

WEDNESDAY 21st November.
This is my second attempt at writing up my Blog today!
It is chaos here in Doctor's flat in Kampala - the T.V. is blaring, Dorothy Mugenyi has arrived with youngest daughter Brenda, and granddaughter Edith, Evah is both trying to  arrange a wedding venue for her friend on the phone and  getting the twins (Nalongo's daughters) to try on bridesmaids dresses and Doctor is shouting advice to everyone!

Colin drove  3 of us plus the twins and Fred's daughter back to Kampala yesterday.We left  Fort Portal at 11am, loaded to the gunnels and reached Kampala at7pm! We kept stopping  to buy bananas , onions ,potatoes tomatoes asnd avocadoes by the roadside and when we reached Mubende at about 2pm we bought little bags of freshly fried grasshoppers, still warm to nibble for lunch!Carrying on to the next biggish town of Mityana we stopped at the shop of  one of Evah's many sisters, a nurse and were given a tasty meal of meat stew, matooke and Irish potatoes covered in groundnut sauce! This was about  5pm. We carried on to Kampala and reached the outskirts just before dark. Doctor then did a big shop in Nakumatt Supermarket and we finally reached Kololo and her flat  just before 8pm. We found Kampala very hot and sticky so after bathing and a cup of tea I crashed out in bed!

The first picture is of The Royal Musicians who played both at The Introduction ceremony and again at the Reception up on  Kabarole  Hill after the actual wedding. They are wearing barkcloth whih was worn in precolonial days.
The second one is of  a witchdoctor who was part of he Delegation from the Kingdom of Bunyoro who came to pay their respects to The Kingdom of Tooro.
I will try to write up the rest of the Introduction Ceremony on the next Blog.
I am really missing my camera! Baz will bring me Daniel's to use  when he arrives on Friday. It is too late for Daniel to buy the  professional one for Nebbert on Ebay.I was thinking along the lines of 'give a man a hoe.....". I will see how much thet cost in Kampala.

MONDAY 19th November
Yesterday was cold and rainy and quite frustrating for me.
All 5 of us got up late and Doreen got  a lift back to Kampala because she has to go to work today, Monday. Colin is desperate to get back to the city - as a 24 year old graduate he is bored driving these old ladies around and now he has lost his young cousin Doreen! He and I became buddies, exclaiming in exasperation as Evah continued to change her mind in her usual disorganised way!Doctor Margaret remained her cool cynical self!
Eventually we set off for Evah's ancestral home and met her  two brothers. They insisted we stay for a bite to eat and we were very grateful for the hot tea. The Ruwenzori mountains affect the climate of Fort Portal bringing loads of rain after hot sunshine.After Evah had checked that all was in order, we set off to find another relative, an old man who is quite ill. We stayed in the car. Then on to greet Dora Rwambona whose sister Anne I taught alongside Evah back in 1965.Dora and Anne'.s mother is very old and frail but enjoyed the  visit.And then another stop to find yet another elderly relative. Again Colin and I remained in the car.
The vehicle had almost got bogged down at the Rwambonsa's place so we were careful here to stay on firm ground!
By now it was nearly 6pm and we were starving so  I insisted on us all going to The Gardens Restaurant in town(F.P.) for food. We had 3 children in tow who had come for the ride so we were 7 and the bill  came to abut 15pounds sterling! I had fish and chips!Delicious.
This morning I am happy to hear that the request we had put out on the Radio has  borne fruit and that someone has my camera. I offered a reward but don't hold out too much hope .......When Evah and Doctor come up for breakfast we shall go and see.......
Then I hope to meet up for lunch with an old friend Sam Rukuba. who might be able to help me find an old colleague who taught with me at Kyebambe Secondary, Lydia Nkojo. We shall go to Kampala tomorrow.
.

SATURDAY 17th November2012
Wrote a blog yesterday but lost the Internet and that entry!
The challenges of living in Uganda!
Anyway, over the past 3 days I have been to an Introduction (kind of Engagement Party),a Wake at the end of the ritual 4 days of mourning after Margaret Tinka's father died, a graduation Dinner (Grace's son Charles and Dorothy & Doreen's brother) and The Royal Wedding of Princess Ruth Komuntale and Black American Christopher Thomas! Am exhausted!
I'll do the Introduction in detail later but want to write up today and The Wedding whilst it is still fresh..........
We got up at 7am  talking about being in the church by 8am but of course, This Is Africa and we actually got to the cathedral ( memories of taking the Kyebambe boarders to church there every Sunday in the Sixties!) at   around 9am.Found a pew towards the front but as the church filled up  squeezed people in  until I was really squashed between Doctor and Nalongo(Harriet, one of Evah's sisters) The police Band began playing about 10:15 ( service scheduled to start at 10am and the Groom's party arrived 11:30 and the Omukama  followed by the Bride about midday.Meanwhile as more and more people crowded in they eventually moved the choir out and frantically kept bringing in more plastic seats. At one point they carried in the Omukama's throne only to be told by The Bishop or was it the Archbishop to take it back as there was a designated seat for King Oyo. Princess Bagaya, my old friend decided to move her seat in order to accomodate The Speaker of the Parliament! The poor king of Benin left the cathedral at one point only to be brought back in when they pushed the choir out.................
I can't add any pictures today because my camera disappeared as I walked up the last part of the hill up to The Omukama's palace. Evah and Doctor had walked the whole way up the hill ,as the line of cars was bumper to bumper and  was at a  standstill for minutes on end.Colin managed to drive halfway for me -he and Doreen  wanted to execute Plan B and just go home for food and drink when we left the cathedral about 1;45pm but felt obliged to get me up to the palace, knowing there would be a long wait for food. I think the camera got pinched as I was on the phone trying to liaise with Evah to come  and get me in as I had no Invitation on me!
The good thing was that it rained whilst we were in church but the bad thing was it became very muddy....Many vehicles got stuck and it seems that Colin had to pay men to push him out of the parking place once they'd dropped me and Nalongo( Harriet is the mother of twins hence Nalongo)
I was glad of the rather gaudy stole we'd had made on Saturday to cover me up for church as it got quite cold  and we sat in a tent for hours listening to speeches and only glimpsing the newly weds  between the hordes of cameramen. Apparently my group had been spotted in church on live T.V.  this morning . Don' suppose the wedding has had much coverage in U.K. Whilst we were waiting for the Wedding service to begin -my bum went to sleep at one point and I was grateful to have to stand and sing hymns-we read todays newspaper of the  Royal wedding so far.....!
It was  fascinating to see the fashions and the variety of unsuitable shoes up on the Royal Hill.Eventually they served food  - and I mean served - by  ladies beautifully dressed in blue and gold traditional dress as we sat in a beautiful tent containing many round tables with tablecloths and lovely  flower arrangements plus glasses and cutlery!A far cry from Princess Ruth's father's coronation back in 1965! The food was tasty and the best I've eaten in the past  3 days.The dinner at Charles Graduation was spectacterly bad!
Princess Ruth wore a fairytale white dress for the Church and a slimmer white dress up at the Palace. Christopher wore a white dinner jacket - very american.
It was  moving in the church when everyone clapped and ululated when Ruth and Christopher said "I do" and the outgoing Achbishop Orombi gave a clear, accessable sermon both practical and spiritual.
Finally, we waited for the present giving and the dancing to begin before Doctor, Evah and I stumbled our way home back down the Royal hill to find Colin waiting for us on the main road opposite the road to Kyebambe, my old school where I taught over 40 years ago!

THURSDAY 15thNovember.
Is anyone reading this?
It has been so frustrating not being able to connect to  the Internet, but now it is 10;30 pm and I am conected.........but it will it disconnect?

Anyway had the most fabulous day starting with fried grasshoppers for breakfast in Fort Portal! Evah herded us all into Doctor Makuru's 4x4 and we set off only to discover E. hadn't got her mobile so turned back  ....and she was sitting on it all the time. We were in a rush to deliver dresses to some "bridesmaids" at the Royal wedding which was due to start at 10am. It was now after 10:30am and we set off again only to find that Collin our nephew and driver had no socks .... and E. was wearing  no ear rings ....so we stopped in town  to buy earrings and socks... Doctor directed C  but E said no so lots of shouting and then we realised we had gone the long way round and no-one had any idea where  we were and the locals were no help.... we were looking for the village home of the Princess's uncle... Eventually at around 11;30 WE FOUND THE PLACE!Evah and I took the dresses round the back of  the house - after thorough security checks and I caught a glimpse of Princess Ruth Komuntale getting  made up...
The sun was really hot  but we found seats in a marquee that were relatively shady and the sun did move round   so that when the ceremonies began  ...... at around 1pm!!!!!!!! ... we were not getting burned.
More tomorrow............

TUESDAY 12th November.
Caught 9am LINK bus to Kampala which left 45 minutes late whilst it filled up. Travelled with Maz from SOFTPOWER and we laughed and chatted all the way to Kampala when we got aout at Bwaise and were met by Godfrey Taxi. No-one in at Kololo but tracked Evah and Dr, Margaret down in beauty salon. I ashed to try to sort out my Internet  at MTN but not a lot of help moneywise  although Internet seems accessible now.....
Spent a couple of relaxing hours  getting feet and hands done ready for The Royal Wedding on Saturday.
Introduction on Thursday so travelling to Fort Portal tomorrow.
Will try to catch up  in the next few days.....

THURSDAY 8th November
The last  2 days have been quiet, but somewhat frustrated by the sporadic Internet which has caused me to lose a lot of my postings .

Monday and Tuesday school was closed apart from the candidates sitting their P.L.E. exam so it was dobly frustrating not to be able to use hat time  on the Internet.I have taken to eating an avocado with bread and butter at lunchtime - they are so huge!

FURZEDOWN'S VISIT TI THE VILLAGE KISUUGA 28.10.12

We all received such a warm welcome that it was humbling. We fully enjoyed the the beautiful singing of the choir accompanied by traditional instruments.

Janine, an American missionary gave a sermon on "LOVE" which was translated into the local language by Rev Moses from another parish who came to add gravitas to the occasion. Our visit was a great occasion for the whole community.

When the service ended  all the gifts which had been given in lieu of cash were auctioned off which caused lots of merriment as we visitors entered into the swing of things:Nick and I helped to push up the price of a bunch of matooke.We all felt uncomfortable when our group was invited to sit and partake of the food I had brought intended for 40. There were more than 90 left behind in the church (it had been raining outside) so we tried to share the food with everyone. It is  a tightrope trying to balance between two cultural divides but we managed to give everyone something to eat - truly a case of The Loaves and fishes..........

Finally we trooped out to visit the site of Rev. Elizabeth's new house. She is building a new one because the old mud hut she is currently residing in with her family of four is full of jiggers and rats and too small.

TUESDAY 6th November.

This is the Reverend Elizabeth welcoming our group of teachers from Furzedown Primary School who spent their Half Term visiting Uganda and Kabalega Primary in particular. Since going to church - be it Anglican, R.C or attending the mosque is such an important part of  life in Uganda - most people have no access to cinema or library - I felt that my colleagues would find a Sunday at Church helpful in understanding the lives of our pupils here.

MONDAY NOVEMBER5th
What a frustrating day!
Have been unable to connect all weekend to The Internet plus electric power has been sporadic so asked Mustapha to take me down to MTN on his motorbike (bodaboda). The guys there told me that my "chip" in my dongle was corrupted and eventually after phoning Kampala they were able to explain that since I had not used my dongle for the 6 months I was back in U.K. it had been deleted and I had to go to Kampala to get my money back........... so we compromised and I spent another sh. 40.000 in order to get it working until I  went to Kampala so that when I go to meet Baz off the plane I can also get the sh. 80.000 back off the "corrupted" i.e. deleted chip then!!!!!!
After waiting for power I now find that the Internet is weak...........
However I have chatted to Lynn and Ronnie of REDEARTH  and popped in to Kabalega school which is closed due to the PLE exams and arranged with Mary Mukonyezi that we will have a training session a week on Wednesday so that Kabalega may try for REDEARTH'S bronze award..........
It has been raining heavily overnight and I have been reading late so I have been having my breakfast later and later. It has been very cold. However I got up at 6:45am yesterday Sunday and met Manager Robert who then drove me to worship at the cathedral. I was made to stand up and hear Rev. Frances Kajura heap praises on my head. Met loads of colleagues and old friends including Michael Kaheru.
The papers are full of princess Ruth Komuntale's forthcoming wedding in Fort Portal. Where is my invitation?!!!!!!!!She is taking over as 'Bateebe" from Princess Elizabeth Bagaya.

The picture was taken during our "teaprty" at Teacher Joseph's house last week.                                      Will be meeting Bishop Elect George Kasangaki on the 18th  so the news that the bishop's robes are on the way is heartening.

THURSDAY 1st November2012
Wonder of wonders! We've had electric power AND the Internet all day!
Spent the morning showing the P7s the magnets I brought and letting them play with them.Great fun.
Was dismayed to find that that Welder Francis had  made two complete metal window frames complete with grilles and shutters. I understood from Monica that he was goinr to simply add vertical bars to the exising metal frames but both he and Mary headteacher assured me that  Monica had  subsequently commissioned him to make these frames to replace the wooden ones on the back walls of he classroom. But who will pay for the wooden ones to be ripped out and the new metal ones to be cemented in?
Still can't get hold of Monica.................

Felt very tired and lazy after lunch - the weather is very hot and thundery.It seems to rain mostly over night

Spent a wonderful evening at Teacher Nebbert's mother in laws place in a village maybe 7 kilometres from Masindi.The road was muddy and full of potholes. We slid a couple of times and encountered cows....

Nebbert's wife died in childbirth and he wanted me to see his surviving baby boy.

The grandmother is a widow and is looking after baby Herbert along with several other grandchildren.
There was  a lovely meal plus coke and lots of praying  and a few tears . Next month Nebbert waants to take me to his wife's grave.