FRIDAY 27th March 2025
Arrived home this morning and Daniel met Pat and me at Heathrow after an uncomfortable flight.  We both were tired and my shoulder was very painful still, a month after I fell so heavily.
It has been a stressful week, ever since I found out on Monday that I have been the victim of fraud and money has been taken out of my account, apparently by people both in The States and India. I was in a panic that I would not be able to have enough cash to pay for the 4 minibuses to take the P7s to Murchison Falls Game Park  or to pay the Park entrance fees,the launch fee or the Park Ranger Guides but Sallie has allowed me to pay  her, for the supper,breakfast and lunch we gave the schoolchildren, teachers and drivers during the educational trip,from here now I am back.
The educational Trip was a great success and Teacher Sarah was in her element!The children enjoyed my pre-trip lessons about Conservation and made me laugh with some of their answers to my questions beforehand. We were lucky to see lions and elephants and giraffe on our Game Drive and crocodiles,hippos monitor lizards as well as many birds on the launch ride on the Nile. The sight of the Murchison Falls is amazing!

MONDAY  23rd March 23rd 2015
We had such a lovely evening last night after spending almost 4 hours at The Cathedral.Think I managed to send a PIC of The Omukama and his wife - poet went off just as I was about to post!
Bishop George and his wife Joyce arrived promptly at 6:30pm for dinner here at the hotel. A few moments earlier,Christine Kaheru had arrived.She had lost her husband last year when I was visiting and I attended his burial.So last night,I insisted that Christine join us for dinner.I was so glad I did insist,because, although she was very quiet, as they left she thanked both Sallie and me profusely and said it was so nice to b

 e invited out.

Bishop George was on good  form and entertained us with anecd otes of his visit to The States last month. I repeated my promise to organise a trip to London for him to attend an ALPHA course at Holy Trinity Brompton.
This morning has not been good: I went to the bank to get the final tranche of cash for The Trip to Murchison tomorrow, and the ATM swallowed my card. I have spent all morning at Barclay's as it appears I am the victim of fraud and my account has been accessed both from India and U.S!!!!!!
Must publish this and then go to school to organise the mattresses for the P7s to sleep on, ready for.  An early start in the morning!

SUNDAY  22nd MARCH 2015

Pat and I met missionary Janine outside St.Matthew's cathedral just after 10am this morning in time to attend the Thanksgiving Service attended by the Omukama of Bunyoro! It seems that we were giving thanks for the life of Omukama (king) Solomon - apparently someone had tried to poison him and also to fundraise for the new cathedral, started by the now Archbishop Stanley a few years ago. What with the singing and prayers and communion (Bishop George presiding and giving a sermon based on  King David & his psalms) and finally the auction of gifts in order to raise money we left the cathedral about 2pm!
And we came back to the hotel to fin

 

d strong power

FRIDAY 20th March 2025

Happiness is having a strong Internet!
Have been unable to publish my blog for ,3  days but this evening I seem to be in business!
The important news is that when I began to confirm arrangements for the trip to Murchison Falls there was no room on the River Launch and the alternative was 10 times more expensive! Kittens! Luckily Sallies Receptionist was able to help me phone around and find out about reductions for educational trips and so we have had to rearrange days. Instead of travelling on Saturday we shall go to the Game park on Tuesday at s greatly reduced rate.
The children will sleep on borrowed mattresses at school over Monday night and we shall set off at 6am Tuesday to catch the launch at 9am.Then we shall do a Game Drive in the late afternoon.
Sallie's cook, Patrick has devised devised a great menu for the group,: posho\rice with beef stew for dinner. then hard boiled egg  mendazi and a banana plus tea for breakfast and finally chicken and chips for lunch in the park!
Today we had another sewing session with the P5s who have been really excited.

Tuesday 17 the March 2015

The picture is of Fridah teaching P2  yesterday.
Had a good nights sleep: first it was s religious convention , blaring out music and sermons late into the night and then a so called Trades Fair with drinking and dancing until 4 am from the pop up bar! Luckily all was quiet snd a bit cooler under the fsn last nightThe temperature is hitting 35.6C and no sign of rain still. Pat and I walked to the Bank and then to buy photocopying paper,battery and crayons for my lesson on Animal Conservation this afternoon,at 9:30am this morning and just had to stop off St Travellers Corner on the way back to the hotel ,to have a cold soda, with sweat pouring off us.
Pat returned to Masindi yesterday,having had a disappointing trip to Kisoro and the mountain gorillas of that region: she developed a bad tummy and a cold which not only made her feel weak but of course you are not allowed near the gorillas if you have such infections.
Now I must go and photocopy ,42 copiesvof diagrams and maps for my lesson.I am so thankful that we have Internet and power!

Monday 16th third post.

Let me try and send a picture or two of Rebecca and Edgar's engagement/ Introduction ceremony on Saturday.

Monday ,16th March 2015

So frustrating!
The Internet came on and I was about to publish when Sallie arrived and when I turned back to my Blog, the Internet had gone off and then I had to ask Rogers to help me find the blog in drafts...........
Went to Kabalega Primary by taxi as Sallie had negotiated a better price for me with Moses Taxi! The trouble with walking you are covered in dust and it is too hot after 10 ,am.
Managed to make some appointments to teach sewing after school but only on Thursday & Friday at 4:30pm and to teach animal conservation tomorrow to P7 at 3:30pm and to go back and prepare the teachers for the Trip to Murchison Game Park today at 4:30pm.
Apparently there are 101 pupils in P5 to whom I will teach sewing so I will just teach one stream of 50!
Teacher Nebbert is grumbling that he will not go to Murchison and The Board of Managers ,(governors) want one of them to go to Murchison also! I have said no we will stick to criteria!
Did have a nice talk with Deo the D.E.O.
Pat arrived back just as I was having s huge avocado for lunch.
She missed the gorillas as she not only had the runs but also a cold and you are not allowed near the animals if you have even one of these, poor girl. Apparently Ria and Elias got very close after only half an hours trek! When I saw them with my niece wevhsd ,4 hours trek to find them!

MONDAY 16th March.
I wasted time on Saturday and again on Sunday when the I internet was available and this morning I got up early
a. To catch Internet but it was not on & has this moment appeared.
a. To visit the D.E.O because I have not yet greeted him and I am working in one of his schools.
c. I shall be teaching in Kabalega Primary all this week before I take the P7s to the Game Park on Saturdayd. I am cancelling/postponing the suggested Workshop for the teachers of Masindi Centre for the Handicapped due to Ronnie's lack of enthusiasm,Abraham has malaria and I am short of time.

Sallie and I had a great time at The Introduction ceremony for Bishop Georges's daughter Rebecca. It was very well organised and there were lots of traditional ceremonies and dancing. That was on Saturday.
Sunday yesterday I was proud of myself for getting up and WALKING to church. Moses Taxi wanted to charge my friend dh.20.000

FRIDAY ,13th third posting.

Joseph Isingoma seems to be avoiding me so have sent him text asking him to come to Courtview Hotel tonight.
Have made an appointment for Sunday to discuss maths books with Lecturer Joanne.
My phone is charging whilst we have power so later I will arrange trip to Harriet's village to try to explain to her parents that they must stimulate her during holidays.
Tomorrow is the Introduction of Bishop George's daughter, so will get my nails done in town(vanity!)

This is the Dining Room of the lodge where we stayed down in Ishasha part of Q.E.Parked and saw lions!

FRIDAY 13th  second posting

Trying to publish posts written over the past few days and pictures:
Got up at 7am and still no piped water. Moses Taxi to Masindi School for the Handicsapped where I had a good talk with Eseri the Head. We planned a Workshop, possibly on Thursday as my time is running out!

My Harriet is on the right in green uniform.

The tall girl has bad epilepsy

Saturday 21st February 2015

Having a frustrating day: the many maths books, kindly donated by The Orchard Primary School in H ounslow, weigh very heavily plus I have so far forgotten how to add a photo to this blog! I shall have to choose which year group I shall take books for _ possibly Primary 5 & 4.
Tuesday morning is designated for bagging up the needles,thread& packets of shirt buttons.THese bags will be shared amongst to five of us going out to Uganda.
I have virtually finished packing my suit case which is good but although I have charged up my "Uganda Phone" it doesn't seem to, come on and I want to get GOdfrey Taxi's number ready....

Sunday 8th March.
Have just finished a lovely meal of CROCODILE kebab flowed by homemade cheesecake!
The five of us are in Fort Portal enroute for The Queen Lizabeth Game Park where I used to drive on a Sunday after church, in the Sixties when I taught at Kyebambe Girls'!
Yesterday we had a wonderful trip to the Rhino Sanctuary outside masindi.
My shoulder is slowly getting better but it is extreme frustrating and I even have to ask Pat or someone to take photos for me.
I will be back in Masindi and have a very full programme to get through once Anne,Ria and Elias have flown back to U.K
Yesterday we were lucky enough to see Bishop George process through Masindi as the congregation welcomed him back from his sabbatical in The States.

FRIDAY 13th March 2015

Back in Masindi after a long,dusty drive from Fort Portal via Hoima.
We need rain! Arriving Masindi 4pm yesterday ,I undressed and got in the shower, only to find no water when I turned the tap on! I phoned over to Reception to request a jerrycan of water which of course I can"t handle with my bad shoulder! We got water back this lunch time/
Have been unable to publish my blog since there is not enough Internet. So frustrating in Fort Portal because the guest house was so well appointed with WiFi etc and I wrote several entries/
I did eventually meet with Princess Elizabeth Bagaya who it seems has forgotten to turn her phone on .  We reminisced about the old days when her brother was the king if Tooro kungdom

FRIDAY MARCH 27th

Arrived safely home this morning and was met at Heathrow by Daniel.Pat and I found the flight home very uncomfortable and tiring. She has been an angel dressing me every morning and carrying my rucksack and/or case as I still can't lift my arm.

Have been exceedingly busy since Monday when I found the ATM in Masindi eoudn't give me any money. I phoned my bank and was told I am the victim of fraud! Very stressful but managed to pay Kenneth Matatu for his minibuses to take the P7 class plus 5 teachers to Murchison Falls,the spark entrance fees,the trip down the Nile on the launch and 4 Park Rangers to guide us on our game drive in the afternoon. Sallie will let me pay for the dinners,breakfasts and packed lunch  from U.K.

The educational trip to The Game Park was very successful!

I will write about that i n detail after I have rested since PST and I got up at 4:30am Tuesday to oversee the  children's breakfast and didn't get back to the hotel until 5pm that day. Then on Wednesday I had to phone Europe/India about my credit card and how to get some cash before leaving Masindi and meeting up with an old friend from from my days in Kenya. In the event I got nowhere with the bank but upon meeting up with Surinder any his friend Arshad we were royally entertained and well looked after. It was wonderful to relax in good company over sa wonderful meal with a bottle ( or two) of red wine.

Friday ,6th Msrch 2015
Have not written this blog for two  days because :
a. I did not feel very energetic because my arm was sore
b. We had no Internet
C. We also had no water ,( this is obviously incidental!)
Today I sent my friends off to see the Polish Church built in the middle of the forest by polish refugees who had been slave labourers for the Russians St the beginning of The Second World War but who had been freed when Russia joined The Allies. I rested.At lunchtime Ria's husband arrived from Entebbe and after lunch I had my hair washed for the FIRST time in ,12 days.
My head wound has noe scabbed over.
Yesterday we 4 ladies had a most amazing welcome by The Mothers' Union led by the Bishop's wife mams Joyce Kasangaki. My friends were overwhelmed! I presented the President with absg of the needles,thread& buttons (,the numbers of pupils has gone drastically St Kabalega Primary).

DTuesday 3rd March 2015

Whilst my friends Anne & Ria went on a guided tour of the Police Station in Masindi (I saw enough of it when my laptop etc. Was stolen) Pat  and I  asked Moses Taxi to take us to The Masindi School for the Handicapped. We were halted along the road by a tree which had fallen across (?felled) blocking the way and an enterprising young man was asking for sh.100. As a toll ! That is all of 25,pence to pass. I paid this enormous sum laughingly!!!
We were welcomed by Sally, the Deputy Head at The School for the Handicapped who took us to Harriet Katusiime's classroom. Most of the 9 pupils were deaf but they loved looking and pointing to the photos I took of them. Harriet had gone to get her walking frame _ the school is built on a steep hillside _ not the best place for physically handicapped children.
In a while, we were warned that Harriet was coming to greet us and we went out onto the verandah to meet her. When she saw us she burst into a huge grin and rushed to meet us. She was so happy.
I then a good talk with James the Bursar and Sally  about the funding of the school ,as I paid Harriet's fees. They are extremely reliant on donors.
Once back at Courtview Hotel, I had lunch then a nap as I still feel a bit weak.

Wednesday 4th March.
Every day I am feeling a little stronger. My course of antibiotics and painkillers has finished but I am dying to wash my hair!
Today has been a bit frustrating as the I internet is down BUT I had a good meeting up at Kabalega Primary with Headteachers Millie and Deputy Rosaline continuing our planning for the trip to Murchison Falls Park. They and Teacher Jane were thrilled with the reading books I handed over. I thenspoke to the P7s about the trip and they were very excited.
After lunch I met with Physio Abraham to talk about how we should continue helping Harriet Katusiime and then how to improve things at The School for the handicapped. We are thinking of having s workshop for the teachers.
In the evening, Lydia one of Bishop George',s daughters stopped by to seek advice about Uni entrance.

Sunday: second posting!

Walked into town and tried to get a new sim card for Ria',s phone but the internet was down.Wandered into the market and chatted to boys washing second hand shoes ready for resale. After a soda in Traveller's Corner returned to Courtview hotel, lunch& a lie down before meeting the headteacher ofKabalega Primary so I can start planning the school trip to Murchison Falls. It rained heavily overnight and cooled things down.

Sunday, 1 March 2015, Masindi

Saturday resting at Courtview Hotel and swallowing the many tablets prescribed after my fall. Sallie and all the staff are being very helpful and protective of me. I even had to have help in dressing!

This is a view of my rooms at the hotel with the roofers re-thatching the roof. All very restful.

About lunchtime the taxi arrived bringing my 3 friends from their visit to  the town of Jinja to see the Source of the Nile.

Didn't feel strong enough to go to church  at 8am but later walked into Masindi.