The ABCs of Another Steppe Into Adventure!- Last Africa Ch. + World Showcase Pt. 2

[pkondz]

The Contest

Pkondz: 17

Yuss!

3) Would you order a meal at the Sunset Room? If so, what would you have had (at least 3 items)? (gimme points)

Sure!

Bismark Herrings... maybe. I'd ask how they were prepared.
Pottage Ecossaise
Rack of Lamb with new carrots
The Pollonaise Beaumont salad sounds interesting.
Apple pie of course!​

4) Tate had one more snack at DHS that day. What was it?
a. Mickey bar
b. Popcorn
c. Ice cream cone
d. Cream cheese pretzel

Mickey bar

5) Did Steppe buy any souvenirs while at DHS?

Nope.

6) Story time for a point: What is your favorite tradition on Christmas Day or Eve?

When I was younger, my family would go to midnight mass on Christmas eve (which at midnight, was Christmas day). At the stroke of midnight, my sister would lean towards me, and I towards her. We'd quickly murmur a quick "merry Christmas" to each other and grin. The festivities were just getting started.


PM coming for the rest.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

He’d have grabbed his right arm too, but he traded that in for his 8-day Park Hopper a few months back.

He got off easy with Disney!

In fact, Mr. O’Patty never had one single drop of rain try to ruin his vacation. Not bad for a week spent in Central Florida.

Wow. You can usually count on the 4 o'clock shower.

This is...kinda creepy. Belongs in the Boardwalk pool area, I think.

While Steppe thought it odd, Tate is used to bodiless heads hanging around. With a light sigh, he wondered what Disney extracted from them in exchange for admission.

Suddenly this TR took a dark turn.

I mean, Luke living as an immortal Jedi on some God-forsaken island? Puh-leeze.

I know, right? It would be like Yoda going off to live by himself in a swamp--oh, wait. Never mind, it would be like Ben Kenobi going off to live by himself in a desert--oh, wait.

The Sunset Blvd. entertainers never let Tate down.

Or anyone else, for that matter.

One only has to contemplate the 4-hour standby lines for Flights of Passage....

But the further he got into the decrepit old resort, he wondered if this would really be a wise “investment”.

They say real estate is the best investment.

NOPE. All the nopes.

Tate steered clear of anything vodka based, as it came just a little too close to cannibalism for his taste

He and Steppe called for their driver who brought the car around in short order.

Sweet ride!

Captain_Oblivious- 6 (top score for the round)

 

[pkondz]

Captain_Oblivious- 6 (top score for the round)

Admit it. You are more excited about that than the Superbowl result.

 

[Steppesister]

Admit it. You are more excited about that than the Superbowl result.

Obviously. He not only went to the parade, we made the parade.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Admit it. You are more excited about that than the Superbowl result.

Obviously. He not only went to the parade, we made the parade.

You have no idea. I've been searching for a souvenir t-shirt for this win for hours!

 

[franandaj]

OK, I really want to do a multi quote thing and respond with something witty to say, but my mouth hurt so much after breakfast I took another half of one of Fran's pain pills. They're Norco 10-325s so my brain is way too fuzzy to think that much. However, my mouth doesn't hurt anymore, so I've got that going for me. Let's see if I can answer this contest thing.

Let’s see what kind of interesting things Tate dredged up among his rich and famous friends for the day, shall we?

OK, I started multi quoting a couple days ago, and I know I had something witty that I was going to say to this, but right now my mind eludes me.

Mr. O’Patty never had one single drop of rain try to ruin his vacation.

That's amazing because I thought it rained briefly every day at around 3PM.

3) Would you order a meal at the Sunset Room? If so, what would you have had (at least 3 items)? (gimme points)

Sure. I'd probably get the Dover Sole, the Rack of Lamb, Spring Chicken, Belgian Endive and Peach Shortcake.

4) Tate had one more snack at DHS that day. What was it?
a. Mickey bar
b. Popcorn
c. Ice cream cone
d. Cream cheese pretzel

Mickey Bar

5) Did Steppe buy any souvenirs while at DHS?

No

6) Story time for a point: What is your favorite tradition on Christmas Day or Eve?

To make something yummy for breakfast.

How long do I have on the PM questions? I think I'm going to be fuzzy like this until after the procedure and that's still a week away.....

 

[pkondz]

Obviously. He not only went to the parade, we made the parade.

You have no idea. I've been searching for a souvenir t-shirt for this win for hours!

I so need to order you a shirt from VistaPrint or something.

I think I'm going to be fuzzy like this until after the procedure and that's still a week away.....

 

[Steppesister]

You have a snake to wake you up???

Better than Stitch waking me up.

Nah. Considering some of the rides I've had on Disney busses, he'd fit right in.

Too true. EEK! I've seen more kids take a tumble than Disney dump shops.

Although I might trade in fine dining for 50s Prime Time.

While not good old home cookin' that will stick with you all day (and more) it is less but, IMHO better food. Plus, more for a quiet, take-a-break-from-the-park, place than a let's-have-more-entertainment kinda place. If that makes sense. I need to those breaks from the noise and stimulus here and there.

Hey now! Family board!

(And... hibbidy hip.... )

What? Tatey can't sit quietly on a bench with his little hush puppy nibbling on an ice cream cone.

Love this photo. It looks like he's going "Yes!!!!"
And.... he's missing his right arm! Did you do that on purpose?

Well, okay. Confession time. I hope this doesn't ruin the story line for you... but, no. I had to come up with a ridiculous line to explain the fact that I left his arm unintentionally on my closet floor. It must have fallen out in my packing. It does not however change the fact, that body parts could indeed be purchased with the equivalent of a Disney park hopper.

Good thing. Because if he had been... well.... some butter... sour cream... bacon... chives....

WHA........?! Tatey has feelings!!

Are you sure it's a wave he's shooting him?

LOL!!! Mickey can't even flip the bird if he wanted. With 4 fingers and all.

There ya go. I remember that from my parents' tree.

I bought some a couple years ago and, while I didn't use it this year, I did last, and it was lovely. Very elegant when used in moderation.

Uh, oh. Looks like he's sweeping you off your feet.
Mike better be careful or he's going to lose you.

Yes, he should.

They can stay there. Thank goodness we don't have that affliction in our home.

Yeah, we never got into that either. There are already too many things that detract from keeping the true meaning of Christmas in it.

Huh. You have a much better eye than I do. I didn't notice that very much. Maybe it's because it blended so well. If it'd jarred, maybe then I would've noticed.

Like I said to Mark (?) before. Its like if you have guests over. If your house is dirty, everyone will notice. If it's clean, no one will.

Or Minnie.... as of January 22nd.

I saw that!

No Mr. Potato stuff at their stores now? Huh.

I was stunned. The entire display was gone! I'm glad I bought all I could on past trips. They had a fill up a box for $20 deal that was phenonenal. Tate could get practically a brand new wardrobe every time. He has all kinds of Star Wars stuff, Pirate stuff, Classic Disney stuff, you name it!

Just how much Mr. Potato stuff do you have???

A HUGE reusable grocery bag of accessories and outfits. Ummm, he's a man of a great wardrobe!!!!

Arm and a leg and another leg and a body. You can keep one arm.

Heh. Are you referring to my neck of the woods, perchance?

The land of the Great Frozen North.

Hey! Spoiler alert!

Dude, it's barely in theaters anymore. If I spilled something, tough. And, as Mark pointed out up there ^, it's not like it's a very original plot theme.

 

[Steppesister]

I read the rest, but.... when I first read this, I was. "Oh! She took a DVC tour."

It’s sometjing I’ve never done because I doubt I will ever buy in. But the FiPs are rather attractive! As is $100. Maybe someday.

one certainly does. Insane.

It is truly insane. 4 HOURS!!!

I would love to have a DVC at an ice cream parlour.


My waistline might not love it... but I would.

Not a huge ice cream fan. But enjoy a cone about once a year.

Rising up through the air?

Yes, my head was definitely growing heavy.

Darn it! I'm sure I read something about the hat and cane... but can't find anything now.

Now I’m curious. I did to, but didn’t go down that rabbit trail this time. Will though.

Nice shot!

Thanks!! It really enjoyed photographing in ToT!

Clearly, he's needed. Or his money is. That puts him in a good position for negotiations.

True!

Dang. That's a really good shot.

Had to lighten a fair bit, bit so like the end result.

Well... if the elevator is broken... yeah... better to walk away.

By way of stairs I presume.

You say that like it's a bad thing.
Fine, I suppose the next thing he remembered, he was running for the door.

Well yeah! Wouldn’t you?!.

Where did you take that!?!?!?
Surely not on the ride itself?
Geez! You've really got a good eye.

At the ride exit between that and the crap shop.

Ah. Holding out for salmonella. Smart.

Only slightly less deadly.

I wonder. A few of those items have names. (like Gateau Chocolate au Rodman)
I wonder if they might be imagineers?

I have no doubt. Might be worth a quick google.

Ah! So there really is a brown derby. Are all the lights like that?

Yep. Many of them. There were several lights along the walls.

And there she is! You did say you were going to dine with her.

There she is!! Have you seen Double Indemnity? She is one scary character!

Now that's clever!

Hehe!

Nice little pause in the day to contemplate and reminisce.

Perfect place for that!

Oh? Cool!
I like tableside service like that. I like to watch how they do things.

One of these days I’d love to find a tableside guac place.

Hmmmm... I dunno.... maybe? Or just coincidental....

Def the real deal! And I’m going to submit it Tom the official website too.

But of course. One does not dine at the derby with Barbara Stanwyck and take the bus.

Correct.

Oh! You're going back next year with the fam! That'll be fun!

I hope so.

Whoa. That looks good.

I’m really loving this Instant Pot!! So many good meals and so easy!

 

[franandaj]

One of these days I’d love to find a tableside guac place.

Tortilla Jo's in DTD....the best.

I’m really loving this Instant Pot!! So many good meals and so easy!

I'm going to try mine again tonight with a recipe that I've been making for at least 10 years on the stovetop and in the oven. Its a rice based casserole and usually takes an hour total to make. I need to research how long to cook it (based on other rice based recipes). Once I use the saute function, and add the water and rice, I think I need to cook it for 2-10 minutes and then do a natural pressure release.

 

[Steppesister]

Tortilla Jo's in DTD....the best.



I'm going to try mine again tonight with a recipe that I've been making for at least 10 years on the stovetop and in the oven. Its a rice based casserole and usually takes an hour total to make. I need to research how long to cook it (based on other rice based recipes). Once I use the saute function, and add the water and rice, I think I need to cook it for 2-10 minutes and then do a natural pressure release.

Yes, that sounds about right!

 

[Steppesister]

Dunno. I actually have a recipe (somewhere) for The Keg's escargot.... and never had the nerve to do it.

I wouldn't have the foggiest clue where to get them here in town!

I love a Tate filled update!!!

What a great day!!!

A favorite ride and a nice lunch!

It was a really nice day!! Tate's a great companion!

Mignon of Beef
Spring Chicken and
Peach Shortcake

I would stay away from the Rack of Lamb Johnson.....

All good choices! I hope the food is not as scary as the ride!

And yes, Mr. Johnson's lamb is... dubious.

I am thinking Ice Cream Cone by the pictures. But my guess is D the Cream cheese pretzel!

I will say No

My tradition is that I cook Christmas Eve Dinner. And maybe that I also will Not cook a Christmas day dinner.


This time a prepped to pm you .....

All noted! And you know what? The older I get, the more attractive not cooking for days on end is.

 

[Steppesister]

Wow! That's pretty fortunate! Nothing worse than soggy taters.

For sure! If my fries aren't really crisp, I'll pass.

I couldn't resist, either! It's some pretty great incentive they have going now.

I would actually love to take a tour someday. Not any time soon, but someday. Not really in the market, but wouldn't mind the perks.

Oh this is a cool shot.

Thanks!!

Ooh, you were in luck! That sounds excellent!

I was on a roll that day!

Such a wonderful salad. This is always all I want to order here.

I want to make one at home soon! So easy and tasty. My family would really love it.

Baha Tate! One of the few benefits of being neck-less I guess.

LOL!! I guess.

Me, too! I'll go see the new show and see what it's like. But I really liked FoW and will miss it.

I will too, once likely. While I"m a HUGE fan of UP, this show sounds... well, lame. Then again, I've been surprised many a time, so we'll see.

 

[Steppesister]

3) Sure I would. The Grape Fruit Maraschino might be interesting since I like maraschino cherries. Both the Mignon of Beef and Rack of Lamb Johnson sound appetizing, although I'm wondering what Mr. Johnson does with the lamb. No vegetables - that's what food eats. For dessert I for sure would go for the Gateau Chocolate, but if I'm being picky (and why not) they've misspelled this item on the menu since they have chosen to write the French word for cake but used English for chocolate. Tea with dessert, please because I don't do coffee.

I think you're right. I love maraschinos as well; I like the sound of that!

Mr. Johnson's lamb...Oh my! LOLOLOL! Dare I ask?

LOL! You are being picky, and that's okay. Every fine diner should be discriminating!

And of course. Tea. Always tea for the TNG!!

4) a. Mickey bar

5) yes

6) After Christmas Day presents and brunch with my parents, we all sit and relax after the hectic past 24 hours (or so). We all sit and watch the Disney Parks Parade. It's not often all four of us sit as a family anymore to watch something, with a nearly 18 year old and 10 year old, their tastes don't often cross when it comes to TV. But I love it, just so relaxing. I normally get some sort of holiday flavoured tea, like a chai spice, so drink that while watching, and of course tuck into some of the chocolate from my stocking. I do lament the fact the "parade" (at least those are the long ago memories I had of it when I was younger) has been reduced to a 2 hour commercial with only snippets of the actual parade. But alas, it's more for the family time now.

Noted. And you know what? I really like your Christmas tradition because... you're right. It's about family and being together. It sounds relaxing and just very nice.

 

[Steppesister]

Umm, I realize people have different preferences, but I think you need an alarm clock vs. an alarm snake!

So passe though.

And left little plastic hairs EVERYWHERE.

So, no different than the mess left in the sink for me every morning.

yeah, 8 day park hopper is better than an arm.

Absolutely!

Tatey has grandkids or he's waiting for your grandkids? Considering you just had your first, might be a looong wait.

He'd love a few of mine. Playmates are always nice to have! And my first lives 2,000 miles away right now. I need go go visit her.

Did the bus jump to lightspeed or was it the typical 5 year journey?
Either I'm looking in the wrong picture or Mickey is invisible.

I ride magical buses. Disney says so.

Way far away in the upper left hand corner of the photo. Tiny, but he's there.

Carp....that means I'm OLDER than dirt.
Tinsel = icicles? (i.e. the single strands that go over the branches) I love those (except during cleanup)

But young at heart, like the rest of us.

Yes!! those! I adore them too. Super pretty at night with the lights on them. I love to sit by the tree after the house is quiet and just be near it.

You have body parts laying around at home? Hmmm, maybe I don't want to meet you after all. Don't want to be called stumpy or gimpy.

muahaha. Don't worry, they're all in a drawer.

Don't get me started on the new SW movies. The graphics and special effects are good, but the storyline is lacking.

Yes. You'd find yourself in equally disenchanted company. I'll watch them, in the theater even, but be blown away? No.

I almost listed deck of cards, 50 cent pieces and wedding ring in my answers for #2, but decided they weren't Christmas decorations.

No, I"m afraid not.

Sent via PM

got them all.

Maybe. I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to go there, but if I did, yes.
I'd order Mignon of beef, Fresh green peas, new carrots, possibly an autumn salad. Not sure about dessert...I'm not a big shortcake fan, very picky when it comes to apple pie (many fall short of my high standards), so maybe the chocolate thingy. If they have hot tea, might have one of those. Just curious regarding the legality or etiquette....if you're not a spring chicken, can you order the spring chicken? I like chicken, but not sure if I'd be allowed to order it.

Oh, all good choices!

You and Jeff- my loyal tea drinkers!

I think anything's possible at the Hollywood Tower. With a place where they decorate with creepy ventriloquist dolls, you might think you were just about to enter the Twilight Zone, where just about anything goes. So yes, Spring Chicken would be okay for you to order.

Cream cheese pretzel. Mickey bar and popcorn are all difficult to manage with only one arm. Tatecan get an ice cream cone just about anywhere, but not a cream cheese pretzel.

Got it!

Yes. You had to get something for your loyal subj....err readers.

Noted!

Not Christmas day or eve, but I MUST see both How the grinch stole Christmas and Charlie Brown's Christmas before I feel it's Christmas time. I like Frosty the snowman and Rudolph the red nose reindeer also, but they're not mandatory.
Christmas morning - Reading the story of the first Christmas from the Bible.
Christmas evening - Lasagna dinner

Awww, I love all of that! ANd yes, I love those all so much that we own them. Except Frosty and Rudolph are mandatory, as is It's a wonderful life.

We read the Luke version as well on the morning, and dinner is not set in stone. We've done everything from tamales to rack of lamb. But not Mr. Johnson's little lamb.

Don't want points deducted...that would be Queen being mean to her subjects

Wise. Very wise.

 

[Steppesister]

Sure!

Bismark Herrings... maybe. I'd ask how they were prepared.
Pottage Ecossaise
Rack of Lamb with new carrots
The Pollonaise Beaumont salad sounds interesting.
Apple pie of course!​

I'd be interested in the herring as well. Have to look up the next one- I know a little French, but not this.

Hmm, going with Mr. Johnson's dubious lamb. Brave.

The salad does sound good! Not a giant apple pie fan, but would have a bite or two if someone else ordered it and let me.

Mickey bar

Nope.

Noted!

When I was younger, my family would go to midnight mass on Christmas eve (which at midnight, was Christmas day). At the stroke of midnight, my sister would lean towards me, and I towards her. We'd quickly murmur a quick "merry Christmas" to each other and grin. The festivities were just getting started.

So you pulled and all-nighter on Christmas Eve/Day/ Interesting! What did you do after Mass?

 

[Steppesister]

He got off easy with Disney!

Unlike the rest of us who tend to be short a few thousand bucks in our bank accounts every trip.

Wow. You can usually count on the 4 o'clock shower.

Too bad they aren't better timed for the 3:00 parade.

This is...kinda creepy. Belongs in the Boardwalk pool area, I think.

Or the lobby with those 2 creepy chairs.

Suddenly this TR took a dark turn.

Every good story has to have a flair of drama and mystique!

I know, right? It would be like Yoda going off to live by himself in a swamp--oh, wait. Never mind, it would be like Ben Kenobi going off to live by himself in a desert--oh, wait.

See? Lame.

They say real estate is the best investment.

That they do. And if not that gold.

Hey look! A party!!

 

[Steppesister]

OK, I really want to do a multi quote thing and respond with something witty to say, but my mouth hurt so much after breakfast I took another half of one of Fran's pain pills. They're Norco 10-325s so my brain is way too fuzzy to think that much. However, my mouth doesn't hurt anymore, so I've got that going for me. Let's see if I can answer this contest thing.

Oh, you poor thing, Alison! Norco 10's are pretty strong, so yes, I'd imagine you're feeling pretty good right now.

OK, I started multi quoting a couple days ago, and I know I had something witty that I was going to say to this, but right now my mind eludes me.

Well, witty or not, you're excused. Dental work is not very fun.

That's amazing because I thought it rained briefly every day at around 3PM.

So, you're saying Disney parades are always rained on?

Sure. I'd probably get the Dover Sole, the Rack of Lamb, Spring Chicken, Belgian Endive and Peach Shortcake.

mmm, all good choices!

Mickey Bar

No

Noted!

To make something yummy for breakfast.

How long do I have on the PM questions? I think I'm going to be fuzzy like this until after the procedure and that's still a week away.....

Mmm, a good breakfast is always welcome!

You have quite a while. I'm working on the Africa chapter next, so you have a some time. I do however have a light schedule next week, so you never know. I will give a warning though.

 

[Steppesister]

Tortilla Jo's in DTD....the best.

OH, I'll have to remember that! When The Ditch first opened, they did that for us, but that's gone by the wayside. Sad.

 

[Steppesister]

D is for: Dancing Queen​

After going to bed at 7:00 the night before, already feeling a bit rotten, I woke up at 8:00 feeling… worse. Rested, but worse in terms of the crud that was attacking us one by one. I was number 3 to get it. The cold bucket bath felt very nice, as did the hair washing. What normally takes 30 minutes here in Oregon, here, in SL, it would take hours to dry. But I did feel somewhat refreshed and, as breakfast wasn’t ready yet, I decided to catch up on some journaling. I loved sitting out on the veranda just taking in the sights and sounds and spending some time all by myself. It was cooler out there and I had room to think.




Across from me there was a man in his t-shirt who appeared to be getting ready for his day, towel draped over his shoulder. A woman on another was frying up something for breakfast, and children in uniforms walked in the street below on their way to school. All around me were fruit trees of various varieties- bananas, coconuts, mangos and a local fruit they called “apples” but were not what we know as an apple. Below me in our courtyard the hibiscus bloomed in beautiful contrast to the concrete courtyard and razor wire.



The waterfall, so lovely the day before, was waning with no fresh water to replenish it. I captured it's contrast, noting the sad build up of new trash that marred its former beauty.




Interrupting my quiet reverie, someone came up to tell us that breakfast would be ready shortly, so I put my things away and gingerly toddled downstairs. Very carefully. I wondered every time I descended that staircase if it’d be my last day on earth, or if my body would be left in Africa should it be. It was devoid of handrails, at times slick with unseen sloshed water, and generally treacherous being made of marble tile.


I heard some activity outside on the back patio and made my way out there to see what I could see. Since the kitchen in the house wasn’t finished yet, all of the cooking was done outside on propane burners. Not a bad idea, actually. It keeps the greasy smells out, the whole house cleaner, and keeps the house from heating up more as well.







I saw a collection of homemade brooms that were used regularly to sweep the house, courtyard, and street in front of the home’s compound. It made me pause to give thoughtful homage to my vacuum cleaner at home. Here and there a lizard skittered along the wall making it a game for me to try and capture a clear image.





Today’s morning fare would be a nice treat, something different than the fried eggs and lunchmeat- fried fish, potatoes, and plantains. It was an interesting breakfast; the discussion flowed freely and was quite enlightening. The topic revolved mostly around human rights, human dignity, self-empowerment, and how the poor of Sierra Leone could lift themselves out of such a dire situation, given their government's poor leadership that, at its core, is greedy and abusive. It was also during breakfast that I learned that our African leaders who’d traveled with us had been at the port authority offices and docks until 2:00 AM to get our shipment out of customs. Perhaps it was this situation that led to the discussion of the abuses of power so rampant throughout Africa. They paid no less than $2,000 in “fees” (read bribes) to get them to release our goods of medications, donated clothing, medical supplies, and items for the NGO hotel. Ridiculous and infuriating!

It was also because of this that the we all got a late start on the day. Which was actually quite wonderful. It gave me an opportunity to take a long walk around the neighborhood and learn more about my immediate surroundings. While I took a walk, Rebekah relaxed at home with the boys just enjoying some down time:



My host asked a neighbor young man to escort me on my walk for security and to be a “culture broker” in Missions Speak. This would also be my first opportunity, short as it might be, to get some better than average photos.

I grabbed the Canon and a fresh SD card and we set out along the dusty paths to see what we could.

I saw a LOT of unfinished homes. If the owner is not physically present, construction must stop as the workers cannot be trusted to do anything quality without direct oversight. Also, many construction projects happen in phases as the owner is able to pay.



The people of the neighborhood found me as interesting as I did them, and more than one person asked me to take their photo.



The majority of potable water is packaged in soft, thin pouches of plastic rather than bottles. The quality is somewhat suspect as they come from mostly mom and pop filtering businesses with little to no oversight or regulation. No thanks.



There weren’t many family gardens, but here is an example of a tidy little garden plot. Typically, one would find okra, eggplant, cassava, beans, some fruit trees, corn, and sugar cane.





I was fascinated by the banana flowers I came across. Such an oddity to me.





When I passed this sign, I was positively intrigued. I asked a lot of questions about the “chief” and what his role is. It is my understanding that the chief is in charge of a neighborhood and settles neighborhood-sized matters like land disputes, small disagreements and, as the sign indicates, family matters. He also decides if an issue should be directed to the next higher level of authority. Each village that we went to also had a chief. I suppose it is something like a mayor but with more direct involvement over civil matters.



My obsession with the lizards was evident wherever I went.





When I returned home, soaking wet, it was just about time to head over to the venue for the evening’s event: our formal fund-raising dinner. We were told to bring a formal gown to wear and that this was to be an occasion that would bring another TV crew and perhaps some dignitaries. Neither would prove to be true, but at least we looked good later that evening.


We went back and forth twice that day to the same place that the Disabled Seminar was held, and I wondered how they would pull off a formal event in such a venue. I was really pretty impressed with how they took very little and turned a very plain hall into a festive, cheerful atmosphere. Our team had hired a professional decorating crew to come in with their supplies and do this:








After we helped by putting the chair covers and table cloths on, which took a couple of hours, we returned home (through the traffic which I’ve already described in detail) to get showered and dressed. By the time we returned to the hall it was dark. When we arrived, there were already about 20-30 guests. LOUD music was blaring, as it was everywhere. All the time.




The program itself was a showcase of our NGO’s work to those invited. Our Emcee was a quite famous actress and philanthropist from Sierra Leone named Henrietta Mbawa (yes, she's FB or Google-able). She was an absolutely stunning woman inside and out. Such a pleasure to meet her. Our local staff presented stories of the work throughout the country focusing on the agricultural work, medical work, and development projects.



One highlight was the boys our team brought from the one of the villages we’d be going to a few days later. The profound level of poverty is difficult for those of us in the West to even comprehend. None of those boys had EVER worn a pair of shoes. Not once. Ever. I will share more about their lives in the village in future updates.





One of those boys, in an attempt to bring in an income for his family made a dollhouse. The team saw this on one of their visits and asked him to come with his dollhouse and sell it at the auction. This is where an interesting thing happened. It was a bidding auction and the house started at, I dunno, something like $25. It quickly went up from there, and when it reached a number, I got an idea. What if I chimed in and gave a highest bidder matching bid (I'm sure there is a word for that, but I don't know it.). Whatever the highest bidder paid, I would match dollar for dollar. When it finally topped out, I had my number.

Later that night, the organizer thanked me for my bid which was $50 more than I had intended to “bid”. Uhhh, no. Clearly, they did not understand the concept of what I was doing, and my attempts at increasing the winning bid was totally lost on them. I told them they needed to find the person who bid just before me and collect that, and I would pay a matching amount. Luckily, they did, and I was happy to pay for part of the most expensive dollhouse on the planet… that I would never see again. Too bad, because it was a really cool dollhouse made of dozens of carefully handcut wooden pieces. I thought it was pretty cool, given that a 12-year old, poor child made it out of love for his family.




Dinner was finally served around 9:00. It was very good: chicken gizzard skewers, fried rice, cabbage salad, grilled chicken, and canned sodas. Not sure I’d ever had a gizzard, but they were passable. Not something I’d seek out or order given a choice, but certainly not bad either. Like, you know, raw oysters.



After dinner, there was more of the program and more speeches by various supporters of the work, and the main program ended about 10:30. The guests were invited to stay and dance the night away, but I noted that everyone but family of the CEO or other staff left, leaving the rest of us to dance. I can neither confirm not deny that I won the informal dance competition. I busted out my best African dance moves. You may be asking yourself just exactly how I knew any African dance moves at all, but I assure you I DID have practice before going. Twice. I even have photographic proof. But I’m saving it for another time.



If you know me at all, I’m not ashamed to post the most embarrassing of photos of myself here. I have no problem laughing at myself- here’s proof of that too. Sue me. I was having a LOT of fun with my new African friends and when we danced until we could boogie no more, we began the exhausting process of cleaning up.







When we finally reached home it was nearly 2:00 AM and we fell straight into bed too exhausted to do anything but fall asleep. We weren't the only ones tired from a long day.