Today's events. Wednesday 13th June - My Last day in Yamba.

I know I have missed a bit in between - I hope to fill this at some point.

What a rollercoaster, Christine (the new volunteer - scottish young and lovely - here to do marketing) anyway she was up and out early to see the display for the arrival of the freedom torch, so with no school I was left at Mzizma alone - not a problem - some 'ssssh' packing to do (sssh we don't mention leaving) and a this sweater to finish (I had messed up the sleeve to had to re-do it - and no I didn't get it finished so it's on the Dar to do list). I also asked Stella to show me how to make lunch - over a charcoal stove - well I helped actually! I had also been invited to Mama Maria's (Baby Tina Bibi - grandmother).

The cooking was interesting I think I could manage, not that I'd ever choose to - like using a single pan on a barbeque, I'd invest in a chopping board because everything is cut into your hand - and my highly undomesticated hands aren't up to the job. And I finally foundout how they make the sauce that goes with the potato / yam / sweet potato - the tomato is grated - fab idea - leaving the skin (which you bin).

After lunch I started the seater again but defeated by the wind I moved inside and off my verandah with it's view to the darker interior in an attempt to get the sweater finally finished before my visit to see baby Tina one last time.

Caro was still away when I got to her house, but Bisura welcomed me and made me a lovely sweet coffe as I tried (in vain) to put into mere words a suitable comment in the VA visitor's book. On reading the other comments it seems I'm npt the first (and surely not the last) volunteer to fall in love with the people and the place. So I wrote about the place being magical and entrancing it's vistors.

Mama Maria cooked for us again - by this time Caro & Christine had joined us and I think it overwhelmed Christine, as it did me, to be fed in the tiny mud hut - meat again as well ! Of course some coercing had to be done to get me to give Baby Tina back - she was yawning and looking at me intensely with her big bright eyes looking into mine - and even a little smile (i know at that age it's probably wind).

Last knitting club at 5 and it was already gone half 4 and we had 2 more visits to do. Firstly a respectful visit to Estareader (lively mum from knitting club)'s mother who had lost her baby in childbirth the previous night - a feet first delivery, I don't know what the complication was, but the baby didn't make it. The room was smokey and I was barely in - eyes sore - greiving mother lying quiet in her bed, someone was making a sort of soft runny banana porridge for her over a small fire in the corner behind where Caro & Christine were sitting. 'Pole' or 'Pole sana' ('poor you' a phrase used in most unfortunate situations to show sympathy) just didn't cover it - so I was silent - I just didn't know what to say. It wasn't just the smoke that got to my eyes as we left to visit Mama Sophia whose daughter had given birth the night before last to a healthy baby boy.