Comfort is making food again!

 I am sitting here just writing and looking up to watch Comfort in my kitchen cooking red-red, she started out making a pineapple orange drink (which is going to be so nice!) Red-red is some kind of bean and rice that is very famous here. Luckily she made the regular strength for all who are coming and the little pepper for Jeffrey and I. That is so nice of her to cater to both kinds of heat. 

Now Baaba is sewing up buttons on a dress and shirt. We are discussing what kind of goals we need as a Relief Society presidency to take to the stake meeting about our aims to get sisters to be closer to God.

It has been a nice afternoon all doing our own thing - together.

straining the pineapple 

Erica came at the last. We all enjoyed Comfort's red-red with fried plantains and some jollof rice.

Nothing like sitting next to a Celebrity

 Sister Doan had told us that she would show us some quick tricks for quilting if we wanted to stay after Sister Scripture Study. It was awesome and I should have taken pictures as I was sitting right next to her. But I can remember as it was so easy. 

Two contrasting squares sewn together, cut diagonally both ways. You will have four quarters of your square which you iron and pull out into four little squares. Position into a pinwheel and iron again, then cut up the pinwheel 2 inches from the center on four corners and then the fun begins!  There were about five different ways she put those eight quarters. It was awesome. 

I found out she is quite a celebrity in Hamilton, Missouri. Image her being here with us on a mission to Accra. I will have to find out her story and what she is doing here. I wonder if she is here for her husband, her kids sent them, or something she wants to accomplish herself.

Here is the YouTube that tells her story:

Jenny Doan 

So if I come home with a new skill, you will know who I was sitting next to.

Sister Scripture Study

 Every Thursday we have a sister scripture study where each of us take a turn and teach a lesson - usually one of the conference talks of the conference that has just happened. 

Sister Findlay was the teacher today and she told us about a touching part in the October conference when the children were singing. She played it on screen and while we were listening, Sister Doan took my hand and I realized she had the hand of the other lady on her other side, so I took Sister Brox hand who took, Sister Penner's, who took Sister Meredith's hand and around the circle we all went. The song was very touching and wonderful. 

Sister. Findlay had a wonderful lesson and my take aways were being closer, more in-tune, and not forgetting our Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ. There are a few moments sometimes when we all feel something together and we had a moment with the song. (So I took a picture)

Happy Couple

 Today on my way to the Area Office, I ran into a couple outside of the Distribution Center. I had talked with her at the temple yesterday while I was working there. She didn't know the exact date she was going to get married because she needed to get her visa first. She told me about her family and where she fit.

I asked where she had met her fiancé and she said in Cape Coast while he was on his mission. I missed the part where she either said she was a missionary too, or lived there. Obviously she is old enough to have a temple recommend. 

They were so happy this morning and said they would be getting married on the 18th of January in the Washington DC temple. They got her visa approved yesterday! Both are very excited and happy.

Happenings

 I've just come to expect that Tuesdays will be different and unique.

The first of the day was spent in frustration as I tried to make a prototype of bag so the gathering place ladies can  make them from the pattern I would make.

It is not easy to make just the right kind of bag. I used most of my liner material trying to figure out the best way to make a bag in depth, height, so it would stay closed, etc. When I would finish one, I would critique it and find out the many ways to improve and make it better. 

Asante came while I was sewing, and brought me a FanIce. They are sold by the men who push a cart with befrot rolls in the front compartment and usually ice- cream in the back - they toot a horn. I put the ice-cream in the freezer so I could share it with Jeffrey.

Asante came back and picked up my hard shelled coconuts and brought them back all grated up. So nice!

Jeffrey came home so we could walk over to the MTC together. He had an emergency call for a Patriarchal blessing before the missionary left for his mission on Wednesday. We used Elder Lords' office and as usual I am happy to be a witness of the great things the Lord has in store for these young men and women. 

On the way back we were walking past the stake center and ran into Bishop and Sister Addy. He was carrying two ukulele bags and said they were for me. I didn't remember ordering them, but hey I have more grandchildren.  We talked about some of the things she had left at my house that I wanted to use for gifts. Jeffrey paid her for all the things she had made. 

While we were chatting, I realized she was the answer to my prayers! So I asked her to come over to my house and pick up some material to make and design a bag for temple use. Oh my! A professional tailor to make bags. She said she would make a pattern for the gathering place ladies to use. I have assured her there is PLENTY of bags for many people to make as we will never have enough. So many people come from other countries (speaking different languages) and they all come in and go out with the plastic bags their clothing first came in. 

Yes!  Soon we will be able to offer something for them to take their sacred clothes to and from the temple.

Cutting out and sewing prototypes for a temple bag

A gift - we both enjoyed it.

Coconut all grated up, ready for banana bread

Sister Addy left the ukulele bags and brought material back to her home!

No adventure today

 Instead of an adventure Monday, I just asked the guys to take me to a series of shops to get supplies. I wanted most important to get materials for making bags for people to carry their clothes in when they go to the temple. 

We went to Rita's, picked up material for bags, and a new dress, then we went to the shop near Rita's where I picked up necklaces. We started out at the Movenpick pharmacy where I picked up a prescription. I was surprised that it was cheaper here than in the US. They did not take my insurance card and I was a little worried about what it would cost. I guess it is common enough to be readily available. Nice for me!

That night at 5 pm we had the Wilson's over for dinner. They are the new couple that moved into our complex and have taken the Burdick's place as the Area Presidency Secretary. What a delightful and fun couple!  It looks like she wants to go see things. Hopefully she can come on a few of our Monday adventures - probably after they get used to being here.

It was so very delightful to spend time with them and hear their stories and how they got here. They actually were trying to go on a humanitarian mission. Sometime you end up on a mission in a different life than you expected.  Sorry, we were having too much fun to remember a picture.

Serendipitous Sunday

 My Sabbath day was wonderful. Both of us woke up feeling refreshed, we had a thoughtful sacrament meeting and I went to a class where one lady was waiting. It turns out there were only the two of us. We chatted about our families and then we got on a great discussion of how prayers work in our lives. She has been through some great challenges and knows that prayer can change things. I gave her my testimony of how big things and little things can all be answered by prayers. It was a beneficial sharing of testimony and ideas.

Jeffrey and I went to the MTC where he gave some Patriarchal Blessings. Both of us were moved and awed by the blessings that God has in store for the future of these young men and women. 

We then went over to the Danso home as we had been invited for a late lunch. She is from Samoa and he is from Ghana. Her family moved to Hawaii and then she lived in Utah. He was inspired by his father to work very hard so he could go to school and step out of poverty. Brother Danso went to BYU and started his own business after working for the Church for a few years.  He has a firm testimony of how entrepreneurial businesses can be made by students who learn specific skills. He mentioned how the Ghanaian government sends people to Canada to learn to be welders to work on government projects. The Canadian reputation for skilled workers is very high. Those men will always have good jobs.

Jeffrey grilled him on how Pathways is and is not viable at the moment and what it would take to make it great. Jeffrey was inspired and uplifted and hopes the information he learned will be useful and helpful in the future.

It was really a very good day. In contrast to the anxiety and frustration of Saturday. I think Sunday looked so much better because of the angst of Saturday. 

We see these ladies in the MTC lobby almost every Sunday

Fun with the Seniors

 Leaving the pool party early, Jeffrey and I went out to pick up the Manwarrings and meet the other senior missionaries at Moka's. Rebecca Manwarring is very good at setting up Saturday nights with other couples and Kipp Manwarring is always on the lookout for good places to go. 

One of my favorite things to get is a drink that is rainbow colored. It has avocado, strawberry, mango, and now they have included a raspberry top. Delicious and almost a meal in itself. I usually just order an appetizer to go with it. 

We had a very good time talking and getting to know the new couple and then walked down the street to a cheesecake shop that Kipp had discovered. Several of the couples bought dessert to bring home.

It was a beautiful evening and very nice for sharing stories.

When we got back the last of the pool party participants were leaving. Baaba came up to our place and hemmed up some temple pants for some very important people coming from Utah. They were scheduled to go to the temple on their trip to Accra and preparations were made to have clothes ready for them. Baaba was the one getting them ready.

Baaba is a very dedicated and generous lady.

Pool Party

 For our November activity in Relief Society, we decided to have a pool party. I knew in advance that I had a commitment at 4 pm, so I planned to do the set up, Comfort would organize the food, Baaba would be in charge of clean-up, and Erica would advertise the party. 

Three weeks in advance, I got permissions, told the security guards, asked Lawrence who does maintenance what I was needed i.e. chairs, tables, pool noodles -  to have a pool party for the Relief Society. I got assurances from different people that is was okay.

When I came out at a quarter to 2 pm, nothing was set up. When I called Lawrence there was no answer. When I asked the current security guard, he had no notifications of any pool party - but he did unlock the door where the noodles, rings, extra chairs, and lounge chair covers were. On Thursday, I had gotten a snippy passive agressive note from a missionary (that I have obviously offended) about the noise, and new directions from the Area Presidency's wife on what could and could not happen. I was feeling a little unsettled about this party.

I previously saw the tables down a stairwell on my way in and out the side door of our apartment, so I and another lady hauled the table over to the pool, she then went over and hauled the other table by herself. She is about 5 feet 4 inches and skinny! She put that table on her head and brought it right over - I sure wish I could give you a picture of that! Meanwhile, I was hauling chairs out of the store room and bringing the noodles and rings to the pool. As you can tell we didn't need maintenance to set up. 

It turned out to be a good party! The guests dribbled in slowly and the four children who came early were in the pool immediately. About an hour later we had a nice group of ladies chatting and laughing - but no music per the request of the AP's wife. Some of the ladies were posing and taking pictures, some chatting at poolside, and a few were in the pool enjoying the water. There was plenty of food, water and some drinks. Only one lady I could see was swimming the butterfly stroke. Everyone else floated around. 

Sure wish I got the picture three seconds earlier. This tiny 5 foot three or four inches woman, carrying a table longer than she is tall, on her head, then swinging it down to set up!

I left early and later Baaba said it was very difficult to get everyone out of the pool. They all had a really good time. When Jeffrey and I got back at about a quarter to six, the last three ladies were headed to the gate.  Baaba had asked to do some sewing on my machine for some guests from Utah who are coming to Accra - after the pool party was over. She hadn't even started and we got home before she came. I laughed at her description of everyone eating and then jumping back into the pool while she is trying to say the party is over. Good times.

She came bearing gifts

 I have a pattern for Thursdays. Wake up and organize the day, go to Sister Scripture Study, come back for 5 minutes and pack up reusable bags and cedis and go shopping with whichever sister I can get to go with me. This week it was Sister Penner. I wanted to go to a different MaxMart in Osu and she indicated she wanted to go to Fairway that was close by. 

Oh wow! Did we strike it rich! There were chocolate chips at Fairway! I haven't opened a package yet (fingers crossed) so I don't know if they are the melted and unmelted again variety - or the real thing. We'll see. Tropical places are tricky.

On my way home, I got a call from Comfort that she was at my gate. A little early as usually she comes in the afternoon and stays for our presidency meeting. I let her in as soon as I arrived. Dumevi and Eugene were going back to the market to get hard flour, Cook's Margarine, and gas for the car. So I went straight up to my apartment to wait for Comfort.

She came bearing gifts! She brought lots of bananas for the weekend pool party the Relief Society planned. She made some Cabbage Stew and while she was cooking, the egg delivery man came. It is so very nice to get fresh eggs every week.  Comfort went home cancelling the Relief Society meeting as she was very tired. I don't think she has been feeling a hundred percent for about a month now. She goes into the doctor and labs every week. I hope she will get better soon. 

I spent the rest of the day sewing.....life is good.

Comfort with Bananas and other delicious things

Beginning of an Experiment

 Today I put vodka in a jar along with vanilla beans that I got from Amazon while I was in Utah. The recipe is very simple, vodka (or alcohol) along with vanilla beans that are split and time. Easy. Here is the real recipe so you can do it right if you get the urge: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/homemade-vanilla-extract/.  Why not?

Let's see what happens!

It's Tuesday Again!!

 Tuesday seems to be the happening day! Good thing I straightened up the house, made my bed and got dressed early. 

Sister Tagou came at 9 am to make bread. I showed her how I make bread and we found out I was using a 'soft' flour. She said that hard flour was slightly red and made a stiffer bread than the soft rolls that I had. Wow! Who knew there were different kinds of flour made from different kinds of wheat. I thought wheat was wheat - nope!  I thought all purpose flour was what you could use for cookies, cake, bread, rolls etc.  Well.....bread is made from hard and pie is made from soft flour.  I am going to have to try out the hard flour on my bread. 

It sounds like you make banana bread from soft flour, so that is what they gave me when I said what I was using the flour for. 

I will use another post to show how meat pies are made. She took me on a step by step demonstration so I can make them again. It will be fun to give somebody something different from banana bread. Meat pies are sold all over Accra - so I know lots of people like them.

Asante came over after Sister Tagou left and helped me make some banana bread with the ripening bananas that Daniel (another security guard) brought over last week. We talked about the fact that he is a driver. So I may be able to use him as a driver -- besides Dumevi and Eugene. Possibilities......

Asante then helped me clean the kitchen and washed the dishes while I put them away. We even vacuumed the floor.

Then just after he left Comfort came over with lunches to freeze for Bobby. Then she stayed and made egg stew and rice for Jeffrey and I. Oh so delicious! The eggs are hardly seen at all and with the chicken and salmon it is one of the least tasted proteins in this stew. 

It has been a good day. I haven't seen Patricia yet, but maybe she will come tomorrow instead.

Sister Tagou

Finishing!

Asante

Comfort

Lunches to freeze for Bobby

Stew and rice - so yummy!

The banana bread is done and life is good. Asante will probably come and get the banana bread before he leaves the Area Compound for the day. This has been good for my extrovert soul who likes to be around people - though not always in the front of the crowd.