A normal day in the life of a Jenny .....

 I am not sure I have many 'normal' days in England so to have a normal day in Lesotho is even more surprising but today was as normal as they come. I awoke this morning to cloudless skies but many others around thought it was quite chilly! I had my breakfast outside in my shorts and vest top and relished the warmth of the sun even at 7.45am. I certainly didn't feel a chill in the air.  I went straight over to playgroup and before the children arrived I looked through the cupboards for inspiration, and finding done, I decided today would be a painting day - they had roller ball type paints so I thought I could deal with them!!!! Once the children arrived and had their sing song, I took 4 at a time to go and do some painting. I thought 4 should be relatively easy but was soon tearing my hair out because the children found painting their hands, lips, clothes, faces, the table.......anything more exciting than the paper I had given them.  Some children were fine, don't get me wrong but  the rest were hard work. Anyway, paintings dry and stuck up on th wall, I cleared away and went out for snack time. Having defend porridge to one child I popped into the soft play room to find someone struggling there so fed another bowl of porridge to an unsuspecting toddler.  Outdoor play involved much talking to Thato and climbing on climbing frames before lunch time back in Khotso 2.

 It never ceases to amaze me how these women cope.  Let me me share a day in the life of the house mother in Khotso 2. Children wake up between 5 and 6. She only has 11 children so her life is relatively easy ( relative to what I am not sure).  There are 2 pre school age children who have to be out of the house at 7.45 in their clean school uniforms complete with lace up shoes and ties. One of those is special needs, a bit wobbly on her feet, very excitable and has a very mischievous character.   There are then 5 boys aged around 3 who all go off to playgroup at 8.30. Some of them are bathed in the morning, along with the 2 younger boys and the baby of 7 months who weighs about 10lbs. There is also a 3 year old girl who is on a feeding tube and has half her food fed normally and half through the feeding tube.  One of the younger boys is very special needs and cannot sit up on his own, another of the younger ones is not quite walking but clearly wants to be.  Both those have to be fed sloppy food, 3 of the older ones can feed themselves ( 4 now I am there.....!) the others have to be spoon fed or in the baby's case bottle fed. Once off to playgroup at 8.30 the mother will just shave the tiny baby left and that will be time for the. Other to have her own breakfast, wash up, set to and wash the floor and get all the washing done.  Every child's clothes are washed and ironed every day and neatly folded up and put away.  One day a week she will prepare a snack for all 30 plus children who are in playgroup. At 11.30 the children will go home closely followed by the pre school children. Then it is lunch time, potty, nappy change and sleep for the children while she does the washing up, cleans the school shoes for tomorrow and prepares dinner as well as feeding the baby.  3 pm every child has its shoes on to go out to play till 4 when they come toddling home again wanting baths and dinner.  Every child who was not bathed in the morning will have a bath, be covered in Vaseline and put in pyjamas and nappies of course.  Dinner time follows and tonight they really did not likee the look, taste or small of it because even the self feeders were on extra slow and there was a lot left over. Feeding time was a struggle tonight.

That done, it is faces cleaned and the start of bedtime routine which involves medicine giving which may also have to have been administered during the day. By 6pm every child will be in it'ss cot or bed ready to sleep and the washing goes on before the house mother collapses into bed by 7 and awaits the new round tomorrow.  there is normally only 1 other helper in the house some of the time and very house is spotless  all the time, although tonight in my house there were 3 so the load was lightened.  That is just a basic day....every mother knows that things change, children get sick, food has to be ordered, put away and in this case carried across campus.  Washing hung out on lines, toilets cleaned, beds changed .....the 

It's goes on.  I totally and absolutely admire these ladies  who do it so cheerfully and love the children at the same time.

I spent the afternoon, after my siesta which I didn't have when my team was here, in playgroup, playing outside. I thought it would be fun to get the parachute out today and yes it was fun. The children just love sitting on it, lying on it and biuncing balls on it. I could get them to sit round it and play western style but they had a lot of fun and we got every ball out the place so it was a big clearing up job. I made sure Mu little cerebral palsy girl got her walk and she was enjoying a swing until her nappy exploded which meant it was early bath time for her!!!!

My  day ended just after  the children's dinner at 5 and I spent the evening with the others sharing a meal to welcome the new American family who have arrived for 2 years. Grace who is 22 was here for 6 months last time I was here and she has returned bring her parents who are to be long term volunteers here. Karen her mum  will work in the office as their current volunteer goes home soon  and Ron her dad will become the chaplain and from talking to him today will be pretty indispensable around the place with his many skills and experiences. Also another young lady called Ashley has come for 2 weeks so we are now overrun by Americans , our commonwealth numbers are down to 4.......

We shared a vey lovely shepherd's pie with salad and fruit. Lindi and I had made a salad before hand which was very tasty.....well I should say Limdi had made some salads and I just grated a lot of carrots when I got in.....

Anyway by  9 pm we were all shattered so headed off to bed.  I am once again falling asleep whilst writing so will bid you goodnight and sleep. I am going off to visit the missionary school in the morning and then must do some sealing of the lively shelves which Christian built....they are already filling up. That should keep me indoors. I have been outdoors most of today and despite wearing sun lotion I am pretty red in parts tonight.  I have been out to the guard tonight and got him to sit the gate properly  - . Not sure he did last night.  Lesotho is quiter today but there is apparently trouble brewing on Friday....watch this space.

Till tomorrow....night night and stay well and warm

Jenny xxx