Looovely “last” day in Nampula. Dr Woodrow had let me know that I need to go and cash some cheques he left with me, so we could pay 6 months’ rent for the bookshop in advance. So I arranged with the owner to meet me at the bank, but I was actually done a lot sooner than I anticipated - alas, with only a third of the money I should have had, because the bank wouldn’t accept the one cheque, something about the pen that was used writing it out… So I ran some other errands and went back to the bank, only to wait for the owner another 20 minutes, therefore 20 minutes of the fun of sitting staring at the door, waiting for someone whose face I don’t know, trying to judge by my faint recollection of seeing him from a distance once what he’d look like… After that I went to Woodrows to get the car, had a frustrating and pointless phone conversation with the one worker, trying to find out if there was enough space in the freezer for more fish for the dogs, since he had put the key to the pantry somewhere I couldn’t find it. Eventually I left to go get the fish (as you can see, my responsibilities have been rather broadened lately), hoping it would be okay. Went home, had lunch, left again to go pay the workers, had to turn back because I forgot to take some other stuff with me, left again. Then I had a truly frustrating time with the workers, almost all of whom need advances on their salary of next month, and who really make things difficult for me. They were given instructions not to bother “Senhor Rolando”, our friend Roland Seiler who will take care of this stuff while I’m gone, but they have had no scruples about asking me for money, phoning me (or expecting me to phone them back) and say “You have to come here and take care of this and that.” The other day I was so anxious, because all I they said was something about “bees” and “dogs” and I couldn’t make head or tail of the rest. Had the dogs been stung? Were they okay? All this I was left to worry about until I could get over there, and then they think my concern is very comical…
Anyway, enough complaining. Lord willing, Allison and Angie will be here later, which is a bonus, since I thought I would only see them when I got back! And then tomorrow I leave. I probably won’t get away from work issues entirely, but I plan to rest well… 
