This Morning

When I woke up at 5 o'clock this morning the rain was ending. I could hear it pattering lightly on our metal roof and dripping from the trees. A couple of roosters were tuning up and a bush baby shrieked. Day and night colliding.

After a short debate with myself, which I won, I climbed out from under the mosquito net to face the day. Our polished cement floor made it easy for me to creep around quietly and not waken Jeff.

We live in two rooms. 12' by 15' and 10' by 12'.
Somewhat surprisingly, we like it. Living small and simple has a certain appeal. The main room is a living space and kitchen combo. We have a couch, two end-tables, a coffee table and three chairs. The kitchen area has a fridge, microwave, toaster oven, 2-burner gas cook-top, sink and 8 cupboards. Three up, five down. We have converted the small kitchen table into our mini home-office. What more can we need? We have a fondness for peace and our little apartment is a haven.

I could see the muddy footprints of the guard dogs on the porch as I unlocked the grill that covers our door at night. Evidence that they had been on duty with the night watchman. Three big dogs that you wouldn't want to meet if you weren't supposed to be on the property but who love us all dearly and enjoy nothing more than having their ears and tummies rubbed.

The sun rises at 6:30 and was well on its way to heating up the day when I walked down to the office at 8:00. The bush babies and dogs had gone to bed and the sounds of the day drifted on the breeze. Someone was chopping wood, trucks were rumbling by and the voices of people rang out cheerfully. As I sat at my desk, I was struck by the beauty around me.

This is what I see from my desk at the office out the front door and side window.