Mary, Mary quite contrary. How does you garden grow? With silver bells and cockle shells and Pretty maids all in a row.

We made a small garden outside the front of our house this morning. Julian carted the topsoil from the hospital site and we edged it with white conch shells. We then seeded Hollyhock, Echinacea, Aster, Beans, Peas, Tomatoes, Purple sprouting, Tomatoes, Spinach and Lettuce. Now lets hope they grow. Its very dry here and I’ll have to water twice a day until April when the rain return. We all helped but I got a little possessive about my planting, wanted the seeds to go as far as possible….

It was lovely to do something as a family. We have seen a lot of each other in the past week but not done much together. I suppose it will all settle into routine after some time.

The hospital build, or clearing the site, got well underway this week. Julian had 5 men clearing all the undergrowth and some of the smaller trees. He also managed to find much wildlife in the shape of lizards, hermit crabs and cockroaches, teaming the ground like a Indiana Jones film, and even a couple of snakes and a scorpion. The kids have all enjoyed seeing his finds some closer than other. Becca was very proud when holding the garter snake until a local made a gesture suggesting one bite would kill. In voodoo all snakes have a bad reputation.

On Monday we celebrated Julian’s 40th birthday. He was very pleased with the dust proof, and water proof, camera the girls gave him. He is planning to take regular photos of the construction to map the progress. Thanks also to all the donations to our charity giving page. It is much appreciated and mean a great deal to the hospital build.

Our house is becoming very familiar to us and quite comfortable. We have little wildlife inside besides many mosquitos, who is particularly partial to Rebecca and I, and some very persistent ants who find their way through plastic bags and not airtight containers. All food stuff is at risk but they do have a sweet tooth. We managed to get rid of a few unwanted guests in the first couple of days. The mouse, 2 lizards and a few cockroaches found a sticky end. The roaches still persist but mainly out of site.We have now also found space for our family photos. It was a good move this morning a both Becca and I felt a little homesick. Nothing here is bad or very difficult just not very familiar yet.

I was given a job by Justin, the guy in Scotland, this week. He wants to know what medicines we have available in the current hospital. I have seen the storeroom before and had an idea of what I might find. The reality, however, was worse than expected. There is quite a lot of medicines available to the hospital, most in date. The real issue is that no one puts anything away once finished and as everything else pt. the room is very dusty. The result being a countertop and a few cupboards littered with pill strips, empty boxes and even loose pills which must have fallen out. I have started to tidy up a little as I was counting anyway but still have a long way to go. I’m not even sure If I’m meant to, if anyone would mind. Ill have to ask next week when I go to continue. A few more shelves would help a lot.

Our new house help came to cook on Thursday. She cooked rice and beans, beef sauce, banana chips and coleslaw. It was yummy and we look forward to more of her cooking next week. The idea is for her to clean our little house on Mondays and cook Haitian on Thursday. My lack of Creole is making it a little difficult to communicate but between Julian and some duel speakers on site I manage so far. I’m actually quite good a wordless communication I have decided. I do hope to learn a little creole and Julian’s schoolboy French is making it easier for him.

That’s all for now folks! Take care and look after each other.

Julian and Marie xxx