I hope you are well.
I first want to tell you that we had the most delicious Thanksgiving dinner ever here. And for anyone who has been to Longido you will appreciate what the flavours meant to us. I have included pictures below of our roasted chicken cooking in the solar oven. Corey bought a plump chicken, just like at home, at Meat King in Arusha. It is a German style deli that carries meats and cheeses that are familiar. I dried out white bread, mixed it with onions, butter, chicken stock, rosemary, sage, pepper and salt. Sounds just like yours, doesn't it? After stuffing the chicken, I had some dressing left over and no foil to wrap it in. I searched the kitchen to see what I might use and came upon an empty cocoa can that I filled after washing it out. Then into the oven the chicken and stuffing went at 10:00 a.m.
The recipe said it needed 4 hours but I decided to leave it as long as I could. I had never cooked meat in this oven before and I was fully expecting I might need to finish cooking the chicken on top the gas stove. At 5:00 p.m. we brought the chicken inside and we were astounded that it was fully cooked and brown. Actually, a little overcooked. But I had lots of juices and made gravey that we used to re-moisten the bird.
We made garlic mashed potatoes and carrots, and I picked up some fresh bananas for dessert. Lots of water and some red and white wine.
We took everything up to Corey's campsite just after 6:00 p.m., in time for the sunset. The setting was idyllic - exactly the setting you would dream of when you think of Africa. We faced Mt. Kilimanjaro and could see it between the clouds. Corey set a nice table outside his tent where the six of us dined like royalty: Katrijn from Belgium, Emily and Phillipa from England, Johonna - Corey's Maasai camp manager, and Corey and I from Canada.
The flavours and sights were everything I could have imagined and even more. It is a thanksgiving I shall long remember.
Corey's campsite is set on the slopes of Mt. Longido. He has built stone foundations for four tents, and added showers, kitchens, and a latrine. The tents are used tents that Tarangire Safari Lodge was replacing. All of them are nicely separated by lots of space to ensure privacy. It is a peaceful place I will enjoy going to in the future for time away.
The TGH continues towards finishing. Things are moving as quickly as possible. Malaria seems to be making its was among the fundis. I am not pushing the contractor any more. The fundis have the materials they need and are doing excellent work. The rooms are nearly finished being painted. Then the "skirting" or baseboards will be added. The metal frames for the solar panels will be delivered tonight so I am hoping the panels will be installed by the weekend. The tower is ready for the raised water tanks and we are contacting the plumber to see when he will come, hopefully by the weekend, too. I anticipate moving into the offices early next week and into a bedroom shortly afterwards, assuming the water tanks have enough water in them.
Nusra is making lists of "the basics" for the kitchen and laundry room, and housekeeping supplies. We are also planning the garden. Another young Longido woman Nusra's age, Helen, who was a year behind Faraja in school, has approached me about taking the same Hotel Management course as Nusra. She seems quite nice and mature. I told her we would not make sponsorship decisions until January and invited her to volunteer to get some experience. She is keen to begin when we give the word.
Tomorrow Nusra and Faraja will begin serious cleaning of all the windows. It will keep them busy for a few days. I told them you would be inspecting them closely when you arrive, Mar.
That is it for today.
