{"id":152,"date":"2012-05-16T21:51:30","date_gmt":"2012-05-16T18:51:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dknolte.com\/?p=152"},"modified":"2012-05-16T22:05:47","modified_gmt":"2012-05-16T19:05:47","slug":"152","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dknolte.com\/?p=152","title":{"rendered":"Terese and I …"},"content":{"rendered":"

T<\/strong>erese and I frequent a restaurant on the 5th<\/sup> floor of a building where we get a lovely view of Addis with its road construction and horde of dangerous taxis, stopping\u00a0 in the street stalling traffic to pickup anyone with a few birr.\u00a0 Pedestrians clog the traffic flow, and venders and beggars annoy those walking by.\u00a0 One of the main roads I drive on is under major construction.\u00a0 The Chinese have come in to widen the street and add overpasses at clogged intersections, and overhead walkways.\u00a0 When they get done, long after we move to our next post, the drive to and from work will be nicer.\u00a0 In the meantime, the drive home which took about 20 minutes now takes 35-40, because of the path I have to take.\u00a0 \u2026 and the pedestrians!\u00a0 If someone could just turn off the spigot.<\/p>\n

(under the category of: we don\u2019t know how lucky we are, babe)<\/p>\n

While driving to and from work, one interesting item I see from time to time, is the lone individual, either heading to work in the morning, or heading home at night carrying a simple tool.\u00a0 Usually, it\u2019s a hammer, shovel or pick.\u00a0 Now think about this a moment.\u00a0 Whereas I have several of those items in storage in Lubbock, or you may have a few in your garage or shed, this object they carry is probably their most valued possession.\u00a0 It is the tool they use for their livelihood.\u00a0 They have a special place for this tool at home and maybe take time to clean it before putting it away.\u00a0 This may have cost them several months pay but it was an investment to help survive life and feed his family.<\/p>\n

@>-}-}–<\/p>\n

Michael, the Gardener, has a fondness for the cat.\u00a0 This animal is not domesticated in Ethiopia.\u00a0 Cats are small scavengers in the city that chase mice and die from an occasional dog bite.\u00a0 To have one roaming freely in the home, that you can pick up and caress, strangle or cuddle, is a most unusual thing.\u00a0 So, Michael was baffled and intrigued at first, but now appreciates the little critter.\u00a0 When Terese goes into work with me, he will let the animal out in the yard with him while he works.\u00a0 Our backyard is a wonderland for her.\u00a0 When we had her in Moscow, she had the feel of grass only briefly.\u00a0 Here in Addis, once Michael had the backyard cat-escape proof, we let her out.\u00a0 Strange as this new experience was for her, the grass was most baffling.\u00a0 Terese picked her up and placed her in the middle of it.\u00a0\u00a0 She froze, trying to stand without using her four feet.\u00a0 Once she finally accepted it, the next step was to get her furry butt used to sitting in it.\u00a0 Took several ups and downs, but she finally mastered it.\u00a0 Now, it is her heaven on earth.<\/p>\n

It will be some time before this site works properly.\u00a0 I’m not a 14 year old middle school kid anymore, so be patient and don’t be surprised to see things change.\u00a0 … or not work at all.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 D.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Terese and I frequent a restaurant on the 5th floor of a building where we get a lovely view of …<\/p>\n

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