Thatching Update

Well, we just might be in the homestretch now with the roof of the base camp pavilion. The bad news is that even after gathering 5,500 bundles of grass we still ran out before the job was finished. We didn't realize that our bundles from Kazangula are much fuller and "leafier" compared to the bundles we first gathered near our home site. So that means that all of these newer bundles had to be cleaned and combed and cut even more to match the old original bundles. And that means we lost a lot of grass in the process. Our thatcher, Jackson, has gone back up north to his family at Maziba Bay. He says we need five lines to finish the roof over our kitchen/dining room (Shannon and Steph) and six lines to finish over our bathroom (Shannon and Steph). That translates to about 1,100 bundles of grass (to the best of our estimating ability). The good news is that this year's grass is tall and ready to be harvested. People in the villages nearby have already started gathering for us and one man says he can have 2,000 bundles ready by next week. Jackson has promised to finish the job. Of course he will be paid the remainder of his fee when the job is done. So maybe there really is an end to all this thatching! Haiba Mulena a lata (if the Lord wishes).