Update

I realize I haven't shared with this audience an important piece of news I recently shared with the growing audience of my monthly e-mail newsletter: I've opted to extend my time in Mthatha beyond the expiry of the initial commitment in August. After a break in August and September, I'll be back here and back to work in Itipini. I'll have more to say about this decision once I sort out my computer situation and can compose posts off-line.

Speaking of that situation, life has been different these last two weeks without my laptop around but it seems like I've been so busy at times I've barely noticed its absence, except when I want to sit down in the evening to compose long e-mail replies to all those wonderful e-mails people send me. For now, that will have to wait.

Thanks to the generosity of a number of people scattered all over, I've ordered a new laptop. God willing, it will be here within a week or two and I'll be back in the saddle again, blogging wise.

In the meantime, you'll just have to imagine what I've been up to as the weather turns wintry here, food (and gas) prices continue to rise dramatically, and I imagine what I can do here now that my departure date has been pushed back.