I wrote those lines more than seven weeks ago and had actually spent a couple of hours writing and was close to hitting the post button. I am starting to believe there is a direct link to my trying to blog and loss of an internet connection. In addition to the normal power outages and non-functioning towers, we learned our computer has both software and hardware issues and are awaiting a go-ahead from Dell to get it repaired under warranty. And in case all that was not enough, the article below illustrates another ongoing obstacle:
Mozambique: Six Months to Repair Sub-Station
13 March 2012Maputo — It will take up to six months to rebuild the electricity sub-station that was destroyed by fire in Maputo on Sunday, according to the spokesperson for the electricity company (EDM), Celestino Sitoe, cited in Tuesday's issue of the independent newsheet "Mediafax".
The fire left very little of the Maputo City number five substation intact. Sitoe said that replacements for almost all the components will have to be imported.
While the equipment is imported and assembled, the nine neighbourhoods that depended on this sub-station will be supplied for other sub-stations. This puts the city's power system under greater than normal stress, which means that repeated power cuts are likely over the next few months.
EDM claimed that by Sunday night it had rigged up alternative connections for all the areas that usually depend on sub-station five. "Mediafax" reports that this was not strictly true: the Eduardo Mondlane University, for instance (which is where the sub-station is located) suffered prolonged power cuts throughout Monday.
EDM does not yet know what caused the fire. An EDM team is still working at the ruins of the sub-station to ascertain the causes and calculate the losses.
We live across from the Mondlane University sub-station and did not actually get power restored for three days. Since then, we have lost power at least once each day and my guess is this will continue until long after we leave. Sometimes I think this country has the equivalent of the Munchausen Syndrome.
In any case, I am going ahead and sending what I had written early (that was not lost) while I have the capability. Will also start a new blog with more recent news and hope that it does not take two months to complete!
The fire left very little of the Maputo City number five substation intact. Sitoe said that replacements for almost all the components will have to be imported.
While the equipment is imported and assembled, the nine neighbourhoods that depended on this sub-station will be supplied for other sub-stations. This puts the city's power system under greater than normal stress, which means that repeated power cuts are likely over the next few months.
EDM claimed that by Sunday night it had rigged up alternative connections for all the areas that usually depend on sub-station five. "Mediafax" reports that this was not strictly true: the Eduardo Mondlane University, for instance (which is where the sub-station is located) suffered prolonged power cuts throughout Monday.
EDM does not yet know what caused the fire. An EDM team is still working at the ruins of the sub-station to ascertain the causes and calculate the losses.
We live across from the Mondlane University sub-station and did not actually get power restored for three days. Since then, we have lost power at least once each day and my guess is this will continue until long after we leave. Sometimes I think this country has the equivalent of the Munchausen Syndrome.
In any case, I am going ahead and sending what I had written early (that was not lost) while I have the capability. Will also start a new blog with more recent news and hope that it does not take two months to complete!
It feels like a lot has happened in those four months. First major event was finally receiving all the furniture we ordered so we no longer had to sit on lawn chairs in the living room. The second major event, less than two weeks after receiving said furniture, was I left for the states. Started in Atlanta, went back for Christmas in Atlanta, and had one final night and hug with my grandson before heading back to Maputo.
My sons, Kevin and Brian, drove down from Virginia with my mother for Thanksgiving in Atlanta. Our first four generation picutre.
We had a nice time fighting over who got to hold Ben, enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner prepared by Eric and Meredith, and even managed a little sightseeing. See how well you know Atlanta by guessing the location of the sights below:
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I drove back to Virginia with my sons and Mom, a drive that is too short for two days and too long for one day. I had a delightful two plus weeks catching up with friends, doing aerobic classes, going back to book group, and enjoying all the accroutements of western civilization. Even the visits to the dentist and the doctor seemed fun. Bunked at the Doris Doran hostel in the Goodwin House Retirement Center, sleeping on the sofa. It is a little unnerving, but I actually liked it. Great fitness room and pool, good food, free wine, walking distance to the stores...not a bad life. Plus, everyone thought I was in really good shape because I could swim a lap without stopping and stay upright on the elliptical.
Then, back in the car with Kevin and Brian for Christmas in Atlanta. Carl had arrived in Atlanta a few days earlier AND his father made a stateside trip from Hawaii for the Four Generation of Y Chromosome Swartz's.
Yes, those are knickers. Believe there is some royal blood in the family tree.
Although it was wonderful to have everyone together our holiday was deeply affected by the tragic deaths of two Peace Corps Volunteers in a traffic accident just before Christmas. This totally consumed Carl's time, including a trip to accompany one of the bodies on Christmas Day, tempered the holiday spirit, and disrupted all our plans. All paled compared to what the ordeal of the volunteers' families. It made having our family together seem all the more important. On a happier note, here is an overview of how we spent our holiday. If you need or want to make it more interesting, count Ben's outfits. The rest of us seem to have a penchant for gray.
So, off this goes while I can! Stay tuned for more exciting adventures!
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| Hi Grandma! I am skyping (sorry, couldn't resist one more picture) |
