Mon. to Sat. Feb. 16-21

This week has been short on blog material and now on Sat. I can’t remember what I did on Monday, and I am not sure what I did this morning!  I know I have been running because I keep a log of my mileage and heart rate.  I also know I got a blister on my toe on Wed. in the same place I got one in Accra, and still have no idea why when I jog the same route about the same pace etc.  Anyway I put a band-aid on for Thursday and I went early to Obuasi on Friday so I gave it a rest.

            The fast Internet café is still slow, slow.  At first Ghana Telecom said it was a server problem and then it was the physical line at fault.  It seems they are reticent, reluctant and unable to fix the problem.  Their billing department has no such problem and the bill for fast service will come through as usual.

            It’s the same with our water here.  I was out building some steps up to the front entry of the house when the Water Guy came by with the bill for this residence.  He assumed that the white man working on his own steps must be the owner.  I told him no different.  He showed me on the bill the current charge and the 6 months overdue.  I told him we had no water, and he asked if I was sure so I took him up to the spigot and turned it on with no outflow.  Then I took him around the side and demonstrated how we pumped water from the well into a garbage can to be carried inside.  Because this house is above the 1.25 inch MAINLINE that runs in front of our walkway he said there was not enough pressure to feed the house, and we should have been getting water once a week!!  I told him no service—no cedis!  He said he would adjust the billing.  We will see.

            We went to visit the airport and there was a 50 pesewa parking charge so we didn’t stay.  The security person said that he had never seen a single engine plane at the airport, ever.  My friend Rolf told me that as soon as Ghanaians get a few dollars ahead, most of them want to show their new status by a fancy BMW or Mercedes car.  He may be right because it seems that none of them buy Cessnas!  I show my status by buying an ice-cream bar at Opoku Trading for 1.5 GHC.

            Today when I started my run I met a keep fit club who invited me to join them, so I did.   Their pace was a bit slower and when I caught up to the pack they were walking, so I jogged past but kept them in my rear view mirror so when they turned up a side street I turned around and went back and passed the pack again.  After about 3 times like this they cut loose their young stars who emerged from the pack and passed me taking the lead.  I just kept my usual plodding and followed them until they slowed to a walk and were once again passed. 

            Next time one of the leaders broke from the pack and just went with me and we chatted about eternal security until we came to the steep hill that runs right by my house.  He said they usually sprint up this hill and so it took quite a bit out of me to leave him behind.  Out in front again, I turned and went to the back to encourage the stragglers and again faced sprinting up our hill, which I did a bit faster this time, in order to show off.  That pushed my heart rate up to 105% of maximum for my age.  I had to break off from the group in order to jog a bit slower and recuperate.  I caught them again and followed them to the school where they start and finish, and they invited me in for breakfast, but I turned them down, as I hadn’t finished my hour workout.  I bet I’m going to feel it tomorrow and I’m glad it is a rest day.