Yep, rainy season is here and it certainly makes for cooler weather!

The other day, I measured the midday temperature as 26 degrees C, which is very pleasant, believe me. Of course there are several downsides to the change in weather, namely:

• the humidity is higher (up to 90% sometimes)
• There are more mosquitoes about (as they breed in standing water)
• Our street ends up looking like this:

(that’s our wall on the left!)

The main difficulty in such a situation is not to splash anyone else, as they - understandibly - get quite irate! This is, however, sometimes tricky to avoid when (a) there’s water everywhere, (b) your 4×4 weighs a couple of tonnes and (c) the person is standing right next to said puddle!

Other news…

• As I write this, Rob is down with his third (or is it 4th?) bout of malaria since coming here, there’s a power cut and a storm brewing outside! Otherwise, we’re just fine! Amazingly, the school’s wireless internet is working - hence this post!
• Rob has been taking his IGCSE Dutch exam (just for fun!) The school allowed him to enter this and so he’s sitting in a room surrounded by his own students for the exams!
• Ruth has joined jewelry making club after school and Micah now does ball games.
• Mads stopped doing Karate (because it hurt!) and has come back to Samba Band (yeah!)
• Micah is now learning the recorder with Lois and can place G, A and B already!
• This birdie returned to peck at our window this week (or one like it!):

It’s a yellow-fronted canary (though I’m sure you didn’t need telling that, Steve P!)

• Lots of illness about - Lois had to get a supply teacher in today as most of her assistants are ill (as are several of the kids).
• Rob’s looking into an MPhil or MA in ethnomusicology - to research traditional music in worship. Watch this space.
• Rob has a conference in Lome, Togo, next week.
• Next workshop for Rob is from 30th May in Togo.

Finally, I love this view of Cotonou, taken from the top of the new Maersk building and looking down towards the Etoile Rouge roundabout:

(click to enlarge).

It’s almost pitch black in here now (at 11:00am!!) and the wind is making all the doors slam! Better post this fast before the lightening comes! Thanks for reading!