Here’s some good news, for a change : though tensions are still running high in Ouaga, the roads have all been open the last two days and heavily armed soldiers have been less in evidence.
Things are going great at the VAO. The tourists seem to love Papiers stuff and are snapping it up. The project women are working hard to get organized and keep up with the heavy demand.

On the home front: During the hot, humid period of October and November, Mallory got used to the soothing hum of the window air-con in her room at night. When December hit, I wanted to keep it off at night, but she protested so vigorously that I took the path of least resistance, turning it on to “fan”, so she’d have the noise, but not the blasts of cold air. But in this “glacial” month of January, I decided that enough was enough. Electricity here costs the earth and any savings would be much welcomed (Related item: our health insurance premium has just been raised by 27%) So, I told Mal: No more air-con fan. She cried. I held firm. She cried some more. Lots more. JP was all for giving in. He’s such a softy. He cannot bear to see one of his kids in tears. I, on the other hand, have a heart of stone, or at least very sturdy plastic.
I put the girls to bed, Mallory still crying. After about 20 minutes, she quieted down. When I peeked in, there were the twins together in Mallory’s bed. Mallory’s eyes were peacefully closed. Alexa was gently fanning her with a Chinese folding fan, while softly humming, trying to sound as much as possible like and air-con unit. That’s true sisterly love, folks.