Skip to main content

Geckos and books

The sky grew threatening dark as I sat in the library of the Baptist mission compound this afternoon, but the heavens didn't open until after supper -- right when our supper guests might have been considering leaving. It poured and poured at two different intervals in the evening but now all is calm again except for the crickets chirping loudly outside the window.

Speaking of wildlife, I saw some magnificently coloured lizards at the resthouse in Douala and was today mildly surprised to find a very large gecko hanging out in the bathroom of the guest apartment another lady and I were outfitting for a soon-to-be-arriving family. He scampered away as soon as he saw us, but I was surprised at his size. Geckos in Myanmar were never more than 2 or 3 inches long, tail included. This little guy was over half a foot.

What was I doing in the library all afternoon, you may be wondering? No, not reading away my adjustment period in Cameroon -- I was cataloguing books for the library! Oh, what bliss! To sit at a computer and do data entry for books! Elsie had to send Jenny (one of "my kids") to drag me away shortly before supper. I look forward to returning to it tomorrow.

No, seriously, I don't wish to lead you to believe that data entry is the only job I enjoy, but after feeling very much like a little puppy or a shadow or a burdonsome child, following everyone around, it was nice to get to work on a task I could do competently and to know that I was actually doing work which would be of use to someone and free up some time for them to do other tasks, and which they are probably only too happy not to have to do.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I'm very impressed at your explanation for being such a geek. Data entry....you must have been jumping for joy, dear!
(Glad you could help someone out,though.)

Popular posts from this blog

Our pensions for ICE? Stop it now!

A campaign from LeadNow with a few spicy sentences from me. The CPP is funded by the wages of 22 million people across the country, LeadNow says, and the Investment Board has a responsibility to ensure those savings are not used in ways people fundamentally reject. Dear Mr. John Graham, CEO of CPPIB, and CPPIB board members, I am writing as a contributor to the Canada Pension Plan—one of millions of people whose wages fund this plan and whose future depends on it. This is our CPP, and it must answer to us. I am horrified that CPP investments include companies linked to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In effect, the people who pay into CPP are having their own money used to help fund Trump-era immigration enforcement and the harms associated with it. Canadians are appalled by the actions of ICE. What a betrayal you would use our own money to fund these bullies violating human rights.  CPP is not abstract capital—it is our deferred wages. Contributors should not ...

Biking in 2025

According to Strava, I did 587 bike rides covering 3,807.3 km in 2025. Additionally, I did 81 walks covering 238.2 km in 2025. For comparison, in 2024, I did 643 bike rides covering 3,824.7 km and 75 walks covering 260.4 km. Neither of these were “normal” years for me as I spent 3 months in Europe both times.  2024 includes a few days of tourist traipsing around Istanbul and a 30 km walk from Amsterdam to Utrecht in solidarity with the people of Gaza. In 2025, I did an epic 70+ kms of biking around North Holland, but otherwise went absolutely nowhere many days, living at a retreat centre where my work was just steps away from my sleeping quarters. By contrast, in 2023, it was 761 bike rides covering 4247.4 km.

June 12

It's the Friesens' appointment with US immigration regarding Joshua's citizenship today. Please pray that everything will go smoothly, all the proper permissions will be granted, and that all of the following paperwork will fly through their respective channels so they can have this settled already.