05 September 2009 – Saturday

This was kind of an extra P-day for us that the Barts. We had our usual morning except the Rawlings had to leave to go to see a track meet that was about 2 hours away. Grace left a nice breakfast for us and we ate early before the Bs were ready. After breakfast we finished packing and then loaded the car – and we really did load it – so we could leave to meet the Sessions at the Essenwood Saturday Market.

When we arrived it reminded me of any of the many craft markets we have seen around. The one it reminded me most of was the Berkley market. I would bet that some of the same African masks are sold there as we saw spread out in this park.

There was not much we really felt a need to buy but we did end up with some things we liked. Some we will keep at home and some we will give to family and friends. I guess all told we managed to burn through $100 US by the time we were done.

The one funny part of the experience happened when I was bargaining with a young vendor over a shadowbox that had carvings of the Big Five. He started at R220 but quickly went down to R200. About that time Elder B walked up and asked me what I was doing and I said that I was trying to decide if I wanted to pay the R175 that the salesman had offered to sell it to me for. The look on the young man’s face was one of shock – of course he had not offered that price at all but he did not want to lose the sale. So he offered it for R190 and I said OK and paid him the R200 he had offered earlier. He was very surprised and thanked me. I told him it was too bad that he did not take the R175 price because if he had I would have given him the original R220 asking price.

After everyone had had their fill of shopping we went looking for a place to eat. The Mexican restaurant we wanted to go to had failed and was being re-modeled. The steak house we next chose did not open until 6 on Saturdays for dinner. We ended up across the street at a place that had lots of customers. The food was pretty good – nothing special but at it was filling and the company was great.

Once lunch and the visiting was finished we said goodbye once more – the Bs and the Sessions have become very good friends – before getting into our cars and heading home. I managed to doze through much of the trip home – I am glad that Elder B prefers to drive. There was more talk about the branches, what we might do if no couples come to take the Bs place, etc.

There has been no indication that any couples are coming to Durban and of course the first one will become the mission office couple. President Mann just could not function without one. Hopefully there will be two by the end of October and one couple will come here to Richards Bay. If not we will just have to do our best and seek a lot of help from the Lord.

When we got home, unloaded everything, and said goodbye to the Bs we realized that there were a few things we really needed from the store so I almost immediately hopped in the car and headed out. One important thing was air freshener – luckily the dead mouse smell had pretty much disappeared from the bed room but we wanted something to take out the last of the lingering smells. We have no idea where the mouse actually died but some day in a drawer or under something the dried remains will show up. Mary is far from thrilled with that idea.