Glad you're back, dear Ali. I've missed you. I've always felt a weird fascination with dengue, (weird, I know) and was so sad when I heard you had it. Glad you're feeling better. Thanks for the reminders of the things we love about the developing world. I needed that today. Also, my chickens are thriving, and many people are enjoying the beautiful eggs (we call them "forenge eggs" because they're so much bigger than "habesha eggs) that they produce. We still look at the book frequently--most recently we looked up the topic of cannibalization, since our adorable little creatures were getting significantly less adorable as a result of their trying to eat each other. So, the baby moved to the guardhouse, and the bigger ones are happily wandering around the yard and laying eggs in their little coop. All is well in Sophie's world. Although I have to confess that I'm pretty stinkin' excited to spend the next few weeks in the developed world. Africa can wear a girl out after awhile! Bless you, my friend Sophie