be very careful what you wish for

for the last two days I have been saying to myself "remember this when it is too hot in the summer"

We are now officially cut off from the rest of the world - flood water has taken out the bridges on either side of the village and no one can get in or out.

Dad and I are in the house (Dad's plane took off 10 minutes ago without him) and Mohamed is trying to get back to us.

Dad and I went off to Taroudant on Monday and had a nice afternoon, visited family and did some shopping and then on the way home we came to a river crossing which had a bit too much river in it. Since a little peugeot 205 managed to get across we thought we would risk it.... but I think I must have taken a different line and the engine got swamped and stopped. Luckily we were not really at any risk of being swept away and there were lots of people around to push us out.. but there was no way the car was going to start again. We got pushed up the hill to a petrol station where the men had a look at it but couldn't really do much. They then took us back to their home (father and son business) where we were given blankets and hot tea and then loads of food.

Mohamed found someone with a pickup who was willing to risk coming out for us so we eventually got back to Ouikirane about midnight. There was no way that we could get Dad back to the hotel that night.

In the morning (Tuesday) Mohamed set off to try and get the car fixed .... and that was the last we have seen of him. Bridges are out all over the place, though he has managed to get back to Agadir. We now have to wait and see how and when he will get back home.... and then think about how we are going to get Dad back home.....

flora

....well you have to take time to smell the flowers.

Down to the river

This is down at the river and looking back up to the house.......
......and here are my intrepid travelling companions:

February showers and flowers

Sorry it has been a while since I last wrote anything. Not much has been happening. Each day things in the house are getting a bit more organised and there is less concrete dust when I sweep.

Mohamed has started his job search. He really wants to become a tourist guide as he really enjoys the face to face talking with people but we keep getting different messages about what sort of qualification he needs... so in the meantime he is going to apply to all the local hotels for work and once in will set about working his way round. He has been brushing up on his german and russian - russian seems to be the big language to have now, so he is going to classes once a week to get up to speed and I have to listen to endless repetitions of "where is the bank" etc in russian. Strangely the only words I can remember are big (balshoi) and small (malinki)- I think.

I keep getting disturbed as Mohamed is outside trying to solve the problem of our increasingly blocked toilet.... but at last he tells me some good news. One of the workers was in the habit of putting his bottle of drink (water I think) in the pipes to keep cool. Mohamed pulled about 3 out before finishing the plumbing off but it seems there was one left which has now jammed at the bend and is the cause of the blockage. Oh thank goodness for that.

We had lots and lots of rain this last week and thunder and lightning. The thunder claps really make a huge noise echoing off the mountains around us. But everything is beautifully green now. I am going to add photos to this blog but my connection is really slow so maybe not tonight.

On Tuesday morning I could hear water in the river so I decided to take a walk down to have a look. Of course I didn't get to go on my own - Honey and Martha came down with me. Honey really enjoyed it but Martha just wanted me to get back home! When I got down there was not much of roaring river just a very red stream trickling along - but it is wonderful to see it with water flowing ... and as I keep saying everything so lovely and green. We also saw signs of where something had been digging in the ground - the wild pigs I think. Honey certainly had a good long sniff around there.

We now have a carpet of white crocus (well I think they are crocus) by the house. They are quite large flowers but very low to ground - I will take a photo tomorrow.

What other news. Well we have almost bought another bit of land round the house - just to give us garden on all 3 sides. I say almost - we have agreed a price with the neighbour but he needs first of all to get the land divied up between him and his brothers and sisters. I think that happens this weekend and then we will be able to get on with the paperwork.

And the other news is that Dad is coming out next week for a short visit. He is not going to stay with us because of his ankle, hip, back but will be staying in the Atlas Kasbah along the road. Really looking forward to seeing him... but also looking forward to getting a look inside the Hotel. I think we will also use the opportunity to see if the hotel owners will join our "petition" to get Maroc Telecom to put landlines in along the valley. I think they have to consider if more than 4 people ask.... but who knows.

OK thats all the news. I will try and post photos this week