New Years Day

adventuring

New Year's Eve was kind of a bummer. After an emotionally exhausting weekend, I was looking forward to the evening prayer time with games and snacks to follow. But, by the time I got home from the OR, washed the hospital off and made dinner, prayer time was almost over and I was exhausted. Also, Luke was feeling anti-social. So, instead of having some fun, l collapsed into bed. Which, on the bright side, gave me some energy for a little New Year's Day adventure.

There isn't a whole lot to do for adventuring around here, but we had planned a fossil hunting trip a few weeks ago with our friend J, the school teacher and a few kids. It turned out to be an interesting little field trip.

Setting out across the rocky landscape

interesting rock designs

a local shepherd boy and his cattle

some of the fossils...t top left is a fossilized vertebra, top right is a spiral seashell, and bottom left is a clam. Guess there once was  an ocean to go along with all the sand!

On our walk back we stopped by the local "butcher shop." Today was market day, so it was a pretty busy place as animals were slaughtered for market.

posing

being carried to the slaughter

up close and personal

photo op

not sure about this

bucket full of goat heads (not sure what they do to them...eat them?)

I got an impromptu "name that internal organ" Hausa lesson

On the walk home we walked through an area with rocks arranged to mark what we found out were gravesites

This was the only grave with a grave marker

As you can see...it was a pretty interesting 3 hour adventure all within a 20 minute walk of our compound. :)