This is a long one!

Remember a while back, I (Lorenda) told you that our lives were getting pretty routine? Well, the last few days certainly have not been.
Last week I went to Gulu to help do a facelift at the guesthouse there. This week I will again be assisting in that process at one of the guesthouses here in Kampala. The difference is…when I joined the team last week, the fabric had been chosen, the curtains were already made and I just helped with the “finishing touches” (like hanging rods and curtains). This time I was to be part of the process of selecting the fabrics and tomorrow I will watch as the women sew the curtains.
For most women, shopping is a favourite pastime- I am not one of those women. For many of my friends and family, sewing is a much loved hobby and picking out the fabric is part of the fun- not for me! And for some of my friends decorating is an exciting adventure as they choose colours to match and accent each other. Get real! I have enough trouble dressing myself in the morning- I have no idea what goes together!
With all of the above in mind, I will tell you that my friend Judy and I went fabric shopping on Friday and again today. I really cannot describe to you the area of the city (Kiyembe) where we went to shop for this fabric. It is walking distance from Watoto Central, but you go through this little pathway and you come out on a different planet. There are hundreds of fabric stores (each is a tiny little room) that are jam-packed with every imaginable pattern, colour and texture of fabric. Some of them are literally (and I do mean literally) so full of fabric that there is only room for one person- either the customer or the shop keeper, both can’t be inside at once! I have been here for three months now and I have been to Uganda twice before- yet I can’t say I have experienced anything quite like that before!
Friday was a day of “scoping things out”. I thought today we were going to purchase the fabric and get to work on creating these curtains. Remember at the top, I told you nothing was so routine!
First I need to introduce you to Judy. She is a tiny little thing that exercises regularly and will be running a half marathon next month (not her first). She weighs about the same as one of my legs and is full of energy. Everything she does, she does with all her might and she always has at least ten projects going at once.
We started out the morning organizing a budget to request the needed funds for our large fabric purchase. While we waited, we had a few things to do here and there in the building. We stopped in at the Living Hope center a couple of times to talk about some projects and to measure for the tables that will go into the new coffee shop. Next thing I know we are headed to Buloba farm (where Watoto’s chicken operation will be within the next few months) so that Judy could help pick out paint colours to be used there (this "side trip" was certainly not part of the plan for the day). A few times she asked for my input (did I mention I can barely dress myself) and then she made decisions and we headed back to Kampala. When we got back (around 1:30, I think) our money was ready so back to Kiyembe we went, bought our 46 metres of fabric (too heavy to carry so a car came and got it). Then we went to another fabric store to order 38 shower curtains and started the trek back to central. We stopped along the street to buy some mangoes (because the 29 from Thursday aren’t quite enough!) and arrived back at Central to tell everyone about all that we had accomplished.
When I reread the above, it doesn’t sound like our day was that crazy, but trust me it was. Keeping up with Judy is like storm chasing- she is a little whirlwind! I wish I could also describe Kiyembe better, but it really defies explanation. Mike was there buying electrical supplies when they were here- ask him about it! His facial expressions and hand motions will help a little for you to understand.
Tomorrow is curtain making day- stay tuned for the details! I know there will be a story to tell!