Tchad Technology: Goat Dishwasher, Organic Trashcan, and Chicken Guard

Date: 8-29-07

So there I sat. Another amazing meal of spit sauce. You would think that there might be a large amount of clean up work to do after preparing a meal like that but you're defiantly wrong. Just set the pot on the ground and let the goat loose. As I sat there with my finger's covered in millet and okra I tried to decide whether to swallow or not. Good ole' momma goat was licking out that pot as fast as she could go. The family didn't appear to concerned; obviously it was just a part of Tchadian technology that I would have to adjust to. Or else take over washing dishes in the morning (which I have successfully accomplished).

Don't let yourself get to caught up in the goat dishwasher though - you haven't even heard about the organic trashcan. So there I sat. Two corn cobs downed and a pleasantly filled stomach. I sat holding the cobs in my hand and that's when my Mere' (the mother in my family) demonstrated the disposal of any and all trash items at their house for me. She finished the last kernel on the cob and lobbed it over her head in the direction of the banana tree. She motioned for me to do the same. O.k. here it goes I thought...so I tossed my trash into the tree. I felt like looking around to see if I was going to get a ticket for littering. Nope. The cob just joined all the other trash that has accumulated at the side of the courtyard. Yesterday I finished cleaning a wound of one of the girls and she motioned for me to throw the bandage under the tree too. Hmmm...not quite there yet. I promise to continue to stick all paper objects in my trusty Wal-mart bag hanging on my wall.

Last but not least is the ever trusty chicken guard. Forget owning a bull-dog. This momma hen has got an attitude. You see there are these 5 ragamuffin, up-to-no-good piglets that regularly find there way through the opening in the brick wall. They enter our courtyard and wreak havoc. That's when momma hen kicks in. She's had enough of their attitude and just knows that one of them is going to eat one of her babies. Head lowered and wings back she goes running full force at the little black and white piglet. When in close proximity she opens her wings, screams a cluck, and jumps onto the piglet beating him with her wings. Squeals could be heard for miles. They run squealing and clucking through the corn and okra until the little piglet finds that precious outlet. Now that's a "watch-chicken" for ya!