Day 23/24/25: Again weekend on Ondombo

Day 23:

Today's Friday was also very unspectacular: in the morning, I went to Okaue again with Sylvia (I think I've been there every day this week so far). The newcomers still didn't have tents or food. So, loaded with a small selection of food: maize flour, oil, sugar, and packet soups, along with the mentioned tents and an axe and file as the primary tools of the colliers, as well as shoes and work overalls, we headed north again. Upon arrival, each worker was provided with a free 8mx8m tent. The food and tools could be purchased on a loan or debt basis. For each worker, a new cash book was created. Sylvia also noted the ID card number of each employee, as every employee is registered and insured. By the way, Jakob continued with the terrain surveying.

Around 12:30, we were back in Ondombo and could take a lunch break. After the break, I only had smaller tasks to do, so I could start the weekend very relaxed. As usual, I went to bed around 9:30 pm.

Day 24:

Today, Saturday started for us like a normal working day. After breakfast, I went back to the construction site at Helmut's house. Although all the skirting boards were installed, they had to be cleaned and freed from excess mortar now that it had dried. Then Bonny showed me how to fill the gaps. In painstaking work, after about 20 minutes, I had to continue in a lying position because my knees couldn't kneel anymore. As soon as I finished, the first gaps were already partially dried, and the cleaning process started again.

As a final step, the upper edge of the skirting boards had to be filled with acrylic against the wall. Jakob, who had finished the surveying in the meantime and joined me and Bonny, squirted the acrylic mass onto the upper edge, and I smoothed the mass with a spatula. At exactly 12:00, the skirting boards were perfectly finished, and we could end the construction work for today. Since today is Saturday, we only worked half a day, and we had the rest of the day off.

Around 2:00 pm, Sylvia, Karsten, and Jens returned from shopping in Otjiwarongo, and the first thing to do was to unload the car. About 20 minutes later, we went on a control drive of the water points in the area. The small-caliber rifle was also brought along - if the opportunity arose, Jakob and I were allowed to shoot guinea fowls for dinner.

For dinner, we had beef steak with fried egg, so we didn't have to starve despite the missed shot.

Day 25:

Since we have Sundays off (exception: guest operations), we could sleep in today. Breakfast was roughly scheduled for 9:00 am, and we didn't have to set an alarm. Unfortunately, my biological clock is already slightly messed up, and I woke up bright and early at 8:20 am in my bed. When Jakob was also awake (around 9:00 am), we got ready and went to the kitchen of the farmhouse. There was already activity going on: Karsten and Sylvia had already started preparing breakfast. Jakob and I joined the preparations, and together we conjured up a real Sunday morning breakfast. Scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, avocado and tomato, hot chocolate, and a huge platter of sausages and cheese. The following morning could just be leisurely wasted away.

In the afternoon, there were two more small tasks. First, we went back to the field: A small camp had to be searched for calves - but the search remained unsuccessful for now. This was mainly because the mothers hide their calves at this time to move to the water point. Even if we were to find one of the newborn calves, it would have to stay in place. The mother wouldn't be able to find it again, and the little one would perish without milk.

Then we went to the duck enclosure. Karsten and Sylvia wanted to sell some of the ducks and wanted to mark them in peace. This way, the interested buyers who were coming during the week could immediately see which ducks were for sale and choose one faster.

As usual, we went on a sundowner this Sunday evening before going to bed after dinner. I went to bed at 10:00 pm. Tomorrow, the alarm clock will ring again...