Africa: Day 17 & 18

Please excuse grammar, spelling, etc.

Day 17

I got to sleep in. Ive been sharing a room with Liv for the last couple of nights. She sleeps longer than Laurel. I'm not sure what time she woke up, I didn't bother to check the time.  We were not headed anywhere today. When I woke up the kids were sitting nicely on the couch. Livia and Liam were watching Cars 2 on grandpas iPad. Laurel was watching The Incredibles on her parents iPad. I made some Ovaltine for them. Yum.

I organized my suitcase a little. Then went back to the living room. Livia started watching The Jungle Book. I sat with her, but soon fell asleep.

After my nap, I had bread with pb and jam. Then watched The Jungle Book in my room.

Later in the afternoon my uncle George, his wife Mabel, and the kids stopped by for a visit. On the tv was FIFA football.  A game from the 2009 under 17 championships (I believe).  Then beach football, which I have never heard of. Russia beat Brazil. 

My cousin Precious prayed for me.

After they left, the kids were playing outside. Good old fashioned skip rope. The adults even joined in. It was fun.

The sun had faded and the mosquitoes were starting to come out. That was our cue to head inside.

My dad walked us to the seamstress' house. It was only 6:30, but we needed a flashlight. We passed by my uncle Kofi's and he joined us the rest of the way. We found out Deborah's food stand had been robbed tonight. Such a shame.

We told the seamstress what we wanted and left the material with her. We headed back home. My uncle Kofi walked us much of the way home. 

Day 18

I depart tonight. This trip has gone by so fast. Just like summer. I can't believe its August 26.

Livia is excited to have her own room. She says she is going to rearrange it. There is only a bed and chair. Not much to rearrange.

My uncle George picked up the Kenny's, they are headed to Accra. They are meeting another seamstress to make a couple items.

I'm sitting outside one last time. It is sunny with a bit of cloud.

I had a little nap after lunch.  The Kenny's are back. 
...
Hugs and kisses.  'I miss you', says Laurel. It is 3:30 and I am headed to Accra with my uncle George and dad.

I will pass by gutters full of garbage, chickens, goats, and cows for the last time. 
...
We arrived at the airport at 4:30. The line for check-in was already at the back of the airport. Delta check-in is from 4:30-8:10. An hour and a half later I am finally checked in. Near the end of the line I watched as airport staff went through baggage. I prayed my bag would not opened. They had no disregard for people's possessions. My bag was only swiped with a small cloth like material, then the lady scanned the piece of cloth. My clothing is ok, she said. One of the workers read my luggage tag, 'you will not look good in my clothes'. He said to me, 'you don't think I will look good in your clothes'.  I replied, 'not unless you like skirts and dresses'. This provided some comic relief while waiting in that dreadful line. 

We are now headed for something to eat. I have to be back at the airport by 8:30. That is when the gate closes for passengers on this flight, destination New York.

Supper was at a restaurant near the house in East Legon. My last meal in Ghana was jollof and chicken fingers (real chicken). This was washed down by some good ol' Fanta. We sat outside on the patio. They were playing the Manchester United vs Chelsea game on a projector outside. 0-0 when we left. We dropped my dad off at the mall (across a busy street - it would have taken too long to drop him off at the doors). 
...
The line at immigration and security was much less hectic then downstairs. Once through, I made my way to gate 4. Another line had formed. Airport staff checked our passport one more time. Then our carry-on luggage was checked and we were searched. I now wait in a sectioned off area. The game is on. It's still 0-0.

Game over. It's a draw.
...
I had to use the 'toilets' as they are labeled. It was 9 and boarding was to begin at 9:15. I hate airplane bathrooms, so I decided to leave the gated area.  When I returned I had to go through security again. The lady remembered me, so she didn't do as thorough a job as the first time.

Shortly after this boarding began. We walked down a flight of stairs to a bus, took a 60 sec ride to the plane and waited. We could see up into the plane and first class passengers were already on. What was the holdup? We waited for a few minutes, then a stampede up the stairs.

I'm at a window seat at the back of the plane. I told the gal beside me I like her dress. It was made by her friend.

There is a girl a couple seats ahead who looks like Philomina (from the back). She opened her month. A heavy southern American accent. 
...
The plane shut down before we left the 'gate'.  I heard the pilot say something about paying the bills, but it was so quite I don't know if he was talking to the co-pilot. Not the most comforting feeling right before you are about to take off. 

The  flight was relatively uneventful after this. I woke up once. Had a hard time falling asleep, but that's it. There were two babies on board. One I didn't hear a peep out of. The other, well you know. 
...
August 27. At JFK, through customs. Bus ride to my terminal. And Starbucks (thanks to one of my track kidlets).

I was trying to download a Q podcast, it started playing and I quickly stopped it. The man beside me asked if I like Jian. Yes.  He said he was interviewed by Jian. He described the studio. I didn't get a chance to ask his name (or what he does). He is sitting in first class, they just got called up.

The girl on the other side of me is from Regina. She was just in Cali. I told her I liked her shoes (Converse). She told me she got them in Cali. I told her we have them in Canada as well. Then she asked where I'm from.  SK. Then she said she is from Regina. The first person I have 'met' where their final destination is Canada. 
...
I slept most of the way MSP. I don't recall anything interesting on the flight. Must have gone off without a hitch.

At the MSP airport I tried to catch up on email, but the wifi was spotty. I listened to a podcast and waited around. While at the gate I ran into a fellow Saskatonian (sp?) . She and a friend were just on their way home from a little vacation.

I often scan the airport looking for familiar faces, but never do I actually see someone I know. 
...
On the flight to Saskatoon, I sat beside a young fellow. He offered my peanut m&m's. So good. It was harder to sleep on this flight. Hopefully I will sleep well tonight.

After a quick customs check I was on my way. My mom picked me up and we headed home. 
...
I'm a little stuffed up. I started sneezing yesterday morning. No one else in the house was sick. I also found a strange bite on my arm. I only got bitten a few times while in Ghana and they were all around my ankle. Hopefully nothing to worry about. 
...
So ends this journey. Thank you for reading along with me. In retrospect I should have waited to post, until I confirmed all names, facts, etc.  I'll likely go back and rewrite (make corrections, edits, add maps, etc).