Age Old Question

Today started out so great. I woke up to a huge rainstorm which meant that I got to lay in bed and read until noon. No one from my family ventured out of the main house to start collecting water until 10am so I really didn't feel guilty. Plus it was so cool and dreary that when I went inside the house at 12 everyone was half asleep in front of the TV. This general malaise meant we ate lunch at 4pm. I even attempted the latest puzzle that my mo sent over to Senegal.

My entire Senegalese family loves puzzles and Ahmed is really into the Disney movies right now so my mom sent him a holographic Finding Nemo puzzle. This would be a completely age appropriate gift for a 4 year old if she had read the box correctly, which stated there are 500, not 50 pieces in the puzzle. Oh well. Ahmed spotted it in my room and has been obsessed with it ever since. I thought there was no greater opportunity than a gloomy day to work on a giant puzzle, this was only after putting myself in a salty snack coma (another plus of my mom's latest shipment) which reduced any pain I could feel from working on a giant puzzle with small Senegalese children. Kotou and Khady, the little girls currently living with us, joined in as well. I had them sort out all of the outside frame pieces and then had them sort the remaining million and a half pieces by color. This took them over an hour since I refused to help due to the fact I can put down "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest." Fortunately, after the sorting was mostly done they lost all interest when my host dad walked in with Biskrem.

At this point in the day everything looks great. The weather is putting everyone in a very lazy mood, I've escaped back to my room after telling Jeenaba I'm not hungry (aka I made my own delicious dinner, it didn't include salty snacks), and I was even getting a little work done. All I want to do is fill my water filter, take a bucket bath, and get into bed with one of the three books I'm currently reading. Senegal had a different plan. Clad in my towel and carrying a bucket full of water I open the door to the shower and come face (my face) to ass (the ass of velociraptor) with my age old nemesis. This begs the question how does one get a rooster out of a concrete shower stall? After almost peeing myself in fright and dropping my towel, I attempt to take control of the situation. I stomp around outside trying to scare velociraptor. This obviously doesn't work. Then I throw my face wash bottle into the shower this only pisses him off. Next, I try slamming the door. Now velociraptor is going crazy and clucking and cockadoodledoo-ing at me. All I want is a shower. I take a tentative step into the shower area and he lurches at me as I let out a quiet although audible squeal. Finally, six minutes later, as I'm hiding behind the shower door, out of velociraptor's view, he leaves the shower and heads next door to the bathroom.

Now, I'm just praying I don't have to pee tonight!