The noises in the roof
on Ed Haworth (Ethiopia), 24/Sep/2011 19:18, 34 days ago
My worst fears confirmed this morning regarding the noises I had been hearing in the roof at night.In the bathroom my bar of soap had large gnaw marks on it and next to it was an unmistakable rat dropping.I'm pretty live and let live about these things and was fully aware that there would be rats around but I'm not prepared to live with them in the house! After much frantic signing and failing to communicate ( although I learnt that Amharic for rat is ayitt) I managed to find a shop selling rat poison. Now the roof space is well baited I'm hoping the current noises above are rodent death throws. Sadly more humane methods, I'd prefer traps, were not forthcoming and I'm afraid I've had to throw my principles out with the soap!In happier news that is only exciting to me today I managed to buy a fridge after persuading the shopkeeper that I was not going to pay theferenjiprice of double the sticker. It is now humming away reassuringly, inside are a few bottles of water and a St George's beer to take my mind off the rats (I fear the singular is unlikely).On Friday I had a brief look around the hospital and met many of those I will be working with. That deserves more than this quick update.