Many thanks for all your comments, Years Five and 7S! Also, well done, George Thackray, for your comment. (There are about 70 children in the main part of the school but there are also about 25 toddlers.)

The general feeling seems to be in favour of the beard (thank you, but I don’t think I’ll be allowed to keep it) but shock, horror and sympathy for the poor old cobra. It’s a rough old world out here, I can tell you!

It’s been a real Red Letter Day today (admittedly not for the snake, though). The consignment of books and stationery finally arrived and so did the staff chickens; the ladies put up the fencing around what will become the vegetable garden, and Class Four had a lot of fun putting up a display showing their heights. Thank you, All Hallows, for the bluetak!

The only disappointment is that having heard no news from Faith about the desks I finally phoned her. She says that she wants them to be made in Meru at a workshop, but so far nothing has been put in hand. I have told her that I am very anxious to see at least some of the new desks here by the time I leave next week, so Moses will give her all the specifications tomorrow morning and we’ll hope that work on them can get going immediately.

Oh, and yes, the letters were a joke...I hope!