Debi's entry Wema's family

This family is a puzzle which I am still trying to figure out!

Wema's father is Victor but he recently left the family and found another wife and lied about his original family.
Another brother (uncle) lives across the street, but in spite of having a good job and seven children (according to Wema)  spends his money on alcohol and women. Another uncle, died a while ago and grandma took care  of his kids and I thought them as small children, but I recently met them and the daughter, Dora, is 21. I misunderstood what Wema told me earlier. She speaks so softly and with an accent so I miss a lot. She told me on the day we returned from Zanzibar with Lars that her grandmother had died. She was the matriarch of the family. 

Anyway... I will trace the family tree another time...but the point is, this family has land and multiple buildings. They can rent out the buildings for cash. That is how they have money to pay  for their sons' schooling, unless the renters can't pay. Wema tried to explain this to me while we sat in her courtyard playing cribbage while the food  cooked. If renters cant pay, the renters have to go all over town to borrow money. She concluded with this statement, "it is a hard life."

Back to their property:  it is not small...not sure how many acres...one or two?  They have banana trees of all kinds growing that they can use and harvest and sell. They also have two cows that they can milk and sell the milk. The buildings are made of brick and the floors are cement. So according to African standards, they are well off!  This may be what gives them the confidence to host white people. Nearby is a tiled platform with dried flowers  on top. Apparently, this is Grandma's grave!  This grave is close to  the courtyard, but only a few feet from the next door neighbor's house!  I cant help but wonder how they feel about this grave!

On the other hand...I am struggling to describe...walls are whitewashed ( at one time), stained, full of holes, wasp nests hang everywhere, we sit on plastic furniture around a big coffee table, packed in like sardines, some people sharing a bowl and fork when we are there...And having a great time!  Cooking is done over a fire outside. I got the best cooking lesson yesterday. Things are done in one pot slowly. We had corn and beans and coconut milk and veges....sounds a lot like the banana dinner, but it was very different.

 I also got to see the milking of the two cows and how they care for them but the cows never leave the barn!  I have started sending  my kitchen waste home with Wema to feed "Bessie". The patio/courtyard is idyllic. Things are in bloom.  They harvested a fruit for me...a green pomegranate!  Not so tasty, but they ate it. The floor of the patio/courtyard is dirt. Cow elimination goes by in a trench while we play cards.  Chickens wander  around. There was a baby chick that was born yesterday. The hen was so protective!, pecking anyone that came close.  Wema said she is not a good mother...she had 10 eggs and only one chick!