The beard was a good choice. (Post from July.)

The weather shut everything down last week. Sitting in my house working up a strong feeling of cabin fever, I started to laugh when people were saying during our trainings that ‘nothing really happens during the winter’. I don’t blame them.
It’s the coldest winter people can remember. Even the Lodge owners, Jonathan and Armel were telling me it was a rather chilly and wet winter. That damp cold is worse than a dry cold any day, or night. Sitting at the computer right now, I’m wearing my ski jacket, long johns, pants, a couple long sleeve shirts, and a cup of tea to keep warm. Admittedly, the cold here may not be as drastic in number but it is in quantity. I can’t complain too much. I have a ski jacket that makes me look like the marshmallow man minus the cheese grinning face. People in the villages right now are huddled as much as they can with a blanket and a dung fire.
Another advantage I have is this pretty good beard I’ve let happen. One part lazy, one part lack of water, and one part cold make for an excellent bit of face hair. At first I thought I would get complaints. The Basotho, though they live it pretty rough, still have expectations of cleanliness people must abide. Instead, I’ve gotten comments of admiration. It doesn’t hurt that the stuff is thick like wrapping a small animal around my face. It’s warm too making it a lot easier to run in the morning.
I was meant for this kind of weather! But I’m still keeping an eye out for an end that gets us all outside working again.