the big move

I can't believe it was a month ago that we were packing up the moving truck!  The actual move went really smoothly this time, much better than when we moved to Bamako 2 years ago. (See this POST to read about the nightmare that was.)  It was a lot more expensive to hire a real moving company instead of adding our things to a truckload of millet bags, but they came the day they said they'd come and our things arrived and were unloaded that same day and weren't too scratched or banged up.  So definitely worth the extra money for me.  The moving company had 4 guys there to help load the truck, and 4 of our fantastic friends showed up to lend a hand, so it went pretty fast and I didn't have to do any heavy lifting myself thankfully!  Jean-Patrick took a bus just after the moving truck left but the moving truck got there way before JP's bus did, so the things were already unloaded by the time he got there.  I stayed in Bamako for a few extra days in our nearly empty apartment.  I needed to finish up my work with English school and then ride with a friend in a car to move myself and our pets.
In those days I was alone in the apartment, I got really sick.  I am usually pretty healthy.  But when I've gotten sick here in Mali it is a kind of sick unlike anything I can remember ever experiencing in the states.  Africa sick.  I was in bed for 2 days (or rather on a camping mattress on the floor) hardly able to get up and get myself to the bathroom.  I forced myself to eat a tiny bit of bread and drink some water.  I slept a lot.  After 2 days I could get out of bed but was still not well.  After almost 2 weeks of serious stomach issues I went to the hospital.  I waited almost 4 hours to see the doctor.  Because it was a bit late in the day already and because I encouraged the doctor to just give me an antibiotic, I didn't have to provide a sample for them to test what the problem was.  The doctor said he thought I had either typhoid, amoebas, or giardia, and he prescribed 3 different antibiotics.  As soon as I started taking them I started feeling so much better, and I am now feeling good!
Jean-Patrick was in the new house with me for 4 or 5 days and then he left for Bamako to be at school.  I went to Bamako this week to buy some things that can only be bought there and to see JP and we came back home together yesterday.  At this point all of our boxes are unpacked and things are basically where they should be, except that the living room furniture is all pushed to the middle of the room and covered because there is painting happening!  I'll post some pictures when it's all finished.
JP will be home now for about 10 days, he'll be doing schoolwork here, and then he'll have to go to Bamako again!  I'm pretty tired of all the time we've been spending apart.  We've only spent a total of 2 weeks together out of the past 8 weeks.
Below is a picture I took during my trip of moving.  We were trying to cross a bridge, but had to wait for some cows.  The weather was very nice, I love the blue and cloudy skies that we have here during the rainy season (during non-rainy moments.)