On hot climate carols and camp guard food keepers

We were fortunate to experience one of the longest running traditions within the doctor’s compound this year when our neighbour hosted the annual KCMC Christmas Carol Concert. The house belongs to the Church of Sweden, who rotate medical support staff every 15 years or so… However, the present incumbents, a very cosmopolitan couple, Tobias and his wife Martina + two smalls who are adamant that this is a two year deal at best.

Tobias thinks this is the Hacienda!

The Congregation develops

In keeping with the African way the concert is organised not by the homeowners but by a wonderfully colourful pair of ex-pats, Clive, an English accountant and his Dutch wife, Bodle (more about them in the next post).

With Colonial precision Clive had the concert tied down and the different countries represented had to come up and sing a carol in their respective languages in-between which the whole ‘congregation’ sang classic Yule hymns. The mass ranks of the German contingent sang a militaristic hymn about baking, whilst the Americans sang Star Spangled blah blah blah very loudly or something akin to that; it was simply loud! The Swedish, dressed as angles, sang a beautiful Italian song, but I suppose we had to be thankful as it was either this or some cr*p by ABBA. The Brits, led by Vice-Marshal Baron sang ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’. This was followed by Zanner giving a Chanukah lesson and, having bribed the children, a rendition of Ma’Ozzur, to much applause as this was the most cultural part of the evening!

Swedes! What a bunch of Fairies?

To accompany the event we were all asked to bring some food, we brought a very healthy home made carrot cake. The food was then placed on long tables by the side of the seated guests and their respective children, who outnumbered adults by 2-1. No food was to be consumed until the two and a half hour concert was over... Do you see where this going?

We got the X-Factor? Marianna, Julianna, Sebastian and AHT

Now Zac and Josh have a limited amount of patience at the best of times around food, especially cake! The camp guard for this event was a very …mmmm I’m thinking of a politically correct way to describe the hellcat! Ok, the child-challenged age enhanced lady, who took to chastising any child (Zac) for looking, touching, contemplating or making any move that would be construed as an invasion of the space occupied by the food. This didn’t go down too well with our first born who took great umbrage to the whole temptation placed before God issue at a Christmas carol concert. However, it would seem that Zac may have a direct line to a place that deals in retribution. Less than five days after said event the poor woman fell off her bike and broke her arm!