I always dreamed of having one but never would have searched one out myself -- it's pretty cruel to keep a wild animal -- but this litlle girl was left in my compound with no one to take care of her. She has since grown very attached to my dogs, has discovered that she can but hates to swim, and will occasionally pee down your back when you carry her around on your shoulder. But even that's okay, beacuse I have a pet monkey!

Lil' Aggie is one of my favorites cuz she's the cutest cutie.

On Christmas Day all the little kids get dressed to the nines and romp around on the beach.

That cute, sandy kid underneath her mother's sunshield with sister on Tokeh Beach.

Another photo of a cute kid covered in sand.

This dude is from some slavic country. They tend to wear speedos, but we were lucky enough to catch him with his pants on.

This refugee from Mali found her way to the streets of Freetown and is incredibly persistent, so I usually give her money. Plus, she let me take her photo, and I think it's a good one.

Franco (not pictured) has been a fixture in Sierra Leone for decades. His gorgeous restaurant/guesthouse (which overlooks this view) is a destination for UN and NGO types on the weekends.

This is Claude, our expert but always drunk head barman. So drunk, in fact, that he usually missed work, and ended up getting himself fired.

And the sky just gets redder and redder.

A view from the sunset terrace.

Hernando, Alex, and Issa on the sunset terrace (with tropical palm frond bar and drinks) at my new home.

This is where you should picture me for the next few months. This little cove os flanked by stretches of perfect, virgin beach set against a stunning mountain-jungle background. It's hard to believe that I'm in the "worst country on earth" when I'm there.

Alexis, carrying Justine, is actually the youngest of us all. She is also taller and stronger too. See "Ode to Alexis" in the main blog.

My father and the three of us (in his first batch).