My kingdom for a ludlow*

I've had a few pieces of furniture made by the remarkable cane weavers across the road. The furniture is unique, custom-made and very African. People have asked for photos so here are a couple.

The first is my matching bookcases that are almost-but-just-not-quite square (in fact, one's a parallelogram and the other has a wicked Pisa-like lean away from the wall).

The second is my new couch, which has two, possibly three legs the same length. It's a slimmed down version of my bed - I love sleeping at altitude after months on the floor! And embracing all the tiny little ants running over me in the morning.

(* I'm reliably told that a ludlow is that wodge of folded paper that you put under a table leg to stop it wobbling. Really.)

Hello Mr Friday Twin

I get called 'Aunty' a lot here (which I like a whole lot more than Madam). Kind people have told me this is an informal Ghanaian term of respect to someone older. Hmph.

There is a naming system in Akan language that is a more complex version of Bali's Wayan-Made-Nyoman-Ketut. Traditionally, a person's first name comes from the day (of the week) they were born while their surname is often that of a respected family member or close friend.

So Kwadwo is a boy born on Monday and Adwoa is a Monday girl. Kwabena and Abena are Tuesday's children; Kwaku/Koku and Akua are born on Wednesday; Yaw/Ekow and Yaa are Thursdays; Kofi and Afia are Fridays; Kwame and Amma are Saturdays and Akwasi/Kwasi and Akosua round out the week.

Then, there might also be names that are based on order of birth in a family - Piesie for the first born, Manu/Maanu for the second, Mensa/Mansa for the third and so on.

There are also informal names that might be given if there is something out of the ordinary about the birth. Ata/Ataa means twin, Afuom means 'in the field'(!) and Nyamekye means 'gift from God' and is given to a child born after a mother may have given up hope of pregnancy.

So a name can mean a lot here. Take Ghana's favourite son Kofi Atta Annan - not only born on a Friday, but also a twin. And I will now answer to Yaa Maanu. And Princess.

Dear taxi drivers of Accra...

Some important tips for the health of our ongoing relationship:

1. If I need a lift, I will let you know.

2. Or put another way, If I don't wave you down, it means I don't need a lift.

3. Not even if you beep continuously from 200m behind me to 200m in front of me.

4. If I ignore you, it's probably because 50 of your mates have already beeped at me that morning and I'm contemplating taxicide.

5. The twisty hand gesture, the offended why-are-you-depriving-me look and especially that hissing noise won't change my mind.

Seriously guys, the beeping is driving me nuts.

Yours, with a nervous tic,