Lindberg does computer work at a hospital, tracking AIDS patients and their treatment. His wife is helping business leaders promote tourism and offering marketing strategies for other local businesses. The Lindbergs are in the Odumasa-Krobo area of the country, where beadmaking is one of the main businesses. Wearing beads is a sign of wealth in the culture: both men and women are so adorned.

The proprieties (of an earlier age in this country) are evidently fiercely adhered to. Women never wear trousers and neither gender wears shorts after a certain age. Handkerchiefs are in constant use, because it's considered ill-mannered to wipe your brow with your clothing.

The personal cleanliness particularly impressed Keenan, since water is so hard to come by. Water often has to be collected from wells at considerable distance from living quarters. One sees even very young girls carrying water jugs on their heads.

Flooring in homes is usually dirt—a very red dirt—making it yet harder to keep clean. The Lindbergs were given one of the best houses in the village, however, with running water, a modern bathroom and cement floors.

Water, disease-riddled, has to be vigilantly boiled and filtered. The nonnatives soak vegetables in water, with a few drops of Clorox added, before cooking. Beaches and the ocean are generally contaminated with human sewage, so ocean swimming is out.

As for sports, soccer, called "football," is wildly popular. Buses are the primary transportation. Adult bus riders tend to rest their heads on the bars in front of their seats and nap while riding. Goats, sheep and chickens roam the streets at will. How the owners were able to sort them out, come feeding time or bedtime, remained a puzzle to the visitor.

In the hospital Keenan visited, rows of patients on benches waited quietly to be attended to by only two doctors. In this tropical country, people slip into sweaters when the weather reaches a cooling 80 degrees, she was amazed to discover.

English is the official language, because of Ghana's colonization days, but a wide variety of tribal languages are most often heard. The slave museum and coastal towns were visited by the threesome. "It was a trip of a lifetime. I'm filled with admiration for my son and daughter-in-law," Keenan says.

STARS IN SHOP OF HORRORS: Saratogans Alex Brightman, Danelle Medeiros and Julie Thomas have landed leading roles in Little Shop of Horrors, produced by Children's Musical Theater and playing March 5­14 at the Montgomery Theater. Tickets are $18 adults, $12 children 12 and under.

Brightman is Seymour, the nerdy protagonist; Medeiros is Audrey, the object of Seymour's unrequited love; and Thomas is Ronette, one of the '60s girl trio that serves as Greek chorus. Also in the trio is Los Gatan Ashley Bening, who plays Crystal.

Saratogans in supporting roles in this cult classic are: Caroline Heerwagen, Brandon Montalvo and Danielle Natoli. Los Gatans in supporting roles are Darby Bricker, Ali Johansen, Stephanie Kent, Joanna Laird, Nick Lowrie, Christina Mattson, Kara Ayn Napolitano and Alexandra Wilson.

Director Kevin Hauge has staged a large-scale production of this quirky musical about a nerdy Skid Row flower-shop attendant who inadvertently creates a monster when he gives an ailing carnivorous plant a few drops of blood.

HEARTFELT CDs: Third-graders at Argonaut School traditionally make Valentines and then present them at a lunch at the Senior Center. The youngsters sing to the seniors as well. And now another warm note has been added to that scenario by Thierry Doyen, whose son, Nicholas, was a third-grader last year.

Doyen was so moved by the activity last year that he made CDs of the singing for the third-graders in his son's class to take home to their parents. He did the same thing this year, except he made one for all of the third-grade classes—some 100 students.

In addition, Doyen filmed a video of the classroom and the presentation, including interviews with some seniors. (Last year's video was an afterthought, but this one was planned.) The video is on sale for $15 at the school. After the filming costs are recouped, the rest of the money will go to a charity chosen by each of the classrooms.

The school project, plus filming various recitals, led to Doyen's founding his own company, eMotion Pictures, creating a lasting record of children's creativity. Next year daughter Valerie will be in third grade; still to come is Colette, 3. Their mother is Jenell.

PLAYS: Short plays by Riva Rubnitz, Roxy Sax, Zach Miller and me will be presented in Los Gatos Town Council chambers Feb. 27, sponsored by Friends of Los Gatos Library. Refreshments start at 7 p.m.; show is at 7:30 p.m.

Got a tip for Saratoga Sampler? Send email to maryanncook@earthlink.net.