Friday 30 May 2008

4 and counting

Afternoon All, (or is it morning still)......

Sorry, I've done it again, I couldn't send small emails if I tried.

OK, I have lost tract of where I left you. All I know is that I am down to 4 puppies, two dogs and two cats if that is any indication of time lapse.

I was given the lovely task of typing one of the older boys college project for presentation and assessment. Not a small job, so many accounting charts, maps and others, his project was on John’s Beef Farming outlining the building of a business. I was given it with 3 days to type it. Manic especially when you work into that the problems with power supply! I have been getting up when I feed the puppies and typing like a mad person. Dominic thinks I am crazy. Typing at home evening and morning and at Scann during the day I have managed to get it all typed, even found the required picture of a cow to fill the front page. Three copies later and stapled and bound it was presented, only to be refused as it was insufficient pages, I was told there was a maximum not a minimum. I had spaced well but lacked further information to bulk it out. I will leave that task to the writer.

During this time I forgot to tell you, I had been experiencing problems with the water pump which pumps the water during the day into a large storage tank for use when there is no water between 5pm and 8am. A fundi had been but needed to return. This in itself seemed like no issue, the tank was empty and I had been out and bought a small 50 litre tank which sits outside the back door which we fill with a hose during the day. Good job too……….

For 4 days we had NO water, apparently the water people had not paid their electricity bill for quite a considerable time and the electricity people had cut them off, this mean no pumps to pump ANY water to Nakuru. What a mad sight, so many people streaming to the natural boreholes for water, luckily with only Dominic and I at home the biggest problem is washing the garage after the puppies in the morning.

We managed to stretch the 50 litres and collect what small rain water for dogs etc. Clothes washing was a no no, so when we did get water it was a mega wash day. No shower water meant back to a cup and a bucket again – something I am not unfamiliar with. On the day the water dribbled back I decided that exhausted from all the computer work and puppies etc I would play hookie and treat myself to a hair cut. It was fabulous, great head massage, and relaxing in a comfy chair, not only did they have water they had HOT water, sheer luxury. Heaven. My hair didn’t know what had happened, it was so soft and silky I couldn’t do a thing with it. Mind you everyone wanted to touch it.

We are still having problems with the water pressure it is so low, can just manage to use the hose to fill the small tank, can't water the shamba as it takes hours with the dribble that is omitted from the tap. The small tank has been a God send (although the first one I sent Nick to buy wouldn’t fill, found it had a split in the bottom……….. sent him back for another one, he is a blessing.)

Mama Sweetie is busy sorting her house, she now has a table and a set of shelves from Baba Sweeties Aunt. I had driven to her house alone ready to work at her house in scruffy dirty clothes only to find her in a nice dress and her children in their Sunday Best ready to go to Kabarak University for a Charter Day presentation with Kabaki attending. In usual Kenyan style she said that I was to go too (it would have been nice to have been told, I could have worn a dress too!!) I looked down at myself and said if anyone asked I am her driver – we laughed.

The day was pleasant, lots of people dressed to the nines and me the token ‘white’ dressed in shabby work clothes, nice! Kabarak is a beautiful University and the two older girls attend the adjoining Primary School and were there to entertain the crowd with dancing. We eventually left and went back to Mama Sweeties where the heavens opened, I have not seen so much rain before, especially not at Kampi-ya-Moto. The Sweeties usually have water on a Wednesday, that is the only day a week that it arrives, that week they had had none and it was now Friday.

When the rains came we ran outside with every utensil that would carry water. I rolled up my trousers and ran back and forth filling the 120ltr tank she stores in the house, unfortunately I got very very very wet but the job in hand was greatly needed. I left before it got dark although dusk was setting in. Unfortunately, the drivers window doesn’t close and when I got into the van found that I was to sit in a very wet puddle all the way home, it just finished the day off, I was so wet anyway, I did have a wrap on the dry side of the van which I wrapped my shoulders in as by now I was getting chilly.

My departure was loud and eventful as always, people from the village waving me off. I went with high spirits but very wet. As I drove away from the village I remember a nagging feeling that I really should have got credit for my phone but didn’t want to turn round and go back.

The road from Kamp-ya-Moto is a long straight one that is sparsely inhabited. It was along this road that the van decided to die. I had just enough umph to roll to the side of the road, at which point clouds of steam rose from the closed bonnet. I knew exactly what was the problem - dry radiator, the one thing I had forgotten to check regularly!!! I put on the hazard lights hoping they worked then ran round breaking branches from the trees on the verge to use as a distress signal in the road, they use it like a warning triangle, couldn’t remember how far back it needed to go so put three piles, one for luck sticking out of the roadside back corner of the van too, just in case. Obviously worked as no one hit the vehicle, but no one stopped either.

I sat inside the van thinking why had I swept all the water out of the back of the van before I left it would have come in handy. I left the radiator to cool down and poured carefully the only water that I had which was a 1.5 litre bottle which I carried in case of emergency, it wasn’t enough just ended up as steam. This was why I needed to get the phone credit, I was now stranded, no sign on life other than cars zooming past me, unable to get anyone to help. Two whites passed me in their lovely new 4x4 vehicles but they obviously were concerned that I was a mugger or crazy person as they ignored my waving arms!!

Eventually a man on a bike passed me asking if I was OK, good question to which the answer was I was but I needed water. I explained that unfortunately I had no cash on me to offer him thanks, he told me not to worry and disappeared with my empty bottle. Another man on a bike stopped and offered assistance, I told him someone was already going for water and thanked him. He told me he would wait with me as it was now getting dark, I was not so sure of his intentions but he was OK just stood and chatted until the other man returned and they both waited until the van was running, I thanked them both, wished them a good life and left. In hindsight I realised why no one stopped for me, in the headlights I had seen myself, I looked as though I had wet my trousers, would you stop for some crazy person waving their arms around looking like they were incontinent…. Recipe for disaster, I probably wouldn’t stop either.

I overheated again just outside town, too far to the petrol station to walk and it was now pitch dark, I still had no credit. I opened the bonnet, waited then opened the radiator, steaming beautifully. After a long long wait a security guard from the building site I had stopped in front of came along to help. He spoke no English but with my limited language I managed to get him to find me some water, three bottles later the tank stopped steaming. I managed a smile, thanked him and left.

I got about ½ a mile to the petrol station where it spewed steam again. By now I was getting tired of this, I called over the attendant who waited for it to cool and then filled the radiator. He seemed quite happy to be helping the damsel in distress, giving me soothing words of comfort, or so he thought, actually asking me for a date was not what I was in the mood for!! I got him also to buy me some credit and called Peter who was en route to my house to be on call in case I didn’t make it, he also filled my water bottle and I bought myself some C H O C O L A T E by now even that wasn’t enough to make me happy.

I spluttered my way up the hill to the house, had phoned Dominic to make sure he was ready with the gate open as it was now so dark and loitering around outside the gate was not good.
Dominic took one look at me when I got out of the van and shook his head saying ‘rough day’ it sounded so funny coming from him that all I could do was repeat the words and laugh, it was a mild statement for my adventure. Lesson learnt, don’t rely on the van, always carry credit, always carry spare water (lots of it), ideally don’t travel alone with unreliable vehicle. I went straight to bed with a hot water bottle and a splitting headache.

I have had two more trips to Mama Sweeties one was to shift more things as Baba Sweeties Aunt was renting a house that was sold so they had to move. Mama Sweetie still had a large collection of the ‘heavy things’ at the house that had to go. I am so glad that I had decided to do a road trip and take Dominic and Peter with me, after my last trip I was taking no chances. (Peter an ex older boy from Scann had been suspended from his job as a mechanic due to a misunderstanding and was at a loose end). Mama Sweetie had told me that there was a few things needed to go to the house, that was it. I was so glad that Peter and Dominic came as one of the items was a machine designed by Baba Sweetie to chop and mix feed for the cattle that they had, it took 6 of us to lift it on to the van, we had also grabbed some neighbours as it was impossible for us to move. I wanted to know how she though I would have moved it alone!!!!

Everything got shifted and we returned home shattered but in the knowledge that there was nothing else lying around that would need shifting in the near future. The van, of course was no trouble!!!!!!

Yesterday Dominic left for home, he had received news that his father, who had been unwell for sometime had passed away. Both he and his brother left at 6am after having prepared them food for the trip and a thermos of chocolate, prepared the puppy for its journey and generally sorted them out, like having extended family. I hugged them as they left and wished them a safe journey, it was about 9 hours on a bus. I decided to get to work, fed and cleaned up after the puppies, cleaned the house, washed the van ready to go to the supermarket for sack of dog food and start buying things for Dominic while I am away. Van duly washed, me too, dogs secured and ready to leave……… the van decided not to start, nothing, just a clunk. I said a few choice words and phoned Nick to come and shop with me.

I received a call from Mama Sweetie asking when I was going to see her and I explained about the van and told her I could not spend any more money repairing it, I was broke!! She decided she and the children would visit me on Saturday, will look at photos and she wants to read my version of the Sweetie Story that she had seen last time she was here playing with my laptop. I will probably treat the children to a movie too, must get in some crisps and juice for them, they don’t get many treats.

30th May, 2008. Today, I got up late, I ignored the puppies whining and rested I got another half an hour, 6.30am! I had cooked their food last night and all I needed to do was feed them. I then fed Kim and Fatso (they aren’t happy as I have cut them down to one meal a day – as I cant afford to keep them on two). Fed the cats who also weren’t pleased as am getting them used to sleeping on their hammock outside and closing the window they usually use to come in the house, as have decided to lock up house when I leave so Dominic doesn’t have to clean it daily. (He will stay in the guard house with all the provisions he needs and a jiko stove to cook on, oh and the TV! There is an outside tap for water, he has an outside toilet, and area where he can wash). We have to retrain the animals before I leave to stop them using the house, should be fun.

I have washed bedding as looks like it will be a nice day, this was in water that I collected in a basin yesterday as its still too early for my water supply to be here. I have swept and cleaned the house, done various sewing items for the Scann boys, had breakfast, played with the puppies and it is only 9.30am. Will have a wash when the water decides to be more than a fine line trickling from the tap. Could be a while!! I am heading into town later to send this email, return a DVD that wont play, pick up two pairs of Scann trousers from the fundi (I refuse to do the zips, I still hate them!), pop my head into Scann (I know its my day off but will pick up some more sewing to keep me busy!!!!!)

I love being home alone, I think Dominic will be gone for about 10 days, it will be interesting, he kept saying he was sorry and that there was too much work to leave me with. I said NO PROBLEM!!! Hakuna Shida

Dominic phoned me yesterday when he arrived ……. He said ‘journey, not rough day’ and the puppy was ‘happy too’. It was nice of him to call me. I had bought him a phone so that I could contact him if I was late or in difficulty, it is a great challenge as we usually communicate with a lot of gestures and showing examples, if I get stuck I grab someone to translate, mind you we are both getting better at understanding.

OK I think you are now emailed out………….I will leave you in the knowledge that the day is sunny and beautiful, I need a shower, haven’t had one in about a week as no water pressure……. Bucket wash doesn’t do it for me, besides its cold water! Got to get water pump sorted when I return, no use doing it before I leave as will probably need attention before I get back and be more of a liability for Dominic. I thought I had a water problem until I found out the situation with Mama Sweetie, now I am just resigned to I have ‘a little water’ problem!!!

Love to you all, counting the days now, trying to cram my work at Scann, they are not happy that I am leaving but pleased that I am coming back. They know I will as am leaving the animals and the house as guarantee.

Hope you are all in fine health and are happy, I am.

See some of you soon.

Just realised what are you all going to do for 3 months without emails when I am home………. Shock horror, you will have to find something else to keep you busy.

Susannah & Co.
Flight details for any kind soul who may like to pick me up......!!!!!!!!!!Wednesday, 25th June 2008, London Heathrow, Flight VS0672, Terminal 3 (I got it wrong last time!!) Anticipated arrival time 14.50....... !!!!! Oh it seems so close seeing it is type.

Wednesday 21 May 2008

Double Whammie

It has been a while....... actually for a lot of things!!!!!!!!!

At last the internet is up and running.......I have been typing my emails and saving on the memory stick but the internet is never working when I am here.

Turn off the phones and the TV, lock the doors, brew yourself your favourite brew, grab yourself something to nibble on, get comfortable here goes............. two installments of my life attached.

First is...... THE BUTCHERS DILEMMA

One hot day on my struggle home from Scann I passed a butchers shop called Daylight Butcher. My task that day and there follows many many others was to find somewhere to buy food that would satisfy Kims huge hunger whilst feeding her puppies at a reasonable price.

I entered the butchers and was greeted by a middle aged man with a massive friendly smile. He wanted to know who I was, what I was doing, why I wanted bones etc etc. After this relaxed conversation, it would appear that he was a locals butchers and not many ‘white’ visitors came by, he wasn’t going to let me go lightly. He bagged up an additional bag that he said he had contributed and I wouldn’t pay for.

There started the routine of visiting the butcher. Now one of the ladies in the butchers some weeks later offered me her number so that I could order ahead when I was in a hurry, seemed like a good idea and I have used it a couple of times. It was in fact a ploy to get my number so that the butcher could phone me. He calls when I don’t visit to find out what is wrong, he calls to invite me on trips, and sometimes he just calls me. Yesterday I passed his shop to explain that I am too busy, really not interested and to save his money that is being used on phone calls.

Little did I know…….. I greeted the butcher and ordered as his place was full of people on their way home from work, hoping to get a moment to talk to him discretely. Whilst serving me he reached down below the counter and handed me a parcel, from the feel I knew it wasn’t meat or bones for the dog. I didn’t have time to look inside but protested that he wasn’t to buy me anything, he said it was a gift, (it turned out to be a lovely ‘mumsie’ dress and a jacket to keep me warm). I was duly served with 4kg of dog bones and waste, after only asking and paying for 1 kg. I struggled to carry my load especially the bag of mixed items for the dog, I also became aware how fragile the plastic bag was that was carrying the said load.

I arrived at the matatu stage and found a matatu ready to leave, I was told there was one seat remaining and to get on. Well, I couldn’t find the remaining seat and it turned out that there was to be made space on the already full back seat for me to squeeze into. This is a difficult task when you have nothing you are carrying, when overloaded with bags and slops it is a nightmare. The seats on a matatu as I am sure I have explained before are so close together that it is a real effort to squeeze between them, I always manage to clobber someone with me bag or end up with my rear in someones face, add to this the fact that the matatu doesn’t wait for you to be seated …….. what do you get, mayhem and the locals smirking that you are struggling! I eventually ‘slid’ myself onto the seat whilst negotiating the spare wheel lying on the floor where my feet were supposed to go.

I sighed a sigh of relief, what a struggle, many women do this with 2 kids and a baby on their back whilst carrying bags........nightmare!

The space that had been reluctantly made for me was tight, I was squeezed thigh to thigh with my back seat compatriots, it was at this time that I realised I had not done the usual thing and retrieved my 20bob for the ride, that was still sitting ready in my jeans pocket. I already knew that I only had a note of 1,000ks in my purse. I wriggled to try and make access to my pocket easier, it was no good. I shifted the bags that I had precariously placed on my lap, in horror noticing that the bag of animal waste had experienced a tear and seepage was oozing out onto my jeans along with a nice smell. I wriggled some more and managed to slide my index finger into the top of my pocket realizing that because of the close proximity of my neighbour retrieving my money would not be an easy task as the coin was not within easy reach. I thrust my finger further into my pocket feeling for the coin, in doing so found the man next to me was giving me a strange look, it became evident that whilst wriggling in my pocket I was also wriggling against his thigh as we were so close, I am not sure if he liked it or was offended, his smile confirmed my worry he appeared to think I was trying to catch a feel!

I decided to no longer be discreet, I asked him to hold my clean bag whilst I slid down in the seat to release my jeans pocket so I could reach the coin. I was relieved to find it and held it like a trophy for him to see.

I settled back into my seat and was asked by the conductor for my 25 bob, now having only the 20 available and this being the normal fare I questioned the 25 bob he was trying to charge me, I noticed that there was a lot of disgruntled people ahead of me moaning about the hike in charge without notice. I told the conductor loudly I only had the 20 bob coin and if he wasn’t happy he should let me off the matatu. The lady in front of me turned and smiled, pleased that I had not agreed to pay, having been in this situation before I remembered being told that if the ‘white’ lady agrees to pay no one wants to be made embarrassed by not being able to afford to pay. The man refused to take the 20 bob from my fingers and continued to argue with the other people on the matatu. Everyone now found their voice and argued in unison, the conductor was not happy, he had been hoping that I would pay and the rest would have to follow.

Whilst holding my 20 bob coin in silent protest against him hiking the fare, it was knocked by the man in front shifting in his seat and disappeared onto the floor of the matatu. This just added to my problems, I couldn’t look for the money as I was jammed into my seat and had bags on my lap, I tapped the man in front of me on the shoulder and asked him to see if he could find it. After a lot of shuffling in his seat, muttering and others joining in the money was retrieved and paid to the angry looking conductor, he realised that I was standing by the rest of the passengers and only paying 20 bob.

I got home tired and smelling of nasty bits that were now oozing from the plastic bag and with badly stained jeans. Dominic opened the gate and the dogs greeted me with great gusto added by the smell of the meat. I got to the kitchen having run to the back door with all the dogs in hot pursuit, but I am faster!!! The bag of waste was handed to Dominic to sort into small bags and put in the freezer whilst I investigated what was in the bag from the butcher.

I opened the bag and found a yellow dress which was too big and not me really and a zip up jacket to keep me warm. My dilemma is what am I supposed to do, I would very much like to return the package and say it was a lovely thought but I am unable to accept. I am not happy in encouraging any further attentions from this kind but unsolicited man. I will take advice from the ladies at Scann to find out the best action to take.

Update on the puppies, one left yesterday to a new home, Kim apparently hasn’t even noticed, fingers crossed that it will be well looked after. Mama Sweetie is chomping at the bit for me to take her three puppies this week, I am worried that she will find them an additional problem but she insists that she wants them to provide the family with protection and a deterrent to possible unwanted visitors.

I am watching the CNN news at the moment and just hearing of the tragic earthquake in China. There is so much we have no control of in this world, let us make the most of the things we do have control of, live life to the full it is too quickly over.

On that heavy note, I love you all and will soon be home, take care



Second.....AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR

On Tuesday one of the puppies was found a new home with our neighbour. Dominic went through the procedures of feeding etc and we gave the vaccination record book to show it had been vaccinated against Parvo Virus but would need the others on the 26th of this month.

One down and 8 to go…..

On Wednesday morning I saw through the hedge the neighbour and asked how the puppy had been that night, he said it had cried all night and no one got any sleep. I mentioned to him that when you have 8 sisters and suddenly are alone you would cry too. That evening a knock at the gate proved to be the neighbour asking if they could have another puppy to keep the first one company, Dominic handed over another puppy.

Two down and 7 to go……. Or so I thought.

Kim appeared not to notice that she was two puppies light and the rest of the puppies busied themselves and appeared not to notice either. Dominic and I sat and watched part of a movie as the power went off and we were left with the battery power on the laptop until that died. I went off to bed, Dominic to his nighttime guard duties.

At 2 am I was awoken by one of the puppies howling, not something usual at that time of night. I tried to ignore the noise and went back to a fitful sleep, at 4 am I woke up again and it was still going on, I decided to investigate……I headed towards the garage where the puppies sleep and realised the noise was coming from outside. I looked out of the kitchen window and saw a small black puppy wandering desperately round the garden.
I went out the back door and to the puppy, by this time I had been joined by Kim, the big puppy with Dominic following a short way behind. I was horrified to watch Kim go to attack the puppy, not like her, I scooped up the cold and shivering bundle and went inside. My thought was that one of the puppies that went next door had come through the fence but I knew that we had secured all holes to prevent our puppies wandering.

The puppy kept yelping in pain and was not happy at all, it had obviously been madly digging as it was covered in dirt. I handed the puppy to Dominic who said he would put it by the jiko (charcoal stove) he used at night to keep him warm. In the transaction we noticed the belly of the puppy and discovered it was a boy……………. the only boy we have is brown and not black……………. Curious and curiouser ………….the crazy thing was that the puppy looked so much like the black puppies we had in our litter.

Realising that the puppy wasn’t one of Kims and she wasn’t happy I took the puppy into my room for warmth and safety. All night the puppy whimpered and I discovered why in the morning, I was covered in flea bites and therefore so must the puppy be. I got up at 6am as usual and fed the puppies, it would appear that this one was not yet weaned as it struggled to lap the milk I gave it. My first duty was to douse it in flea powder and leave it to rest. It appears to have sustained an injury to its back leg which is causing it problems. We will wait and see what happens.

One up and now 8 to go…………

Dominic who is as baffled as I am after walking round the fence and realizing there are no holes, cant fathom how the puppy came to be here and where it came from, we haven’t heard of any neighbours having puppies. I told him that as we had passed on two puppies some powers-that-be have decided we have now room for one more lost soul.

The menagerie reduces and increases……….


...... Finished reading ........ all that needs to be said is I need to catch up on news so another one will follow in a few days. In my worry that I would forget various events that are coming up I sent my May wishes ahead of time..,... that is my excuse anyway.... maybe it is just me getting old.

Also attached photos, out of date now of the puppies...... SORRY....... couldnt zip them first, one puppy photo with Dominic in I call 'feeding mania', the second one 'fed and sleepy' I now only have five puppies left and it is much easier that is excluding Kim and Fatso (she was called Pip for a while but Fatso fits much better!)

Love to all, hope the email gets through.xxxxxx
Susannah

Monday 12 May 2008

Slight of Hand

Ok
just a quick email to let you all know that my phone was picked from my bag at the weekend, whilst I have a replacement I don't have every ones numbers so please drop me a line and confirm who you are.

My number has been kept but obviously I don't have any contacts. Safaricom have a promotion here where everytime you add credit to your phone you collect points, luckily, I had enough for them to give me a free phone and I wasn't even aware I was collecting points...., that was the only good news I had that day. I was NOT A HAPPY BUNNY! I am still having problems with my hand and finger since injuries last week but improving slowly.
Take care,
love to you all.
Susannah

Friday 9 May 2008

Ahhhh the Kenyan Internet

Hi All,

well internet is working, we have power but it wont read my memory stick, I spent ages typing my email to you all. I decided today I would take a well earned day off and I mean day off.

I tried washing but have hurt both hands whilst helping Mama Sweetie put in a new window yesterday, needless to say tools are rather rudimentary. I have a gash on my right hand between the thumb and index finger which is now a large flap held together with dressings, I also crushed my small finger on my right hand, it is so swollen and black, not nice and very painful so it is strapped up to stop me whacking it on things, kept waking up last night in pain.

So today was a well earned rest at Hotel Merica, My poor white body exposed to the sun is now red and smarting even with suntan lotion. I have come away before I burn!!!!! I wouldn't mind too much about the memory stick but have taken pics of puppies to send and can't get them either...... ahhhhhhh these simple trials of patience. Typing, bye-the-way is not too easy as use my small finger as anchor, am making a real pigs ear of this and taking ages to correct!

Sorry haven't been in touch recently, seems as though the nearer I get to coming home the more busy I am. I can't wait to see everyone but it won't be like coming home, as I now regard here as home, sorry family! I have been trying to find ways of getting round the visa thing, Nick keeps kindly offering to marry me but I keep pointing out that his 'wife' won't be too happy with that arrangement especially as I won't be happy being second wife! We laugh a lot about it!

Even Mama Sweetie is working hard on the guy who has made he door and window - he is a metal worker and does a great job, yesterday when we went in the morning and put in the order for the window, he smiled at me broadly remembering me from the last visit. He told us the window would be ready at 2pm. Mama Sweetie and I arrived at the end of the compound he works in at 2 to receive a call from him telling us it was ready, I said he is nice working to Muzungu time, was he married?????......... we laughed and got out of the van. Mama Sweetie went up to him and told him I was happy he was working to Muzungu time and I had asked if he was married! Needless to say I blushed and put up a protest, the poor man didn't know what to do with himself, cute!!! Mama Sweetie said she will take time to 'promote' me to Ormond. I think she just wants me to stay in Kenya and live near her!!

My shamba (or kitchen garden as I have been corrected, not big enough for a shamba!) is growing slowly, wish I could say the same for the weeds, mind you Dominic is now well and begining to repair the damage of weed growth in his absence. The puppies are now weaned, and looking at the state of Kims nipples, not a day too soon, they are ripping her apart, not surprised she wasn't pleased at feeding them. I now only have to appear at the gate or clap my hands and it looks like a scene from 101 Dalmations but with out the spots. Its crazy, you have to be here to appreciate just how mad things are at meal times, the puppies' of course. I am working hard on finding homes for them all, at the moment 5 are spoken for, that only leaves me with 4 plus big pup and Kim, and the two cats, nothing at all really.

Scann is good, the boys have returned to school after the Easter break, I was busy shaving heads and repairing uniforms. I have received a donation from a lady out here and arranged for all the big boys bikes to be repaired and serviced so they can use them again, should be fun, they have been getting into a real poor state. The bike fundi is hard at work as I am typing....... I hope!

OK time to go as want to get the shopping in and get home before the crazy late afternoon rush.
Love to you all.
Susannah
Neil, sorry missed your birthday, how bad of me.
Doris, Happy Birthday for this month,
Nats and David Happy wedding anniversary
for those I have forgotten S O R R Y