COOLER TODAY ...

Hi Everyone,

well you will be pleased to hear that the temperature dropped yesterday and today, it is now comfortable to walk around without sweat pouring down your back....nice!

So what has happened here........ well, last year Kimberley and I got acquainted with the standard 3 class which included Gideon and Moses, they were the top class who attend school at SCANN. I am pleased to say this class has now started 'big' school. I spent last week sorting out their uniforms and trying to ensure they ended up with sets that fitted...... almost managed! We ended up being 5 pairs of shoes short, there seems to be very little planning here for going back to school, so on the day of them starting school I sent Moses (Head Teacher) to market for his sins to buy some shoes for the boys. If they were shoeless they would not be able to start school until they had them. Well, we managed, the boys looked great, I was mother-hen fussing over them ensuring that they were smart.

I later that day went into Nakuru town only to find that there was a q along the High Street of people waiting to get into the uniform shop, permitted only one person at a time in the shop, it was mad, the q was huge.

Obviously it isn't just the guys at SCANN who don't plan ahead, um I think things will change!

The BBC film crew asked for two of the boys to go for filming on Saturday so I went along, we had to be picked up at 6.45, so early a start. It was a fantastic morning for them, but not without some hiccoughs. At SCANN all the boys eat with their hands, or maybe possibly a spoon. The hotel they were filming in and had taken up residence in was a posh one. The boys were taken to the restaurant for a full cooked breakfast, cutlery was nicely laid out on the table along with napkin etc. In order for there to be no overloading of plates, Yasmin and I served the boys with food and then instructed them quickly on the use of cutlery!! They ate a hearty breakfast and managed to complete their acting with no problems.

In view of the problem with the cutlery and that I am accompanying 12 boys tomorrow and Friday for a full days filming, including breakfast and lunch I have taken boys in sets of three (as I only have three sets of cutlery) I have shown them in advance how to use cutlery, use of napkin and table manners. Lets hope they remember, not sure how I will manage 12 boys !!! I am going with drawing books, pencils and colouring pencils in hand to entertain them between filming. Will keep you posted.

I must be a very lucky woman because about half of the filming people are sick with very very bad stomachs........ the actors are trying to work between stops for the toilet!

My lunch with Ruth and her family was lovely, what a spread they put on, I managed to eat everything, although was having difficulty swallowing something that came out of a traditional Masai gourd container. I was told it was yoghurt...... not any yoghurt I have ever had, it was more like thick, sour cream, nearly made me gag...... I managed to pass on the rest to my friend Nick when no one was looking, he seemed to like it..... will stay clear of it in the future!

After lunch Ruth, Nick , myself and her two children went off to the local pool, I was the only adult swimming as no one else was able to swim. I had a good time, playing with the children, although I have to say the pool was freezing cold.

Yesterday, we had a donation of new coats / jackets for all the boys, they look great and are all wearing them as they have decided its VERY COLD!!!! I am still, needless to say in a T-shirt and 3/4 length cotton trousers. I think they are frightened someone will take their coats away from them so they won't take them off. A great deal of things go missing, often appearing at market stalls in town! We are trying to instill a sense of pride in the boys hoping they will keep their new things.

Ok, well I am at a new internet cafe which professed to be quicker than most, I DON'T THINK SO! The speed here is driving me mad and costing me a fortune, so will draw to a close now.

Hope everyone is well and happy. I am getting to grips with shopping and cooking without grill or oven, I stewed some plums which were delicious and wandered how to make crumble under the circumstances, instead I used the sweet bread I had bought and made my version of summer plum pudding, very nice even if I say so myself. Nathalie you will have to bear with the culinary delights when you come, or we must eat out! I have asked for local cooking lessons, think it would be a good idea, as the food in the supermarkets, other than convenience is all alien to me, wouldn't have a clue.

Oh, I had the best night sleep last night, went down at 9pm, slept through till 7am fab!!!!!!!
Love to everyone,

Hope you aren't bored of my rambling.

Susannah