Seriously, Can You Believe it?

...me being tucked up in bed on a Friday night, with my laptop for company at 8:30pm... does that make me sad or what? I had a busy day (realising that all the bites I have are in fact flea bites from my beloved pets) I decided to maniacally clean and wash the house. I started by sweeping, then washing the floors. I decided to drag the sofas out of the lounge o to the porch area (ask Kimberley they weigh a ton)... I then beat the living daylights out of the arms and backs of the sofas, (Kimberley also has video footage of this but was threatened with death if she showed them to anyone as I look like a crazy woman). 

Henry would have helped but he had decided that today he would transplant some seedlings for some passion fruit seeds we had saved from eating the fruit, I misheard him when i though he had said that we had 8 seedlings, infact he had said 78!!!!!! Wow I hope they all survive as we can sell some of them... (sorry I digressed)

Mopping the floor

To wash the ft the moment I of cotton tract suit shorts by the waist band over the bristles of the broom and used this as my mop, adjusting as I went as they kept falling off. Did a good job though. I left the sofas to recover from their beating and doused with dudu powder (flea powder) whilst I washed the big woollen blanket that had been lying on the sofa. It took all my strength to lift the wet woollen blanket, to wring and then to get it onto the washing line without breaking the line. The trick is to upturn the huge wash basin after rinsing and bundle the blanket into a ball and balance on top of the upturned basin for the water to seep out, makes finally lifting it lighter without the water. 

 From there I decided to douse Kim in flea powder, she kindly lay down and allowed me to apply the powder whilst massaging her to make sure the powder was well into all the fur, unfortunately Paka had seen this and was no where to be seen when it came to her turn. I did however grab Pakas bedding and threw that in the wash too. Now all bedroom doors are closed so no sneaking in and sleeping on the nice soft blankets by Paka, the sofa cushions will be lifted when not sitting on and spare blankets will be stored well out of Pakas way. Not saying this is all the cat's fault as I have many times left the lounge and returned to find Kim lounging full stretch on the sofa... she soon gets moved as she takes all the room.

Kim

 I dragged the sofas back into the lovely clean room and admired my hard work, they looked positively new...and smelled nice too. Paka has taken off and is no where to be seen, probably the smell of powder was too much to bear. Kim is oblivious as she thoroughly enjoyed the massage and would have wanted me to continue for hours, I am hoping that the biting will now stop... but who knows. The thing I find funny is that Henry spends time with the animals and sits watching movies on my laptop on the sofa, why doesn't he get bitten, its the same with mosis's... I can't be that tasty, not at this age would have thought it was a bit tough now.

Anyway after all that action, I showered and headed into town to meet up with George as it was his birthday today so I had a beer with him at my friend Veronica's (some of you may remember she has a nyama choma restaurant and bar in town which has dancing in the evening) Unfortunately Veronica was not there today but we had a nice Guinness each and roast potatoes with Kachubari (finely chopped tomatoes and onions with chilli peppars and a bit of salt) I like it but without the chilli peppars and I am pleased to say they now serve the chilli peppars at the side of the plate so you dont need to take them if you dont want to. George was working later tonight tutoring the boys so we only had one beer and then he headed off, I was pleased to get home as I was exhausted.

I have checked my emails and facebook and am now nicely relaxed ready for a busy day at SCANN tomorrow with the clinic etc and apparently we have visitors coming too so it will be all hands on deck for sprucing, (as if I need to do more sprucing). I also need to go to town to pick a sample of golden beads for necklaces for the fund raising costumes (dont ask), go to the internet place to scan immigration documents for the Salvation Army to contest Immigration on the expiry date of my visa (they are trying to say it expires 26 June 2011 when I have receipts showing I paid for visa until June 2012...) corruption rules!!!!!! I am also waiting for Crown to finish decorating SCANN, they are painting all the buildings inside and out, I have been asked when they have finished to decorate the classrooms as we have been given lots of small pots of paints, they want them to look more like classrooms.... so I am presuming, alphabet, letters, tables, etc etc etc with pictures also. I have asked my friend Cheryl if her daughter can come along and help me as she is artistically inclined and I can only copy. Just waiting for the paint to dry and the Ok to start work, should be great fun.

I am looking forward to my friend Ailsa (who came down for the fundraising at Salsa) to arrive on Friday, she will be staying for a while so that she can organise things with Mama Sweetie (as we are looking to start construction of the proposed ablutions block) and see will catch up with old friends, it should be fun. Hoping she will join me for beginners salsa on the Wednesdays, the more the merrier.

Anyway time I left you, its a short and sweet one tonight as eyes are tired, not sure I will get much reading done, probably just as well that I get an early night after all that exertion. My love to you all, June is a busy event month for my family, so happy birthdays and anniversaries all round, I am hoping all the cards get there OK.

Ah the local dogs have started their evening howling session, catching up on their news of the day, usually lasts about 5 mins then stops so will love you and leave you on that howling note. Enjoy the weekend whatever you all decide to do, hoping the weather is improving there. Susannah

How different can things be

Hi Everyone,

well, the weather is definitely getting hotter and the rain has diminished, a good thing too if you could have seen the lake left in my compound last time it rained.


I am now living in one room in my 3 bed home, I have a huge compliment of builders, tillers, painters, woodworkers, electricians etc. last count there were 8 men working away to help get some sort of restorative programme for my house showing signs of at least having my sons room ready.

I have learnt a valuable lesson........ in Kenya the tools are supplied by the homeowner, the workers come with nothing. I found this out when I complained that every tool I had was being used by the men................ I was told this was the way, so they have to make do with my basic selection and they do.

I went shopping for a ladder in order to put light bulbs in my house, they do not exist. I watched with interest when some 'poles' were ordered and delivered (these are straight trunks of skinny trees) they were hacked and made into two ladders, one a tripod the other a rickety straight ladder. I personally got a friend to let me sit on his shoulders in desperation to get the bulbs in couldn't wait for the ladders.

There is no power tool in sight, other than my own private collection!! It is a health and safety nightmare but they don't seem to be bothered, walking on the roof to check it out, no ropes, hard hats nothing. The electrician told me it was good I asked him to make the plugs all double sockets as it revealed that none of the plugs were earthed!


I argued with the tiller who is doing my en suite, one wall was great three tile vertical drops on the next wall fine, other side of the toilet a total catastrophe. I had praised him on his work the day before and took it all back with a 'wow what are you doing?' 'Have you been on the beer??? ' The other side of the toilet was more than an inch out slanting in towards the loo. This meant that when the tiles were to come together - basically they wouldn't. He said it was fine and the house was not straight. Now, I know a bit about tiling and got out the only spirit level used in the whole job and put it on his base board. I informed him that there was no bubble and showed him the difference - he still insisted it was OK.

I sent a text to the foreman and told him to get himself over fast as I told tiller not to put anymore tiles on wall. Foreman walked into the room and said wow ........ glad he agreed, I would have removed the tiles and not paid the man....... after heated conversation the tiles were removed and replaced, although he has miss coloured tiles in the box and those are now suddenly all being used instead of the nice white ones. Rebellion.

Its not all bad, the plumber put in one toilet beautifully, the other he was told by me to remove and try again at least to get the cistern and bowl aligned........ I have also acquired a tap in the wall of my en suite that is about knee level, I questioned this and when the plumber came back to his job after 'illness' was told it was for me to do my clothes washing - I told them I had an outside tap for that and I wouldn't want to drag the washing all through the house to hang it outside, hand washing was hard enough without making in worse. I was then told that maybe I would like to wash clothes at night....... um....................... deep breath............, I told him I would use it to wash my feet when they were dirty!!! Its a foot tap! The sarcasm was lost in translation!!!! Well, I will keep the tap............... its a something.....?????

With all this happening I am still visiting Scann, the boys get all happy and mad when they see me and they are looking forward to me taking Paul-Simon to see them on Wednesday. I took Kim and Fat Cat to the vet the other day, this mean that I had to call Nick to pick me up from home with the dog, we went to Scann, where Kim played with the boys for a short while, while I rounded up Fat Cat who has been unwell. Kim lay sleeping on the floor of the cab while the cat on the other hand stayed in the box just until I had the door closed, I rallied the help of Joel who gave me the dog to come to the vet. Between us we managed to restrain the cat, watch the dog, jump out of the car at the vets, while Nick ran another errand for me, stood in the vet with the cat spitting and hissing at the Kim, she wasn't happy!

After Kim had her vaccinations and the cat had her anti rabbies jab and worming pill we ventured back into Nicks cab with hissing Fat Cat. Such a traumatic event...... for me, no animal carriers in site anywhere in Nakuru, I know I have looked, actually you cant even buy a dog collar or lead, they aren't into that here they do have chains though. Maybe I should open a shop!! We went straight back to my house to drop off the animals and I settled Fat Cat with Puka (little cat) they looked happy. When I got home Fat Cat had left home, no sight or sound of her since....... oh well, wasted journey, energy and money at the vet!! The boys were happy to have seen Kim though, I promised another visit, just wandering when .........and how!
I managed a Christmas wrapping paper printing event on Wednesday afternoon, wasn't toooooooooooooo BAD! Paul-Simon doesn't know but we are doing one this Wednesday with his help!!! he he he he he he he.

Today I went to Scann to do hair shaving before I came into town to the internet and last minute shopping for PS. At last the internet is working and I am able to sit and type this for you. I had promised one boy that I would pop in to Scann and trim his mop, I got 10 boys waiting in a q for me..... needless to say I couldn't leave them, so I shaved like a whirling dervish (Spelling probably not right) They wanted me to style so I told them to go to the hairdressers for that, I just SHAVE!

Ok guys I am probably boring you to tears, and I actually think I have already told you some of this info, or dreamt that I have, if repetition has occurred then put it down to age!!
Love to you all,
Susannah

Happy Birthday to all those who are due birthdays