4551...

It is funny what one can remember when there is nothing to think about. When I was in grade school, Stewart Brinegar repeated his phone number for the entire bus ride to his home. Shirley Braun, the driver of that baby blue station wagon, told him to be quite, but in his obstinance, he droned on, “4551, 4551, 4551, 4551….” I will never forget Brinegar’s phone number (NB: it still the same today). This was like 25 years ago, but only seems like yesterday. Does this mean I’m getting old?

Folding fitted sheets...

I stayed home today. I didn’t go to church. Nairobi Chapel’s two hour service did not seem appealing at 9:43 when I woke up. The spiritual side tried to rationalise that fellowship with other believers is essential and good, and besides, two hours is half the length of some African services…but to no avail. Instead, I watched a yellow butterfly, black cricket, green gecko, and brown ibis, go about their activities…all oblivious that it was the Sabbath and they should be resting. Instead, I listened to Pachebel’s Cannon in D major, Allegri’s Miserere, and the multitude of birds singing their merry hearts out. Instead I sipped on a special cup of tea (using my second to last passion/peach tea bag that I snagged from Tianna’s stash), and later made a Tango Hotel martini and tonic (secret is in the raspberries). Instead, I folded laundry put out by Esther, including twin fitted sheets. There is a trick to folding them, but one Theresa taught me when we worked together at the Teton Tree House in Wilson, Wyoming…see all things have a purpose and place. Instead, I sat in my beautiful backyard that could be award winning if Mrs. Bamber would add her special touch. Instead, I enjoyed the presence of Abba alone…and even without singing worship songs in Swahili.

Congressional Psyche Ward...

I'm afraid the US Congress needs to build a third wing to the capital. This is where deranged senators and representatives can continue their harangues about comparing current US foreign policy to the atrocities of Nazi Germany. Senators Dick Durbin and Robert Byrd, with Rep. Charles Rangel could be the first three patients admitted. See Victor Davis Hanson's article for more commentary.

Ants in the butter

We have a rather large butter dish…almost brick size, holding half a kilo of that creamy, high-cholesterol stuff. And we have those mischievous ants that seem to like to get into everything. This morning hundreds were gorging themselves, unaware of the danger to their tiny hearts. My dilemma: how do you get them out? My miserness refused to throw the lot away. Trying to remove them with a knife would only embed them in the sticky stuff. Instead I wrapped the dish in a plastic bag, stuck it in the freeze, hoping to kill the creatures, and then extract their corpses from the outside layer when the butter thaws. Do you think it will work? Let me know if you have better suggestions.

Ma première fois

my first time at my blog...but deadlines, paperwork, to do lists all sit piled next to me on this cold, dreary, rainy day in Nairobi, so I shant really say more other than to say more is to come...soon hopefully.