An adventure & notes from the 'quote book'

I have SOOOOO much to say! But since Emma has already said a few things I would only be repeating, I'll be directing you to her blog. She put in so many hilarious details, I really couldn't have said it better: emma-coates.blogspot.com And if that has not enticed you enough perhaps this photo will:

And yes, that would be a broken rear axle!

Now for some humor and pure randomness:

Because it is very modest here, I often say 'Ah! I'm exposing my knee!'

There is this thing called squash that is just a highly concentrated juice that you pour in the bottom of your glass and then mix with water. I can never remember what it is called when I'm in the middle of a sentence so I've just decided I'll call it 'Sploosh'. (from Holes) this irritates Emma to no end.

There is a surprising amount of things that still need translating even between Emma and myself. For example : 'It's 90 on my side, 30 on yours.' (talking about the thermometer)

Many of you know my awful reaction to finding out that I'm the universal donor blood type. Rachel made sure that Emma found out hers before heading up-country (to Kalacha) and she is the universal recipient! To which I concluded: 'Nurses like you, but bloodbanks like me'

The chickens are pets: 'When I get to Kalacha, I'm gonna hug a chicken!'

The desert is loved 'Yay!! the Chalbi!'

The pets are having babies. There are 8 chicks chirping next to me right now. One got stepped on by a very innocent 5 year old. It nearly died in my hands! I begged Rachel to take it from me before it did. (I was quite pathetic) and she wrapped in a cloth. It survived!

I've obtained hundreds of new words, even in English: I am now regularly calling dirty things 'manky' a flashlight is a 'torch' and chips are 'crisps'. I giggle every time I hear Emma say 'Oi!' or 'Bullocks' and I know the proper pronunciation for 'Worstershire Sauce' though I will probably continue in completely destroying the word.

When we were down country (Nairobi, Nanyuki) there was a way of having a heated shower using a device called a 'widowmaker' (yikes!)

Emma put it very well: 'Home is where you leave your shampoo in the shower' (We've only been able to do this the last 2.5 weeks)

A chick just walked across my keyboard.

Africa time seems to be stretched out more by the expatriates than the locals!

When I first saw the pool in Kalacha, I became a very noisy fan of Jesus and his blessings 'Praise Jesus! Hallelujah!'

From front to back: Silas, Miriam, Acacia