Random September happenings

• We went for a bike ride at Burka this weekend (the coffee plantation where we buy all the yummy coffee that’s just up the road from us).  The coffee is blooming and smells so nice.  Jacarandas are also blooming which covers the ground in purple flowers.  Lovely.  While on our bike ride we saw bushbuck, dikdiks, and vervet and colubus monkeys. 

• Ash lost a tooth yesterday (not one hour after Matt left for the airport). 

• Our dog, Scratchy, had an adventure last night. She likes to sneak out when our gate is opened (last night it was when Matt was getting picked up to head to the airport).  She usually comes back in a little while, but last night she still wasn’t home by the time we left for school in the morning.  I was starting to get worried.  She did come back by the time I returned from exercising with a nice rip/cut in her shoulder (fence?).  Luckily I found a vet that makes house calls (Scratchy has only been in a car once and that is when we brought her home 3 1/2 years ago – she puked).  A little light surgery in our ‘garage’, eight stitches, a tetanus shot, and an antibiotic shot and she should be fine. 

 

• We booked our flights to the Seychelles for our October break.  Looking forward to some beach and relaxation.

 

• And finally, Elizabeth, our house girl and Mama Jackie’s daughter, had a baby boy on Sunday morning.   We’ve been hearing “the baby is coming soon” since we came back in August, so we’ve been waiting for this happy news for awhile. 

Legs – By Ashlyn

(A bit of delay getting this one out.  Ashy wrote this after a weekend down to Noloholo the week that I was in the US for the Fun Run).

~LEGS~

  Our friends Buddy and Laly (they have a baby) own a lodge. One evening some managers went out to collect firewood and curled up under a bush sat one baby impala. He was just born he still had blood on him. They picked him up and brought him home. Which they shouldn’t have done. They should have just left it there because it’s a wild animal but by the time they got back it was already dark so it was too late. We came two weeks later. We fed it milk three times a day. Buddy and Laly built a fenced area for Legs. Their plan is to keep him until he’s big enough to join the other impalas. Legs had black hooves they looked like they were polished because they were so clean. Legs loves to be scratched right under the neck. Legs was sooo cute. I HAD THE BEST TIME THERE J 

Love Ashlyn

Basket Weaving

The kids spent the afternoon learning how to make baskets.

Step 1.  Remove outer edges of grass by stripping with tool

Step 2.  Soak grass in water to make it more pliable

Step 3.  Tie several pieces together into a knot at the end

Step 4.  Pierce knot with the tool (only one stabbing incident while learning)

   

Step 4.  Thread individual pieces through the tiny, tiny hole.

Step 5.  Repeat piercing and threading while adding new grass.

After several hours of work this is where the kids were.  The woman teaching them said that a basic basket takes her about 8 hours to make. 

Note to self:  There is no need to bargain for lower prices on these already incredibly inexpensive baskets.

This is what a finished basket looks like.  This might take a while…..

The Kids' First Bike Race

Since I am unable to be in Rochester for the Finger Lakes Triathlon this weekend, we did the next best thing – we all participated in the Arusha Cycling Club bike race this morning.  A great event for a great cause (supported the Arusha Cycling Club, The Rotary Club, and also to help a little boy get a heart transplant). 

The kids were not too sure when they woke up this morning, but all had a great time.  So proud of them on their first ever bike race!

Anderson’s start (7 and under)

 

Tierney and Ashlyn’s race (8 and 9 year olds)

Happy kids

 

Most excellent timekeepers

The Women’s Race (I finished 4th)

And thanks to the generosity of some great friends we had our own custom shirts/jerseys for the event as well as a $500 donation made in Mike’s name (which also got us tickets to tonight’s dinner and disco!).

   

The Senior and Amateur Men’s Race

Matt came out the winner (cough..sandbagger…cough)

Ash giving Matt his medal

I wish I could be with the rest of the family for the “Tri for Mike” tomorrow, but I will be with you in spirit as will Mike.  Wishing all good luck, but especially Jen doing her first tri, the Coyle/Insalaco team (Chuck – get that course record!), the Coyle Cousin team, and to all of his friends doing this race in Mike’s honor.  Please take lot of pictures for me (and maybe snag me one of those swim caps).