Run like the wind!

This past Saturday was the Rosslyn Track Meet.  Kenyans are great runners and get very excited about track races.  We all helped at the meet -- the boys were "errand runners", Tim was security, Lisa was a recorder. 

 These boys here are from a local Kenyan school and were a joy to watch!  Even in their bare feet they could run like the wind!

This past week the whole country was excited to have Usain Bolt in Nairobi.  Bolt is Jamaican and three time Olympic gold medalist.  He holds the world record for the 100m and the title "fastest man in the world".  He met with the President of Kenya and also visited the animal orphanage where we had been just a few weeks ago.  He adopted a cheetah.  There were lots of newspaper pictures of the fastest man in the world holding the fastest animal in the world.

We also got to hold 3 week old cheetahs.  What a thrill!!

Happy Halloween

It is a strange thing to live in Kenya during Halloween.  Last year the boys woke up on November 1 and remembered that Halloween had been the night before.  This year we did remember October 31 but there are no special activities here.

We did have a wonderful evening with our neighbours, the Hravatics.  We made delicious caramel apples!  The caramels were purchased at a special American store and we decorated with peanuts and sprinkles.  It was fun and yummy!

Then we all watched the movie StormBreaker.  Max has read all 8 books in the Alex Rider series and the movie is based on the first book.  We all enjoyed the movie on our big screen in the family room.

Nilda's visit

For the past week we have had Tim's mom, Nilda, visting with us here in Nairobi.  We have had a busy week taking in many local sights.

We have visited the Giraffe Centre and Kazuri Beads.  We spent Kenyatta Day (Kenyan National holiday) on safari at Nairobi National Park.  We went to the animal orphanage and had the rare privilege of holding a 3 week old baby cheetah.


We have enjoyed an international menu:  Indian food at Diamond Plaza (which included Nilda's first taste of goat), Kenyan food prepared by Cathy, soup at the Lord Errol fund-raiser for New Dawn School, pizza at home.


 Despite our Kenyan adventures, we have also had time to sit on the deck and watch the rain (amid the clothes drying).  The Kenyans have said that Nilda's visit is a blessing because she has brought rain with her.  We have had 4 nights of rain since her arrival and we believe that the rainy season has finanlly arrived.  We can not say that the drought is over though...... that remains to be seen.

Turkey! Turkey!

On Sunday October 12 we hosted a Canadian Thanksgiving.  Seventeen Canadians swapping stories of home was a great afternoon.   
I was able to locate a turkey for a mere 500 shillings per kg (about $3.50 per pound).  Unlike last year, I was prepared this year:  I brought a foil roasting pan and an oven bag from Canada and also summer savoury, poultry seasoning, napkins, decorations.  Last year's turkey took 9 hours to roast.  So this year, I roasted it the day before (in case there was no electricty on Sunday).  This year it only took 6 hours to roast and even smelled like a real turkey!  Others brought cranberry sauce, dressing, brocoli salad, sweet potatoe pie, chocolate pie, pumpkin cheescake, and enough mashed potatoes to sink a ship.


We are still full!