December 14

Coming to you from a pool of melted make-up, sunscreen and mosquito repellent, I want to wish you all a Happy Monday.

I've been told that I'll most likely have cause to quit complaining about the heat sometime in March.  Until then...it's only going to get worse.  (The heat, that is.  And...let's be honest, probably my complaining, too.)

Just a couple more updates that I haven't been able to get to (and I'm going back up a little here):

1.  The day after "The Trip," my good friend Melinda came to grace us with her presence in Mombasa.  She was my final mission companion and is a fantastic lady.  It was a much-needed visit, for me.  And I think I can safely say that Melinda had an enjoyable time as well.  We shopped, went to interesting "places to visit," shopped, ate at cool restaurants, shopped, almost got eaten by some gigantic insects, shopped, snorkeled, shopped, got ridiculously sunburned and shopped.  And although all I have to show for it is an ebony bracelet and blistered thighs, it was bliss.  (OK, contrary to my husband's opinion, I really am not obsessed with shopping.  But.  There's something very satisfying about some hard core girl time and reconnecting with my feminine side in a city full of shops that would make Etsy's head spin.)

2.  My once second-degree sunburned legs are now peeling their second and third layers of skin.  It looks like I have two giant, molting pythons protruding from my hips.

3.  We had the most amazing Thanksgiving dinner.  Louis Pope treated all of us "ex-pats" to a very, very nice meal aboard a dhow.  (Click here, if you have no idea what a dhow is.)  As I was dining on a superbly cooked steak (sorry, guys, I have yet to see turkey meat in Kenya), I felt somewhere between the Mayflower (albeit sans tall hats and shoes with shiny buckles), the Black Pearl and gluttony.  It was an absolutely amazing meal--eating out of seashells and drinking fresh lime juice, all while sailing around Mombasa, all lit up at night.  I am so grateful to Louis for his generosity.  I was also very grateful for the "ad hoc" family around our table:  My husband, Melinda, Dave and Lisa (Louis's brother- and sister-in-law), and Nancy (our roommate of six weeks).  But, I couldn't help but think of all of the people in Kenya who don't even have enough money to buy rice and beans.  We are blessed beyond measure.

4.  Aaron reached the pinnacle of his young-manhood earlier this month.  He was so gently reminded by my mother that this coming year marked the end of all youthfulness, and that he darn well better make the most of it.  We celebrated the day with some mango pancakes, a hair cut, some good GMAT study time and another amazing meal with our new friends Dave and Lisa.  Riveting, I know.  Aaron thought so, too.

5.  We bought a Christmas tree.  We bought it at Nakumatt.  It's two feet tall, and cost $7.

6.  We bought Christmas lights for our tree.  A strand of 200 that cost $4.  They blink: the top half and then the bottom half.  Being the electrician I am, I'm not sure how to fix it.  But.  The intermittent, incandescent glow in the corner of the living room makes my concrete and tile apartment feel a little more like home this Christmas season. 

7.  Let's just hope I can get more than two home-made snowflakes on the tree before the big day arrives.  My dexterity + complicated snowflake folding (these beauties are six-sided, thank you) + amazingly dull and rusted kitchen scissors = a pathetic pittance of homemade holiday cheer.  If my house wasn't infested with pests, I'd totally go for the stringed popcorn.  But, alas, the ants go marching...

Only 11 more sleeps 'til Christmas!