Oh Vista!

You can have an item for so long that it literally becomes a member of the family!!

Today we sold the Vista...been more than 8 years with us (my sis kept saying SELL IT, SELL IT!!!)

So, we found a buyer and gave it up - turns out the guy also had a vista and loved it, but it rolled, so he was looking for the exact same car as a replacement, luck was on our side, since he knew a guy, who knew a guy, who knew a mechanic, who knew my bro, who....anyways, we go connected and exchanged vista for mulla... :( :) :( :) :)

Been trying to sell it since January but no luck - and the way they say Toyota is easy to sell!! Maybe we didnt try hard enough???

Anyways, I remember when we got her (its a girl, tihihihi)

It was in late 2007 and we needed a more spacious car....so off  I went to the Ngong road to check out the many car bazaars.....the first one i went into....was right opposite the matatu stage and I guess the salesman saw me walking in and i kid you not, gave me a once over, and basically paid little attention to me...and the way I was a serious buyer.....pana dharau watu jameni.............so I moved on to the next bazaar and an eager very young sales lady showed me around. When i told her i wanted a spacious family car, she told me, eh...let me show you one that came in yesterday...and sure enough it was a Vista....and I was sold!!! I loved it.....me, its about how it looks....engine manenos achia wengine....hehehehehe.

And what do you know, its first major mission in January 2008 was to ferry an expectant mother to hospital to get baby!! Imagine that :)

Goodbye Vista, hope you make some other people happy!!

PS This happened so fast, didnt remember to tell the kids....when I mentioned it, they said....woiyeee we didnt get a chance to say Goodbye!!!!

Maternity leave(s)

So this week is World Breastfeeding week (1-7 Aug)

I have had the honour of having 3 maternity leaves...each one very different....

For my first one in 2006 I only had 60 days and no more...and anyways a very very major report was due end of the month that I was expected back so could not even think of extending the leave....I was  not too sure about how to breastfeed....and assumption was that this was natural....well it wasnt for me....and I struggled with a hungry baby until we got the grip of how best to do it....Once that was in the bag, back to full relaxation mode! This break was my introduction to the world of DVD series...I used to watch TV a lot...but then someone gave me the House series and I was hooked!! waaaaa.....so long as baby was awake, I was seated in front of TV watching that series!! The house was very quiet most of the time....since it was just one housegal and me most of the time....60 days passed in a flash!! and before i knew it was back to work and consumed by the usual race. The first kid receives a lot of visitors!! I came to appreciate not extending a visit when you go see a new mother, not insisting on holding baby for long hours, NOT going near baby if you have a cold among other do's and donts...Meanwhile, I was doing my MBA and completed the course work before baby came; and the supermom in me, thought i would do the research paper during maternity!!! thats a story for another day #thestruggleisreal!!

For first one I didn't even attempt exclusive breastfeeding - boy was so hungry all the time he was on light uji as soon as he was three months old and off Naan by the time he was 9 months! Thankfully he enjoyed his milk so much that he used to drink 3 packets in a day!! All this ended when he joined preschool :(

Second one was during the month of December and was much easier to feed her...maybe its true about girls....but I didnt feel like a cow with her...hehehehehe...For this one, the holidays were around the corner and so by the time baby was barely 3 weeks old, the holidays had set in and so she was already making visits since Christmas time comes with a lot of visits to people...For second baby, I had 2 girls helping me with work and my sister in law was staying with us. So house was full at that time and I had company so I barely noticed the free time I had in between...this was 90 days and by the third month I was truly ready to get back to work.

I tried this exclusive thing since my friend also had a baby and really encouraged me to do it....I was on a roll till one day, I came home and found baby being given milk...on testing it, it was cold...the milk had hardly thawed from fridge and she was being given....ehh...I said, better to have warm naan milk than cold breastmilk!!!

I did one visit to Garissa when she was five months and when I came back, she looked at me like I was crazy when I offered to breastfeed her :)

Third one was during October and this I must say is a perfect time to be on maternity since by December, all have adjusted and you return to work mid January when the rush is over! The leave was uneventful...I had gotten the grips of taking care of a small baby so things were smooth...baby was not such a hungry one so even breastfeeding was a breeze. I didn't even bother with exclusive since the milk was kidogo and trying to pump it just left me a frustrated Mum!!

By this time I had a handy laptop and a good supply of movies and series. I stationed laptop near bed, and soon as baby woke up, I fed him while watching a movie/series...and once he was asleep, i pause it and sleep too!

Now there is talk of 6 months maternity leave so as to ensure babies are breastfed exclusively - whereas I support this 150%, wonder if private sector will be for this!! My own take is that better to have options where possible eg creches at work (Safaricom does it, dont they??)...working from home arrangements....flexihours....since baby doesnt feed whole day every time....and also Mummy needs a break!!!!....and truth be told, work can be a VERY welcome break....so a win-win for everyone!

http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org/

Schools Out!!

Today many schools are closing for the holidays

My kids are over the moon….the instructions are that there is gonna be a party so please dress your child up in party clothes! This we dutifully did …complete with coloured nails for effect…tihihihi

Flashback to my own closing day in primary boarding school….undoubtedly this was my BEST day in school. I did not mind all the hard work washing and scrubbing the desks..chairs…classrooms, and dormitories…the image of all things hanging out to dry is still so vivid in my mind…..the idea was so that we leave them clean before we take the break! I wondered why we just didn’t do this when we opened so that we don’t get dusty desks and rooms??

Next event was to confirm that we (my sis and i) are on the list for those heading out by train to Nairobi…aii glorious days!! I looked forward to this day from the moment I entered the gates for a new term (clearly I didn’t like the school much)….but that was life, and I had been dealt with this primary school so I had to deal with it

 

Times have changed for sure!

Going back in time...

St Michaels Church, Langata

I find myself in Langata at 4pm with my sis....so mmmm, why not visit our old church St Michaels?? Good idea!!!!…so off we go

Challenge is, there are so many buildings that have mushroomed here until we are not sure of the route anymore. After getting to deadends, we finally decide to drive through Ngei estate via Otiende, and it all starts coming back to me. I wonder how we walked all the way to this church….its seems far away from where  we lived…..my sis reckons that since that was the only option we had, we had to get to it! As we drive slowly through Ngei, she points at a house where her friend stayed and she says maybe her folks still stay there – and what do you know, a lady at the gate with a head full of silver/white hair is looking at something across the road, and my sis say, alar, that’s her mum!!

The church looks pretty much the same! We say a prayer inside and take a walk around it….not too big. The guards must be wondering, eh, and what do these women want on this odd Thursday afternoon?? One guy actually follows us into the church…can never be too sure these days, cant blame him. There is a secondary school next to the church…doesn’t look familiar….

We take some photos

 

I recall a Priest who used to take us to Safari Park hotel (before it was renovated) for swimming on Saturdays or was in Sundays?? Not sure anymore….goodness, that was YEARS ago!! The mama who used to sing loudly and off key? i probably am that Mama now!! hehehehehe

My sis recalls singing in the choir and that she is still in touch with some friends from the choir, wow

Very major #TBT for us!!!!

Prayer to St Michael, the Arch Angel

Holy Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle.

Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;

and do you, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.

 God bless St Michael’s parish, Amen!

 

 

Me Time

9pm

House is silent…I have battled with the kids to go to bed…please Mum, one more story….Mum...I need some water….Mum…my leg is paining…oh the excuses! The list is endless…good thing, they really go off like a light…after all the resistance and I get them into their beds, 5min later, am back to the seating room for some me time!!

 

Shhhh

The house is silent

I can watch news…but with the constant updates on social media I feel I have the necessary highlights. And anyways the analysis and counter analysis on matters politics is not something I want to consume during my me time!!

So maybe some Nigeria movie…I have come to like to the ones that are in a rural setting….and as I flip through the channels,  I catch one….that is just starting….lucky me! Oh and Genevivie Nnaji herself has the lead role…this should be interesting…I read old newspapers  as I watch the movie….it’s got an interesting plot…

2am….part IV of the movie is about to start – eh these guys can stretch a movie….this definitely is not good for me…I will be a zombie next day… I pull myself from the chair, consoling myself that a repeat will be on TV anytime soon! So much for me time….now am truly exhausted and sleepy!

Comedy Nite!

So the other day my sister was in town and we thought, mmmm long time since we watched Churchill Live, so why not….off we trooped to Carnivore for a good laugh

We laughed alright….the new acts were funny…..and we laughed hard!!

BUT what was disturbing was the way in which MC Jessy ‘enjoyed’ the visiting South African musician. And she even sensed it and kept saying that I don’t believe what you are telling me! That was in bad taste! I was embarrassed to even watch it unfold…..waaaaaaaaaaaaa…… The audience was laughing at her!!! Adding salt to injury, he made very inappropriate comments to a lady clad in a hijab, it was uncalled for and utterly immature of him!! I was so annoyed!!! Eish!!! 

Other than that very strange episode I came to a REALISATION! I have outgrown these ‘tribal’ stereotypical jokes. They can’t even get a smile from me!! I know it takes a lot to prepare to  entertain people and I can only imagine what it takes to prepare for Thursday comedy…and I also know  that our wonderful cultural differences make for rich fodder/ material for comedy..... but it’s no longer for me! I need a different brand of comedy!!

SO I enjoyed the ones for situations like the one beautifully crafted by MCA Tricky…regarding visit to Parliament! That was hilarious and of course the young man with his string instrument and eerily seems like its talking!! Talent, raw and refreshing

 

 Cheers to laughter always, its indeed the best dawa!

Last possible minute....

Am not a last minute person

I try and prepare in advance and leave the surprises for the last minute

If I have a flight, especially one that is early morning, believe you me, I will pack everything the night before and be ready to go before I sleep. I will check in online! I will set my alarm to an appropriate time....

Now now now....when they say opposites attract, I think we (S and I ) are a classic example

Yaani, S has a very early morning flight and we all wake up at 3 am to do the packing, iron some shirts, look for safety boots, and where is that novel he was to read....have you seen the power bank?? what about the charger??!! exhausting to be frantic so early in the morning....much as I have tried, I cant change this in him. Best i can do is assume what he will carry and keep them within range so he confirms which ones he will take this time round...& I set the alarm .....

and when all this is done off we dash to the airport barely making it...him reassuring me....ahh we are on time!.....and no, we didnt check in online!!!!!!!

Lesson learnt, you cant change someone....so dont get hot and bothered about it, just roll with the flow (while biting fingernails)... :)