In Tanzania…
picking up children from school in full pirate garb
never hitting the gate into the agriculture college (and for the first time ever being dubbed "the best driver")
being reunited with Pamoja and everyone connected with it
being reunited with Khan's chicken and Stoney Tangawizi
getting really sick for one day
In the Dubai airport…
meeting Sam Childers at Pinkberry (the real main man behind the movie Machine Gun Preacher and book Another Man's War)
In New Zealand…
going to motocross (and seeing the 16 yr old Adam take a serious crash)
going to the hospital to visit Sam (the 10 yr old) after surgery
going on a ride to the coastal town of Tauranga on the back of my dream Harley (a red/black nightster)
going on a ride to the lake town of Taupo on the back of a Honda CVR crotch rocket…going fast
learning to milk cows (being seriously nailed with tails/ and learning the hard way how to dodge whatever comes spewing out)
getting to drive yet again!
having begun to understand the New Zealand accent (with hopes of being able to distinguish between Kiwis and Aussies!)
Ian's around here in New Zealand somewhere and I hear from him a couple times a week. He says he's doing well. It sounds like he's had some physically and mentally tough situations to deal with but he's manned up and I think he'll come home a different guy- in the best way possible. I'm hoping he'll be over his fear of spiders and other creepy crawlies and then some.
This may be shallow, or normal, but I would love to have some new clothes that go beyond t-shirts. I went through my closet right before I left and really downsized with a little help from my mom who took the clothes away. My entire wardrobe for the last five and a half months fits into a backpack and 70% of the clothes have been stitched up. I have a feeling I'll never need to do laundry again since at this point I only do it when I've worn every item at least three times. Somehow, I've lost ⅔ of my underwear supply and have vowed to upgrade from Walmart value packs to something a little classier. When you're at the bottom, the only way to go is up.
True story: One day in Tanzania, Tasha, the four year old previously and aptly known as "trucker princess", asked what colour underwear I had on (she'd already shared of course) and not wanting to lie I said I was going commando. Of course, that meant a little explaining and she ran home and secretly did likewise to her complete and utter delight. A few nights later, her Auntie Kim came over and explained in town that day when she was helping Tash in the bathroom she was shocked to find the girl had no chupees on and asked her what happened to them. "I'm going commanding!" Tasha replied with glee. I confessed to introducing her to it.
I also realized I need some skills. Like cooking, you know, universal ones besides cleaning the kitchen, dishes, vacuuming and disappearing when laundry or weeding needs to be done.
New music to love:
Gotye, Somebody That I Used to Know video with the paint (and Walk Off the Earth's rendition on one guitar)
Lana Del Rey, Video Games
Bruno Mars' album Doo Wops & Hooligans
Pomplamoose, Bust Your Knee Caps
Sara Bareilles, Gonna Get Over You
Just a little taste of Pomplamoose;
Johnny don't leave me, you said you'd love me forever/ Honey, believe me, I'll have your heart on a platter/
Might you recall, we've got a small family business and the family won't like this/
They'll bust your knee caps, oooo wop dee doo, wop dee doo/
Johnny there's still time, together I know, we'd go so far/
I'll call Uncle Rocco, to call off the guys with their crowbars/
You call it crime, we call it smart family business…
What's not to love about all I've been doing lately?
Well, actually, I keep finding lice eggs in my hair and yesterday woke up with 25 new insect bites- all on one leg. The best places for internet reception is in a field next to cow patties, in the yard with the biting ants, and at night by the door holding the laptop with one arm above my head and typing with the other. The days of fast, free, accessible wifi (do I hear Wegmans?) seem like something I made up in my wild dreams.
Speaking of Wegmans, yesterday Glenn asked if there was anything I missed besides my car and I realized that besides people and my dog, there isn't anything I'd miss anymore. I used to miss Wegmans but I like the challenge of making do with the local grocery. I like life with a little challenge and not having everything at one's fingertips.
Can I tell you it sounds like there's a family tickle fight going on in the other room? I'll take living with a few guys any day over living with women. Be offended. It's the truth.
I sort of have internet in this field today with the biting ants and likely will again. More to come! Internet is too slow now for pictures but I'll try to shrink them down enough to make it work.
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