Time.

top: 2011 friends from high school,

bottom: 2001 same friends in high school.

There is so much I want to share

Things I think about as I go through my day,

Funny, deep, whimsical and at times hot air

All are meant to share, if only I had my way

Can you come so I can share them with you?

Time is passing, the memories grow longer

The past will be like a flip-book to just glance through

Nevertheless the want and need grows stronger

Come today, or come tomorrow

I'm longing to share the days, minutes and to fully live

Take note; time is not ours to borrow

It is ours to share and ours to give

I'll wait awhile longer.

I'll wait till we can catch up on stories

I'll wait till my heart is stronger . . .

Oh, for Pete's sake, just get here already.

The official address

One of the things we got accomplished last week was opening our very own Small Steps for Compassion PO Box!

This was a great accomplishment that makes me feel things are moving along nicely :o)

So folks, here it is. The official address:

Small Steps For Compassion

PO Box 509

Usa River, Tanzania

The first person to have a letter arrive in our PO Box gets a prize from Tanzania!

Mail away!!!

My very own Atelerix Albiventris

Guess what lives in my yard!?

If you said a four-toed hedgehog or Atelerix Albiventris than you are correct! Gabriel brought this little guy to me Saturday night and I was in love :) Look how cute! I did all sorts of research online about these little guys and have learned a lot about the exotic pet world of hedgehogs.

I was planning on keeping him in a cage in the house, but decided until I can actually get a proper functioning cage I'll let him live in the garden where he can eat bugs to his hearts content. But I've got plans for him don't you worry!

I learned all sorts of interesting facts. (thank you wikipedia)

For example, did you know that hedgehogs have a tendency to be obese? They normally cover lots of ground in the night looking for bugs so keeping them in a tiny box is cruel and can make them fat.

They are also illegal in several states (CA, Hawaii included) and you must have a license to own it in other states.

The best fact that I learned is that they show hedgehogs! Can you imagine? I've decided that after I get my cage built I'll start training him and then I'll be able to show him in the states and win lots of money, breed him and get a million blue ribbons for my nameless hedgehog.

Which leads me to my last problem. He doesn't have a name. I've gotten some suggestions but I would love your opinion on them.

Sonic the Wild Hedgehog

Carseat 2 Electric Bugaloo the Hedgehog

Rufio

Pickles

Chimney

Needles

So add one of your own or vote on one already out.

Karibu February

The month of January has flown by.

A quick run down of the last 4 weeks:

I welcomed in the new year alone and recovering from Malaria. Got 'better' than started training again for my 1/2 marathon. After 3 days of running I got sick, again. By the time I actually got better the Board of Directors for Make It Count and Small Steps for Compassion were here along with Ron, who has teamed up with us and who works with Orphans Heart!

Needless to say, last week was very busy. There were meetings, town trips to buy everything for a new kitchen, cushions for the living room, the house cleaned and by cleaned I mean SCRUBBED! (The floor apparently wasn't supposed to be dark brown, like I had thought it was but actually a light brown color.) As soon as I finish putting everything away in its new home I'll take pictures for you.

I've got lots of things to catch up on now that the group has left. Everything from blogging (this is for you Tanya :) to finishing up purchases in town to making sure our water is running by the 17th of Feb!

I hope the next few months are just as fast as this last one. Because in April I'm dashing back to the states for a wedding and visit to the Sierras to see my Camp Wawona family.

Here we go again.

So, just when I thought the coast was clear I'm down for the count again. I guess the medicine they gave me just around 2 weeks ago wasn't strong enough and here I am again with malaria.

This is awful. I am a tiny bit miserable, actually I feel quite miserable. Feel free to send me get well cards. It's like getting the flu twice in less than 2 weeks. I'm hot, my body hurts, my head hurts, I have a headache and I feel like I got run over by a daladala.

At least I know that one week from today the board of directors will be here and it will be like Christmas. It's the light at the end of my very long tunnel.

New Years Resolution; 2012

My New Years resolutions are as follows:

To bake cookies at least once a month.

To run a half marathon again.

To get all the kids in the surrounding neighborhoods to call me by my name instead of mzungu.

To buy flowers for my house once a month.

I was inspired by the success of last years resolutions. What a great year. Good job 2011.

Mission Accomplished

"The parakeet has flown the coop, repeat, the parakeet has flown the coop."

I have busted the packages out of Post Office Jail. And yes it’s plural. They all three came, the modest package, the Christmas package and the dream list package. I have learned a lot about the mail system and will be putting together a protocol for mailing packages here that will keep things simple and affordable for all parties involved.

After waiting at the ‘jail’ to bust them out for about 30 min I had to carry them back to the daladala (local bus) and then get back to Usa River (about 1 hour in route) then I had to wait for the next daladala to fill up so I could take it to the stop closest to my house (15 min walk). But I looked as happy as a kid at Christmas time, because in fact that’s what I am. I didn’t even mind that I had to carry the 8kg (about 17 lbs) packages really far. Because the whole time I was filled with anticipation and a big goofy grin.

Now I’m off to open them and delight in each tiny thing.

*Don't worry about me and my anticipation, I still am waiting for that package with the little heart cutouts. I'll let you know when it gets here.