Birthday Treats

Lalibela Special

 

Hello bloggies,

Well, was a fairly quiet week all being told. Tuesday, Cathryn and I sat up on the porch drinking Black Bush until some silly hour and blathering away. Discovered a luxurious position on the porch, with a fluffy pillow beneath our heads, lying back with our feet up against the polls, trying to convince the ants to form a miraculous moving carpet to take us to Stella.

On Thursday, it was Emmanuelle’s birthday (Rose's daughter). She turned four and I went over after work with chocolate, balloons and presents. Was lovely. Unfortunately, en route I had a wee accident. I was wearing a slightly restrictive skirt and the back of the moto was rather high. I didn't hitch the skirt up far enough before trying to swing my leg over, and accidentally brushed the inside of my leg against the moto exhaust, resulting in the strong smell of burned flesh and the loss of several layers of skin.

Was doing fine until this morning, when I caught the blister on my towel after showering. It hadn't hurt at all after the first day but now it's stinging like a b**** ;o/

Wrapped it up in Savlon and wound dressing, so sure it'll be fine.

Friday was also my 28th birthday. However, technically, I was born at 11pm GMT, and 11pm GMT is 1am here - so I guess I was born on the 21st this year. Two birthdays, like the Queen ;)

Woke in the morning to Cathryn making me toast in the frying pan. She bought me a lovely little necklace and a bottle of very nice wine.

Went to a Disability meeting at VSO, which was supposed to last two hours but over-ran by an hour. We now have 11 Disability volunteers, there were about five when I arrived. Lot of people.

I had a very proud moment where I displayed the first draft copy of the AKR dictionary. Huge applause and happiness, however Safari did not make all the corrections I gave him. It's still listed as a 'Flying Pan' ;o/  So, for the third time, I will make the exact same changes yet again and submit them before the final print run. Beyond that, it is out of my hands. It does look dead impressive though, and I shared around a tube of Minstrels in celebration :)

I left on time as Jeff from Kibungo was in town and I had to go find him. Once the meeting finished, Antonia and Martine joined Jeff, myself, and Cathryn at the house to drink the wine and chat before we headed over to Stella. Martine bought me a pen and mascara, which was really kind, and Jeff & Addison (who wasn't there) bought me a big bottle of Indian whisky! Felt very spoiled.

At Stella, we had a round of drinks and Rose and her friend Patience joined us, then we mozied on over to Lalibela Ethiopian restaurant near Amahoro Stadium for food, where Steve, Nidhi, Hirut, Giudi, Maxime, Anja and Jeff's friend Christina joined us. The food was extremely yummy: mélange of Ethiopian dishes on injera bread, which you eat with your hands. Met the owner too, who is a really lovely guy and gave us a complimentary coffee at the end, done in the traditional way where they waft the roasting beans across the table like incense.

From there, we moved the gathering back down the road to High Noon. It was a lovely atmosphere and we all sat talking until about midnight, when people headed home and Cathryn, Hirut, Jeff, Rose, Patience and myself adjourned back to the house for whisky.

It was an absolutely lovely birthday. Last year was excellent too, went to SoleLuna for it, but most of the people from then: Sue & Eric, Jo & Pierre, have all gone, so this year I just wanted to invite a select group of close friends - keep it relaxed.

Jeff stayed the night and Cathryn and I bunked in together again. I headed to bed about half-one, shattered, and Cathryn and Jeff stayed up chatting 'til three. The next night was a role reversal and Cathryn, Jeff and I went to SoleLuna for pizza, then to a brand new bar that's opened just over the road. It's a nice relaxed place, small but intimate. We stayed drinking and chatting for ages, then came back for more drinks and music. Cathryn headed to bed and Jeff and I were up until 4:45 chatting!

Collapsed into bed. He headed off this morning, but it was a really chilled-out weekend. I was supposed to go to Gikongoro for a friend's housewarming on Saturday but just didn't make it that far. Was going to travel down with Tiga, but she dropped off the planet lol Glad I stayed though, I was soooo tired and it was such a nice weekend.

Currently sitting waiting for the landlady to come. Apparently she's bringing two men to look at what needs repairing in the house for the new tenant. Slightly annoying as that's why I'm moving out a week before the end of next month - so she can do all this. But I said 'no problem'. Only, she said she'd be here at 2pm and it's now ten-past. Cathryn and I are hungry and want to go get food ;o/

We'll stay until patience wears thin and the hunger gets too much.

Also, got a bit of a sore throat from overdoing it I think. Worried it may be tonsillitis beginning. Nooooo! Not after last time. Hoping it's just a temporary glitch and not the start of anything worse.

Twenty-past now, still no landlady. Bloomin' typical, but what can you do eh?

Food hoy!

(She arrived two minutes later with another woman, walked to the back of the garden and left again...? Ahwell, beyond caring.)