Creatures in the Fortworth Zoo

Another silent birthday

June 5th

This would have been your 3rd birthday Nziiza.
I bet You thought I would forget.
No!
Not so soon, I miss you, I miss you lots.
Feels like you left just yesterday.

I look at your dad and your resemblance hits me smirk in the face.
Mich constantly wishes he had a brother.
You two would have made a great team - interjected with countless fights but good all the same.

Shall thoughts of you ever cease? I don’t think so.
A mother can not forget the child she has borne.


Yup! Still have the cute cream box with your wee possessions;- finger prints, foot prints, photos, receiving blanket and hoods – you sure gathered quite a bit for the hour or so that you were here.
I can’t help wondering what you would be doing now, I mean apart from pestering your big brother. But I’m glad to know you are with Jesus and if I keep the faith I will definitely see you again.

Love you

Mom

Summer time

Summer is upon us. Not sure whether to be elated or depressed.
It’s a fun time for the kids to go swimming and splashing, biking and hiking, rolling and strolling and making big messes.
It’s a great time to go on vacation, to visit sights you’ve been saving up for (credit crunch with standing). It’s time for family and fun, beaches and searches, laughing and basking in the sun's beautiful rays.
That is all good.

But when the girls decide - “Oh! It’s so hot, I could take off my skin”, I shudder.
They walk around skimpily dressed “look mom – arms, look mom – legs, look mom – kundishow, look mom – back show”, all over a sudden skin is out there like a problem. And it is a problem - guys are drooling, tripping, whistling, gazing and all that stuff. I once read a report that said men are more unfaithful to their partners in the summer, hmmm! wonder why?!.
In the winter you barely see skin, in the summer it’s a whole lot of revenge – the starved eat to their fill.
Ever seen a guy moving a round in briefs? It’s near impossible to see guys strictly in shorts – except at the pool, but the ladies?! - every where.

Ok, so it gets hot in Africa but kama mbaya mbaya, suits and coats are the order of the day; and ladies (for the most part) remain covered. Maybe African women don’t have the freedom - they are trapped in culture’s claws.
Could the heat over here be one to recon with? the Sun gets more furious when he looks in our direction?
Hmmm! Maybe that is why cancers are at an all time high over here – too much exposure.

Anyway, I’m told it’s called “my rights”, “if it feels good - do it”
I don’t know.
What ever happened to decency? And please don’t play my mind with “it depends on what the meaning of decency is”.
Oh well! I’ll lead my life and live what I believe. I don't need to take my clothes off for people to acknowledge I look good.

7 Salsas - Honey moon

This February I received a letter inviting me to a check out a restaurant called 7 Salsas.
The Letter.

Too good to be true right?! I was amazed by Robert’s business sense.

Would any restaurant owner in Uganda ever consider doing this?
All he asked was for us to give him a try.

When our anniversary swung around, we took Robert up on his offer - (I know, it’s like 4 months later but you know how life is).
There was a young lady/girl looking all cute and pretty at the door, she welcomed us with a smile and ushered us to cozy seats at the balcony. It was a nice cool evening and people were just beginning to trickle in for dinner.

A waiter immediately came over with chips and a spicy warm salsa dip – mmm good!
As we munched and engaged in small talk, the manager made his way to our table; He welcomed us again and offered two margaritas on the house – sweet!!
Sam ordered a Cha-cha Chimichanga (A giant flour tortilla stuffed with rice and either chicken or beef. Topped with chile con queso, served with guacamole and sour cream) and I requested a Fish Taco (2 crispy tacos filled with tilapia, cabbage and chipotle avocado dressing, served with veggies and rice).
The food was delivered faster than I could say “happy anniversary”. After our first bites the manager was back to find out if we liked it – “oh yeah! This is great stuff”.
Two bites later (ok as if), the waiter came to check if we needed anything, - “thanks, we are doing just fine”.

Meanwhile the margarita was getting to my head - I was already beginning to smile and my cheeks were hot hot; (that’s about the closest I get to alcohol, with a little wine now and then).
Mexican food is tasty! The fresh spices felt like party poppers going off on my tongue (I mean that in a totally good way) - I loved the way all my senses came alive.

We ate to our fill with the waiter and manager checking on us every 3 minutes.
I forgot about desert – but as you know, with desert you NEVER fail to find space, especially when it’s on the house.
Because our waiter had a thick Mexican accent I didn’t quite register the name of my desert, all I knew was – he recommended it and boy! Did it taste heavenly – toffee, coffee, caramel ish. Sam had fried ice cream which was as heaped as a plate of posho served in the village.
No, it didn’t taste like posho, it just looked like it.



This is TX after all and as they say “everything is big in Texas”.
It tasted great with rumors of cinnamon flavor all over the place.
By the end we were near groaning like Didi after his frantic search for the diamond filled jam jar.
Now obviously we couldn't’t leave without giving our ratings on the service, food and ambiance – that was part of the package after all. We told them everything was superb - just tone down on the thick Mexican accents (unedited version).
The margarita had really done its thing, so I stood up very slowly, held on to the chairs as I walked out – with a big smile of course, but I couldn't’t wait to get to the car so I could sit again.

7 salsas was the bomb!

How does it get the name? well, this picture says it all. They serve their dishes with the regular 6 salsas but the 7th, the one in the white dish is custom made in his kitchen. The 7th Salsa ... or something like that.

June Bride

"Oh, they say when you marry in June,
You're a bride all your life.
And the bridegroom who marries in June
Gets a sweetheart for a wife".

Yeeey! It's 8 years today since Sam and I made the oath "to have and to hold" .
For better for worse - yup
For richer for poorer - that too
In sickness and in health - we came through

I'm always delighted when the month of June rolls around. It's not only a mark that the year is almost half way done but birthdays and anniversaries are here. Sam and I couldn't have gotten married or been born in a better month.

Our love grows And on Christ the Solid Rock we stand.

There is so much to say and yet this time I'm sort of speechless. But I thank God for His presence in our lives, the gift of Mich and the way He watches over our marriage.

I give God the glory!