Shopping in the Rain

On Saturday, I went to the Christmas Craft Fair in Nairobi. Now, at home in Saskatchewan, when someone mentioned “Christmas Crafts”, I would think of things like wheatweaving or quilting or the types of things that Menno Industries sells. The Nairobi Christmas Craft Fair has things like hand-blown glass ornaments, carved wooden jewellery boxes, fancy and expensive jewellery or cushion covers. I went last year, too, and it is fun to look at all the stuff, but impossible to buy much, since it’s ridiculously expensive. The fair is at the horse track, and each of the 134 vendors sets up under a little white tent. Usually, December weather is hot and clear. This year, however, we have had tons of rain, and the weather changes quickly from oppressively hot and humid to cold and raining. When we arrived at the race track, it was raining. We huddled under the umbrellas of those smart enough to bring them (I was not one of the smart ones) and gingerly stepped our way through the puddles to get into the fair. Once under a tent, one could zip between them and only get slightly wet each time. Even so, it was not optimal shopping weather, and by the time I was through, my jeans were a good six inches deep in red mud, and there were red splotches all the way up to my thighs. It was fun, anyway, and I bought some really good cream cheese dip (for only 150 /=, which is about $2.50) and a bean bag foot rest that I really like (for 1500/=, so around $25). I didn’t buy any Christmas gifts. I still don’t know what I’m getting anybody. It’s hard to shop in Kenya.

Yesterday, I hid out in my house all day. I have been planning for some time now to have a few days in a row of solitude. Saturday was supposed to be my first day, but when I was invited to the craft fair, I postponed until yesterday. It was heavenly. I stayed in my pyjamas all day, and kept my security door closed (so that most people would think I wasn’t home). I read, slept, watched DVDs, and did crossword puzzles all day long. Today I had to get dressed because it’s one of the only days this week that the business office and library are open and I needed to get some cash and some new books. So I’ve been there and done that and now I can have solitude again until 5 p.m. when the math department is having a pizza party. Tomorrow will be another day of solitude and maybe Wednesday, too, and then it will be time to get something accomplished, I suppose. Also, my housemate will be returning from the coast at some point, and that will effectively put an end to my wonderful reclusiveness.

So far the only people I’ve invited to view this blog are my two sisters. Maybe I should finish up the “About Me” stuff and whatever and invite a few more people. Otherwise, it seems a little silly to publish this as a post instead of just emailing it to Joanne and Sheryl. Oh well, I’m still not quite secure enough yet.