Surprise!

4 June, 2004

 

Dear Friends and Family,

 

We've been writing a lot lately about how difficult things are here or how frustrated we are so I thought I'd write a little about the day I had yesterday.

 

Yesterday was my birthday.  It was my 44th, not a big or special birthday, just a birthday.  Rob is in Mwanza in western Tanzania for "Milk Week."  He left on Monday, so it's just been me and the kids and the dog and the cats and the gardeners and the guards, but thankfully, no fundis.  At 3 in the morning, the power went out.  It's not really a big deal at that time of night, except that the UPS for the computer started beeping, and I had to get up to turn it off.   I thought we were in great shape, as the day before we had purchased a new battery for the car, and put the one we had "borrowed" from the generator back into the generator.  I even tested the generator with the night guard and said that if the power went out, we'd be in business.  The generator is outside of the house, and the switch to route the electricity through it is inside the house (don't ask why, it just is).  That means that we have to go out to turn the generator on, and then come in to switch the switch.  I don't need the electricity at night, but the guard does as the whole yard is lit up at all times so he can see the bad guys if they decide to come in, that is if he's awake (why we also use the alarm.)   Remember, it's 3 AM, and I'm in my nightie.  I was heading for the generator, but stopped as I heard the night guard coming and thought he'd start it up.  When I looked through the window, however, it didn't look like my night guard, so I was a little unnerved.  Then, whoever he was, walked right by the generator and didn't turn it on!  Since I didn't need the electricity, I just decided to go back to bed.  The electricity came on about 20 minutes later. 

 

When I did get up, at 5:40, and went to take a shower, I got all wet, but not soapy, and then ran out of water.  Typical.  The kids got up and I got a couple of cards and was sung to a time or two.  Then I took them to school.  My friend Ingrid, from South Africa, had asked me to breakfast, thinking that we had to do something to celebrate.  We went to the Holiday Inn (yep, there's really one here!) and had a nice, relaxing meal.   The 5th grade was having a sports day, and Ingrid also has a 5th grader.  We decided that we should probably go and cheer on our kids.  Austin had his sports day the day before, so he got to "help" at the 5th grade sports day.  Ingrid had her camera, I did not.  We spent the morning watching the kids throw balls, slide on mats with wet sponges, kick goals, shoot baskets, dance, and otherwise to anything but academics.

 

After the sports day, there was a big African Crafts Fair called "Tanz Hands".  Ingrid is my shopping buddy.  We had planned to go, but first I had to zip home and get Austin's bathing suit and towel, which he had forgotten in the morning, and run them back to school so he could swim.  I met Ingrid at the fair, and we went through every single stall and looked at, handled, and critiqued all of the offerings.  We didn't buy much.  We do a lot of looking, and a fair amount of buying, so we're getting picky about what we buy.  Everyone was there.  This fair is organized by volunteers who, according to the leaflet "believe in the handicraft products of Tanzania and who wish to support the craftspeople behind them."   I think Rob thinks I'm supporting some craftspeople all on my own.  Anyway, as I said, we're getting picky, so we didn't buy much.  I bumped into another friend, Judy, and she asked us to come and give her a second opinion on some jewelry she had seen, and that she was thinking of purchasing as a gift.  I loved it, Ingrid was a little less effusive, but I really sold Judy on the piece.  Great color, great design, liked the earrings, the style and the uniqueness of the beads.  I told her to buy them for herself, and get something else for the gift.

 

After that we all went home and did our usual afternoon kid runs.  Ingrid had said that she had one thing she wanted to do with me later on, and said I'd have to leave the kids for an hour or so.  Madie had told me that she had a friend coming over to help her with an art project.  I decided that we were going to go out to dinner.  Madie had started thawing some chicken, saying that she was going to cook dinner for me.  I told her that although I appreciated the offer, we were still going out, as I would have to do the dishes even if she cooked.  Also, I was protesting about leaving them at home, especially with Madie's friend in the house, which is against our rules.  She looked at me and said "How can I have a surprise party for you if you don't cooperate!?"  Imagine!

 

Madie is 12 3/4.  She organized and executed a surprise dinner party for me for my birthday.  Days earlier she had called Judy and invited her and her husband, she e-mailed Ingrid and invited their family and asked Ingrid to get me out of the house.  She cooked fried chicken, pasta, and corn for 10 people all by herself.  She cleaned the house and set the table.  She made and decorated a birthday cake.  She did it all, with only a little help from her friend and the 6th grader that lives next door!  (My boys spent their time in front of the TV - which was probably the best help she could ask for.)  The food was good, the company was good.  It was great!   How about that?  The first party that my daughter planned and executed was a dinner party for 10 at age 12!  I think the first one I ever did was in my second year of college!  And it certainly wasn't for 10 people.   Also, we're entering that time when eye rolling is epidemic and even when I look at her in public it is embarrassing (for her, not me).  We have battles about the mess she leaves all over the house, and she can hardly even speak a civil word to her brothers.  I thought we were starting the "Teens" early.    My friends were so impressed.  They ordered similar functions for their birthdays and Madie is all booked up for the next few months.  The fried chicken recipe is her own, one she made up a few months ago based on her cookbook and what she learned watching cooking shows.  It's very good.  I have been bragging all over town about my birthday party.  All the other moms are envious, and a few have asked if she'll teach their daughters how to be so thoughtful. 

 

While I'm bragging about her, I'll tell you another thing she did that amazed me.  The school had a Biathlon.  It was a 250 meter swim and a 4 Kilometer run.  They could participate as individuals or as part of a team.  Madie teamed up with her friend Missy, and did the running part of the race.  It was a staggered start, each 20 seconds a swimmer would start.  Missy did a great job swimming, passing a couple of the kids that started in front of her.  When Missy finished, she had to tag Madie, who then took off running.  Most of the run was on the beach, away from the school, so all we could do was wait.  As runners started trickling in, we were amazed to see Madie come in before a few other runners who had gone before.  Madie and Missy came in third of all the 7th grade girls who participated.  How about that!  She got a medal and a certificate and a picture in the yearbook. 

 

Today I took some pictures of Madie playing soccer for the school.  She was of course mortified that I would even think of taking her picture - especially when her friends were watching.  I took one of the entire team.  I posted it on the website (http://nooter.textamerica.com/).  She's the one standing in the middle, 6th from the left.  (Missy is the one lying in front.)  I don't care if she is embarrassed, I'm very proud of her, and it was a perfect surprise party.

 

That's it for now from Tanzania.  Maybe Rob has some stories about "Milk Week."

 

By the way, Judy gave the jewelry to me.  I love it. 

 

Barb