Dog Alarm

Even if you want to sleep in, you can't!!  In addition to fences, hedges, gates and watchmen for security, most homes have dogs.  The mangy, third-world, of unknown parentage variety.  The Karibuni has three dogs and we are seriously considering some poisoned meat.  If they aren't snarling at each other, they are barking viciously at the neighbor's dogs...who just happened to throw a casual bark through the fence. 

When we arrive at the gate, and the watchmen opens the gate...the dogs run out and off the property.  You have never seen five women beg a man so passionately: "Close the gate!  Close the gate!"  Anything to get rid of those dogs.  Needless to say, we woke to the "dog alarm" today.  Not pleasant.

The big house is coming along beautifully!!  Becki, Jodi, Kylee and Kiara worked wonders on four rooms today.  Talk about cranking it out!  They had a plan...that I believe Becki created at 2:30am in a fit of super sleepless creativity.  The girls are so thrilled...beyond belief.  And you can tell when a girl sees her newly decorated room for the first time...her eyes are just dancing with wonder and excitement.

Dragonflies and Daisies

Clouds and Flowers

Roses (which, by planned coincidence, decorate the walls of Rose's room!)

Planets and Stars

Ankle Update:  Still swollen but improving. After my massage by the doctor on Tuesday, I felt good.  So Wednesday I, of course!!!, overdid it.  This morning, with my first step out of bed, I started to cry and couldn't stop.  As I hobbled to the main house for breakfast, tears attractively streaming down my face, I came across Elvis.  Hmm...Elvis I would best describe as a very handsome house helper.  He cooks, he cleans, he serves meals, he does laundry, he holds babies, he fixes the Wifi, and, as I found out, he gives a very nice foot massage.  

He helped me to a seat on the porch and said, "I am going to give your foot a massage." You know, he had offered earlier to massage my foot.  (As you recall, the doctor suggested I have someone massage my foot morning and night.  But, really...how do you ask someone to massage your foot??)  I massaged my own foot on Tuesday night, Wednesday morning and night...but, you know, when you massage your own foot you really don't make it hurt.  You are sort of gentle on yourself...you never make yourself grimace.  But that is not the case with my friend, Elvis.  After a deep tissue massage, OUCH!, I was on my way.

Unfortunately, the magic touch...even by a guy named Elvis...didn't completely solve my problems.  My ankle is again quite swollen and sore.  I tried to stay off it today, I really did!  But it's hard when 189 kids (approximately...hard to keep track!!) want to talk with you, play with you, hold your hand, help you walk, etc.  But we are setting up for my therapy right now...and I'm hoping for improvement tomorrow!

Tish