details details

Sherri called

KB-your sister called, said she had a question but didn't say what it was. I left in the mailbox.

Found my Curve

Been looking for it for a while and have an idea. That same metal strapping used for the Sundial arms can be used to create the inside curve of the arbor. step by step, simple bolt attachment.

Voila! (that means I have to stick to 4X4 cross members otherwise it will protrude from the linear curve of the inside of posts)

Another design feature will be a curved endpost design. Instead of flat or angled end board, the inside will curve out (so looking from the top you can arc a curve to the center of the patio)

Maybe another arc on the top cross bars to the center?

need to noodle with that a while

Work Resumes.

all posts are now anchored. Will proceed on cross arm tomorrow after concrete sets. Turned into a fairly easy, fun project. May take 6 weekends to build...but, dat's cool. Gives me time to work in more design features and work out some bugs.

another angle.

and now...some moisturizer for my hands. that Qwikrete stuff is tough on skin.

Post 3 and 4

yes...they look a little crooked, but it's just the camera. They are dead on level.

Back in Nairobi

It's been a hectic week. Here are a few pix from my travels - but I am pretty tired and am about ready to fall asleep, so I won't write much now. I will try to catch up soon! Camels, termite mounds and giraffes from Garissa, a muddy road we drove through on the way to Ijara, drinking coconut milk in Kilifi, and me on the beach of the Indian Ocean just outside of Mombasa.

K

Arbor progress

Rain and Snow the last few days. no progress. But Sunday I did get post 3 and 4 anchored into the concrete. Several neighbors stopped by questioning me (some about approvals etc, so I think I might get turned in for working ahead of the final approval)

we'll see. The remaining two post will have to wait for next weekend.
Will post a few pics later.

I dug a hole. It's filling with water.

Your Garden...Oh how it grows

A little bit of the garden. You did this babes. Nicely done.

Americone Dream

THIS is why I love KB! She's awesome.

Left me with a quart of Stephen Colbert's Americone Dream.

Ijara

KB somewhere near the coast....in drought striken Ijara. (mosquitos survive this?)

http://www.fallingrain.com/world/KE/6/Ijara.html

Out of email and tele reach. I'm actually jealous that she gets to go to yet another ocean, the Indian. Most of the coast (according to Google Earth) looks sparsely populated .

She'll be back on line soon. for now...you get my drivel.

And I'm back to digging holes in the back yard.

monday again

Nothing exciting happening here either. I just want to take a nap.

Monday

There were, unfortunately, no exciting events today. I did get my tentative collection schedule planned out for the next few weeks. It should be pretty busy. I leave tomorrow for Garissa to collect in Garissa area where 43% of the RVF cases were diagnosed. Also where the entomology team drove up on a pair of cheetah a few months ago - so I will keep my eyes peeled!!!!! We will be there until Thursday or Friday when we will drive south along the Tana river collecting as we can along the way until we reach the coast. There, we will focus on collecting around Kilifi. We will probably be in that area until Monday, when we will return to Nairobi. After that I will be in Nairobi Monday night and maybe Tuesday night, and then on to collect in Naivashia/Baringo/Gilgil areas, and work my way to Kisumu by Friday, 27 April. Then I'll be with the Richardsons in Kisumu (collecting all the way to the border of Uganda at Busea)until 2 May - then back to Nairobi until 4 May. It will be a lot of work digging up dirt samples unless it rains, but not tooooooo bad, I suppose. I will get to see a lot of countryside!!! No pix today - boring day talking with CDC and KEMRI folks and getting supplies packed and ready to go!

kb

Arbor

The Arbor. FINALLY got it worked out. AND a few more design elements that I won't reveal just yet.

But it's going to look cool. It's going to be cool.

I'm trying some Middle eastern flavors today (that should be on the OTHER blog....I know)

Fish Face

I can't believe I am posting this - but not too many people see it anyway. . . me being stupid in my hotel room!

More Pix

Just a few more!

Pix 15 April, 2007

Here are the pix I promised - too worn out to actually write. . . Most of these have me in them - we were able to get really close to animals today!!! Combination of the David Sheldrick elephant orphanage, the Giraffe Center and the Nairobi Safari Walk. I love the elephant playing with the soccer ball!

Sweetness

Ahh...you da best boo. you guys did a lot, Saturday. What were the highlights??

did you guys actually see crocs?

check this out if you get a chance...
http://http://www.breitbart.com/image.php?id=app-TPE80104120421&show_article=1

We got lost the game last night, because the ref couldn't see my final goal which tied it 4-4. Even the OTHER team said it went in. (I kicked it at goal, the goalie stopped it but lost control and it rolled away from him into the corner post. CLEARLY over the line. Goalie pulls it out and the ref says....play on.) Real nice.

I did score the first goal too on a nice run/ pass from Lisa. not the best shot but it went in. Troy the second (but totally flubbed on a wide open shot later:) ) and Rodney had a beautiful header past the goalie. Really nice shot. Oh yeah...and I scored ON US on a deflection . SO I lost the game for us really.

No one wanted to go out afterwards. (it was Carolyn and David's 7th anniversary too, but she decided she wanted to play as well as go out with David. Hmmm)
oh well.

It's nice again today here. going to monkey around with the arbor design some more. still feels like it needs a few tweaks. One is to make it go higher TOWARDS the apple tree instead of away like I originally had drawn it. keeps it a little more open towards house and will create a nice line up to apple as it gets taller.

tell BD hello and have fun. Be safe.

Sunday. . .

There are only 2 things that could have made this day better, really. One would have been having Bobo by my side instead of my colleague. The other would have been if the driver we hired hadn't scammed us out of extra money at the last minute. In any case, I am trying not to let con men get me down, so really, the only thing I would have given anything for would have been Bobo.

We did the following - which I will write about after dinner:
- Shedrick Elephant orphanage
- Mambo Village (crocs and ostrich)
- Giraffe Village
- Karen Blixon's Garden cafe for coffee
- Nairobi Park Safari Walk

I will also post the most amazing pix. . .

KB

Saturday

And I pretty much did nothing all day.

I remember hearing the Ibis when you called me one morning.

Off to the game soon.

Have a great sunday and keep taking pictures. Love the flower.

p.s. i went to Fairview Inn website. that place is swank!
I'm jealous

Saturday relaxation, right? Well. . . kind of?!? We (BD and I) walked to Uhuru park (see pix of the view of downtown Nairobi from there. Pix here. As always, I am amazed at the vegetation that grows where there is constant summer, and as we were looking up at a beautiful flowering tree, we spotted some ibises roosting on a lamp post. Crazy how animals can adapt to pretty much any environment. The ibis was my alarm clock last year in Naivasha. . .

After the park we walked downtown - I wish I had the guts to take pix in town, but with so many people around, and already standing out like crazy ghosts in a sea of black faces, it is beyond me to feel comfortable doing so. We passed over streets strewn with litter (though there are labeled "litter bins" on every street corner) and crowded with people - many just hanging out. We happened across the Masai market where we were hounded to buy this trinket or that bracelet, "please sister, you are my first customer of the day, I'll make you a good price." I lied and told them that I wasn't buying anything - that BD was, I was just helping her. . . it seemed to work very well - ashia, BD, I WILL use you as a tool if I need to.

After that, we visited with Jason at the Serena hotel - I had the BEST espresso I've had in a long time. Yeeeeuuuummmm. I think I am still a bit jet-lagged and I always have a hard time falling asleep in hotels when Bobo isn't with me, so I was, yet again, pretty lame. Perhaps going to see the giraffes tomorrow at the Giraffe center. I will take plenty of pix so Bobo can't complain. . .

Peace!
KB

Babe!

Glad you made it! I like the gardens. Post more pictures of the surrounding neighborhood. I'd to get a feel of what you are seeing. Take Lots of pictures. I'll piece em together when you get home to tell your story. There should be at least 10-20 pictures from each day.

And you'd better be cheesin' it in a few there sweet-cakes.

I need to see your smile!

PLEASE!

What I REALLY want is an updated picture of you in Africa. I have one in my mind from 10 years ago in Cameroon. 3 years before that in Senegal.

This is you babes. Africa makes you happy. I need a good updated picture of you in Kenya.

PLEASE!
p.s. take 10 photoshoot shots so that I can pick my fav

Arrived

The trip took over 24 hours, but there were no major delays, and all of my luggage arrived safe and sound, so I have no complaints!

This morning greeted me with a sunrise around 6:30 and the sound of birds in the gardens surrounding the oasis that is this hotel in Nairobi. We were picked up at 9 and met with a few people to organize field work for the next few weeks. Lunch was lentils (chengdu?) and chapati with a side of sukumawiki (kale). Very tasty, but my belly is still stuffed - a real stick to your gut type of meal!

We returned to the hotel early - and I have been working at the computer since then - poolside until the battery died and now in my room where I arrived back just in time to miss a rain shower at the pool. Above are some pix looking out of my room door at the rain. I am starting to get extremely tired, so I will probably enjoy a Tusker and a snack and call it a day!

More later - sorry this is sooooo boring!!!

KB

ps B- as far as blinds go, I am postive that you will make an excellent selection - they don't have to match exactly - does anything up there?!

Blinds

KB-
Justblinds had 20% off all woven shades. So....you're bedroom at Clark will have new shades by time you come home.

:)

p.s. what do you want to do for the front windows? they don't carry the same shade as dining room (close, but no cigar.......) Can they be close? and how close?? or similiar to boudoir's or something different like 1" wood mini blinds?

I think that I have a new Idea for the blog. Send me your thoughts.

Rivarossi

Many modelers have older locomotives that they want to convert to Digital Command Control (DCC). In this free article, Mike Polsgrove describes how to install a Lenz decoder into a Rivarossi 4-6-4 Hudson.

Why is this in here?? RIVAROSSI! I remember these as a kid. (it's a snipet from Model Railroader) Of all the manufacturers of those brilliant steam locomotive replicas...the Rivarossi just caught my ear. Rivarossi...... RIVAROSSI.

it's like Testarossa (is that spelled right?) or Lamborghinni. Bugati . Those exceptionally brilliant Italians.

Rivarossi.

The cadillac of steam locomotive replicas.





ps there is always a chance that it LOOKED great and didn't work all that well...it was Italian.)
pps and yes....I still read the Model Railroader newsletter. I'm a closet modeler. what can I say.

Preparing

I am almost ready to set off for my trip to Kenya! Woke up this morning early as I could not sleep. So, I got up and I think all is in order.

Just wanted to test to see if I could post something on Bobo's site. . .

KB