A Special Day Now That Leah Is Back

Leah got back almost a week ago.A relief to us to have her back, a relief to her that her father has survived numerous complications( including the need for 16 units of blood) and was back in rehab and improving quickly.

Jet lag ( she talked to me until 3 am the first night and leah is NEVER awake at 3 AM)

Culture shock ( no malls full of Christmas shoppers)

Temperature shock( the weather had moderated while she was gone and now has climbed back to high 20’s and low 30’s) all experienced again for her

She brought us requests ( books, a new rubber spatula, chocolate … very melted and rushed into the fridge) and gifts from , graham , unle bill and auntie shauna, bop and Charlene ,deb lefrank et al including Christmas biscotti and poor imitations of our advent calendar .. but the boys got caught up on the chocolates quickly anyway.

Fortunately for leah and in fact all of us she got home late on a Saturday and the Monday and Tuesday were holidays( muslim eid and national celebration respectively) a chance to get back into it slowly.

I planned a few better meals including Tuscan chicken a la Muheza (ask sally and rose) and newly found feta cheese from Arusha about 200 miles away( oops there goes the 100 mile diet)

Our friends emily and alex joined us for Sunday dinner

On Monday leah convinced me to join her and the boys for a family cycle.

She and the boys have cycled daily to school( the boys managed brilliantly with friends and on their own while leah was gone) and leah and griff have cycled locally for fitness and curiosity

I had cycled occasionally, the bikes are challenging in configuration and the roads are challenging in condition and I have been playing a bit of soccer for my fitness.

But a family ride seemed a great idea

So leah and griff showed us all kinds of sites ( birds nests, sisal factory,villages) rutted routes and ups and downs, some of the downs with crazed speed and laughter.

New birds were sited but really to identify them they need to sit still in an open area (obviously not a normal bird habit)

We brought cold water which is gulped when breaks demand it

And as the sun was setting ( cycling usually occurs at about 430 for an hour or so because of the heat)we headed back only to get caught in a warm drenching rain that we pushed home through anyway.

Smiling, soaking, happy to be together again

Still hard on my knees , but I am sure we will do a few more family rides if only for the memories and laughter they create.