.Tribute to Things.

Yesterday, my beloved oven – Edith the Electric – that has been my right-hand woman this entire year decided to start our Fourth of July celebration a bit early. As I was preparing Chocolate Biscotti for my Brunch on Saturday, I noticed a strange sparking light shining through the oven door. I opened the oven door and gasped. The bottom coil was practically on fire. The wire was eroding in one spot, and I could tell that the sparks were quickly spreading to the next section. I immediately turned off the oven, pulled out the Biscotti, and sat there in bewilderment. It looked like the wire was being eroded and burned straight through the coil.

Sure enough, when the Kenyan Maintenance foreman showed up an hour later, he smiled and simply concluded, “It is finished.”

I couldn’t believe it. Three weeks before I leave Kenya, Edith dies. Well, it isn’t really MY oven, but I feel like it is. She has made dozens of dorm treats this year, and I couldn’t have done without ‘her’. The bagels, the cinnamon rolls, the casseroles, the cookies, the roasted veggies, even my Thanksgiving Turkey. What was I going to do now??!! I am three days away from hosting a Ladies’ Brunch for 14 women who have become my best friends here this year, and still had much cooking to do!

Well, thankfully, there was another oven available in Rental. “She” arrived late yesterday afternoon…I decided to name her Gretel the Gas. Here is a picture of her.

Gretel is errr…Age-d. She has a gas stove-top, and a gas oven. When you pull out the racks to “check on” whatever you are baking, the racks will sort of flop downwards, unless you keep holding them erect. But, here’s the best part: to light the oven, you essentially have to kneel down, open the bottom drawer, stick your head ALL the way back, and catch your little match flame into the back of the starter area. (Hence the name Gretel…I feel like I’m going to the witch’s death every time…)

I am ashamed to admit this, but I almost started crying when Edith left. I suppose it was my first “goodbye.” It’s just that Edith has been there for me, through thick and thin…and I could always count on her to do the job. And now, Gretel will have to make do. I told a friend yesterday, “Well, I suppose it will make me want to go home even more, because she will be such a pain to use over the next three weeks!” ☺

This happening sort of got me thinking that I need to pay tribute to all the “things” that have served me well this year. So, with about 25 days left until I leave Kenya, I’d like to honor the following 25 things:

1) My ESV black leather Bible and Moleskin daily planner. Need I say more?
2) My MacBook lap-top. And, my external USB modem that connected me to my family and friends back home for most of the year ☺
3) My Target earphones that served as ear-plugs every night when the Guard Dogs and Roosters would have otherwise kept me awake in the watches of the night or the early mornings.
4) My REI blue, face-mask, which blocked out the light on MANY an airplane ride, train ride, and provided precious nights of beauty sleep in my bedroom
5) The “Henkel” and “Cutco” knives that the Nams donated to me before I left…
6) My Cuisinart Food Processor that I bought off a person here, that chopped through hundreds of tomatoes, onions, carrots, and peppers for the many Mexican birthday dinners that my girls requested.
7) My simple Staples calculator, that came through me countless times when I couldn’t figure out conversions between Kenyan shillings and US dollars
8) My faithful, black Dansko clogs, that never once failed me on the mountaneous, hazardous roads of Kijabe.
9) My I-home player, that Nora bought for me before I moved here, and that kept my heart fixed on Jesus as I worked in my kitchen and home
10) My “Room and Dorm Job” black plastic clipboard, that helped keep me on track to provide “checks” on my 17 girls’ chores each day, each week, each month…
11) My “Native” polarized sun-glasses, that protected my eyes from the hot African sun in our near-to-the-Equator area of the earth.
12) My beloved Nikon D40, that documented my entire year for me and has helped me make memories and document them.
13) My black and white coffee mug, that Lauren gave me, which has provided many a refreshing and comforting cup of tea or coffee.
14) My black, “Melita” one-cup travel-size coffee filter
15) Smart-wool Socks!!! ☺ They are simply the best.
16) My simple, cheap Timex watch, that kept the time when I couldn’t.
17) My Asic running shoes that have braved the high-altitude trails of Kenya and taken many a beating.
18) My North Face black fleece jacket that has broken the nasty, cold, biting evening wind of most nights here.
19) My Staedtler tri-plus fineliner pen set that kept my life bright and cheerful with LOTS of color for journaling and letter writing.
20) My Mailroom Key, which opened the door to lots of letters, packages, and goodies that people have sent me this year.
21) My simple Nokia cell-phone that looks like it was made in 1997, and has only black and white screen features, but allowed me to TALK to Mom, Nora, Peter, Brett, Dad, Kate, Lauren and Britt and others throughout the year. Plus, what can compare with the nifty FLASH-LIGHT that is built into the phone?! Only in Africa ☺
22) My stainless steel Camelback water bottle that got me up and down Mount Kenya.
23) My P90X Power Yoga DVD. An outlet of de-stressing and getting rid of back pain.
24) My tempur-pedic pillow that recovered my neck and head from a lot of built-up stress.
25) My personal stash of Mylanta. When you are living in Africa, you just never quite know when Indigestion will hit ☺

Here are some other things that I suppose should receive “runner-up” recognition:

– Warm Down Comforter
– Chocolate Chips
– Good Grips Sharp Vegetable Peeler
– Duct Tape
– Zip-lock Bags
– Nuts and Dried Fruit
– PAM cooking spray
– “JuicePlus” vitamins and my protein powder for smoothies
– Kashi cereal 🙂
– Cornmeal for REAL corn muffins, corn tortillas, etc.
– Crystal Lite packets – I know they are not very good for you, technically, but really, they have just been so wonderful to have, because water got boring!
– My personal stash of Good Earth “Sweet and Spicy” Tea

So, reader, if you ever move to Africa, here is some food for thought on what to pack 🙂

Happy July, everyone! All the Americans will be celebrating the 4th of July this Sunday by gathering for a big cook-out and potluck dinner. There aren’t many fireworks here, but I do have a personal stash of sparklers that I plan to pull out 🙂