“She spent the first couple of weeks of her freedom looking after my dog,”
One can NEVER retire from parenthood.
“…the most common words known in Swahili are hakuna matata,”
That’s funny! And a great philosophy…
“Street signs and bumper stickers are full of proverbs”
What a wonderful and effective idea…I wish we had them in the States.
“There was resistance pretty much throughout the British colonial period, coming to a head In the 1950s and ‘60s through a network of dissenters who came to be known as Mau Mau..”
As a child born in 1953, I heard of the Mau Mau…they were fierce resistance fighters and were feared throughout Africa…in fact many a nightly prayer ended, “And protect us from the Mau Mau.” The following quote succinctly explains the conditions that bred the revolt: ““To understand Africa you must understand a basic impulsive savagery that is greater than anything we civilised people have encountered in two centuries”― Robert Ruark
“it’s really a shame that the males insist on being the ones to teach the sons to hunt,” she said, “because the lionesses are much better at it.”
Even in nature the male-hubris raises its head.
As in the French language, many Swahili phrases evoke food. I liked when one friend suggested we were “eating life with a big spoon”.
Just a superb phrase and philosophy!
Thank you for introducing Wangari Maathai and M. F. K. Fisher. The photos and the sketch are wonderful, as well.
Hi Judge Roy Bean! Yes, parenthood is a lifelong relationship isnt it? Its wonderful to see those precious babies turn into precious and lovely adults. Hannahs dog IS very cute! Such a well behaved girl and chats away like a human!
I'm sure Hannah turned into the "lovely adult" that her mother hoped for when Hannah was just a twinkle in her mother's eye.
Thank God for mothers because us fathers are a bit more objective (selfish?), if that's the right word. I have two sons, 27 and 30, who are both as good as the young male animal can be. The oldest is a bit sentimental and after watching "Saving Private Ryan," asked, "How can I ever repay you and mom?" I told him you owe us NOTHING! We decided to have you two. You owe yourself everything since you were born to loving parents who always provided for you. However, where much is given, much is required; I told him mom and I had a responsibility to keep you and your brother alive until the two of you could keep yourselves alive. We fulfilled our obligation in that regard. Of course as parents we will always be at our children's beck and call; but as a father, there are limits. My wife no doubts feels there are no limits; she is the wise one in our relationship, so if I'm smart, I will follow her advice. I'd take care of a pet.
Lovely indeed to read your journal about Kenya. It made me looooooong to visit tooHannah.
Especially the fabulous wild animals. I loved the philospphical sayings on the roadsides and trees! We definitely need one for the woods here saying " no hooting" the owls must be feeling very sexy as they hoot with impunity at each other from dusk till dawn , every night,
I know theres a type of owl called a horny owl and now I know why!
Talking of breeding , the frogs are little better, croaking and blowing up their necks like an anglo bubbly bubble gum in a teenagers classroom!😂
The seals take over by day barking and honking at sea all day! Great wildlife too up in Scotland but a lot wetter and colder and too high up in the trees to see !
Welcome back to both london and Paris darling Hannah and lots of kind thoughts to your mum on her retirement. X
“She spent the first couple of weeks of her freedom looking after my dog,”
One can NEVER retire from parenthood.
“…the most common words known in Swahili are hakuna matata,”
That’s funny! And a great philosophy…
“Street signs and bumper stickers are full of proverbs”
What a wonderful and effective idea…I wish we had them in the States.
“There was resistance pretty much throughout the British colonial period, coming to a head In the 1950s and ‘60s through a network of dissenters who came to be known as Mau Mau..”
As a child born in 1953, I heard of the Mau Mau…they were fierce resistance fighters and were feared throughout Africa…in fact many a nightly prayer ended, “And protect us from the Mau Mau.” The following quote succinctly explains the conditions that bred the revolt: ““To understand Africa you must understand a basic impulsive savagery that is greater than anything we civilised people have encountered in two centuries”― Robert Ruark
“it’s really a shame that the males insist on being the ones to teach the sons to hunt,” she said, “because the lionesses are much better at it.”
Even in nature the male-hubris raises its head.
As in the French language, many Swahili phrases evoke food. I liked when one friend suggested we were “eating life with a big spoon”.
Just a superb phrase and philosophy!
Thank you for introducing Wangari Maathai and M. F. K. Fisher. The photos and the sketch are wonderful, as well.
Hi Judge Roy Bean! Yes, parenthood is a lifelong relationship isnt it? Its wonderful to see those precious babies turn into precious and lovely adults. Hannahs dog IS very cute! Such a well behaved girl and chats away like a human!
I'm sure Hannah turned into the "lovely adult" that her mother hoped for when Hannah was just a twinkle in her mother's eye.
Thank God for mothers because us fathers are a bit more objective (selfish?), if that's the right word. I have two sons, 27 and 30, who are both as good as the young male animal can be. The oldest is a bit sentimental and after watching "Saving Private Ryan," asked, "How can I ever repay you and mom?" I told him you owe us NOTHING! We decided to have you two. You owe yourself everything since you were born to loving parents who always provided for you. However, where much is given, much is required; I told him mom and I had a responsibility to keep you and your brother alive until the two of you could keep yourselves alive. We fulfilled our obligation in that regard. Of course as parents we will always be at our children's beck and call; but as a father, there are limits. My wife no doubts feels there are no limits; she is the wise one in our relationship, so if I'm smart, I will follow her advice. I'd take care of a pet.
Lovely indeed to read your journal about Kenya. It made me looooooong to visit tooHannah.
Especially the fabulous wild animals. I loved the philospphical sayings on the roadsides and trees! We definitely need one for the woods here saying " no hooting" the owls must be feeling very sexy as they hoot with impunity at each other from dusk till dawn , every night,
I know theres a type of owl called a horny owl and now I know why!
Talking of breeding , the frogs are little better, croaking and blowing up their necks like an anglo bubbly bubble gum in a teenagers classroom!😂
The seals take over by day barking and honking at sea all day! Great wildlife too up in Scotland but a lot wetter and colder and too high up in the trees to see !
Welcome back to both london and Paris darling Hannah and lots of kind thoughts to your mum on her retirement. X