Snail mail and blogging friends continued

Continuing my post about the Christmas cards I received last week, I would like to answer a few things from your comments.  

Becky, I met you through Kay from Alberta's blog when she posted about your first book. I clicked on your link and through your blog I've even been a Guest Blogger on Carole Kilgore's blog.

Kay,  you did thank me for the card and you sent me a lovely newsy e-mail which I still need to reply to!  Thank you for you continued encouragement in my writing and for the love you show for my cats!

Betsy, you e-mailed me and thanked me for my card and I know you sent me cards in 2011 and last year. However, the first one went to Kenya and I'm guessing that by the time it arrived at Grant's previous office, we'd already moved to Tanzania. I will mail you my Tanzania address in case you feel like sending me a card this year.  For anyone out there reading this post, if you've not yet visited Betsy's blog, do yourself a favor and do it now. Betsy has an amazing blog about her and hubby's travels, their beautiful home and garden in Tennessee and her backyard birds. Betsy is also one of the most phenomenal bloggers I have ever known; she has up to 65 comments per post! I was number 66 when I commented today. And I've seen this regularly on Betsy's blog.  Wow! Betsy. What a friend you are to all! 

Gattina,  I had a good chuckle when I saw your comment about bringing the card on foot to Tanzania and that you would have beaten the snail! Readers, if you've not been over to Gattina's blog, please pop over there and see for yourself what an interesting life she leads.


I met Penny,  Snap That,  through another blogger who lived in Tanzania (this blogger moved to South Africa and sadly doesn't blog anymore) Please do pop over to Penny's blog and read about her life in Canada, her home and her road trips to visit family members. But most of all, do go and read about the work Penny does in Kenya, East Africa. She is an amazingly caring lady who has made it her life's mission to help those less fortunate than herself. 

Penny has encouraged me to continue knitting and also has wonderful ideas on how to De-clutter your home and your life. I'm always fascinated how Penny sets goals for herself every year and by posting updates on what she's achieved, how this motivates her to persevere. Penny and I met in Nakuru, Kenya in 2011 and instantly "hit it off!"  

Penny and I share a love for the Lord Jesus and I know she prays for me often,  as I do for her. In fact, last year when I moved to Tanzania from my beloved Keirio Valley in Kenya to Tanzania last year,  Penny was one of my many blogger friends (Gattina, Kay, Pat, my sister Rose, among others)  who encouraged me while I tried to * adapt to my new life.*  Oh, BTW Penny, remember how your card welcoming me to Tanzania,  only arrived in July? Well, I firmly believe your Christmas card will find it's way to me sometime this year. I will let you know as soon as it does.  Thanks Penny, it's a real blessing to know you.
      
* Note: Having been an expat for more than thirty years, I [generally] don't have a problem adapting to wherever Grant's work takes us. Yet, I left my lovely home in the corner of Paradise in a valley within the Great Rift Valley and arrived to a  totally different and less-than-ideal situation in Tanzania!

My life in Keirio Valley consisted of sitting at my desk at a window gazing out onto - and writing about - my garden and the African bush beyond. In between, I'd creep around under the huge trees and along the lanes between the expat houses,  my binoculars around my neck and my camera at the ready spotting the bird bounty. I ticked more birds in one year in Kenya than I did in the five years since I started birding.  Several times a week, my dear friend, Sue and I would drive into the bush and then wander along remote paths photographing birds. We had a wonderful time and my life there was the best I have ever experienced.  

Here in Mwadui, I was inveigled into managing the company Guest House (for love, not money!) where I encountered many problems, the main one being the original staff. Of the six ladies working here at the time, four were sisters and had never had Mzungu/white/foreign supervision, let alone adhered to instructions! There were dozens of other issues but I've since, with the help and support of the big boss (Grant) managed to create order out of the chaos; a 90% change of personnel was necessary  imperative; and everything seems to be running smoothly now. As readers know, I post about the pleasant things in my life here; I don't use my blog to vent, but one day I will be writing all down in my memoirs! Ha!

OK. Enough for today! I've pasted my three Christmas cards (and Becky's business card) above my desk to remind me of them and all you other beautiful blogging friends out there. I hope you're all having a great week.

 My Christmas cards; note the little bookshelf filled with little books!

Jo