Flappy Birthday

Beautiful sunrise in Kigali.

I have developed a soup fetish recently.

Even necessitated buying some spoons to eat it with.

Making it with any vegetables I can find: cabbage, butternut squash, potatoes, carrots, fresh coriander, seasoned with celery salt (left behind by renting lady), garlic, fresh ginger and black pepper. I've even branched into home made hummus.

Been doing lots of writing. Managed to add an extra 23,000 to my current manuscript since I got back. Mostly typing on my lap under the cool shade of the porch. It hit 34c the other day!

It was also my birthday yesterday. Spent it over at Jo's with her very own version of Grebo, the stinky, slightly annoying but ultimately affectionate neighbourhood furball.

Fun was had with candles in the wind...

And I managed to amuse Zubadoo and her friend Taia with origami birds and paper napkin lotus flowers. Hey, I'm a cool aunt. Yes, there may have been gin involved - what of it?

Jo made an absolutely outstanding vegy lasagna and we sat and stuffed our faces. She was holding a poker game later that evening, but unfortunately I've been so under the weather with my cold, and was asleep on my feet due to garbage disposal shenanigans waking me early (long story), that I chickened out and came home to watch trash TV, drink beer and Skype home. Feeling a bit better today but still acclimatising - from UK winter to tropical heat. Takes a while.

But a lovely, relaxed birthday with my favourite ladies. Yay me - I'm 35!