Master Criminal

One entertaining detail of my travel that I left out was the slightly awkward moment at Nairobi airport where I was asked to put my hand on the finger scanner. 

Almost a year ago, I accidentally fell on a bonfire (because no one does that intentionally). As a result, I have no fingerprints on my left hand. Everything works fine, except for a slight contracture on my pinky finger, which makes playing the piano slightly irksome, but the prints have yet to make a return, if they ever will.

I did seriously consider a profession as a master criminal, but apparently even your scar tissue is unique to you, so still traceable.

Anyway, anecdote over.

It's been a strange few days. I arrived home in Kigali high as a kite.

It was beautiful to see the flat, droughty plains of Kenya replaced by lush green mountains and lakes. And just as lovely to have my friend Senga waiting outside with his kids to drive me home.

Tracey was going to bake a birthday cake for me, but that was still a bowl of flour with a couple of eggs in it when I arrived. Luckily, she managed to finish baking it just as I landed back in Kigali, and sent me a picture. Hey, it's the thought that counts.

Looks delicious.

Ever since getting back I've been in a really funny mood. Funny without the haha. Waspishly out of sorts. Friends keep texting and I'm not replying. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it's because I had such a fantastic time, though I've also returned to a fantastic home so I'm not sure why the upset. Perhaps it was all those early morning starts catching up with me. I did sleep for about ten hours. Perhaps it stirred up old feelings of self-doubt. Last time I came here from Nairobi I was only passing through, visiting friends for a few weeks. Three years later I'm still here, with no intention of leaving. Maybe a combination of everything. I just feel like being a complete hermit at the moment. 

The feeling's passing but still coming and going in waves. I think a large part is that I've been on the go since December. So much happening with trips to Mara and the gorillas, a teaching gig, a full-time proofreading job, a party to organise and two novels to edit. Now, I have nothing much planned. Feeling slightly purposeless. 

There's plenty on the horizon. I start teaching again in a week or two, plus I'm throwing myself into the piano building idea.

Karabona, my metal working guy, came to visit today, and he reckons he can make the frame. Though we're not totally sure what from. I assumed it was cast iron, but it seems more like some sort of resin, and it sounds like plastic when you tap it. Karabona is suggesting we try aluminium. There was a manufacturer using that years ago but for some reason discontinued. Not sure whether it was because of sound, cost or strength. 

If anyone has any clue what this stuff is, I'd love to know.

Something plentiful in the USSR about fifty years ago.

The only thing I do feel in the mood for at the moment is the piano project. I've just started a new blog about it called Kigali Keys. Meeting with a couple of friends next week to discuss a crowdfunding campaign. The frame is the last piece in the puzzle. Now we should be able to put a proper budget together for the prototype. 

I've tried to find a broken piano everywhere in Kigali, but it's looking 90% certain that if we go ahead with this, I'm going to have to take Lirika apart. Not looking forward to that at all, but it may be the only way. 

I've booked a piano lesson on Sunday, which may be my first and last.

As for the moody blues, I'm sure I'll get back into the swing of things soon. I'm just enjoying being incommunicado. I had my phone off the entire time on holiday and Flight Mode has become my new best friend.