Tis The Season

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas season so far.

Personally I am trying to keep everything very low key this year. I have only just put up the Christmas decorations last night. I've decorated my mantle and put a wreath up in my living room window as well as some red jingle bells on my entry door.

I've opted to use a miniature tree with lights and red baubles on my table top rather than put up a large tree this year.   But first I have to finish altering some nightgowns for my mother for Christmas presents as I use the dining room table for sewing. I should finish sewing on Monday.  Then I will decorate my miniature white tree. Right now I'm using up every corner of my floor space in the front rooms for my arts and crafts supplies and other necessary furnishings so I don't have a space to put up my larger tree.  I don't mind not having a larger tree to decorate because I find it a tad too much work for me.  Especially since December is always a very busy month and I'm not even  home on Christmas Day on any year.

In this season where "tis the season to be jolly", we celebrate friends and family and often that means giving them gifts that they've either requested or we think they will like or appreciate.  It makes most of us feel good to give a gift from out hearts to those we love. Truth be told, many people receiving the gifts do not really need them but it has become a tradition to give gifts at this time of year. I'm all for the giving of material gifts to loved ones so long as it is within reason and one doesn't rack up a lot of debt to do it.

I would much rather give practical helps and gifts to those I know truly need it and to many I do not know, especially the widows and the orphans.  This year I am wondering if any of you would like to give a gift to those you do not know? People who live on the other side of the world in a small town called Mauche in the East African country of Kenya.

This is a sad tale of a young woman, now a widow and single mother whose husband succumbed to the ravages of HIV last week.

Besides leaving his wife, he left behind three children behind ages 1 1/2 years old, 6 years and 8 years old.  They have nothing. No home, no money, no way to get food.

It is a case of the father and the mother having to live separately for some time due to the need to find any work they could find. After a long separation the man went elsewhere for what he might ordinarily get from his wife.  He suffered the consequence, got ill and died.

He died a bitter man and it is a real shame that he was unable to get the right help or he might still be alive today.

My friends and I have been trying to determine how we can help the destitute family left behind.  I don't have a lot to really help them in the best way possible.  But we have come up with a plan and if I can get the help of a few of my readers, it would go a long way toward putting this family on it's feet to becoming self-sufficient.

Like many people in Kenya the mother has family land. Currently she lives in rented housing located about 10 km from her land.  She won't be able to pay the rent when next it comes due.

We plan to buy materials (materials required are wood, nails, iron sheets and labour) to build a tin shack on her property.  We also hope to provide some funds to buy seeds and fertilizer, possibly a chicken and a rooster so that baby chicks can be produced, raised and sold for income.  We cannot afford a cow for this family and especially the children to have milk.

My friend was thinking to borrow a cow but that isn't likely realistic since most people in the village also need the milk from any cows they might own (many people do not own a cow because they are expensive).  But it would be good to buy a diary goat or two to provide the milk and goats are much cheaper (about $100 Canadian or $70 US).  It is also necessary to buy wood and wire to make a chicken coop for the chicken and rooster and seeds for the garden. They also need some food to eat until the seeds can take root and produce a harvest and two of the children need to go to school.

Right now it is raining.  A lot. 

These ladies in the photo are the neighbours. The houses in the background are a better grade of housing than what we can afford to build.  It would take 4 times the funds I've sent for such a house.  We simply cannot afford that and need to get this family into temporary housing as soon as possible.

My friend has to travel from a village several hours away to help this woman and to oversee the plans to help her so the funds I send are properly expended and workers do not take advantage of her.  He can't stay more than a night each time.  There is no bus or transport to this area and the cost of return travel is very expensive on a boda boda taxi (motorcycle taxi) at 3000 shillings ($42 Canadian or $30 US). It will take 2, ideally 3 trips, to oversee the work and buy whatever needs to be purchased.

The motorbike cyclist had a very difficult time to get back up the hill and return home.

Neighbours condoling over tea.

Just think of trying to keep warm with no real sweaters or blankets. There is no indoor heating in such homes.

In order to make a simple drink of tea you must make a fire in a pit like the one in the photo below. It is a lengthy process.

 

I  will end the pictures and story here. 

I would not ask for your help if I could do it all on my own.

But I fall short of being able to get this family on their feet by myself.

Any amount you can offer would be a huge help!

Only you know what you can do.  If you can do something,

kindly let me know or simply send a donation 

to kerichojoy[at]gmail[dot]com

If you have any questions, you can write me at the same address or

you can complete the contact form to the right of my blog post and I will respond as soon as possible.

Thanks so much.

♥♥♥

Merry Christmas.

A Good Start to December

Hi there,

Since I wrote my last post about frigid temperatures here things have warmed up considerably. That's because it started raining again.  I think the rain started on Monday but on Tuesday it came down heavily.

I took in a workshop on soap making. Something I've always wanted to learn. My mother and I both always liked nice soaps. Perhaps she, more than I. In later years when I developed more skin issues, I became even more interested in soaps and what is in them. If you want to purchase a nice bar of soap like olive oil or scented soaps like lavender, they can cost a fortune per bar.

I can always remember hearing my mom talk about wanting to learn how to make soap. Although she had an interest, she never did get around to it. I suppose she was too busy being a mom and taking active interest and care in the extended family. However, mom did transfer her interest to me.  She even gave me a small book with the instructions which I've had now for a few years.  Besides being too busy to try making bar soap however, I also wanted to take a class and learn how to handle the ingredient of lye which goes into the soap.

I finally had a chance to do just that earlier this week.

This first batch of soap was made with essential oil but no colour.

The second batch of soap is made with cocoa colour and essential oils.

It takes 3 weeks to cure the soap and use it. The instructor will do that for us and we will all pick up a bar before Christmas.

It's always fun to learn new things. the best part was talking to other like minded people. The second best part is that I now have more know how. The workshop was free and we will all get a bar or two of soap when they are ready.  I am more than pleased with the benefits.

Before you get started on soap making there is an investment to be made in buying the "tools of the trade" as in any other hobby or undertaking.

I haven't calculated the full costs but some of these costs would be eliminated if you can make your own mold with materials on hand or use recycled materials such as the tofu cartons (you see on the tables) which can also be used as soap molds.

I know a place where I can get all the materials measured out for the two batches (as in the photos above) and it will cost $38 dollars Canadian (excluding the molds and other tools like immersion blender, whisk etc.).

This would make about 17 large bars of soap per mold. If you want them for smaller baths soaps you can cut them and get about 34 soaps per mold. Altogether you will have 34 larger bars of soap or 68 smaller bars for $38 (Canadian).

So as you can see it is much less expensive than purchasing a ready made bar of soap in the store and you can make them according to your colour and scent preference.

I'm glad I took this workshop.
Maybe next year I will make soaps for gifts 

(birthdays or Christmas).
First I need to collect all the tools of the trade. The instructor told us she used the same pots and equipment for soap making as she does for cooking but I prefer to keep them separate and will likely buy them all second hand.

I didn't take photos of the sky since last Sunday. 

We have had some nice bright days and now some cloudy ones.

I've decided to post the sunny photos and save the gray skies for another day.

Amazon was advertising for Black Friday.

These two photos (one above and one below) were taken in downtown Nairobi, Kenya earlier this week.
You can see it looks cloudy there and they are getting El Niño rains.

When I am about running errands, I will often take a coffee break and read a good book. Even if I only read a few pages.

Good coffee. The young lady barista gave me this treat for free because she liked my giraffe change purse from Kenya.

I'm reading "Moonstone" as recommended by one of the bloggers I read but I haven' t had much time this month to finish it.

Now that cooler weather is here, I find it harder to eat a lot of salads.  My body needs heavier sustenance and warmer foods at this time of year. so to make sure I get my greens, I try drink a smoothie on the days I don't get a salad. Home made smoothies often consist of a green vegetable (kale, spinach, romaine or a combination of them), a piece of fruit (half a banana, small apple or frozen or fresh berry medley), water, flax seeds or whey protein and water and blend well before drinking.

I make a green smooth at night when I haven't had time for a salad.

I've been keeping very busy as I'm sure most of you are.

I may not be posting as often but will post when I have something to share.

Some of you remember that I was thinking of attending the Salute to Vienna, Vancouver Symphony Program on January 1st.  Instead I've decided to attend my first Nutcracker Ballet.
I've wanted to see it for long so will finally check it off my list of things I'd like to do.

Please enjoy each and every day of this holiday season.
Have a safe and happy December where ever you are, and whatever you are doing.

If you are alone you can still enjoy the season by yourself or by inviting others to share with you.
Stay safe.

Joining with Skywatch Friday this week.