Usually the really rainy months in Tanzania come after we leave in mid-March. However, this month has been unusual in the number of times we have had really heavy downpours. All morning, we saw heavy clouds gathering and then loud rumbles of thunder. John tries to get in a good walk every day, so after trekking several kilometers around the neighborhood without being caught in any rain, he went down to Phillip’s Corner, a landmark intersection near us, to buy some flour I wanted. When he returned, he had not only the flour but also two gifts for me: a red, flowered umbrella and a lovely yellow cutting board. He reported that the store at Phillip’s currently has a whole wall of kitchen utensils. I need to get there soon to see what’s available before it’s all sold. I could certainly use a decent vegetable peeler.
John had barely gotten home when the rain hit. I’ve been in a few torrential downpours here, but this was the hardest rain I’ve ever seen in Arusha. And, it lasted for longer than usual. Even after the very hard rain slowed down, it rained pretty steadily into the night. Naturally, Mama Kundayo couldn’t hold court under the big tree, which meant I didn’t have to come up with a show-and-tell on my computer or discuss Ray’s family or Donald Trump. Of course, it also meant I didn’t get a glass of red wine.
For dinner, we had a killer beef stew with Kenyan beef and one of John’s signature fruit salads of mangoes, pineapple, and bananas. If we were in Kenya, he would also add papaya, but they don’t seem to be very plentiful here. He could add watermelon or another kind of sweet melon, but he likes to stick with his basic three fruits. I love it very chilled with a dollop of yogurt on top.
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| Phillip's Corner and our closest grocery/variety store. |
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| My surprise gifts |
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