Niaje!

I designed a boshori this morning-with my neck scarf!I wrapped it once over my head down to my ears and around my neck.I sorta looked like this.Those things are really really warm!I want a real one.

You know it's cold when you hear your fingernails sighing in frustration.Right before they start threatening to freeze up and crush into itsy bitsy pieces like the dry skin of onions.Better yet like potatoto crisps once they land in one's mouth.This cold season has really played us foul.Remember how warm it had started getting at the beginning of July right after a cold June?I remember experiencing relief.But July had different plans I guess."Not too fast on the relief, Kenyans," it said.And we were back to boshoris and gloves and trench coats.Le sigh!
The cold has made it a tot difficult to wake up in the morning.My morning routine consists of this:
Wake up at 5.am-that's after snoozing my alarm twice from around 4.50 am.Sometimes I let it ring on because it's usually a song I like and I listen on until it keeps quiet then I wake up.I pick my Bible and read the Word.Soul food.Then I tell God my stories.I tell Him and tell Him and tell Him and teeeeeeell
Him:worship, thanksgiving,intercession for those that come to my heart, just presenting myself to Him,asking Him to take charge-the works.And I start my day feeling fresh despite the sighing finger nails.Dress,breakfast.I usually have to walk for 11 minutes from digz to where I kamata a jav to tao.Kid you not,it's 11minutes with my stride.I have counted severally.Probably 5 minutes with Kemboi's stride though.Yet to count.
I have  learnt to make the acquaintance of several people in my hood.All very important people if you ask me.Normally I am a reserved character when I'm around new faces.It scares me to the core to start conversations with new people.What if they don't feel like talking to me.Oh the pain!I'm normally one to mind my own business around people I don't know.Key words being-people I don't know.But of late I've been finding myself being more friendly.Must be because of the nature of my job.Client facing jobs do that to you I suppose. 
I say hi to my local shopkeeper as I pass by her shop.She comes from Ameruca and her name is Maggie.I say, "Sasa Maggie" and she replies with "Ikwega!" That's Merian for "Poa" or "Mzuri".I don't know why she says hallo back in our mother tongue.Perhaps it gives her a sense of homeliness.I'm catching on though!Slowly I am learning to say hallo to her in Merian.
I say hallo to the cobbler.His name is Phillip.I usually pass by when he is setting up his station. "Mr.Phillip,Goodmorning!" Yes I use 'Mister'. I find it respectful. And he responds, "Aaah niaje Carlo!" (effects of his nativity) Dio kuodoka?" "Eeeh..masaa ndio hii," I continue.I usually smile at myself sometimes after I pass him.Masaa ndio hii?Masaa ni ya Ngilu.Remember that phrase?
I say hi to the Mpesa guy.I don't know his name yet but he usually calls out to me "Niaje mrembo," And I smile and wave back like a mrembo,"Poa sana" and I walk on.
There's this elderly guy I always come across doing his morning walk.Daily.As I approach him I'm usually hyping up myself "I'mma say hi!Havta say hi!Must say hi!" Our eyes meet and then they shift uncomfortably..and I walk on.Drained of all courage.I never say hallo.It's so sad!
In the evenings I say hi to the guy who sells us gas "Niaje Marto!" He says hi back.Sometimes I say hi to Mr Phillip again but on most days I use a different route.Then there's my tailor Mr. Morris.Once in a while.I check into his shop since it's on my route home,"Aaah!Jatelo!Mambo!" and I gota him.It's mostly on the days that I've missed gotaing randomly that I visit his shop.He sometimes asks me for a kasoda as he gotas back.He made these two jumpsuits for me so I'm usually not reluctant to kasoda him once in a while.

And finally the guards at our street's security gate greet me with a "Ndio kuingia?" and I end my greetings for the day with "Eeh..ndio kuingia".
I think greetings are important.They symbolise the beginning of interactions.What if we didn't have greetings?Wouldn't interactions just be clumsy?
At the end of the day I'll get home to my little champ.(Who I also greet at the door or he greets me!Whoever sees the other first).At times during these evenings we fight,at times we play and other times we just watch him dancing  mazgwembe with the Safaricom advert-make that everyday.How does he not get bored of doing the same thing over?You should see him when it shows.So enthusiastic jumping up and down like a new born calf.Sigh!But these are the joys of motherhood.Watching them grow.Yesterday I rained on him with pinches.He cried so much I felt sorry for him but that's discipline for you.I won't go into the details of what he did wrong,but let's just say he will not be repeating that again.He's learning to say I'm sorry though.
Watching a child grow is one of the beauties of this life I can tell you.
I cannot wait to see him learn to play video games and grow taller than me!