Does an apple a day keep the dentist away

Ever had tooth problems? not very pleasant at all. Seeing a dentist every so often is not a luxury that we have, we, being 'those in Africa' (majority). You get tooth problems, gurgle salty warm water until the tooth and nature takes its cause. Either that or you just do away with the tooth. When as a kid your teeth start growing crookedly, you just don't have time to notice or care to find out what the outcome will be once you mature, because getting braces is something rich kids/people do. Which goes to show that our level of teeth hygiene and care is limited only to the extend of brushing our teeth every morning, January to December.

Well recently after having a fish bone stuck in my gums(recent is relative), a resolution to see a dentist had to be reached, because my personal space of comfort was being invaded. It's sad that when it comes to medical care, our urgency to see a doctor arises only when things get out of hand, do we choose this? no. Our pocket circumstances inevitably chooses this situation for many of us who have no health care schemes or medical covers nor can we afford one. The number of lives lost and health situations gradually going from bad to worse, that could have been prevented just by early medical attention and care are deeply saddening.

As much as we owe it to ourselves to seek medical attention earlier, the government also owes it to it's people to ensure that these crucial services are made available to them indiscriminately. The state owned hospitals too, owe it to the taxpayer, to have reasonable pricing. The private hospitals too have the moral mandate to care for all it's citizen whether poor or rich, employers owe their employees medical cover, but noooooo, money is everything even in life or death situations. Worse is if you get a death defying incidence and are rushed to any one of the so called private hospitals that instantly ask for hundreds of thousands of shillings before they can even touch your dying body, sickening.

And as the Internet era continues to grow, even getting a question answered online costs money, but thank God for the overhaul of information now available to all 'self proclaimed, self medicators out there'. To one extend this is great because once you find out the information, you are able to ask the right questions when you visit a doctor and you know which steps to take when you do start your doctor visit. Having medical friends here and there, is quite helpful and resourceful when the need to get medical attention creeps up. Whatever the case always pray that you end up in the right medical hands, because failure to do so always leads to continuous illnesses, undiagnosed illnesses or even death.

Aren't they the cutest things

The other day we visited my parents ie our parents, and found my mum had brought home a very lovely cat, am not a fan of cats or pets, but when they are small aren't they the cutest things. I often fantasise about a drug that these small, lovely creatures can be injected and they just remain small, at which point I wouldn't mind having my own small cheetah or small jaguar or small lion, uh a cub don't know the others without googling. But life doesn't bend itself for us, does it?!

The lovely playful and very cute Kanini (translated to small)

So as I watched, played and stroked Kanini, (that's her name, given am sure by my sister), it saddened me that she'll grow up one day and be a handful. It's good to grow up but grown-ups are so complicated, trust me am one. Speaking of which, when we get kids I believe it's the opposite, okay let me think and write this as I mean. Kids (many of them, as per my observation) are really feisty, they make you stay up all night crying and it's never a good couple of months, I believe from month 6 to year 11/2, they are just cute, then comes terrible two's (oh am not looking forward to this year, God help). You graciously pass this stage and enjoy bliss then comes teenage hood (no comment).

There was this lady in a quiz competition program, who was saying that if she won the money, highest is like millions of pounds, she'd buy a cat breed worth 100,000 pounds (umh, that's what, Kshs 13.3 M as of today), why you ask, coz it's a breed of some wild cats, thus it shall never grow big and overly wild but be a domesticated pet (being mildly wild is inevitable). Well, at this rate my fantasy seems very tempting, so if you are a chemical genius out there, call me we deliberate about this drug (legal)!

It's illegal to sale or transport the big cats so it makes perfect sense to me, to breed it and then own the 'illegitimate breed of a big cat', does God approve of this, well not sure, but am guessing Adam would be annoyed, given that he named the animals we all see now, ha! But seriously, it baffles me how these huge creatures start off as such tiny little sights of pleasure then grow into these huge scary don't-mess-with-me creatures. Probably that's a reflection of who we are as human beings. We are born small, helpless, dependant, foolish (mainly blank), clueless about who or what we are (teenage hood) and then somewhere along the way we forget how much potential and greatness we can exhibit.

Selah...

God created us to be greater and more powerful than our minds could ever perceive, let's stand and be counted

When Push Comes To Shove

We all blow up once in awhile or have an-almost-blew-up-moment, none of those situations are good but its always unhealthy to have stuff piled up inside until one day the lid just pops. There are many things in life that can bring us to this point of frustration i.e. family, work, friends, a spouse, your child (sign), nosey neighbours, traffic jam, uncouth drivers, poor customer service am sure you get the point.

Dreams that have yet to be accomplished is another form of frustration, you keep wondering what went wrong, why so and so has moved on up while you are still in the same old position. All types of problem solving solutions cross your mind, but frustrations rock you to a point where you really cannot see straight. Worry sets in and any form of reason flies out the window, not a very pleasant place to be in, your heart pulsates, you feel like your brain wants to blow up into a million pieces while your mouth suddenly acquires this urge to just scream.

Oh well, maybe it's just me who has had those moments. The people who say 'take very many slow deep breaths and just relax' aren't crazy, it helps. But there comes a time when laying it at the feet of Jesus works even better than taking a chill pill. Because as much as we all think we maintain our existence here on earth, there is this much that we can do, a lot is always out of our control. Waiting on the Lord is one of the hardest things to do but when you put your situation on one hand and the solutions 'you' think you have on the other hand, you realise that there is not much you can really do but wait.

So whether it's your job, which you wish you could just wake up and be out of or a child you've smacked (for disciplinary purposes only) until there's no more smack in you or that matatu driver who keeps bullying you off your line or that secretary whose overly grouchy but you need their services or that spouse whom you've forgiven so many times till you can't do no more or that boss who just rubs you the wrong way or that deal that just never seems to come through or that dream/plan/vision that is taking longer than usual to materialise or many many many more situations of great frustration, whatever the case MAINTAIN HOPE!

It's okay to relax, it's okay to relax, it's okay to relax!

Its been one awesome week of relaxation and recovery for me, not much has eluded me in the network scene, at least not of crucial importance. But I came to realise that until we take some time off from the hustle and bustle of modern day toiling, we never really know how much our bodies need to rest. From so much tension and piled up stress to overcrowding monotony, its just crazy!

We human beings are living in utter craziness, I have no idea how we are making it through a whole year like this, no wonder our life span is decreasing ever so often. It's okay to relax ( I need a tape to play this to ME over and over and over, it doesn't come naturally), to take time off from the craziness of life and just not do anything, it won't kill you. The insecurities that have been enforced in us, make us very fidgety people to be around or talk to, that's why we all (majorly) loath Mondays, coz we've not rested or relaxed and here we are again getting into another week of work.

There are people who think or feel or are in places that if they take a break from work or whatever responsibilities (that are work related, you are not allowed to shun your parental or husbandry or wifely responsibilities coz you feel tired, NO), they'll loose their jobs, and its really bad to work in a place where your rights are being walked all over, find wisdom to deal with that situation.

Yesterday was Father's Day (happy father's day to all you father's out there), and our pastor gave a very wholesome sermon that really touched my heart and my hubby's as well. The demands that fall upon a husband/father's shoulders are quite plenty and it just got me thinking, about what I can improve on or do better as a wife so that my husband is able to focus on leading and providing for our home. Apparently there is plenty that I can do, which is a major privilege, but at times we women feel like our rights are being infringed. Well to some extend I understand some women's points of view (me who has only been married 3 months), not their situations of course, coz we all have different situations. But at the end of it all there are basic things we can all do to make our husbands feel more bold in leading and providing for us, year in year out.

I believe to all starting out in marriage there are profound wisdoms that when you come across, you hold on to them for dear life, and start practising them until by the time your heading into years of marriage they are habits. So many couples say, 'we wish we knew that when we were getting married, it would have made such a huge difference'. Well for those not yet married or just married take that (whatever that is, they wish they had known, in wisdom ofcourse) and RUN with it.

Okay, am loosing track here, guess what am trying so 'clearly' is, JUST RELAX, with your friends, family, loved one or just you or even with God, take time off your busy schedule and relax. Maybe the next blog should be about the meaning of relaxing, we get this one wrong too. But take a deep breath and relax, it makes a whole lot of difference!

Skills forgetten by our generation

Easy Double Crotchet and Shell Beanie with a Side Flower

Back in the scene, guess I've been out of view because there was really not much to write about, alot happened in the world, but it was only the bad we witnessed, so I kept meself busy doing other stuff! Attached herein is the picture of my first ever crotcheted hat, yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! (sadly it does not fit me, i made a calculation era somewhere along the way) But am very proud of myself, thanks to a friend at work and You Tube (for real, just type crotcheting and be amazed) , I was able to venture into this land of adventure.

 I have to admit though sadly, that people associate this skill with old age, which should not be the case, it's fun creative and very well calculated to get the right outcome at the same time. The other day me and my hubby were watching this documentary and this very very old couple were being interviewed and the wife was crotcheting, ha! no i did not see myself 50 years down the line but lets just say my hubby has found a new tease line.

Why crotchet? my mum is a tailor or dress maker and when we were young I remember her crotcheting abit and I appreciated the skill, so maybe as am nearing the big 30 (wow am getting old or better still am getting wiser) memories of things I loved are creeping back into my creative nature or am just taking the wife and preparing-to-be-a-mum deal tooooooooo seriously. Either way I find this quite relaxing and cannot wait to post the next item I crotchet!