Birthday in Kenya

Hi all, finally recovered from my cake hangover. I had a great birthday, much to my surprise.

My day at work was very long, nothing new, though I would have hoped it be a little easier on my birthday. And, all day, I really got no "Happy Birthdays" from my coworkers. I figured, whatever, it's Kenya, we're all grumpy and busy :)

FINALLY, 5pm rolled around. A good friend here, Amy, had asked if I wanted to go get mani/pedi's on my birthday. So, we headed over the the Silver Spring hotel that has a nice spa to get our mani/pedi's. Sounded like a fine plan. I'm not huge on mani/pedi's but Ngong Road has done a number of my feet so I figured it would be good. WOW WOW. The women showed us up to our room...opened to the door and there was a HUGE spread! Amy had played everything off so well...even complained that they couldn't in but later called because they had an opening...couldn't put us together in the same room, etc. Haha. There was a room all set up for us to share complete with champagne and a cheese plate. We had a really great time...champagne never hurts. However, it was so nice just to catch up with Amy. Since we are always at work, or always with a crowd, always with the boys, the two of us have really never been able to relax together. Pretty nice. More on this whole set up later.

After the mani/pedi's, I thought Rob (Amy's fiance) and Damian were going to pick us up so the four of us could get some dinner. However, Amy got a call that the boys were running late, got stuck in traffic (this was not one bit surprising since NBO traffic is unpredictable and horrible, as is male timing).So, we caught a taxi to the Osteria, a really great, outdoor, quaint Italian restaurant in our area. Walking through the restaurant out to the patio I told Amy how blind I was (and it was very dark)....so, I didn't even notice the huge party of 15 with birthday hats and a birthday banner until they were right in front of me. They all yelled Happy Birthday (damn glad they were as enthusiastic as they were, made up for the entire day without their birthday wishes!!!!). I was just shocked...and a little confused...and shocked...So, I took my place at the end of the table, got a glass of wine and enjoyed a GREAT dinner. I was just so shocked that allll of my coworkers who ignored me all day were there, and others who I had even invited to dinner myself were there after playing it off so well, and other who I hadn't seen in quite a while were there. After dinner, I opened some presents from friends...didn't they know this was present enough, getting every together!!?? I got this great sundress from a good friend (who happens to be a UNC medical student)-it is made out of this handmade traditional fabric but is in a modern style ("Kanga Kouture" if you will). And, Kristin got me two more bird figures-they are little and adorable (because I had to send my bigger ones home earlier for the sake of my return luggage in June. Oh, so so nice.

Then, we started to joke about a previous birthday at a different Italian restaurant. They had shut all the lights off, then started carrying out the cake chanting "hey mamma, hey mamma". Right about then, the waitstaff brought out my cake, with a MILLION candles, singing happy birthday through the whole restaurant. Haha. The cake was great. Amy made it, with Damian's assitance, of course. I'm dreaming of that cake right now...damn meetings...I'd love to go home and get a piece!

So, clearly Damian had been scheming and sneaking all week. I was at the office until late on Tuesday, which is when he "went to the bar" with Rob...a.k.a. cake baking with Amy. Then, at dinner while everyone was laughing about how they played this whole thing off, Damian told us how he arrange the mani/pedis. So, it was true that they "can't" do two people in one room and true that you can't get alcohol, etc. But, Damian showed up to Silver Spring Hotel with Ruth Odinga, the Kenyan Prime Mister Raila Odinga's wife. So, that got things done-a special room set up for two, with roses and petals everywhere, a bottle of french champagne, a cheese plate, an air conditioner, a complimentary massage gift certificate. The works. Oh, only Damian. You might be asking how this came to be...the specifics aren't clear, Damian is a sketch man. However, he works with Odinga's son on a new business contract here in Kenya. How Mrs. Odinga came to be a the Silver Spring Hotel with Damian, I'lll probably never know:)