Category: Niger life

Our Cameek is ten. Her favorite part of the party was playing a game they made up: one girl thows a towel and another one has to jump into the pool and catch it at the same time. I bought a ton of this locally made horse print fabric–most of these girls take riding lessons–and used it for the tablecloth, and I had it made into back packs for the party favors. The requested menu: hot dogs, which I couldn’t even find in this town until the last panic-y moment, potato salad and fruit kabobs. Chocolate cake with royal icing. I had to make the cake twice, it was a cracked pale pancake the first time around, but the second time it was perfect, if a bit lopsided. The leftovers are sitting on the counter calling my name.

Since I don’t want to buy pants online, I haven’t bought a pair of pants in a year. Can you imagine? The reason we finally have money in our savings account? No pants buying. But Peter and I have so many pent-up shopping needs since the forced austerity in Rome and since we have been sitting here in the land of no shopping for ten long months. Can’t wait to get to France. And Anthropologie in Portland. And Goodwill. I’m going to go to Goodwill everyday. Peter’s on a classical music buying kick and he and REI are especially close lately. Here are my little online indulgences, I’m insane with waiting for them.

Tiny dolls from a 150 year old French company, perfect dress from agnes b, Nigella Lawson measuring cups I should have bought when I first saw them and held them in my hot little hands last summer.

Approved by Ambassador Allen, the movie is ready to open at the Hail and Farewell party at the Ambassador’s residence in a couple of weeks. Here is a three minute version, the full length one is 26 minutes.

I had a complete artistic breakdown when it came to putting the movie together. What I really wanted was a short time to attend film school at NYU. Then I tried to get over myself. Every thirteen year old makes a movie, you can too.

1. My favorite shadow out our back door. 2. Camille’s “Things I want to do when we get to the US” list: visit OMSI, have doughnuts with Grammie and Grandpa, walk Herbie and Harry (Aunt Valerie’s dogs) 3. Athena and Stefan, just out of the pool 4. Phoebe 5. Weaver bird nest Stefan found 6. My Arabica cup from Finland that makes me so happy 7. I had Pierre take off some the kitchen cabinet doors so we could have an open shelf. My cookbooks were getting ruined sitting on the counter. 8. Turns TEN this month. 9. After a swim.

J’adore some of the fabric they have here. I had this skirt made by the tailor, I gave him a boden skirt to copy. I should have told him to match the pattern on the side seams, I will next time. He already rolls his eyes when he sees me coming, I’m sure. Yesterday I went to Wadata, the art market to pick up a carved calabash gift Peter wants to give a co-worker. Wadata is a store of sorts, kind of a collective, smelling of leather work and selling jewelry and batiks. I bought this belt. It’s the most bohemian Helen-esque (Peter’s sister) thing I’ve ever seen, and I have to go back and get another one for her, don’t you think?

Job interview, work travel, new terrorist kitten who works nights, kids off school for two days…lately when people see us, they say, “You look tired.” Don’t you hate that? At least we didn’t have to unload this:

Camille has been waiting all her short life to be old enough for “Take Your Child to Work Day.” First, they were “sworn in” by the ambassador. Later they tried on the 40 pound jackets worn by the marines, made a call on the radio, cashed a check, learned how to read an xray and filled in at the consular desk, I guess.

Ambassador Allen and her new crew.