Tanzania memories

This weekend we had the wonderful experience of seeing an our old friend, Bildad, whom we met when we traveled to Tanzania, Africa in the summer of 2002.

He as spent the summer at Dennis’ camp. Dennis invited him to spend Friday night at our place. We met up in Lincoln before heading back out to the farm.

It was “First Friday” which means all of the art galleries in town have free admission and provide free eats and drinks. We all took in some art at our campus gallery, The Sheldon.

Addie really LOVED it. I was so surprised. Art often eludes me, but my kid ran from item to item with total abandon. Maybe I need to embrace my inner child . . .

After wondering through campus, taking in some jazz and eating ice cream at "Ivanna Cone" (the BEST!) we ended up at Ten Thousand Villages where they were holding a drumming circle. Our friend Bildad joined in and wowed the other drummers with his skills. He had a blast.

Later at our place after Addie had gone to bed, we drug out the photo album of or time in Tanzania. It was so wonderful to hear from Bildad about how some of the many other people we met there are doing, how the trees we planted at the youth camp there are doing and just hearing about the country’s progress in general. It’s amazing what national debt forgiveness can do for a developing country.

Hopefully we can take Addie there someday. That remains one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

Addie and Dennis are gone for another week starting today. I was pretty blue this morning to tell my dearest ones goodbye for five whole days.

When Addie was asking if I was going to come too, I told her no, but I was going to really miss her, and that it made me sad. She said, “You can play with my toys on the porch.”

When I told her I was going to be lonely, she said “You can play with Albert.”

Is it Friday yet?