In Nairobi there are plenty of "curio" markets – most of the items however are not old at all, simply aged using shoe polish and other bizarre methods, but the other week I stumbled over what appeared to be a real treasure: a personal leather-bound lockable Post Office Savings Bank book dating back to King George V, yet bearing in mind the far from cheap price tag, I didn't buy it. I did some “google-ing” and discovered it is indeed a collector’s item, and found many for sale on e-bay, yet to my shock horror they are priced anywhere between £5.99 to £20.00, whereas the Kenyan “antiques” dealer told me it was the deal/sale of the century at 8,000 Kenyan Shillings (just shy of $100). I mean really? Why WOULD I pay that. Yet, he was recounting how his grandfather used to have one and that is how he managed to regularly save money, that is how he amassed sufficient money to buy his house in Western district – there are little slots in the end for notes and coins. The bearer would take the box to the Post Office when he wanted to “withdraw” money or further deposit it into a savings account in the Post Office itself. The bearer never had the key, it was in the trusted hands of the Muzungu Post Master! So I intend to return and show him how much I can purchase one in England for – a fraction of the price he is asking but I am certain he will bid me farewell. Let’s see.
Whilst checking out the images from my google search for money boxes, I saw a couple of familiar money boxes on ebay: one was the black Lloyds Bank one in the shape of the trademark thoroughbred – I still have one of these in a box somewhere - £22.98 they wanted for it! And then there was the Sharpes Toffee locking money box – I am pretty sure my brother, N, had/has one of these. There was a very sad looking money box with a description “Rubbish bin with a smiley face” – seriously … what are they talking about? it is Dusty Bin (both booby prize and mascot) of 3-2-1 … I used to lurve that 1980s quiz show what about the three fingure gesture ha ha! Oh I also spotted a Cadbury’s miniature sweet dispenser money box – our old next door neighbour, Mrs. Jones used to have one like that, and I often wondered when the chocolates would run out - little did I know you could refill it! Also the bright green china frog on a rocking chair model was making its debut on ebay – I had one of those also… Incidentally there were some quite beautiful old wooden ones up for grabs.
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| Dusty Bin - seriously what were they thinking of... |
Crossing my fingers that my £5.00 bid will be the winning one ....
Today marked the annual sports day at Tatoum's school - it was very sweet. On your marks, get set, GO! Yet in true Montessori fashion it couldn't be the normal sports day fare, oh no... they combined races with transferring water into different receptacles, sticking on rain drops and other weather symbols, being creative with dressing up and in some cases 6-legged races and thankfully everyone received a medal. Well done Ms. Ali et al it was super fun. And yours truly was in the winning team for the women's relay race with incorporated jumping over "hurdles" and in and out of a paddling pool. On receiving the baton however, my team mate handed it to someone else, then dropped it twice before me setting off - what a comedy that was. I then realised I had almost half a lap to catch up with my opponent - another muzungu and I knew I had to overtake her otherwise J would never let me forget it, sorry fellow mascot muzungu lady I know that overtaking on that last corner was dirty, but it had to be done. In the men's steeplechase one chap needed the Emergency paramedic team on hand as he had pulled his hamstring. All pretty competitive stuff eh?
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| Fishing and then running ... |
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| Yay she caught a big one ... |
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| Proud Tatoum wearing her medal :) |
The day finished of with cocktails with an old friend from New York at the Sankara rooftop bar, followed by dinner at About Thyme, unfortunately the meal took an hour and a half to arrive and a member of our trio left early as she was sick, but when the food eventually arrived it was delicious. And darling K had sent over 3 dozen orange roses, which are beautifully adorning my dining table - life is good, even with Johnnie away :(
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