Nonsense

Just another fun post b/c I'm trying to pass some time.  CT is being important right now and I've been hiding out in the grocery store.  I've been trying to find quiet places to pray for him.  I went over to the furniture area (Guys... you need to think twice the size of super Walmart) to try and find a good comfy place to sit and pray.  I'd get on my knees somewhere but I think someone would would try to help me up.  In this gigantic place there is one employee for every isle and section.  So the couch dude was really looking at me- like he thought I was interested in buying a $3,000 couch.  Any way, that didn't work b/c he was stalking me.  So I just walked around and prayed for him whilst pricing groceries to share with you.  Don't worry- I don't have any money so I didn't buy any of the following, but I just thought this would be another good "nonsense" post to show you guys more about the groceries here.  Maybe because I'm still in shock when I figure some of the prices up.  Candice (one of our Nairobian friends) doesn't seem to flip out anymore about the prices anymore.  Maybe b/c she's been here longer and is used to it now.  When I told CT I wanted to post again on the prices here he made me tell you the good prices of things too.  So they aren't all bad (you can thank Chris).  Oh, and I did eventually find a quiet place to pray... the bathroom worked very well.  It's nice and quiet!

They use kilos, grams, liters here so I've converted them to lbs, oz, and gallons.

1 gallon Milk $4.14

1 block of Philadelphia cream cheese $10.15 

14oz of Bacon $7.40 (we do have to splurge on that... but we use it sparingly)

2 Liter Coke $2.03 (we do without those)

1lb Bananas $0.30 (you can get these even cheaper on the side of the road)

1 can of Tuna $3.74

4.4lbs sugar $2.34

1 Avacado $0.15

Parenting magazine $13.28 (I was just meandering around and saw this crazy price so don't think I'm sending hidden signals- Cosmopolitan cost even more)

Treadmill $4,531.17 (who in their right mind?...)

And next time you want to complain about gas prices, get a load of this:

1 gallon of gas here is $6.07.  We don't have a choice- we have to buy gas! 

Tomorrow I'm going to a Maasi medical clinic to volunteer with our church.  It's from 9a-5p.  I'm not really sure what it's going to be like.  I really don't know if I have the nursing skills the nurses here have.  I'm a bit nervous, but anxious to do something with my passion. We'll see! 

  

groceries...

Remember how we said that we weren't coming to Kenya alone? That we were bringing you guys with us. Well, we meant it. Today I would like to bring you guys grocery shopping with me. I want you to be able to compare prices back in the US with our prices here.
I have already converted them from KSH to USD. I know you all appreciate that.

6 eggs- $1.51
milk (2 liters)- $3.71 (PS- it goes bad in about 2-3 days)
Pineapple- $1.57 (that's good!)
3 small tomatoes- $0.43
1 Mango- $1.21 (bummer and it was VERY tart)
1 box of Special K - $11.00 (No, that is not a typo- but don't worry I didn't buy it. All I have to say is that it better be EXTRA special for that price.)


Yea people- you can almost eat out for what it cost in groceries.


So as you can see I'm trying to be Captain Frugal. We eat much smaller portions and I'm freezing every morsel of food that has any potential of being consumed. I can tell I'm really going to have to think ahead on my recipes and plan out the weeks cooking schedule well in advance. That way I can buy milk and freeze it by what the ingredients call for. For example if one recipe calls for a cup of milk and another calls for 2 cups, then I will freeze one in a container and two in another. I'll let you know how this works out (I might be crazy). I've never really thought of myself as being much of a planner. I kind of just... do. Guess God is molding me in more ways than I thought.

When we first got here we had to get a few staples to get us through the next couple days. Ot course, CT and I wanted some fruit. So I bought a mango, a pineapple, some tomatoes and bananas. The next day Abraham (our wonderful house help) told me he could get them at a market for much cheaper. I was so excited because I would LOVE to buy them from someone on the street that really needs the money. He also told me that the people at the Nakumat (like a walmart) were not Christians. He says they will hand you produce and tell you it is good and it really is not. (I picked the produce myself). So i guess since they lie in the produce isle, then they are not Christians. :) Looks like we have some ministering to do at the Nakumat.

I'm going to attempt to make wheat bread today. : o ) I figured out that if I can bake 4 loaves at a time and freeze the other 3. We can save money! WooHoo!
Tomorrow I will try to make laundry detergent (5 gallons- Thanks Linds!) Then Saturday I will see about making some Salsa.
Missing you all like I miss my grocery coupons...

Please look at my coffee mug (hope you can read bakerds')


CT has one that says "#1 Grandpa". Thanks Hal and Ruthie!
(Sorry guys, i know you have been asking for some real pictures, but I haven't taken any. i've been busy... I know it doesn't look like it though)


PS- I've been wearing the same clothes for 3 days now... they are the same ones I sleep in (I literally have not taken them off my body.) Not because my suitcase still isn't here, just because I can! Yep, that means no shower either! My husband thinks I smell AMAZING! j/k- i have good deo.
Give me some dreadlocks and a sewing machine and call me Shane Claiborne cuz' I LOVE IT!