african love, african rain

I just wanted to share with you all my joy yesterday. knowing its valentines day with your loved one being in a different continent isnt the best...but little did i know of what was being organised behind the scenes between martin and my friends here! sitting on my desk in a makeshift vase is the most beautiful bunch of flowers i have seen in a long time - flowers that are smelling amazing and changing as the hours pass, as they slowly creak open towards the light.

my girls heart was blown away in a whirlwind of emotions as ellen knocked on the door and gave them to me. its hard to express the way i was feeling. I adore flowers, but flowers sent full of love from home are even more wonderful.

the rest of the evening i was just walking around with a great big smile on my face - then i spotted what was going on outside - a storm like i've never seen. apparently only african rain can drop from the sky like this - and its not even the rainy season yet. great torrents of water were falling from the heavens onto the dock, 3 inches deep, soaking you to the skin in seconds. i just couldnt resist the temptation and walked down the gangway into the storm. lightening flashing around me and runs of water falling down my face. i lifted my head to the sky, with my arms wide open to embrace it all, joy leaping in my heart and a smile too big to contain.

this is joy, this is creation, this was the only way i could begin to express myself. its just flowers i hear you say, but with months past and months to go until i see my loved one, a bunch of flowers spoke a thousand words.

splashing in puddles inches deep, laughing with friends and a bunch of flowers from home - it was a good day yesterday.