A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE

The past few weeks I haven’t been constant I do apologize due to unavoidable circumstances I rarely get the opportunity to write, and just like english to me writing is still a difficult task I am sure you have seen my struggles over the few stories I have posted. Over the last few days I have been taking my grandma to the eye hospital so we travel from Nakuru to Loresho at for checkups. This checkups have become so frequent that I can go through them with my eyes closed. The other day I just asked my parents instead of us traveling back and forth so often we just move Cucu(grandma) to Nairobi. Since my grandma on my father’s side already lives in Nairobi. So while guys to visit their grandparent’s upcountry I usually just come to Nairobi or go to Nakuru since boths my grandparents live around these two towns. I once asked my grandma why she is still in Nairobi and most of her pals are up country her reply made my day. She simply told me she doesn’t roll like that. Life upcountry is depressing and she is already used to the hustles of this busy city as soon as she goes to ushago(up country) she will grow old and depressed very fast .

Both my grandmas are amazing people when in great health they are up and about always busy you would rarely find them at home. I guess I get my artistic side from them. One of them used to do nice kiondos(sisal bags) and has ever made my younger sister an outfit made neatly woven paper bags that she used during a fashion contest back in high school which grabbed her second place. We were all shocked considering the fact my sister has always been a tomboy. High school really changes people she went a tomboy came out a proper lady.

Although professionally she was a teacher my other grandma also knits. She has made us surfs and sweaters for the cold season. I remember two particular sweaters she made for us when we were young those days back then when my mum used to make me and my sister where matching clothes. I didn’t mind this at all the only thing that really bothered me is that every Sunday and Christmas days she use to make us wear Cinderella dresses that were really uncomfortable. Back to the sweaters mine had many different colors I bet she sensed that I would be versatile in nature. while my younger sister got a red sweater which was written “I love you mum”. This was mainly because she was named after my great grandmother, and boy does she love her name. I can proudly say I borrowed a lot from these two amazing ladies I would easily observe them busy at work and soon enough I would have mastered the skill.

They would tell us of how amazing life was back then. How they used to pay 50 cents for school fees or how my grandma traveled from Kangundo in Machakos to Nakuru at the age of 12 year alone to reunite with her parents and younger sister and at the time only knew that they were in Nakuru she never knew anything else only the name of the area they were staying.

My mum and aunts also had fascinating stories of how amazing life was, how classy fashion was back then, and how much they had fun playing outside making their own makeshift toys or how they used go watch movies in drive INS. All this stories will make you pity the children of today who are enslaved by technology. Am not saying that technology is a bad this but they don’t get time to interact with each other and explore the world around them. I remember when I was young my parents used to allow to play as much as we wanted provided we had finished our household chores. We lived in a nice neighborhood where all the neighbors were close pals and we had a central place to play, surrounded by the houses. I remember going to the shop without shoes looking as if I had crawled out of a hole with a list at hand containing three items. I always went to the shops with a list since I would play along the way and the possibilities of me forgetting what I was sent was high. The schools were close by life was great. I remember my first school Elimu Nursary School we used to wear blue tunic dresses with a white collar and half white pockets. The school was just right across the road and we had to be taken to school and back home. Life was amazing back then and if I would be able to turn back the hand of time I wouldn’t change anything except for the uncomfortable Cinderella dresses we used to wear.

I have a tendency of drifting off when I tell stories . I hope you are able to catch my drift. The main reason why i wrote this story was to apologize for my inconsistency. I do hope with time things will get better.