39. March 31, 1968 Letter from Barbara to her parents

 39. March 31

Dear Mom and Dad, (Line from Barb)

Looks like it’s time for an April Fools letter. No, all that follows is really true!

We finished our income taxes tonight, and as always, it’s a big relief. We had brought all our things along to make out the form, as when we left, we didn’t know just what would happen concerning the taxes. We have applied for an extension on filing the federal taxes, so we won’t file any federal tax until we get back.  There is a two month grace period because we are out of the country anyway. Idaho only grants a 180 day extension which won’t help, so we filed as an out-of-state resident. We will get about $40 returned so felt it was worth the trouble. As always some things have been misplaced, but it wasn’t drastic. Just the same, I always sigh with relief when the envelope is put in the mailman’s hands!

Frank is feeling really good tonight. The farm has a little 14 HP diesel crawler tractor, German made, that has been sitting around for the past two years - broken down. No one could fix it and make it run. He has had it apart for two weeks, getting various things repaired. One part was a drive shaft that had broken to be welded. After some African in Nairobi made a mess of it, Frank went down to the Country shop in Embu, and welded it up himself to his specifications. Today he cranked it up and drove it from our carport where he’s been working on it, over to the farm to hook up the rototiller that goes with it. He had quite an audience, and his status with the faculty and student body has risen considerable! Our neighbor, Mr. Benson, said, “We thank you a thousand times, Mr. Scientist, with the practical knowledge!” Frank felt pretty pleased with himself and the reaction it caused. 

The work with the wiring and getting ready for the mains is progressing very well. We can see that the house is all hooked up as well as the other houses on the campus, and the rumor is that it will be turned on tomorrow or the next day. I told you that the classrooms would take another week or so. It is quite exciting.

We are hoping to be able to bring home our crate with the washer in it when I go to get Diane next Friday. Her term ends then. We still have another two weeks to go. We are hoping to be finished on the 12th by making up some extra classes in the afternoons and on Saturdays, but there is some opposition from the missionary bunch. They want to be sure all the students are here so they can have Easter services. I think the idea is nice, but would like to have school finished earlier. The new term begins May 13, and Frank has to be there for a two week inservice institute, so there won’t be much vacation time at best. Those extra few days at the beginning might mean we could go to the coast for a few days.

We did some gadding this weekend. Miss Williams had a couple of friends up for the weekend and invited us to dinner on Friday night to meet them. Then Saturday Mr. Brown, Miss Randal, and Pat McFadden had a party and invited us. (They all live in the big house on the hill that’s been made into apartments.)  They must have had thirty people there, all Europeans, and all living between here and Nairobi and Meru. I didn’t know there were that many around Most of them are Peace Corp and VSO which is English equivalent to Peace Corp. There were a couple of Dutchmen and one man from Denmark. It was interesting to meet them. I couldn’t say much for the dancing though. Guess I’m getting too old for this modern stuff. I don’t get much fun out of it, but it is fun to watch the rest of them. They sure go through some funny antics. One fellow looked like a group of people trying to do something together but not quite accomplishing it! Every part of him was moving in a different rhythm!

I am making a quilt for the Principal’s new baby with appliqued animals on it. It is going to look real cute. I decided to make what I wanted to and not worry whether she would like it, or use it, or not!

The weather the last few days has been just like the hot autumn weather at home. Kiva got her shoulders and neck sunburned after spending the whole morning in the sandpile. 

Milton has been in since Frank has been working on the crawler. Today he was running around fetching and carrying for Frank and running along behind on the crawler’s trial run. The darn thing is so small there is hardly room for the driver to sit on it. The places are so small when your feet go to work the clutch and brake, that Frank had to put on his dress shoes in order to have space-enough to move his feet freely. Milt was grease up to his eyebrows tonight and happy as a lark. He has really missed that part of the farm.

Vicki has a bright red face. She spent a morning last week up on the water tower platform reading a book. She likes to climb up there. Says it’s nice and peaceful and you can see to the end of the world! She has read about a half of the fiction books in the school library. She and Frank bought six paperback books last trip to Nairobi, all of them spy or mystery books. We brought plenty of technical books, but not enough light reading. I think I’ll propose a trade with some of the people at Kenyatta College next time we are down there.

Amy made a batch of cookies all by herself that were delicious. She was very proud and the little girl her same age who lives next door said she was a “clever girl”!

Well, I hope the calves are arriving in good shape and that the St. Patrick’s Day storm is the last one for the season. We heard about it from some friends of ours in Salem, Oregon, too.

Our Princess calf has been bred, so we are hoping she will do well. Queenie (her mother) had to go for beef because she wouldn’t breed the second time. I felt bad but you can’t be sentimental about things like that. Princess’ calf can be a registered Charolais. They don’t require 100% pure yet. I’ll be anxious to hear about the calves and everything else.

 Love from all of us, Barb