Derby Day

The first Saturday in May. I should be in Louisville, wearing a big hat, perhaps a sundress, and drinking a mint julep. Instead, I am in Kenya, dressed in clothes that seem to be increasingly composed of dirt. I have just eaten a Snickers bar though, which was nice (but not as nice as a julep). Had I thought of it I probably could have traded my left arm for some bourbon in town, but I am not sure I'd be able to find mint, even if I'd been willing to part with my right arm as well. Sigh.

A quiet end to a busy week: Fieldwork all week except a whirlwind trip to Mpala on Wednesday to see Stephanie and pick up some things. I was supposed to work this afternoon, but there was torrential rain during lunch and even after I waited an hour for things to dry out attempting to get to my field site was like trying to drive through pudding. I got to watch all of my animals this morning (although not all for quite as long as I'd like), so this afternoon is not a big loss, and I am really appreciating the unexpected opportunity for relaxation.

This week also saw the departure of the rest of the research center residents. One left Wednesday, another a 5 this morning. The third is gone for the weekend, will be back for a day or two, gone for another four days, and then back for a couple before going for good. After that, I have no expected company, as far as I know, until June. It should be a productive month!

I am not up to date on my Derby news, but Mike sent me the most important information: the horses' names and silk colors. He even threw in a couple sentences of performance description from the Courier-Journal's website. My pick is American Lion for what should be obvious reasons. Hopefully next year I will be able to watch the race in person, or at least on TV. Oh well. For now, I leave you with photos of the closest thing I've got here to a horse and American Lion's mascot: