Pretty in pink

I've said before that much of the family side of life here is much like our life in London. One thing that is notably different is the time and effort that a number of people put into making events look just right. Ive been to some beautiful lunches and most recently a very pink babyshower where any fancy interiors magazine could have done a photo shoot (with me obviously airbrushed out of the scene due to dishevelled hair and a failure to have matched my wardrobe to the decor).

There is masses of creative ability amongst my friends in the UK and dinners, parties and school cake sale offerings always looked great but here that is taken to another level. I'm not sure if its because of a Martha Stewart type US influence here (balancing out the British tendency to think its uncool to try too hard). Or because of the help everyone has which means cakes can be decorated, flowers sourced to match, tables laid exquisitely and printed menus produced without laundry and dishes and other domestic chores piling up. Or because there are some very high achieving women here who are not currently working - its a bit of a nightmare to get a work permit, a very competitive employment market and lots of my friends are prioritising settling kids into lives in a different part of the world and using this time to expand their own families - and just approach anything they do with an equally committed search for perfection. Or because amidst the noise and hassle on the streets there is a real appetite for serenity inside. Or because its a relatively small overlapping community here so its important to mark the difference between an informal quick catch up with a group of mums over coffee and a special event with the same mums and coffee. Or just because it is a fun challenge to see what can be done in Nairobi.

But whatever the reasons and its probably all of the above, I long ago learnt my level and do not try to keep up with the standards set by this group of my friends. Doesn't stop me appreciating their abilities though or tucking into the yummy food that goes along with the decor but I don't think I'm yet ready to invest in a butterfly paper hole punch.