New Digs

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Have you been to Kericho with those squatty but quaint tea worker’s houses on the hill. The endless greenery with rolling hills and Kalenjin hawkers with their checked jackets selling tea and roast maize and trucks that bellow and meander up virgined hills. The beautiful blue skies, smoke snaking upwards from chimneys and children kicking a ball on the patch of green by the roadside. Now picture this blog to be a house on one of those hills in Kericho. It’s a sturdy stone house with an ambitious chimney, darkened by soot and age. The house has an old wooden fence that is broken in some areas. A brown dog with clear eyes wanders around the compound occasionally raising one leg to piss against the fence. A verandah overlooks the hills yonder. There is a canvas seat and two rocker chairs on this verandah, flanking a small wooden coffee table.

Inside is warm and cosy with those old sofas with vitambaa on them, another coffee table and, on the walls, framed black and white photos from the 70’s of strangers: Men in suits and parted hairstyles. Women with flowery dresses, hands placed piously on their laps. Men in hats leaning on canes. Women with babies seated on their laps, clutching plastic toys. All the pictures are taken in studios and are stiff as a board. It’s a three bedroomed maisonette with a small open kitchen with a large window that overlooks a sloping hill and a gathering of thin pine trees below. The bedrooms are modest, sporting low wooden beds. Downstairs is a fireplace with a bundle of wood leaning against the wall.

It rains often.

This house is owned by an ageing man. He has a white beard and wears corduroy trousers and likes to sit on the verandah with the dog at his feet and stare at the hills beyond while saying things like, “It will rain later today,” then shouting to the herd boy, “Kibet! Did the grey goat give birth?” Kibet is the guy who makes sure that everything runs great in the boma. If the sink is clogged he will unblock it. If the shower is faulty he will fix it. If the water heater is bursted, he will tinker it into life. He makes sure there is enough log to get the fire going and that the grass on the ground is mowed and the is dog fed and the old roof doesn’t leak.

The main lifeline of this house are its regulars, strangers from a far away and mysterious land called The Internet – or a wild world web – who show up here with a drink in hand (or tea bags) and sit at the balcony for a conversation. They are men and women, boys and girls, the young and the middle-aged, and occasionally a curious old person wanders in with a pipe dangling from their mouth. Everybody is welcome but there is only one rule; you can’t come to the door wearing a political t-shirt, leave with a book from the shelves or change the station on the radio. What this means is that you have a horde of people coming through often, sitting at the kitchen counter and talking about things. The house is often full of laughter and good cheer and the fire crackles at the fireplace and once in awhile someone who has had a enough wine will start singing a circumcision song to the protesting barks of the dog.

Most are regulars who understand the house rules and who have mutual respect for other guests. Nobody shouts over dinner or plays loud music from their phones or uses overtly foul language. Most often spend the night, others come in for a few hours for banter and slither into the darkness. Some sit still in silence, flies on the wall, their shadows dancing against the wall. Ghosts. Some stopped coming back but for each person that stopped coming a new person came in. Those who stopped coming are remembered fondly. Like one called Kibidubidu, or Kibudidiu.

One evening just as Kibet was locking the hens in the pen, and the old man was sitting at the verandah cracking boiled peanuts from their casks, a steaming cup of tea by his side, a young man and woman showed up at the door. He was tall and bald. She was also tall and striking with a sharp chin and wide hips and smelling good. She had these trendy owlish-looking RayBans stuck over her forehead. The internet is like an ocean that sweeps to shore people of all sorts.  

“Is there room for the night?” the young man asked the old man. “We have some good whisky and some chicken but we need a fire for the night.”

“This is not a lodging.” The old man mumbled. The dog lying at his feet slowly lifted his head when it heard “chicken.” (It hails from Webuye).  

“We know,” said the guy. “ I have been here before.”

“Oh, have you now?”

“Yes. In 2014” said the guy.

The man regarded him coolly. “And where is the said chicken?”

He turned to the lady and she rummaged through her bag and raised a polythene bag of frozen chicken. “All thighs,” she said. “I hope you don’t mind thighs.”

“Thighs are good” said the old man. The dog lowered its head and closed its eyes (He’s a breast kind of dog).

The couple settled into the room upstairs. When the heater was ready they both got into the bathroom as the man inspected the water tank behind the house with Kibet. He could hear the girl giggle in the shower upstairs. “Who is he?” asked Kibet looking up at the bathroom’s fogged out window.

“Nobody from The Internet ever uses their real names, you know that.” said the old man. “But he brought chicken and whisky.”

At 6pm they came downstairs to the verandah; he is holding two glasses while she is holding a book by Melody Anne called The Tycoon’s Revenge. She was in tights and slip ons and the base of her hair was wet. He was in blue truck bottoms and a hoodie. The old man watched him crack open the whisky and pour it in two glasses, handing him one. “Your friend doesn’t drink?” he asked.

“She’s my woman.” he said looking at her settling in the canvas seat under a maasai shawl. “And she drinks, just not today.”

They drunk in silence and stared at darkness descend.

“I’m tired of this house,” mumbled the Old Man more to himself.

“It’s a great house.”

“Yes, but when you stay in a great house everyday it starts getting tiresome.”

“Get another dog.”

“You are a genius. What did you say you do for a living again?”

The lady laughed from under her masai shawl.  “He sells pottery.”

They sat in silence for a while. Fireflies darted in darkness. Across the hills one light shone from a lone house. Silence enveloped them. The smell of frying chicken wafted out the kitchen where Kibet fried and stirred and clanged pots.

“Change the curtains then.” Said the guy eventually and the man looked at him for long and grunted.

“Change the curtains,” he repeated. “I like that metaphor.”

      ***

Not long ago a reader emailed me, “I discovered you when I was in Form 3. Thanks for making my university days bearable. Now I just started my first job.” I thought, Oh God, why would she want to make me so old now? This blog is seven years this year. It’s like that house in Kericho; it’s still standing but it’s old and smells of a disused pantry but lucky for you, you can decide when to come and have tea or a drink on the verandah and leave at your own pleasure but Kibet and I can’t because we live here. This is home. We have to stay here to make sure that moths don’t.

There have been many boring days that hang over the house like a swarm of locusts. Days marked by familiarity and lethargy. The problem is the house became too familiar, too expected. Imagine sleeping in the same room and looking out the same view every day, no matter how wonderful it becomes a drag. But we didn’t want to move houses because we have memories here we can’t move. We liked this house only we needed to redecorate.

So we changed the curtains. To choke monotony.

We brought in a fundi and he steadied the old sofas because some really heavy guests who celebrate Burgerfest and Restaurant Week sleep on them. The vitambaas on them were also thrown out because it ain’t 1989 anymore. There was a wall unit against a wall, that was donated to the local school. The headmaster of that school came wearing a ridiculous stetson hat and drove away with it in an old Datsun pickup that Kibet had to help push for it to jump start. We gave the house a fresh coat of paint. The old creaky bed in the spare room went. We hoisted up, in the sitting room, a massive painting of women in the market selling kola nuts. A guest gifted us a coffee maker.

The dog is old now. Old and sad. It won’t see October. If it dies we will bury it with love at the edge of the pine forest, where the old man can see its grave of loyalty and friendship.

The strapline of this blog has also changed: The Fourth Floor. This is because I’m headed towards 40 and I’m told life is just about to kick in. See that additional section up there, 40’s People? That will contain stories of people in their 40’s that I will be interviewing; honest and raw perspective of what 40’s is and has been for them. Mistakes and triumphs, etc. Will the voice change here? Nyet. It remains as is. Will the length change? Nyet, long is good, no? We have just cleaned it out, thrown out sections of the blog that weren’t making sense. Remember we didn’t have a problem with the house per se, it’s just that it had become too familiar.

The boys – millennials – who re-designed this blog are called Three Geeks. Strange but very creative boys who live on three hour sleep and speak a language I don’t understand. They have introduced many small things in the blog, some that I didn’t have a clue what they did.

“What’s with this love heart thing? This is not a dating site, boss. Remove it.” I told one of them.

“It’s not a love heart, it’s a heart.”

“I don’t want hearts on my blog.”

“It’s a Like button for people who don’t want or don’t have time to comment,” he said.

“Oh” I said. “So you just like the article if you can’t be bothered to comment..”

“Yeah,” He said. “Only nobody says “like” anymore, you say “I heart it.”

“I will have you know that I stopped saying Instragram, I say The Gram.”

“Good for you, Biko. You are now cool.”

“Thanks, I heart that.”

“OK, stop.”

You see on the right? You have some of your all time reads there. We also created an archive for old stories on the calendar there on the right. Below it is my Facebook page and Instagram. In fact just click “Follow” we see what will happen? Or should I say, “Heart me?” At the very bottom are all those Blog Awards I have won. Please don’t ask, they are for my ego. Just let me be, OK? Life is hard enough.

Look, I will let you explore the house on your own now.

I just want to say one thing before I go feed the dog. That I’m grateful that you have continued to come here every Tuesday to keep us company. That you take time to share and to comment. That through this you have all remained respectful to me and most importantly to yourselves. I don’t take it for granted. Most importantly I’m happy that we have never quite forgotten about what this was about from the beginning (to have a laugh and look at life through a more jocular prism) even though sometimes I forget and bombard you with sponsored posts. But come on I can’t pay for Tamms swimming and dancing lessons with Hearts and laughs.

As I get into the next phase of my journey (I will be introducing something exciting here pretty soon) it would be nice to continue coming by here for a tete a tete once in awhile even if you found a new house on a new hill where they allow you to touch the radio. (That kinda sounded naughty). And if I start sounding 40, please just roll with it, it’s not like you will remain young forever yourselves.  

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an old dog to feed omena.

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215 Comments
    1. This, right here, made me think of the ‘first to comment’ brigade:

      “A brown dog with clear eyes wanders around the compound occasionally raising one leg to piss against the fence.”

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  1. Now the house looks a bit strange with the curtains gone, but at least, the old grand piano in the corner was left intact, and that is a good thing because all the memories are stored in the strings of that piano. Other than that, we are good to go, though the font is a bit hard on the eyes. www.zurikiki.com

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      1. i struggled to this this…i didnt actually finish the font style is either too strange or font small. i didnt even finish reading.please take us back to our old house

  2. Change is good. Life twisting us in turns is good too. You are getting to the 40s Biko and that to me sounds very old. No so much though so don’t sulk about that. We all gonna get there someday. Anyway, in the true spirit of a Kenyan, I have to complain. Its just my thing – an thousands of other millennial. Tell the three geeks more black color on Chocolate man’s writings here won’t hurt. If they tell you to tell me to go get glasses tell them they suck.
    Ps. I love the bit on Kericho’s picturesque. My kinda read. Heko for the 7 years triumph.

    1. I agree….more black pls…or do I need specs too? i just got to fourth floor myself and cant wait to ‘our’ section.

  3. I like…sorry…heart it. Can we still say ‘first to comment’?
    On the real though, you are great. Barikiwa as you embark on this new journey and phase.

  4. I was wondering what is with the new font. Well, this certainly feels like a new place. It will take a few visits to for it to stick that I am still at Chocolate Man’s web space.

  5. Lord Biko!, my heart was in my throat – thought you would end up saying you were off to the Congo (again!). You have to find better ways to break Good news: that beginning totally felt like a break up speech – I wanted to scroll to the end but was too scared of what I’d find there so I read on. Now, I breathe lighter – I will assess the house, where is this heart button you speak of?

  6. “I heart it”
    Seems like a majority of us will be changing houses very soon.
    Biko can you put us together and a few older guys to be initiated into the 40S? just a thought

  7. I love the redecoration of this old house,yea,I have been here long enough,am a regular,and yes,I will continue coming back every Tuesday to share the whisky and the chicken……thanks old man, Bikozulu ,I heart you…?.cheers to the regulars ,let’s cruise in this new certain changed house

  8. Awesome post, it resonates with the changes, I love the house all the same. Change is good and i love the memories too.

  9. When the old man mumbled ‘I’m tired of this house’, I paused, took a deep breath and said a short prayer, ‘Oh God! Don’t let this be what I’m thinking’. But then the good Lord said to me, ‘Now… Now… Naomi! What should I do with this slow head of yours! It’s the curtains. The old man is here to stay’. For a second there I thought I was reading a goodbye post.
    Well, the new look is a bit weird to the eye but it has a refreshing thing about it. Except the text color. A bit faint, I think. But maybe it’s my eyesight playing tricks on me. Old age knocking.
    Other than that, great read as usual. Especially the imagery.

  10. One feeling lingered while reading through the article, a feeling of fear, of the unknown, that scary anticipation that the dynamics you’ve enjoyed for so long might change, that something new and not so familiar might be introduced. Am glad you only changed the curtains, because I’ve brought friends here, girlfriends, even family to visit the house; those I didn’t bring here I met them here while we shared the laughter and the humor on beautiful morning and evenings.

    It’s beautiful, I’ll keep coming and meeting fellow humans… Muzzle tov

  11. Biko i admire how you effortlessly play around with words. It is an art that you have perfected without a doubt. The humor in this piece is just so hilarious. I totally love the new blog. It is a breathe of fresh air for sure. The house is in order now. Tunaitwa lini ‘ house warming?’ The Kenyan in me just had to ask this.

  12. His name was (is?) Kidikibudi. The dude with complicated English, donge? I remember him. “The trenches never rejected a good soldier” is one of his many memorable sentences. So many have since stopped commenting but I know they still stop by once in a while.

    Also, well done with the new design. It is that thing people say about change and rest

    1. You know that thing when you enter someone else’s house and say to yourself (or loudly),” mmenishinda na nini ?(sounds better in luo actually)”..
      your turn sir as we wait on that novel…:)

      awesome design Biko, very heartable.

  13. Nice curtains bikozulu, this is only evidence that the 3 geeks wouldn’t, need a fourth. Well, we have been here, done that-all since the first curtain, to the second and now we are here, thanks for the new ones biko..

    Anyway, I was last seen in kericho 4yrs ago enroute to kisumu and that is a journey which feels more like a bitter sweet situation. Im not a green anarchist but how do you travel through such plush tea estates only to endure 4 torturous hours of meandering dusty road to get to kisumu? Are the Chinese guys done with that road, tuache kupotelea kapsabet?

    https://doinsights.wordpress.com/2017/04/18/spicey-a-very-short-story/

  14. Hahaha,am never getting to 40….16 till eternity.The old house looks good,I like the new curtains,the visitors who pop in every now and then make the house lively.Well,the owner….with that forehead like an Akamba bus to Homabay is just ok.

  15. Halfway through the post i paused, afraid that the blog was shutting down. That maybe with the 4th level thingy, you’d say you need to find yourself and all that. Glad to know that we are here to stay. A bit of interior design to give the place a new look, is a great move.
    For 7 years i have read your articles and enjoyed every single one of them. I move into the 3rd floor pretty soon, and i hope i find the will and courage to change the curtains and shed off what i can’t take with me to this new floor.
    I heart you☺

  16. The new house will take time getting used to, but it’s cool that you have your igram and fb at one place. Makes it easier for folks to follow and like.
    Do the three geeks have contacts..? Hoping their charges are not over the roof.

  17. And the lexeme nazi will always be here to wonder if getting to the fourth floor or changing house, the past tense of burst suddenly changes to bursted. Plus WHAT DO YOU THINK doesnt look 40. It looks 90! Great job my fren. Send the Three geeks my way, I need to get out of wordpress.

  18. Change is inevitable. Heart the new look now that we can’t say like anymore. Can we darken the font a bit…….its not working for me or maybe I need to get specs seeing as I’m almost joining the 40’s. Looking forward to The Fourth Floor!!

  19. “Is there room for the night?” the young man asked the old man. “We have some good whisky and some chicken but we need a fire for the night.”

    “This is not a lodging.” The old man mumbled. The dog lying at his feet slowly lifted his head when it heard “chicken.” (It hails from Webuye). “I heart this”

  20. I love the new look at first I was not sure if I was on the right page. I think you will enjoy the 4th floor just don’t turn into a fossil

  21. The house is cool. Three Geeks still have some work to do: Banish those who say “first to comment”. It’s a total turn off.

  22. i always wanted a heart button or a like button on this blog.commenting gets so exhausting sometimes,yet we want to express that we liked the read.so good job.loving the new layout.double heart.

  23. Upgrade is great. But please, I use glasses and the font is still a challenge. Increase the font size and or bold please.

  24. what do I think? I think the new curtains will take a while getting used to.
    I too thought you were leaving us Biko! OK not leaving us leaving us… Psh. but I thought you were shutting the blog down. that after seven years of writing awesome articles it all came down to this. Thank heavens it didn’t come to that.
    And life doesn’t begin at 40 Biko! it’s a cliché invented by old people after realizing that they are ACTUALLY GETTING OLD hahah.
    Nice read though

  25. Thanks for keeping the house warm, we sure enjoy visiting the house. Some of us (I mean me) don’t miss a visit but have not been courteous enough to comment so, this is a maiden comment to welcome you to fourth floor. It’s the oomph of life phase where you don’t give a damn to what doesn’t matter much. Flow with it

  26. Great to have you back! Its always refreshing to read your work Biko. The new house is certainly warm and cozy, change really is good. I loved the way you described the house on the hill….I could picture everything..I almost smelt the whiskey too! A toast to you on this and many more to come!!

  27. I heart you @Bikozulu. Change is as a good as a rest. The three geeks did a good job; the font though is too 40ish.

  28. I really want to be petulant and nuna coz man do I hate change (and the hearts, I don’t heart those hearts). i like the familiar and the sparse look of our old blog but I know people worked hard on these new curtains, plus I’m in this for the long haul, so i guess ntazoea

  29. Your comment* I love the new house! One question though, where to I access ‘more’ from the past that I have not read besides the four above? anybody? TIA

  30. First of all the boys did a great work.

    2nd “And if I start sounding 40, please just roll with it, it’s not like you will remain young forever yourselves.” Biko you are not 40,you are 18 with 22 years experience.

    Change is always good,furthermore you never know how it is till you try it!!

  31. I was just preparing to check my email, in case it was on silent mode, to see if there was a new post. Then I heard my cousin from somewhere in the house shouting “Biko is changing curtains!”
    “Oh, so you know his place now?” I shouted back. It was after he finished his stupid laughter that I realized it might not have been as literal as I’d taken it. So I went straight to the old cosy house, and sure enough work was in progress.
    I’ve been coming here for the past four years, and I have to admit it was becoming too familiar. I heart the new look; it’s chic, sort of. Now could the Three Geeks add a thumbs down option on comments? Could work for the “First to Comment” Crew.

  32. I thought you were shutting down the blog!! Now I can breathe..i discovered this blog in 2011, was in first year. hehe yes you’re old, I remember refreshing Every Monday(was Monday then, right?) even when I was in class, and I’m still here, I still heart(smh) this blog. I love the new look.

  33. Congratulations Biko, I heart the change! Now this will make my “withdrawal symptoms” even worse, as it happens every Tuesday when I am not able to read the blog due to unavoidable circumstances. The Fourth Floor, …………………I can’t wait!

  34. Good read…… but the font or is it the ink?? not kind to the eye….it’s too strain-ny*** Biko…… If the three Geeks could do something about that just ….

  35. I have been here for a while now and I heart this house. Now Tuesday is my favorite day to enjoy that tea with laughter

  36. Eish that was so personal. Your welcome chocolate man, I have vowed my allegiance to you, 3 years and still going strong. I heart you.
    The literature here is on another level, for the first time in my life, I can now spell Curdoroy.
    Happy Birthday 40th Birthday Biko, looking forward to more of your wit and wisdom.
    Now that we have a new house gang, will someone tell me how I can put up my display picture here TIA

  37. I love the floor. It is still marked with the footprints of those who have wandered into this special and warm home. I can almost smell the character their perfume has infused into the new curtains. Keep it up Biko and the Three Geeks. Usually, a shadow on these walls, “New Digs” has compelled me to whisper.

  38. Thanks Biko. Nice read. liking the new digs. The font and background as well.
    My opinion (I know you want to be), some Kericho tea estate photos would do more justice to the story. Plus you and i agree, that Kericho scene is to die for….

  39. Nice curtains, modern. I was only afraid the chicken from the handbag would cackle.

    I heart the new digs. Why does that sound so weird?! I’ll stick to I like it, yea am old.

  40. I could have written a killer introduction, but the point is, this font, and its size, sucks. The fresh coat of paint though, nice.

  41. Change is envitable. Though it will take some time for “us” – especially me. Next time, give us a heads up early on, so that we don’t come and find the house locked.

  42. Sup Chocolateman, I like the new curtains but they are letting in too much light for some macho-4 like me, Please make the words(on the story itself) just a little bit darker for my eye’s sake. Been here since 2009 and you never disappoint. Actually, i got my Dad to read your work now he wants to write a novel about his wisdom! Again I like the curtains just please reduce the lights.

  43. I see what you did there with the vitambaa and curtains.you matched it to the owner of the house..I heart the changes,being a few stair cases away from 4th floor change has been a constant in life. A consolation would be to say you are 18yrs with 22yrs experience!

  44. I like… ooops! I heart the new curtains… feels fresh and the use of different fonts gives the house a relaxed and welcome feel…

  45. Gosh the light is not very kind to us with glasses………………..get rid of the curtains but keep the sheers on please……here to stay

  46. Psychologyof colors-brown is the most unpopular color among men. So why would you use it on the blog? Unless of course you don’t want male readers.

    Looking forward to the new 40’s section.

  47. looks like you moved house to me (Ask the geeks for some emojis…could have used one here). Ask them for some curtains too, the sheer makes you look naked (not ready for that yet)…Also, can we bring “Sharing is sexy” (Always made me feel feisty whenever I did * again where are my emojis*)…thanks for the heart (no more guilt for not commenting), hearts the “stuff I missed” and the preview for your gram posts…looking forward to the “40’s people (always liked older guys)…hoping to ease into the rest of it…happy anniversary, been here 7 years!!

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  48. I am one of those that come here, read and laugh. Once in a blue moon, a story resonates well with me and I share it on my wall. A heart/like button is certainly a welcome idea. I have scrolled through and haven’t seen it though.

    The new design is different… I will get used to it with time.

  49. Biko, you never got lucky to have a real pic of the Kericho Tea estates and highland view especially at sunset?

  50. I miss the “sharing is sexy” part, the new curtains are still smelling the marketish smell, but we will get used to it. I heart the changes.
    Thank you Biko

  51. Nice makeover Biko,now this house now needs a barbeque corner and more sofas,to prevent some wild damsels from twerking all over LoL!

  52. But Biko, why do I have to heart before I read? What if it is one of those days when Kibet did not do his job and the old man is vexed? I found the sharing is sexy to be more appealing, this heart… there is something off about it. Consult one Lewis Kangethe on User Experience Design. I believe he is an avid reader here.

  53. i like the ‘stuff i missed’ calendar and the Instagram icons. the background too is appealing. i miss the color and shining streak in the previous one though. .

  54. I liked the old house,the new house will take
    some getting used to,lakini what’s the P icon for yawa … Lemme walk around and heart you coz I think the young men had me on there mind when they put that there. tihihi I heart them Kabisa…wink wonk

  55. Hi biko, the house looks fine..but could u please have the three geeks check the JavaScript on the menu button-its kinda laggy when reading from a mobile phone.And the article could be read better if the content could fill the entire width of the pass.but the place feels fresh and the font is really awesome..

  56. The new house looks good. Change is good and your writing is always on point. I heart your way of writing.

  57. Getting lost in the new house. Been here 3 years without posting. Can see my shadows clearly. Super fonts though. What’s the P thingy?

  58. Biko, a few suggestions:
    1. That tab ya 40s should not have an apostrophe… “40s People” not “40’s People”
    2. I agree with you re the Awards. You need that boost. That said, 2016 appears twice.. ama ilizaa?
    3. I would have wished that you curve out a corner in the house for all those “First to Comment” people. Can we not have them in the barn, or something??

    Great look. Great Blog as always

  59. The new look of the house feels warm already! Loving the change the font though,will take time getting used to…or we could get the old font back ☺

  60. 40’s people…Is this new decor, accessory or what? I love progressive change. It’s gonna be exciting in here.

  61. Kwa wapendwa The Geeks,
    Lengo na madhumuni ya kuandika rejesho hili ni kuwafahmisha ya kwamba rejesho zinafaa kuambatanishwa na alama ya moyo pia.
    Asanteni kwa sasa.
    Ni wenu mpendwa,
    Raha.

  62. First time to comment here but been an avid reader for about 5 years now. Never missed an article. New digs look cool. Totally loving it. The 3 geeks just forgot to include the “sharing is sexy” part. That always made me smile. And further improvement would definitely be adding the heart button and laugh emoji to comments too. Someone up there said thumbs down for first commenter is required too…haha… i second that

  63. I miss ‘sharing is Sexy’ 🙂 but all for a new look!
    They should have also made it easier for us to comment without scrolling to the very bottom!
    Oh well………

  64. Awesome, I am one of those who visit this house regularly but being the lazy..that i am,I don’t comment often so I will be hearing you every time i visit. Thank you Biko for keeping it interesting.You don’t know know how many lives you have changed. Am personally grateful to you because I got myself reading again. I plan to be here many more years.

  65. I like the new house. As always nostalgia hangs over me but will get used to it. Am 7 years younger than you, but i feel like my life has taken a calm, serene and tranquil turn. Like those endless greenery of tea bushes. Though am still impatient.

  66. Past, present and future, I will still join hands with you, Jackson, in this new chapter of your life and blog. The curtains are new, but with time, like the Internet man and his woman, they will come to bear the charisma of the old man, his dog and Kibet. You have the one of the most creative and incisive minds of the 21 century. One, which I opine, will inspire African literature students in many, many years to come.

  67. i was wondering what had happened here. well done Biko. change is good. I love the new look.

    Best regards.

  68. Enjoyed reading this week’s piece. Change is always good…though the font is a bit tiring for the eyes. Let me continue to explore…I welcome the 40’s

  69. “I will have you know that I stopped saying Instragram, I say The Gram.”

    “Good for you, Biko. You are now cool.”

    “Thanks, I heart that.”

    “OK, stop.”
    This killlllllleeeeddd me! With laughter of course. Love love the new look. Makes me think of a caramel cake or something like that and yes I’m that crazy lady obsessed with cake! Excited to be in this new chapter! Much love and support!

  70. A change is as good as rest,i have misgivings though about the word “bursted”,burst is an irregular verb that does not add ‘ed’ in its past tense or past participle form.

  71. What, man? Hearting is not considered sexy now? Oh, and the font, will you dig it from the fourth floor, coz I’ll say, it’s not easy on my eyes. And i just climbed into the third floor.
    I read Chinua, and he said that the only constant is change. Change is good. We shall be back, with chicken (breasts), whiskey and some omena for the dog.

  72. i love it! maybe i have never said it before but i personally appreciate all the information and entertainment you provide here. Stay forever, Biko.

  73. This was me after clicking on the heart button and the number shot up

    https://media.giphy.com/media/XreQmk7ETCak0/giphy.gif

  74. 🙂 I like reading the articles much later….so that I can also go through the comments and smile more 🙂
    I like what you,ve done with the house Biko. Am glad I passed by,though after all the partying and hullaballo of the new house has passed.
    🙂

  75. The new house looks like one a forty year old and his flock of followers should live in. Forty is good for you sir, and apparently your flock as well. Here is to good whisky, chicken thighs and “revamped” Biko Tuesdays.

  76. Nice read !! New look I heart this!!!hahaha. make it dark chocolate!!! Chocolate man font too a little bigger. The 40 people don’t need glasses this early. Just started life!!

  77. This new diggz maaad! Cheers baba haha I just had to.
    The geeks should also introduce a heart button for the comments.

  78. wow! looks great!………………….guys see this….https://bossbuda.wordpress.com/2017/04/29/first-blog-post/

  79. Been a discreet fan of the blog since the days of ‘Farouq’. However, i digressed kidogo because, you know , familiarity and what not. Leo i decided to pay a visit and alas! Save me a spot on the sofa, najua My room’s already takem. Great job!

  80. Awesome….they missed the Favicon though… its hard to know the blog when one has multiple tabs open.

  81. Great stuff as always, the mix of humour and metaphor is quite unique, love the new look too
    Been following you since you took over from Pala at Nation…..First time to comment though

  82. Intensely creative write up. “who has had a enough wine will start singing a circumcision song to the protesting barks of the do”.. Great as always and we celebrate the turning 40 old man of the house.

  83. And then there are those guests who take photos in front of house and post on the Gram because they arrived first, then take a tour later…
    Great look!!

  84. I like the new house….one can share the link by whatsApp….but , i still have to scroll down all those posts to be able to write…what if i don’t want to read them? Would it hurt to have the comment button immediately after the end of the write up?

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  85. Was keenly following the story, smiling here and there until I ran into this ..”…and raised a polythene bag of frozen chicken. “All thighs,” she said. “I hope you don’t mind thighs.” ……..“Thighs are good” said the old man. The dog lowered its head and closed its eyes (He’s a breast kind of dog). …..” oh boy! and laugh I did.. to the amusement of everyone in the silent room.
    The pretty last 2 paragraphs…mahn….so deep. We love you chocolate man. Ever a source of happiness to so many otherwise sad and moody and stressed bikozulu-zens (like citizens).

  86. Another curtain change, and still no one asked whether i preferred the grey or the blue! Ahem, you think you know a guy.

    I like the new digs anyway.

  87. I can say you are “ageing gracefully” Chocolate man, thanks for keeping your word (that the blog will be for laughs and that other complicated phrase that you have used). We HEART YOU too 😉

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  88. The loyal dog of the old man is now old. Frail looking and the eyes are no more watery; not because of the cool breeze coming from the lashed fields. Age is catching up with the poor thing. But it refuses to leave the balcony of the old man; now older man. As you hit forte something, I am right behind your essays man!

  89. I’m literally reading this today because I checked my email and found nothing and remembered the previous one baba. Had something like ,” this will be our last post this year I had to find solace in something I hadn’t read before now I’m binging