Tom and Maxwell.

The boys. Maxwell, Bwalya, Tom and Lachie.

Kindy class.
Adults- back - Mr Dene and Miss Jo and Beauty
Kids-back - Bwalya, Maxwell, Tom, Dori
Front - Ella, Lachie, Amelie

Week 9 - 24.5.12

A somewhat quiet week this week, as Laura again has tonsilitis. So on Monday it was straight back up to the clinic to see a doctor. This time we waited 2 hours and finally saw an GP, as last time I think he was an Optometrist. We were given a stronger antibiotic and for twice as long. Hopefully this works.

On Wednesday, we had Maxwell's farewell party at school. He is leaving on Sunday for Dubai. Tom will miss him as they have become good friends. So many people are leaving, it is such a shame, but that is the life here.

Today saw me madly packing clothes for our holiday tomorrow. Really looking forward to it. I just hope we see some animals. The kids are excited as well and Phil is looking forward to some time away from work.

Our Larpa this week has taken shape. Mukwato and Clement are doing a great job and I can't wait to see it finished.

Week 8 -Photos

Tom's 4th Birthday Ben 10 cake.

Tom after he blew candles out.

Make a wish! Miss Jo, Tom's teacher helping to cut the cake.

Isn't he gorgeous!

My first attempt at sugarcraft.

Our Larpa poles are in.

Laura carrying around the fondant Teddy.

Week 8 - 20.5.12

My beautiful boy is now 4 years of age. I remember so clearly going into labour and the whole 10 hours that followed before an emergency c-section gave me my son. The last 4 years have gone so quickly but slowly at the same time, if that makes sense.

I spent all day Monday making Tom’s cake. He had decided on a monster truck cake and then changed his mind to a Ben 10 one. I had the monster truck thing figured all out. The Ben 10 idea threw me a bit. But I made him a Ben 10 watch with the alien figures pasted on around the side. The cake inside was a moist chocolate cake that was absolutely delicious. I have included a photo. I then thought I’d better ask Laura what she wants for her birthday. She has decided on a fairy / barbie cake. Oh, and it has to be pink with bumble bee’s on it. I am thinking Tinkerbell..?

So I have decided to try my hand at cake decorating. I spent the week looking at the internet and then on Friday, made some marshmallow fondant. On Saturday, I made my first figure, a little teddy bear. I have also included a photo. He turned out all brown as I was only able to get chocolate marshmallows. I will hopefully be able to get white ones form the shop here in town and all the necessary tools from Amazon UK and then I can start creating fabulously decorated cakes….lol.

Tuesday was Tom’s actual birthday and we had a little party for him at his school. The kids all sang Happy Birthday and he blew his candles out. They all probably went home overdosed on sugar! That night we gave him the rest of his presents, so Dad didn’t miss out on seeing his excitement. We then sang Happy Birthday again, and his smile was just so huge. He really is turning into a lovely little boy. I am so proud of him.

Wednesday was an exhausting day. I went for a walk with a couple of the girls and Laura ‘African’ style again. Then I had another couple of girls over with their kids also in the morning and in the afternoon, I had 5 kids here! I took them to the park and they ran me ragged. I was pushing 4 on the swings at once and giving one a seesaw at the same time! How you say? You should have seen me. My thighs were so sore the next day, so it actually was a good workout on the seesaw.

Laura and I went into Solwezi on Thursday with a friend. The kids now have a few extra pieces of clothing. Tom’s clothes were getting so short in the arms and legs and Laura’s are turning brown. Plus, they needed some long clothes for our holiday next week end. I have been told the Putzi fly is quite abundant in Kafue. See Note below.

On Saturday, I went on my first jog since leaving Forbes. A friend has given me an iPod charger which I left behind, or is packed in I have no idea what box. So with my music on, off I went. It was great. I nearly collapsed at one point, but did ok. I don’t think I managed the 4km’s that I use to do around the lake, but it was a start. My thighs are still sore by the way. The hot water was also not working when I got home, so I could not have a nice relaxing shower. Instead I had to boil the kettle and have a bit of a wash.  It is so disappointing to see the nice tan on your legs wash off and realise it is only the dust. My arms however are holding a tan. I leave my watch on constantly so I can prove that I do actually tan!! The weather is just beautiful here every day. The mornings and evenings cool down a bit, but the day’s average about 25 degrees plus. It is very hard to take wearing shorts and t-shirt all the time…lol.

Today Tom’s ninja sword arrived. It was meant to be here for his birthday, but at least it has turned up at last. Our Larpa is under construction, and it is great to finally see it coming to life. Our Braai plate has arrived but I feel it will fall apart on first use. Another one of sturdier construction will hopefully turn up this week or year! I have just finished a banana cake for the builders. Clement our gardener, has been employed by our neighbours gardener, Mukwato, who has been employed by us, to build the Larpa. Does that make sense? Anyway, Clement is working hard on his day off, so I thought a nice banana cake might keep him going for a while.

Laura has a fever again, and I suspect tonsillitis. So we will be going to the clinic first thing in the morning for more antibiotics. Poor Phil has been up since 3am with Laura, so I have a feeling both will be in bed very soon. It will be a very quiet day today.

Note: http://goafrica.about.com/od/healthandsafety/qt/putzifly.htm

The Putzi Fly (Tumbu Fly), Cordylobia anthrophaga, is common in East and Central Africa. It lays eggs in clothes hanging out to dry and upon contact with human skin the eggs hatch. The larvae burrow into the skin and develop into fully grown maggots if left to their own devices. The unfortunate human host develops multiple boil-like sores, usually on the backs of arms, around the waist, back or bottom. The medical name for this condition is Myiasis.

Once discovered putzis are easily removed. A dab of Vaseline followed by a good squeeze will do the trick. The Vaseline stops the maggot from being able to breathe and out it pops.

Week 7 - Photos

Laura in her beautiful new 'poppy' dress from Aunty Heather .
Yes it is on back to front Heather. But, her father dressed her...

Cannot get this costume off Tom.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY. Who would have thought we could get roses here.

Mortar and pestle I bought myself. But the monkey was a mother's day present. I love my monkey! His head flips open and you can store things inside him.

Week 7 - 13.5.12

HAPPY MOTHER’s DAY to all the amazing MUM’s out there!

What a week, this has probably been the busiest yet!

I went to Solwezi on Monday with a couple of the girls here and Laura. We had a very hectic time trying to fit a day’s worth of shopping into a couple of hours. We left just after we dropped the kids at school, and had to be back by 2:30pm to pick the kids up. Luckily, my wonderful new neighbour picked up Tom and he played at his friend’s house until we got home. I found the pharmacy, an electrical / hardware store, bank, courier’s office, clothing shop and pizza shop! Helene also showed us where the material shop is. It’s amazing. You walk through these small alley ways that have dirt, rubbish and rocks all over the ground and then step out into this bustling market environment. There were hundreds of bikes lined up for sale, fruit and vegetables, lots of black school shoes (which on closer inspection were ‘osh kosh’ coloured shoes, painted black), tools, plastic ware, toys and material. It’s like walking into another world. You would have no idea it existed looking at it from the road. The material is gorgeous. I can’t wait to go back and start buying, as I had run out of money by this point. Oh the things I will be able to make!

We also went to the Solwezi mine site. It contains a housing compound as well and the only ex pat hairdresser around for miles! The houses are brick and gorgeous. They are individually contained behind a wire fence, and so people can have dogs there. But, I am glad I live in Lumwana. It seemed too spread out. I like the close knit community feel we have here, and the fact that the kids are free to roam between all the houses.  They would not be able to do that there.

Tuesday, I helped out at Tom’s school. It really is exhausting work. All us Mum’s just want to go home and rest after our morning at school. Laura was especially tired and irritable today after her long trip yesterday and her morning at school too.

On Wednesday, after dropping Tom off at school,  Vannida and myself went for a walk. As Laura had to come also, I thought I would try to carry her ‘African’ style rather than push the stroller over the horrendous dam road pot holes. It certainly gave me respect for the women here. It was hard work. Mind you, Laura is a lot bigger than what they would normally carry. But I was not carrying a huge load on my head as they would do also. I just kept walking and thinking of the calories that I hoped I was burning….lol.

Thursday was my cooking day. After the HUGE bunch of banana’s that I bought last weekend, I had quite a few that needed to be cooked or thrown out. I can’t throw out food here. It does not feel right at any time, but especially here when so many go hungry. Thus, I made banana bread with the last ones, plus a caramel butter cake (delicious) and decadent chocolate biscuits (you just need to look at them to put on weight). All this before I picked Tom up at 12pm! The afternoon was relaxing, as a friend dropped in to pick up her little girl that I was looking after and stayed for a 2 hour chat.

The locals got quite a shock on Friday, as Tom wore a Spiderman costume up to the take away shop. It certainly got quite a few smiles that’s for sure and I am positive they think us “mzungu” (white person) are very, very strange. I did not have the heart to get him to take it off, as lately he has been missing his costumes and toys and has been talking about going back home. I knew it would happen, and they both have done well to get to this point without wanting to go home. But, Tom is now starting to feel home sick for his belongings. I hope that his birthday next week and then our holiday the week after will keep him happy for a bit longer.

On Saturday, I had to do the grocery shopping which is now just so much easier with a car. This is where I found the roses. They brought them 1000kms from Lusaka, just for us girls for Mother’s day. How could I not buy some. Then, again I did more cooking this time, more biscuits.  I made chocolate chip and ginger cookies. And before you start thinking that we had eaten all of the last weeks cooking, no we or I had not. I was just stocking up on biscuits for when all the kids drop in. The housing group that I am in, means that there are usually 6 kids all playing together and that means a lot of biscuits! I am also glad that they all get along reasonably well together. Callum and Lachie are 4. Tom and Gryffy are 3, Laura is 2 and Isabel is 20 months. They do have a ball altogether.

Phil went to a quiz night Saturday night and his team won! Good thing I stayed home with the kids as I am hopeless at those things. I had a lovely, relaxing evening watching a ‘girlie’ movie all by myself with a glass of Amarula and my first bowl of ice-cream since we left Australia. Unfortunately, the ice-cream melted on the way home from Solwezi on Monday, and so did not taste too good, but I was not about to complain. Phil won a bottle of wine and a woodencrocodile bottle opener.

Today being Mother’s day, I got to have a sleep in. The kids had been busy making me a card each with their beautiful drawings all over them, whilst I slept. Phil then surprised me with my monkey (see photo), face masks and a painting of African women carrying things on their heads. I saw the monkey’s the first time I went to the markets here on site and fell in live with them. Don’t ask me why, but I just did. So I am extremely glad to have one. We saw both our mum’s on Skype which is always lovely to say hello. I then went out to lunch with my friend Michelle. Phil and Jan agreed that we would both appreciate some child free time and enjoy a lovely lunch without them. So that is exactly what we did. How wonderful it was to sit, drink and eat in piece! We were the first to arrive and I think the last to leave, and spent 3 ½ hours having a lovely chat. Can you believe a glass of wine only cost AUD $1.50!!!!!!!! Need to go out more….lol. It really has been a wonderful day. Perfect weather and a gorgeous warm evening included.

Week 6 - Photos

 Our 'new' car.

The dam.

Markets on site Friday and Saturday. Sells vegetables and wood products, paintings, jewellery and more.

 Now that is a bunch of bananas!!

A bag of charcoal! These women are amazing.

The goats are precious over here. You don't dare run over one.

Mutanda. On the way to Solwezi.

 Carrying water.

 Even the kids help out.

 I have no idea how they do it!

 Charcoal for sale.

It's a long walk for the little ones.

 Charcoal being carried on a bike. Believe it or not, there is someone riding this bike!

Need a sofa or bed? Solwezi is the place to buy. You don't even need to get out the car!

Solwezi.

Solwezi markets.

Another bed shop.

Markets.

Piles of rock for sale on the side of the road.

 Women crush bigger rocks into smaller ones for sale. Hard job!

 The kids on their 'new' trampoline.

 Our water cube. This is the water we use on the garden.

Our beautiful Zambian mask. Just smaller than Laura, we bought this in Manyama.

Week 6 - 6.5.12

We met our new neighbour's this week as they have just come back from break. Can you believe that they use to live in West Wyalong and worked at Lake Cowal! They moved to Orange before we moved to Forbes. So we now have a lovely little boy called Lachlan, who is a just a bit older than Tom and Isabelle who is 20 months old living next door. Lachie is in Tom’s class at school.

Monday saw the power go on and off all day. I had just arrived at the shops when it went off and so had to leave as we could not go in. The power was off for only 15 or so minutes at a time, but it was pretty annoying. Thankfully, we had just finished dinner when it went off yet again. By the time I had the candle and match ready to go, it was back on again. We decided it was best if we all went to bed early that night! We managed to get a swim in at the pool in the afternoon. As the weather is cooling down over night, the water is not heating up that much during the day. So it was quite fresh, but nice.

Tuesday was Labour Day and so Phil had the day off. This meant I was able to go out for a nice long walk by myself. I went along the dam road again and then around the township. It’s really lovely to have some time away from the kids. I love them to bits, but I am with them 24 / 7 here, so it is nice to occasionally have some time away from them and vice-versa.

On Wednesday I had to take Laura to the clinic as she had been having fevers and had developed tonsillitis again. It was not a bad experience, compared to what I had been told to expect. I packed lunch and a book and off we went. Then 45 mins later we were on our way. I told the doctor that Laura had tonsillitis and what medication she usually had and so he had a quick look, agreed with me and prescribed the medicine. Next door is the pharmacy for prescriptions and I was amazed that we did not need to pay for antibiotics or panadol, incredible. I have been told that sometimes you can be waiting for 3-4 hours as there are so many people to be seen to. Thankfully we did not have to wait long and the staff were wonderful.

That afternoon, Tom was outside playing on the trampoline and before we knew it, there were 5 more boys playing here. It really is great here how the kids can just wander from house to house. I have learnt from this however, that you always need a large supply of snacks available for just these moments. The kids certainly are not shy in letting you know they need a drink or food!

Friday afternoon we had drinks again. I really love these days. It is so good to get out and chat to everyone that I have not seen during the week. The kids all play together and so run off and have a ball, only coming back for food or water. Tom and Laura are fitting in well and are starting to spread their wings and get somewhat independent. Tom even asked me if he could go to Lachie’s house and play without Laura. For Tom, that is a big step as most of you would know. Laura however had a cry.

On Saturday we went for a drive to Manyama.  We were looking for a watering can and a hoe for Clement. We found the can but no hoe. We went for a nice drive over an incredibly bumpy road and found some men selling wooden craft. We purchased a beautiful mask, just slightly shorter than Laura and a beautiful woven basket. During the drive we came across a small village that was holding a circumcision clinic. Amazing to see all the men and boys lined up waiting to go in. Could you imagine that in Australia!!!!!

Today saw me take the said basket and kids and go out collecting cuttings from the neighbourhood. We then planted them in the tins that I had been collecting. Hopefully, over the dry season, they will take root and so be ready to plant in September when the rains come back.

I also managed another walk today. Towards the end I dropped in to see a friend to get an address of a new girl whom has just arrived in the township. I then popped by and introduced myself. Elizabeth has a 3 year old son. It is a bit isolated down there, as that is where the nationals live and the contractors whom have families. I am glad I live in the rental estate and have such a lovely group of people all around me.

I have started drinking a drink called Amarula. It is an extremely tasty cream like drink. It is made from the Marula fruit and apparently the elephants love it. There is a myth that elephants actually can get drunk from eating too much Marula! I have yet to taste a white wine that I can honestly say is really nice (but then again I do like Muscato), the reds however seem to be much nicer and easier to drink. The beer is cheap at only AUD$1 a stubbie!!

I get called Madam here, even when you ask to be called by your first name, it is generally not done. This takes a bit to get used to. Phil gets called Sir and I have even witnessed the security guards saluting him. A lot of the security officers are ex-army, so the saluting is generally done by the new recruits that are yet to get out of army habit.

A cobra was spotted this week and before it could be caught, it disappeared into the nearest ant / termite mound. I am dreading coming across a snake with the kids, even more so, them coming across one without Phil or myself. I am glad we live where we do as we have no bush near us and it is pretty busy with foot traffic, so I am hoping that will keep them away. 

I am looking forward to Monday, as I am heading to Solwezi with Helene who is going to show me where the material shop is. I can’t wait for our belongings to arrive. Once I have my sewing machine and some gorgeous material, there will be no stopping me. My sewing skills might, but hey I am in Africa and everything goes here!

Enjoy the photos. I took a lot of them through the car window and so they are not of great quality, but they give you some idea of the people and the way of life here.