Tuesday 24 July 2012
Week 17 -Photos
Week 17 - 22.7.12
A very busy week, but a good one. We have been here 4 months now. Feels like I have been here forever, but in a good way.
On Monday I went to the Mine for a meeting with the Sustainability Department. The Tetekela group wanted to touch base and make sure that we were not doubling up on projects. It was interesting to find out a bit about the background of the Mine and what Sustainability are doing. The area around here was a very big mushroom growing area. I have seen a lot of mushrooms around but did not realise you could eat them. Knowing me, I would pick and try the only one which was not for consumption. Lol.
Laura is sick again! So I just went straight up to Pharmacy and purchased some antibiotics. It's amazing how you don't need a prescription. We are hoping to go to South Africa next week to get her tonsils out. She has an appointment on Wednesday and hopefully the operation on Thursday. We then need to stay down there for 10 days. Carol will look after Tom here and it will just be myself and Laura. Hopefully, I can get some shoe and underwear shopping in.
I went for a walk on Tuesday, but I am not quite sure how I made it. I was so tired after being up with Laura during the night and after all the yelling of last week, I was absolutely exhausted. I could have fallen asleep on the side of the road and stayed there all day! It was so quiet and peaceful. I seriously need a break.
I made some weetabix balls on Wednesday. Tom loves them and they are great to pack for school. I also made a Christmas cake on Saturday, (Grandma's recipe and the kids love it). My first ever Christmas cake, but it turned out well. On Sunday I made Jam drop biscuits, plus dinner for Phil's boss. I feel as though I have spent the entire week in the kitchen. Oh that's right, I have !
On Thursday, Tom started school.Yeah!!!! Oh how peaceful. I took Tom to school and then Laura came on the walk with me, so that she would not feel as though she had been abandoned. That will definitely be a one and only, but at least she did not cry when Tom went to school. Laura and I then spent the morning playing together. Hopefully, the attention will help curb her behaviour.
I was invited on Friday to a nearby village with Sandra, she arrived here the same time I did. She has been spending some time with the Masulwila village and is looking into helping them get a bore. Phil and myself have both offered our assistance. It was an incredible experience. They greeted Sandra, Laura and I so warmly. She took some soccer balls, tennis balls, catching mits and UNO out with her. I spent some time teaching them how to play UNO. The Masulwila men carve wooden items that are gorgeous, I could spend so much money. We have had a bit of wood cut down on-site at the moment and it will just go to waste, if I could only pick it up and deliver it to the craftsmen. From this wood, the men could then carve items that could then be sold to raise money for the bore. We are also looking into other ways of raising money for the bore. Laura was quite shy with the other kids. Hopefully, the more times we go out, the easier it will be for her. I had some muffins on me, but unfortunately they did not go very far. Even when I split them into pieces, the little brown hands in front of me just kept on coming and there was not enough for all. I will have to make lots more for next time.
Phil worked both Saturday and Sunday, which was a shame. The kids have been missing him terribly. As mentioned his boss from Toronto was over and so we had him over for dinner tonight. He is a lovely gentleman and it was a pleasant evening. We ate outside on our new table which Phil picked up yesterday. It's great. The kids love to eat outside and so the table will make it so much easier.
My new sneakers arrived today. It will be wonderful to have the 'new shoe' feeling. Mind you they will not stay clean for long.
We have also discovered a gorgeous lizard in our backyard and have called him Harry. He is part of the Chameleon family apparently. We tried to feed him, but he only eats live insects. But he is quite cute and friendly.
As you can see from the photo's, the kids have been trying to balance pillows on their heads and carrying Laura's babies African style. Good to see they are actually taking some of the sights in.
On Monday I went to the Mine for a meeting with the Sustainability Department. The Tetekela group wanted to touch base and make sure that we were not doubling up on projects. It was interesting to find out a bit about the background of the Mine and what Sustainability are doing. The area around here was a very big mushroom growing area. I have seen a lot of mushrooms around but did not realise you could eat them. Knowing me, I would pick and try the only one which was not for consumption. Lol.
Laura is sick again! So I just went straight up to Pharmacy and purchased some antibiotics. It's amazing how you don't need a prescription. We are hoping to go to South Africa next week to get her tonsils out. She has an appointment on Wednesday and hopefully the operation on Thursday. We then need to stay down there for 10 days. Carol will look after Tom here and it will just be myself and Laura. Hopefully, I can get some shoe and underwear shopping in.
I went for a walk on Tuesday, but I am not quite sure how I made it. I was so tired after being up with Laura during the night and after all the yelling of last week, I was absolutely exhausted. I could have fallen asleep on the side of the road and stayed there all day! It was so quiet and peaceful. I seriously need a break.
I made some weetabix balls on Wednesday. Tom loves them and they are great to pack for school. I also made a Christmas cake on Saturday, (Grandma's recipe and the kids love it). My first ever Christmas cake, but it turned out well. On Sunday I made Jam drop biscuits, plus dinner for Phil's boss. I feel as though I have spent the entire week in the kitchen. Oh that's right, I have !
On Thursday, Tom started school.Yeah!!!! Oh how peaceful. I took Tom to school and then Laura came on the walk with me, so that she would not feel as though she had been abandoned. That will definitely be a one and only, but at least she did not cry when Tom went to school. Laura and I then spent the morning playing together. Hopefully, the attention will help curb her behaviour.
I was invited on Friday to a nearby village with Sandra, she arrived here the same time I did. She has been spending some time with the Masulwila village and is looking into helping them get a bore. Phil and myself have both offered our assistance. It was an incredible experience. They greeted Sandra, Laura and I so warmly. She took some soccer balls, tennis balls, catching mits and UNO out with her. I spent some time teaching them how to play UNO. The Masulwila men carve wooden items that are gorgeous, I could spend so much money. We have had a bit of wood cut down on-site at the moment and it will just go to waste, if I could only pick it up and deliver it to the craftsmen. From this wood, the men could then carve items that could then be sold to raise money for the bore. We are also looking into other ways of raising money for the bore. Laura was quite shy with the other kids. Hopefully, the more times we go out, the easier it will be for her. I had some muffins on me, but unfortunately they did not go very far. Even when I split them into pieces, the little brown hands in front of me just kept on coming and there was not enough for all. I will have to make lots more for next time.
Phil worked both Saturday and Sunday, which was a shame. The kids have been missing him terribly. As mentioned his boss from Toronto was over and so we had him over for dinner tonight. He is a lovely gentleman and it was a pleasant evening. We ate outside on our new table which Phil picked up yesterday. It's great. The kids love to eat outside and so the table will make it so much easier.
My new sneakers arrived today. It will be wonderful to have the 'new shoe' feeling. Mind you they will not stay clean for long.
We have also discovered a gorgeous lizard in our backyard and have called him Harry. He is part of the Chameleon family apparently. We tried to feed him, but he only eats live insects. But he is quite cute and friendly.
As you can see from the photo's, the kids have been trying to balance pillows on their heads and carrying Laura's babies African style. Good to see they are actually taking some of the sights in.
Friday 20 July 2012
Week 16 - 15.7.12
I am going crazy!!!!!!!
I cannot wait for school holidays to finish. Sounds horrible doesn't it, but I know you all understand. Tom has been on holidays now for 4 weeks and doesn't go back until next Thursday. I am not looking forward to the Christmas holidays. Lol.
It has been a quiet week. Laura is sick again and so is her usual jolly self! Combine that with a lack of other children to play with and you get fights, fights and more fights. Thankfully, the other kids are arriving back now from holidays and so next week may be better. I hope. We are really missing our neighbours. Meagan kept me sane and her kids kept my children happy and busy. Please come back Meagan!!
We went on a play date on Monday and were given quite a few bits and pieces and clothing. Unfortunately, this family has now left, but the kids love their 'new' clothes. Thankfully, there was some clothes in there for Tom, so he was happy as well this time.
Tuesday saw me go to the shops, however there was little to buy. We had run out of toothpaste and there was none about. Thankfully another neighbour gave me some from their stockpile. Laura also decided to fall off a chair and hit her eye. Result, a lovely swollen black eye. Not too bad thankfully.
On Wednesday our carport was started. This will provide much needed protection for the car, as the trees have a habit of dropping branches, and the car is parked under some of which have been losing them. By Friday it was finished. It looks good and Phil is happy. Mind you though he is still missing a shed.
On Saturday there was a LTG (Lumwana Tetekela Group) meeting and I was welcomed as the new Secretary. The LTG is a group of women that organises events for fundraising purposes. The money raised goes back into the local community providing school scholarships, literacy programs and more. I am thrilled to be a part of LTG and can't wait to help out with this worthwhile cause.
We had a friend over for dinner Saturday night, as his family is back home in South Africa on holiday. It was a lovely night. Phil cooked a braai and we sat around the fire talking.
Sunday night saw the arrival of the 2 new teachers. One has moved in across the road from us and his family will be arriving soon. I went over with a welcome dinner for them and found out that there will be a 3yr old and a 1yr old girl coming. So excited for Laura. She has been missing some little girls to play with. Hopefully they will get along great. Can't wait for them to arrive.
The one thing that I am missing at the moment (apart from carpet still) is some space. I am in need of some time away from the children. They have been incredibly demanding of late and I am sick of yelling and setting the timer for time outs. I miss playgroup and ABC. They are such wonderful places. I love my walks, but as soon as I get home I am met with the tales of who hit whom and so on. This is a great environment for kids, as long as there are other kids to play with. So the holidays are hard. I love my kids dearly, but.....I will live in hope that next week will be better.
I cannot wait for school holidays to finish. Sounds horrible doesn't it, but I know you all understand. Tom has been on holidays now for 4 weeks and doesn't go back until next Thursday. I am not looking forward to the Christmas holidays. Lol.
It has been a quiet week. Laura is sick again and so is her usual jolly self! Combine that with a lack of other children to play with and you get fights, fights and more fights. Thankfully, the other kids are arriving back now from holidays and so next week may be better. I hope. We are really missing our neighbours. Meagan kept me sane and her kids kept my children happy and busy. Please come back Meagan!!
We went on a play date on Monday and were given quite a few bits and pieces and clothing. Unfortunately, this family has now left, but the kids love their 'new' clothes. Thankfully, there was some clothes in there for Tom, so he was happy as well this time.
Tuesday saw me go to the shops, however there was little to buy. We had run out of toothpaste and there was none about. Thankfully another neighbour gave me some from their stockpile. Laura also decided to fall off a chair and hit her eye. Result, a lovely swollen black eye. Not too bad thankfully.
On Wednesday our carport was started. This will provide much needed protection for the car, as the trees have a habit of dropping branches, and the car is parked under some of which have been losing them. By Friday it was finished. It looks good and Phil is happy. Mind you though he is still missing a shed.
On Saturday there was a LTG (Lumwana Tetekela Group) meeting and I was welcomed as the new Secretary. The LTG is a group of women that organises events for fundraising purposes. The money raised goes back into the local community providing school scholarships, literacy programs and more. I am thrilled to be a part of LTG and can't wait to help out with this worthwhile cause.
We had a friend over for dinner Saturday night, as his family is back home in South Africa on holiday. It was a lovely night. Phil cooked a braai and we sat around the fire talking.
Sunday night saw the arrival of the 2 new teachers. One has moved in across the road from us and his family will be arriving soon. I went over with a welcome dinner for them and found out that there will be a 3yr old and a 1yr old girl coming. So excited for Laura. She has been missing some little girls to play with. Hopefully they will get along great. Can't wait for them to arrive.
The one thing that I am missing at the moment (apart from carpet still) is some space. I am in need of some time away from the children. They have been incredibly demanding of late and I am sick of yelling and setting the timer for time outs. I miss playgroup and ABC. They are such wonderful places. I love my walks, but as soon as I get home I am met with the tales of who hit whom and so on. This is a great environment for kids, as long as there are other kids to play with. So the holidays are hard. I love my kids dearly, but.....I will live in hope that next week will be better.
Wednesday 18 July 2012
Nsobe Holiday Photos
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