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.