Skyping

I set about sweeping and washing the floors whilst Paul went to the bank, we had arranged to meet up at La Parisiene as we were hoping to use Skype to make our phone calls. When I arrived Paul was already talking to Jenny so it was great news that Skype was working. I then managed to speak to my Mam and brother who was there at the time, Abigail and Bradley had a quick word all for the cost of 20p for ten minutes, unbelievable how cheap Skype is.

At 4.00pm we headed out to pick up our costumes we decided to have a walk around the golf course to see if we could see any birds, we ended up seeing a variety Intermediate Egrets, Black-Headed Plover and a flock of Rose Ringed Parakeets which are a lovely green colour with long tails. After a good bit of bird twitching we arrived at the craft market Paul and Bradley tried on their shirts, Bradley was very pleased with his and looked very smart. Fatou showed me my skirt and top I was very pleased with it, unfortunately the skirt was too big at the waist, however because of the design of the top you won’t be able to tell so I will take it back on Tuesday to get altered. We had invited John for dinner so made a quick dash for home bumping into Emma and Emily on route. We ate a dinner of chicken stew potatoes and carrots followed by mango and banana fruit cocktail, and spent a pleasant evening chatting.

Intermediate Egret

Black-Headed Plover

Sand Castles

This morning Paul wanted to spend some quiet time on his college work, so I set about making a picnic lunch for us to take down to the beach. All packed up we set off and bumped into Felix who works for Jerry and Morris at Safari Garden, he had been taking Ruby to the vets as she wasn’t very well. He asked Abigail and Bradley if they wanted to see a tortoise, so we entered Jerry’s garden me expecting a small house tortoise, so it was quite a shock to see a giant tortoise that was thirty two years old.

We continued our walk to the beach and picked a sun lounger with thatched umbrella, it was a little cloudy at the time with the possibility of rain. Adam from the craft market appeared and started helping Abigail and Bradley build sand castles they then set off looking for shells to decorate all twenty one of them. Whilst I had one of the woman from the craft market trying to sell me things I did mention to her that Paul was thinking of a traditional shirt as we had been invited to Ebrima’s for Eid celebrations on either Sunday or Monday, she said she would come back later.

Adam helping to build Sand Castles

Paul arrived at about 2.00pm and true to form the woman from the craft market appeared with various lengths of material draped over her arm. We chose two pieces of material a blue leaf print for a traditional shirt and a blue, green and orange mandinka village scene print for a western shirt. Paul went off to be measured whilst I had Fatou who Jenny had bought Abigail’s dress from trying to sell me material to make a dress. I decided that we should all dress up for the occasion so I picked some material for myself to make a skirt and top in the local design and a blue baby elephant print for Bradley’s traditional shirt. We were measured up and told they would be ready by 5.00pm tomorrow.

We also bought from a beach trader who we often talk to as he walks up and down the beach selling to the tourists a couple of leather tasselled mandinka spears which we had took a fancy to, he said he would make us the original ones rather than those for the tourists so we can pick them up tomorrow with our costumes. And to top it off Paul bought a chief chair he had taken a like to and a pestle and mortar for me from Adam, so we felt we had helped towards their Eid celebrations as it is very hard for the locals at this time as during the month not much money is being spent. All spent up we set of home as the sun was now very hot and I could feel my arms burning and I was concerned about Abigail and Bradley burning.

The Volunteers

On the evening we had been invited to Max’s as Danny who is Australian and Fiona’s husband had returned after a trip back to their home in Ireland to do some work. We spent the evening chatting, drinking and eating some of Max’s delicious food he is such a good cook, we left for home at 9.00pm to put the children to bed.

Nadia and Angela

Cathy, Fiona and Mariella

Georgia and Sukey

Emma, Amy, Emily and Courtney

Paul and June

Painting the Lounge

I Spent most of the morning waiting for the painter to arrive he finally turned up at 11.00am and set about painting the lounge area, not wanting to leave the painter alone we waited for him to finish. Four hours later the lounge was complete with two coats of magnolia, at this point Cathy turned up as she had just received a phone call to say her house was also getting painted, I had hoped the paint would be left so I could complete the kitchen. I managed to give her a quick tour of the house before she headed of home with the painter and Allu the VSO driver.

We took Abigail and Bradley out for a well deserved walk passing the local ghetto where the palm wine tappers congregate and towards the local vegetable plots. On route we saw some grasshoppers and a red beetle with a velvety furry back, as well as the usual lizard darting for the undergrowth. On arriving at the beach Midnight the lifeguard was very pleased to see Paul, and asked him to go fishing with him sometime saying he had caught two red snapper over by the rocks this morning. We headed back as the clouds overhead were looking pretty dark and I had put out the washing which didn’t dry from yesterday. We arrived back in time before the rain came and set to sweeping and mopping the lounge before putting the furniture back into place it looks much better we just need some things to go on the walls. After dinner we sat down to watch Mama Mia, me and Abi both singing along.

Red Furry Beetle

Red-Cheeked Cordon-Bleu

A Big Happy Birthday to Michelle!!

I spent this morning posting my blog whilst Paul headed out to Timbookto book store to look for resources. For the local Muslims Ramadan is just about finishing so it came as no surprise that on picking up Bradley and Abigail we were informed that the school will be closing tomorrow due to them getting ready for Eid and they will return to school next Wednesday after the holidays. After having two good days at school we will have to start all over again settling them in again next week. Abigail had been given quite a bit of Maths and English homework to complete during the holidays. Whilst Awo was busy cleaning we took the children out of her way for an hour, just outside the compound Abigail saw a lovely little bird a Red-Cheeked Cordon-Bleu she is getting a proper bird spotter. We managed to find a good gift shop selling cards and toys so will have to make a visit next month for Abigail’s birthday.

Red-Cheeked Cordon-Bleu

Unwelcome Visitor

Paul went to the VSO office this morning as they required our passports, when he got back he spent some time making resources for college. Meanwhile I set about writing my blog and downloading some photo’s from my camera ready to post onto my site on Wednesday. I was stopped in my flow when an unwelcome visitor flew in through the door, it looked like a flying ant but very large I managed to trap it between the window and the mesh as I had no intention of moving it.

I was at the school early to pick up Bradley thinking it best after the state he had got him self into yesterday, however I was pleasantly surprised when he greeted me with a big smile saying he had enjoyed today so much he skipped home telling me what he had been doing. On picking Abigail up she said a new girl from London was in her class just trying out the school and she also has a younger sister Bradley’s age, so hopefully they may join the school and be some friends for Abigail and Bradley.

We headed out in the car as we had decided to check out the prices on ovens, called at a few stores including a second hand shop with a variety of fridge freezers, microwaves and ovens. On asking the price he wanted over a hundred pounds which was the same price that we could buy a new oven for, he just laughed when we told him this saying that’s what the owner wanted for it. I noticed on leaving the store a sun glasses stand with a sign at the top saying Woolworths, so this must be where they got rid of some of their equipment to. We headed back no further on in the oven hunt, making a quick visit to Kariba Shopping Centre and Right Price to get some of the larger food items.

We showered and dressed then took the children off to school with quite a few tears on the way. Paul then headed of to Brikama college to meet up with Amy they had decided to have a tidy around in the office which has been put aside for VSO teachers, and to see what resources they have.

Bradley was upset yet again when I picked him up from school, I finally found out that he didn’t like practising the writing of his numbers as he couldn’t do 2 and 5, I told him we would practise when we got home. The teacher (Aunty Anna) also gave me an exercise book explaining that she would write in it each day what lessons Bradley had been taught and this then had to be signed and returned each day. Abigail seemed to have had a better day she had been taught some Maths, English and Music and had wrote down a couple of the songs one about an ostrich and the other about a bug, it was so they could practice their o’s and u’s.