Blinded by the light (not)

Following the spate of lovely, lovely, fun power cuts we've been having recently, like every day, sometimes three times a day, sometimes all evening, sometimes all night, sometimes all day.... we've had to go 'back to basics' to get by!
We hope the problems get resolved soon.........but then again we hope global warming can be reversed, that world peace will be achieved by the end of the year and that we'll find out that cigarettes and alcohol are actually good for us after all! Yeah right...... better light that braai again Linzi!

knocking up a quick bit of lunch, as you do!
making a 'quick' cuppa!

Going topless in Chingola!

What? What's the problem with going topless? You what? Oh....I see....! You thought.......

No! I'm talking about our house! Yeah, the roof's being fixed!

It's great fun, banging and crashing all day, dirt, dust and ceiling filler falling all around us, the wind whistling in through the gaps.....anyway, it's just a job, that's got to be done, and we're doing it....the only worry we had was that the guys would accidentally smash holes through the ceiling boards,, but Osman assured us this would not happen! (oh yeah??!)

So for those with an interest in roof fixing.....here are the pics!

the front roof

the back roof

Osman's plan to fix the hole his guys smashed through the ceiling board in the lounge...

Then, I just thought this was interesting, we got an old geyser out of the roof that had obviously been there for years and couldn't be removed. The label on it (see below) says "Bulawayo, Kitwe, Salisbury" then "Rhodesia"! How long ago was that?!! (Kitwe being in Zambia, of course, and Bulawayo and Salisbury - Harare now?? - being in Zimbabwe!)

the label on the old geyser

Last Crimbo!

Right, on with the catch up of months past!
Okay, as soon as Justin & I got back from our trip, Mum and Dad arrived, about four days later! So I wasn't very organised!
Anyway, it worked out very well for them as their apartment wasn't ready for them to move into so as they came out for a month it helped them with the whole situation.
At this point - a mention of Uncle John and Aunty Hils who have been absolutely magnificent with Mum & Dad - they basically gave them a key to their house and told them to feel at home and have a bed for the night whenever they needed - without their kind help Mum & Dad would really have been stuck. (They sold their house in Dickens Close and ended up with delays of about a year before they had a home again -apart from the caravan at Pluck's Gutter for the summer months - not easy) So, thanks Guys!!!
Anyway, we basically went into christmas prep mode which was quite fun for us as we're normally on our lonesome!
The weather was the usual rainy season but we did manage some swimming - even got Dad in the pool on Christmas morning with a glass of champers!!


It was really just about relaxing and spending time together......here are a few pics of Christmas day!

me & mum!

Tali & Bella playing with their new toys!

Christmas lunch

a pooped out Pooch with his new toy (note he's nicked his sisters' toys too!)

too much excitment for Dad & Satchel!

Kenya!

So there we were in November last year with some lovely leave available and nowhere to go! What a wonderful position to be in! We didn't want to spend too much as we'd had quite a lot of expense with the house during the year, (what's new?!!) so we decided to look for a good "all-in deal" - somewhere to just laze around, swim, walk on the beach, etc (the kind of holiday we actually rarely do!)
We found it at "Papillon Lagoon Reef" at Diani Beach, Kenya!
We went there at the end of November for a week and had an 'all-inclusive package' which meant accommodation, all meals (including afternoon tea!) and both soft and alcoholic drinks!!! wahaaaay!!!!
We were concerned that it would be pretty basic but decided that we'd just have a rage whatever!
Here's the web link for those interested: http://www.rexresorts.com/_africa/_papillon_lagoon_reef/index.html
Overall it was pretty cool, the room was basic but no less than expected and it did have a great view. We had a balcony, with table and chairs, overlooking the garden and beach and we had a fridge in our 'beachfront room' which was very handy as it was sizzling there!
The food was amazing! We could honestly find absolutely nothing to complain about, there was a massive selection at all meals and as fast as dishes were emptied they were replenished - something you don't often see!! And, most importantly, the food was delicious!
The setting was great, the beach was beautiful although there were lots of 'beach boys' who terrorised the merry hell out of many of the tourists there (especially the English! Shame!). We actually chatted to quite a few Brits who admitted to being scared to even walk on the beach as they found the boys too persistent and quite aggressive when they wouldn't buy anything from them, etc.
We went for quite a few walks and runs on the beach and often went in the sea late afternoon (which was like a bath!) and had no real problems from the boys but, of course, we're used to all that!
Finally the drinks...........there was a 'swim-up' bar in the pool and a bar overlooking the beach (drinks served in plastic cups here - not great but good enough!). When you ate, your drinks were served at your table in 'proper glasses'!!
The pool was massive and very nice (very hot too!!) although they did have times when they did entertainment which was a pain, but again, to be expected at a resort like that.
The beach bar was also used for evening entertainment after dinner and after checking it out on our first night we gave it a miss after that! It was mainly a DJ gabbling away loudly into his microphone and playing cheesy music or a band playing cheesy music! But hey! generally people seemed to be enjoying themselves and dancing, etc, so good for them I say!
We got a taxi to the tiny Diani shopping centre on about our second day and bought some wine and beer for our room which we could keep in the fridge and enjoy after dinner, on our balcony, as we watched the shimmering, moonlit waves lapping the shore....................ho hum.....................................................

our room
the shimmering, moonlit waves.....(from our balcony)
sitting in the lunch area
feeling full after an evening meal!
looking gorgeous after an evening meal!

lunch area by pool

CAUTION! MALE PIN-UP BELOW!

early morning run

When we got back to Johannesburg we spent a few nights at The Balalaika Hotel which is our favourite hotel! We were lucky enough to get upgraded to a suite as I have my prokard which guarantees an automatic upgrade subject to availability!

http://www.balalaika.co.za/

We just did the usual Jo'burg stuff for a few days: shopping, eating, drinking and more shopping before flying home to our 'kids' and a quick preparation for my parents arrival about four days later!!

Talitha goes to the dentist

Patrick assists Doctor Chitambala to 'operate' on our little girl!

Actually, more like 'the dentist comes to Talitha' except he's not a dentist he's a vet - our very own "Dr Chitambala"!!!

Poor Tali, she's getting on a bit now and her teeth have not been in good shape at all.

'Doc' was called in to the rescue back in December '06......"Just put me a table and chair in the garden under a tree for shade".......how cool is that! Who needs the hassle of transporting your dog to the vet when 'Doc' can come in and transform your back garden into an instant veterinary surgery!!!

Anyway, sure enough, Tal's had her little jab to knock her out and proceeded to get very wobbly and sleepy and once she was out for the count the Doc did the business on her little teeth - pulling a good few out in the process unfortunately - but hey! she's happier for it!

Doc said he didn't mind me taking his photo 'in action' for the interest of my 'worldwide readers' (!!) who may not have seen such a thing! (well you have now.......!)
Poor little Tals!

Boy's fishing trip

Now, let me see..............when was this exactly....? I reckon it was about last September? Early September probably as I think it was just before Rex & Prue came out to stay.
It was Donald's fishing trip which he organised as a way of doing something special on his 40th with some of his old college friends - namely, Justin, Greg, James, Leon, Adriaan & Moose and last but not least, Adam his brother!
Basically the guys all flew out to Zambia,we had a great evening at Shalux (wives were included - at least those of us here in Chingola! And Mel too! So I should say 'and mum's too'!)
The next night they set off for their 'all night, nearly all day' drive to get to the camp on the bank of the Zambezi......and the rest? Well, you'll have to ask them! Hey! You don't really think they were gonna tell us what they got up to do you?! No! I'm only kidding! They had a great time together in a very beautiful place, not somewhere many people get to spend time very often, if at all. They fished, they drank beer, they talked, they drank beer, they laughed, they drank beer, they ate, they drank beer, they slept, they drank beer, they snored (very loudly apparently), they drank beer......you get the picture!!!!
Anyway, here are a few of the photos which Justin took on the trip!



















Justin with his Tiger fish and some of the guys on the boat.

Justin & James and Greg & Adam in the boat with villagers looking on.

The guys in the camp and view of river.