Mum & Dad celebrate 50 years of marriage!

My Mum & Dad celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary on 11th May this year and were generous enough to treat us all to a trip to Livingstone!
This entailed flying Gaz & Kathryn out from the UK to arrive in Zambia 5th May and spend four nights at our spot in Chingola first of all (for general orientation I think.....which mainly meant
orienting Gaz with a big bottle of whisky!)
Then Mum & Dad got to Livingstone on 8th May and we four joined them the next day where we visited Vic Falls and got drenched as usual!
We spent the first night at The Zambezi Sun and dined up at The Royal Livingstone before transferring to The Islands of Siankaba up river for three nights.
Anyone who's read my blog before will know how much we love Siankaba and it's still wonderful and we'll still always love to go back there! check it out at: http://www.siankaba.net/
Anyway, the idea at Siankaba is to basically become completely relaxed, be completely spoilt, eat loads of delicious food, drink lots of very healthy fruit juices.......hmm, well, ok I was kidding! more like........wine, beer, whisky, you name it..... and to enjoy the odd activity when you're in the mood, plus, of course, enjoy each other's company and conversation!
Our big extra treat from Mum & Dad was to go on the elephant ride which the four of us did early one morning and it was amazing and also humbling to be on these massive creatures who are so powerful yet so gentle and, sadly, with only one enemy.
We did the sundowner cruise on a couple of nights where the main activity was lifting your arm to sip your drink and craning your neck to look at the amazing sunset on the river - totally beautiful.
On the 11th, the actual anniversary, we had a special meal set up down at Mum & Dad's honeymoon suite deck!
Justin & I bade farewell to the 'Nokes' party on Sunday 13th May as they flew off home via Johannesburg and we then later caught a flight to Lusaka where we overnighted at the Taj Pamodzi before flying back to Chingola the next morning early.
We knew that the next time we'd see them all would be when we got to the UK in July for Gaz & Kathryn's wedding!
So, it was a lovely trip, short but sweet and very generous of our parents and we all really enjoyed it! Thanks Mum & Dad!

the boat transfer to the islands!

Gaz & Kathryn drinking it all in!

Gaz & Kathryn on their elephant beside the zambezi river

Justin & Linzi on Marula!

Justin giving Marula a treat to say thank you!

Linzi & Marula have a chat

the brothers-in-law after the elephant ride!

the 'soon to be sisters-in-law' tired after the early morning!

the happy golden couple welcome us back from their lovely honeymoon suite deck!

Gonna miss my babies......

Have just put a new tune on for you to listen to.........
I'm gonna miss my babies while we're in the UK...........
Sorry for the lack of recent postings....was about to update but am a bit out of time........
And secondlife is calling for a last play......!
If you haven't joined secondlife yet check it out http://secondlife.com/ you won't regret it!!!
See you soon, I'm off for a jol!!!
xxx

The Carlisles go on a 'rave'! (grown-up style!)

Okay, we went all out for a great treat for the long weekend at the end of April (we usually just stay at home on long weekends but fancied having a rave for a change!)
We decided to fly to South on the Friday evening, then we had four nights before flying back on the Tuesday - not bad!
We stayed at our old favourite, the Balalaika Hotel at Village Walk - http://balalaika.co.za/
(no upgrade to a suite this time as they were full)
This trip was JUST FOR FUN!!!! No doctors, no appointments, no shopping list, etc! What a difference it made! We just enjoyed ourselves, got up leisurely, enjoyed delicious breakfasts, visited the Rosebank fleamarket, shopped for pleasure, lunched, went out in the evenings and BASICALLY HAD A BALL!
We watched live music at the Blues Room (in Village Walk, so perfect access from the hotel) and had a great evening! http://bluesroom.co.za/
We found the most WONDERFUL restaurant EVER!!!

TIVOLI

This restaurant is also in Village Walk and how we missed it before I do not know - what a waste of our lives up until now!!! It will be very difficult to ever eat anywhere else again when in Jo'burg! We visited twice on this short trip!

Tivoli has a fantastic Italian menu with pastas to die for among other choices, a great owner/executive chef, Tinus, so friendly without ever being overbearing and we had the most brilliantly efficient pleasant and enjoyable waiter we've ever been served by.

The ambience is great, we were made to feel so welcome, it's up on its own floor/indoor balcony at the top of 'the Walk' and we could even smoke!!! We were even given complimentary shooters and desserts which was absolutely the icing on the cake!

I defy anyone to visit and not have an excellent dining experience!

http://http://www.tivoliristorante.co.za/

So, well, what a trip! Can't wait to go back for a meal at Tivoli to be honest....

Doctors and birthday parties!

At the beginning of March we shot to South for four nights - "short breaks rule!"
Actually it was mainly for doctors, which we crammed in back to back in order to utilise our time fully. ie. to allow time for some shopping!!!
We actually had a ball, we stayed at the Palazzo Hotel, Montecasino, at Fourways, for three nights and had the coolest room - beautiful large windows opening right up with a view of the 'old' clocktower and entrance to Montecasino, etc.
It was a great place to stay, nice room (except for the 'American' mini-bar), easy access with our own key, along a walkway to Montecasino where you can dine and shop at all hours undercover, even though it feels like you're outside!
We lunched there (at the hotel, on the terrace) with Rex & Prue too before moving on to Dekuilen Cottages where we treated Prue (& Rex!) to an overnight stay, including a luxury, private five course gourmet meal set up for the four of us in the private dining room.
This was in honour of Prue's 70th birthday! She had no idea where we were taking her for the night so it was a bit of fun!
We gave Prue her gifts and flowers and basically had a really nice time together.
Ann-Marie organised a splendid meal and did her utmost to look after us. Sadly Charles had been ill so things were not quite up to the standard they had been the last two times we had stayed there. The grounds are also smaller so unfortunately it does not have the same feel as before. Nonetheless all the stops were pulled out for Prue!

Prue & Linzi deciding what to have for lunch!
Justin & his Mom & Dad at the Palazzo.
the private dining room at Dekuilen!





The Palazzo Hotel, Montecasino is part of the Southern Sun group:
http://www.southernsun.com/SSH/VHB/25383cf8de46a010VgnVCM100000650114acRCRD/74/72

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.

Holiday Makers flock to new Leisure Resort in Chingola!

The Carlisle Hotel in Chingola, Zambia, recently opened it's doors to guests again after extensive refurbishment to the pool area.

Last year a major refurbishment programme was undertaken which included the addition of a new honeymoon suite.

"We've been coming here for a number of years now", said Mr Rex Carlisle, (yes! same name as the hotel!) "we find it a really relaxing place!"

Fellow guest Mrs Prue Carlisle commented "The food is excellent!"

When asked which room they were staying in they told our reporter that they were in the 'Honeymoon Suite' and both said they found it extremely comfortable.

"The nicest aspect is the double door opening onto a private courtyard" said Mr Carlisle.

Mrs Carlisle added "We can make our way straight out to the delightful new pool and jump straight onto the floating lilos, it's great!"

Mr & Mrs Carlisle having fun on the floating lilos

"Was it....Colonel Mustard, in the Library....with the Candlestick?"

No..........................wrong! It wasn't Colonel Mustard.....it was Justin & Linzi!
It was the Library....correct ! But it wasn't the Candlestick, it was a bottle of wine!


Our Library is finally finished and we're soooo chuffed with it! At last! Somewhere to put all our books, movies and stuff! So we've been hanging out in the Library of late and filling shelves as we sipped on chilled wine to keep us going!

"Bubble, are you there?"

"Bubble? We're getting into the pool now darling. Literally, as we speak, our feet are entering the pool! We've got the bolly stolly darling and we're going in.......!"

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Vegas Wedding!

A quick snippet here! My cousin Stef is getting married in Vegas next Tuesday! (5th September) She's marrying Darren. My Mum & Dad are going out there together with Peter & Margaret (Stef's Mum & Dad) & Andrew & Zoe (brother & fiancee).
So, wishing Stef all the best for a great day! Wishing everyone a great trip!
Apparently it'll be live online but I don't have any details............
Stef, if you send me a photo of the wedding I'll post it on here for you!

Our little piece of paradise!

Here's the latest pool photo and things are definitely looking better! The water's crystal clear, we're slowly getting grass around the pool, we've re-done all the rockeries and, as I type, Collins the new garden boy, is, under strict supervision from Patrick, vacuuming up the last 'dirties' in the bottom of the pool!
So we're all set for Saturday afternoon! Got the champagne chilling.................in we'll go, hand in hand, clutching the 'bolly' and two flutes...............and we shall then declare the pool officially christened!

"Blogging or Bragging?"

It's a good question isn't it? Are we bloggers just sad people who feel a need to express themselves in cyberspace to unknown hordes (hordes? who am I kidding!) of people? Or are we just complete show-offs?!!
Well....................................in this instant I must confess to a teensy bit of showing off......or maybe we could call it "self-appreciation of my artistic abilities"...........
Ok, enough of the rambling on, what I'm getting round to is that we've just fitted our new bathroom door which was completely hand-carved by a man called Chris. Sadly Chris isn't very well, like, REALLY not well, so he struggles to do work at all. (we're trying to rectify this with ARVs) The door has probably taken him about nine months or more to complete, using ideas from a photograph we took of a door at Timamoon. Have I mentioned Timamoon before? One of the most beautiful, romantic & creative places to stay in South Africa http://timamoon.co.za

So, Chris made this amazing door which is totally cool, funky & arty and .............. I made the handle! whooooo! go Linzi!
Well, yes, I'm pretty chuffed with my handle! I made it from thick rope threaded with hollowed out bits of bamboo and then I threaded beads and seed pods onto the copper wire I used to tie it with and also onto the frayed rope ends!

the handle!
the door!

So, there you have it, a fantastic door, we just need to re-do the whole bathroom now....................

Anyone for a swim??!!!

"Come on in the water's lovely!"

Hmmmm, well, after three and a half days of filling we're there......................only problem, we appear to have accidentally filled our pool with dark green sludge with a delicate hint of brown.....................lovely!!!!! But hey! It was still lovely to get in the pool again, refreshing, invigorating, we had a great swim! Come and join us! Ok, we're kidding.......the shock packs are in and we wait for clarity.....................watch this space!

The Last Day

Well, here it is! Wednesday 23rd August! The plastering was finished by about 2pm! We started filling straightaway! (It's Thursday 10.30am at this moment and the water's only just lapping against the shallow end wall!) We hope the pool will be filled by tomorrow night although the water will be quite dirty and we'll then have to treat it. The colour should actually be fine as it's already slightly darker when it's wet and has a nice look to it! Can't wait for a swim!!!!! We're now busy filling in around the remaining areas, above the piping, with red laterite, black soil and finally grass. So the next photo I post on here should show a sparkling clear pool with everything looking much tidier all around it!

Welcome back Gordon!

Before work began on the pool we traced our original 'Gordon the gecko' on massive, sellotaped together, pieces of paper! Thus, when the time came, the 'paper Gordon' was positioned in the new pool and a team of us traced his shape with chalk! Omari and his guys then sprang into action on day 17 of the job (which was actually Tuesday 22nd Aaugust!), mixed plaster, tinted it and produced a perfect Gordon for us!


The next day, Wednesday 23rd August, was D-Day! They guys started at 7am, mixing the plaster in the deep end of the pool and tinting it. We used pva paint for the tint, mixed with white cement and marble dust. We had a little difficulty selecting the colour as we actually didn't know we were going to need pva paint for tinting until the night before we did Gordon! So we had a last minute panic rush job, frantically trying to decide on the colours which would give an end result of "light grey rock colour....................with Gordon slightly darker............." Hmmm....tricky! Honestly? We probably didn't get it quite right because Gordon's definitely 'feeling a bit blue' and, as you'll see in the next posting, the rest of the pool is quite light, although definitely grey.