noblog

Sorry to all you regulars, the lack of blog was due to a few things: buying a car took most of my time last week (we eventually got it on Tues at 5pm) then we had some exciting visitors arrive and we have now had no internet for 5 days. I am sat in the doc's office stealing his internet. Being able to communicate with the outside world is crucial to my sanity. Apparently the problem with the internet is due to a company putting up a radio tower that blocks our signal and we will need someone to come and wiggle our receiver.

We bought a Rav4, which my friend Kate, tells me are known as mistress cars because when Toyota first brought them to Malawi rich businessmen bought them for their mistresses! Appropriately it's black. I paid for it on Friday but only took possession of it on Tuesday and finally insured it on Wed, which is probably about normal

Our visitors had a few days in Jo'burg so they left the UK before the volcano erupted which meant that they arrived on time with a large supply of shoes and chocolate.

squash

The doc has been making the most of my sprained ankle and taking my squash lessons as well as his own, however that has come to an abrupt end. The teacher didn’t turn up for yesterday’s lesson and later in the day I discovered that he was in prison (for beating up someone who allegedly tried to rob him)! Life here is never dull or straightforward.

rollercoasting

Not sure what to call this one. Life here on the surface is easy, we have lots of help around the house, the doc’s work is good, we’ve made some great friends and the weather is warm and sunny but I find some aspects harder. I spent the weekend ill and found that everything became more difficult and it’s at times like this that I wonder how we will manage 3 years out here. And sometimes the contrasts make life too hard. Hearing of people who die far too young or horrific road accidents or our staff who don’t have enough money to get transport home to a funeral or when my friend drove a lady to hospital because there had been complications with a birth. And then we spend more than one of our guards earns in a year on a holiday ….

 

Our eldest and I have been admiring the beautiful displays of lush and colourful plants on the roundabouts but how can we justify money spent on these, just metres from the appalling conditions in the hospital? Life here is so up and down and we live an easy life alongside lives of hardship.

buying a car

It sounds so easy … trust me it’s not. We started a few weeks ago when we set off to meet a man about a car, we had to stop on the way to drop the kids with friends, get a puncture mended and then waited for an hour but the car didn’t show up. Our contact was very apologetic and we left it for a few days. Another lead was followed up last week and we arranged for a viewing I picked up the Doc from work and we set off. No car and no man, he turned up eventually and took us to see the car, which didn’t start! A mechanic friend knew all about this particular car and warned us not to buy it so we went to see another car today, it needs some work but the price allowed for that so we agreed to buy it. But we’ve found another car which is newer and needs less work so we’re going for that one. But hey we may still find another one!

gin

And on the subject of gin … our youngest is explaining here that the 2 G&Ts in front of her are not in fact her drinks!

hols

Bit behind with the blog as we’ve been loafing about by the lake. We went with two other couples (who don’t have kids) to a beautiful lodge where the meals are provided and they lay on  a boat cruise in the morning (to see the fish eagles & do some snorkelling) and an evening trip to swim and drink gin while the sun sets. And yes some proved that it’s possible to sip gin and swim at the same time!

sprained

Having managed life so far with no major injuries (unlike my siblings) I have sprained my ankle this week. There’s no exciting tale to go with it (despite the doc putting out rumours to the contrary) I missed a very large step in the dark after a lovely evening swim and my foot proceeded to swell up in an alarming way. A surgeon friend had a poke and prescribed a hand-me down (from UK hospitals) air cast which looks like a giant ski boot with no toes. It feels excessive for a sprain except that it allows me to walk although the advice is to rest with it raised – easy with 2 small kids! Thankfully it’s my left foot and our car is an automatic so I can still drive, otherwise I would be feeling even worse. I am surprised by how painful it is and do not like sitting with my feet up.

 

Do keep commenting dear readers, it’s good to hear from you! I am still trying to identify the anonymous “member” who leaves messages, although I suspect it might be a relative!