Yesterday was a busy day around the house. I had to learn how to clean the pool filters and add all the different things including 50 pounds of salt! Lungi and his family came over to fix the girls a couple of tire swings. We had lunch and then they went home. One of the tires on the truck I am driving was flat but it wasn't punctured- just something wrong with the valve. I am just glad it didn't happen while I was driving.
Today, we went to Norman and Estelle’s for lunch. They are the couple that we spent Christmas with. There family was there. Their granddaughter, Jenna, who is 12 played for hours with the girls in the swimming pool. They loved it. We had a braai (where you grill). Everything was very good. The girls played ALL afternoon in the pool. Afterwards, we went down to the beach at Umhlanga Rocks and walked on the pier. It was very windy. But the girls LOVED it. They were mad when we had to leave. We didn’t stay too long because it was already getting late and it takes about an hour to get back to the house. We walked to the end of the pier and there were large grates. Sofia was fascinated with them. She just laid down in the middle of the pier and stayed there watching down at the water way below. Sienna was fascinated by a large rock full of crabs. They were so excited. Tomorrow is a holiday here, Human Rights Day so the office and schools are closed. We are going to have another braai at some friends- Jane and Chris Akob. They are from Cameroon. They have 2 daughters. It is nice to have an extra day of rest. I just wish the girls would sleep a little longer. They pop up at the break of dawn on our days at home. But when it is a school day, they don’t want to get up. They were really tired this evening-especially after all the swimming
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Sofia on Umlanga pier watching the water far below
Here is Sofia watching the water below the pier through a large grate in the concrete. She was oblivious to the fact of showing her panties!
Sienna on the pier at Umlanga Rocks Beach
Sienna was so excited on the pier because she saw a rock covered in crabs. Sofia was fascinated by the grate on the end of the pier. You could see the water below and she kept laying down and watching through the grate. Note- froggy is never far behind. He goes with her everywhere. As does moosey with Sofia
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Lion Park- up close and personal to an elephant!
Here the lions are carefully watching us.
It was so exciting to be close to this elephant. It was HUGE!
Here the girls are hanging out at the house.
Lions and Elephants
We had a pretty busy weekend. The girls had two birthday parties this weekend. One for Ronan and the other for Jaryd. On Saturday, I had to go to Johannesburg to meet with Thandi Tutu. She is Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s daughter. He is an amazing man- very instrumental in ending apartheid in South Africa. She is very nice. I was meeting with her to see if she would be interested in coming on the board. She is very interested. I flew there in the morning and met her in the airport. Then I was back in Durban by 2pm. Tammy watched the girls. She took them to Jaryd’s party and then let them swim in the afternoon.
Then today (Sunday) I had wanted to take to girls to the beach but when we got up it was rainy. So, I decided to take them to a lion park that is about an hour away. It was pretty hard to find. The directions on the internet were not right so I drove in circles in some little villages for about ½ hour and then as I had almost given up, I got on the right road and found it. It is in the middle of nowhere. When we got there, the game warden told us that the weather was making the lions very “naughty” and to be careful. He said if they chase the car, just keep going. He said that they had been chasing many of the cars that morning. I guess the cool air makes them feisty. We drove for about an hour through the bush. We saw zebra, guinea, mice, birds and then this huge elephant. We came up on this hill and a guy who worked in the park was standing there. He asked if we wanted to see an elephant and the girls said yes. And then here one came out of the trees. It was absolutely huge. The girls said he was tall as uncle boo but I would say he was twice as tall. He had two huge tusks too. I tried to get a picture of him from the truck and the guy told me we could get out and get our picture taken with him that he was not dangerous. He said that he was born there in that game park and used to people. So, the girls excitedly got out and we went near him. The guy got some pictures of us. The girls wouldn’t stand too close to it. They were eating some candy and the guy said that we could give the elephant a few if we wanted. So, I held my hand out and he put his wet slobbery trunk on my hand and inhaled the candy. It was pretty neat. After a few more minutes we said goodbye to the elephant- he had already gotten tired of watching us and started to leave anyway. And we drove until we finally came to the lions. They have the lions in this huge fenced area. You drive up to the gate and a guard opens it. You drive in and it closes and another gate is opened by another guard. There were about 5 lions standing guard in front of the gate and the guard had a bit of trouble trying to get them to move. Once we were in, one of the females was trotting beside us. Then we came up upon about 7 lions laying the grass in front of us. Before we had reached the lions the girls had been saying all along that they did NOT want to see the lions. It was because they had heard the game warden warning me about them being naughty. Sofia particularly was not happy we were going to see them. And Sienna told me I had two choices- to turn the truck around or go home. Anyway, once we were in, they were so excited. They didn’t want to leave. We stayed with the truck parked for a while just watching. And we drove around for a while. Then they did really start getting a little too frisky for my liking so I decided it was time to leave. They were pouncing on each other and rolling in the grass fighting. And then one male acted like he was going to charge a car. The car back up real quick and the lion lost interest.
After driving back towards Hillcrest, we went to the mall for lunch. Big mistake. It was so full of people, that you couldn’t even walk. The girls wanted to eat at McDonalds so we did. Then we bought a few groceries and came home. They were very tired and went to bed just after 7pm
Then today (Sunday) I had wanted to take to girls to the beach but when we got up it was rainy. So, I decided to take them to a lion park that is about an hour away. It was pretty hard to find. The directions on the internet were not right so I drove in circles in some little villages for about ½ hour and then as I had almost given up, I got on the right road and found it. It is in the middle of nowhere. When we got there, the game warden told us that the weather was making the lions very “naughty” and to be careful. He said if they chase the car, just keep going. He said that they had been chasing many of the cars that morning. I guess the cool air makes them feisty. We drove for about an hour through the bush. We saw zebra, guinea, mice, birds and then this huge elephant. We came up on this hill and a guy who worked in the park was standing there. He asked if we wanted to see an elephant and the girls said yes. And then here one came out of the trees. It was absolutely huge. The girls said he was tall as uncle boo but I would say he was twice as tall. He had two huge tusks too. I tried to get a picture of him from the truck and the guy told me we could get out and get our picture taken with him that he was not dangerous. He said that he was born there in that game park and used to people. So, the girls excitedly got out and we went near him. The guy got some pictures of us. The girls wouldn’t stand too close to it. They were eating some candy and the guy said that we could give the elephant a few if we wanted. So, I held my hand out and he put his wet slobbery trunk on my hand and inhaled the candy. It was pretty neat. After a few more minutes we said goodbye to the elephant- he had already gotten tired of watching us and started to leave anyway. And we drove until we finally came to the lions. They have the lions in this huge fenced area. You drive up to the gate and a guard opens it. You drive in and it closes and another gate is opened by another guard. There were about 5 lions standing guard in front of the gate and the guard had a bit of trouble trying to get them to move. Once we were in, one of the females was trotting beside us. Then we came up upon about 7 lions laying the grass in front of us. Before we had reached the lions the girls had been saying all along that they did NOT want to see the lions. It was because they had heard the game warden warning me about them being naughty. Sofia particularly was not happy we were going to see them. And Sienna told me I had two choices- to turn the truck around or go home. Anyway, once we were in, they were so excited. They didn’t want to leave. We stayed with the truck parked for a while just watching. And we drove around for a while. Then they did really start getting a little too frisky for my liking so I decided it was time to leave. They were pouncing on each other and rolling in the grass fighting. And then one male acted like he was going to charge a car. The car back up real quick and the lion lost interest.
After driving back towards Hillcrest, we went to the mall for lunch. Big mistake. It was so full of people, that you couldn’t even walk. The girls wanted to eat at McDonalds so we did. Then we bought a few groceries and came home. They were very tired and went to bed just after 7pm
Friday, March 12, 2010
Another week has gone by
The days go by so quickly here. I guess because I stay so busy. It hasn't been an eventful week other than the girls really acting up. Not sure why, they are just going through a stage of testing their boundaries. Today they had a birthday party in the afternoon. It was for Ronan- his 5th birthday party. It was really nice. His mother, Janine picked the girls up at school since it started at 2 pm. And I arrived around 3:30. They had been swimming. I didn't know they would be swimming there so I didn't pack their "cozzies" (costumes or bathing suits). So, when I got there, they had on some of Ronan's swimming attire. So cute! There were lots of kids there and lots of family and friends. The girls were pretty shy and played mostly with a little black girl who has cerebal palsy. She was by herself so Sienna and Sofia went to her and were trying to teach her to jump and play with them. She is in their class at school. The them was firetrucks. Everyone already loves the girls and gravitate to them.
I had a parent teacher conference this week. Janci, their teacher, said she is also having problems getting them to obey. When it is time to do something, they just run outside or lay in the floor. But she said she thinks it is getting somewhat better. And they are also really trying to get the girls to integrate with the other kids. They will hardly leave each other. They are learning to ride bikes at school. And some of their friends are Holly, Zoe, Quinn, Tai, Jaryd and Ronan.
Tomorrow (Saturday), I have to fly to Johannesburg for the day to meet with Archbishop Desmond Tutu's daughter. She is interested in coming onto our board. That would be incredible. He is such an icon- even at almost 80. He was instrumental in helping end apartheid here in South Africa. I leave at 7 and get back at 4. I'm not sure what we will do on Sunday. I keep wanting to take them to the beach. We'll see
I had a parent teacher conference this week. Janci, their teacher, said she is also having problems getting them to obey. When it is time to do something, they just run outside or lay in the floor. But she said she thinks it is getting somewhat better. And they are also really trying to get the girls to integrate with the other kids. They will hardly leave each other. They are learning to ride bikes at school. And some of their friends are Holly, Zoe, Quinn, Tai, Jaryd and Ronan.
Tomorrow (Saturday), I have to fly to Johannesburg for the day to meet with Archbishop Desmond Tutu's daughter. She is interested in coming onto our board. That would be incredible. He is such an icon- even at almost 80. He was instrumental in helping end apartheid here in South Africa. I leave at 7 and get back at 4. I'm not sure what we will do on Sunday. I keep wanting to take them to the beach. We'll see
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