September Spring

Hi all,

Happy new year!  (But going back a few months....)  It's still weird to me that the weather got warmer, not colder, as we moved through the holidays. While South Africa is quite temperate, there were some surprisingly cold days back in August.  With September came more sunny days with temperatures in the high 60s, low 70s.  Here's a mashup of pictures from the month.

Noah's shag was getting out of control and a new kids salon opened up in town, so we went to try it out.  Cute place, as you can see, but she gave him a bit of a mullet, so out with the new, back to the old.

 Noah sprinted out of the salon, proud of his new 'do.

My ink pen was low and I needed a new [cinnamon] quill.  (British-ism?) 
This is from our local "fancy" grocery store, Woolworths. It's a bit like Whole Foods but with fewer strange looking granola bars and it also sells lingerie. 
(Full disclosure: It's a department store.)

Noah's first day at pre-school.  

He was happy in the sand box but ended up hating school ("Too much homework!"), so we pulled him.  "Shame!" as they say here.  Not as in shame on you, but used here as either "Too bad" or just as often as "Isn't that cute!" It's confusing.)  He was only 17 months so we're going to try again soon at another place now that he's almost two.  (It'll be just a half-day program.)

Lucy at her swimming lesson.  

This is a classic South African business: it's run out of someone's home.  Lucy's teacher, Alex (in the water, MOT), has a huge, covered swimming pool right behind her house.  She and her husband, Byron, have been teaching lessons this way for 20+ years. 

Playground equipment not allowed in the States.

Lucy attended a birthday party at a local park (Zita Park) which has a bunch of crazy things that likely were banned from U.S. playgrounds in the 1960s and look like a lot of fun.

Lucy was a big fan.  

She also is very proud of her missing tooth. (She's lost two already. Our girl's growing up!)

Did I mention that this neighborhood park also has a small water slide? 
Lucy said she'd be "willing to try it."

Lucy eyes Adom's cake.  Adom (in pilot's hat, from Ghana, goes to Lucy's school) is plane crazy and had a plane-themed party.

Lettuce Turnip the Beet, indeed.

One September Saturday, we checked out a new market in Johannesburg, the Neighbourgoods Market. 

The  market is on the 2nd floor of an old parking deck that's been retrofitted with stalls and tables.  The scene was almost too hip for us Pretorians, but we managed to skirt by the style sensors.

 We met up with some friends, including Heidi O'Bra, James and Hannah Maloney.

Lucy viewed the market as the perfect opportunity to showcase her new sparkle dress with attached tutu.   (It's all the rage in Japan.)

 The kids were quick to "like" the market on FaceBook.

 On our way back to our car, Lucy took a few shots with my camera. 

She said she's inspired by the work of Richard Avedon, but prefers Annie Leibovitz
(because she's a girl).

 The photographer herself

 Busy Town

  Another weekend we checked out this South African restaurant called Moyo.  It's a bit gimmicky but the food is really good and they paint your face, which always wins votes from Lucy.

Noah was a little less sure about the face painting but put up with it.

Our friend, Jen Verani (right), was in town from Atlanta for work and joined us.

 Noah was a big fan of the fish curry. Or maybe he just liked trying to use the "grownup fork."

Lucy and our friend's daughter, Leah, enjoyed a traditional South African "Grapetiser" (sparkling grape juice).

If I remember correctly, the safari got home late and had trouble getting up in the morning. (Shame!)

xo

Glenn

Strange Animals

Hi all,

We got back to South Africa in early August without too much hassle.  As I wrote, Noah slept well on the plane (there is a G-d) and Lucy happily watched "Despicable Me" five times as we crossed the Atlantic.

The day after we returned, I came downstairs to find Noah on Dorothy's back.  He wasn't napping so well, so she carried him around for a while.

Jet-lagged but enjoying the ride

A few days later, a new recruit arrived in Pretoria to work at the CDC South Africa office.  We acted as his "social sponsor." (The Embassy hooks new folks up with ones that have been around a bit. Hard to believe we've been here almost a year!)  Andrew (moved from Chicago, but hails from LA) will be running a lab here. His partner, David, will be coming over in January.  (You got it. We're taking over!)

 As a little introduction to South Africa, we took Andrew on a hike we read about in our hiking book.   

The book didn't say anything about crossing a river on a self-powered gondola!

 Big surprise... Lucy loved it!

Next up, Adam and Noah.  (Lucy and Andrew reel them in.)

Sending it back for me.  Reminds me of an old People's Express flight I took once to LaGuardia.  (Grandparents, please ignore the slightly fraying rope.)

The highlight of the hike...

As we turned a bend, we came upon a... ZONKEY!  (Yes, a donkey crossed with a zebra.)   Fun, eh?

Noah would like to take it home with us.

 Andrew spots some wildebeest (I think)

 Marching along through the veldt

(Wikipedia:  The term Veld (often spelled Veldt) refers primarily (but not exclusively) to the wide open rural spaces of South Africa or southern Africa and in particular to certain flatter areas or districts covered in grass or low scrub. The word veld comes from the Afrikaans (ultimately from Dutch), literally meaning 'field'. More info.)

 To keep the zonkeys from migrating to Sarasota for the winter, they use fences and ladders.

(Lucy's checking her Blackberry.)

 Adam and Noah prepare to cross the river again to return to our car. (See! There's even a safety chain.) 

 Don't try this at home, kids!

The 2011 Hike with Me Barbie

 We celebrated the completion of our hike with a trip to the mall for gelato.  (Wow, the Safari really does run on desserts.)  Noah somehow missed what we were eating and was fascinated by the train locomotive.  His burgundy pants are all the rage in Milan.

On a slightly different note, August 9 was South African's Women's Day, a national holiday to remember a march by women in 1956 to protest legislation requiring Africans (non-Whites) to carry a "pass" (identification documentation) meant to suppress freedom of movement during Apartheid. We hosted a Women's Day party at our place and some (straight) friends decided to celebrate in their own way.

 Bastian (from Germany and married to a South African woman), Marion (from France and married to an American, who is here with US AID), and Andrew (South African and now at Oxford getting some fancy degree).

 On August 10th, Lucy rode the bus to school for her first day of KINDERGARTEN! 

(If you look closely, you can begin to see the start of the "You're embarrassing me, Dad" phase.)

 Not to be shown up, Noah paid good attention to the cow at Clamber Club (a toddler program we go to on Fridays).

Noah helps clear up some bovine nasal congestion.  (Beats a nettie pot any day.)

Bounce King, indeed.

 Another day we hit a local Saturday market (see Hazel Food Market) where Lucy does her favorite sand art. (It's crazy popular over here.)

Dips in Training

The Embassy hosted a "back to school" braii (barbeque) at the US Community Center.  Here Lucy (front row) and other "mission kids" (as they call them) stand with Ambassador Gips, the US Ambassador to South Africa, who lives in fancy digs right next door.

 As if Lucy would pass up the ice cream

 State Department Tug o War... Girls against the boys.  Who wins?

... Not the boys.

(And yes, I helped out. I took this picture after our inglorious defeat. We do look a bit more youthful, reviewing the footage.)

 Noah carried that balloon around for two hours until I think he popped it by trying to make it a chair.

 Lucy and her Kindergarten friends, Jahi and Kennedy

Lucy and Shadé rule the castle

The Safari, on its home turf, jumps right back into things.  xo
Glenn