Cicada update etcetera

Here’s an update on all things inconsequential:

1) Al was on hands & knees one morning searching for the pesky cicada. He couldn’t find it & we resorted to spraying the kitchen that evening…& lo & behold no more screaming from my kitchen while I enjoy my muesli:-)
2) Found a great Indian restaurant just down the road from my place- & cheap- HOLLA!
3) I have also fallen in love with strawberry juice (who would have thought)- but the juice actually tastes likes squashed strawberries- it couldn’t be yummier (until Alvin froze it a bit & it was a proper strawberry slush- who needs slurpees anymore)!!!!

Things of more consequence:

- Tomorrow will host Zambia’s Presidential election & the race is heating up. The two frontrunners are neck and neck- the Acting President Rupiah Banda and the rowdy Opposition leader Michael Sata. We are off work tomorrow but will be back in the office Friday providing that all is calm- wish us all the best…
- I spoke to my Gran yesterday as she has settled into a new condo- it’s great to hear her happy & excited about having her own kitchen again. I’ll have to start saving my Kwachas so I can visit her in Summer 2009 (& order all my favourite dishes)! Whoop.

Think that covers it- I hope to be back soon with good news of peaceful, democratic elections. PS. Halloween doesn't exist here...so there's already Christmas decorations in all the shops- crazy!

There is a cicada in my kitchen & it’s making me crazy

For those of you who’ve never heard a cicada, consider yourself lucky. Well, maybe not. I have to admit; it’s lovely walking home from work and passing under some trees that are simply vibrating with noise. It is amazing to me that a small insect can make such an incredible noise. Literally, the drone of a tree full of cicadas drowns out the sound of passing traffic. Unfortunately for me, a cicada seems to have made its way into my kitchen and it haunts me during my breakfast (it is quiet all day, I only hear it in the morning) but I KNOW it’s there. I need to hunt it down. It’s been there buzzing alongside my muesli since Monday…too much…must deal with creature.

Mutale’s wedding

I’ve posted photos of Mutale’s matabeto, kitchen party & now at last, here are some photos of her wedding day. It was beautiful outdoor wedding and both she & the groom looked wonderful- happy and relieved!

Mutale's sister Jackie is in the centre, the other two bridesmaids are friends of Mutale's.

Here is Mutale with her father

Here are 3 of the sisters: Alvin's mother in the beautiful hat, Aunt Jose in the middle & Aunt Rose (Aunt Rose is the proud mother of the bride)

And finally- The newly wed Sakala's (with Valerie holding up the train)!

Kim's wedding

Hi all,

I guess my week has been busier than I expected…I want to catch up chronologically so I’m moving back to Friday October 10th when I completed my exams (I still feel like that needs a ‘whoop’)*grin*. My big plan for my Friday afternoon post exams was:

a) to go shoe shopping to buy new heels for the lovely dress my mom sent me so I could attend Mutale’s wedding on Sunday in style
b) have lunch at Gandhi’s- my fave place for vegetarian Indian in Lusaka
c) buy a bottle of Amarula & sit by the pool with a few friends to RELAX!

Well, I didn’t manage to find a pair of shoes (I just polished some old ones & it worked out just fine), my lunch at Gandhi’s was deeelicious though I have NO idea what I ate*giggling*. Alvin told me that his brother was having his marriage ceremony at Civic Centre that same afternoon & we were expected to be there. So we scooted home after lunch, did the quick change & headed out to Kim’s wedding. And then it poured rain & we were stuck at Civic Centre.














I felt so lucky to be at Kim’s wedding rather than drenched to the bone poolside with Amarula*hahaha*. After the rains died down we headed off for a small reception…& we had to go “pa bwato”. (I don’t really know how to explain this…the opposition leader in Zambia uses ‘pa bwato’ as his slogan- & it actually means “by boat”. What it implies, I’m not too sure…) So the area where the small reception was held was absolutely flooded...the jokes were about going ‘pa bwato’ etc. And did the kids ever laugh as this mzungu took off her sandals, hiked up her skirt & plodded through the puddles until we reached our destination. Brilliant.














A small ode to Kim:
Kim is one of those people who makes you feel like you’ll become a better person just by spending time with him. He is ever jovial and finds the beauty in any bad news. Since I can’t share him, I’ve decided to share his beautiful smile! I also adore his lovely wife Nina...














Kim is also in the "best books" because he bought me a bottle of Amarula which I drank with another brother Musonda. Perfect.

Couldn't resist

I can't believe I received this cartoon as I wind down from my exams- hahaha!









And Happy Thanksgiving to all my loved ones in Canada. I may have to do my Thanksgiving Dinner over the weekend- all this talk of turkeys has my mouth watering!

I’m do-oo-oo-one!

It was a crazy hectic week jam packed with lots of things I shouldn’t have been doing (planting flowers, baking cookies & lemon loaf) & of course things I should have been doing- studying & writing exams. I feel really good about 2 of 3 of my exams so I’m just holding my breath until I receive my results.

That’s not true- who am I kidding? It feels GREAT to be done! I’ve already hidden my books away because I don’t want to see another article or text book until next year- Whoop! I had a brilliant weekend & throughout the course of this week I hope to update you on all of the excitement…

Had to say HI today!!! Weeeee. Hope one or two of you missed me*wicked smile*