Last day of work

Well I can happily confess that I’m thrilled to be starting out on a new adventure with my hubby. I’m planning on taking the entire week next week off (from school) to savour what has been our life in Lusaka. The weekend is jam-packed with lunch dates, last yoga classes, the Youth League opening tournament and a braai at the farm. Alvin & I will make the most of our last couple days in Lusaka before gearing up for the long plane ride back to the Motherland.

And we’re off!

Doing the rounds

I've never enjoyed a weekend quite so much when I didn't get anything done- no school, no exercise...just a lot of visiting & cleaning out of the closets.

Here are some photos of the lovely people we were able to visit with over the weekend.

Saturday we visited Alvin's cousins' newborn Jamilia.

Here's Mumbi (the new mother) with her mum who was passing through Lusaka.

Then off to visit my lovely niece (who has not yet featured up here); Chisanga & her mum (my sister-in-law) Nina.

Here's Chichi with her Pop- the well-loved Kim who's reputation precedes him

Sunday we were off to the Longwe-Clarke house for Sunday lunch & croquet. And it was our luck that Jumali brought over Nawiti...who I've adopted as yet another niece. She had the cutest shoes that squeaked with each step she took. And she gives High 5's- priceless.

Here's Nawiti with her Grandpa, chef of the day Kolo & Al

Nawiti with her Grandma

And the first of several croquet matches- it was a wonderful afternoon despite the fact that I didn't win a game!

Aside: I am not brooding...it's just that the camera isn't usually pulled out until there are smiling babes. I'm still a proud Auntie Sarah to be sure*grin*

As we try to find our zen

Last Friday in yoga one of the students made the strangest pronouncement (imagine the last type of person you’d expect to find in a yoga class- heaps of make-up, loud grating voice, and with each stretch sighing & complaining about how hard it is to attain a “hard stomach and thighs”). We’d spent the entire week wet under sheets of rain & grey cloudy skies- so perhaps we were all feeling a little giddy. Conversation turned to how next week (meaning this week) we should start doing the sun salutation series to find our internal sun & perhaps chase away all the rain. In her loud gravelly voice the least zen-like yogi states “Today is the last day of rain. At least that’s what they say”. Silence. Followed by raucous laughter. Last day of rain- sure lady- which planet do you come from? And who exactly is telling you this, the voices in your head?

What is funny about this whole situation? It hasn’t rained a drop since her prediction; and I can’t stop smiling!

The weekend again- yebo!

I was constructing a blog post in my head maybe on Wednesday; I was thinking about the 4-day weekend I’d just come away from. And now it’s Friday & I’m gearing up for another weekend & there’s so much going on. What shall I report:

- I only managed one run on my 4 days off due to lots of bad weather & timing of other meetings etc. However, I started thinking about all the other things I got to do & didn’t feel so bad after that: yoga, zumba, an evening walk with my hubby, and that run.
- And apart from exercise I managed to host a girls “tea party”. Mostly I got the girls together for a couple of drinks, a few snacks, and had them clear out my bookshelf & several household “give-aways”. I felt really good once they’d left…until I realized there’s still a lot of stuff that must go.
- My two basketball co-coaches & I managed to make progress with the school that took down the basketball hoops. I left a meeting with the Headmistress feeling elated- we finally have direction! So when I meet the boys this Sunday it’ll be great to share what we’ve learnt & get the teams together to start working on what will one day become our new court. Hopefully I’ll have more news on that next week.

It’s been a miserable & rainy week here but it’s ok- it’s easier for me to motivate myself to stay on top of school AND do the packing up!
Happy Friday

PS. Why no comments on my Chipata blog? I love some of those photos…it’s just me getting sentimental??