Starting to feel Canadian again

I've savoured some pieces of quintessential Canada in the last few days:

- the smell of poplars in Spring
- the sound of skates on ice
- finally being able to pitch in to family emergencies. We got the call Saturday evening that my dear ol' Gran was admitted to hospital in Saskatoon- I am so thankful that Tom & I were able to drive out there on Sunday to spend a few days with her. Gran's much better- back into her little apartment & I enjoyed a few beautiful walks in Saskatoon's river valley. After 5.5 years so far from home it is a wonderful feeling to be able to just sit with my Gran. Or my Aunt Martha. Or my folks.

Here are a couple photos from our first skate- Alvin hit ice for the first time last Friday & loved it. Looks like we might head out for another skate tomorrow- how wonderful! My friend Janet is teaching her friend Glen how to skate & invited us to join in- what a great idea, we four had such fun. And though nobody wanted photos on the blog I never made any promises*winning smile*

Thursday already?

It's amazing how fast the days are zipping by considering that Alvin & I really don't have much to do. We're not working yet and it's been a quiet week for callbacks...but somehow we're filling up the days- couldn't tell you what exactly we're doing though*grin*

We saw Tom & Dev throughout the whole weekend. Sunday was a highlight because Tom & Dev bought new patio furniture; thus we had to have pizza & beer (yum). And since the weather has been so gorgeous Dev put up the badminton net & we've had so much fun playing! I had to include a couple of candids.





























Tomorrow should also be an exciting day- we've got a skating date! Weeeeee

One for Namukolo

Well yesterday was quite the day. It was finally warm enough to get out & start doing some yard work. It's springtime! Enjoying the variety of the four seasons has been something that I've been looking forward to sharing with Alvin since we planned to move back to Canada. And it finally feels like our first Spring- the green grass is starting to come up from under the rake- thrilling!














Otherwise Alvin & I hosted our first "nshima" night. We missed our dear friend Kolo who made our nshima nights both delicious and interesting with her endless tales of drama. Tommy & Dev graciously came over & enjoyed eating with their hands...we hope it will be the first of many lovely nshima nights.

It's snowing!

Mother nature is saying "Welcome back to Alberta"*muha ha ha ha*. Funnier still is the fact that when I ran at midday today it was about 15 degrees. It sure is glorious to be warm & cozy in the house sipping on some hot chocolate while the wind howls outside. What fun. We also got to try out the big winter jacket that Alvin's Aunt Elena so generously sent from Connecticut.






























Apart from this excitement today Alvin & I have been busy bees. We're networking, applying for jobs, keeping up with school requirements (and that's both of us now!), and took a road trip to Saskatoon to celebrate Easter with the family.
Here's my dear old Gran who's still happiest in the kitchen at 86 years. She an amazing person & it was grand to spend Easter weekend with her. (And yes, that's a wine bottle- chokecherry wine)!














Gran is even so with the times that the Coca-Cola she bought (especially for me & Alvin) were in the gold cans for Canada's Gold medals at the Olympics- how exciting.














Tom & Devo busy in the kitchen.














After the big feast the guys thought it would be a good idea to do some yard work while the food settled. We laughed our lungs out when cousin Allan forgot to close up the bag of his fancy sucking-up-leaves-machine & blew out all the leaves back onto the lawn.














Oh, & I turned a year older & was spoiled by friends & family alike! These flowers came from my dear hubby & from sweet Carly. THANKS!!!

Bloggers bloc

Hi all,

Two weeks away & why the silence? Lots of reasons I suppose.

- I did not access the Internet for the entire week post-work & pre-homecoming. It was great. We were sent off several times in style from friends & family in Lusaka

-And here we are one week into our return to the Motherland. What have we been doing to keep ourselves so busy? Adjusting to the cold (ha ha). Lots of sleeping, and surprisingly, lots of business. We've been to offices all over the city replacing drivers licenses, attaining Alvin's new Albertan paperwork, and even dropping off a few resumes. I have been to the library, read one of the books I borrowed & smile to think I've got countless books at my fingertips! My parents have hosted several dinners and we're feeling positive about everything. And I do have my school obligations at the back of my mind; nagging like a guilty conscience.

-After the Easter weekend in Saskatoon with my dear Gran we are set to have more structured next week. We need to start exercising*ha ha ha*

Happy Easter/ long weekend to all- here are a few snaps for my faithful readers (I've been fairly undecided on what I should do with my blog now that I'm back home...but Aunt Nada insisted I post something up here...so we'll see if I can shake the bloggers bloc I've been experiencing since being back home)

The girls from work took me out for lunch & it was such a great reminder about how many amazing friends I've made over the years in Lusaka.














Our dear Gabby. We had to get a photo because I'd had my hair done that day*tihi*















What would have been more appropriate than a farewell braai at the farm? We had a lovely afternoon with the family- lots of food, singing, laughing & dancing.
Alvin's whole family was up dancing to "kakabalika" - a song they chose to bid us farewell- saying that the sun shall shine everywhere. It was beautiful.
















Baby Mutale with me & my mother-in-law















Jackie, Bwembya & Ethel














Me with aunt Josie & Danny














Grandma & Aunt Jose














We laughed at Danny & a crying Mutale














If there's one thing I'll likely get sentimental about- it'll be this team. I will miss "my boys", my co-coaches, and the wonderful guys at the Youth Basketball League.