Bex in Moz: November 2009

A weighty problem

The things you can learn on-line. I was checking on the progress of number three (almost 27 weeks) on one of those all-about-pregnancy sites, and discovered to my delight that over the next 9 weeks I'm really going to pile on the weight. That would be on top of the 10kg+ I've already gained then. Great. But despair not, tells me the site, as this is necessary for a healthy pregnancy and furthermore it will be distributed over various parts of my anatomy. The average breast, I am authoritatively told, weighs 7 ounces before pregnancy and can increase to 14 ounces by the end. Apart from the fact that I am delighted that my own frontage has recovered its pre-motherhood days of glory, however many ounces that is, I am intrigued as to how they weigh the "average breast". I once had a friend/colleague who was exceptionally well endowed. She told me that she and her boyfriend had tried various ways of weighing her breasts - from placing each individually on a kitchen scale, to floating them in water while she stood on a bathroom scale - but with no satisfactory result.

Any ideas, dear readers? Or perhaps you'd like to share your own experiences with the world?

(Sorry, did I promise you a proper post?)

Busy busy busy

It's been pretty busy here over the last week or so, not helped by the fact that internet access has been erratic to say the least. I'm off to Ibo in a few minutes to do some birding with Malcolm. I'll try to post something more interesting next week!

Saying goodbye to old friends

One of the harder things about living in Pemba is that people come and go frequently. Many come on 2-year NGO contracts or the like, and just as you are getting to know them it's time to move on. So we have got used to casual, short-term friendships, enjoying them while they last but not investing too much emotion. It's easier that way. It's different when old-timers, like our friends Mike and Gal (3rd from L front row and 2nd from R back row) have decided - after 13 years here - that it's time for something new for them and their girls.

I'm very happy for them. They've found a place they love - Temecula, CA - and they're excited and happy about their new start. But it brought a tear to my eye to close the last chapter on our story.

It's a story of friendship

Of new arrivals that grew together and played together

And a bit of a love story too

And so obviously I hope that we'll start another chapter of another story, not just a Pemba story and maybe a different kind of story, but a good story anyway.

Boa viagem, Karivs! Estamos juntos!