tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-348397952024-03-08T05:10:34.638+02:00Bex in MozFeckless family of five struggle against all odds to make it in darkest Africa. Only sometimes it's less dramatic than it sounds.Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.comBlogger157125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-67901921866815685052011-09-10T11:20:00.005+02:002011-09-10T11:49:56.938+02:00Guest blogger: Eva<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtErEeB2Y3hvMj5xxBg2hWZhxLOLHE_GVO6GsVNJfxIDcQrpqdE-qqKH_6yIS8qphvJP-VGeZWfz0VDustfFKLOcLfRZNo9r2v9IVjxrIsOp07jCGyhP0kXE3TeAj1NPWN99s/s1600/Eva+madeleine.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div></a><div style="text-align: center;">what i did on my summer holiday</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">SLIDES!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB79Ki1FB_F761A1fPciYclJDKrcQg9RaomhJwLnaqgtYvaJwzpDXK3mMumIkJVAlohp3yMw13Y9sdfihkOi2OTZnMcd5ab8a1jYy7rXNJ6HXSC8olNnfG1pLT-KLoc7pdFVMT/s1600/Eva+slide.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB79Ki1FB_F761A1fPciYclJDKrcQg9RaomhJwLnaqgtYvaJwzpDXK3mMumIkJVAlohp3yMw13Y9sdfihkOi2OTZnMcd5ab8a1jYy7rXNJ6HXSC8olNnfG1pLT-KLoc7pdFVMT/s320/Eva+slide.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650662143730227954" /></a><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;">ICE-CREAM!</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXKxWSzvf2xtOV09xmIWXODTSj_oR-8csRn57ttvlHHzSV0H4rE2jgrQlkgl3wAyNWII-UbMCzvWU31VzbezjkAAkTyvbaW8uII0HfppijiKYTG7iqa9Ly6IpvtbeF-8qL_k7/s1600/Eva+ice-cream.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXKxWSzvf2xtOV09xmIWXODTSj_oR-8csRn57ttvlHHzSV0H4rE2jgrQlkgl3wAyNWII-UbMCzvWU31VzbezjkAAkTyvbaW8uII0HfppijiKYTG7iqa9Ly6IpvtbeF-8qL_k7/s320/Eva+ice-cream.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650662135454295394" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">PIZZA!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhak0LlzIXiaS81Khg_HrghlpruwYoa89kPiRxB5Fp2CbHtycWlLggtkr0DJ5mxWpQ2c-m7QkfyQIMQulUGCcsysy-JJaRNa5IaKH6IrYAdCDt19KBCuudrnLX34dmNddBmDXdq/s320/Eva+pizza.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">SWINGS!</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0CBNiUdeJ3U-naNCEcs3jrTpKffFVLM9ASB1k9l1lIrHDA45gsSdUcuqv1vlhQwXB2j7x5GWn9DYa-yQFqAWebWSfzWbNz_voHNPXmqUxrY2FI6SLA7x0LMPDSAkpK_jIfnH/s1600/Eva+swing.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0CBNiUdeJ3U-naNCEcs3jrTpKffFVLM9ASB1k9l1lIrHDA45gsSdUcuqv1vlhQwXB2j7x5GWn9DYa-yQFqAWebWSfzWbNz_voHNPXmqUxrY2FI6SLA7x0LMPDSAkpK_jIfnH/s320/Eva+swing.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650662134111214178" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">MADELEINES!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtErEeB2Y3hvMj5xxBg2hWZhxLOLHE_GVO6GsVNJfxIDcQrpqdE-qqKH_6yIS8qphvJP-VGeZWfz0VDustfFKLOcLfRZNo9r2v9IVjxrIsOp07jCGyhP0kXE3TeAj1NPWN99s/s320/Eva+madeleine.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">GRANNY!</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnjfEz8VkQX9fz6TbSmRXZsZsr9at4AicT_VzAHpDVIrOrwE8q_xhfDY9PlUs3WMV8eueGKtgmI6FWQru6c8l15yyBeJLxFJpw0yl-dDeUx6MZHIwnYQB2rMEa0lqiqXCPl2X5/s1600/Eva+S+and+J+sleep.JPG"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZG2IB6OFe2y7iiJPEX2_6MmsyUtoEJ20rCzrUPXCwSRrSTw4gSrFxpmrpG2JcNEPZ44qbJ-X3ksjqvaLdAKz8KxHxrBPw7KowFVjDqGCVyKf208fPY9KCeqF87kdhW4zbrwGO/s1600/Eva+granny.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZG2IB6OFe2y7iiJPEX2_6MmsyUtoEJ20rCzrUPXCwSRrSTw4gSrFxpmrpG2JcNEPZ44qbJ-X3ksjqvaLdAKz8KxHxrBPw7KowFVjDqGCVyKf208fPY9KCeqF87kdhW4zbrwGO/s320/Eva+granny.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650660454515541794" /></a><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">GRANDPA!</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcWusfn4LJTX81P0fppkj4BpKyuK4MjEw4xatolyOOyH4olGOWFYe-P8wgBGKAGqpesFIhTrKO34oDGpxo-xuYRAh6L1qi4j4J4c5MTIEMQa35ikXWQTMXu0m6oMJwtrS0Ama/s1600/Eva+grandpa.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcWusfn4LJTX81P0fppkj4BpKyuK4MjEw4xatolyOOyH4olGOWFYe-P8wgBGKAGqpesFIhTrKO34oDGpxo-xuYRAh6L1qi4j4J4c5MTIEMQa35ikXWQTMXu0m6oMJwtrS0Ama/s320/Eva+grandpa.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650660451106113810" /></a><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">AVOS!</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43h565S8CdAlypk4ULBqZlmLLU5hV6MXnSu8drsvOjop_t1qlNdacNew0O5vjEijpWkPs7P_xBH7M2z6MJUJAZ-CBthljWo9qbv9GWC_t1j9PwHoOvsXMlxUnJBxc1J4CW2Ws/s1600/Eva+avos.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43h565S8CdAlypk4ULBqZlmLLU5hV6MXnSu8drsvOjop_t1qlNdacNew0O5vjEijpWkPs7P_xBH7M2z6MJUJAZ-CBthljWo9qbv9GWC_t1j9PwHoOvsXMlxUnJBxc1J4CW2Ws/s320/Eva+avos.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650660447270629234" /></a><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">MY FAMILY!</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwOFKQFNNU9PYZ27HRuaNVVWTwA52ixnPDtPlL6s6mby7GiKIQRVXzxx8m_YffuOCd8rYkFY8sNJxu6Qw1bssG54ETwL3szvhfof1C66NhE2bMhxKp1oT85s3cp0vOvPHJfp-x/s1600/Eva+and+us.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwOFKQFNNU9PYZ27HRuaNVVWTwA52ixnPDtPlL6s6mby7GiKIQRVXzxx8m_YffuOCd8rYkFY8sNJxu6Qw1bssG54ETwL3szvhfof1C66NhE2bMhxKp1oT85s3cp0vOvPHJfp-x/s320/Eva+and+us.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650660445060017218" /></a><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_DTEAi_PVlf1qiKk9JakXKhQueDEA_URK8RcGYIMpa7DB1EcEPh1zpqUelHNRKa9KZnMtQjVb8KcFbdL0CeuuVvmjAGH6kcXEoDjDF6vNyfuL-X-50aBmdSNkSQ0OMYtiCt-/s320/Eva+S+and+J+sleep.JPG" /></div></div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-18940367565284454012011-07-19T10:49:00.005+02:002011-07-19T10:54:54.307+02:00The many happiness of the Chinese shop.The Chinese shops that have popped up over the last two years in Pemba have greatly improved my quality of life, selling, as they do, a fantastic range of cheap, useful and useless items. Most of all, they provide moments of unexpected levity. At Christmas, I bought the traditional pair of underpants for Paulo's stocking. This one came with blurb that promised, amongst other things, that these pants "give a man a direction". Today's offering, in a small green bottle: 'Sod milk'. <div><br /></div><div>All other lettering in Chinese, so I remain unenlightened.</div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-69673773410351603792011-07-15T10:40:00.003+02:002011-07-15T10:47:55.787+02:00Guest blogger: Sebastian<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ZPBfGvkiTEjqOdEOIklYjyqGCPmaZoHx8c-YlQAgC5Dh3Ij870LziQJ7EMMF204NO0NaOQNFB3Ky3UfGdNaJiVpX-YDcBbL5xZtIXAGiFM7C05Q6dEREEaVaS5UAG6yqk4Ds/s320/S+silly+2.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629496721190178370" />Hello Sebastian, what would you like to tell us about?<div><br /></div><div>S: This is a picture I drew at school yesterday. It's a hedgehog. </div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikq5OwUMs-M862fLrG9FCHOYLrPFDmNYrlLGkINBr2M4mBrA4d57scC7KJ9PUle4MwB-QW5NFI7l3m7vd4J5ahwSjVmORUT3Yasi-GsAksbuefcqkYE53Jzca578M7BDsDVLu0/s1600/hedgehog.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikq5OwUMs-M862fLrG9FCHOYLrPFDmNYrlLGkINBr2M4mBrA4d57scC7KJ9PUle4MwB-QW5NFI7l3m7vd4J5ahwSjVmORUT3Yasi-GsAksbuefcqkYE53Jzca578M7BDsDVLu0/s1600/hedgehog.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 233px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikq5OwUMs-M862fLrG9FCHOYLrPFDmNYrlLGkINBr2M4mBrA4d57scC7KJ9PUle4MwB-QW5NFI7l3m7vd4J5ahwSjVmORUT3Yasi-GsAksbuefcqkYE53Jzca578M7BDsDVLu0/s320/hedgehog.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629496725704235794" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Very nice! Why did you draw a hedgehog?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">S: We read a story. Biff threw a ball, Floppy chased it. He found the hedgehog and pricked his nose.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And Floppy is...?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">S: A dog, of course!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Of course. What do you like best about this picture?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">S: His big nose. Hedgehogs have little teeth, like this. That's why I drew them. And teacher gave me twelve stars.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Well done, I love it!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /></div></div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-23655456632408888552011-07-12T11:36:00.004+02:002011-07-13T12:36:59.275+02:00Guest blogger: Joaquim<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFqJ7AROG9lbdpXiRb3Y_Ddj-QZB-ArEjzlGI3xVgYPKx-Osu9eEAVK-xLIole9NxjKCtq3NVSDuPcAnt9KxexedVA4mMogS8x-H5YiJmJhxa0qWwRp-dr9UaOA9R90OduLee8/s320/J+hello.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628779738949584594" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Hi, it's me again. I've been doing lots of cool stuff and I want to tell you about it. First of all, I am a karate champion. I won two gold and a silver medal at the Pemba karate championships and they look soooo cool. <div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOVpMKVGlwpjvHIYU1P4LbrZN8rwevyN7wrEvQwXndWNKHBw_Jb4-DqQBEYavirI6Vi06d3wXsW-XY8GV9qCyO92owM7rtQumRmjxvDCgn1-LeQnu4IbZ33BsULZ6q0gddsFKC/s320/The+champ.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628779743925533426" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div>I took the medals to school the next day to show my friends, and now I've put them in my treasure box. The gold medals were for the juniors championship, I did a really good demonstration - I've been practising at home - and then I had to fight this mean little kid. He kicked me in the neck - which is against the rules - and made me cry, but I got up again and kept fighting and then won. We shook hands after the fight so it was OK. Sebastian, Eva, Mum and Pai were there to watch, and we had grilled chicken and chips to celebrate afterwards.<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>S: I love chicken and chips.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Then there was a cowboy party. Sebastian and I looked cool and dangerous. There was a horse, but I didn't get on, it was really big. Sebastian did though.</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoGels6YH2DbPjHk-tzmJiYrcDptfUDVWYwXnz0kskrMwTBu4zMSqXdO6jnz-JfcwKqNxvHNpvdtuqQQpicHlm7FKzBk79tq-B14CV6DJ6H-q-WsQNWaQeNxLFX68yOxHA3XUq/s320/cowboys.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628779750669686018" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>S: I wasn't scared.</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6x9a5GTS8wnoUSKwFoA3laczj63IW7rDPlZwutqOAMBHMj_t1XGg4FWAr2FgE72Yx8DoPhV-fMGmJTsrqv6lpoQ1pX7zzGZ03cm4ihvhp0-ZOcgZ-CrrG1CPEJU_gznpmfR2B/s320/hands+up.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628779753579750882" /><div style="text-align: center;"><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Then there was another karate thing, a graduation this time, and our teacher was really tough on us and made us work really hard in the sun for hours. But I got my next belt.</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVmir1v8P0nGhnpaVxddKyf45vGTOuidzLeKGoLmMdeNus5vGAbz2DsdcltGcP86wis70bPYFKS2InlAER5vB3x2he07QjmXmipKwjABjMdAEkvYpRcJULadLCD_lvXXXLHtp/s320/heads+down.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628779764589519378" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>S: I got a bit bored and took lots of photos, but we had more chicken and chips afterwards. I love chicken and chips.</div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8q5Id0Q4WuQZkzeZdcJijX_gHvD6G7JdeU8RVkierPfcPaUz7d5YTxYW9-lRIFfG6nW89sXs4dfoyArJTKwNQIpXKDGEIJLx6h2MSnO-iIdfBAxZw6GO_fcsgbeaVy2_Shw_/s320/S+self-portrait.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628781794456785426" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhqd5CTBoqWl70BQz42mJDpRavd8VZ-d3_-82aJzkVnZ-Pm7n9LpYquitUbgiizPO47WCl17DGqrHK7BCdFFHq4lju4KfytcDQ9D3C0pv15h1eQFspxSAp1gQPskRFHuw3qjE/s320/S+mouth.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628781801276201874" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div>And then, there was a fund-raiser at school, International Day. Everyone had to go dressed in a national costume. Sebastian chose French, Eva and Mum went Chinese, Pai wore a silly straw hat, and I was an English Country Gentleman and I won a prize: PIZZA AND A SOFT DRINK! Awesome! Mum also won a prize with her cupcakes, for the prettiest cake. I thought they were pretty delicious.</div><div><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnGEGhbEShrT1l5FSaX4DxR-d_WD88rVcv1XphQxZhJ7YiAkFXbqyOqcxdERQtyEnE61f5DQ-RKUmJSPzwi6DDVvNt30rCAL7MwRrwl8-7av1ZohjSXDtyycm5_4pS9lmK2pR/s320/kids+in+costume.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628781793650976002" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>S: I liked my moustache.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hmmm, that's about it. We're going on holiday in 10 days, which is soooo exciting. Sebastian and I are crossing the days off on the calendar. Pai and Mum seem to be quite excited too. Eva is too little to know.</div><div><br /></div><div>S: It's MY turn to cross it off today.</div><div><br /></div><div>Byeeeeeee! Joaquim xxx</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>PS: This is Pai looking silly.</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_IasmGrS1buJaBUiPbiel7Q-KbfTiwzRiFou4cd7eJzRg75tnKDV2qfxQBpaTl1RbxG41u-v6ioAOh-V-mpirfycCP20IJHZAgeYr-JcmUjJQJt_HHfxsSD5yKTrzdHFF0Kx/s320/P+beautiful.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628783237480052050" /></div><div><br /></div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-13572400147237070242011-05-03T11:24:00.003+02:002011-05-03T11:32:08.016+02:00Big week-end, vol. 2So, while you lot were glued to the RW on TV, or perhaps amongst the cheering crowds of well-wishers (really? wow), we were preparing a party in Chuiba for some friends who were leaving Pemba for Guadeloupe via Paris. Turned into a rather big event, notable for one young lady almost severing her toe on a broken glass (although fortunately she was drunk enough not to feel the full impact), another young man splitting his head on the bottom of the pool (ibid), the bar almost completely running out of booze, apart from a few beers, and dancing until 6 in the morning. Even me. I don't think I've done that since I started having babies. Paulo and I were manning the bar, which is I think why I made it through, as the hours of 10-2 are a blurr of tequila slammers, double everythings, and red bull (that's what I was serving, not drinking, although I confess to a few tequilas). Bet it was better than Will and Kate's shindig.Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-74653122882394416612011-05-03T10:52:00.004+02:002011-05-03T11:24:29.002+02:00Big week-end, vol. 1What with the long week-end and our DSTV subscription having run out, I have only just had time to peruse some images of the RW. Skipping the actual event and just skimming the highlights has the enormous advantage of missing out all the boring bits and savouring the very best of the worst. I like to think of myself as a republican, but who can resist a gawp at the clothes? Well worth it, as it turns out. Kate looked - of course - lovely: elegant, demure, happy, but so SKINNY. Yikes. But thumbs up for the dress - quite beautiful and totally appropriate. (Poor Diana, the 80s were not good for wedding dresses). William made me realise that at least - for a man - being in the military gives you an excuse to wear something funky to your wedding. As for the rest; Eugenie and Beatrice, good grief, girls, I'm sorry but my first thought was "the ugly sisters". Ok, so it may not be their fault that they're not stunners, but do they have to compound it with their choice of outfits? Especially Beatrice's garish multi-coloured, be-ribonned monstrosity. Could no-one have said something? Then there was Tara P-T who looked like she was in fancy dress, alongside Miriamme whatsername, the Dep PM's wife. DREADFUL. Queen looked OK, I guess, though much as she always does, but kudos to Princess Anne who looked pretty cool. As for Chelsy, could she really not do better than that? Those are just the ones that caught my attention. Oh, and then there was the fiancee of the crown prince of Monaco (a former Olympic swimmer, as it turns out, her, not him), who was wearing such a fabulously understated and elegant outfit that she totally blew all those prissy English ladies in their knee-length patterned dresses, 20 denier tights, boxy jackets and boring hats, out of the water. (See what I did there...?)<div><br /></div><div>Thank goodness the Americans went and shot OBL, as it gives us something else to read about. Kind of intrigued about the burial at sea. Was it a kind of insult? A practical way to dispose of the body without there being the possibility of some kind of shrine or pilgrimmage spot being created? A deliberate attempt to generate conspiracy theories? There's already a T-shirt (as posted by my friend Pepe) which shows a stick-man Osama flailing among the fishes and reads "Bin Laden nao sabe nadar, yo" ("Bin Laden can't swim, yo"), which is kind of weird. Get yer memorabilia here: www.caoazul.com. </div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-23388755577001230582011-04-01T10:29:00.007+02:002011-04-01T10:43:34.302+02:00Warning: contains graphic reptile photos<div style="text-align: justify;">Well I may not have had my camera to hand when I fed a hapless grasshopper to a hungry chameleon, but I certainly had it when we found said chameleon's big brother/sister (or perhaps other half?) in the garden.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHrw_mO8Br4zQkDMsvnWgmMmUgpOCToPehE55XYXLVIB9EUZxEpyyCZkp_RoCG12QiR2QO1S1mDzIH1YCohlSlahnMaf19o8aFxZpcFTeJM-j6Y6Ip3Vc34l5M2xvQDCcFG2y/s320/chameleon+small.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590529941411243922" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What a beautiful beastie! (Although I suspect my mother may not agree...)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sebastian was extremely impressed, and gamely handled it - gently - before we released it into a cashew tree. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIQwli8a0qm5XeAw_K61aumcPQEFTRlqWKY62hDg6LNd37_xLHmV6ldu7Ha6NL7YB9oDgr9CUkTlVAdZkkuy_6z-qYyfWdnFi88E0mS9pIYqyVRVHNQF-omqicXaxNo_d8CH-/s320/chameleon+and+S+small.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590529946809237970" /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now I think that's a pretty big chameleon, and I know that Northern Mozambique is home to the world's second-largest chameleon (the largest, and also smallest I think, are found on Madagascar), but I don't know enough to judge whether this is an example of it. Any ideas, naturalist friends? (Should that be naturist? Which one means nudist? I always get confused, but hey, my nudist friends are also welcome to air their opinions!)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Chameleons really are exceptionally cool. Fused toes, funky walk, eyes that look in different directions, and of course the ability to change colour at will. This one obliged by going from greenish - as you can see in the photos - to grey/brown when we placed it on the trunk of the cashew tree. I once had to kill a chameleon as part of some field research (humanely, I hasten to add). It went completely black - one the saddest things I ever saw or had to do. But let's hope this one has a long and happy life.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-38220861968807085862011-03-28T12:44:00.003+02:002011-03-28T12:53:14.151+02:00In sickness and in health<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>We - and a fair few of our friends - have been struck by a virulent stomach bug, taking out Joaquim and then Eva. Of course, it happened just as Paulo was leaving for a work trip to Zimbabwe. The little ones are now apparently recovering, but it has not been much of a laugh. <div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Last night Eva woke up every two hours or so, and what small periods of sleep I managed in between were punctuated by Utama noisily dispatching a bush baby (seems she's got a taste for the local wildlife), and Sebastian crawling into bed with me at some murky point in the early hours. As such, I was fast asleep at 7am when Rafina turned up for work and she had to shout from the locked gate for about 5 minutes to be let in. It was a bit of a scramble to get Sebastian to school (Joaquim pleaded for another day at home), and I only made it through the morning by taking my coffee with me. Let's hope tonight is a bit better.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here are the two invalids on a happier day - notice a family resemblance?</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXxHEBphRK1Isig8IRIZMA33jyiFNKNu5-g4BX2NCiCT4N0xIW39dqmSExg_8j1AjgHABxzZf6083PXrgktARbjrGxIYonwshnMnKlTuyQkUM1UxE709IoiJ_e0a3T9Fyax1y/s320/Eva+%2526+J+small.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589081711330818962" /></div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-69055532319229012532011-03-17T09:50:00.005+02:002011-03-17T10:08:00.851+02:00Nature red in tooth and clawA good day for nature's predators yesterday.<div><br /></div><div>Spike caught what we think was his first mouse - right at my feet - cue a great deal of excitement from him and us. Utama immediately nicked it off him then chewed it noisily just off the veranda (lovely). We have noticed a distinct reduction in rodent activity at home recently; it seems our Jack Russel investment is paying off.</div><div><br /></div><div>Earlier in the day, a chameleon that had wandered into the house (much to Rafina's alarm as they are considered by local people to be highly venomous, despite being in fact totally harmless) was relocated to a mango sapling outside the yard. As Joaquim, Sebastian and our neighbour Gen watched, I tempted it with a captured grasshopper. Success! The chameleon snapped it up. A great National Geographic moment - if only I had thought to grab my camera.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of these little events is our entertainment made.</div><div><br /></div><div>Meanwhile, in Chuiba, the wire-tailed swallows are lining up in ever-increasing numbers, like beads strung on a necklace of electricity lines, gathering and preparing for the great flight North. Cue cooler weather for us, and warmer weather for most of you.</div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-8517300974719621202011-03-03T10:27:00.004+02:002011-03-03T10:38:38.409+02:00R.A.I.N.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWkp3rxtHm5vstNpAvFRMqPtve0qDzcja7XJUqtt8IH-WRcOrfvguWiHnECq-SEzSlikW1jnOVyCiUUkjrurmyd3AMRjlqK778A2yPZEWTIxVBRoIQUnbCI2lZNVkV5qW-hHG/s1600/rain.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579769656363467458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWkp3rxtHm5vstNpAvFRMqPtve0qDzcja7XJUqtt8IH-WRcOrfvguWiHnECq-SEzSlikW1jnOVyCiUUkjrurmyd3AMRjlqK778A2yPZEWTIxVBRoIQUnbCI2lZNVkV5qW-hHG/s400/rain.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div>The rain it raineth in my car<br />And also on my kitchen table,<br />But mainly in my car because</div><div>My sunroof is a touch unstable.</div><div><span style="font-size:78%;">(With apologies to whoever penned the original, funnier, version)</span></div><br /><div>Having a pretty intense rainy season again this year.</div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-31866260471074501062011-02-22T11:01:00.005+02:002011-02-22T11:18:25.778+02:00Eva is 1<div>Yesterday was Eva's birthday. Her very first. It was a pretty cute occasion all round. <div><div></div><br /><div>The birthday girl looked cute (here she is with 14 month old friend Renata).</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576439548853937746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 314px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 209px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVOVC2EjZbdWquV94RJfqR0j-5hRQugxzaq1-UaMhgjzovt-XafvwLHPV1uOngEd1R9JNGGT6X3uHpKONSBlIiSQRtBGD-JK7jsmosrr0c9-dBe5_2i7Mw8f8Q_ui29tUvMDY/s320/Eva+and+Renata.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div></div><div>The birthday cake was cute.</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576439550951568546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 209px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 314px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRGaKVDmSvVfb9Dgd65CfvMo6yq86vx5TSkKDwsteH74OC0qR6k8fZSldY2mxosX8mYLdrko3AxovOT2flgGpv7B-WqS5tFpdixAFFHMlr7aVuslmfOW9E1zgPvkmwJVpltoB/s320/J%2526S+cut+cake.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><br /><div>And even the other guests were pretty cute.</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576439553838286226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVrIkWoLUeHXVDIONYXmgA4VRlW4SvoRI71nB_2nfyl1MWqqkQ5AnBHHBrNHCJd6dGBwUFBg59YRWM_wIo-ZKiqZVccpgAuunokKg-J4HdxPai1gWxR47YBjphSL6CJ0i0wiq/s320/P1010847.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><br /><div>Is this what happens when you have a girl?</div><br /><div>I'm happy to say that it was also noisy, messy and chaotic, so some things stay the same.</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-12644823096528804792011-02-02T10:54:00.003+02:002011-02-02T11:11:42.824+02:00New Year, new beginningsI am no longer working at the Quirimbas National Park, as my contract came to an end on Monday. It was not unanticipated, and I'm looking into a number of other possibilities, but at the moment I am enjoying using our office in Chuiba, which has a lovely view over the coconut trees, and a nice cool pool just down the path.<br /><br />Chuiba Palms was officially inspected, approved and inaugurated in December, which was a great relief and source of some pride to us. So we are open for business, and in the process of getting a website, marketing materials and good promotioanl photos together. (As you can see, I have things to fill my time with.)<br /><br />Meanwhile, the boys begin a new year at school, with Sebastian happy in Reception at THE BIG SCHOOL and Joaquim in Year 3. The fact that all bar one of Sebastian's colleagues graduated from kindergarten with him, and that he knows many of the older kids already, have made the transition apparently painless. They are both also very proud of their new uniform, which is a rather smart but practical aertex shirt embroidered with the school logo, in a choice of 5 colours, and navy shorts. Have photos, will post.<br /><br />Eva has also embarked on a new adventure of her own: mobility. She is commando crawling - at last - and I have no doubt will soon be all over the house and into everything. Must get that shelf up in the bathroom before she sidles up to the washing machine and downs a cup of washing powder.Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-59811705945558633862010-11-22T11:00:00.002+02:002010-11-22T11:15:06.115+02:00Another baby?We have new members of the family to introduce.<br /><br />First up is Spike, who I think we can all agree, is about as cute as a puppy can get. Currently taking on cardboard boxes, Eva's soft toys, old bones and everyone's ankles, we hope that as a bona fide Jack Russell he will later resolve any rodent issues at home and in Chuiba once and for all.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFDb1OkHiwIw3LzScxhIzaFWBxC9d-WsPXVT3PYJ6BsVk7tY6Z3W39bda-tgZ7uleiXkujAWYXzIMwPHRZh-ZqKHNrjpoYqf7MVxXrI4XNqVqLDorUA1NC2y14ow2_Hdt3_iEe/s1600/Spike+small.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542297780745637106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFDb1OkHiwIw3LzScxhIzaFWBxC9d-WsPXVT3PYJ6BsVk7tY6Z3W39bda-tgZ7uleiXkujAWYXzIMwPHRZh-ZqKHNrjpoYqf7MVxXrI4XNqVqLDorUA1NC2y14ow2_Hdt3_iEe/s320/Spike+small.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Next up is Sally (the boys are naming the dogs BTW), who turned up at our gate absolutely starving. You could count every single rib and notch in her spine. She was desperate to be let in and so very friendly that we relented and started feeding her then adopted her once she was givben the all clear by the vet. She's still a bit hectic and jumps all over me when I get home (I think she can't quite believe she's got a family for good), but she's an excellent guard and has woken up our two old ladies who were getting so laid-back pretty much anyone could have walked into the yeard and out again with all our most prized posessions with nothing more than a wag of a tail as acknowledgement.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZqGFGabJ47czLdXfRaBcIjamUcadtjA4agA32OKhMf2T_KO835vYU7sOyYL0tMbWbnTSwWAubToe7x9Pe8eyvs9zF7baFsOdPOKfQkVVXLDdxMnZRXTV4in3zo0z6FyDYFX-/s1600/Sally+small.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542297775865529762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZqGFGabJ47czLdXfRaBcIjamUcadtjA4agA32OKhMf2T_KO835vYU7sOyYL0tMbWbnTSwWAubToe7x9Pe8eyvs9zF7baFsOdPOKfQkVVXLDdxMnZRXTV4in3zo0z6FyDYFX-/s320/Sally+small.JPG" border="0" /></a> Next week, we take in a half-dozen cats and an iguana.<br /><br /><div></div>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-91575469598557160912010-11-02T11:27:00.003+02:002010-11-02T11:37:51.163+02:00Taking Halloween by stormOn Saturday we celebrated Halloween at Joaquim's school. We forgot our camera, which is a shame, as Joaquim won the prize for the funniest costume. (Also I was wearing a much-admired outsized witch's hat, and plenty of black eyebrow pencil, lipstick and wart to accessorize.) On the other hand, it's not such a shame, as he was wearing his alien costume again (see party pics below), only with new hands as he had popped the last lot, and eyeballs rather than pan scourers on his antennas. I rather over-inflated the hands this time which is apparently what clinched his win.<br /><br />On Sunday night we had the first storm of this year's rainy season. Huge downpour, loads of dramatic thunder and lightning. Cue plenty of bed-hopping as the boys woke up and got scared: first Sebastian came to our bed, then Joaquim got scared so I went to his bed, then I couldn't sleep so I moved to Sebastian's bed, leaving Sebastian to sleep in our bed. Eva showed great sang-froid. She woke up at the beginning of the storm, drank her bottle of milk and slept through until 6.30 the next morning; as we all did. <br /><br />That's called a lie-in in these parts.Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-2155933417959421192010-10-01T10:47:00.006+02:002010-10-01T11:16:46.385+02:00Boys just wanna have funJoaquim: Hi. Mum's a bit busy so I want to tell you about all the fun we've been having recently. First, Pai got us this great water slide.<br />Sebastian: It's AWESOME.<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523000254696759602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 229px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0p_t9UT9IkK9pP311ZtxxGHYTjH5F2yC9ZfMNlS_JrS6yR6G3P9sB-vNEKjYOirG9g-msorPbr1HCAYaoD7QCdmx9Pzp7GHH_TYN-zXOAI32zTm0ybfcGSilmx9xKqDYv3NNt/s320/August+2010+003+small.jpg" border="0" /><br />J: Then we were invited to a Princes and Princesses party. Mum found some cool stuff in the second-hand clothes shop, and she made us some costumes, and then we made these crowns. I put loads of stars on mine.<br />S: I LOVE these trousers, they're so HANDSOME. That means beautiful, but for boys.<br /></p><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523001643424199682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ueLzCpH3doSXG9UUwCGSW42M5KIE-RjIUddhWLD0mCp8zlLH1y2zvnlGy55J1mlYYL0DCmJKdUCXDEgU3cEBWod_9vNmKOb40odJKF9IRMthFN1nFmpSIR-YOfzFFlMusG_J/s320/P1010440+small.JPG" border="0" /> <p><br />J: And then, we were invited to an aliens party.<br />S: SO COOL.</p><p>J: Mum went back to the same shop and found all this alien stuff and made us these costumes, with, like four arms, and antennae and stuff. I was a really scary alien.</p><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523001654977564674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1b2B1fkMioQ71GA7QBXWJFlhdoYFYi2OSsNPSVAmjOptRUSoJIDXsboasZXjdPeaDmQ_jpRYNLRVXzP-1kgtaQYvODchyphenhyphenAAUV7Nf5NWBmHzdL6rjFakbN_soiIX0HGsz021x9/s320/P1010444+small.JPG" border="0" /> <div></div><br /><br /><div>S: And I LOVED my extra arms. These are the extra ones, not my real arms.</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523001649889974562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7D-jntuV53zMeZrc-6Q7AwcURUqMKRevcwZCjqo7W2jbhMC2DFiFhyphenhyphenBUR-lZPpjGHfCWYoBe-OdLnxhF86ia0zL9bkY2uoDaMHlvPjkyZ3P2KFWRy5oQODWQm0YyEiZLAuiD/s320/P1010446+small.JPG" border="0" /> <div></div><br /><div>J: Then Sebastian and our friend Matteo did a kind of four-armed aliens dance, I think. </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523001644941571682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFbq56FxswPr8SwqZwfI863C6F0tMe6yZ_y3-0vBDq5P8g3Ax5TKy_84V4mHw2mKzEDtV5DomT7ziT0vi8TUOd755eBKGTPbwCgvmxvQdf9EZOn2nIfyZPqVB5KXmz1bN82JQ/s320/P1010452+small.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523001651652347026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm1nvNXBDMd7X6VhpwosOtyOc75hPB6HhHWC04sFGossr18jdlKmch1kcTmjg-PXFe5HRPS4H3z8wNnd4J3vxjMpKme23KuROmWtaK_8bJM-GqdppAalGIlDIDP4qA0jPENj8P/s320/P1010453+small.JPG" border="0" /><br />S: I like bread.<br /><div></div><br /><div>J: And it was like, so cool, and we had lots of fun. Oh, and here's Mum with our baby sister Eva.<br /></div><div>S: Eva is the cutest baby in the WHOLE WORLD.</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523000262060944530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5t2_lVjDhomgyXDoa3nhp_GXoOh-JfiHdxJM9KbH3aJ2rXeVewsyqUjlnLY-ZNqN_Mt13_Ek6umb0TrfR7xPpstdXudIQ8kYOt9fBE2tmBpWqsVIW7n17Rd8VuOhbK0hMbUB/s320/P1010430+small.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>J: I don't know why Pai gets so tired. </div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523000264884575026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifulnkxveEpBNgTq5OebrpPZA7JwITDN7aQFcpxClNZ_3syqx1X59AUAyJp9EpjslCjqr0QN4C5QTsol5yeYOBkqmbyP-lKY149B5_Ek7gwDed1bTu9U_r7Pro_YzKeh2Bd8PT/s320/P1010433+small.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><p> </p><p>J: There's no party this weekend. We'll have to find something else for Mum to do. Bye!</p>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-2431850868581207392010-08-16T11:15:00.000+02:002010-08-16T11:19:25.198+02:00Still looking good!Me (at breakfast this morning): "blah, blah..., must be because I'm getting old."<br />Joaquim: "You're not getting old! Your face isn't going all bumpy."<br /><br />Thanks, love, it's nice to know I still look youthful to my kids. Good way to start the day.Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-8928743934934138552010-08-12T08:05:00.000+02:002010-08-12T08:06:22.281+02:00Lateral thinkingSebastian, holding a shell to his ear: "The sea is telephoning us."Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-63941257658384823742010-08-09T09:40:00.004+02:002010-08-09T09:52:02.361+02:00Kind of back online.We are theoretically reconnected but it is so very, very, painfully slow that I cannot even browse for a photo of a snail with which to illustrated this post. Bear with me please.Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-62419847127764116982010-07-28T08:37:00.000+02:002010-07-28T08:43:07.142+02:00Communication breakdownDue to a problem with the country's fibre-optic cable, we are currently without internet. Normal service to resume asap!Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-60952776253872688452010-07-12T11:07:00.002+02:002010-07-12T11:14:20.234+02:00Sleepy lions.<p>Aaah, look. Paulo and Eva enjoying a lie-in at the week-end.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMs1r0bU3oe26CbjsSvbiG0BmzXSVd548xn_s3MemlwMM6ccZbFNngNsDq5yNd7rFtJl_lDKdWlN_RQ64r73qdxMUNjDlofnf1w4Xwg-TqR3bJHq13L7YodLxHG7M21zZtzIc2/s1600-h/P1010325%20(small)%5B2%5D.jpg"><img title="P1010325 (small)" style="border: 0px none ; display: inline;" alt="P1010325 (small)" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNIgWidHjIm_5XHS0q68gJIlxjJWoPP6grKxcyBu45zED-4worbF3lRKH0A4HW2GKCXVGbeD9foG9YN7P0GoHHx1zs7DWMdAsxnQNfDuv_KtyDt3Oh7PTIM0Ffu16iELMXokT1/?imgmax=800" width="164" border="0" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>Now, where have I seen this before…? Oh yes:</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHMO3eb6Y_mdzAdjzzNmFssbkzp8cW-phapVA1LbGARw1HEPwjMgF8-DpJlm7l1vqPVuFE93t-kqyf1xXmMI31mXqngX3oew7ygn4JPZjlz2vhEJ6NvioZUkzDNhUq6kEd5y7w/s1600-h/New%20pics%20074%5B2%5D.jpg"><img title="New pics 074" style="border: 0px none ; display: inline;" alt="New pics 074" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9DzIARV0CDyLMvOWoBlUUVvC1eUoDTArihkb8h6mUrlN8HZRuRYhoQT6WCvgF0F1bPd6MIjEXuHXsI0j1ZpxOhpnl41ikk0q9fyFaGY_sVrocpahylsJhmYS9KEL86Sb2seCv/?imgmax=800" width="244" border="0" height="184" /></a> </p> <p>That’s Joaquim at a similar age. And then there’s this:</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxH2b528yuluPH4SSi7u4OBaqdDNp2ajHnFkKRmkrhOsI4al2bKhe6NEksycOjHf4-Th3mXpIqdYLFJ7TkwZ8lXoQ8kJsDlsj6sV7gZTuu_nM3c_vwe96p6guoy_gahVMKVwRV/s1600-h/001%20-%20Copy%5B2%5D.jpg"><img title="001 - Copy" style="border: 0px none ; display: inline;" alt="001 - Copy" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFRuOaX_HeQ2ygrYJwFq_lrOSR7fVaTaHTQqKScDdq4D4nzA4MweXAkB1hubh2uJSPoIgiE1LpdnU1MVlvQDenHaQciNFA7YQdXS5rgRJ-KbNuTJIDTXiuXxGOTgZPLa7fPK7N/?imgmax=800" width="244" border="0" height="184" /></a> </p> <p>And where are all the pictures of me enjoying a lie-in with my children? Oh, yeah, I don’t get lie-ins with my children. Or indeed at all. Grumble, grumble.* </p> <p>But don’t they all look cute?</p><span style="font-size:85%;">*To be fair, Paulo <span style="font-style: italic;">tried</span> to give me a lie-in on Sunday, but Sebastian had other ideas. Specifically, another game of airports. We play airports quite a lot.</span>Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-5388952109764833132010-07-01T09:35:00.001+02:002010-07-01T09:44:00.171+02:00Beehive<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDupfvzmL_umPFgR05XK0cdWoGbEApSciya1QYAKfphcwNL32FdaxaD3B6eDhTnhx-QbAwgO4Gs0tqG_JYxu_GCH8qve8P9ta-JYn2tHykBCDFnRPSRccVu37telo9JbBEq1Kc/s1600/Eva+4+months.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDupfvzmL_umPFgR05XK0cdWoGbEApSciya1QYAKfphcwNL32FdaxaD3B6eDhTnhx-QbAwgO4Gs0tqG_JYxu_GCH8qve8P9ta-JYn2tHykBCDFnRPSRccVu37telo9JbBEq1Kc/s320/Eva+4+months.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488840064493612674" border="0" /></a><br />This girl was made for the 50's.Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-50021191806305874602010-06-29T10:03:00.001+02:002010-06-29T10:03:38.862+02:00Massacre de Mueda – 50 years<p>My mother has located my camera charger – in London.  So while it wings its way here I’ve been taking some snaps with my phone.  Not top quality, but better than nothing.</p> <p>Two weeks ago we all headed up to the Makonde plateau for the 50th commemorations of the infamous Mueda Massacre, where a number (probably around 60, but some say 600, it depends who you talk to) of Makondes were shot dead when they protested the refusal of the Portuguese State to accept their demands for independence.  This demand was presented to the Administrator of Mueda before a large number of people, by a Mozambican recently returned from Tanzania where he had been inspired and encouraged by Nyerere.  When the Administrator and Governor (of the then <em>Province</em> of Mozambique) refused and made to leave with several people they had arrested, their Land Rover was surrounded by the angry crowd and they ordered the troops to open fire with tragic results.  Although the independence war was not to start for some years after the event, it is considered one of the earliest acts of resistance from Mozambicans, and subsequent violence by the Portuguese.  </p> <p>This year the annual celebrations included a reenactment of the massacre, with a Mozambican friend of ours playing the role of the Administrator, an economic fair with all the Districts of Cabo Delgado Province, some private sector operators and several state bodies including the Quirimbas National Park, represented.  The President also came to take part in the celebrations.</p> <p>Here’s Sebastian enjoying an elevated view of the show, although what interested him the most were the Presidential jets.  He was particularly delighted when we went to the airstrip to see them take off.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSd9ciYjwggVd8FbtIl1nEPBHZ-oxZyqys2cbJyK0PRE6P4GADSKfB6eVbCL6bUIbWVaTr90_DJFN2EX5N0niLwjobl_cZpwAothDXdaIqF-VDZkPAjviaVKXPyD7j3iDJeVF8/s1600-h/16062010(001)%5B2%5D.jpg"><img title="16062010(001)" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="244" alt="16062010(001)" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0-xG0t2W9dTCBQkB5fotiRo23VotE4z-BgyVHjmWAz-7t_pk-R-fGZQuP1e6lanQD2pP0jcfqj_rytPs9Pg0V_sUTr5KJ5X-S6QAkJLRVuvZckytNgWbLeyY1pM940MTZygZJ/?imgmax=800" width="184" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>I haven’t been up to Mueda for something like 5 years, so it was nice to see old friends, get a taste of Makonde culture again, and show off Eva and the boys.  We did lots of shopping at the fair for the Chuiba houses: beautiful Makonde pots, which are decorated with elaborate patterns, brightly coloured straw mats from Palma, wood-cuts from one of my favourite local artists (remember the story of the frog?) and sculpture.</p> <p>Eva behaved beautifully, travelling no problem and sleeping happily tucked in between me and Paulo, and snug in her sleeping bag (it’s cold on the plateau in June).  Here she is on the way:</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1h0FpzJPI5WQRy1yB6AaIlNhQ2mNJfnLC44pBgNS7-wnpgUi6L_L6E1RoEiPzhwllOR-iDLqPC1GyjW8VfeLte_MHXLbcsbxc7q7anr1H-UkKRBhwo1qjILpxNOzxxPKn1KEL/s1600-h/15062010%5B2%5D.jpg"><img title="15062010" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="244" alt="15062010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_zU7ye0KLfQCTr-_b8mwTDRvTzwouqrI0otwyzmIuXyCkJ1I7pCg608d5GWkHS4OFozv0tY_oFiojBuJ6pvbwNa-LMNWxXmSs8YFmiLbEfoqqeaJi4cTIeOfVvQDeCJ6fOUk2/?imgmax=800" width="184" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>All in all we had a fun few days, although I was disappointed to miss the Mapiko dancing (fantastic masked dances with frenetic drumming) on our first evening, as I thought I’d get another chance.  But hopefully it will be less than 5 years before we go again.</p> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-75997929201553139482010-06-21T09:46:00.001+02:002010-06-21T09:50:15.228+02:00120 days.Eva is four months old today.<br />She is growing and plumping up nicely.<br />She is starting to hold her head up.<br />She is grabbing things: toys, hair, necklaces, clothes.<br />She is paying more attention to people and things.<br />She is turning her head when you talk to her.<br />She is doing that cute hand-wringing thing.<br />She is sleeping mostly OK.<br />She is a delight.Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-2583618467055557202010-06-10T09:14:00.002+02:002010-06-10T09:40:29.088+02:00Orange PrizeOoh, ooh, Barbara Kingsolver has won the Orange Prize for her new novel The Lacuna. I'm a big fan of Kingsolver, but - and this shows how isolated we are out here - I didn't even know she had published a new book (her first since 2000). For those of you who haven't read any Kingsolver I highly recommend The Poisonwood Bible (her biggest hit) but also some of her earlier, perhaps more lightweight, books. Apparently The Lacuna is quite challenging, but I like a challenging (as long as it's not a polite way of saying boring) read. One for my Christmas list.Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34839795.post-17880095955219279442010-06-09T11:14:00.001+02:002010-06-09T11:14:55.099+02:00Eva update<p>Well it seems that Eva likes to keep me on my toes, one night sleeping beautifully and the next reverting to a newborn-type wake up every two hours schedule.  What fun.  Meanwhile, she’s making progress on other fronts: the other day she managed to grab the label of one of the toys that dangle before her on her bouncy chair, which she’s been batting at for the last week or so.  She’s also starting to make laughing noises to accompany the big beaming toothless smiles that go so far to make up for the irregular sleeping.  Very cute.  I’ve totally forgotten the different stages so its almost like starting afresh, each new development a lovely surprise.  She hasn’t quite got her head under control yet, perhaps as it is quite big, but the rest of her body is definitely catching up.  I don’t think anyone would label her as “dismorphic” now (really, how dared they?), although I think she’s quite unusual-looking for a baby and I can’t really predict how she’s going to look when older.  She has a lot of dad and my mother-in-law, but also elements of my younger sister.  Interesting.  Unfortunately I’ve misplaced the charger for my camera so I have no recent pics to post.  Must make a more thorough search as she has a great mohican of hair at the moment which will surely not last (at least I hope not) but should be recorded for posterity.  Indeed Eva has so much hair that it’s pretty much the first thing everyone comments on, even some kids who normally wouldn’t be expected to notice that kind of thing.  Lucky girl.</p> <p> </p> <p>Sebastian continues to be totally enamored with his little sister.  “How’s Eva?” is usually the first thing he asks in the morning and when I pick him up from school and he insists on sitting next to her car seat on every journey, although Joaquim occasionally complains.  He likes to lean over her saying “hello, little Eva” and making funny faces to amuse her.   I think Joaquim is waiting for her to grow up and become more interactive; although he happily places an older-brotherly kiss on her brow at bedtime he’s not as interested as Sebastian is.  Funny, as I had anticipated the opposite.</p> <p> </p> <p>As for me, I’m happily giving away the boys’ baby clothes that I had put aside, just in case, and enjoying the lovely little girly things that I’ve been given by many kind friends.  Indulge me…</p> Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108279055572390370noreply@blogger.com2