Split:post

[Libby:]

According to the internet it is now, at 7pm in the evening, 29 degrees and I am absolutely freezing. I’ve put a long sleeve top on over my t-shirt and am contemplating socks. Yesterday I got all the duvets back out. Winter has arrived. How am I going to survive when I arrive in the UK in the summer?? Having got used to the warmer weather and the usual attire that involves, the children find wearing socks and jackets somewhat of a novelty. Josh is quite pleased to be able to wear his jacket to catch the bus and they all wanted to wear their socks in bed.

It’s been a tiring week, Caleb has slept very badly and Daniel is allergic to something in our room, hopefully not me. Turf wars have broken out with next doors girls, and Bethany is stuggling to get used to the fact that she is no longer queen bee. Without parental intervention fights keep breaking out which is emotionally exhausting. On the one hand you want to believe your own children, but at the same time you don’t want to delude yourself that they are little angels that can do no wrong, when they certainly aren’t. Being a parent is a complete mindfield. You just get to grips with one area when another problem pops up somewhere else. And you never stop feeling guilty about one thing or another.

I’ve started to cycle Bethany to school once a week. I’ve borrowed my other neighbour's (who is currently in Holland) bike , which has a seat on the back and the front. It was quite fun and the children enjoyed it, although by the time I got to school I decided the route reminded me of a computer game - involving: potholes; windy section by the runway where you almost get blown off your bike; main section through town, narrowly avoiding collision with Dala Dalas (minibuses) [Actually I think the main street in Dodoma would be an ideal candidate for the hazard awareness test in the UK driving test]; uphill over the railway; smooth tarmac section; huge potholed untarmaced road, and finally soft sand.

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[Daniel:]

I am happy :)

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I have just got myself an electric piano from a family who are returning to Germany in the near future. After surviving with only a very 'keyboard-ey' keyboard for the last year, this is like a lifejacket to a drowning man (or some similar cliche). It feels like a real piano! (almost).

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I'm sure some of you understand what I'm getting exicted about. I've just spent the last hour or so rediscovering that I can actually play the piano - I'm just not very good at playing the keyboard. Comforting, after all those year's of practice (a while back now :)) to know that is wasn't all wasted.

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H'anyway. We are counting down to our first 'home assignment'. Our provisional timetable looks something like this:

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18/19th June - Drive to Dar/Fly back to the UK

20th Dentist

21st Doctor/vaccinations

23rd Simkins Family reunion (Evesham)

24th Sharing at Whiteknights Church, Reading

...

6th July Drive to Sheffield

7th Libby's sister Rachel's hen party (Sheffield)

8th Sharing at South Oxhey Baptist Church (Watford)

11th (evening) 'Open House' at the Blackburn's in Reading (time/format TBC)

13th Drive to Sheffield

14th Libby's sister Rachel's wedding (Sheffield)

15th Drive back to Reading

16th Daniel to visit MAF Operations Centre in Ashford (?)

17th Shopping

18th Packing

19th/20th Fly to Dar

20th Drive back to Dodoma

21st Sleep......

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Something like that anyway! We hope to get some resting and recuperating in as well!