Lightening and Last days.

This morning, Baby took the biscuit well and truly. She bit my nose at 4am to be let out. Not a great start!

Today was our guests Bev and Natasha’s last day, and this is also the last day for our volunteer Donna, after her three week stay here. So it is a day of lasts I am afraid, it is always sad to see people go. It always makes me think of how I will feel when it is my last day. Knowing that that morning is the last time I will bring the horses in, or see the kids, go to town, or any of the activities during the day that make this place home.

The escape artist!

It started off beautiful and sunny and slowly got worse as the day went on. I hear from BBC news, that England had been bracing itself for the St Jude storm and they predicted 40mm of rain....well, we got 40mm of rain in one hour here! I was on my afternoon run, running towards blue sky and sun, when I turned round and I just heard the loudest clap of thunder ever, and was greeted with the blackest clouds and fork lightening! Needless to say, at that point I started sprinting up the hill in an attempt to get home faster. Thankfully Aly came and rescued me in the Bakkie and I have decided that I am not running in the midday any more because CLEARLY the weather is interpreting it as a rain dance....god dammit.

 The ugly sky!

Me, watching the rain!

Anyway, the day started off as normal, except for the fact I have a sore nose now.....and we found Houdini Booboo on the loose once more. That pony goes to such lenghts to escape and doesnt even go any where. I think she just does it to prove a point haha. So, after stabling her, I was just tending to Manama when Aly called for help. Justin the sausage dog had been brutally attacking three chickens, so we spent a good twenty minutes being outsmarted by these ridiculous chickens who would just NOT be shepherded out of the garden and through the gate. I cant tell who the dumb ones were, us, for taking so long, or them for quite clearly not seeing the exit!

Sophie, the maid, showing her son pictures. Sweetest woman in the whole world! <3

After we all went to school where we set up the dolls in the classroom so that it would be a surprise for the kids, and oh my gosh, they were deliriously happy about them! They spent hours changing them, dressing them, feeding etc. Have to say, I was right, Chris and percy were just as estatic with their babies as the girls. I couldnt help but laugh when Chris got his baby on his hip and packed a little bag for it and walked round. So cute! Bev and Natasha also came with and the kids were in for yet another treat when Bev returned at break time with freshly made banana muffins with cream icing for the kids to munch on. They have definitely been spoilt rotten these past couple of days for sure!

Chris with his precious baby! Look at that face!

 Proud Mum Charlotte

 Natasha and percy, cooking up breakfast!

Oupa....the modern father....with his baby upside down bahaha.

We also had our colouring competition today. Grace was the winner with an outstanding picture of owls that was literally perfect! Followed by Sara and Thando who really did try very hard. I only felt bad when Liesbeth got upset. She spent SO long on her multi coloured walrus but she never finished....I did feel bad though. Hopefully Bevs banana muffins made it a little better!

Almost all of the kids were SO careful and gentle with their dolls!

 Bev! The bringer of cakes!

 NOM NOM NOM!

 New lipstick their Natasha?

 Liesbeth, enjoying her treat!

"HMMMMMMM\"

As it is Donnas last day, we were explaining to the kids that she would be going “Kia” now. Which is the zulu word for home. I could see them working it out in their head when all of a sudden, Grace looked at me and said “Why you no Kia Rosie?”. I replied with “this is my Kia now” and she went “nooooo, THIS Madam Botha kia!” haha. As Ali was saying, I have been here longer than any other volunteer now, so it must be just expected that everyone goes home at this point. I hope that me being here for so long has given them a sense of continuity and attachment. I do hope so anyway.

Donna with her class <3 She will be sorely missed!

In the afternoon after school I went on my run as I mentioned, and when I did get rescued by Ali, the rain and lightening was so bad that she and I had to hide in the shed with Salan until it passed over! Now THAT is bad weather for you! When we were finally liberated I set about the afternoon chores and found the CUTEST mouse in my feed bucket! Salan and the guys would kill me if they knew I had set it free while crying “be free mousey, run wild and free” because we have a terrible mouse problem! They are eating everything. But as I kept mice and rats as a kid, I just couldnt hand over Mr Mouse to the guillotine! No, he can run free!

Donna

Funny picture of Grace who did not close her window going through a big puddle! haha

I took my braid out today. It was starting to resemble a birds nest, so I thought it as for the best. My hair is SO fluffy now, I look like a sheep ! Kind of cute haha. But anyway, we are all just waiting for dinner and Donna and I are going to watch Grease tonight <3 It has been a good day. I am just sad that we have to lose people! Lekker Slaap everyone. Tomorrow will be hard!