Storms in Africa

Last night we had a wonderful storm. The lightening and rain were so beautiful to listen to and watch. I love lightening, and hearing the sound of hard rain hitting the ground. The rain washes everything clean and leaves such a fantastic fresh smell in the air. Watching the bright white light flashing through the trees was so awesome. Although, I am sure the lightening knew when I was watching it, because it always struck when I looked away! So I started looking out of the corner of my eye haha it worked! I am Rosie the Storm Watcher. Semi tempted to try and get struck by lightening because surely I am bound to become a superhero after being hit by African lightening. It will be like that programme Heroes. I want to have telekinesis or something cool like that. Oooo like Dr X from X Men! Poor Murphy though, the beautiful white Alsatian of Ali's was so terrified. He kept trying to hide under the desk and squeaking. Poor little lamb. Apparently, even the goats were terrified, we emerged this morning to see their house completely decimated. We can only reason that the poor things all tried to cram in there to hide. Or, as Godfrey was there AGAIN, they were probably trying to hide from him and using that house as like a women s refuge centre.

Murphy, jumping up on me for cuddles coz he was scared! Such a puppy!

The destroyed goat house, with them still in it. Godfrey at the front, terrorizing the neighborhood as usual

 It is thoroughly miserable here at the minute. The weather is putting me in a terrible mood. I just want to adopt the fetal position and hibernate until this is all over! And whats worse, is with the rain last night, it brought mud. I had no idea that thirteen kids could drag around so much dirt. The school was like an indoor garden scene from the Chelsea flower show, I was just waiting for flowers to start popping up from under the floor boards. We also couldn't play "duck, duck, goose" as this requires sitting down, and as much as the kids didn't care about sitting in the mud, both Donna and I had too much sympathy for their poor mothers who have to do their washing, to allow that! So, today was more of an indoor day, all of us crammed in there trying to keep warm. The kids are getting so good with the puzzles, and they are so bright. I always talk to them as if they can understand complex English, and I really think they are starting to understand actually. When I was explaining about finding the edge pieces and the straight lines, and I you could just see them soaking it all in. They were just so proud when they finished their big puzzles, like so proud. It is definitely one of the best feelings at school when you see them accomplish something and praising them for it. It is actually really quite special !

Absolutely love this picture of Thando, Such pride!

 Magdalene, with her 48 piece puzzle. Such a clever girl <3

This kid should be in commercials for being this cute!

 I know this might sound preachy, but the "bike" that Chris is holding in the middle is literally half a bike. It has only one wheel and the handle bars, but the kids get so much joy from it is unreal. It makes me think of how unappreciative some kids can be when I see how happy our ones can be from some of the simplest things. Even if those things can be viewed as trash. 

Apparently, we have heard some ridiculous news, that Magdalene's parents are trying to get her into the big school for the start in January! Magdalene is only 5, and we cant even fathom why they would be attempting to do this. Not only is she so young, she is also plagued with bad health. She has been off school for the past three weeks, unable to eat and getting dangerously thin. She is often exhausted by the end of our four hour day and sometimes needs to take naps. How on earth they think she can cope being at school for eight hours, and with teachers who have zero sympathy and a great deal of affection for the cane, I do not know. We think it might be because, due to her amazing progress, like all our kids, the parents think they are little Einsteins now who must be pushed ASAP. Absolute madness.

My baby. Manama. She neighs to me now when she sees me <3

The rest of the day was taken up with running and cycling. I do believe I can certainly upgrade myself from the "shuffling tomato" to a higher state of "jogging tomato". I am very proud. The wonderful thing about being in Africa is how active you can be. Not only is it lighter for longer, it is warmer, and you just want to be outside. You want to go and do things like hiking and riding around the mountains. When there is not lazy things to fall back on like TV, and when you have animals that rely on you, it has certainly given me a sense of responsibility and I am feeling so much better for it. In other news on my personal growth, I am now cooking every night and feeding Donna and Ali like Kings. I swear, i am turning more and more into my Gran every day. She is the kind of woman who will kill you with food, I will drive the half hour to her house and she will need to feed me because of the long arduous journey I have just completed haha.

Anyway, Lekker Slaap all! xxxx