yaaaaaawn!

A few thoughts … random order since I’m very tired. I even went to hang out the washing with the peg bag but not the washing!

Our heads were buzzing with everything we need to do when we went to bed last night, so neither of us got to sleep for over two hours. Simon slept very well, though. He seems to realise there is something going on, but it isn’t bothering him too much!

Half our furniture went today, dispersed to various friends from church who are buying it from us. That all went smoothly, thanks to other friends from church who came and helped to carry it! That was a relief, and, as Marc said, at least now we have more space to put our boxes and the things that are still waiting to be packed.

I took Simon to the market for the last time today. The market vendors were sincerely sad that we are leaving, and made me promise to write to them, even going as far as to write out their address for me! I was touched, as I’ve been feeling sad about not seeing them any more, but I didn’t realise they’d be as sentimental as me!

I had already become quite good at getting rid of things – now that I’m so tired I am just chucking everything away merrily!

Oh, I hope we sleep better this evening!!

PS I doubt I'll blog again before we get to the UK ... so Tuesday at the earliest!!

food fings

Simon is continuing to try new foods. Yesterday he tasted avocado for the first time, which was definitely a hit!

Today’s apricot fun…

And a nectarine!

out of eden

I was having a kind of a stressy day last Tuesday, just with the organisation of the practical aspects of the move. But one thing that did make me smile, was to get in from a walk at 3pm and to see our landlord with his faithful sidekick – the painter – hacking away at the jungle that is – was! – our garden. They were just there for an hour or so, but then the next day they turned up bright and early, with girl from the agency, with power tools, and spent the morning in destruction mode. Everything green, sprouting or blooming was cut to the floor then heaped into a huge pile in the wasteground they created. The “before” and “after” shots (see below) are impressively different, but the problem is that they have done nothing for the roots, so as soon as spring comes around again, the jungle will be back with a vengeance. Of course, we won’t be here to witness it!

Sunday evening at the "beach"

slipping forward out of the old routine

It’s weird doing things that are part of my weekly routine, and realising how few weeks there are left here! For example, yesterday Simon and I did our usual Friday walk up to the market to buy our fruit and veg, then to the DVD shop to get a film out for Marc and my Friday evening together. The market stallholders joked around with me as usual, this time asking whether Marc had told me about Simon screaming the place down last week (as it had been him who did the market-dvd run for once). The older woman actually got Simon’s name right, instead of saying “Louis? … Vincent?” as she has done in the past. At the moment, this is the kind of thing that gets me sad about leaving. The real friendships I have here will last, but routines and friendly relationships with shopkeepers take a long time to build up, and they will really be gone.

On a practical note, the boxes continue to fill up, about half our furniture is answered for (and a charitable organisation will come and take the rest of it away if necessary) and I’m not feeling stressed about the actual move (yet?!).

For some reason I can't put a title on this blog entry. Just another of blogger's little quirks...

Thought I'd give a quick update on the BLWing. Simon has now tasted:
Courgette
Carrot
Broccoli
Banana
Apple
Pear
Apricot
Bread
Ricecake
Prunes
Chicken

I have also offered a hard-boiled egg yolk and he played with it but wouldn't put it anywhere near his mouth. Courgette and ricecakes are his real favourites at the moment. Oh, and he only tried prunes for the first time yesterday, but they seem to be quite a hit. I can't work out which he likes more, the taste or the wonderful sensation of squidging them between his fingers and spreading the resulting mush all over his face...

bye-bye, youth group!

On Wednesday we had a picnic with our youth group as an end-of-year/leaving event. It would have been at the park, but the hours of rain the previous day washed that idea away! It ended up just being four of the original five who'd started the group with us 3 years ago, and it was great to spend some time with them before we leave! They gave us leaving gifts that they'd made themselves, which will bring back happy memories...