290113 Tuesday, trees and other good things

Had a good day today with Thobi.  Realized again how much work we need to do.  After school I had some pasta for lunch with my last basil Princess pesto that I got in PE.  I’d like to make my own very soon.  Just got to get the parmesan.

After lunch I went to pick up the 4 trees that Roger left for me at the caravan park.  I went up to the Reading Hut with that and another big crate of books.  It’s pretty full now already.   Not long before my builder, Roy came past and I called him over to come and dig the holes for me.  Now the trees are planted!  May God make them grow. 2 Corals, a Milk-wood and some or other Dune false currant. 

My good and faithful friend, Thobile the lifesaver, also arrived to start fixing up the part of the fence that has disappeared.  He is using the Zulu kraal style with long sticks sort of plaited into the wire.  I really like the look and can't wait for him to be finished.  I wish I can have the whole fence like that!  We'll have to do the gates too pretty soon, to keep the sheep and cows away from the new trees.

It’s raining again now very gently (again).  At 6:30 when I got home, I was so desperate for a walk that I put on my raincoat and walked to the beach in the rain.  It was special.   Actually this was a special day all in all. It started this morning with my first (hot) shower in the alternative showers at the campsite.  It used to never have hot water and I only showered there on very hot days but now it’s working with a gas geyser and I don’t have to share the other dilapidated showers with the Pakistanis and their morning vomiting sounds anymore…  I can start and end the day on a happy note. Hallelujah!  

260113, Margaret's funeral

Today was also the funeral of one of the bead mamas I came to love.  Mama Margaret who lived just on the other side of the Reading Hut hill, has been ill for the past couple of months, complaining about a pain in her chest that just wouldn't get better. She finally passed away just before I got back to Coffee Bay.  These are some of her friends at the funeral.   Rest in peace mama Margaret.  Tonight you're in the Lord's home.

260113, Saturday- 1st week back... The Reading Hut

It was a good week back and getting the Reading Hut ready...  I brought a little bookshelf and some crates back from Cape Town and got some nice posters for the walls from my friend Marielle that really made the room look pretty.  Yesterday I went to paint 2 blackboard areas on the wall.  A big one and a smaller one in the kids corner.  This morning I put in some plastic carpets.  There has already been a whole lot of children coming by and spending some good time there.  The past 2 days were really special to me, spending time and getting to know some of the kids a little better and seeing how excited they are about this place.  The first day i didn't even have my camera there.  I thought I was just going to fix the place up a bit and all of a sudden there were all these kids from everywhere and it turned into the unofficial first day of the Reading Hut, it was great!  I am very thankful for how things have been working out so far.  (Apart from last night that someone actually broke in and stole the lock that I still had to put inside the door.  That's all they took so I pray they don't come back...)  

Thank you to everybody who has been supporting, you have made a world of a difference to these little kids' lives and there will still be many more days and more kids to come!  

I'll let you know how it continues to go, I still need to do some work.  More books have to go in and I have to sort a lot of that out.  That can happen on Monday...

Madiba's People

I just updated my website a little bit...  www.lavonne.co.za Have a look at Madiba's people, http://www.lavonne.co.za/Madibas_People.html
for a special little photo collection in tribute to Nelson Mandela and the Xhosa people.