Guest Post: Mums’ Reflections

Tonight is the last night in Mwanza for my Mum and Mum-in-Law so I asked them to write down their impressions of Africa at the end of their three week stay.

  Mum (Jane)

1. Vibrant, the colours of the women’s clothes – beautiful and seemingly well dressed, although it might be their only set of clothes.  
2. Paths along the roads always throng with many people at all hours of the day- possibly because many don’t have a car or bike.
3. As for transport this consists of a pikipiki (motorcycle) or a daladala (minivan) carrying many people like a tin of sardines.  
4. Overall we in the West think we have so much, but actually we have lost so much.
   People here  are:
• friendly
• very polite
• respectful (especially to someone of my age)
5. In Tanzania it seems as if all the birds of the world have made their home here. All shapes and sizes and beautiful colours and songs.  

Poverty always confronts you which is so difficult, but there are organisations trying to help the Street Children which is good.

Nonetheless Tanzania has been a great experience overall.

  

   Mum-in-Law (Heather)

The heat hit me as I descended from the plane at Dar Es Salaam. Africa here I come! 

The Serengeti was amazing- driving right up to wild animals which continued to graze unperturbed. 

 Leaving our Safari was like stepping into a totally different world, filled with people in brightly coloured clothes, walking along the road or waiting by to sell their wares; goats or cows herded by boys, driven with long sticks; men on bikes with the widest loads imagineable, pikipiki motorcycle taxis everywhere. 

 It’s a colourful vibrant scene yet with none of the rush and pressure of life in the UK – a very different world to mine – much simpler, less scheduled. People work hard, but fit far fewer activities into their day. 

There’s real poverty – so hard not to give to every beggar! But there’s a quiet, gentleness of spirit, an acceptance of a much slower pace of life and lowered expectations. 

 For me, just having time to ‘be’ and warm all the time – was so restorative. I have enjoyed my first ever Christmas in the sun!.  

 

Moshi Mums

We’ve been in Tanzania, just under 16 months, and the today is the day when we receive family into our new home for the first time. 

We have travelled from Mwanza to Moshi on the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, and here we have met up with both mine and Anita’s Mums, traveling out from the UK. 
We will stay here for a few days and then head out on Safari before returning home together for Christmas in Mwanza.  

    
          
We are staying at Tembo Tamu, an excellent B&B which offers so much more, including organizing our Safari. 

    
    
    
    
 

   

Clumber

T Minus 8 Today another thing to tick off on the Bucket List. Clumber Park is a National Trust Property in a North Nottinghamshire; part of Sherwood Forest. It’s a place we went very much in our childhood and youth. A large open space for walking, picnicking, ball games. Today a place to wander as we circumnavigated the lake. Memories of years gone by and a chance to talk.

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What’s In Store For Us?

T Minus 62

I’m writing this from Lincoln where I am up for the day. It’s a chance to visit Mum and to bring her back to stay with us for the week, but there is another purpose to the visit. I am here to drop off some items for storage.

In recent weeks Anita has been frantically scanning all of our photo albums. These are now fully digitised (she was up until 5:45am and has stayed home to sleep). So these albums are boxed and ready to store. These are accompanied by our Vinyl records and the DVD cases emptied of their contents which we will pack.

Another milestone on our route out of here!

Damson & Ash

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The past two days I have been putting a second coat of stain on the decking area. Mum so ably having provided the first coat when she was here.

First the Summer Damson for the balustrade, trellis and path. It’s amazing how the colours fade overtime and this was particularly noticeable as I painted the trellis – the algae green showing up brightly against the damson purple which gradually replaced it.

 

Day two has been spent re painting the deck itself, along with the gate and fence in Ash Black – removing all traces of blue.

I am particularly proud of the balustrade and the trellis as this was all my work 11 years ago. My most major piece of DIY to date.

I put the path down in 2003 with the help of my dad along. Eleven years ago the deck was mostly constructed by Geoff with my help.

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Many a late Spring and Summer gas been spent on the Deck, although the British weather has often curtailed us.

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Routine Matters!

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It has been nice today to have a more normal day today after several weeks of preparations and celebrations.

Yesterday’s wedding was a great chance to catch up with family.

Last weekend it was great to celebrate Mother’s Day in Lincoln.

The previous weekend we had an Open House and a Car Boot Sale.

We have had both Mum and Anita’s parents ( Heather & Geoff) helping us get the house ready and then this week we have put the house on the market.

We have had several viewings already and await any offers. All this anticipation is a little exhausting. Not least, keeping the house scrupulously tidy!

We have already made a decision to not have viewings on a Sunday which gives us a day of rest. So today was more routine.

We had a nice lie in which was great both bring really tired.

Then we we were up and out for the 11am service at our church, SMB (St Mary’s Bletchley), the service was great and well led by Catherine (our minister) and Andrew (our lay preacher). SMB has been part of my life for almost all of the 26 years in MK. Anita and I were married there and the kids have grown up there. It was good to catch up with folk having been absent for three weeks. We go not out of habit or obligation but from a genuine desire – even so it is part of our Sunday routine.

It will be sad to leave in a few months time.

Now home it is time to sort out Sunday lunch, Bex is clearing out the guinea pig cage, the others are chilling.

Guinea Pigs – alternative cage

This afternoon either a board game or a film. I will phone mum for an afternoon chat – getting used to doing this by FaceTime ahead of the move.

Then this evening Matt goes to C4 (youth group) and Anita is playing at the evening service. I’ll probably do the ironing – though the TV schedules have changed – no more ‘Call the Midwife’ or ‘Musketeers’. We are  both eagerly await the new series of  ‘Game of Throne’ – our guilty pleasure.  However, the first one tonight is a late (2am) simulcast which might need to be recorded! Routines need to adapt a little.

I wonder what new routines await in Tanzania. They will probably be different.

It’s all a matter of routine but in times of change routine matters!

Mothering Sunday

T Minus 145
This morning we are up in Lincoln having travelled up with Mum last night.

In the UK today is Mothering Sunday (aka Mother’s Day) but apparently they are not the same.

Gardener’s World

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This afternoon we took advantage of the good weather and delayed our journey to Lincoln. Anita set to work on the front with a little help from Bex and Matt. Mum potted up some plants with a lot help from Bex. I meanwhile went to the dump and then the weekly ALDI shop (normality needs to go on) before returning to help out front.

Painting ’till we’re Black and Blue

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The deck always was blue but weathering had toned it down. So on reflection and having seen the brightness of the newly painted blue deck we have decided to lose the blue.

Mum on Deck

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Week End

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Weeks Fly By

I cannot believe how fast time is going – when we started this blog  it was T minus 190 – 28 more days have flown by since.

Last week went by fast – this week has flown by even faster. I think having a focus i.e. our leaving date is part of the reason. Once the house is put on the market – I am sure time will fly even faster. That still is a way off though as we are still house clearing.

This week Anita has been off work and her parents (Heather and Geoff) were up. Between them they have done so much:

Heather has helped us clear surfaces and the kitchen is looking suitably sparse.

Tidy Kitchen

Cleared Surfaces!

Also the Bathrooms have new floors replacing the tired old ones – thanks to Heather.

New Floor

Geoff has helped with various DIY tasks I just never got around to – the door frame in Bex room and the upstairs banisters have benefited from his hand. Additionally cupboard doors have been repaired and skirting boards painted  along with aforementioned banisters and lots of doors. It’s funny how you live with things for so long and only get around to getting them fixed before you leave.

New Door Frame

Banisters replaced

Warning Wet Paint

Bruce (my brother-in-law)  came over one day to help painting – so a big thanks to him too.

As for Anita – lots of paperwork scanned and shredded – lots of clothes, DVDs and  games sorted and books boxed.Grouting and oven cleaned.

Games ready for sale

After all this  tidying the loft left overs still clutter our lounge and conservatory. It seems never-ending.

Stuff to sort in the Conservatory

Even bears have to go!

Part of the lounge

Tonight and tomorrow, my job is to carry on sorting and dumping whilst Anita is out on Band business. We have an evening off attending a Birthday Bash / Charity Fundraiser of which more tomorrow evening.

Next week Anita is off work again so more of the same.

Geoff and Heather plan to come back for a couple of days next week too, to finish some uncompleted tasks and the following week my mum (Jane) will be down helping inside and (weather depending) out.

We could not do this without their help and it’s great they can be around. Our aim is to have everything sorted for next weekend.

Next weekend is a big weekend

On Saturday we are having an Open House / Garage Sale from 10:00am to 6:00pm –  the plan is for people to come over get some good bargains and we can lose some of the enormous quantity of goods which fill every corner. Anita has sent out invitations via Facebook and hopefully folk will come.

On Sunday we will be  heading to the Car Boot Sale at the Bowl – with an aim of getting rid of much of the rest. Anita and I will be assisted by Mum,Heather, Geoff, Stephen,Fiona, Mel and Bruce – so between us we hope to be successful.

If the next week is anything like the last two we’ll be at the Car Boot Sale in hardly any time at all.

The Day After

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A busy day of clearing yesterday focussing mainly on the kids bedrooms.

It was all bit overwhelming at times.

However it is now done and we have clean and tidy rooms ahead of today’s visit by the valuer.

The bin men will have their work cut out today but it’s all been worth it.

Dropping Mum back today and then the rest of Half Term has to be devoted to school work. So the loft will have to wait!

For now the Garage is full – but tidy and ready for a Car Boot in the coming weeks.

Garage, Shed and Kitchen

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A good morning and another trip to the dump leaves the garage a lot clearer. That which remains will go to a car boot sale – we’re currently looking at 23rd March – so stay tuned.

The afternoon it’s the turn of the shed.

Inside Anita has started on the Kitchen clutter

Meanwhile looking to get house valued – regardless of renting and selling. This is booked for Wed. Once we know we can form up a decision either way.

We’ve now had application forms for the kids at Isamilo. This will be a formality (we hope) but still needs to be done.

Let the Clearance Begin

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Today is the start of Half Term and the start of the long process of clearing the accumulated detritus of 26 years in my own house (and 16 in this one). We have been ruthless! Anita in the bathroom clearing out numerous bottles of lotions and potions some of which are years old – including some small bottles of aftershave which I will miss 😦 . I on the other hand started on the Garage (with Mum who is down for the weekend). Several trips to the dump later we have made inroads – though there is a long way to go.

More garage tomorrow and then the loft – that is going to take a long time – some of the stuff came straight from the loft of our previous house 16 years ago and has not seen the light of day since.

It may seem a long time until we go – but a holiday week like this is a golden opportunity to get started. Certainly we are considering the options as to whether to rent or sell and may need to leave the house  before the summer depending on the best option.