Keeping up with the Times....

So I realized how long it has been since we actually updated our blog. I've been trying not to go too long on these things for fear that I will have to write so much. But really our lives have been about as normal as they can be since we last wrote....you know.....moving out of the house so they can update our electric wires so as not to be shocked in the shower again......having no water for a few days b/c our borehole pump wasn't working.....No seriously, other than that life has gotten better and better every day. I will say that Grant and appreciate our home so much more now that we had to move out for over a week to get the electrics worked out. The electrician working on our house said it was the worst he has ever seen of any house he has ever worked on. That's gotta make you feel good. During our time away, we did stay at the bed and breakfast we mentioned in a previous update, and we ended up getting to know Ann, the owner very well. She was born and raised here, her father grew up here. She is about in her late 60s. She is a wonderful, insightful person and took such good care of us. She made us incredible meals, introduced us to some cool people and educated us on the history of Zimbabwe. It is a side of Harare we haven't known yet...the local perspective of life here.
We do work with people from here, but the school provides a sort of life of its own. We liked getting "out of the bubble" so to speak. She has a beautiful plot of land here.
But again...being back home was amazing and being back with Juno was amazing.
The weather has gotten hot pretty fast. The nights are getting warmer and the mosquitoes love Grant at night. We have been just hanging out at home, cooking and walking the dog. Normal stuff.
Our garden is amazing. We have cilantro (coriander here), basil, lettuce, spinach, kale (they call it rape here....not kidding), tomatoes, broccoli, onions and strawberries. It's amazing and so fun to walk out your back door and go pull something out of the garden to eat. We have been really healthy here b/c we eat at home or someone else's home and it's mostly fresh food. Not really any temptations to eat out here. We eat at basically one place out on our Friday night date nights and that's about it.
Last weekend the school had a big volleyball and soccer tournament against a bunch of other schools around here. It was at our school HIS, and it was so fun. Grant's JV volleyball team played pretty well, but mostly it was fun just to be a part of that. There was music and food and lots of people. You could actually hear all the screams from the games from our house. That's how close we are to the school. Unfortunately, the tournament kept Grant from coming on a great overnight trip Saturday night with some of our friends to a place called Mavuradonha (mo-vur-a-donna) and a lodge called Kopje Tops Lodge. We mentioned it in a earlier on update. I went with our friends Russ and Terry and Mouse and Maciej (mach-ay). We basically ate, took a walk to a watering hole, drank and looked for game. It was just rolling hills and lost of dry, tall grasslands. It was relaxing and great....although I did have nightmares a lion was going to come and eat me. I was in a hut all by myself..so give me some credit here. AND Mouse and Russ heard lions way off in the distance in the dark of night. There was no electricity at this place so it's all about the flashlights. But coming home to Grant was nice.
Sunday night we had our most "american" night so far. Some parents of our students work for the American embassy and invited us over for some football watching and grilling out. The embassy provides some beautiful housing and amenities from the states you can't get here. The family had ONE Boston Lager left in their fridge and gave it to me and Grant. We drank it like it was holy water. More Grant than me. We had burgers and watched football on TV. It was quite amazing to feel like we were back home...minus the cooler weather.
We have "Water Fun Day" at school tomorrow where basically the day is spent playing water games and sliding down waterslides brought in to school grounds. Life is tough here.
Then no school Friday and Grant, mom and I are off on Tour de Zimbabwe on Saturday! Mom comes in tonight! I can't believe it! Time is going so fast! We have been waiting for this moment for so long! Speaking of, I must go and get ready for her arrival! I hope this catches everyone up to some degree! We will be writing more as we take all of our wonderful trips!
And by the way....I have been trying to upload my peacock video for 6 HOURS today. I gave up but I will try again tomorrow. We miss you all and think about you all often! Love to everyone!