One Year In Zambia!

We stepped off the plane a bit after 6:15am in Lusaka, Zambia on September 16, 2013 to a blast of heat (even that early in the morning).  

Hot season has again returned, and we're experiencing it again, one year later.

Potts family in the summer of 2013
(photo credit: Michael From)

Here's some memories of the past year, in no particular order:

(I'll try to include links to previous blog posts where applicable: if you want to read more specifics about something listed below)

-Victoria Falls: 4 times!   http://offeringupmylife.blogspot.ca/2014/04/victoria-falls-dry-season-vs-rainy.html

Victoria Falls in October (Zambia side)

Victoria Falls in April, from the Zimbabwe side

Victoria Falls in July from the Zambia side

Victoria Falls in August
(taken from the Zambia side looking towards Zimbabwe)

-My kids have grown up so much… from being scared to walking on the grass here in shoes (it is coarse, tough grass) - to having grass fights.  We bought them bikes and Kate learned to ride without training wheels (a hard thing to do with deep sand that the roads often have).  She also lost her first tooth. Malachi has also grown from a toddler into a little boy, who started preschool (homeschool) this year.

grass fight in the backyard

riding brand new bikes in Lusaka after we bought them

First day of Grade 1 (homeschool)

First day of preschool (homeschool)

-Fruit: Guavas and Mangos!  (So many guavas on our trees they would go bad before we could eat them or do anything with them).  I think I'm better prepared for the next season!  The guavas are coming and we've had at least one ripe one again.  And bananas.  I've never seen so many types.  My favourite is "bush bananas" they are about 1/3 the size of the bananas you see in North America.  I'm waiting to find all sizes and take a photo so you can see.  My family keeps eating them for some reason!  But here's a cool banana photo for you…. twins!  One peel.

Twin banana - sharing a peel!

-Dogs: the craziness of finding 2 "wild" dogs that live on our rental property.  We named them Mango and Cookie.  Then Cookie's 9 puppies.  Now we're done to just one of the pups: Oreo.  (She's 3 months old this week)

http://offeringupmylife.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-tale-of-two-dogs.html

Our nine puppies shortly after they were born

Oreo the dog

-Cat: our awesome cat "Fanta" who we got as a tiny little kitten and even at a tiny (guessing 4 weeks old) we never heard or saw another rat or mouse around the house.  There's never been any regrets about bringing her home.  (Keeping her inside for 24 hours was not the best idea as Kate ended up being more allergic than me!)

Fanta the cat

-4 Workshops: 

1. Goals: what is each school actually wanting me to focus on (Turns out it was reading and early literacy for every single school)

2. Phonics: BINGO and alphabet Jive song  http://offeringupmylife.blogspot.ca/2014/03/my-first-workshops.html

BINGO phonics

3. Phonemic Awareness: Morning Message, Rhymes, Puppets, and more

http://offeringupmylife.blogspot.ca/2014/07/phonological-awareness-workshops.html

Phonemic Awareness workshop:
swat the sight word!

4. A preschool teachers workshop

Testing out DIY art supplies on my preschoolers in
preparation for doing my workshop

-2 EdCamps. (Education Camps)  The first (known) ones to happen in AFRICA were here in Choma!

The first one: http://offeringupmylife.blogspot.ca/2014_05_01_archive.html

The second one: http://offeringupmylife.blogspot.ca/2014/09/edcamp-choma-zambia-2.html

EdCamp number 2: discussion on
positive discipline

EdCamp number : a young participant!

-So many reports (Global Family and general MCC reports).  I should be doing my One-Year MCC report but I'm doing a blog report first! :)

(Here's a link to the MCC site and you can read a report I wrote: http://mcc.org/learn/what/education/globalfamily/programs/brethren-christ-schools-zambia)

-Many Facetime Ladies Bible Studies with my group back in Abbotsford.  (Almost every Weds. evening for me.  They meet in the mornings luckily!)

-Rainy season!  Thunder and Lightning! 

-Trip to Nsobe Game Park just before Christmas with MCC

-A garden, complete with gardener, which produced cucumbers, then drowned during rainy season, then has been successful with broccoli, a couple peppers (more coming), too many cabbages to eat (we still have a bit in our fridge, and I used them for my last couple workshops!), we currently have a forest of tomatoes - getting a bucket like this almost every other day.  Also onions and eggplants.  Then there is the one small strawberry plant (1/4 of a strawberry never tasted so good when we got the berry!  Only a quarter because we had to split it between the 4 of us!)  This is the way I like to garden. Give out seeds, walk around it in the evenings, and then eat the produce!  No weeding or watering in the hot sun required!

broccoli eaters

cabbage

tomato forest

-Our house help, Memory, for which I am super thankful.  She comes 2 days a week and does laundry, sweeps, cleans the bathroom (I haven't done that for almost a year!  Whoo hooo!)  But before you get too jealous - it's also hard having someone "watching" you all day long.  Especially in the beginning!

-Zambian food: Nshima (made of dried, ground maize - like corn flour but white), with "relishes" - in this photo is some sort of deer meat (Bambi as she told me.  It was a teacher who gave me this meat after a workshop), and cooked cabbage.

Zambian food: nshima and relishes

-Visits from family: My parents came back in April.  (One of my favourite parts of my parents trip was going to the Zimbabwe side of Victoria Falls.  It truly is a spectacular water fall and no wonder it's a wonder of the world!)  My brother and his girlfriend, Emily, came in August - just a few weeks back.  (A highlight from their time was our safari in Chobe National Park, Botswana).  It's so great having our family come and support us while here and see what life is like in Zambia.   Andrew's parents will be coming in November for a couple weeks too!  

http://offeringupmylife.blogspot.ca/2014/04/holiday-highlights.html

my parents at Victoria Falls in April (Zimbabwe side)

My brother, Michael, and Emily at Victoria Falls
in August (Zambia side)

Chobe Safari

Chobe Safari

Chobe Safari

-New Friends!  I have two great Zambian friends, Annie and Amanda, both teachers.  We've had lots of awesome chats about all sorts of things.  Annie has travelled with me on to present many of my workshops and we're learning a lot from each other.  I met both these ladies at my last "Goal" workshop - they were also presenting at the remote school and I ended up being the driver.  It's been great.  Our friendship started then and continued when I asked them to help me translate some education materials.  I don't see them as often as I'd like since they are busy teaching! 

Annie

I've also found a lot of great missionary friends here.  The main problem with missionary friends is that they come and go!  You friends who have gone - you know who you are!  But I'm enjoying them while they are here.  Julie and Sara are Brethren In Christ missionaries who I see a fair amount of.  I often go over to have coffee and "therapy sessions" where we all talk about anything and everything.  Julie also babysat my kids, overnight, in Livingstone, while the rest of us went on the Chobe safari!  I'm going to miss them both when their terms are up later this year!  Though I just met the family that is going to take over their positions.  I think we'll be friends too.  Can't have too many right?!  (The new family has a girl going into Grade 1 - so I think Kate will demand time with her!) 

Julie (left) and Sara (right)

Then there's the MCC team - especially around Choma: Jan and Kajungu and their kids (my kids LOVE their oldest, a boy who is 7).  Jan has lived a long time in Africa, and Kajungu is originally from Tanzania - so I appreciate their wisdom on situations too!  Todd is a one-year intern (we'll miss him when he leaves in December).  He lives out in Macha, an hour away - so he comes into town for groceries and a retreat.  He often stays with us and we stay up late playing Settlers of Catan (Cities and Knights).  A new friend just came this week: a new 3 year MCC worker, Stacey.  She lives about a 10 minute walk away and our friendship is just beginning.  Plus our "fearless leaders" Ron and Miriam, who live in Lusaka and they are the Country Representatives (CRs) for MCC Zambia.  Their older kids are great with my kids and they even babysit when we're in Lusaka!  (Those trips are also highlights in the year!)  

And then there's Dorothy - a really great friend.  We became quick friends for a couple months and I was sad to lose her to furlough for 6 months.  She's back now and we're walking together and she also is a great one for advice and therapy.  She's married to a Zambian and they have a 2 year old.  The great thing is after our 3 year term is done, I'll still see her - furlough takes them back to Western Canada!  

Just in the last couple weeks we've met some new families and new missionaries.  So we continue to make good friends here.

-Wonderbake!  This goes along with friends as I usually don't go by myself!  It's great to get a latte or a cappuccino there or even an ice cream cone (vanilla soft serve - the one in Choma has the best ones I've had so far in Zambia).

-Watching my first polo match!

polo

-Cold Season!  Who knew?!  I luckily was somewhat warned and because I know how cold I am compared to everyone else - I brought my long underwear from Canada…. and wore it almost every evening for months!  At least it warmed up (outside) during the day).  

cold season: sitting in front of the space heater after a bath

-Baking (after hot season ended!) I got really good at making my own coffee flavoured syrups.  Made a lot of sugared peanuts after my dad showed me how he used to do them in Nigeria.  Julie and I are working on a cook book to help other missionaries who come to Zambia - especially BIC and MCC.  Our deadline has passed but we're still hoping to get it done! Also, just today I ate a caramel apple.  Homemade caramel.  This week I made brown butter pumpkin cupcakes with salted caramel frosting (thus the leftover caramel sauce for the apple!)  Recipe here:  http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/brown-butter-pumpkin-cupcakes-with-salted-caramel-frosting/

-Being able to see a (small) palm tree everyday.  It's in our backyard!  Plus all the flora around us.  The purple jacaranda trees are blooming again.  So pretty.  I'm also still in love with the frangipani tree (plumeria I believe they are also known as).

There is so much… but I can't mention it all - so it's time to post what I do have written! :)

EdCamp: Choma, Zambia #2

This EdCamp I was uncertain as to how many teachers would attend.  At the first EdCamp we had about 50 participants.  The big difference between the two: for the first EdCamp I paid money for transport, so those teachers out in village schools would have a free trip to town to come for EdCamp.  This time around I made it clear that there would not be transportation money.  Food was provided at both EdCamps.  One school let me know that they could not attend because the school did not have transport money for the teachers.  I simply replied, “Sorry to hear that, maybe next time.”  I also invited two of the government (not Brethren In Christ) schools that are in Choma.  St. Patricks was the school that gave me a panic attack the day before when they told me 40-46 teachers were going to attend (see previous blog post).  The reality was that 14 teachers attended from St. Patricks.  We were pleased to have them and they contributed nicely to EdCamp. The school where the venue was also said 3 teachers would attend but the reality was that none of their teachers came.  There was still a good turnout with 29 teachers attending from 4 schools, plus myself.

Our agenda for the day looked like this:

9am: sign in, tea, coffee, rolls (buns), informal talking with teachers, door prizes (starting early on for those teachers who arrived prompt!), plus finalizing discussion topics, opening remarks and prayer.  

Getting tea, coffee and rolls ready!
Memory Musukombwe was hired to help out.

 (photos by Todd Jordan)

Teachers signing in as they arrive

Opening remarks: how EdCamp works.....
everyone is an expert!  Discuss challenges and advice!

Me telling the teachers that I've never taught in a school in Zambia, so I'm not the expert - they are!!

*To finalize discussion topics I had a list of topics: preventing early pregnancy, assessment, teacher attitude, remedial work, school library use, teaching computers, computer skills for teachers, teaching reading, positive discipline, phonological awareness, handwriting and spelling, making math interesting, making reading interesting, teaching oral English, hygiene, punctuality, phonics, absenteeism, plus multiple spaces for other ideas.  The list was passed around and teachers checked up to 3 topics they wanted to discuss.  Then the schedule for the discussions was set

Filling out the topic discussion sheet and chatting with other teachers.

10:00 - 11:30: Discussion Groups #1 - Remedial Work, Teaching Reading, Computers

11:30 - 1:00: Discussion Groups #2 - Assessment, Making Reading Interesting, Making Math Interesting

1:00 - 1:30: Lunch

1:30 - 3:00: Discussion Groups #3 - Handwriting and Spelling, Phonics, (one blank space to be decided at lunch)

3:00: brief closing remarks

I attended the “Teaching Reading” session. Though stopped in at Remedial work to make sure everything was good and they were discussing (and not waiting for a facilitator to come like last EdCamp!)  Another MCC worker (Grade 8 teacher), Todd, attended EdCamp for the first time.  See his write up at the end!  The teaching reading session was in full swing by the time I arrived.  They did not hesitate to get started and there was a strong leader, a primary teacher from Nahumba, who had begun to share how she teaches reading. (Phonics, sight words, blending sounds, practice).  It sounded a lot like the workshops I’d been giving and it was a great encouragement.  She pointed out at the end that she learned these things from the older teacher next to her.  Her mentor.  This was also a great encouragement to me to see older teachers mentoring other teachers at her school and sharing her knowledge. The older teacher became very passionate about teaching each student at the level that student was at, even saying “Don’t follow the syllabus” at one point! (Lots of laughter at that, but it was interesting she said it since most of the time Zambian teachers follow the curriculum set out for each day without going backwards to reteach a lesson for struggling students). 

The next sessions: Assessment was well attended and seemed to have a good discussion about formal and informal assessment of students, how to write a good test, and other related topics.  I went in and out of this session (as I was focussed on lunch - I went to reduce the pre-ordered chicken and chips take outs from 70 to 35 and then again at the end to pick them up).  I popped my head into the other sessions as well.  Making Reading interesting seemed to go for awhile but the teachers lost interest in that topic and formed groups talking outside as I left to pick up lunch.  The making math interesting session had no teachers, however Todd, the MCC teacher, was busy showing another teacher more advanced aspects of Excel.

Lunch was typically African..... late.  I went at 1:00 (after reminding them at 12 and cutting the order in half) and I waited until almost 2:00pm before the order was ready.  In the meantime I ate my lunch, talked to a few friends that happened by and tried to be patient.  The teachers were outside enjoying talking to each other while I was away and no one seemed to be surprised that the food was late.

I delivered the chicken and chips and the teachers were very pleased.  There was even a large coleslaw that they could add if desired.  I had many comments about how much better this food was compared to the nshima (cornmeal ball that is the staple food here), beans and cabbage from last EdCamp.  It was truly a reminder that here, in Zambia, the workshop is only as good as the food served.  I also got compliments on the different rolls (buns) that we had at tea.  The ones at this EdCamp were very dense and hearty. The previous EdCamp they were light and fluffy and melt in your mouth.  Also shows the differences - I preferred the first EdCamp’s light and fluffy rolls (though they were late and these rolls were ready by 8am when I went to pick them up!!!)

Lunch Time!

When lunch was finished it was already 2:30, so we decided to have a quick 1/2 hour discussion time.  I picked a couple of topics that all “tied” for interest on the previous sheet and handed those around.  Both Hygiene and Positive Discipline were both popular so I decided to add both.  After everyone was settled I wandered around and no teachers were at either the “Handwriting and Spelling” or “Phonics” sessions, so we moved Hygiene over to one of those classrooms.  I enjoyed the Positive Discipline session. Talked about setting expectations and how students meet them where they are set.  Also talked about being consistent.  If you promise to do something (positive or negative) - follow through. Shows the students that you are consistent.  The teachers were very frank: talking about what their face should look like when they beat students to the emotions involved that lead to beating students. It was a very authentic discussion.  They also talked about how students don’t return to school because they get beat and students who say they deserved the beating (though I’m guessing this is rare!)  Both the positive discipline session and the hygiene session went longer than the 30 minutes, though I did go into each session and tell them it was time to wrap up!  

Overall, I think it was another great experience and I’m looking forward to doing it again next term break (early January).

I do still need to figure out how to transition between the discussion groups.  It seems to take awhile for them to wrap up (even with reminders) and re-form into the next group.

The Positive Discipline Discussion Group (photo credit: Michelle Potts for this one!)

Todd’s experience:  Todd is an MCC worker who is teaching Grade 8 at one of the Brethren In Christ Schools. He attended EdCamp for the first time.  He wrote the following report:  (Photos are also contributed by him!  I forgot my camera!)

My first Ed Camp and the second ever in Africa was an excellent experience. After a social tea time allowing for those on African time to arrive. The topics teachers were interested in discussing for the day were selected and we began. I went with computers, a topic Michelle had discussed previously with me about attending, and helped answers any questions teachers had. Since those in attendance had minimal to no experience with computers our Ed camp discussion turned into more of a computer Q&A session about how teachers can benefit utilizing computers and how to teach computers to pupils. Computer skills are a growing demand for employment in Zambia; however, computer teachers are lacking. For a wrap up and in hopes of generating interest in the teachers to learn computer skills I gave a brief grade book demonstration showing how easy it is to sort and tabulate results. As one of the teachers in attendance commented ‘As teachers we must be above our pupils’ a fact that holds true with computers because if the teachers can’t use computers how will the pupils learn? (also they don’t make computer with chitonga so english is needed)

After an excellent meal of chicken and chips we settled into the afternoon myself attending a positive discipline discussion. I was interested in positive discipline because as a new teacher discipline is one of the things I struggle with most. It was a lively discussion with examples and stories abounding. The piece of management advice that I found most helpful and will attempt to apply in the third term was ‘Don’t make empty threats, and Don’t make empty promises.’ Being laid back I realized I have a bad habit in the classroom of letting small rule breaking go at times which snowballs into chaos and no rules a few periods later. Rules that aren’t enforced might as well not be there, an obvious fact that has taken me two terms and an Ed Camp to figure out.

How was your day?

Not related to my post: but this is Victoria Falls in August!  (We just went again
to visit recently as my brother was around!)

This is how my day went today... 

At 8am I went for a walk, meeting up with my friend Dorothy, a Canadian missionary who is married to a Zambian.  We’ve been trying to walk together a couple times a week.  It’s a therapy session for both of us to as we talk and walk (we walk slow so we have lots of breathe to talk!)  Today she mentioned that it was the first time she heard me talk negatively about anything in Zambia.  So my “ten thousand gifts” (Ann Voskamp book) and being thankful in all circumstances is, I guess, mostly working.  We walked into town at the end of our walk and continued with a group therapy session.... meeting up with my friends, Julie and Sara, also missionaries.  We met at Wonderbake.  The Choma, Zambia version of Tim Hortons (Dunkin Donuts for you Americans). It turned into a 2 hour group session over coffee. Very needed today.  And it made for a great morning. Only one drunk guy came in and tried to get into Julie’s face.  A nice man escorted him quickly away.  Though while walking down the street he managed to get into all our faces again.  After he left Dorothy alone she shrugged and said “you know we’re all seasoned missionaries when...”  (we just shake his hand and jump in front of a bus to separate ourselves from him and don’t think twice about it later).  Dorothy got the worst attention of all of us - he was grabbing her arm at one point. 

Dorothy and I arrived back at my place at noon, we grabbed the car and went back into town.  I stopped at a school, Adastra, where I am hosting EdCamp tomorrow. (EdCamp is an “unworkshop” where you bring teachers together to talk about education issues so they can help each other.  There’s no set speaker or topic so it’s a new thing here in Zambia.  This is the second time I’ve done this now.  I had 21 people who RSVPed that they were attending, so I was feeling good about a low-key EdCamp at this point).  At Adastra (the venue for my EdCamp) I was not surprised, since this was my second time doing this, to find the classrooms we are planning to use filthy.  I arranged a time to come back at 3pm and bring someone (Memory, my house help, who had already agreed to do a bit of extra work) to come help clean it.  Then Dorothy and I drove close to the grocery store and parked. Into the store we went.  We both collected groceries for our families and it was great doing this routine thing with a friend this time around!  I also stocked up on a couple more things for my workshop: buns, powdered milk and sugar.  I already had leftover coffee and tea from the first time around.  We paid and pushed our carts to the car, followed by a couple of street kids.  After loading up the street kids took our carts (I’m finally figuring this out - do you give them money?  A polite thank you? What?  I’ve started buying small packets of chips to give them.  My solution - for now at least!)  Then I bartered with a “friend” (a man who often tries to sell me stuff).  He wanted K1 / banana.  I didn’t relent until I only paid K0.50.  Then off we went.  Dropped of Dorothy and her groceries and unloaded at my place.  Got lunch finally around 2pm.  I drew a couple posters for EdCamp tomorrow (an agenda for the day - start time, discussion group times, lunch, etc. and a blank one with times and places for the discussion groups.  The topics will get filled in tomorrow).  Made a phone call while Andrew took the kids out for a bike ride (quiet!) 

Then Memory was finished working at our house so we drove to Adastra, waited for them to let us into the rooms, and began to sweep.  Memory complained loudly that I should not be sweeping as I will get my hair all dusty (short grass brooms). So I caved, as I had told her I needed to go into town before I could take her home.  I went off to do my errands and left her at it.  On my way I saw the head teacher (principal) of Adastra so I picked him up.  He wasn’t going far, but he did inform me that 3 teachers would attend my workshop, and he might too.  So I was up to about 25 participants. I let him out and parked at the edge of town.  As I walked the 5 blocks to the bank I got a text message from a teacher friend who works at St. Patricks, a large government school in town, who I had invited to EdCamp but hadn’t heard anything from.  The text said this, “How are u Michelle? My phone was down in the morn. I think 40-46 teachers should attend tomorrow.  Good day!”  PANIC!  I continued (mostly outwardly calm) down the sidewalk and into the small shop where I bought more units (after waiting in line for a long time) for our pre-pay electrical  (ZESCO) - so the power wouldn’t go off in our house and stay off. Then I walked past the bank again and decided I needed more money to pay for workshop expenses as my attendance had just risen more than double!  (PANIC).  It was 4pm at this point.  I had already planned food (buy fast food at the grocery store), water bottles - check, buns - check, etc. etc.  My brain was working overtime.  It’s too much (and they probably won’t have enough for 70 people) to do my first plan of buying lunch at the grocery store. I did another errand and walked back to my car.  I met up with Memory - super lady - who had almost completely finished cleaning.  I helped her move some desks and dust them off.  

Then we were off again. I took Memory home, since I had kept her late.  It was my first time visiting her house (and that area of Choma).  Driving through the market, past my mechanic, and then into unknown area.  Down some very very narrow “paths” (roads?!) and we arrived.  Her children ran out to greet us (her son, Isaac, hopping on his one good foot - he was in the hospital with a bad injury on his foot for awhile.  It’s healing but he can’t walk on it yet).  Her daughter, Mercy, who I had not yet met, ran up to me and gave me a big hug and then proceeded to hold my hand for the next 5 minutes and after I sat on a stool outside, was almost in my lap, just like my kids!  She’s 4 and very sweet and a comedian!  She was making us laugh.  I also met Memory’s mother who has been staying around to help with Isaac.  And her brother was also visiting.  He told me his name means “Most Wanted” (He is the eldest boy).  After visiting for awhile, and Mercy was called away to have a bath, Memory invited me inside her house. She had poured me “sweet beer” (a drink made with maize).  I groaned inwardly as I don’t particularly like it.  I added a LOT of sugar - very Zambian of me, and actually almost enjoyed it.  I did finish all but the maize at the bottom.  She served it in a mug that my parents had brought her.  All-Star telescope! Made me smile. Visiting Memory and the relationship I’ve built with her over the last year gives me joy. She sweetly offered to ride with me back to the main road so I wouldn’t get lost, though her and Mercy had to walk back after I let them out. 

Home again.  I had supper with my family but I was still stewing about what to do.  (Last time I had a friend cater for 50 people- but she is out of the country presently!)  I decided maybe I should buy 10 chickens (Spar, the grocery store, is open until 8pm usually) and cook them and Andrew could just heat them up.  And then buy chips (french fries) at a restaurant.  Then Andrew suggested I ask at the restaurant what their price would be to do it.  It was getting close to 6pm and dark, and that’s when the restaurant closes because it’s outside!  So I zipped off to ask.  And YES!  They could do it.  70 take away orders of chicken and chips.  SAVED!  (For a reasonable price even - about $3/plate).  If I wanted salads with them it would go up $2!  No thanks!  I headed home yet again.  Much relieved!

Todd, a fellow MCCer had arrived at our place (I waved at him while I drove to the restaurant!).  He’s spending the night so he can attend EdCamp tomorrow as he’s teaching at a village school.  I said “hi” but knew he’s quite comfortable staying here and could find his way around.  It looked like he had already started laundry and Andrew had offered him some supper.  I used the last bit of daylight to go into the garden and pick 8 cabbages.  The 2 puppies we have left pulled on my skirt, tried to get in my way as I cut, and were generally a nuisance.  But I got it done.  (almost FREE salad for the workshop!)  Memory is coming to help again tomorrow so I’ll have her make it up.

Tired but much relieved, I took a very hot and very long shower. Kissed the kids good-night (thanks to Andrew for taking care of them all day and even putting them to bed!) Sat down and talked with Todd (and Andrew shortly after).  The power went off.  Took a candle to the kids’.  Was very grateful I had just boiled the kettle.  Had a nice hot cup of tea (it’s cold tonight again!) Read a bit of my book on the iPad.  The power came on after less than an hour.  Put my toque on as I was so cold - double sweater even! Started writing this and had another cup of tea. Now it’s almost time for bed. Maybe read a bit more in bed.  And another good but tiring day will most likely be on my agenda for tomorrow.  I’ll let you know how tomorrow goes.  Prayers are always good! 

How’d your day go today?

*disclaimer: I was too tired to proofread this so I apologize if there’s mistakes!