Day 27 - And The return of the Blog

Thank you, dear blog followers (blogees..?) for your continued patience. Not exactly the "fairly soon.." I had imagined when I posted the last update. There was little opportunity to catch up on our 2 week tour of the south coast, and it proved to be quite a struggle to get it down on our return to the UK. Having a fast computer and a fast (and reliable!) internet connection in a warm and comfortable home proved no substitute for fresh memories and actually being there.

So, to try and wrap it all up and finally complete the last four or five days I decided the only course of action was to take out an entire day from everything to get it all, or at least as much as I can of it down for your reading pleasure. As my memory, when questioned about the finer details of those days, merely shrugged and mumbled "err... I dunno..?", and clearly isn't going to be as much help as I'd like, I shall instead be mostly relying on the photos taken to recall events, as well as Kira's diary of the trip. Apologies if the details aren't as in abundance as they were when writing it there, and if those that are, are a bit fuzzy.

Anyway! Enough of that, let's get on with what you want to hear about. Now, where were we up to...

Day 27!

Sunrise caught again by the always-up-for-sunrise Ines, heralding another warm-so-long-as-you're-not-actually-moving day. The rest of us were still fast asleep at this point, but were all up soon after and ready to go.

As we waited for our lift, we took the opportunity to watch the scallywag monkeys taking over the staff village after everyone had left. It's always interesting to see how organised they seem to be. While a handful go through the rubbish bins, the rest will keep watch and alert them if anyone comes near. The day they learn how to use mobile phones is the day we're all in trouble...

Bin there, done that

This morning's taxi ride to the Barn was courtesy of the wonderful Noel. Noel is one of those people it's always great to be around. Funny, resourceful, and an altogether all round lovely chap. If you could choose family members, he'd be at the top of your list.

Noel, in his signature green hat

A sunny but chilly arrival at the Barn, where we started sorting out who was going to do what for the day, but not before our obligatory daily wander down to the ever-growing waterhole, of course. Max amused himself as he often does by throwing huge rocks into the water, while Ines and Kira looked for more animal footprints. They were hoping for some good ones as they'll be taking casts again today. Footprints found, they marked them all off, ready to come back with the casting materials.

Splish splash, Max's having a gas

Sploshings aside, there is still lots to be done, so back at the Barn, the girls got all the casting stuff together and headed back to the waterhole, while us boys got on with emptying the Barn of all the building stuff and giving everything a right proper tidy up.

Kira's "Tsk, you're taking yet another picture..?" look

Por favor, le animal prints

Oooohh, ladders!!

Kira's unswerving attention to detail

If there's one thing I do know, I know how to broom

Once it was looking clean and tidy, Max carried on with some monster wire-brushing of the wood above the entrance, just as the girls returned from their casting. Kira then started collecting some nice stones ready to go into the steps at the front, and Ines carried on puttying the windows. Then myself and Max started work on the left hand side front window, where several of the panes that were broken needed removing and replacing.

There. Just there. That's putty. My putty.

Kira rocks

Now, that, is a tidy barn

Having done most of the smaller panes of glass, Ines began on the larger windows.

One completed window fra...Wait! Who's that scary person..?!

While looking for more stones for the steps, Kira found and caught our lizard friend, Mr Lizard. Given more time here, I'm sure Kira would eventually have him following her around like a pet dog...

Carry on, don't mind me

It was aroundabout this time when dinnertime lunchtime arrived along with our good friend, Rodwell, so it was back to reception, with all the morning's castings, to grab our lunches. It was chicken and tomato in rice, if I recall correctly. Let me check the diary... yes. Chicken and tomato and rice. With delicious Chockits for pudding..yum yum!

Lunch over, it was over to reception to see Rodwell for a lift back to work, and on our return waiting for us was what I think was a grey heron, although he looked more blue than grey. I would have to get confirmation from Bird Meister Tammy before being completely sure. I tried to get closer for a better picture, but whatever bird he was, he was having none of it and flew off after my not-so-stealthy attempts to reduce the distance between us.

Moments before he took off

After a bit of birdwatching, we dove back into work (dove...dove...geddit!?) Max and I carried on prepping the broken windows, while Kira started getting the second primer coat on the walls. Ines carried on with one of her favourite jobs of varnishing on the woodwork above the entrance that Max had wirebrushed earlier that morning.

While I might know how to use a broom, a screwdriver is another thing..

So clean, you could eat your dinner off that floor

FEET

Attached to those feet

Looking good!

Another productive day over, and it was back home in the Land Cruiser with Jonathon.

After lunch dinner, Ines and I went and sorted some stuff out on the computer at reception, while the kids stayed back and amused themselves by taking funny pictures of each other..

Max holding the ceiling up, while levitating

Kira grew a lot that day