Super Blood Moon and T-5 Days

Well I set my alarm clock for 4 o'clock this morning to see the lunar super blood moon eclipse. I'm afraid though when I woke up I simply stumbled out of bed, looked out the window, saw the bronze moon and went back to bed again. A friend had suggested going somewhere open to view it but the thought of getting up even earlier than 4 was a rather unappealing. Can say I saw it though. It was apparently a perigree moon and one of a tetrad of eclipses which gives it the name blood moon.

Taught my second last art lesson this morning and we experimented with painting with food colouring and then using jik and coarse salt. Also did basic printing with oil paint and etching. I then unfortunately had the wheel shaft come loose under my car again and was stranded on the side of the road, luckily not far from the International School. Our trusted mechanic came to my rescue and fixed it. After berating people having green verges I was rather appreciative of green grass and a shady spot to sit on and wait. Managed to make it to tea with my friend Lucy in her garden.

We had to then take my younger dog Elsie to the vet as she has done something to the joint above her paw. There was a rather dishy student vet helping. They did various tests and we await to see if we'll need to take her for an x-ray. They had wanted her to stay over night but she was already very stressed by it all and she is now lying peacefully at my feet in the kitchen. Have sat she and Jasper down and told them I'm going to be away. Will have to tell them on Saturday for how many sleeps.

Just got an email from the Wildlife Research Unit group at Oxford confirming I can visit next Monday afternoon. It is suddenly all very soon. Am a little daunted by the thought of using public transport especially in London. Lausanne in Switzerland was very simple with just the two metros. Will miss having my friend Gail there to navigate as she did last time on the underground. Getting excited though and trying to picture cooler weather.

Subbing and Planning

Today I am substituting for the learning support teacher at the Harare International School. Only covering two blocks today, just had one with an American boy and a Russian. Will have a Chilean and Chinese student just now. Afterwards will then have my usual tutoring session and then teach my other outside student at her home. This week is going to be quite busy and it is nice to have a dependable income for the days I'm subbing.

Starting to get excited for my trip next week. Getting things together and beginning to think about packing for cooler climes. Just got an email back from a professor at Oxford in the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit saying I can meet with him the first week I'm in Oxford. He is from Zimbabwe and runs lion and leopard research projects among other things in Hwange and Mana Pools here in Zim. Quite excited. Vaguely toying with seeing if any research/PhDs going. Will see. Otherwise maybe if there is any work back here in Zim with their group.

Spring turns to Summer

Fresh early morning breeze.
The birds' song in the trees.
Dusty, yet suddenly things come to life,
and makes you stop and look amidst the strife.
Bougainvillea cascade down walls
and all too soon the first jacarandas fall.
Mulberries ripen and stain faces and hands
and high up in the tree the turaco stands.
The cool turns to heat and wind stirs the dust
and all around the deep earth is a shade of rust.
New beginnings and the start of summer's here.
It is this time of year that my heart holds dear.

Two weeks today - eeeeek!

So two weeks today I will be on my way on Emirates to England. It will be my first time in the northern hemisphere since I packed up my life in Switzerland in 2010. I think it is going to be a slight culture shock being in the first world especially after our long power cuts here. Will also need to figure out  using public transport. Friends have very kindly lent me an Oyster card and will be using another friend's SIM card. Need to start thinking about packing and cold weather things - hard when it is 32 degrees here.

Will be in Oxford the first and last weeks of October and then in between have made tentative plans with friends to travel across to Norfolk (where my Grandparents were from), up to Notttingham and then York. Have also said will visit a friend near the Forest of Dean in Gloucester my third weekend. In the time in Oxford will try see some people in London and Reading. My time is going to go and will do my best to see people but forgive me if I don't manage to see you this time. Will just have to save up and try return.

Am going to pop in to the language school I was supposed to be teaching with over the summer. Have contacted them and they said they'd be happy to chat about future work possibly. Have also emailed the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit at Oxford and waiting to see if I can maybe just meet with someone from there. They are famous for the research project in Hwange here in Zim that was tracking Cecil the lion.

Have been told there is a shoe shop in Oxford specialising in shoes for foot problems. Just looked them up and they have quite a bit on their website on plantar fasciitis and possibly some shoe solutions. I might have to get cortisol injections in my heels before I go from Dr Coric as still having a bit of pain and it may make walking sore.

Will see my Sister Beth who is now in England. Will be more than two years since we have seen each other. She wants to try go watch the Royal Ballet's Romeo and Juliet together.

The Return

Well my Mum has returned and I survived the week alone and Pip has survived too. Am still squirting water down him as he is not really drinking. Think he is on his way out but for the moment he has his moments of being perkier.

Pip

Had a bit of a frustrating time with teaching this week with people cancelling and then my art student this morning announcing after an hour that he had had enough for the day and wanted to only pay me for an hour's lesson. Did tell him it's my time and fuel, will see.

It is still hot and sultry now after the sun has gone down. After picking my Mum up from school we went to an art exhibition by Valentine Magutsa at Queen of Hearts. We ended up staying on a bit for the pizza night and had an Al Chisipite oven baked pizza. Was pleasant sitting under the flowering jacarandas listening to an acoustic guitar and vocalist. My Mum regaled me with what she had done on the Quest trip next to Falcon.

Queen of Hearts

Flamboyants by Valentine Magutsa

Coping on my own

My Mum has been away since Sunday with the grade sixes from the International School on what they call Explore Zimbabwe. They went to the Falcon Quest program and I think they will also be in Matopos. Usually she has gone to the Inganyana Painted Dog Project at Hwange.

We've had lots of prolonged power cuts and sitting on my own in the dark hasn't been fun. Opted for an early night mostly but had my dogs for company. Our elderly dog Pip is not doing so well with the hot weather and has suddenly become very frail and at times dehydrated. I borrowed a syringe from my next door neighbour and have been keeping him hydrated as much as I can. Relieved my Mum will be back tomorrow as I don't want to have to make the decision of whether to put him down or not.

Saw my therapist yesterday and I got quite emotional discussing my decision of not trying to make contact with my Dad whilst I'm in England. I feel I am only there for a short period and would rather not stir up things. I don't feel strong enough to face him still but talking about all of this made me quite upset. I do box it away though which my therapist pointed out is unhealthy. It seems to be both my Mum's and my own survival and coping strategy.

Summer is here in Harare. The jacarandas are coming out and the bougainvillea is a riot of colour. It is extremely hot, dusty and dry. Quite relieved to miss the worst of the heat in October when I am in England.

Plantar fasciitis

Over the last month I have been experiencing pain and discomfort when putting weight on my heels first thing in the morning and when I stand up after sitting for a long period. Finally went to the doctor on Friday and she confirmed I do indeed have plantar fasciitis - caused by inflammation of the thick band of tissue called the plantar in my heels.

I'm now on anti-inflammatories, have bought a pair of wedged crocks (which were luckily on a discount) and rubbing in Arnica Ice into my heels every night and morning before I get up. It has helped a lot and it is a lot less painful to walk. Hopefully caught it in time as if it progresses it can damage the ligaments in your feet and one may need to have injections of cortisol and in extreme cases surgery is required - eeek.

Some art

Here are a few sketches and doodles that I have been doing with my art student. Dabbling in still lifes, sketches and pencil work.

Social

Spring has sprung and I am keeping busy and been quite social. Keeping structure to my day helps me and makes me do better. Am loving teaching English to my two Chinese students. They are very gentle people and we have fun. They serve me green tea which is dried leaves that unfurl when you put them in hot water. The friend who put me in touch with them very kindly gave me some TOEFL Headway books and when I popped round to get them I got to see her beautiful cats that were rescues from SPCA.

With the hot weather we have the return of the Mozambique spitting cobra in our yard - eeek. I am not a huge fan of all things slithering. Luckily our dogs didn't chase it when it was outside our back door this morning. It is a bit of a worry though and I will take my torch with me when venturing outside at night. Went to the pub quiz at Amanzi again last night and we came third. Tonight am going to a girls night out at Ster-Kinekor in Borrowdale to see the chick flick Aloha. Tomorrow there is a jazz concert at Alliance Francaise and on Saturday there is Spring Strings. There is also a quilting show on at Hellenic - lots to do.

Things are expensive in Zim and many people are getting disheartened and pessimistic. Lots of people are out of work and the cost of living is high. One has to keep focused on the good things though and try stay positive.

A month today I will be boarding the Emirates plane en route to Oxford. Am looking forward to it. My tentative plan is to be in Oxford the first week and then maybe go the following week to Norfolk to see a friend and visit where my Grandparents used to live. I would then go up north to Nottingham and maybe York and then come back down via London. I would also like to maybe visit friends in Gloucester. Well that's the plan - I need to budget and will probably take the coach rather than trains to save.