Self isolation and tadpoles

 My mum and I took Sr Paulette out to coffee at Veldemeers this morning. As I arrived I got a message from a friend we spent Sunday afternoon with, to say the host of a lunch she attended on Saturday has tested positive for COVID. We're going to have to self isolate. Means will have to cancel New Year tomorrow and lay low a bit. We are being tested for COVID for school next week. 

The government has just announced a delayed return to school due to the increase in cases here and the new strain in South Africa. Will mean a different form of preparing for school, groan. 

Have found out what tadpoles eat - mosquito larvae amongst other things. 

Applaus rehearsal and blowing into the fish tank

 I noticed this morning that Oscar's pump seemed to not be circulating the water as effectively and there were fewer air bubbles. Oscar has taken to lurking by the outlet pipe which makes me worry she is again not getting enough oxygen. The owners said that as long as the pump and filter are still going it should be OK, hmmm. I was supposed to be exchanging some of my surplus of weed with someone in Hatfield and so went out to see my friend Nina again. Left the weed with her for the other person to collect for her fish tanks and once again I talked fish. Glynne, Nina's husband had the bright idea to look up the manual for the tank pump. As far as we could tell, cleaning out the filter regularly should do the trick. He did suggest thought that perhaps I should blow through the in pipe to the pump and check there isn't a blockage. Nina quickly piped in that perhaps I should just stand there blowing until the owners get back or until I or the fish pass out from asphyxiation. Nina!! I will try blowing though and see if this does the trick. Maybe not until the 2nd of January though! Nina said she was eying some bream at Mukuvusi today, as she thought perhaps we could paint one with orange and pass it off for an Oscar fish if all else fails. Apparently most fish shops here don't have oscars at the moment due to COVID.

I've signed up to watch the live online performance of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra on New Year's Day. There is an online dress rehearsal tomorrow though. I have to sign in on the Applaus App. On the day they will show people around the world watching. Welcome to New Year's Day in 2021. A very different concert to normal but quite fun in some ways.

Having sworn I won't house sit fish again, I've taken on some tadpoles to put in my classroom when school starts. Not sure what they eat? Might try Pronutro flakes. Hopefully easier than fish! I've been going into school to do some sorting. Debating if I will go in tomorrow and Thursday. I'm no longer going to Nyanga next week though, so there is still time. Trying to fit in some geography prep for the second term too and will need to start getting organized for form 1 and 2 maths.

Oscar loves her weed and Fishmonger's for Christmas

 As there was another power cut yesterday and I didn't know how long the inverter was going to last, I made the decision to go across town to Hatfield to my friend Nina, to go get some oxygen weed from her fish pond. She gave me three large Kefalos yoghurt containers of the stuff. Neens got a little emotional at the thought that some of her tadpoles might be sacrificed to the Oscar fish, but she told herself to get a grip and that it was the circle of life. It was actually really special to see Neens and her family on Christmas Eve, as it is also her little girl's birthday. I gave her little girl an angel for her Christmas tree and had a slice of blue and green birthday cake. Wouldn't have happened if Oscar the fish hadn't nearly died.

Oscar is absolutely thriving now and adores her pond weed. Makes her tank more interesting as she only had sand before and she's swimming up and down and eagerly awaiting being fed. So thanks everyone who helped to keep her alive. Team William, Claire, Lucy, Brendan and then Nina, Glynne and Mrs Glover. Was also cool to see Mrs G as she was in town and she taught me high school biology. We had an interesting conversation about stem cells and the new Corona vaccine and mRNA. Mrs G was one of my all time favourite teachers.

I nearly spent Christmas Day in a petrol queue. My trip to Hatfield chewed up a fair deal of fuel and I got a nasty surprise on the way to church this morning when the Empty light started flashing. The car I have been lent for house sitting has an electronic fuel gauge and it is difficult to tell how much fuel you really have. I passed a queue on Carrick Creagh but that was before the fuel light flashed. I tried Helensvale but neither garage had. Crossing fingers and saying a little prayer I crept to Piers Rd and thankfully they were open, had fuel and there was no queue. I could have been really stuck. Got a full tank as petrol seems to be scarce. Crazy as we are now having to pay in US dollars, I don't see why there is a problem.

Had a lovely lunch with friends at the new Fishmonger's at Circolo Italiano aka the new Italian Club. Fish for Christmas lunch is just such a good idea. You don't feel as full and it's a treat. I had a yummy halloumi starter and then a Portuguese pan of mussels, calamari and prawns. The joy of not having to slave over a stove all day for Christmas and not having to do washing up after. We came back to where I am house sitting for presents and mince pies. Tomorrow have been invited to a waifs and strays left over bring and share and then on Sunday doing online games for my friend Heather in England's birthday.

Operation save Oscar at 1 am on Christmas Eve

  When the people I am house sitting for left they gave two instructions for Oscar the fish, feed him and then make sure the filter was clean. Well I've been doing the first but I kind of forgot the second and yesterday we had a power cut from 9 am to 6 pm which meant the pump wasn't on. I did look at the tank and think it was getting murkier but Oscar seemed OK. I had friends come round for a Christmas drinks party and we kept checking on Oscar. At one point my friend Brendan said he could do with some drama in the evening. Well we sure got it shortly after midnight. Oscar suddenly started floating on her side and the tank was really not looking great (although the pump was now working with ZESA). We went into panic mode and William and Claire took charge. Brendan had won a kitchen whisk in the secret Santa pirating game and this was used to try get more oxygen to Oscar. William dismantled the pump and cleaned out the filter (we noticed that the electric cable has exposed wires - water and electricity, not a good combo, eeek!)

Whilst all of this was going on my playlist happened to be playing Carmina Burana. We were so preoccupied though I didn't change it. Lucy started googling how to  save an Oscar fish. In her search she found "Should you flush a dead oscar fish down the loo?" and "How to comfort a dying oscar"! In the end we decided to put a little of the tank water in a bucket with fresh water and propped the water filter/oxygen pump in it and made sure it was plugged into the inverter in case there was another power cut. Oscar perked up a little and was upright again. This was the best we could do by this time 2am. This morning I tentatively opened the bucket and was relieved not to have a floating fish on top. I tried phoning the owners. They hadn't left instructions on how to clean out the tank. I opted to empty most of the tank and put in fresh water. Well I'm afraid I was a Borrowdale madame, Thomas the gardner carried the buckets whilst I directed operations in my pyjamas. When it came to transferring Oscar back, she suddenly got a new lease of life and bit Thomas (oh dear). She was on her side again initially but with the clean filter going she has regained uprightness. The owners have now said not to empty the tank (even though it is still murky). I need to keep cleaning out the filter and if ZESA goes again I must run the generator for the fish tank, eish!

So yes, after all of this I don't think I want to pet sit fish again. You can't exactly take it to the vet! Very grateful to Claire, William, Brendan and Lucy for helping hopefully save Oscar. Team effort :) I don't think I will be going to make the 500 meals for the homeless though. Have only had 3 hours sleep and I don't do too well on a sleep deficit. From lunchtime the house keeper and the gardner will have gone for Christmas, so it will be just me the great danes, Oscar!, the chickens and the rabbits. Hope nothing else goes wrong.

Navigating Greystone Park

 Am writing this as I wait for the mince pie pastry to rest. After that I need to cook Christmas hams. Going to boil with beer and then glaze (cheating with a ready made cranberry and apple glaze from Woolworths). Will get back to making a puppet ghost for my godson Philippe, he's into all things spooky at the moment.

Saw good friends from my dancing days yesterday at Bottom Drawer which was special. Hadn't met my friend Kelly's baby and got to see her bigger little girl too. It bucketed with rain, but we managed to get a spot on the verandah and had a yummy cream scone tea. This morning I went to Aroma Caffe at 167 Enterprise and saw my two close friends, Nina and Lucy. We chatted and laughed away. I got there a bit early and went into the new Andrew's farm stall. They have all sorts of amazing foodie things. Whilst in there I saw my former student Alberto whose family own Aroma and Alberto is now their head chef, after he went to Sardinia to train. He was making his own mozzarella when I taught him, but now makes all sorts of speciality Sardinian cheeses. Have bought one called caciotta to try.

I am having to guess my way around Greystone Park a bit as not all the roads have signs. The most direct route seems to go down Gaydon to Harare Drive. I am vaguely familiar with part of it as I did a report on the wetlands along it. All the wetlands are covered by cultivation of maize by local people. Whilst this is not ideal (causes siltation and damages the wetlands' functionality) it is better than construction on them. I spoke to my friend Fiona and to Chris Magadza and they are interested in us writing a paper together for publication. There isn't too much published literature on Harare's wetlands and the legality of building on them along with their economic value.

Getting used to the size of the great danes I'm looking after. They aren't too keen on having fly smear put on, but they really need it. Discovered where the chickens are kept this morning, just as well the maid showed me as otherwise I was under the impression they were free ranging round the garden and would have put out food for them in a different place. Locking up last night was a little complicated and finding light switches. There is a quite an extensive library of Terry Pratchett and then John Le Carre (who sadly passed away last week). Am still working my way through The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver, I enjoy the descriptive bits and finding out about Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, but parts are quite heavy going. Lots of books to be read. I should make the most of time before I start teaching at Chisi high school, as I will have 28 students in a class and that is going to mean a far heavier marking load than I have every known, but I guess you do get some free periods in high school, but still, eeek! 

Technically a Borrowdale madame, Lucy better watch out, she has competition

 Well I am probably Helensvale where I am house sitting for the next two weeks. Learning new roads as I am out on Carrick Creagh, feels a bit like the back of beyond, and I thought Queen Elizabeth Drive in Greendale was far from civilisation last year. My prime duty is to look after two enormous great danes, Zara and Jack. I also have two rabbits, chickens, the garden birds ... and a piranha, I mean oscar fish! I won't lie, the oscar fish is a little scary. Turns out it is a "she" and she likes to jump out the tank. Was about to Skype call friends in Germany earlier and she did this. She can bite (like a piranha) and comes shooting to the surface when you try to put her pellets into the tank. Oh well, it should be interesting.

Tried to see the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction but a) I was looking in the wrong direction, thinking it was the bright star under Orion's Belt and b) I was rather late for it. Hopefully it might still be visible tomorrow. One really needs a nice, fancy telescope to really appreciate it. At the time when it should have been appearing I was trying to fathom out the gas stove and oven. There's a hitch, you have to leave the grill door open, otherwise the flame goes out, and none of the knobs have their numbers etc, visible as they have been rubbed off. When the oven kept going out, I ended up calling the maid, Chiedza, who was already in her nightie. Otherwise wouldn't have had dinner tonight.

There is apparently the new strain of Corona in South Africa now. The same one that is hitting London. A friend's boss here tested positive last week and the newspaper headlines here today suggested we might go back into stricter lock down again. Another year of remote teaching is not great. The students didn't do too well from my experience. Will see. Saying that, I am having a few friends round for drinks on Wednesday evening. Going to do deconstructed Christmas ham and other nibbles and a friend has offered to make gluhwein. Should be festive. My mum and I have agreed to go help make 500 meals for the homeless for Christmas Day at The Base Church on Christmas Eve and we've been invited to dinner at friends'. On Christmas Day we're taking the avoidance of cooking route and having a fish lunch at the new Fishmonger's at the Italian Club. Means not slaving over a stove and endless washing up. 

Trouble with Alexa, toothpaste and lipstick

 I really enjoyed my week of au pairing in Borrowdale Brooke. I am very fond of the three children and it was fun to do play things instead of school work. Getting the eldest to do some of her work was heavy going in lock down remote learning. We went for long walks around the golf estate and they had loads of fun plastering me with make up. I had a purple eye shadow face the one day, congealed toothpaste in my hair another and lastly lipstick as a face mask. On Friday I didn't realize their stepdad was at home and they gave the order "Alexa, play Ed Sheeran... LOUDLY!" Their stepdad came flying downstairs to turn it off and said he was in an important online board meeting with Australia, China and South Africa! Big ooops. 

Have been at home this weekend but tomorrow I move across to Helensvale to great dane, oscar fish and rabbit sit. Teeny bit worried that the electric gate doesn't work because the batteries have been stolen three times - from inside the property! There is an alarm system though. I will be there until the 3rd of January. 

My big news is that next term will be my last at Spectrum as I have been offered a job teaching junior high school maths and geography at Chisi. I will be very sad to leave Spectrum and my work load will be way heavier (28 to a class at Chisi compared to 5 next year at Spectrum). But I think it will offer me job development and I think I will enjoy teaching high school again. In the meantime I have a few International School students to tutor. The IB syllabus is pretty rigorous, I won't lie. 

How to cook a Christmas ham

 Went in to school first this morning as I had to prepare an assessment test for a Russian boy who may be in my class next year. Started also trying to sort out my classroom as I have been moved. From there I went on to the Brooke and arrived to find the children had been baking with the chef Victor. They had made a lemon meringue pie to take to their granny for a sleep over tonight and then also Paw Patrol cupcakes. They ended up filming me. As a belated birthday present for the five year old, I took some old make up of my sister's from her dancing days. Well next thing I knew I was being made over with purple eye shadow and a second coat of nail polish being applied. We took a break to paint some wooden hearts for Christmas presents. The two younger ones didn't quite get the rainbow effect as they blended all the colours together. Hope it's OK. Attention then turned to my hair and I had a canvas cloth draped round my shoulders and my hair washed, talcum powdered and then blow dried. They did try put eye shadow in but when nail clippers were trying to "trim" it, I said no. The nail clippers were nearly applied to my eyebrows too but again I drew the line.

We tidied up and then retreated to the garden where the eldest made videos with my phone of the flowers and a colony of white mushrooms. It is quite an entertaining shoot with me in the background saying don't eat the mushrooms, they could be poisonous. The middle child decided to taste the water in the bird bath. Again I am protesting in the background. At the end of the afternoon we got all three bathed and ready to go to their gran's for their sleepover. I will see them again in the morning.

I gave Victor the chef a lift to Avondale and on the way he gave me ideas on how to do Christmas hams next week. He mentioned what my friend Nina does, boiling them with an open beer can. I have a ready made glaze from the Woolworths outlet in Borrowdale and will try get some pineapple. The house where I am pet sitting next week has a gas oven, gulp, but it should be OK. Stopped to see a friend on the way home and had a giggle when she said she dashed in to watch a film society movie with her antlers alice band still on from a Pilates Christmas party. Tis the season. 

Blue finger nails, Harry Potter and what makes you British

 First day of au pairing went by pretty quickly. Had to wait a while at the gate to Borrowdale Brooke to be let in but have now been lent the car I used before and have a disc to get in and out. Took the youngest little girl to swimming where she was a real little fish and super eager. It was very cute to watch. Treated her to an ice lolly on the way home from Kava. I volunteered to have my finger nails painted when we got home and the youngest and her brother applied blue polish with great gusto. I also had bubble bath put in my hair and on my arms, um yes. They were allowed to watch the fifth Harry Potter movie but they sat covering their eyes for parts of it and asked me when it would get really scary.

On my way home I went up Carrick Creagh to where I will be house sitting next week to learn the ropes. There are two massive great danes (when I got home my dogs, Jasper and Elsie, seemed quite small in comparison). I will also be looking after two rabbits ... and an oscar fish!! Never seen one of these before, it's pretty big and it is related to a piranha and bites. Don't quite see the appeal as a pet but it should be interesting to observe as it apparently makes nests out of rocks to lay eggs in (it's a type of cichlid). So stay tuned for updates on Oscar.

On the weekend away the topic of Zimbabweans claiming to British came up. I do feel I have both Zimbabwean and British heritage and consider myself both. The other person felt that you only had a right to claim to be British if you have lived in the UK. I said well my grandparents had served in the second world war but this was dismissed. It irked me when the other person claimed that people in Kenya had a greater claim to being British than people here. Would it mean a person born in the UK of Shona descent couldn't say they were Zimbabwean?

Adventures in the Bvumba

 School ended in a blur, although we had a staff meeting straight after closing and I had to try get my head to think about next term, difficult as I was feeling a little over it all, I won't lie. From school I went and did a shop for the trip to the Bvumba. On Thursday went with my mum and our close friend Veronique for a lovely late breakfast at The Bottom Drawer coffee shop. It is my favourite coffee spot in Harare and the breakfast was yummy, although I am now feeling cautious of fatty things since my latest blood tests show I have quite high cholesterol. This apparently is a side effect of my medication so I need to be a little careful.

Thursday night there was a bit of panic as the main car we were supposed to have travelled in to the Bvumba suddenly had a problem with the main axle. At the last minute we switched to Lucy's parents' car and made alternative plans for assembling. I had an interview first thing Friday morning and we met at Lucy's but only set off at 12 in the end. There were lots of police blocks along the way. Apparently they are looking for balding tyres mainly. We were lucky and didn't get stopped. We had got a letter from the lady whose cottage we stayed in as a back up in case the police wanted travel documents with COVID, but they waved us through - phew. Lucy did an amazing job there and back with the driving. There were some hairy moments with lorries overtaking lorries on blind rises and cars doing stupid moves.

Arriving in the Bvumba we stopped at Tony's Coffee Shop to ask how we could ensure there was white chocolate cheesecake (the reason for coming to the Bvumba!!) He said we needed to come fairly early on Saturday but he was doing take aways. We planned to go early but I had booked a guided hike Saturday morning to the Zebra Falls. Lucy opted to sleep in so it was only Reenie and I. Stuart our guide arrived promptly at 7 am but when he told us we were supposed to drive to the spot where the hike began it was a bit problematic as Lucy, our driver was asleep. In the ended we walked to the starting point, but that took us an hour and half. I must admit I did inwardly groan slightly to be told this was only where the hike was beginning. It had rained heavily the night before (it did every night we were there) and so the granite rock surfaces were incredibly slippery. I went head over apex at one point and luckily my bag cushioned my landing on my back and my head didn't hit the granite behind. We had to scale down a steep granite face part of the way and I was very nervous of slipping. 

Stuart was excellent though and helped me get sure footing. He was also very knowledgeable about the birds and trees and history. We made it to the waterfall and had lovely mountain water to drink. On the way back I was seriously beginning to flag on the uphill and made the tentative suggestion that when we got back to the starting point, perhaps Stuart could go get Lucy and we could drive back. We ended up stopping not quite at the starting point and Stuart, who was extremely fit, sprinted off to go find Lucy. By now we had been walking for four hours. Lucy got a bit of a fright when Stuart appeared at the cottage and said we needed rescuing. She packed us food and set off with him leading the way on his motorbike while she followed in the car. There was a section though, that the car wasn't going to navigate easily, so Lucy hopped on his motorbike. They hadn't gone far when it skidded and they both fell off. Poor Lucy caught her leg on it. Undeterred though she and Stuart walked to where Reenie and I had walked a bit further to.

After those misadventures we had tea at Tony's and did get the white chocolate cheesecake. In the book Tony has written the recipe for it takes up four pages, so it is quite a culinary feat. There was a queue outside when we left of people wanting to go in for tea. On the way home we stopped at Hivu Nursery where you can also go horse riding, next time.

Our other big excitement for the weekend came about as Lucy was really keen to go in to Leopard Rock for drinks and to watch the sunset on the golf course. We hadn't thought about COVID though, and when we tried to go in on Friday when we arrived we were turned away at the boom by the security guard. Lucy tried to ask to speak to a manager but the security guard said if we weren't on the list of guests we couldn't enter. Lucy decided to email the hotel and low and behold in response we got an email from the owner of Leopard Rock himself who said to not hesitate to phone him. Lucy did so and he said we should just phone when we got to the boom, which we did and were admitted. We had drinks but there was a problem with getting change for US dollars. The bar lady said the owner was going to come down and see us and give us complimentary drinks. Well we ended up spending an enjoyable evening with him and he told us all sorts of stories of the history of Leopard Rock and it turned out he is an avid photographer and writes poetry. They have had two lions walk across the Leopard Rock golf course. I made the mistake though of mixing GnTs with red wine and when I had a cup of rooibos tea at the end of the evening with milk I suddenly felt decidedly unwell and had to run to the bathroom which was a little embarrassing. I've learnt my lesson to never do that again. Still feeling a little queasy today.

Back in Harare now and all set to au pair in Borrowdale Brooke again for the next four days. We will be doing craft with supplies from The Craft Company that the mum owns and going on some outings. Should be fun.

This time next week ...

 Nearly through the last full week of school. This time next week I will be on holiday (woohoo! Haven't really been since May) and next Friday I am headed to the Bvumba with two friends for three nights. Bring on Tony's Coffee Shop and decadent cake, walks in the forest and possibly a cocktail at Leopard Rock Hotel. We will have to take diesel with for the generator and make an ice box from a cold box to last us as the transformer is down, but I can't wait for mountain air and a break from Harare and school. Am pretty desperate to get away.

The requests to house sit do keep coming in for over Christmas. Turned down a really nice one in Umwinsidale. Hope where I am going to be is pleasant as I haven't seen it yet. Always a little nervous now when that's the case as had one or two not so great set ups in the past that I agreed to before seeing.

Have an online meeting just now with the head of NILD Zimbabwe to discuss an assessment she did of one of my students who is also my NILD ward. Will see where I can further help him as he is extremely dyslexic. A friend of mine who is dyslexic is going to come and give a talk to my class about his work on building his own drones using a 3D printer and glider planes. He was threatening to stir my class up to rebellion against the system. Had to tell him that they already are rebellious and don't need too much more encouragement in that regard. My ring leader has calmed down and is applying himself and being more polite but am hanging in there to the end of term.

Off to watch a documentary film tonight called Gather on native american culture and food crops. Hope it doesn't rain as it is planned for outside in the garden to be COVID compliant.

One more Monday

 My student was beautifully behaved today, polite, helpful and quiet, but was told at break time that both the head and deputy head had had words with him first thing, oh! 

Did something different in maths today that worked quite well. I paired my weak pupils with my strong ones and got them to work together to solve problems. Might do it again. They were having to work out change to be given with money I photocopied. A couple wanted to know why they couldn't just swipe for it. Er no, this is the imaginary Zimbabwe where we have cash and change. 

The Convent old girls lunch went well on Saturday at Alo Alo. There were fewer nuns, former teachers and old girls than usual, but we ended up having exactly the right number of lucky draw prizes. I was picked second and chose garden tools from Electrosales. My mum chose two lovely glass platters from Glass Gecko. 

I have been asked to au pair again for the family in Borrowdale Brooke these holidays. Will do crafts with the kids and take them on some fun outings. Will get to use their car again. I am also tutoring some new students from the International School and will be house sitting in Greystone Park. 

TGIF, goodness gracious me

 Had the second emergency parent meeting at 7.30 this morning. Said student from yesterday behaved and was subdued initially but at break went round trying to figure out who had snitched on him. After break we were back to usual with talking instead of working and talking back when told off. I really don't feel very comfortable leaving stuff unattended on my desk if I have to go to the loo or something as there was a plan to damage my property. It is a real pain.

Am so jolly glad it is Friday and then we have 9 days and I move on to new students and hopefully a better class next year. Am just very thankful in some ways for lock down and that I didn't have to teach this current class all year in the classroom as they were mutinous in the first term before Corona hit. The first term! Usually grade 7's only play up in the third term, but not this lot.

Was supposed to have been tutoring a new student this afternoon but the aunt phoned me this morning to say they were in contact with someone who has tested positive for Corona yesterday. I would rather not take the risk. There are suddenly a whole lot more cases again. My gardner yesterday was saying he is very worried. There's nothing you can do though apart from be sensible.

The rains have sort of arrived and so have the mosquitoes. The flamboyants are also in full bloom. I keep trying to snap them on the way to work and home. 

Counting the hours and possibly minutes

 My class have been staging a rebellion and I am now really, really looking forward to the end of term. I had to warn them that if they did anything really stupid they could be suspended. The chief instigator was thankfully absent today as they had someone staying with them this weekend who tested positive for COVID yesterday (a bit scary!) Things improved slightly without said student being in class today but I have frankly had enough now.

After doing a leg session in personal training on Monday, I did arms on Tuesday and now I can't move either! I had semi forgotten how to do pushups and my arms are telling me about it. Did something new called an explosive pushup. When you come up from the floor you have to push away from the ground and lift your arms off the ground. Kinda tricky and definitely working those triceps (I think it's those).

Suddenly getting lots of requests to house sit over Christmas. Am booked though by our head at school to look  after her two great danes. They have a pool, yay! and I can use a car. Went and did some Christmas shopping at Kava Market at Willowmead this afternoon. Got two hams and got some Christmas pressies for people. It is one of my favourite foodie shops.

Our Phoenix Choir concert is now going to take place after all at Dandaro on Monday at 6pm. Hopefully will be OK without an extra rehearsal. If you have a musical recital it is legal. When you say concert the authorities think you mean thousands coming to watch, which is not the case. The Marden Singers are putting on the Messiah this weekend at Mary Magdalene Church in Avondale. It is suddenly all systems go - there are so many things happening this weekend, we have the Convent lunch but there is a quiz, Verandah Gallery and a market at Franjipanji. It is not possible to do everything. The last few weeks before Christmas are going to go really quickly and then we face 2021, hopefully better than this year.

Things are good, although perhaps slightly manic

 Spent an enjoyable weekend house sitting for a friend and looking after her kitten and older cat, Pumpkin and Ringo. Was lovely to have a pool again, as it is stiflingly hot. I did have a blind worm (a type of snake) as a companion too. It appeared twice on two separate evenings and I will be honest, I couldn't muster the courage to scoop him outside, so I just left him there to do his thing (notice how I make it a he) and remained up on the bed watching. On the last night he disappeared in the region of my school book bag. I'm afraid I now have this horrid thought that perhaps he's squashed inside and slowly rotting. Again wimpy me is too grossed out to investigate this. 

School has exactly 2.5 weeks or 12 days or 60 hours left. I'm not counting at all. My class are pushing boundaries and one delightful child wrote f you in full on my calendar. By handwriting I have an idea who it is but when I asked him he vehemently denied it. I am looking forward to the end. 

Had personal training this afternoon and Cara has a new form of torture, half burpees argh. They are even more gruelling than full ones as you jump from a crouch to the ground. I felt a bit icky at the end which Cara said shows I did an intensive work out and burned fat - ok. 

It's the Convent Old Girls reunion lunch at Alo Alo restaurant in Arundel on Saturday with a Christmas theme. We have a committee meeting tomorrow to finalise everything. Sadly no Sr Kate or Sr Loyola any more, as they passed away this year. 

The end is nigh

 We've just finished exam week and now have two and a half weeks of school left. YES!! The good news is we're having an extra week of holidays in January and not starting like government schools on the 5th. That's painful - New Year on the Friday and back to school on the Tuesday - no man. This year has been an incredibly long one, with two week breaks but otherwise school since May. I went to see my gynae on Monday and when I told her I had had tick bite fever in March, she said it might have been Corona. They have similar symptoms and it turns out you treat them with the same drug, doxycycline. The only way of knowing would be to test my antibodies.

We were supposed to have been having a choir concert on Sunday at Chapman Golf Club for 100 people but yesterday government sent out a statement saying we are still under lock down and therefore the concert would be illegal. Pity, but hopefully we can do the concert at a later date. It was nice to be singing again.

Last week and the week before I developed a chicken pox resembling rash. I don't know if it was a type of heat rash but when I went to the doctor to check it wasn't chicken pox or shingles, I was told it was probably an allergic reaction to something. Trouble is I don't know to what. The doctor said the spots looked a lot like chicken pox but I should have been covered head to foot if it was.

I'm kitten sitting this weekend for a good friend. Means I have use of a pool again and uncapped internet, yay. Might try watch some of The Crown on Netflix. The weekend after school finishes am going back off to the Vumba with friends. Looking forward to that. We will have to take diesel with for the generator and use solar lighting but will be a good break.

Funeral crowd renting services

 Am jolly glad tomorrow is Friday. It's been a pretty busy week with school and then evening outings. I did decide to go to the art festival at the Old Stables Market at the Race Course on Sunday. A few people asked me why I wasn't exhibiting. If I had known the Wild Geese person was the organiser I would have applied. Next time. There was a great selection of art and my favourite ice lolly company had an ice cart. It was pretty warm so a passionfruit ice lolly was just the ticket.

On Monday we had our first choir rehearsal. Well there had been earlier rehearsals during lock down but I didn't go. I had to quickly pick up the songs they had learned then. We are going to sing those and some we had rehearsed earlier in the year for a small concert at Chapman Golf Club in three weeks time. I had a braai after choir but trying to find the car in the dark on leaving choir, I tripped and fell over a rockery. Managed to gash the instep of my foot and cut my big toe. The irony was at the braai there were seven doctors present, but my non-medic friend William applied first aid. He thought this was very funny.

Went out to Hatfield on Tuesday after an eye appointment to see my best friend Nina. Was good to catch up and we went down to the paddock to see goshawks and their nest. Nina also has hoopoes nesting under the eaves by the kitchen. This afternoon I caught up with another close friend Heather on WhatsApp. Had to get my head around the time difference now they have day light savings.

The Convent Old Girls' Association has decided to put on a reunion lunch at Alo Alo at the end of November. We had a meeting this evening to plan and coordinate as a committee. As a joke one of the others said could I organise to rent a crowd for her funeral. Never been asked to do that, lol. We are going to have a Christmas theme this year. Sadly there will be no Sr Kate or Sr Loyola this year.

To go or not to go? That is the question

 Am very glad it's Friday and we are now two weeks into term. Seven more to go til I hopefully get a proper holiday at last and a complete break. I haven't really stopped since the school holidays ended in May. We are hoping to try go back up to the Vumba just after school closes with some friends. Can revisit the famous Tony's Coffee Shop and go for walks in the forest.

There's a big art festival happening at The Stables at Borrowdale Race Course on Sunday. I know some of the artists exhibiting. I would like to go but there is a part of me that is a bit concerned about how many people there will be in a relatively small area. Although COVID is still not a major concern in Zimbabwe, it is still out there. I could try go straight after mass. Will see. A friend said a doctor advised her not to. Perhaps I should heed that advice but there is the ever present case of FOMO.

Was chatting to my work colleague at lunchtime and she said she told her class they will learn all about human reproduction when they get to my class. Ho hum, I had previously been told not to teach it as some of our kids are still very immature. There are some aspects though like hygiene and menstruation that should perhaps be taught. With my private tutoring student I have just covered sexual reproduction and the poor boy didn't know where to look. When I asked what bodily changes occur when you're a teenager he stuck to the very safe ones and feigned ignorance at the rest which was quite amusing. He was thoroughly relieved when we got to the end of the unit. In some ways, so was I.

I may be house sitting for my headmistress over Christmas. Would entail looking after two great danes, chickens and I think rabbits. She will take her small dog Yukkie with her as he got into fights with the great danes. He has been coming into school with her and is now the school mascot. Yukkie the school dog.

Back to the classroom with Corona

 I am into my second week of being back to classroom teaching. Whilst it is good to see the kids and you can make them do the work more easily, I miss having a mute button and not having to deal with classroom politics. Also trying to keep their attention all morning and be on the ball from 7 am til 1 pm is an art I am having to pick up again. But overall so far it has been OK. Although half of my class were all absent both yesterday and today. Did they all go down with Corona?! I have to do temperature checks first thing and we all have to wear face shields. Two more classes start back tomorrow. We are going to have to stagger break time so they can keep distanced. There's no sport so am doing distanced Pilates with my class. My one student after Friday's session kept muttering, "I don't feel good" to the tune of James Brown's more affirmative version.

My Borrowdale Brooke au pairing job came to an end sadly. They wanted someone who could do mornings and afternoons which I can't. I went to watch the little girl horse riding last week though and they said they possibly might call on me to tutor in the holidays. As a thank you present I was given the most beautiful bunch of purple roses and other flowers from Wild and Fresh and I was also given my first ever Patrick Mavros jewellery. Unfortunately they are earrings but maybe it's time I pierced my ears. Will see.

Choir is set to resume on Monday. They had some practices earlier on in lock down but have been told they will be doing new songs on Monday and we are going to try do a concert to a small audience on the 22nd of November at Chapman Golf Club. I haven't sung in a while, this could be interesting.

I am still house sitting. Probably for a week and a bit more but just depends on my friend's treatment down South. Am loving having a pool to cool off in at the end of each day. I pop home to see my own doggies when I can. Luckily it's not far from here.

The Return

 And just like that government announced we're all headed back to school and tomorrow is suddenly my last day of this "term". Earlier this week is was projected that my class would resume back in the classroom at the end of October. Well that has all changed, yet again and I now will start with everyone else on the 14th of October. To begin with I was told I would only get one week's break while everyone else gets two. I'm afraid I dug my heels and insisted I also get two weeks. My class don't write the government exam ZIMSEC or the Cambridge exams so at this point it really doesn't make a difference to them if we have two weeks and I need the break!! As do they. They were a rebellious bunch in the first term (uprisings usually only happen in the third term from my past experience of grade sevens but my lot started being mutinous in February!)

So tomorrow I go into school and collect this week's marking but I don't have to do a Zoom class or distribute work for the weekend or next week. The school has to be sanitized and it looks like I have to have a test for COVID. I then have to get my head around planning for a fourth term. This school year feels like it will never end. I am keen to maybe try get away to Nyanga or the Vumba before school reopens. I really would love to get out of Harare. Will see. Feels like Zim is getting into mode for 'normality'. We see what happens. My sister is wanting us to think about using our flights booked for the UK. The UK though has gone back into lock down again and we have to pay a top up on our tickets. A return ticket on Ethiopian Airways is currently at US$ 3500. I guess if more travel paths open up the price should come down, but that is pretty steep right now.

I am dog sitting currently and enjoying walks with Snowy, the black setter like pup. It is nice to have my own space and the uncapped wifi is a definite bonus. Have got into the Netflix series The Crown. Although it is a little weird to watch someone who is still alive's life being portrayed. 

Mojitos or mosquitoes and my sister has a baby

 My week definitely improved since my last post and it ended on a good note, with a trip out to Wild is Life with the children I au pair for a ninth birthday party. We saw Marimba the pangolin and fed the giraffes and had a yummy tea on the lawns of the sanctuary under tents. I wished I had taken my proper camera rather than just using my phone. Hindsight is a wonderful and frustrating thing.

Our school might not start back in the classroom until after the planned October break. This suits me, although online is just not working for some of my students and it is really going to be hard trying to work with what we have to the end of the year. It does look like I might be au pairing in the afternoons which would be good. I might have to do my personal training in the early morning before school - eeek. Will be a long day, we'll see.

Am house sitting again as sadly a friend has cancer and has to go down to Joburg for treatment. It was touch and go getting clearance to travel down as the borders are still closed with COVID but they left today. I was on stand by since Thursday. Am looking after Snowy the dog and the twelve chickens. Snowy is getting used to me. They have uncapped wifi so I can watch Netflix and play music on YouTube - nice!

Had a friend's birthday braai this afternoon in Pomona. Was nice and chilled and she made very yummy mojitos at the end. Left before the others as had to feed Snowy and put the chickens in the coop. Got back to a message from my sister which simply said they now have a baby!? So they have been wanting to have a cat for a while and finally bit the bullet today and got a kitten. Haha, not a new niece or nephew but it may take that unofficial status. No name as yet.

Uncertainty

 This last week has been a hard one. My anxiety came back, along with a dose of depression. It looks like schools are starting to reopen with exam classes coming back. While this is necessary and needs to happen it also spells out the end of my job in Borrowdale Brooke and my better salary. This has left me feeling very low and a bit panicky about what next. I am also feeling a bit worn out from having to just keep going. I got some reprieve when the family in Borrowdale Brooke asked if I would consider doing the au pair job in the afternoons when schools go back. This did significantly lift some of my worry. It is going to be a juggle though and will have to work out when I will be able to fit in photocopying. It looks like two more weeks of online learning and then I am back in the classroom.

Unicorns, au pairing and TikTok

View from above Borrowdale Brooke

Since I last wrote, my anxiety has lifted and I am enjoying my new work more. I am managing OK with balancing it with school work and it is the right amount of busy-ness. It is just as well my new job covers fuel, as I use a quarter of a tank there and back each day, but I like the drive. The Brooke is an interesting place, slightly pretentious and an admixture of architectural styles. The house I go to is near to Mnangagwa's son's mansion. We have a chef, Victor, who whips out cupcakes every break time. Have just done a work out online with Cara my personal trainer to try burn it off but I need to try not to nibble so much. Am getting to know the kids I tutor. They are both dyslexic and one does NILD with someone else but I help with her NILD homework and rhythmic writing. At the moment I don't have any NILD students of my own. 

Part of my job is to take my two students and the two younger ones to activities. I was dropping one off this week and by mistake we drove into the wrong house. Turns out the house we went to knows the family so was a little awkward but they seemed to see our mistake. On Mondays and Wednesday I do a drop off and pick up at Hellenic and get a lunch box picnic packed for me to munch on. I am seeing the other side of online learning and how it is a bit stressful for parents trying to get their kids to get through all the work set by teachers and also having resources on hand for projects suddenly sprung on them. Is quite good for me to see this for my own class. Hellenic did the #jerusalemachallenge and I am getting my class to do it too. Some are keen, some not so much. I said I can compile a video of it, hopefully haven't bitten off too much of a challenge with that.

I house sat last week in Kensington and this week I'm in Milton Park looking after the lone remaining dachshund and two new cats. I am going to try pop home just now to see my own two dogs. Having a few friends over for dinner and then lunch this weekend. Just been using Pinterest to look at recipes based on a loose idea I have planned. Went back to the Pomona Farmers' Market yesterday and again they had such lovely veggies and much cheaper than elsewhere. I love that you put everything in brown paper bags, no plastic and you have a wicker basket to fill. Definitely a fan.

Have been asked to give a 30 minute talk on depression online in October. The panel discussion I was on a month ago should be shared soon.

Anxiety

 I don't often get anxiety, but this past week it has been hanging over me and I wake up feeling it acutely. I think it's trying to juggle everything and not drop a ball and feeling the pressure that I have to as otherwise we can't afford the basics. It eats into you though and hovers over your day.

This week was an ease into things as we had a long weekend. From next week it will be the real test with full weeks and trying to get it all done. It looks like I will be house sitting for two weeks for two different people.

This isn't a long post as I don't really have much more to say. I feel for those who have anxiety all the time and struggle with it daily.

Good news in the time of Corona

Managed to get out into the garden and start a painting this morning. Did a wash of water colour and will work into it with ink. Before that I did some school stuff and asked my class for topics they want to cover in this next term. A lot of them said they want to learn about Zimbabwean and African history. We have done the Chimurengas and slavery before but guess we can visit them again. I think my class is going to be very #blacklivesmatter conscious with slavery and Apartheid but I guess they need to know to have a balanced view.

Did a lesson online and then drove across to Borrowdale Brooke for an interview. I got the job to tutor children who are doing online work from Hellenic and I start on Wednesday. This will really help my income and they will cover my fuel. It means I'm going to be working pretty darn hard when school resumes but I have to.

The other good news is that I have sold a painting. It's the one I did out at Mazowe the week before last.

An extra job and mental health

Have an interview for some extra teaching tomorrow. It's to support some children learning from home. I just am not going to survive on my current income. Basically earn just enough to pay our gardner on my main salary. It's going to mean working even harder but I have no choice. It's that or we may have to leave Zim as we just cannot afford to live here any more. I will also be doing some marking for the Allied Arts poetry and literature eisteddfod. I think a lot of people are barely making ends meet and living hand to mouth here.

At lunchtime I took part in a recorded online panelist discussion on mental health. There was someone from the Friendship Bench, some other support groups and health practitioners. We are going to do another session next weekend and it will eventually be posted online for a mental health virtual festival.

Otherwise have pottered round the garden, watering plants and being with my dogs. There was an art festival at Mukuvusi Woodlands today that I would have liked to have gone to but we are trying to be careful (my sister is freaking out about us going out and about). There is a third and final art auction for Daryl Nero's art which will be online.

Mental health and vet bills

This morning got off to a good start. Since we've gone back to stricter lock down again, I had organized a Google Meets with people from my depression support group, Unquiet Minds. Ended up only being four of us, but it was good to connect and one of the people is now in France and he had some great ideas from what he has experienced in France for support for depression. They have groups that offer activities for different interests. A friend in Australia who works in mental health support had also suggested this. When lock down ends can definitely try this out and in the meantime try have more regular online meet ups. Tomorrow I am a panelist speaker for a mental health webinar. Am just waiting to hear if we are live tomorrow or if the discussion with be shared later on.

Moderator: Lady K - radio personality

Panelists:

- Tony Friday - Global institute for emotional health and wellness / Radio personality

- Chenjerai Chigumbura - Lawyer / The Empowerment Trust founder

- Sandra - art therapy

- Wadzanai Garwe - Economist

- Michael Chiunda - LGBTQ+ activist / Hands of Hope / Singer/Songwriter

- Noku Sithole - DJ Noxxy / Gospel Artist /

- Ashler Jaya - The mixologist

- Rufaro - Poet

- Chengeto Brown - Singer/Songwriter

- Ruth Mbangwa - Jazz Musician

- Elli - Mental Health worker

- Indigo Saint - Musician / Activist

- Akrikka - Activist / Musician

- Chido Tengae - Actress

- Ritah The thought - Events and Creative Arts Management / Social and Community

Development / Spiritual and Mental Health Activist

- Diana Motsi - Activist / Photographer

- Michelle Juru - Visual Artist / Chief Creative Officer of Panda Stu.

- AneUnhu Gwatidzo - Creative Consultant / Multidisciplinary storyteller

- Tony Friday - Global institute for emotional health and wellness / Radio personality

- Vimbai Mukaronda - Tutor at Inspire tutors

- Sandra - Art therapy

- Dr Nyarai Paweni - Wellness coach - Naturopathic Doctor / Mental Wellness Advocate

- Wadzanai Garwe - Economist

- Katy Lanas - Unquiet minds

- Michael Chiunda - LGBTQ+ activist / Hands of Hope / Singer/Songwriter

- Agatha Chapeyama-Chipunza - The mental health trust

- Ashler Jaya - The mixologist

- Thandi Gula-Ndebele - Photographer/ Videographer

- Chengeto Brown - Singer/Songwriter

- Ruth Mbangwa - Jazz Musician

- Indigo Saint - Musician / Activist

- Akrikka - Activist / Musician

- Ritah The thought - Events and Creative Arts Management / Social and Community

Development / Spiritual and Mental Health Activist

- Diana Motsi - Activist / Photographer

Out in the garden after the online meet up, I suddenly noticed my dog Elsie had a gaping wound on her elbow. She gets pressure points there but this had turned into an abscess which had burst, and we had to take her to the vet. Coaxing her along with biscuits we got her in the car, whereafter she was very well behaved. The vets had a glass shield in front of the main counter and we weren't allowed into the consulting room with Elsie.  She panicked a bit at this but was OK. It all came to US$23, which is about an eighth of my salary, but had to be done. But between Elsie having to go to the vet and Jasper biting Given, our gardner, this week has been costly.

Exam postponed, phew

So the big news on Wednesday evening was that the CHIZ ATS schools have decided to postpone again the grade 7 high school entrance exam. A big PHEW! Means I get next week off and theoretically we resume school on the 3rd of August online. We wait and see what happens with next week's MDC demonstration and Corona. Closer to home a staff member at the Pick'n'Pay in Strathaven tested positive for Corona and they had to shut down and sanitize or SANE-tise as a friend put it. It is definitely very much out there now. My sister is still not talking to us and hasn't invited me to do Pilates or Zumba this week. We can't just up and go though, it's not straightforward.

As I was trying to find topics for social studies, I put it out to some of my class as to what they would like to learn about. One student said he'd like to study Apartheid. Good choice. That will take several lessons and is a relevant bit of history. Yesterday with my student that I tutor, we did nutrition. Was interesting to see the traditional theory of a balanced diet which is heavily carbohydrate based. We discussed the newer low carb option and then looked at diseases from deficiencies. I had forgotten about goitre and beri beri. You do need your grains for Vitamin B in some forms of starch. Today I don't teach online. I am trying to find my CELTA teaching English as a foreign language certificate. I know I put it in a "safe place" but can't remember where.

It's a bit like Groundhog Day

With the sudden clamp down by government again last night and lock down being more strictly reinstated once more, there is a tangible sense of deja vu and here we go again. I'm glad I saw a few people this last weekend before going back into hibernation. A few people went to art this morning but I opted to stay home. I also managed to persuade my grade 7 student I am privately tutoring to have an online lesson. They hadn't installed Zoom so we had to do it over Skype which was not ideal as you can't share screens or have a white board, but we managed. They are currently trying to install Zoom for tomorrow, but gosh, didn't know there were so many Zoom apps to choose from now. I just had one option when I installed mine.

Lock down this morning didn't start well. Our dog Jasper is not good with other people if we are around and my mum unwittingly let the dogs out the back door, not knowing our gardner was walking round the corner at that precise moment. Jasper went for him and punctured his hand. We dressed the wound but my mum thought it best to take Given to the trauma centre for tetanus and other things. Unfortunately the CIMAS clinic in Rowland Square was closed, so she took Given to Health Point, which cost a bomb (six weeks' worth of online private teaching blown in one go). It had to be done though. Given has now gone back home to Epworth with the lock down. He rode all the way on his bicycle and was going to take back roads to avoid the police to get home. Means I need to do the watering in the garden.

Did some art in the garden today and some watering. My sister didn't invite me to join Pilates tonight, I think she's still really cross with me.

To go to England

After Pilates last night, my mum and I had a heated discussion with my sister about the COVID situation here. My sister is putting a lot of pressure on us to use the ticket we had on Ethiopian airways to go to the UK for my mum's birthday in May, to go over to the UK now and sit out the COVID pandemic over there. Her reasoning is that she feels that if we were to get sick, there aren't adequate health facilities here to cope with mass infection. We understand her worry and that she is feeling helpless at a distance, but getting on an aeroplane and abandoning ship here is not straightforward. To start, sitting on an aeroplane for many hours surrounded by people you don't know is one of the most riskiest things you can do. Then there's our jobs here and my dogs (Very Important). It is also a financial burden on my sister and brother-in-law to go squat it out in their tiny house for who knows how long. The health facilities here are not geared to a massive onslaught but we wouldn't qualify to be treated on the NHS if we were in England and would have to pay a fortune for private treatment. Well this is our argument for the moment. If Zim really does go into pandemic crisis we may not be allowed into the UK. My sister may not talk to us for a couple of days after last night.

Have given myself a day off today (my first proper one since we've been on break, excluding weekends) Edit that: I lie, I actually did grade 7 references for the schools they are applying to for form one this morning, so actually I did do some work today, it wasn't a complete holiday. Read, did exercise in the garden with my dogs and then WhatsApp video called one of my best friends, Heather in the UK. We had a lovely long chat and giggles and Louis her baby made appearances which were special. Also heard from my other best friends Nina and Gail.

Spoke to our gardner this evening and said to see how things go the rest of this week for next week. If the police clamp down more it might be best if he stays in Epworth next week as coming into town from the high density areas with the big MDC planned anti-government demonstration on Friday the 31st might prove dangerous. Zimbabwe doesn't do things in half measures, we have a flailing political and economic situation, intimidation and abductions and then what looks like a threatening COVID catastrophe. Can't complain that it ever gets dull.

And then suddenly COVID was very real

I ended up phoning the head this morning to touch base on what the plan is for next week. It now hinges on whether the grade 7's will write their entrance exam on Saturday the 1st or not. It is beginning to look a bit unlikely as suddenly the incidences of COVID have started to sky rocket. I mentioned previously the case of a person at the cathedral who had it and has now died. There was also a security guard at the Bon Marche in Mount Pleasant who tested positive, four staff at the Milton Park new hospital, and then a teacher who was offering private tutoring who also infected all her students. I think my trips out are going to end from now and I will see if I can teach my new student online rather. For school, if grade 7's do write, I have to do past papers with them next week and then start with my grade 6's and 7's the following week online again. Deep breath in and out.

My Chinese students have fizzled out which is a bit bleak but had my other student that I still tutor this afternoon. On the way home I stopped at my friend Lucy's. Her little boy got very excited to see me. He first came and sat behind me and played with my hair and then decided I was a giddy up pony and while I was trying to drink a cup of tea he bounced behind me. He calmed down a little and followed us to the vegetable garden where Lucy gave me some salad and veg. While we were busy with this Philippe got bored and built a dam in the coriander flower bed. He decided to add water to this dam and turned on the hose pipe. This started to encroach on the healthy coriander patch and we tried to stop him but the mud became very alluring and it started with hands and feet but rapidly deteriorated into knees and then full body in the mud. Philippe was in white shorts and a lovely sweater. All part of childhood but poor Lucy had her first full mud experience. Philippe came and had a bucket bath but just after he had come clean he made a mad dash back to the coriander flower bed and got coated once again. It was really hard to not laugh and seem stern.

Looks like it is back to being a hermit after this though and online communication again. Had Pilates with my sister this evening. She was having it in her garden in Swindon with two Scottish guys. I ended up being the only girl which is unusual.

Supposedly the last week before we return

I need to finish my lesson plans for the supposed start of school next Tuesday but it is all rather hard to plan. For a start it now seems government doesn't want us to go back to classroom teaching so it looks like we'll soldier on with online but there is no indication as to how long a term I'm planning for. It feels like we are ending up having a lot more school than normal and I'm scraping the barrel for topics to cover for the estimate of end of term. I do need to do revision too as I don't know how much has gone in with some of my students but not having them face to face makes it difficult to tell if they are really understanding. Sigh, one has to just do one's best and go with the flow and not plan too far ahead (unless you're trying, "trying" to write forecasts for work). My grade 7's write their entrance exams for high school supposedly in two weeks' time, again, who knows what is going to happen, but I have to finish preparing them as best I can for that, whilst juggling my two grade 6's.

In other news, saw a few friends this weekend and went to a socially distanced mass at Saint George's Chapel this morning. Not going to tell my sister this as she feels we should be maintaining a very strict lock down with the stats coming out of South Africa. I won't tell her too that someone who attended mass at the cathedral in town was diagnosed with COVID and is now dead. The cathedral is being sanitised and they are re-thinking mass there. I guess we do have to be careful but the mass at St George's was very spread out and there were very few people there.

Was paid by my Chinese students yesterday but sadly they might not want lessons for the next month as they will be travelling around China. This is a bit of a blow as it is one of my only sources of US$ and you now have to pay for petrol in US$ not bond. We are a bit stuck with paying our gardner as my mum was paying him in US but no longer can and paying him the equivalent in bond is almost my salary. I need to pick up more work or really will have to assess if we can live here. One of the reasons government might up the strict level of lock down again is that MDC plans to have a mass protest on the 31st of July. ZANU PF may use the excuse of COVID to tighten entry into cities in the week of the protest. Things are rather dire in Zim but I am not sure what the protest will achieve.

On an end note, apparently according to a doctor, for COVID you should be taking zinc, have vitamin C, sit in the sunshine every day and take an asprin a day as COVID causes coagulation. I'm getting my sunshine with my dogs and am already taking zinc. The naartjies at the moment are really good, so there's my vitamin C.

(proverbe) Mieux vaut prévenir que guérir

It's almost time for Zumba with my sister. Am nearly through the first week of the two week break between "terms" for school. We closed last week Friday and were supposed to have the grade 7 exam class starting back on the 28th but from newspaper reports it seems that might not happen now. It makes it all rather difficult to plan. I am trying to put together a term plan for now until some point in September. It is proving quite a task and feels like we've had an awful lot of school. Besides the fact that correspondence school is just not working for some. Am still waiting for one student to hand in work.

In between school prep I have been doing quite a bit of art which has been nice. I went out to Mazowe to a farm to paint aloes on Tuesday and was rather pleased with my two pieces. Loving using cadmium yellow at the moment. Want to try capture the jacaranda avenues with their yellow leaves. The first of the msasas are starting to come out.

Une tornade, un monstre et un ours en peluche

(translated - a tornado, a monster and a teddy bear)

Today has been Zooms (that disconnected), Google Meets (as an alternative), WeChat and WhatsApp calls. I started off early with my one student to go over work from yesterday one on one online. We got cut off on Zoom halfway through conjunctions and prepositions and will have to resume on Thursday. I then had my grade 7's and was trying to revise a past maths paper with them for their upcoming entrance exams. We suddenly lost connectivity with that, well at least I did. I tried to get everyone to reconvene on Google Meets but only managed to get three out of seven. It was very amusing to hear that when I left the Zoom chat and the rest of my class were left on, pandemonium apparently broke out and it freaked them out that I was no longer the host or there. I did chuckle and was glad they missed me. Bodes well for the return to school. I did get from the three who made it to Google Meet which topics we will need to revise when we return to school. Quite a few things, and this was from some of my stronger students.

I managed to have my French lesson on WeChat for its entirety but my mum came charging through midway wanting me to go help with our dog Jasper. He had apparently found a hole in the fence to next door and gone to investigate the tree cutters and all the noise they've been making. Luckily he was so intent on that, he ignored our next door neighbour (he has torn her clothes before) and thankfully her dog was indoors as otherwise it could all have been quite disastrous. Fortunately the tree cutters were all up the tree too, as Jasper bites people. I was in the middle of my French lesson so waved my mum off but she managed to get him back into our yard and he has been confined to the veranda all afternoon until Given, our gardner returned and fixed the hole.

As something different, I played a story telling game with my Chinese French students. Basically we added on to a story I started and I provided the words in French. I struggled a bit with what teddy bear is in French but otherwise the story revolved around a monster and a tornado. They seemed to enjoy this. We had already played Simon Says in French. They are getting pretty good at parts of the body. They can already read English so tonight I need to try find some very simple stories in French.

This afternoon I managed to WhatsApp my friend Heather in the UK and chatted to her and saw her beautiful baby boy, Louis. Tomorrow is my art day. We are going to socially distanced paint in the late Daryl Nero's garden and try some of his techniques - dabbling with water colour, oil pastel and then a marker pen.