7 quick takes...

'Our' island...

1. Today ran away with me! It’s half past 3 and I have finally time to sit down and write a blog. Well, I actually say that wrong. I should say that I am finally making time because when I started this morning I had no inspiration and desire to write and when that’s the case I just stare at my screen and waste time. So instead I cleaned up the living, sorted the craft supplies, had a call for work, read books, played games and made crafts with the girls. Not a bad day!
2. We have been doing that with the banging of hammers and the sound of power tools in the background. Our house is getting new mosquito netting in all the windows to stop mosquito’s and other unwanted little intruders from getting in. The guys are working very hard, and I am grateful for it. Especially because when they’re done, we can move to our own room again. Right now we share the room with the girls and I cannot say that my nights are as relaxing.
3. The reason for this sudden renovation was something that happened last week. Hartmut came back from work in the usual chaos. The girls were cleaning up the mess they had created that day (a task they don’t enjoy), I was cooking, Hartmut had a big bag of veggies that he had picked up at the market that needed to be packed away and as this all unfolded I spotted a bat. It wasn’t the first time we had seen one. We suspected a nest somewhere in our house but had not been able to find out where exactly they were hiding. It flew against the window, Hartmut closed it so that it was locked between the mosquito netting and the window and when it had worked it’s way down, Hartmut opened the window again and picked it up with a thick cloth to carry it outside. He was unlucky as, at that moment, the bat turned around and bit him in his finger, straight through the cloth. It wasn’t a deep bite but it was sore and a scratch or bite from a bat is something you shouldn’t take a risk with. Bats are the biggest carrier of rabies and rabies is, if left untreated, always deadly. You can imagine that we were quite stressed. Fortunately there is a wonderful Facebook group for expats who always seem to know the answer for everything. We asked what we should do and everybody said what we already knew; we should go to a clinic to get the vaccinations. Fortunately they had them available in Salima and Hartmut has had his second dose, two more to go in the coming week. We got a big fright but are grateful for how everything worked out and pray that all the vaccinations will do what they need to do.
4. We got another fright this week, although I expected it would bring more drama than it actually did. Our mama duck had 12 eggs and only 4 came out. The 4 ducklings have been growing wonderfully and it is a real joy to see them waddle around our house following their mother wherever they go. We have always talked with the girls about the possibility that one or more would not make it as there are many dangers for little ducks in our garden. There are snakes, cats, lizards, fish eagles and many more animals who would like a tasty snack. When we came home some time last week, the girls ran to the duck house to see their best friends but came running back to tell us there were only three ducklings. They looked everywhere but it became evident that one had really gone missing. I had expected tears and sadness but instead the girls told each other that ‘it’s sad but this is nature’ and they are glad there are three left. I guess there is a lot of value in living in and with nature like we do, and this maturity and down-to-earthness when dealing with things like this is one of them.
5. When you get a chance, you must befriend Sophie because once you are her friend she will give you gifts whenever she can. We have seen that when it was Doris’ birthday, and Sophie prepared gifts for months in advance. We also see this when we are in the shop where she will always ask for money; not to buy something for herself but to buy a present for Hartmut. When we drive on the road, and she sees flowers, she will ask to stop, so she can pick them and make a bouquet for whoever we are going to visit. Last Friday, we were going to go to Lilongwe and visit Pien, her Dutch friend. She thought long and hard about what she wanted to give her (it wasn’t her birthday, but you just cannot arrive somewhere without bringing a gift.) and finally decided that she would bake a cake. It’s fun because her reading is good enough by now that she can read a recipe, so I was ordered to leave the kitchen (I only helped with putting it in and taking it out of the oven.) and together with Doris they followed the recipe meticulously, crossing out all the ingredients they had added and all the steps they had completed. The cake came out well, and I am scared that from now on I will have to share one of my favourite hobbies.
6. Yesterday was one of those days that made us super happy to live at the lake. The weather was absolutely perfect and we got our boat out to go to the little island, about two kilometres from the shore, right in front of our house. The water around the island is clean, there are tons of fish and the island itself is like a perfect uninhabited island from story books with little coves, rocks to climb and jungle-like vegetation. We cut up some fruit and veg as snacks, took some cold drinks and had a really special time feeding the fish, exploring the coves and enjoying the lake. 
7. The girls are asking me if I cannot please-please-please come to the beach with them because it has started to be quite stormy, and they always love the big waves. It’s hard to say no to that much enthusiasm and I love the beach too, so I guess this is it for the week. Have a great one!

The kind of mess I love.

What pride looks like...

A nice supper on our porch.