What's going on with the Spaanders?
It is that time of year when it seems like all activities are squeezed into the last few weeks of the year. Farewell parties, End of year get togethers, Xmas bazaars, test week, etc etc. On top of that there are still 'some' boxes to unpack in the garage, piles of clothes to wash and sort out and before I know it our suitcases will need to be packed to go on our Xmas holiday.....
I bought a puzzle the other day, it has 5000 (!) tiny pieces. I started looking for the corner pieces and the side pieces and then gave up. I would love to start on it, but can't find the time and peace of mind to do so. Maybe in the new year, when the boxes are gone and it is less busy?
Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Good on you!
One of the blogs that I check every day is called Edenland . At the moment Eden is in India to visit projects sponsored by World Vision.
A few days ago I sent Eden a message on Facebook:
A few days ago I sent Eden a message on Facebook:
Dear Eden,
Just want to let you know I read your blogs and I love them. I often feel like sending a comment, but then I think 'why would she be interested in my 2 cents worth?'
Your blogs on India are great. I live in India (in Bangalore) and I know what you are talking about, I know the smells, the sights and how overwhelming it all can be. I love the way you describe what you see and do and I can relate to it. Here in South India it is not as bad as in Delhi and Mumbai for instance, but I have seen the slums there too.
I do volunteer work in a slum for a project that empowers women by running their own company. They make bags out of used tetra packs and cement bags. It is great to see how they can provide for their (extended) family and how their children can get an education.
Thank you for your blog and for your view on things!!!
Fokkelien
And...she replied :-D
Fokkelien, thank you so much for emailing me! The most favourite part of my time here so far has been meeting women who are getting empowered. It's just fantastic, I love it so much. Today we travelled out to some "nicer" slums in Raipur, met with some women who are sewing curtains and clothes and earning enough to start businesses. Good on you for living in this country .. how do you even do it?! Amazing.
Love to you xx
That question: "how do you even do it?!" makes me feel a bit awkward. It isn't hard for me at all to live here, because I love India with all it's colours and chaos and mess and when it gets too overwhelming I just stay at home. I have the luxury to live in a gated community: as soon as I enter the gates I leave the 'real' India behind and enter a different world.
I think what Eden does is a lot harder. She is visiting the worst slums in the worst areas and gets confronted with people that live in horrible conditions, children that can't go to school or go to a doctor, because there is no money and they have to beg or steal to get something to eat.
It is very daunting and discouraging to see such poverty and on such a large scale. It is easier to close your eyes and refuse to acknowledge it than to get up close and try to find a solution. It seems to be a problem that is impossible to solve.
Over the years Adriaan and I have always tried to help on a small scale. Our idea has been to make sure children can go to school and get proper health care. It is a small drop in the ocean, but a lot of drops do make a difference I am sure.
Good on you Eden for being an ambassador for World Vision and for writing such an inspiring blog! I hope it will get a lot of people to add some drops to the ocean.
Just want to let you know I read your blogs and I love them. I often feel like sending a comment, but then I think 'why would she be interested in my 2 cents worth?'
Your blogs on India are great. I live in India (in Bangalore) and I know what you are talking about, I know the smells, the sights and how overwhelming it all can be. I love the way you describe what you see and do and I can relate to it. Here in South India it is not as bad as in Delhi and Mumbai for instance, but I have seen the slums there too.
I do volunteer work in a slum for a project that empowers women by running their own company. They make bags out of used tetra packs and cement bags. It is great to see how they can provide for their (extended) family and how their children can get an education.
Thank you for your blog and for your view on things!!!
Fokkelien
And...she replied :-D
Fokkelien, thank you so much for emailing me! The most favourite part of my time here so far has been meeting women who are getting empowered. It's just fantastic, I love it so much. Today we travelled out to some "nicer" slums in Raipur, met with some women who are sewing curtains and clothes and earning enough to start businesses. Good on you for living in this country .. how do you even do it?! Amazing.
Love to you xx
That question: "how do you even do it?!" makes me feel a bit awkward. It isn't hard for me at all to live here, because I love India with all it's colours and chaos and mess and when it gets too overwhelming I just stay at home. I have the luxury to live in a gated community: as soon as I enter the gates I leave the 'real' India behind and enter a different world.
I think what Eden does is a lot harder. She is visiting the worst slums in the worst areas and gets confronted with people that live in horrible conditions, children that can't go to school or go to a doctor, because there is no money and they have to beg or steal to get something to eat.
It is very daunting and discouraging to see such poverty and on such a large scale. It is easier to close your eyes and refuse to acknowledge it than to get up close and try to find a solution. It seems to be a problem that is impossible to solve.
Over the years Adriaan and I have always tried to help on a small scale. Our idea has been to make sure children can go to school and get proper health care. It is a small drop in the ocean, but a lot of drops do make a difference I am sure.
Good on you Eden for being an ambassador for World Vision and for writing such an inspiring blog! I hope it will get a lot of people to add some drops to the ocean.
Monday, 19 November 2012
Nothing much and a whole lot going on...
It has been a week again since my last blog, but there is nothing much to write about. I have been very busy, mainly with unpacking boxes, making a mess and tidying up again. I have made quite a dent in the stack of boxes, but am not finished by far. All the clothes have been unpacked now and ready to be washed and sorted. A lot of it will go to find a new home, because we have outgrown them or because our sense of fashionable clothing has changed.
The boys have been studying over the Diwali break and the weekend for the test week. Nervous times for this Mum again...
This morning I spotted these in the supermarket:
Not something I would buy to decorate my house for Diwali or Xmas.....
The boys have been studying over the Diwali break and the weekend for the test week. Nervous times for this Mum again...
This morning I spotted these in the supermarket:
Not something I would buy to decorate my house for Diwali or Xmas.....
Monday, 12 November 2012
Diwali Holiday
Friday it was Simon's birthday, he turned 12 (how did that happen, he is my baby?). He had to perform with the school band at the Diwali celebrations at school and it sounded really good.
Saturday we were invited by the parents of one of Ruben's friends. Ruben had had a sleepover and we went to pick him up and stayed for tea and snacks. They organised for Science Adda to put on their display and the kids and parents had great fun with all sorts of experiments about sound.
This was our favourite of course. A keyboard was connected to a tube with flames and the flames danced to the music.
On Sunday we went out for lunch to Simon's favourite restaurant so he could have THE-BEST-PIZZA-EVER! (Margerita, without tomatoes and basil but with bacon).
Yes, I know, eating with his hands and his elbows on the table...but I have been told that that is THE way to eat a pizza.....
In the afternoon Joshua decided to burn some dried banana peels (as you do) and used the ashes in an experiment. His father joined in the fun and apparently they got the results they were after.
Tomorrow it is Diwali so the boys have a short break from school. Kavitha made a rangoli with flowers in our living room. We will light the oil lamps tomorrow as Diwali is the festival of light.
Kavitha also made a rangoli (with coloured sand) on our doorstep, but right after she finished it, the gardener from next door decided to put on the sprinklers and ruined it....
Saturday we were invited by the parents of one of Ruben's friends. Ruben had had a sleepover and we went to pick him up and stayed for tea and snacks. They organised for Science Adda to put on their display and the kids and parents had great fun with all sorts of experiments about sound.
On Sunday we went out for lunch to Simon's favourite restaurant so he could have THE-BEST-PIZZA-EVER! (Margerita, without tomatoes and basil but with bacon).
In the afternoon Joshua decided to burn some dried banana peels (as you do) and used the ashes in an experiment. His father joined in the fun and apparently they got the results they were after.
Tomorrow it is Diwali so the boys have a short break from school. Kavitha made a rangoli with flowers in our living room. We will light the oil lamps tomorrow as Diwali is the festival of light.
Kavitha also made a rangoli (with coloured sand) on our doorstep, but right after she finished it, the gardener from next door decided to put on the sprinklers and ruined it....
HAPPY DIWALI!
Thursday, 8 November 2012
It has arrived!
Mmmmmm, neatly packed truck? NOT
Garage with walking space for a skeleton
I unpacked 3 boxes with clothes, never before my laundry looked like this.
Halloween
My darling husband still hasn't sorted out the Sri Lanka photos, so that blog will have to wait a bit longer...(I know, I could sort them out too, but it is something A loves to do and he is very particular about it).
Today I am sitting at home waiting for the movers to arrive with our personal belongings from Libya. Part of it was delivered to our house in NL and the rest of it will arrive on our doorstep in Bangalore today. Unpacking these boxes will give us final closure. This is it, what we get is all that is left from our possessions. Scary much, cause what is not there will never be returned...but at least is is closure after almost 2 years.
Another scary thing was our Halloween celebration here on Adarsh Vista. We never celebrated till last year when we jumped right in and helped organise and participate in the hunted house. This year our American friends transformed their house into a hunted house and we had great fun being ghouls for the night. Thanks Sheri and Darren for letting us be part of this and thanks for the photos!
Today I am sitting at home waiting for the movers to arrive with our personal belongings from Libya. Part of it was delivered to our house in NL and the rest of it will arrive on our doorstep in Bangalore today. Unpacking these boxes will give us final closure. This is it, what we get is all that is left from our possessions. Scary much, cause what is not there will never be returned...but at least is is closure after almost 2 years.
Another scary thing was our Halloween celebration here on Adarsh Vista. We never celebrated till last year when we jumped right in and helped organise and participate in the hunted house. This year our American friends transformed their house into a hunted house and we had great fun being ghouls for the night. Thanks Sheri and Darren for letting us be part of this and thanks for the photos!
Simon, myself and Ruben, ready for action
Simon, tied to the stairs, jumping out when people walk past
Ruben 'hiding' behind the bar
The lovely hosts....
Pumpkin art!
The rest of the crew
Sunday, 4 November 2012
Sad
Last Monday we got the sad news that my father's younger brother, my Godfather, had passed away at the age of 66. Unexpected and very sudden. Yesterday he was burried. Gone, just like that, leaving behind a lot of people that will miss him so much.
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