Jared's school pictures

Jared's school pictures.

PP3 & PP4 students

Friday

Katie and I went to Shoprite and found some Butt Soft toilet paper.

For the spring fair at school each class has to donate something to be auctioned off. For Jacob's class we are making a table cloth with an Imbondeiro tree on it. Thanks to Katie for drawing the tree and helping me get started. I have a dad in the class helping to sew it all together. By Friday I should have a finished project.

Jacob was sick all last week with a cold. He made it to school everyday until Friday and he came home early with a headache. I took him to the clinic just to make sure it wasn't more than a cold and it wasn't. The doctor asked me when we first went in if he had allergies and I said no and at the end of the checkup he said I think he has allergies. WHAT? 

A couple of cats come in the backyard sometimes and Sophie usually runs them off. Sunday I looked out the backdoor and seen Sophie and the cats in a face-off. No one was moving. I said there was a face-off in the backyard and Jared came to look and said whose face is off.

Friday Jacob's class is having a market and raising money for an orphanage. Jacob's group is selling popcorn so Shimo said I could borrow her popcorn maker to make the popcorn  (150 bags). When she was showing me how to make the popcorn she spilled a little on the floor. :-) Adam and Hana were helping us clean it up.

When I got home the boys wanted to try it out. I think I will be bringing one of these back with me, this summer, instead of 3 cases of microwave popcorn. 

Not a good sign

I have started taking Portuguese lessons again thanks to my GREAT friend Katie. :-) I am really not sure how she has suckered me into this. It is better than last time but it is very difficult for me to say some of the words, ok most of the words. They just do not come out of my mouth like they should sound. Katie says I have an accent...I don't think I do....but maybe that is part of the problem. I am still trying my hardest and get what I can get and don't worry about the rest. Monday at class I was trying to say the word disappointed in Portuguese and it wasn't working. Nelo, our Portuguese teacher, said, "JoAnn you are killing my language". Katie got the biggest laugh out of it and it still laughing about it today...I am sure. :-) Nelo told me today not to kill his language again and said I don't need to kick my head about it just try, try, try.

The reason I am not picking it up could be because there are 2 different ways to say MY....a cup is a boy and a telephone is a girl. What the heck...English is sooooo much easier. :-) Every time I think I have it down then someone tells me there is two other words that mean the same thing. :-/

I am starting to think I don't need to learn Portuguese....my driver, friend, husband and maid speak English and Portuguese so as long as I have one of them with me at all times I am good, right?

School pictures

Jacob brought home his school pictures yesterday and I thought I would share. Jared hasn't brought his home yet.

Not up to much

I haven't been doing much lately so that's why I haven't posted much. This weekend Jacob has a boy scout BBQ and they will be racing their rockets so I will have pictures from that. Today Katie and I went to a sale with AWAA(American Woman's Association of Angola) and I got presents for my nieces for their birthday's. The boys have both had a cold this week and I am on my last bottle of cold medicine for them so hopefully they get over it soon. I started taking Portuguese lessons again this week with Katie. She has been wanting to take them. I really don't but it is much better with a friend. Tuesday while at Katy's taking lessons some guys came to her house and said they needed to run some test on her appliances in her kitchen. They tested every appliance in her kitchen even ones that belonged to her and not her company. About an hour later they came and said everything is working. Really....no really....if we actually turn something in that is broken we are lucky if they come out in a week or maybe two to fix it. However, they came to her house and tested everything that she already knew worked to let her know they were fine. She still has a dryer that doesn't work and an AC in her sons room that has been out for a month but all the kitchen appliances are working fine. I couldn't believe it....what a waste of money to have these guys out. Why couldn't they have came and fixed the stuff that was wrong. This place is really getting to me. :-) All Katie could say is, "TIA"(This is Angola). Gotta love it!!!

We have had rain and storms almost every day for the last week or so. It's nice to be able to enjoy them and not worry about tornados. We are so ready to go back to the states, only 7 more weeks. I have already started my list and shopping online for what I need to bring back with me.  :-)

I downloaded pictures from my phone, I thought I would show you what I have taken pictures of in the last week.

Kenny's Dorado that he caught last weekend. We have had fish tacos twice since then. This is my new favorite food. :)

A bird in Jacob's flower bed at school....while I was waiting on the boys to get out of school on Monday.

Went to Kero yesterday and found a cooked pig for dinner. Not sure how much it cost and no I didn't buy it.

This morning on my walk with Katie and her dog, Fletcher, we met up with another friend, Mimi, and her dog, Macy.

At the sale today...I found this mask painting that I just love. No I didn't buy it....yet!!

I also really like these little paintings....didn't buy them.

Some bracelets and necklaces I bought the girls.

I got Jacob and Jared these billfolds made from snake skin for their birthdays.

I got Josh this mask that is a bowl.

I got myself this tray that is in the shape of Africa.

No Power

The power goes off here at least once a day and most days several times. If it doesn't go off it seems a little weird. When we first moved here if the power went off everything and everyone stopped what they were doing and we wondered what was wrong and if we should call someone. Nine months later, the electricity can go off and no one even notices. When it does go off it doesn't usually last longer than a few seconds or maybe a couple of minutes.

Yesterday, the power went off and no one really noticed until the backup generator on the TV quit. We waited a few more minutes and I started thinking it had been off longer than usual. An hour went by and it was still off so I started calling around to see what was going on. I found out something with the compound went down and they said it could be another 2-3 hours before it was back on. It ended up being about 5 hours before it came back on. Everything in the fridge and freezer stayed cold so we didn't loose anything.

Moving on

Moving to Angola 9 months ago I was hoping we would all make friends but never thought we would make life long friendships. We have only known the Amer’s for about 6 months but it truly feels like we have known them for years. The kids get along like they have been friends their entire life. Conversation and time spent with Wael and Shimo is always pleasant and usually very entertaining. J Wael has been here for 7 years and his wife and kids have been here for the last 3 years. It is time for them to move on and I know that and I look forward to that day for me; however, it doesn’t make it any easier to loose great friends. They will be leaving at the end of the school year to go back to Egypt for the summer and then they will move on. I am happy for them but sad they will be leaving us. I am confident that we will have a friendship with them that will last a lifetime. As much as we will miss them we wish them well on their journey.