LONG DAYS

Friday was a long day of driving around looking for a house and a school for Maddie. The house shopping was quite discouraging (not very big yards to play, compact, or out of our price range)yet at the same time very reassuring that we will be safe. The place(sub division called Silver Lakes) that we are looking at has a very secure entry with key codes and spike strips. WOW, never thought I would have to worry about that. We were able to look around at the houses, but we were not able to see the insides on Friday. We are going back on Monday for a 2 hour viewing of houses. I will have pictures then.

If you zoom in you can see the spike strips

Schools were difficult as well. We received some names of schools from the realtor and that is where we started. The first school we went to is completely full and has a two year waiting list. The second school spoke afrikaans. The third school is getting back to us by Monday and the last school we visited was so very nice (small). We found out that Maddie will probably go to Kindergarten again until January, and then to grade 1. From the sounds of it she will be a little advanced. The school is called Lynnwood Ridge Pre-Primary School. It is attached to a Baptist church. It is a Christian, English speaking school. We met a very nice lady who was doing aftercare and she was very helpful. She moved here with her two little kids from Bolgaria. (She volunteers at the school and her kids go there. The pre-primary school consists of 3-4 year olds and 4-6 year olds. 3 classes 20 kids each class. We are going back there on Tuesday morning because school will be in session and we will be able to meet the principal. I will take more pictures then. http://www.lrpschool.co.za/ (this website is for the primary school across the road where maddie will maybe go to grade 1) the younger ones go to the church.

At night on Friday we ended at Tamboti Lodge. Very nice place except for all the spiders. Ok ONE SPIDER - IT WAS HUGE!!! Ok not that huge (scott can verify 2" in diameter), but enough to have me wake up at night a few times at night to make sure it was not on me.

Today, Saturday We went to the orphanage – Tshepo Ya Bana – (Tshepo.org). There are 13 kids there and 4 have HIV. How CUTE!! The older boys Kagiso and Matome and Tshapo were playing hide and seek with me. It was so fun to interact with them. And then all the other little ones were so darn cute. We had a lot of fun with them. We will be going back there tonight for a grill out. Enjoy the pictures.

We then were able to go in town (Temba) to see where Scott will be building houses. This was the place where we were defiantly the minority – Actually I do not think there was another white person for miles. I was going to take pictures, but felt a little uncomfortable. Guess where we ate – KFC – It is huge out here. It definitely was an experience of what it is like outside the city – People everywhere trying to sell anything they can.

FEELING VERY WELCOMED IN TEMBA

We are now at the mall 30 minutes away so I can update the blog. I'll send more pictures on Monday. We hve been very busy driving around and Scott has been doing a lot of business meetings - Overall, I think slowly we are accomplishing a lot.

DAD THIS PICTURE IS FOR YOU - LOOK YOU DO NOT NEED TO BUY ANY MORE WORK TRUCKS - ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS LOAD THEM IN THE BACK!!