Breaking news from our side is that Caleb is now afloat in the big pool. Yesterday we took them, with the intention of starting to teach Caleb to swim. Both boys already love the water, so it was no difficulty to get him in, and he was keen to learn. We put armbands on him, and in no time he was treading water on his own, completely separate from the sides and from Nick. We are so terribly proud of him!! Aaron also had a turn with armbands in the big pool, and also managed to stay afloat on his own, but only for a short time because then he starts tipping over and doesn’t know how to correct himself. Caleb actually manages to move around, sort of a primitive doggy paddle. We will definitely take the video camera next time we go, probably Friday.
Yesterday evening the boys were mucking around outside, as we were waiting for it to get dark before we took them for a drive through town to see the Christmas lights. Caleb was making some sort of intricate cobweb with the strands from the couch waiting to be dumped which is outside now, and tying screwdrivers and bricks into his arrangement, when he dropped half a brick onto his bare foot from about 40 cm, which was quite sore. He really milked the sympathy though, limping around and not being able to go upstairs for his pyjamas and so on. Shame, we started laughing eventually because it was SOOO dramatic. No broken bones or anything, and today it’s fine.
We don’t do the tree thing for Christmas, but in the past we’ve been able to put our presents under the communal tree at the house of the Christmas hosts. This year we have no such convenience, so had to come up with a new idea for Christmas, as we needed a place to put presents rather than hiding them (which is a birthday thing) or just putting them on the floor. So last night driving through town looking at lights, we hit on the idea of a fake fireplace (having seen one in a shop window). I therefore painted paper bricks and fire last night, and today cut them out and stuck them on a black board (not a blackboard), and it looks quite good actually. I bought some Christmas lights, and wrapped tinsel around those and draped them over the fireplace, and now there are some Christmas crackers (we found those in the cupboard, which also housed a tree and decorations and badminton rackets and the old pink bedspread and the slide projector) and two presents that the boys got at the Good News Club on Saturday. We will add the presents we have bought them (and the ones that we bought from Granny and Grandpa in SA and the ones from Ray and La) by the fireplace gradually. I would also like to make them stockings, but will see if there’s time before Christmas! We did leave this a little late, but was waiting for inspiration to hit. The boys think it’s very cool. They sit by the fireplace and exclaim how lovely and warm they are. The fact that it’s probably about 30 degrees outside doesn’t factor into their body temperature…
Fresh fruit is in the shops again, from Cape Town. Today I bought three nectarines and five peaches, and paid £2 just for that. Worth it? I guess, but I’m not that much of a fruit nut, so haven’t been terribly bothered by the lack of stuff.
Aaron found a little bug yesterday, so he picked it up and it became his pet. He loved it. He carried it around and held it and talked to it and let it crawl up his arm before picking it off and putting it back in his hand. I felt pity for it because it must have felt so dizzy and claustrophobic, so we found a small shoe box and Aaron put some stones and grass in it, then we let the bug sleep. Later he retrieved it again for more cuddles. Unfortunately he tripped over Nick’s feet and broke his fall with the hand the bug was on, so that was the end of that. The bug split open, so Aaron had to throw it out the window. Shame, poor guy.
Also yesterday, we went to High Knoll Fort. It’s an historical building on one of the peaks, built in about 1840 or so, which was initially used to redoubt all the peoples of the island in the event of an invasion. It was also used to incarcerate the most dangerous Boer prisoners. The buildings are still in good condition, and very interesting to walk around the walkways and see through the little lookout holes, and go up ladders, through arches, out a different way – makes a great morning’s outing.
Nick went for a swim today, it might be better exercise than going up Jacob’s Ladder twice a day, and kinder to his knees. The boys weren’t too happy that he went without them because all they want to do is swim again, but they can’t go every day.
No comments:
Post a Comment