Success?s
The Carol Service - 9 lessons and carols in an Anglican church with a really upbeat Nigerian feel. Wow did I cry!!! The kids were amazing, and my lovely Deputy Head Tina refused to follow Carl's instructions ie tell her that she has to dance down the aisle again!!! How have I remained married to this man for 31 years. Minor hiccup was the vicar wasn't told what time we were starting (huge error in Nigeria) and we had the choir at the back lined up ready to process to One in Royal David's City and Tina and myself were working out who was going to say what at Bidding Prayers, but luckily he arrived and was great.
We have started a Glee Club as well as choir an boy oh boy my Kids can belt out a number. FANTASTIC.
Then we had the Key Stage 1 Nativity- in the open air in the dark with a full moon AND a perfect Evening Star for the children to point at. It was truly magical and of course you can't go wrong with Reception angels singing and dancing but really it was a memory I will treasure for the rest of my life, only enhanced by the HUGE fruit bats flying overhead. (OK the professional photographer employed by one of the shepherds parents who ACTUALLY GOT ON THE STAGE to photograph the child was a bit inconvenient but I remember the Rougemont days and parents are the same all over the world - only think of their child. AND he got off the stage when I (discreetly) shouted B....Off!! to him. And no-one else seemed to notice!
BUT it's last week at school- where have the weeks gone? I am lucky to be in such a caring warm atmosphere (I am saying that a bit tongue in cheek because I don't think teachers have ever had their reports scrutinised with the Eriksson eye and they were a bit shocked but it isn't going out with my name on it if it isn't perfect) AND I know people will laugh because of my typing gaffs but school is different.
NOW to the other ex-pat who doesn't seem to do much for the blog etc but wants it kept upto date and everything else I'm interviewing a teacher via Skype in Thailand tonight - may need to visit him... See you all NEXT WEEK
Ha !! The other Ex Pat will fill in the gaps but the typing will be better, the grammar will be better, and the syntax will make sense !
The last week but one before going home has been the usual meals out etc.
On Monday I went to (Susan the angel was working!!) the Christmas lunch party for our compound--it's tough being "the Spouse" when you have to sit with 24 others--all female! (actually it really is fun ).As usual , drink was taken and I tottered back to our place just in time for Susan to arrive home for--you've guessed it, a stiff G&T which, naturally, I had to share.
I'll be glad to get home if only to give the liver a rest.
Wednesday,as Susan said, was the School Carol Service.The kids were good but it was, to say the least, confusing because of the mixing of verses etc.In one carol there was a verse for Ladies--who all dutifully sang--next verse , men.....or should I say Man, coz only one mug joined in and guess who that was.
Thursday night, out to the GQ with my pal Bing for Tex/Mex and Margueritas then Friday night out to the school Nativity play/concert--very interesting and very Nigerian. I don't say that in a bad way but it was certainly different from the sort of thing you expect to see in UK. The kids were great and a good time was had by all.
Off to the Market at Lekki on Saturday morning for some veggies and bits--it is funny how all the fruit is ripe and sweet, the sweetcorn perfect etc,etc, until you get it home and try to eat it--I guess Market traders are the same the world over but they take it to another level over here.
Saturday night out to the PTA bbq at the school with free cocktail bar and a barman that mixed Mohitos that were brilliant--I found out (too late ) that each drink contained 4 measures of rum which is what gave them that particular kick.Half a dozen of those and you are anybody's (or everybody's if your not careful).
Sunday--Ahh! a "lie in" til late morning but then up ,do the Roasties and Carrots for Christmas lunch with next door--proper job with Turkey and trimmings,a few bottles of wine, Christmas Pud,mince pies,pparty poppers and crackers.My best Pal,Sean (age 3) and I had a great time but,after the n'th drink, I did find some of the jokes a little challenging.
Thank goodness for a rest today.Tomorrow its a curry dinner with Howard, another head teacher,Wednesday is Shell works do, Thursday is School works do, Friday is packing to come home and then Saturday night is fish and chips in Monmouth (all being well, or as they say here," Please God !!")
It's Monday night,6.45pm,and on the balcony,where I'm sitting typing this, the temp is 28deg,humidity 38% and a lovely sunset.
Monday 12 December 2011
Sunday 4 December 2011
St Andrew's Ball and Tarkwa Bay
On Saturday, we went to the St Andrew's Ball- a great night. Lots of dancing drinking and good cheer with new friends and what now seems like old friends but really we haven't known anyone longer than 14 weeks!
On our table for 6, were 3 bottles of red wine, 1 bottle of white, 1 bottle of port, 1 bottle of single malt and 1 bottle of Baileys! That didn't include all the glasses of champagne or whiskey when you arrived.
I danced all night- traditional Scottish dances and then Carl, and the boot, got up and we danced some salsa numbers together - I must admit he had partaken a lot of the above mentioned drinks by then so felt no pain-it was a different matter at 3:00am when Carl was awoken by huge amounts of pain- it was touch and go whether or not we went to the hospital but luckily painkillers took the edge off.
The next morning - Sunday we were due to go to Tarkwa bay with the Field Society but thought better of it and then a friend phoned and said Carl could just sit on the beach no walking involved so we quickly got supplies together and I drove to the yacht club.
We set off to the bay in a small motor powered lighter, the journey was quite rough but exhilarating
and when we arrived at the bay, we had to jump out into about 2 feet of water and wade ashore- at least some of us had to!
It is the greatest regret of this tour so far that I didn't had my camera ready when this huge Nigerian guy waded into the water and physically picked up Carl into his arms and carried him through the water!!! Can you imagine the sight? The guy was huge but then so is Carl...
The beach was lovely but, as with so many places here, the rubbish was everywhere why it isn't cleared no-one can answer. Carl ensconced himself in the beach house with gin, tonic and a book and for some reason I didn't stay with him but went on the cultural trip to look at the lighthouse. We walked for well over two hours in 36c heat!! But the views were spectacular, there were amazing ponds build to entice and breed frogs - a good food crop. We also saw World War 2 heavy gun emplacements - there were a number of sea battles off Lagos, the structures are still there, but are being used as houses!
The beach walk on the way back was spectacular, the beach front is covered in wrecks!! some huge and new others very very old. Walking along the beach with just 4 other people looking at the birds and the wrecks was amazing, BUT about a half hour out from safety, we heard the menacing sound of automatic gun fire- suddenly realised we were very isolated, but the gun fire was between two ships out in the bay and we never saw the outcome of the battle.
Sounds amazing to be typing that so matter of factly but it is a fact of life here, you do hear gunfire, you do read of pirates and you must be vigilant at all times.
The rest of the week has flown by and I am still not used to hearing Little Donkey and Oh Little town Of Bethlehem being sung whilst I am sweltering in the heat.
On Wednesday we went to the British High Commission to see a marvellous documentary film called the Burma Boys, it was the story of a Lagotian man who fought for the British in World War 2 in Burma- watch it if you can it is being shown on U-Tube and tells a forgotten story of the African troops who signed up to fight for a country they didn't know because the King Called them- very moving and the 86year old star of the story was in the BHC with us and his family.
On our table for 6, were 3 bottles of red wine, 1 bottle of white, 1 bottle of port, 1 bottle of single malt and 1 bottle of Baileys! That didn't include all the glasses of champagne or whiskey when you arrived.
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| St Andrew's Ball |
The next morning - Sunday we were due to go to Tarkwa bay with the Field Society but thought better of it and then a friend phoned and said Carl could just sit on the beach no walking involved so we quickly got supplies together and I drove to the yacht club.
We set off to the bay in a small motor powered lighter, the journey was quite rough but exhilarating
and when we arrived at the bay, we had to jump out into about 2 feet of water and wade ashore- at least some of us had to!
It is the greatest regret of this tour so far that I didn't had my camera ready when this huge Nigerian guy waded into the water and physically picked up Carl into his arms and carried him through the water!!! Can you imagine the sight? The guy was huge but then so is Carl...
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| The barbeque at the beach house |
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| The walk to the beach from the light house |
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| Frog ponds with lillies blooming |
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| WW2 gun emplacements |
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| this was beached in January 2011 |
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| This has been on the beach a matter of weeks |
Sounds amazing to be typing that so matter of factly but it is a fact of life here, you do hear gunfire, you do read of pirates and you must be vigilant at all times.
The rest of the week has flown by and I am still not used to hearing Little Donkey and Oh Little town Of Bethlehem being sung whilst I am sweltering in the heat.
On Wednesday we went to the British High Commission to see a marvellous documentary film called the Burma Boys, it was the story of a Lagotian man who fought for the British in World War 2 in Burma- watch it if you can it is being shown on U-Tube and tells a forgotten story of the African troops who signed up to fight for a country they didn't know because the King Called them- very moving and the 86year old star of the story was in the BHC with us and his family.
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