Heartsick for Nairobi

Our Nairobi. The city - and country - that was so very good, both professionally and personally, to us as a couple. We still have many friends there, Kenyan and expats. You can't do the sort of work I do, without having lived there or been to a conference or know people currently based there.

It's a wonderful and complicated country and deserves so much better than this act of terror. It will rise again, as all the media's stories of Kenyans and visitors helping each other in the last 1 1/2 days have shown.

I know many of you will be following the tragedy in Nairobi. We are trying to keep the developments off the children's radar, as they feel attached to the city and know that we know many people still there, as well as the fact that I am headed there twice in the next 2 months. We almost tacked on a family holiday, but other plans prevailed.

Dear Kenya, we are thinking of you and will visit in the coming year to grieve your losses and celebrate your continued strengths.

Love,
Jo & co.

No space?

At this rate, there will be no room for me by the time I get home on Friday night!!

Cast that girl!

She looked so sweet last week in that new riding outfit. So excited to head off to the ponies.

This week was no different, except that she rode a pony named "Poney". Well to be more accurate, she trotted Poney. Well, I guess the other difference this week is that Poney stopped to eye some grass and Sophie didn't. She went over the head of Poney and wisely put out her right/write arm. You know what's coming next, don't you.

3 days later it was still sore and slightly swollen, so Sophie and her dad trekked into Bergerac hospital...

She seems miles happier

3 weeks with full cast + 3 weeks with brace = no swimming lessons with the class, no riding or cycling or gymnastics for 6 weeks...

Bonjour Club Stella

Off to join the local boys gymnastics squad

where hopefully he will impress them with such moves

How to spend a September afternoon en famille

Dress as if you are going to TIFF (you know, the film fest currently in T.O.)

When in fact, you are going on a 6 km hike with your family.

Blackberries distracted us

But as we all know

families that pick together

and pick and pick and pick

and play around

and bake together

Can eat together!!

Autumnal weather

Sometimes it's hot, sometimes it's not. Sometimes, it's sunny, sometimes it rains. Sometimes it doesn't given you any warning.

(Yup, those are yellow shorts. We MUST be in Europe, folks)

All kitted out

This year it is as much about the horse-riding garb, as the actual ponies. You see, having your own outfit shows that you ride regularly. It also spares you the humiliation of having a hair net sticking out from under your borrowed helmet.

Goofing around on a rainy Sunday morning

And then (I changed) and we went to the Sunday market.

Back to school shoes

Given how warm Septembers are here and at home, the children rarely start school in new clothes. As is tradition, they will get new outfits for their birthdays; this year, their Nana has kindly said that they can choose them,  in order to have something that "fits in" with classmates.

But the dynamic duo do often start school with new runners

Seb's ultra-cool hi-tops (black!)

The Sophster's ultra-colourful and silvery sneakers

Thursday nights = pizza

First family pizza from the weekly truck

Promises kept

We promised the children that they could have new items of clothing if it made them 'fit in' at the village school.

Sophie's new runners

Seb's snazzy hi-tops

Sophie's wheel along/back pack (the whole class looks like business travelers at an airport)

La rentree 2013

Supportive hugs as they get ready to go

Not so brave at the gate

But the afternoon treats made up for a rocky start (and a girl who held her hand at day's end)

Day 2 and she is ready to do it with a smile

Our first family 1/2 day on Wednesday lunch

 Sophie is already raising her hand and answering questions in class, while Seb now has a fountain pen and is busy with homework every evening!

The excitement mounts

Weekly pony lessons start just after "la rentree" and the children get their own outfits this year!