Hello!
This last
month has been busy with work and visitors but not much new to report. Gavin
continues to work hard to keep the dialysis unit going which is an uphill task
at which he is brilliant and never seems to get too frustrated by the daily
frustrations that seem to occur with the various technical and staffing issues. My study is
now going smoothly and my staff have all passed their appraisals for 3 months
in the job, which is a relief and they are all reporting that I am a good boss
and they are enjoying their work so I must be doing something right. The hospital is full permanently at the
moment with the malaria season and the poor medical student from the UK on my
ward round this week had to sit down looking pale and sweaty and overwhelmed –
it seems a very long time ago that I was like that!
 |
| Joshi and Gav eat breakfast in luxury |
Kate Jones,
a work friend from Liverpool came to stay for a week working at MLW, it was
lovely to have her and thanks Kate for all the cheese. We went on a sneaky half
day safari before she left to Majete park, about an hour away which was lovely,
but scary as we got stuck twice in a giant herd of elephants with small babies
who didn’t like us being around – we were very glad we had a guide in the car,
especially when we had to drive off road to get around one big bull in the road - all the elephants here have come from other parks where they have been poached, so are very nervy around humans, and a man was killed last year by one when he got out of the car to take a close up of a mother and baby (a total safari no-no).
 |
| Kate enjoys her first safari by the Shire river |
 |
| Mother and baby elephant in the road |
 |
| View of the Shire river going towards Mozambique at sunset from the drive up the escarpment from Majete to Blantyre |
Joshi is
doing really well, as always. He is 11 months next week, we can’t believe he is
nearly one, this year has really flown. He is now an expert crawler and can move
around in a flash, pull himself up on nearly everything and cruise along the
furniture and is trying out new sounds all the time. He loves to point at
things, clap hands and we are still waiting for a wave.
 |
| Joshi enjoys fingerpainting himself, the plate, the paper, the khondi, his parents |
 |
| the best way to wash off the paint in the sunshine! |
He laughs all the time
and is still eating everything in sight. We had a finger painting session this
weekend which got smeared all over the khondi and spent lots of time swimming
in friends pools (thanks Naor and Ellie!) – such special times for us to
treasure, especially when we never thought we would get this lucky or could be
this happy.
There is
lots of baby love going on with our friends right now, and we are so happy for
all the new arrivals and bumps on the way, and can’t wait to meet all Joshi’s
new friends when we are back in the UK in August/September………..
Our crazy
California trip for Mike and Julie’s wedding starts next week – all tips on how
to survive a ridiculously long journey on several planes with a baby would be
really welcome – thanks everyone who has helped so far. Family, friends,
seafood, shopping, beach and of course the wedding beckons – we will be back
with an update after the trip!
Lots of
love to all
Emma Gav
and Joshi J
