Grammy & Grandpa Come to Zimbabwe, Part 1: Around Harare

David's surprise birthday gift for me (a trip to Muscat) had us arriving in Harare just a few hours before his mom and Mike, but all went well. Tracy and Zavion arrived two days later - just in time for Tarisai Day at the school. While HIS upper grades went on week-long trips for Explore Zimbabwe, Early Childhood up to Grade 4 spent the day at school on a circuit of presentations, learning about important issues, places and cultures of Zim.

Signing a pledge (on a smart board) to protect rhinos 

Sheryl and M's classmates Vaughn, Bukhosi and Deeksha at the Tarisai Day family picnic

We had planned on going to Lake Kariba immediately since the kids had a long weekend, but we ended rescheduling for the next weekend due to a conflict at the resort where we wanted to stay. That allowed us to enjoy a jam packed weekend: the Hoggerty Hill Fair, Eliza's friend Emma's birthday party and ultimate frisbee on Saturday, a picnic at the nearby Lake Chivero National Park on Sunday, and a morning hike to Domboshawa (ancient rock paintings & granite dome) on Monday.

the dads of the British Embassy vs. dads of kids at the Greek Orthodox school

I was really pleased with the Lake Chivero picnic. Some families in Harare buy a boat and go up to the lake just about every weekend. We had only been out there a few times - it's where the Lion & Cheetah Park and Snake World are located, just 45 minutes or so away from home. But there's another entrance that takes you into the game park that is fenced off and allows you to drive your own car through the forest and grasses along the lake. From our minivan, we saw wildebeest, antelope, giraffe, zebra, ostriches, guinea fowl, baboons and a mother rhino and her baby. We set up a picnic in near total isolation...a boat came by once and some people drove by once...but other than that, it was just us and the baboons, zebra and ostriches - just hanging out, having some wine and lunch.

great picnic spot

 It was great for bird watching, too, which Grammy and Grandpa were up to most days, whether in our garden or out on excursion.

Cecilia and Eliza

Bird-watcher Gayle Weiss

Caroline - she and Domonik, as always giving us the insider information on all the best places to go.
You don't have to spend a gazillion dollars on a safari resort to enjoy the natural beauty of Zim.

fish eagle - the national symbol

Miles was at the end of his first unit, so his second grade class did a presentation at the end of week school assembly: Fabulous Friday. Their unit was on  the School Community. They did interviews with various people at the school, made maps of the campus and surveys. They visited a local school and came up with a project to help the students there. They learned about HIS's history and made recommendations for improving the school. For the presentation, Miles and a few other students were news anchors, reporting on the class's accomplishments. Highlights: when the teacher explained that the reason for a pregnant pause in the performance was that we were waiting for the music to cue up since Miles insisted that he have a news jingle intro. Also, his handing over to "roving report Vaughn Stumbras" - his best friend. Miles did very well. He was well prepared by his teachers to expect for things not to go perfectly and to just roll with it...which he did. We were very proud of him, and he was proud of himself. And the special audience of all his visiting relatives made it all the more exciting.

Miles with classmates Doma (Bhutanese/Danish), Eleanor (British/American) and Bukhosi (Zimbabwean)

friends after the show: Bukhosi, Vaughn (Kenyan/American) and Miles + cousin Zavion

Yes, Miles's teacher asked that I get Miles's haircut for the show, as well as ensure he was dressed "smartly." I ended up going all boys-school-uniform on him, as it was the cheapest local option for tie, trousers and shoes.

Whoa.

Summer was great.

Miles, the oldest of the Brigham grandkids, is forever paving the way. He spent nearly a week with his grandparents in Boulder, Colorado - straight off a Harare-Jo'burg-Atlanta-Denver flight that took all of...well, we won't count the hours. David was with him all the way, but after a couple of nights - and getting to see Aunt Erin and her family, D flew on to meet me and Eliza in Oakland to see the Herrings on their turf for the first time since our honeymoon.

Then gorgeous, rustic Orcas Island for a reunion with the Bradley/Brighams. In the huge nature of the northwest, we did a bit of walking, exploring tidal pools, sea kayaking alongside seals and seeing the huge purple starfish and bald eagles plucking dinner from the water. We ate great seafood, celebrated Bassie's 5th birthday, saw deer all around our house on Doe Bay, and took boats out to watch the orcas. Stunning!

Bassie's Birthday!

Heather, Bradley & Tracy

seeing a doe at Doe Bay

Miles playing in the tidal pools.

Then we enjoyed Seattle:

Daddy Jack playing soccer with his grandkids

Miles, Zavion, Sebastian and Eliza in the North Cascades

3 generations

My college roommate Tricia and her family.

Sebastian and Zavian in Seattle

A train ride to Portland, Oregon to Mercy Corps and to see my old high school friend Tanja Kraatz.

David and Miles leaving Mercy Corps's office in Portland 

Pleeeeeese buy these, Mom.

Then back in Chattanooga after a year away: BBQs at Mom and Dad's with visiting Sara, Brandon & Elliott, Paige and Marc's, nice dinners out, Uncle Marscell's retirement party, a trip to Nashville to celebrate 40th birthdays, sleepovers with the Pattersons', swimming at the neighborhood pool with the Wamacks, summer camp at the Aquarium, a trip to the water park, another birthday party, walks with the dogs, SYTYCD...

Webster

Eliza, Elliott & Miles on Walnut St. bridge

She is 4. It is a statue.

Cousin Samantha & Eliza

Lisa & Mary

I love this. My friends' kids in order of age.

Pinata torture.

Miles & Trey

...and a gizillion more photos

Top Requested Songs

The kids always request songs to be played off the iPod on the way to and from school. As this is the last day of school for a while, I thought I'd get these down for posterity. In no particular order:

• No Sleep til Brooklyn - The Beastie Boys
• Free Fallin; - Tom Petty
• American Girl - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
• Pocket Full of Money - Jens Leckman
• The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side - The Magnetic Fields
• Rock Lobster - B52s
• Hard Knock Life - Annie Soundtrack
• Honkey Tonk Woman - Rolling Stones
• Hang Fire - Rolling Stones

These kids have been introduced to all kinds of music: blues, pop, folk, alternative, jazz, motown, etc. But  these are the ones they like to hear over and over these days. Lesson Learned: Make sure you really like the music you introduce to your kids because you will have to listen to it every day for weeks and weeks. There is something adorable about overhearing a 4-year-old Eliza singing "No Sleep Til Brookland" to herself while she plays.

Chengeta Lodge and Lion & Cheetah Park

Surrounding village life.

On Easter Sunday, the whole family went to Chengeta Lodge, a little over an hour from our house. After lunch with the other tourists in the shade of the trees in the courtyard, Nana, Eliza, Miles and I rode in open truck to the nearby Pamuzinda Lodge to see a relatively tame elephant family. It was the first time we'd been on the ground close to a mother and calf (16-months-old and named Mambo!). It scares me to death to have my children standing so close to those huge, heavy feet, but Nana was cool as a cucumber and enjoyed getting to touch the elephant's prickly-haired skin.

Brave Nana and Eliza.

Nana gets her safari.

That evening we went on a game drive with David joining us. We saw wildebeest, giraffe, impala, and monkeys. Mom was impressed with the fact that pregnant impala can stop labor if they sense a predator is near or if it starts raining. Also, interesting fact: the leaves of the acacia trees will start to turn bitter a little while after giraffes start to eat them, so the giraffe has to keep moving from tree to tree and the tree has a chance to keep some of its leaves, unlike the bottom half of the fig tree below.

Giraffe heads to fig tree for sunset snack. Note leaf line marking highest point giraffes can reach.

Next morning, Mom and I went on a walking safari - more wildebeest and impala, plus the little creatures - birds and insects. On the way back, we stopped at the fenced in lion den and got to see this beauty draped over a tree branch to avoid the flies below.

Up to now, no lions have escaped their den by using the branches that hang over the fence.

While I was standing up against the chain-link fence taking the above photo, the male in her pride charged me with a giant growl. The guide (and mom) thought it was hilarious. I recovered my composure while standing safely behind a tree.

Sign reads: For your safety, do NOT pass this border.

Then after breakfast, I took the kids to see the lion that charged me. One lion charge at Eliza, and the two of us left David and Miles to hang with the lions by themselves.

Sharpening her claws just outside my car window (Hell, yes, it was closed.)

On the way home, we stopped at the Lion & Cheetah Park, just outside the city. You drive around an area with loads of lions just wandering around your car. Great fun until your husband starts opening the sun roof as a joke.

David cuddles a lion cub.

David had the chance to play with a lion cub, something he has wanted to do for a long time. Very sweet! (As I safely stayed on the other side of the fence with our appetizing looking children.)

More photos from the trip: