Happy Birthday to you!

This is an official blog Happy Birthday to Chil!

Happy Birthday to you,

Squashed tomatoes and stew,

Happy Birthday dear Chi-il,

Happy Canadian Birthdays to you!

Pictures from Toronto

This is part of the art gallery, I think, it does just look like a building fell out of the sky onto another building.

Until I moved into our new condo (map) I was living in the edgier Queen West area with plenty of street art.

Hmmm, must be a different Halifax!

The most fun I've had here so far is trying the national sport, ice hockey, which I've played twice now. I definitely need some skating lessons over the summer before play resumes in the fall. No pictures yet but I'll get Chil to take one when I've bought my own helmet, stick, pads etc...

This is the boardwalk, Lake Ontario and Toronto Islands in the distance. It's very hot here, low 30's c with very high humidity (100% humidity the other day but fortunately the temperature was only about 17c). The evenings are just perfect though, the harbour is great for a walk although you can't swim in the lake as it's apparently not clean enough which is a bit of a tease in the hot weather.


Queens Quay on the harbour. I'm looking forward to Chil coming to Toronto a week today on the 15th, there's only so much fun you can have walking around by yourself!

The view from our solarium!

Solarium you say? That's what I thought. It seems to be a long thin room, a bit like a balcony but with windows, useful for when it's -20 plus wind chill I guess...
This is the view from our new condo anyway, looking west (above) is the financial district, directly north (below) the road on the left leads almost to my hospital, about a 10 minute walk and just behind the buildings you can see.


To the east is St Lawrence market and the 'Distillery district', apparently good eating and drinking there but I've been waiting for Chil to help me explore it.

St Mike's is a big downtown catholic hospital, known as the Urban Angel, so I figure I should fit right in!

You'll notice what they call a streetcar in the foreground, a pretty efficient way of getting around.

nor-folk

Here are a few pictures from our recent trip to Norfolk.

Nanna and Nandad!

some flowers around the hindolveston allotment

a corn field at the back of the allotments

one of those thingymajigs that spin in the wind

A visit to Hindolveston

Although I'm writing from Toronto I don't have any Canadian pictures yet, so I'll put up these pictures of Dad and Audrey's allotment in Norfolk.

A fine shot of Dad's new beard!
...and the garlic crop


This is not how the maize is grown in Zambia! I think Chil was quite bemused by the short height and the jacket to keep the weeds down but there isn't quite the same climate in Hindolveston as in Lusaka.

Globe artichokes.

Toronto is great so far. There's the usual confusion with alternative versions of English, when I asked about mobile phones no-one had any idea what I was talking about as they call it 'wireless' and I presumed that was internet. I'm working my way through the various beaurocratic processes necessary to live and work here and looking for a condo. The anaesthesia (anaesthesiology) department are very friendly and helpful, it's beautiful weather and easy to get around so none of it is too much of a problem.

Pictures to follow...

Bloglines

For a way of keeping up with new posts on this blog or any other website with an RSS fees, may I recommend Bloglines:

http://www.bloglines.com/

you can download a notifier that sits on the desktop or in the corner of Internet Explorer or Firefox that lets you know if there have been any new posts.

Collier's Wood

Thanks to PK Jnr for our temporary residence in Collier's wood!

Welcome BBQ for baby Elsa, Joel and Sophia

We notice that there's been very little activity on the Blog from the Mainsah's, then again, we're still waiting for them to turn up to their own BBQ for baby Elsa, Joel and Sophia from Sweden! It didn't stop us having a great party though, so here's our favourite pictures...


'Zanga's not getting any less cute, or eccentric, wearing his Spiderman PJ's at 17:00 hours. Those slippers flash lights when feet are stamped. Shades courtesy of Prada.

The future of African football has spurned chances of allegience with England or Zambia...


'Tashe is ever more sophisticated and civilised


The proud father putting the world to rights with PLK Jnr and friends Mark and Katherine.


Eva's brotherJoel, the new daddy with baby Elsa.


Joel taken out by the Mainsah clan. Brutal.


Poorly represented in the photos (sorry!) but just behind Joel's head is yummy mummy Sophia.


Thanks to all involved for a lovely day in the sun. We're off to Norfolk tomorrow for more of the same? Possibly less Spiderman impersonators! Watch this space for details and then shots from Toronto after I arrive on the 19th.

Good news for Bob Dylan fans in the family...

..of which I'm certain there are a few.

The Theme Time Radio hour will be returning to XM radio for at least another season this September. If you want to listen to the first years worth all 50 are downloadable via this site.

heaven help me

by devious ways and with a certain amount of beginner's luck, I seem to have made it, and having done so I'm so astounded that I've forgotten what I wanted to say. Please have patience; things can only get better; remember, I'm a late starter at this 'ere new fangled technique.

Its a bit late in the day now and I'm going to close but I'll be back with something more interesting I HOPE.