Johanna visits

As it's been a long time since we've posted anything here (turns out it's busy having twins!) I thought I'd show some springtime pictures of us. Chil loves here B.O.B. stroller, you can't see the girls behind the sunscreen in the picture, but they can see out and it keeps the insects out and the UV off.

Chil's friend Johanna, the proud godmother, came to visit: her third trip to Toronto in 2 years. Winter has finally left us now so we took the ferry to Ward Island in Lake Ontario and had a walk in the sunshine.


Here's one of the twins, I have to admit from this angle it's hard to say which, looking at her favourite: Lionel the lion.

Happy Birthday to Dylan!

Many happy birthdays to young dilano.

Wishing you a very happy (albeit slightly older) day today from your slightly younger brother and from Claudia.

bb x

Video for Sunjo

I saw this video and it made me think of Sunjo, I thought it might provide inspiration!



I hear there was an earthquake in Melbourne, 4.7 in the Richter scale? Hope you were OK Mwamba!

Dylan

Update from Toronto

This is our stroller out in action for the first time. The girls looked very snug inside as we braved the Toronto winter to go out to the distillery district. Also pictured are Lyndon and Wendy, friends of ours who have just left Toronto to go back to the 45 degree heat of Melbourne. Perhaps Mwamba will see them there.

This is Wamaka in her little vibrating musical chair which she's usually really happy in during those increasingly lengthy active times in between sleeping and feeding. For some reason her sister doesn't like it at all and will not sit in it!

This is Namwezi in her electric swingy chair, which she sometimes seems to really like although it's fairly unpredictable.




It's was fantastic having Mum stay for all this time, we were really sorry to see her go back to Lusaka. Thanks so much for all your help!

Bye!

Ontario socialism

What do you think that this is a picture of? Why would all these people be patiently queueing in a -20c and windy day? What could possibly be at the end of such a queue?

Welcome to the Liquor Liscencing Board of Ontario, basically your only option if you want a drop of the strong stuff to take home. When I got inside half the shelves were empty because it was Superbowl Sunday. It's a strange form of socialism they have here, you pay full price for prescription drugs but can only buy a bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from a bonded government establishment.

...no business like snow business

I agree!

I still get excited about snow but didn't think to take any pictures as it snows 15cm in a day quite frequently here...



So while BB processes his film I've taken the liberty of reproducing this excellent snowman from a gallery on the Guardian website.

Here's one from T.O. that shows one of our downtown streetcars


Here's a photo of Mwamba's flat north of Morden that I liberated from Facebook


And one of Changala...

I am particularly looking forward to seeing some Zambian or Australian snow.

Dylan

There's No Business Like Snow Business

woo hoo!
we have snow.

for those of you like me that still get excited by this kind of thing, this i reckon is the place for snowy pictures...i've not yet developed the bunch of films i shot yesterday but when i do they'll make it on here i promise.














ok, i finally developed some of my films and here are a few of the snowy shots...

Google Maps Street View

I love google earth. You can get some amazing pictures, even of the farm in Lusaka, as you can see from earlier posts on this blog.

If you haven't seen it, and you can get a really good broadband internet connection, check out Google Maps Street View, and incredible way to explore the world from your armchair. It hasn't come to Toronto yet, or the UK but covers a lot of mainland Europe, Australia (including Melbourne, Mwamba) and the US.

I can't wait for sea floor views from Google Ocean, yes it really is coming!

Dylan

Returning home with Namwezi and Wamaka

Thanks for all the phone calls, messages of congratulations, flowers, gifts and ululations.

We were really well looked after at St Mike's. All the staff were awesome and we were lucky enough to get a (normally 2 patient) post-partum room to ourselves. I don't know how we would have managed otherwise as our stuff and the twins seemed to take up the whole room.


It's been great to be home though. Namwezi and Wamaka had their first check up at the doctors today and they are doing really well. They are back to their birth weight already and seem to have lost the jaundice that they were monitoring while they were in hospital.


this is Namwezi Ella (above)...

...and Wamaka Mia (above and below).


There has been a little controversy as to whether the girls are identical...

...what do you think?

Love, Dylan and Chil

P.S. Pete found this great link: http://www.un.int/zambia/ambarchivenew.html

Congratulations!!

I know I've already said it but congratulations again for producing two lovely great-nieces for me. It's great to see more photos.

Peli & Richard