May 7

The season of duffle coats is upon us. Duffle coats and knee-high boots and thick scarves and the like.  Since I lived in the UK, I have not really felt Zimbabwean winters are that cold.  Admittedly, early in the morning and at night, it can get very chilly, but during the day, I would find it impossible to wear a coat or boots.  In fact, I can't wear boots because my feet would feel claustrophobic.  I found Zambia even less cold: for my first winter there, I don't think I even wore a long-sleeved top.  It gets very warm in the sun and I would hate to be wearing a big, thick coat.

Today is very windy and there is that touch of a chill in the air.  Sian has shelved homeschooling for the morning in order to go and see her favourite horse.  Ellie and I plod through Shakespeare and long multiplication.  Ellie has a lot more work today and is busy until lunchtime.

We are surprised to hear a hoot at the gate mid-morning.  No one has been here for weeks.  In fact, we are so surprised, we think it must be for the neighbours and ignore it until we hear another hoot and a ring on the cowbell.  It is a lady from a house at the back of us, wanting to know if she can clear a small piece of land just outside our fence which is very overgrown.  We ask if she could just trim it back as we like the fact that all the cacti and thick hedges protect the back of the house. The garden is so big that we hardly ever go right to the back.  It is quite beautiful with lots of shady trees. Unfortunately, our neighbours on the right often throw rubbish over their wall which we throw back.  Not sure why they do this as the refuse truck does come past them.

Our rubbish is usually collected every Wednesday, but two weeks ago the council announced they would collect it every two weeks, due to lack of funds (for fuel, I suppose).  It was supposed to be collected yesterday, but the truck did not come.  Instead, they come today, when the dustbin has been taken inside.

Sian comes home smelling of horse manure, but she is very happy.