Hi everyone, just a quick postcard to let you know what we have been up to lately. Its hot and dusty and we have had no rains for 3 weeks now, even though we are in the short rains season. we have now successfully sold many of the items of jewellry we have made at the shelter. I think we may have begun a small cottage industry for the boys to carry on developing. I have tried to put together a few items to send home to mum, Su, Winnie, Nikki, Nicky and Cate. Any orders?!! Well, last Monday we finally went to the hospital - an ordeal to get there (but everything is so it's all par for the course) - my stubbornness at not wanting to go had paid off and my body had miraculously healed itself so no operation necessary. Isn't it always the way that you feel better by the time you get to the dr's surgery?! At last we got away for a weekend, only our 2nd day off in 6 weeks! and felt like we were on holiday for a few days. We travelled 20km to Fisherman's camp on lake Naivasha for 3 nights of camping. It was really beautiful and the first night was shared with many hippos that came very close to our tent - not that we were scared....much. We met 2 Swedish friends who we spent the whole weekend with, acting like real tourists for a change. Johan is a very keen birder so we spent most of the time birding in the National Parks and at 6.00 am in the camp site around the lake. For those who know Janet well, read 'Pete and Johan' in the 'we' space reserved for 6am rising. Our holiday consisted of an amazing camp site with .... wait for it....high excitement.....HOT SHOWERS!!!!! Being a tourist is the best thing in the world if it means you get hot showers. Also a fab bar to kick back in which sold chocolate and lots of it. We attempted to cycle to Hell's gate National Park, but Pete's bike gave him such a sore arse that we had to give up at the gate and walk the 14km into and out of the park. A long hot day but much animal life seen and walking through herds of punda milia, swala, twiga and baboons is an amazing experience. Still, there were hot showers so who's complaining?! The following day we went to an extinct volcano crater with 3 other people on the hottest day on record. Lots of flamingo onthe lake in the centre of the crater - aptly named 'Crater Lake' - and lotsof bitsof flamingo around the lake where the baboons have their lunch. We also ate beside the lake but decided to stick to the more traditional Mandazi and peanut butter and banana sandwiches. I know, you were hoping for tales of adventurous foods or skydiving exploits and instead you get relaxing walks and a tame picnic... sorry, but it was our day off! Karin and Johan (the Swedes) came back with us to the shelter and stayed for a couple of days, Pete enjoyed the company. We are hoping to meet up with them again in Cape Town in December. The politics at the shelter are as complicated as ever and make it slow progress to achieve even the smallest thing, but fortunately I (J) have not lost my ability to run around like a mad woman and do several billion things at once so we are still doing lots. We have just had a big blitz on stealing between the boys so hopefully that will slow down a little. The blitz involved taking their most prized possession - shoes - away from them until all thieving culprits came forward. Out of 41 boys only 11 did not 'confess' to multiple crimes, many going back in to add to their list as and when they remembered yet another item that had mysteriously comeinto thier possesion! It's the first time the boys have ever really been confronted about the problem and I think they shall remember our visit in more ways than simply gaining possessions! Rob will be proud to know that I decided to teach a physics lesson this week, we made fulcrums and pivot points out of toilet rolls and rulers and then learnt about levers, balancing etc... and Cate will be pleased to know that I have ventured into the world of maths teaching with varying degrees of success (J) Hopefully we will be able to update the site a little more often and so the postcards will be more informative, we tend to forget much of our exploits in the 3 weeks between each installation. We hope everyone is well and enjoying life as much as we are Love Janet and Pete