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Monday, October 15, 2012

Pottery classes in Mwadui

At last I've managed to schedule three mornings a week to attend pottery classes here in Mwadui. My friend, Amanda, who ran her own pottery school back in SA, has set up here in the remotest of African towns!

She and Tilla, the only other expat lady here, have been practicing this art here since the beginning of the year. Even though I was invited to join them in February, I have been very involved in running our company Guest House (for the love it it, LOL!) and have intended to go for months. Two weeks ago I took the plunge and finally I am there and enjoying myself immensely. We work (and talk, of course) for two hours each on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings.
 A learning curve for me!

May you all have a wonderful week ahead.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

It's a great big jungle...

...out there!

Ginger, Shadow and Ambrose prowl around our enclosed garden!

For more pet posts, click here

Saturday, October 13, 2012

From Notebook to Ultrabook

 On the left of the picture is my new Ultrabook with my faithful Notebook on the right

In May, I ordered a new "laptop", the lightweight and compact Acer Ultrabook from my son, Angus in South Africa. I actually bought the machine myself using the money I'd made this year from writing articles and editing/typing up an important document for the Client.  Our friend, Wessel, kindly brought  my new computer up to East Africa for me. However, I never got a chance to change my documents and other paraphernalia from my two-year-old Notebook so I trundled the Ultrabook (still in its box!) and my notebook back to SA in September. Back home, our daughter-in-law, Amanda transferred everything from the old to the new machine and set also up my e-mail. 

The new Acer Ultrabook is lighter, smaller and more user-friendly for someone like me who has likes to takes her computer on trips across the continent! Now I don't have to unzip the computer case, remove the laptop and place it in a separate tray to go through the security screen at the airport.The Ultrabook fits into a padded sleeve and is small enough to fit into my backpack. Not once on the whole journey from Johannesburg to Dar Es Salaam and from Dar Es Salaam to Mwanza did I remove the Ultrabook! Bliss.

It has its cons too: there aren't enough USB ports, so if I have to use my printer (which I brought back from SA as well), I have to unplug the mouse and work with the sensor pad to perform that task. It also doesn't have a CD drive, so I bought an external drive. I believe there is a gadget which called a multi-USB, so I will soon be looking into this possibility.

Meanwhile, I am getting used the smaller keypad and enjoying my new Ultrabook to the full! 

I hope you're all having a wonderful weekend.