Happy Easter!

This giant blow-up bunny is in the parking lot of our local grocery store/shopping center. I thought it was quite adorable so I wanted to share.  I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter holiday.

A few things to report:

1. The satellite New Dawn is set to (re) launch this Friday, April 22, at around 11:30 pm Jo'burg time, around 5:30 pm EDT.  Instead of launching on Good Friday, Jon thought it would be humorous to re-launch on Easter Sunday (on the 3rd day He rose again...).  A little tasteless but funny nevertheless.

2. I am looking for work.  Can't find anything that pays yet.  I have come across some volunteer opportunities.  I am running for a place on the Board of Directors for the American International School here in Jo'burg.  I am also hoping to wrangle a position as an educational consultant with a non-profit called Mindset.  I would like to do either or both, optimally.  As with the revised launch, we will just have to wait and see.

3. The garbage strike continues. You can read about the latest by clicking the link. It is piling up everywhere around the city and suburbs.  Those of us who can afford to pay a private company or person to pick it up from our homes are lucky.  However, I think our garbage just ends up being dumped somewhere like the photo below.  It is a shame because the city of Jo'burg is actually a lovely place with some incredibly beautiful neighborhoods. 

4. The opening photo on the blog is of a sign you often see out in the rural areas.  I wrote about seeing these in one of my first blog entries but Jon wouldn't stop to let me take a picture of it.  We are getting a little braver and during a Sunday drive I spotted one and made Jon stop.  We have not heard of any hijackings since we have been here but we do think about it and I know it happens. The American School for which I am running for the Board is located very close to Deipsloot.  Last night after the session we were walking out to the car and a mom stopped us.  She was alone and asked us to follow her out by car to her turn-off to her neighborhood.  It is common on the dark roads outside of town to be followed home or forced off the road.  It is safer not to travel after dark if you can avoid it. But generally we feel very safe.

5. Our 25th wedding anniversary is this May 3rd! We can't believe it! I have managed to get a very busy Jon Osler to take a few days off so we can get away to celebrate.  We are going to Zambia to stay at the Royal Livingstone Hotel at Victoria Falls.  I am linking these places for you to check them out ahead of time if you would like.  When we get back I will post lots of photos for everyone.

Take care all,

Jody