1 The sun/warmth didn’t last beyond a day but that did mean a beautiful subdued light for some flower photos this morning. Thanks to fellow photography bloggers for the hints about avoiding sunlight, early or late giving better shots, David Heilmann at dhphotosite.wordpress.com and Russel Ray Photos.
2 It amuses me to see Max’s rabbit (a bit out of focus) on the line next door. There are two more indoors so that he is never without!
Drying rabbit
3 Driving into Truro through Greenbottom, I have been intrigued by this old phone box. Today the traffic was light enough to allow me to park and investigate. It’s a little library/book swap! What a fabulous use for the beautiful old box. Next time I’m there I shall take a few books to exchange at the exchange..
Kenwyn Book Exchange!
Inside the Kenwyn Book Exchange
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Tags: aquilega, community, creativity, culture, flower photos, French, french lavender, fun, Greenbottom, lavender, nature, people, phone box, plants, toy rabbit, Truro
1. After a hectic few days, some resting time. I love the multi-coloured water containers, not kettles as I first thought as they could not stand heat underneath. I’ve brought two home to use for watering window boxes etc!
Multi-coloured kettle
2. Meals are served in one very big dish for all to share. Should anyone arrive while the family are eating, they will always be invited to join in the meal. Senegalese hospitality is all-embracing.
Rice and beans with fried fish
3. We Skyped home to KJ and family and Jake said ‘ Bonjour’ to Ndeye Marie and ‘You are my cousin!” That was a beautiful moment that was appreciated by all.
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Tags: community, Dad, Daniel, food, French, Jake, kettle, Multi-coloured, Senegal, Senegalese hospitality, Skype, travel, vacation
The morning of the wedding, Ami and her Mum
The family in the morning
Ami at the salon, hair started, no make-up yet
Ami in her Wedding Dress, having changed in the salon owner’s bedroom next door
Back in the Salon, hair done and being sprinkled with gold-dust
Make-up done
Leaving the Salon
Drummers welcome Ami to the house and alert the guests on the roof to her arrival
Drumming welcome
Daniel and Ami arrive for the Ceremony
Babacar very kindly translates from Wolof to English for us.
Traditionally, cola nuts and sweets are handed around once the couple are married
The party begins with dancing
Followed by traditional singing, telling stories and praising the couple
and more drumming…..
and more dancing…..
Family photo
Ami’s Mum with Daniel and his Twin Sister and our new Grandchild
Newly Married
Just beautiful!
More family
Lucy and Daniel with Mgatte (Pap)
Sisters
Lucy and Ndeye Marie at the Wedding
The morning of the wedding, Ami and her Mum
The family in the morning
Ami at the beauty salon, hair started, no make-up yet
Ami in her Wedding Dress, having changed in the salon owner’s bedroom next door
Back in the Salon, hair done and being sprinkled with gold-dust
Make-up done
Leaving the Salon
Drummers welcome Ami to the house and alert the guests on the roof to her arrival
Drumming welcome
Daniel and Ami arrive for the Ceremony
Babacar, very kindly, translates from Wolof to English for us
Traditionally, cola nuts and sweets are handed around once the couple are married
The party begins with drumming and dancing
Followed by traditional singing, telling stories and praising the couple
and more drumming…..
and more dancing…..
Lucy and Ndeye Marie at the Wedding
Family photo
Ami’s Mum with Daniel and his Twin Sister and our new Grandchild
Newly Married
Just beautiful!
More family
Lucy and Daniel with Mgatte (Pap)
Sisters
What a colourful and happy day!
And the Civil Wedding will be on Wednesday.
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Tags: beauty salon, civil wedding, dancing, drummers, drumming, English, French, gold-dust, Grandbaby, Griots, guests, make-up, maquillage, Muslim Wedding, newly marrieds, Postaday, postaday2012, reception, Senegalese wedding dress, singing, sisters, translator, twins, wedding ceremony, Wolof
1 Breakfast in the salon outside with Daniel, Ami and Lucy, speaking French and learning Wolof! We gave Daniel and Ami the North American Wedding Jug, a small token of their marriage. If you want to know about the jug, look here: http://www.kachinahouse.com/c-61-wedding-vases.aspx
Learning French and Wolof in the salon
2 Shopping for wedding shoes!
The Shoe Shop
Success!
and a bag ........
Street view
3 Met the lovely Pap, Ami’s older brother who lives in Italy and who has come home for the Wedding. Delightful character, full of fun and humour and love for Daniel. They’ve been friends for 15 years!
Pap
4 and a full moon
Full Moon and Flowers
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Tags: Daniel and Ami, French, full moon, Italy, North American Wedding Vessel, Pap, shoe shopping, wedding shoes, Wolof
1 Our apartment in Pikine is very close to Ami’s family home, has rooms all opening onto a central courtyard which is smothered in palm trees, huge cacti and beautiful bougainvillea in pinks and reds.
Sunlight through the leaves
2 Took a yellow taxi to Pikine market – bursting with bustle, noise, colour and smells – to buy fabric for me to have made up into a traditional boubou for the Wedding on Sunday. The most colourful bus took us to the tailor’s where I was measured up and chose a beautiful blue thread to go with the emerald green fabric. It will be ready tomorrow!
3 Met Ami’s lovely family at her home – her parents, her beautiful daughter, Ndeye Marie and some of her aunts and children. We managed to understand each other pretty well with some shared language (French), lots of body language and Daniel on hand to translate from Wolof when necessary. The family has known Daniel for 15 years and spoke of him with pride and warmth and welcomed us into their family. We were able to say how pleased and proud we are to welcome Ami into our family too.
Lucy with some of the children
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Tags: accommodation, Ami, bougainvillea, cacti, Dakar, Daniel, English, family, French, market, Ndeye Marie, palm trees, Pikine, Senegal, Senegalese, tailor, traditional boubou, wedding, Wolof
1 Today’s piano lesson was hard but by the end my confidence was back and I know what to do for next week. My teacher is a star!
2 Just look at this beautiful Muscari Grandifolium flowering today in the wall.
Muscari Grandifolium
3 We love Skype! Tonight we Skyped with KJ and the children. Jake was telling us about ‘Flat Stanley’, a story our children loved too and Tabitha said her first word, “Hiya!”, while waving at us. Later, we Skyped with Daniel in Barcelona and Ami in Dakar, Senegal, speaking both French and Wolof and talking about the wedding which is only two weeks away. Fabulous evening!
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Tags: Ami, Barcelona, confidence, Dakar, Daniel, fabulous evening, first word, flat stanley, French, Jake, KJ, Muscari Grandifolium, piano lesson, Senegal, Skype, Tabitha., wedding, Wolof
1
Pooh Bear
“What day is it,?” asked Pooh.
“It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.
“My favourite day,” said Pooh.”
I love Pooh Bear! And I love the fact that he doesn’t know what day it is! I don’t ask – I just use the day’s Guardian!
2 Thanks to David who sent along emails this afternoon with MP3s of our singing from Sunday evening with the Treggies. ‘The Miners’ Anthem’ is such a haunting and beautiful song. It was written for a production called ‘The Cry of Tin’ which, I discovered is “a powerful 90 minute musical documentary drama telling the story of the rise and fall of mining in Cornwall, focusing on its impact on the people and the land.”
The title comes from when the assayer puts the ingot on a bending machine. As the tin flexes it makes an eerie sound from which he judges its value. They call it the Cry of the Tin.” I love finding things out!
3 French Conversation was hard today! I did learn new vocabulary and I am getting more confident about speaking to Ami’s family when we are in Senegal!
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Tags: Ami, French, mining in Cornwall, Pooh Bear, Senegal, The Cry of the Tin, The Guardian, The Miners' Anthem, Treggies
1 My lovely sister, Deborah, in Hawaii sent me this delightful photo of a Tibetan child laughing,designed to make anyone smile.
Laughing Tibetan child
2 Lucy walked for 6 hours today as part of her training for her trek in Nepal. We drove down to Porthtowan and walked a short way with her.
3 We Skyped with Ami, Daniel’s fiance, in Senegal this afternoon. Her English is getting better, I’m doing better with my French and Daniel, online from Barcelona, taught us a bit of Wolof! Since we haven’t met Ami yet, Skype is brilliant for helping us all get to know each other before we really meet in April. We are so looking forward to it and Ami is going to help Lucy and me buy appropriate outfits for the celebrations!
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Tags: Ami, Barcelona, Daniel, Deborah, French, Hawaii, Lucy, nepal, Senegal, trek in nepal, Wolof
