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Daily Archives: April 20, 2012

Smells of Senegal, London Underground and Khalil Gibran on Children

1  Such a lovely thing – when I use my hairdryer, it blows out the beautiful incensey smell that was in our apartment in Pikine in Senegal bringing back all those lovely memories.

2  We’ve just bought a new shower curtain with the Tube map on it! Click on it to make it big enough to read.

London Underground Map on our new shower curtain

3  I’ve just come back from the run-through of tomorrow’s Baby Naming Ceremony, firstly a beautiful drive down to Potager Garden though lanes lined by ancient  trees and then the words of the Ceremony which contain the following from Kahlil Gibran, words that Mr S and I love and the philosophy which we tried to keep in mind while bringing up our own four children:

“Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.


You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.”

 

 
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Posted by on April 20, 2012 in books, home, poetry, Senegal, senses, travel

 

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From Senegal 12th April – 8 Hour Delay, Immigration and Spaghetti Carbonara

1. Left Dakar at 00.50am, into Lisbon on time but an eight hour delay at Lisbon – but you know me! That gave me hours of uninterrupted reading time! Nearly finished ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – an unforgettable and beautifully written story.

'Half of a Yellow Sun' by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

2. Lucy went through immigration ahead of us and by the time we were through, she had all the cases loaded onto a trolley. Brilliant.

3. We were so late back that the Grandbabies were both in bed but Mr Rice made us his signature Spaghetti Carbonara for supper, delicious!

 
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Posted by on April 20, 2012 in books, family, Food, travel

 

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Senegal 11th April – The Civil Wedding, The Registrar and Goodbyes

Senegal 11th April – The Civil  Wedding, The Registrar and Goodbyes

1. In European dress we went to the Registry Office for the Civil Wedding.    (Again, told mainly through photos – click on any to get the bigger picture)   On the way there we were asked, “You do have your passports with you?” but we didn’t! The lovely Ousseynou took Lucy back to the apartment on his scooter and promised us he would look after her and drive carefully! The roads looked so precarious!  They returned safely and the wedding could go ahead!

Pap and his son before the Civil Wedding

Me with Bebe Mgette before the Civil Wedding

Ami ready to go

Leaving the house

With Pap who is to be one of the witnesses

Walking up the road to get the taxi

Daniel and Ami together in the front seat

Ami and her best friend, come to witness the Civil Wedding

Daniel making sure Ousseynou will drive carefully!

Off they go to get the passports!

2. The Registrar, who had a delightful sense of humour, made sure we were following the marriage ceremony. (We were allowed to take photos but my battery ran out! I’m waiting for Lucy’s photos to arrive and will post them later.)

3. Last meal with the family, goodbyes and tears but also much laughter, warmth and happiness at such a beautiful week having been shared together and our two families becoming one.

It has been such a privilege to be here in Senegal with the family, to experience real life in Senegal rather than being a ‘tourist’ looking on. We owe so much to this beautiful family for welcoming us in, in this totally open and loving manner and for sharing their lives with us.

 
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Posted by on April 20, 2012 in family, Senegal, travel

 

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