December 2020: Italy

We spent most of December in Italy....

but first the last jumping and piano lessons of the year....

An overnight flight to Germany (this is the only minute Gio actually sat with me- the flight was so empty that Gio took over a row of 4 seats and managed to sleep for a few hours).

Meanwhile Gioia and Jagger headed back to their camp outside of Nairobi.  The cats and Ragu stayed at home in the care of Paolo's driver and his family.

Our overnight flight began just as my birthday (Dec 4) was ending and Gio's birthday began our first full day in quarantine.  Luckily a friend was able to bring him a cake.

Monday came quickly and I had to wake both children in the pitch dark at 6AM to begin school (Italy is two hours behind Kenya).

What helped that first early start?  When the sun finally came up this surprise greeted us!

In between Zoom calls they raced out into the snow.  Maria's was annoyed here because I forced her to stop for a photo.

Zoom PE class.

Once we all got negative Covid tests we were allowed to head to our favorite gelato shop where we ordered this cake- birthday cake #3 for Gio.  Why not!?

 

We invited Stefano who lives in our downstairs apartment and takes impeccable care of our house and garden.  Maria immediately roped him into playing her unicorn game.  

Maria took charge of the tree this year.

Did I mention that one of our suitcases was left behind in Frankfurt? Even though we had a 7 hour layover??  It took Lufthansa 12 days to get it to us.  I tried not to be grumpy about it.  

Our beloved brother-in-law/uncle Tucker (aka "Funcle" and "Zio Tuckerino") was the first family member to get a COVID vaccine.  He is a hospital doc in Reno, NV.  

Cookie day.

One of very favorite people here- Lele.  He had come to take Gio for a day playing in the snow higher up in the mountains.  Of course, before he left Maria got him to play her game.  Notice a pattern?

More camp photos!

One of these newborn puppies (born Dec 20) will be Gio's surprise belated birthday present. 

Biden's vaccination day was big news in Italy!
(Vaccinations in Italy began Dec 27th).

Christmas Eve Antics

Ready for Christmas Eve Dinner with Paolo's best friend
and his family. 

Prepping for Santa before the guests arrived.  Since Maria is Italian-American she offered him both wine and milk.

More Christmas Eve antics.  

Santa must have liked the wine!

Acchiappa la Cacca (Catch the Poop) 

was a blast to finish off Christmas night.

More snow for Boxing Day.

So many Legos to do....

How cute are 8 day old puppies?  Don't show Gio!

We head back to Nairobi Jan 2 and spent the rest of our holiday playing in the snow, reading, doing Legos, Polly Pockets, walking and spending time with Angelo and his family. 

Next post in 2021.  Good riddance, 2020!

xox.  Clara

Nov 2020

A slow month spent entirely at home.  I managed to roast an enormous turkey for Thanksgiving (for just the 4 of us). Lots of Zoom calls, dog walks and horseback riding....

Trumpet lesson with Lawrence...

Maria got sealants on her teeth. 

Every morning  at 6:00 the dogs and I take a long walk in Karura.

Ragu is our most enthusiastic walker.  He spends the rest of the day recovering.  12 year old joints also suffer in this rainy season.

Maria takes her swim team Zoom calls very seriously!

In addition to a lot of jumping this month
Maria also started riding bareback.

It was fun to celebrate the big win all over again when my parents sent us the headlines!

This gingerbread house pretty much sums up 2020.

More jumping...

Multi-tasking.

Cinnamon in his begging position.  He asks for food an average of 10 times per day.  And at least 3 other families feed him in our neighborhood.

Maria spent a lot of time with her best friend Amelie this month- quite a few sleepovers.  We are awaiting news as there is a chance she will be moving to Egypt in January.  Life of an expat kid is not easy.

Zoom- I think this was #5 of the day....

Yes, there was a lot of riding this month....

Ragu is more and more relaxed with us now. 
Amazing to see his transformation.

My friend Michelle likes to hide tennis balls all around the off lead area in Karura for Jagger to find.  He gets so excited when he does!

We leave next month for Italy.  So next post from winter....

xoxo.  Clara

October 2020: More of the Same...and Lamu!

Most of October has been much like September with online learning, horseback riding, playdates with "bubble" friends and dog walks. We did learn in the middle of the month that school for Maria would begin in-person learning after the October break (when we went to Lamu!).  

Online learning dress code is quite loose.  Our neighbor's children who attend a British-system school have to be in their uniforms for online learning.  I do force Gio to at least put on a shirt before his Zoom calls begin!

Coconut treat.

Salt's favorite mid-morning napping spot.

Gioia has had a naughty streak this month.  On this day she dug a hole under the fence to our neighbor's garden (where a giant Boerboel lives whom she adores).

Math Challenge after-school activity.  Safety in numbers!

Zoom art class and lunch with her buddy Evie.

Keeping the tooth fairy (tooth mouse here in Kenya)
very busy this month!

Gioia's favorite napping spot after our Karura Forest outings.

My 6AM walks in Karura with the gang will end soon once I need to wait for the school bus.  I will miss having the place all to myself.

We had another month without city water so trucks had to come weekly to fill our storage tanks.

What these two do for hours every day....

Gio's gang of 4 enjoying a sushi lunch.

We took Gioia to meet the only male BMD in Nairobi.  He fell immediately in love.  Gioia did NOT return the affection.

I was supposed to be doing a wellness activity on a school Zoom call.  Instead I was watching Netflix.  Covid reality.

Outdoor art class in our neighborhood.

With her beloved Cherry.

If you come for dinner at our house expect this to happen at some point in the evening...

 

...Miles is always a good sport about it!

Online slime class!

Our neighbors got a new puppy.  It was hard to get me to leave.

Jumping with Cherry.

Term break and we flew to Lamu for 4 nights....

Such a treat to be at the ocean and in sunny weather!

o

We returned to our favorite spot- The Peponi Hotel.  Our favorite part is the hotel dog Gumbo who sat with us at almost all of our meals.

Off for a day on an uninhabited island.  True social distancing!

We snorkled, had a picnic lunch and searched for shells. 

Tide pool.

Our beach was empty for our entire stay and Gumbo accompanied us on most of our walks.

Drip castles.

Gumbo loved to lifeguard with me...always with a stick.

The children loved the hotel pool.  Gio worked hard on his "break the camera" faces....

Gumbo often joined them.

And all too soon we were back to chilly, rainy Nairobi.  The excitement was Maria going back to in person school for the first time in 8 months.  Sadly Gio's grade is not yet allowed to return (Kenya government directive).

                                               

Self portrait in her Spanish classroom!

We all waited eagerly each afternoon for Maria's bus to bring her back!

Dental check-up in time of Covid.....

November looms ominously now.  So hard to know what will happen in the US.....if Italy will somehow manage this second wave and avoid another lockdown....if Gio will get to return to school (and even if Maria will be able to stay).... Sigh.  I will keep trying to keep spirits up somehow.

xoxox.  Clara