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!
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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.
