Reading Response

May Bird Among the Stars book #2 written by Jodi Lynn Anderson

This is my first time blogging a reading response so forgive spelling mistakes

May Bird is the main character who in book one gets sucked in to a swamp by her house.

Luckily her cat somber kitty got sucked in with her. May Bird, Sombre kitty, a ghost named Beatrice, a spirit called pumpkin and ghost captain Fabbio try to travel to a mysterious lady who will grant there all there wishes.

This book is thrilling and very detailed, though you should read book #1 first or you'll end up really lost. I would recommend this book to advanced readers, probably  grades 6+ this book was actually recommended to me by ms. Jacobs.  

I would recommend this book to...

-Peter. N, not the best writer but he is a deep thinker and he likes detailed writing I think he would really like May Bird.

-Baya. J, she is very advanced reader and she does enjoy suspense, this is a great book for her.

I would not recommend this book to...

-Xavier. L, he is not the kid for reading fantasy accept for how to train your dragon.

-Joel. W, I don't know much about Joel, but i know he takes things a bit to literally sometimes so when he reads this book he would probably be disappointed at the little amount of realism there was.    

that's it for this week, bye

  

Madam President

written by Anouk...

I've had an exciting month! On October 9th and 10th I will be the lead in a play called "When a Bad Plan Goes wrong." I will play the witch named Nightshade! This character is a lot of fun to play because she is evil to her minions while she tries to kill the princess with a blueberry smoothie. It may sound like I have an evil and bad role, but my lines are hilarious! And it's funny to see how my character messes up her evil plan! I can't wait to show you the video over the summer.

The next piece of big news is that I was selected by my class as a 5th grade class representative. I then met with the Elementary Principal and our school Superintendent to share my thoughts about our school's future. They liked my ideas so much that they told my parents and then the Superintendent talked about me in front of all of the Model United Nations students visiting at our school! I'm turning in to a superstar!

From there, I went to the first meeting and we all had to select an Executive Committee. Over the holiday weekend, I worked on a video (that my papa kinda screwed up a bit) but on Monday, when I went to show my video... it didn't work! So here is my chance to share it with someone.

But after the video didn't show, I had 2 seconds to create a speech straight from my heart. I guess I did a pretty good job (even though I stuttered) because I am PRESIDENT!!! You heard me right! PRESIDENT! Or... you can call me Madam President.

When I got home after play practice, I teased my parents and Xavier about getting the job. When I finally told them the truth, they kinda jumped around with happiness. We went to my favorite Mexican restaurant (in Joburg) to celebrate. 

Now... I have to get started on my first few jobs where I make my school a better place!

1. Introduce all the members of my team (in a clever video)
2. Give a speech at next Thursday's assembly
3. Share my new initiative: "Meet and Greet with Madam President"

If you have any more ideas... let me know!

-Anouk (with Mama's help!)

A Southern African Journey

Africa is a gorgeous country. It is a country of diverse landscapes, gorgeous vistas, interesting culture, and amazing people. And this "winter", we had the opportunity to experience South Africa's gifts by taking a trip along its Western Cape. 

After traveling to our respective homes and enjoying a fabulous Northern hemisphere summer, we flew back home to Johannesburg and arrived to a chilly winter. After a quick 12 hour turn-around, our own family holiday got us back in a plane heading towards the famous Garden Route. After a short flight to George, we drove to Knysna and started our adventure on Houseboat Myrtle in the Knysna Lagoon. This was an exciting challenge for all of us as we maneuvered our dinghy to our Houseboat, converted dining tables in to sleeping spaces, and learned how pitch water out of our dinghy after the nightly downpours.

On our first full day at the coast, we drove through the rain to get to the coastal town of Sedgefield hearing that their Wild Oat's Community Market was not to be missed. Boy were they right! The ambiance was charming and breakfast was spectacular. The kids noshed on morning burritos, Nutella waffles, and hot cocoa, while Rob and I tried a variety of coffees and teas and a menagerie of baked goods. Unfortunately, the winter weather pounced and we had to dodge puddles to drop off our purchases in the rental car. But just as we were readying ourselves for departure, we saw a sign for the Sedgefield Craft Brewery. Well... we just had to go! We met the proprietor, a former techie from Joburg, who chatted with Rob over a pint (or two or three) of his delicious brews which helped Rob's retirement dream grow.  

The next day, we drove west through the bright yellow canola fields on our quest to reach the 4th oldest village in all of South Africa--Swellendam. On our long journey, we stopped at nearly every ocean vista, Trip Advisor recommend locale, or any interesting farm stall we passed on the ride. Arriving in Swellendam, we were not expecting to see a city bursting at the seams with gorgeous Cape Dutch architecture, it was as if we had stepped back in time... and to Holland! Swellendam, particularly our host, Karin, are full of stories desperate to be told. Families that have lived, worked, farmed, and created in this area for generations! Despite a strong desire to stay at the Old Thatch Guest House even longer, the siren call of the whales was beckoning.

On our way to Hermanus, we made a detour at Cape Agulhas. Though not as famous as The Cape of Good Hope (where the currents of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet), Cape Agulhas is the true southernmost tip of Africa. This location serves as the division of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. With little to see, but a dangerously rocky coastline, the recently manicured trail was full of educational vignettes and brilliant flora.

Within a few hours... we had reached our destination: Hermanus. This small seaside retreat is famous for it's whale watching (which is at its peak between June and December). From the cliffs at the village square, the loud trumpeting sounds of the Whale Crier can be heard. These morse-code like toots alert tourists to the whereabouts (and behavior) of whales just off shore. From our lazy walks through the cliff paths or lunch with a view, we could see whales spouting and breaching within a kilometer from shore.

Despite all the fun and adventures we had had up to this point, the highlight (and Xavier's 12th birthday gift) was our whale watching trip. We woke up before the sun and drove to the Old Harbor. After a brief training and some warm beverages, we  boarded the boat and made our way through violently choppy waters. For just over 30 minutes we were meters away from the Souther Right Whales. Because of their curious nature and the ease at which they could be hunted, the "right" whale were just the "right" ones to be hunted. These gentle giants came within meters of our boat just to investigate.

While enjoying our water safari, the choppy waters took their toll on one of the Langlands foursome. Angela realized that she is not destined to live at sea when her face turned green, the sweat beaded around her brow, and she was down for the count--literally!

From the golden farms and fields inland to the gorgeous crashing waves at the shoreline--South Africa's bounty is rich and we have enjoyed exploring it all! But our home, our puppy dog, and a nice fire were enticing. It was time to get back to Johannesburg.

Awe at Victoria Falls

Oops... this has been sitting in my draft folder since we went to Zimbabwe in April. I guess the end of the school year chaos caught up to me more than I thought it had. Here's some words about our awe-inspiring trip to Victoria Falls.

It's not often that I'm without words. I usually have something to say about everything. But our journey to Victoria Town in Zimbabwe has taken my breath away.

The weekend was rather unexpected. Though I've wanted to visit Victoria Falls since I first arrived in Africa in 1999, it has always seemed "too far away" or "too expensive." But when Rob got a complimentary flight (thanks to a complaint about some bad service on a British Airways flight), how could we not take the opportunity to see one of the World's Natural Wonders?

We arrived in Victoria Town, Zimbabwe, on a warm Saturday afternoon just after a short 90-minute flight from Johannesburg. The arrival hall and excruciatingly long customs line reminded me that Africa has many faces and we were staring down an old decrepit one. Meeting up with our driver, who guided us past traditional dancers in loin clothes made from springbok skins, we (Rob and I) were aware that we were definitely back in Africa again!

We arrived and enjoyed a few minutes of rest and relaxation at at The Kingdom Resort before piling back in an air-conditioned bus on our way to the jetty for a cruise down the Zambezi river (thanks for the recommendation Bronny!). At our personal table for four, we enjoyed a water safari while throwing back Zambezi beers on the Zambezi river--now that's a first! Though the beer was crap, the views were magnificent. It was a bird watching paradise with crocs and hippos on or near the banks. But the highlight of this ride was the moment we caught an elephant washing itself in the river. Staring at this majestic creature as it appeared in the distance silhouetted against a setting sun, we knew this was going to be an amazing journey.

The next morning it was time to see what we'd came for--Victoria Falls! A quick 10-minute walk from our hotel, took us on another mini-safari as we walked past hippo and elephant dung, baboons, warthogs, and the wild Zimbabwean drivers.

Victoria Falls was said to be "discovered" in 1855 by the Scottish explorer, David Livingstone (though thousands of Zimbabwean natives would have already been aware of the falls' existence, I'm sure). Livingstone named the falls in honor of Queen Victoria. The falls relish in the fact that they are twice the height of Niagara Falls. Because of it's wide sheer drop (and the crashing sounds that erupt from it) the falls' indigenous name translates to the "cloud that thunders." It erupts from the peaceful river and spews a cloud of water into the air at such fervor that as it returns to the Earth it has created a mini-rainforest ecosystem.

While enjoying a peaceful walk through the national park, we participated in our own mini safari with baboons, birds, and some sort of Springbok-type animals. After viewing the falls from every vantage point, we decided to walk to the Lookout Cafe to enjoy a drink while looking out at the gorge and weaving waterways that carry the now peaceful water away from the falls. Grubbing on nuts and colorful cocktails (virgin for the wee ones), we reminisced about the experience we had and watched some adventurers wing, fly, and bungee across the gorge. It was then that Rob, our expert in frugality, surprised us with his most shocking idea yet, "Let's book a helicopter ride over the falls and see them from above." And so we did.

After lunch, we got picked up and whisked away to The Flight of Angels where we were videotaped listening to security briefings, being weighed-in, and bubbling with excitement before we enjoyed the fly over.

Once the helicopter landed, we were just like the characters in the movies--all bent down, blocking our heads from the powerful blades above. We loaded up on the helicopter and enjoyed the most unbelievably euphoric 8-minutes of our life. The helicopter lead us in a figure-8 pattern so each person could view the falls without obstruction. It was an awe-inspiring excursion.

After the ride, everything seemed a bit of a downer. The afternoon spent in the pool was only made more pleasurable by chats about the amazing birds-eye view we had just enjoyed.

At night, we walked through downtown Victoria Falls City on a quest for items that would suffice for a casual in-room dinner. We ended up at a local supermarket as the only Mzungus (white people) inside. People stopped to stare at us as we gawked at the prices and quality of the food. When we paid for a few sodas and crackers with our unbelievably overused US dollars, we were given the third degree about our time and experience in Zimbabwe. We walked out of the store reflecting on how lovely the Zimbabweans were--so reminiscent of our time in Kenya.

This is not a trip soon forgotten.

A Book for Christina

We had a great summer holiday in the USA and I was going to hit the ground running in Belgium and start blogging about our trip to California. But when we walked in to the Bomma and Bompa's house, my phone *dinged* with a message about the passing of my friend, former  colleague, and Xavier's 3rd grade teacher, Christina Hutterer.

Between cleaning up the kids vomit (they caught Roman and Katya's tummy bug and it reared it's ugly head at 37,000 feet) and drugging away their headaches and fever, I tried to console my grief. I added every one of my Indonesian friends to a big group list where I asked people to share their favorite memories of her. This "work" began to quench the despair I was feeling.

When I woke up on Day 2 in Belgium, I thought... I have to do something with these beautiful memories. I have got to share this with her parents. So I grabbed my Mac and consolidated the messages and photos in to a book.

What you see below is a slideshow video of that book. Before I print the book for her family, please look through the pages (I had to embed it as a video, so you might have to pause to read your comments). I had to make some changes for spelling and space but I think that your thoughts have been captured appropriately. If not, please contact me.

Can’t Write a Poem About Hamburgers

We had a rough weekend in the Langlands house. We had to learn some important lessons and now it's time to move forward. But the end of the year is always stressful and busy. So how do we move on? We get the following email from our son. Here is Xavier's poem to cheer up your day!

Can’t Write a Poem About Hamburgers

Noon,

Photo Credit: Pamela Graham via Compfight cc

I look at the hovering sun,

Straight above me.

I see my parents,

As they slowly park,

Coming to retrieve me for lunch.

I peered out the window,

Like a mouse would with a hole.

The lights,

Shining like las Vegas,

So many choices.

Thai,

Not enough junk food flavour.

Pizza,

Hot as the sun,

Burn’s your skin.

BBQ,

Takes so long I got arthritis!

Italia,

As many choices as a teenage girl’s wardrobe.

Then, the hot,

Juicy flavoured air catches my attention.

Hamburgers.

We pull over,

The smell mouth-watering.

I shuffle up,

Thinking that this is to good,

That this must be a dream.

Hot,

Grease expelling,

Sauce dripping,

Sky scraper high,

Heavenly delicious.

I place my order,

And sit at my table.

The waiter comes,

Holding the burger,

He places it on my plate.

I hold it up,

Sauce dripping onto my hands.

I bite it,

Tasting the sauce,

Tasting the lettuce,

Tasting the tomato,

Tasting the cheese,

Tasting the patty,

Tasting the bun,

Tasting the angles blessing.

Mmm,

Hamburgers.

Parental Pressure

By Xavier

Ugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My parents are so enraging! All I wanted to do was to have a lazy Sunday before school began again, and now I’m stuck here, sitting down and doing homework! I already did it! I just have to practice! Uggggggghhhhhhhh! I am writing this blog to get all my anger out! Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! UGGHH!!!!!  My friend is gonna come a’ knockin’ and I might not be able to play with him. And hungry shark! He’s gonna be so disappointed. I haven’t had a good Sunday in forever, because I know there’s always school tomorrow. Also, there is Festival Of Races at my school. I stink at running! And I have to run 5k! Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Everything is enraging when your mad. Except my dog. I could just cuddle with her for a long time, and let all my worries melt away. I based this on my dog. Get a dog. Or adopt one. Dogs. Man’s best friend (coming to stores near you). I think I just made the best advertisement ever!

One Direction

...by Anouk

I got to celebrate my birthday early this year. My dad worked hard to get tickets to the 1D concert here in Johannesburg. He got four tickets. Since he and Xavier didn't want to go, I got to pick 2 friends to go with me and celebrate my birthday.

It was an outstanding concert!!

We started out by getting on the "party" bus and playing "Heads Up" on my mom's phone. We were SUPER goofy because we were so excited about our first concert. Though we had seen a video about 1D and how girls cry at the concert, I didn't think girls would already be doing it. But they were! On the bus. There were women crying before we even got to the stadium.

Once there, my vegetarian friends and I had no trouble dashing past the braai (South African word for BBQ) and hamburgers. The line to get inside was very, very, very long, but it felt quick because Cliana, Chloe, and I danced, sang, and goofed off 'til we got to security. 

The first person who sang was named Johnny Apple (He won "South Africa's Got Talent" in 2013). He was pretty good. But when he was over all we wanted was One Direction. 

But they were late. So the crowd sang and danced to "The Macarena," did "the wave," and clapped in unison hoping they would come on stage. When they did--it was worth it! We danced and sang and screamed until our voices wore out. The people on the ground threw hats, posters, teddy bears, and even a bra on stage! Harry Styles threw water at the audience and I think the girls probably fainted. (Just in case you don't know their names, they are Liam, Niall, Harry, and Louis. If you know the band well enough, you'd notice I missed one. That's because Zayn left the band.

I'm SO excited that excited my dad got tickets. Me and my buddies where giggling for hours. It was  a very fun night and the firework display was really good, like a 3 D movie! My first concert was worth tiredness on sundae.  

Here are the photos of her adventure!

the Karoo and the beach

"Tricia is coming! Tricia is coming!" Those were the words echoing through the house the week before Spring Break started for us. Not only was Tricia coming, but my friend and colleague, Bronny, had arranged for a trip out of the city--hoorah! With a night arrival, Tricia got here just in time to repack so we could head out to the airport to Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape.

Having read about the Owl House in a travel magazine, Bronny convinced me that this was a not-to-be-missed location, but with 5 of us, there wasn't space in the small town (read: village) of Nieu Bethesda for us to stay. So after a three hour drive inland past views that made us question whether or not we were in Arizona, we weary travellers arrived at Ganora Guest Farm.

This gorgeous sheep farm lies on the bottom of the Sneeuberg foothills where the owners have lived and sheered for the last 15 years. On the site, Hester has educated her children and sold real estate in Nieu Bethesda while her husband Jan ran the farm and fulfilled his paleontologist cravings by walking the riverbeds of his property. Jan took us on a tour of his small museum where the kids held skulls that pre-date dinosaurs by 50 million years. The skeletons of this area belong to a mammal-like creature called the Gorgonopsia. When we weren't oogling at the 7,000+ year old bushmen cave paintings or playing with the resident water mongoose, we were dining on amazing farm-to-table delights or lying on the grass and gazing at the constellations.

From Ganora Guest Farm, it was a quick jaunt to the "town" of Nieu Bethesda where we explored the Owl House, the home and art garden of the mentally afflicted, Helen Martins. Though she only lived until 1976, the amazing concrete, metal, and recycled glass creations in the garden were so cutting-edge and ahead of their time. Walking amongst the art gives one a sense of hope and excitement, while the inside of her house felt eerily hopeless despite the colorful crushed glass walls and painted glass.

The village of Nieu Bethesda was incredibly charming and abounding with artists known around South Africa and beyond. After shopping at Annette's The Cow Jumped Over the Moon shop, we heard that The Brewery and Two Goats Deli was owned and operated by her brother. So we headed over there enjoyed delicious hand-crafted brews with homemade beer breads and goat's cheese. The kids loved The Brewery because the seats were made out of old tires and the hammock was a double-wide bed hanging from the trees which entertained them for hours. From the archaeologist dig at the Kitching Fossil Exploration Centre to the pottery creations of  Charmaine Haines--Nieu Bethesda was a total African experience!

After our time in the Karoo, we drove another couple of hours to Port Alfred, a small town in the Eastern Cape. This being the regular vacation destination of my South African colleague, Jackie, we were sent with a list of a dozen places to go, people to see, and locations to dine at. The town is steeped in British colonialism with a contemporary mix of Xhosa artists. The area is home to the oldest pub in South Africa (the Pig and Whistle) and a dozen beautiful craft and artisan shops. The oddest peculiarity of the region is the Big Pineapple of Bathurst. The Big Pineapple honors the first crop that was successfully grown in the region--the pineapple. It was also home to the International Pineapple Symposium in 2005--who knew such a thing existed?!?!

The highlight of the kids' journey was the downtime spent at the coast in Hangklip-Kleinmond. From our stay at the Purfikt House, the kids were able to play in the cold ocean waters, explore the beach's tidepools, (attempt) to sand board down the dunes, and dip their feet in the (slightly warmer) East and West River that lie parallel to one another just a stone's through from the house.

All in all, we had a great excursion and we look forward to continuing our exploration of the outskirts of South Africa!

to see our photos (though not as great as Rob's photos!): https://www.flickr.com/photos/129917005@N03/sets/72157651629973431/

travelling tales

 After 18 months of living in South Africa we hadn't travelled around much. Though we've explored the city's great restaurants, bars, and shops, we'd never explored the highlights outside of the city--safari, wineries, coastal regions, etc.

So... when Bomma said she was coming to visit us, we decided to get the heck out of town and explore the gorgeous Cape.

As school got out for the holiday, we raced to drop the dog off at the kennel, and zoomed to the airport. Arriving at 5 Camp Street late at night didn't give us a true picture of all the beauty that lay beyond. In the shadows of Table Mountain, we enjoyed Cape Town, a city quite reminiscent of San Francisco. Small winding streets weave in to one another as we explored the glorious ocean, tourist highlights, delicious restaurants, and amazing wine (my favorite being No. 8). We enjoyed it all! From the penguins at Boulder Beach to the Cape of Good Hope, from the brightly colored houses of the Muslim Quarter to the ocean views at the V&A Waterfront--it was all amazing! We've got a list of "must-sees" for next time (to the top of Table Mountain, swimming with sharks, and whale watching). But until then, we'll just keep looking through our favorite photos.

In December, our dear friends, the Carpenters, came to South Africa to visit us. We had a great time catching up over delicious meals (they live in Moscow and can sometimes struggle to have exciting cuisine) and fabulous wine! The highlight of our time together was our trip to Djuma Private Game Reserve near Kruger National Park. A 6-hour drive from Johannesburg, Djuma is an oasis with its own watering hole. Vastly different than Kenyan safaris, Djuma's landscape is hot and thick. Spotting wildlife can be tricky, but we didn't seem to have too many challenges.  We saw 3 of the big 5 in one beautiful photo (elephant, buffalo, and rhino) and came upon a pride of lions at night on our first game drive.

On our first morning game drive, we spent time following a female leopard in hopes that she would lead us to her baby (nobody had yet seen the baby she was pregnant with just weeks before). Though we didn't meet her baby, we got pretty up close and personal with her (see the video below).

Though the lions, zebra, elephants, and dung beetles were all amazing in their own right, our collective highlight had to be the 100+ vultures eating a dead buffalo. Having never seen the way vultures interact with one another made this experience so truly brilliant. But animals aside, our time celebrating Christmas with the Carpenters made us feel not so alone. It may not have been a "white" Christmas--but it was pretty damn amazing!

Check the gorgeous photos Rob took.