Varyingly successful stereograms

These are two stereograms I made using photos taken during the weekend.

Pity about the confusing twig in the foreground... it's always a compromise between losing detail and getting too much stereo differentiation

Better!

Pieter's second tooth

Pieter's second tooth has fallen out. He seems to be pretty much synchronised with Neil, who's just received his second baby tooth.

Surprisingly Pieter got paid in Botswanan Pula instead of Rand for his tooth. It must be that the tooth mouse is diversifying into forex in a time of a weakening Rand. Or that the mouse just didn't have any Rand cash handy at the time.

Pieter with his thank-you note for the mouse

Thank-you note detail

Alexander and Misha

Alexander and Misha have gotten engaged! Miekie, Pieter and I had dinner with them and Misha's family at Mimmo's last night, soon after they got engaged. Unfortunately Marisa and Neil couldn't make it because Neil is still a bit sick with an ear infection.

It's a tourmaline stone set in a ring made by Karin

A new walker for Neil

We bought Neil a nice wooden walker with blocks in it. I think I had something similar when I was young and the one that Miekie and Pieter used has seen it's day.

Its payload consists of nice bright blocks

Getting the hang of it...

An alternative is to be a passenger on the walker

I wish I was still as supple...

Earlier in the afternoon we went to a birthday part at the Rooihuiskraal Historical Terrain. It was Marisa's cousin Robert's twins' first birthday and hoards of the extended family showed up.

It was a cowboy theme

Napping

Tablets

Miekie and Pieter were in for a surprise on Sunday when I decided to buy them each an Android tablet. They've been glued to them ever since...

Miekie and Pieter were too embarrassed to pose next to this impressive hulk (goodness knows why) so Marisa and Neil had to instead

At the initial rate of excitable use I'm not sure if the chargers were able to provide a nett positive charging current

Marisa bought them some protective covers today

I'm in a hotel room in Botswana at the moment and am missing the family terribly. Luckily it's only for a night.

A fun Saturday

Every year Midstream College has a "Taste of Midstream" which is like a funfair full of exciting activities (but unfortunately adults cannot take part in the rides). Luckily the weather was great.

Neil was no doubt looking forward to being old enough to participate one day

Catapult assistance with trampoline jumping

Pieter and Elné (in the pink) did most things together

A recovery weekend

Although it would have been an ideal long weekend to do more things under other circumstances, this weekend ended up being a relatively gentle recovery weekend for Marisa. Here are a few photos.

Neil enjoying the old gigantic plastic shell

We spotted this nice MG while doing some shopping

Kobie and family came to visit today; here Petronel and Neil are being posed together

I like making stereograms...

Marisa's op

Marisa had to have an operation on Wednesday. There was a suspicious-looking nodule on her thyroid gland which she was advised to have removed. So now she's missing the right lobe of her thyroid. Luckily early indications are that no thyroid function has been compromised by the operation and all potentially affected blood markers are still within their normal ranges. We're still awaiting pathology results of the nodule which we'll get by next Wednesday.

She was given a nice large room in the our Midstream Mediclinc, a mere 3.5 km from home

Time for some visitors

Miekie wearing a crown to school this morning - they had a woman's day event

A tasty triangle

Marisa's parents spent two nights at our home helping out with the children, and Neil and I figured out how to deal with his numerous noctural nutritional needs.

Haircut

It's been ages since Marisa had a haircut. Her hair had grown very long until today when it was cut with the following result:

What a beauty!

Start of the hockey season

Miekie played her first hockey matches on Saturday. She did very well and the team seemed much more engaged than last year.

Here are some shots of her in action:

Supporters

Lunch at the Rietondale Lodge across the road from the hockey fields