Best wishes to all our Guests, Customers, Suppliers and Clients for a happy and prosperous 2011.
And of course to all the staff at Chanters Lodge!
And to members of my family far and wide!
As well as all friends on Facebook and Twitter!
Happy New Year!
Thanks to Derek for this one! There’s a photo of him swatting up on the rules at Chanters Lodge! Congratulations Derek too on the birth of your newest grandchild Kacey May!
“Man Rules – At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down
These are our rules! Please note, these are all numbered ‘1’ ON PURPOSE!
1. Men are NOT mind readers.
1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You’re a big girl. If it’s up, put it down.
We need it up, you need it down.
You don’t hear us complaining about you leaving it down.
1. Crying is blackmail.
1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one: Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do not work! Just say it!
1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question..
1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That’s what we do.
Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.
1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 Days.
1. If you already think you’re fat, then don’t ask us.
1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one
1. You can either ask us to do something or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.
1. Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say during commercials.
1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.
1. All men see in only 16 colours, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a colour. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.
1. If we ask what is wrong and you say ‘nothing,’ We will act like nothing’s wrong.
We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.
1. If you ask a question you don’t want an answer to, expect an answer you don’t want to hear.
1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine… Really.
1. Don’t ask us what we’re thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as football, rugby, cricket or motor sports – and even wood carving.
1. You have enough clothes.
1. You have too many shoes.
1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!
1. Thank you for reading this.
Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight…
But did you know men really don’t mind that? It’s like camping.
Pass this to as many men as you can – to give them a laugh.
Pass this to as many women as you can – to give them a bigger laugh.”
Holey Vision is the title of Tanvir Bush’s blog and well worth reading regularly. She has an awesome spirit and a wonderful way of writing. She suffers from a degenerative eye disease and writes beautifully too about her guide dog Grace. The two of them are pictured above – having fun!
Here she writes about the progress of Mike Bush – her dad – suffering cancer – my doctor at the Minbank Clinic in Lusaka for years and a very good friend. On a sadder note she writes of the wanton and despicable death of Mark Jellis, late son of John Jellis, very well known orthopedic surgeon in Lusaka. He and his family have also been good friends and Clients over the years. Tanvir writes:
“My Dad is given the thumbs up and a 99% all clear after a follow up check on his stem cell treatment. He flies back to Lusaka immensely relieved. He’ll have to go back again in three months but for the moment it is all really pretty damn wonderful.
“Then, on the Wednesday night my sister calls to say that Mark has died. Mark J was my friend, the older brother of a childhood buddy in Zambia. He was a lovely, handsome, gentle farming (he didn’t farm ‘gentles’..I mean he WAS gentle..and he farmed too..) man who spoke fluent chiNyanja and was a serious fundi of all things ‘Zambian bush.’ He played guitar, drank whiskey, loved to jitterbug (and had once pulled me, back then a rather stodgy teenager, onto the dancefloor and thrown me skywards and spun me around until I was dizzy and besotted.)
A few weeks ago he went to collect wages for his farm workers and a gang held them up and robbed them, shooting, for no apparent reason, Mark directly in the head and chest. And even then..and even then ..he clung on for six weeks undergoing extreme operations in a hospital in SA but his injuries were too much. Violent death makes bloody rents in the world. People stagger listlessly, confused by the news, unable to know what to say to each other, to the close families left behind, the parents, the children, the partners. Those rents don’t heal like tears from other deaths. They go on bleeding for a long, long time. They make us feel shabby with helplessness, angry and weary.
Edani Bwino mzanga, wrote his friend Miranda. Travel well. She posts a photo of Mark on Facebook. He is smiling hugely, all blond hair and teeth, the afternoon sun golden on his face and the big blue sky fading to evening behind him.”
This piece touched my heart.
Thanks to Louisa for sending me this:
Maybe we were supposed to meet the wrong people before meeting the right one so that, when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift. Maybe it’s true that we don’t know what we have until we lose it, but it’s also true that we don’t know what we’ve been missing until it arrives. Maybe the brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; after all, you can’t go on successfully in life until you let go of your past mistakes, failures and heartaches.
Maybe you should hope for enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, and enough hope to make you happy. Maybe the happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. Maybe the best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you’ve ever had.
Maybe happiness waits for all those who cry, all those who hurt, all those who have searched, and all those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of all the people who have touched their lives. Maybe you should do something nice for someone every single day, even if it’s simply to leave them alone.
Maybe there are moments in life when you miss someone – a parent, a spouse, a friend, a child – so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real, so that once they’re around you appreciate them more. Maybe giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they will love you back. Don’t expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart; but, if it doesn’t, be content that it grew in yours.
Maybe you should dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go, be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you dream of, and want to do.
I am on leave in UK until 26th September and enjoying life in Brighton. The weather? Yesterday the sun shone and we took advantage by going out to Lewes and having a really English pub lunch in the Juggs, a 600 year old pub in rural Sussex. Nice? You bet! There’s the photo.
State House Zambia? You might think so judging from the size of the pad and the Zambian flag flying outside! In fact it’s the home of Len and Pat Norman (very old friends of mine) on the Isle of Wight. Len, who was in Zambia for years, firstly with the Colonial Police and then with the Anti-Corruption Commission, writes:
“Also attached is a pic of the Zambian flag proudly flying in the garden of our house on the IOW earlier this month on the 48th anniversary of my first arrival in Zambia! It will also be fluttering there on the 24th October, we don’t forget old friends and loyalties – its appearance caused a stir locally and many questions were asked about the country it represented and why we were flying it, glad to report all comments were very favourable.”
Great stuff!
Kennedy Mweene, Zambia’s international goalkeeper, and long time friend of Chanters Lodge, has been appointed captain of Free State Stars the South African premier league outfit for whom he’s played for some time now. There’s a nice photo of Kennedy and friend on a visit to Chanters Lodge a while ago. Here’s the piece from timesZambiaPost.com
“South Africa based goalie Kennedy Mweene has been appointed team captain for Free State Stars football club following the retirement of Duncan Lechosa. In an interview from his South African Base, Mweene said the Zambia Vs Comoros Islands match on September 4, 2010 would be a “very dangerous” encounter and advised fellow national team players to approach the game with seriousness.
“We don’t know much about Comoros Islands so if we underrate them they will disappoint us, it is a very dangerous game and we have to be very careful,” he said. Mweene said he had had discussion with other national team players who had expressed a similar feeling towards the handling of the game.
Meanwhile the new Free State Stars skipper, said he was honoured with the appointment. “It’s a great feeling, you see when you are playing football you always have it in your mind that one day, time will come to be a leader,” Mweene said. He said the appointment was an indication that he had exhibited exemplary behavior and good altitude towards other players.
“This is an indication that my team mates appreciate what I have done both on the pitch and outside and so I am humbled to take on such responsibility. Free State Stars appointed the Zambian international Kennedy Mweene as their new captain after the retirement of Duncan “King” Lechesa.
Stars general manager Rantsi Mokoena confirmed Mweene’s appointment after a management committee meeting in Bethlehem on Tuesday.”
Congratulations Kennedy. All the best for a winning season and for your international career!
We were very sorry to hear recently that Jonathan Lungu had passed away. Here’s a photo of him doing what he really did best – sorting things out when the ‘the authorities’ were involved. On this occasion water from the City Council! Jonathan’s on the left in the photo.
Late Jonathan worked for Chanters Lodge from early in 1999 until early 2009 as an accountant and assistant manager and was widely known and liked in the City, and by our Guests. He was particularly helpful when I had to be away from the lodge for any reason. He helped us set up our initial systems and was good at keeping the Chanters Girls in order when necessary! He was an exceptionally good cook!
We pass our condolences to Jonathan’s father, and sister Elizabeth and her family in New Zealand, and hope that Jonathan has found peace.
I loved this from Linda Gregersen’s blog. Until recently, Linda and husband David (above) were missionaries working at Namwianga Mission near Kalomo, some 130 kms north of Livingstone and were frequent visitors to, and great supporters of Chanters Lodge. Here’s Linda’s reverse culture shock of going home to live in America:
1. You begin every other sentence with “In Africa we did it this way” even though you notice people’s eyes glazing over.
2. You feel like the Beverly Hillbillies when you walk into the Apple Store and see all the newest computer technology. It’s all you can do to keep from saying, “GOLLY, look at that!”
3. You get in on the wrong side of the car–often. And you just hope you will remember which side of the road to drive on.
4. You watch TV shows, amazed that people can actually say and do those things on TV now.
5. You can’t get enough hamburgers or good Mexican food.
6. You feel guilty when you take a shower because you’re using more than a bucket of water.
7. You wonder what your Zambian friends are doing–all the time.
8. You can’t understand ANY of the Lost finale.
9. You try not to say, “But there are starving children in Africa” when you see people wasting money (in your opinion anyway).
10. You can’t get over how fast your internet works.
Udaipur, also known as the City of Lakes, is a city, a Municipal Council and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It is the historic capital of the former kingdom of Mewar in Rajputana Agency. Lake Pichola, Fateh Sagar Lake, Udai Sagar and Swaroop Sagar in this city are considered some of the most beautiful lakes in the state.
Apart from its glorious history, culture and scenic location, it is also known for its Rajput-era palaces. The Lake Palace, for instance, covers an entire island in the Pichola Lake. Many of the palaces have been converted into luxury hotels. It is often called the “Venice of the East” and is also nicknamed the “Lake City”.
My friend Zazo has a new blog – Udaipur Times! Check it out, it’s great!