Sunday, August 21 (Bryanston, Johannesburg)

     These past weeks we have been visiting different churches; friend's churches, our hosts' church, etc.  Today, we visited the church that is connected to our school, New Covenant Church.  Although I didn't sit in service, and instead tagged along with my siblings to Sunday school, I rather liked the church.  I met a girl my age (!!!), Ashley, and I plan on going to Youth on Friday night to meet some other girls.  Mom and Dad said the service was good, and my siblings all liked M4J (the Sunday school), and Becca and Esther also met a girl their age, Hannah.
     After church, we were invited over to Hannah's family's house for lunch (Hannah is 11, and her brother, Seth, is 9).  Lunch turned into afternoon, and afternoon turned into evening, and we didn't end up leaving until quarter to 5.  Quite a lunch!  We had a pleasant time, and even though I didn't have someone my age to play with, all the others had lots of fun.

Yesterday, (yes, I know I'm a day late posting) was a semi-relaxed day.  As a family, we viewed some more houses, and then Dad and my siblings went to visit some botanical gardens.  Mom and I stayed home, took a nap, and then went to visit a clothing outlet she had discovered in February.  In the shopping centers and malls here, the prices for clothes are exorbitant, and I, being a Goodwill shopper, couldn't imagine spending so much for a shirt or pair of jeans.  Thankfully, PQ Clothing Outlet's prices were reasonable, and their styles were similar to the ones I wear.  

Friday, August 19 (Germiston, Gauteng)

After a couple weeks of waiting, we now have our new car, a Kia Sedona that is very similar to the Toyota Sienna we had in the states.  It has a sun roof, automatic doors, lots of cup holders, seat back eating trays, and (my favorite part) a really great input audio system.  I can plug my ipod in, control it from a remote, and the same system can connect via bluetooth to a phone.  It's a diesel car, and very updated.

Thursday, August 18 (Chartwell North, Sandton)

    We visited a house today just for the coolness factor.  The house was essentially inside a wildlife park, and driving through to the house we saw springbok and guinea fowl.  The house was a big, four-bedroom house with an inside oasis in the master bedroom.  Outside, you could climb up to the roof on a rickety set of stairs and see out over the city.  Within walking distance is the community braii, swimming pool, play ground, and restaurant.  We knew we wouldn't be able to rent the house, because the World Vision security man won't approve anything where we're living next to other people without a wall and electrical fencing between us, but it was an interesting house to view all the same.

     We got back the security reports today on the Slide house, the Yellow house, and the Farm house.  The Slide house was immediately approved, since it had lots of up-to-date security measures (alarms, cameras, laser beams, barbed wire, electrical fencing, bars on all windows and doors), but it was too small a house, so we won't be getting that one.  The Yellow house we were told was a possibility, if bars were added to the doors and windows.  However, the owner of the house didn't want to spend that money, so that house was out the window.
     For the Farm house, we were told "It is recommended that World Vision not...consider this house for renting," because there would be so much work to be done to bring the house up to World Vision Core Security Standard.  We love this house, though, so we are presenting the owners with the list of requirements needed to bring the house up to standard - bars on the windows, a net over the pool, electric fencing all the way around the property, etc.  If the owners agree to do this, we'll bring the matter before the head of security again, and take it from there.


NOTE: All houses are still just possibilites until the lease is signed, and I will post on that when it is.

Wednesday, August 17 (Johannesbug, Gauteng)

Today I stayed home and babysat, but Mom went out with Teresa, Jonathon, and Esther, looked at two more houses, and also visited the three possibilities from yesterday with the security man from World Vision.  We got a definite yes on one house, the Slide house, and he's writing up his reports on the Farm house and the Yellow house.
In South Africa, and lots of other places around the world, electricity is expensive.  So, to save money, most people don't use the dryer for much more than underwear and socks - don't want those being stiff.  As we are now residents of a country such as this, we, too, hang our clothes on the line.  I like the colors and lines and all.

Tuesday, August 16 (Johannesburg, Gauteng, and surrounding area)

     Today was a day for house hunting; starting this morning at quarter to 10:00, we viewed 6 houses, not ending until after 16:00.  The first house we visited was an extremely unique house, with a heated indoor pool in the middle of the living room.  It had all sorts of twists and turns, ups and downs, and the roof was an accessible lounge area.  There was also one hallway that was twice the width it should be with two couches taking up the extra space.  Quite odd.
     The second house was on one acre of land, and had a big backyard with a pool and lots of grass to run and play on.  Unfortunately, the bedrooms were rather small, and it would be difficult to cram all six kids into the three bedrooms allotted us.  After having lunch, we headed back out to view four more houses.  The third house of the day was my second favorite house with decently sized bedrooms, a nice kitchen, and (the best part to my siblings) a pool with a slide.   Then we visited a house in a Canterwood like setting, but although it was a nice house, it didn't have staff quarters, which we need.
    After driving out to North Riding, A.H., we stopped to look at our third house, a large property (by Josie standards) with room for chickens, a big pool, large bedrooms, a lovely kitchen, and under-floor heating for the really cool days.  This was my favorite property, although the security would have to be brought up to World Vision standard.  Finally, we drove back into town, to visit the Yellow House (we gave them all nicknames; Slide, Farm, and Yellow Houses).  The Yellow house is a nice house, with big bedrooms, a big kitchen, and a big backyard.  I didn't like this house as much as the other nicknamed ones, but it was nice, and close to the school.
     Tomorrow, the security man from World Vision will inspect some of the houses, and we'll move forward from there.  No picture today, since I don't have access to pictures of the houses, and I'd rather not post them until things have become more definite, but I hope my long post will make up for lack of picture!

Monday, August 15 (Johannesburg, Gauteng)

Summer is the rainy season in South Africa, and it's very rare to have any rainfall in the winter.  Today, however, was an unusual day; we got lots of rain, hail, and lightning.  It was also very chilly, but I enjoyed the rain. On another note, the house that we had applied for fell through because the area wasn't secure enough.  We're still looking for another possible house.