Writer, thinker, poet, amateur photographer, story-teller.
Part Full time secretary, accountant, general dogsbody.
Full time chicken farmer.
I have two grown up sons and a gentle, beautiful daughter-in-law, one Granddog, five two dogs, one two cats (who think they’re dogs), a whole heap of fish, an eye for the bizarre and a sense of humour.
I was born in Rhodesia, raised my children in Zimbabwe and now live with my partner husband Piet on a farm near a small town in in a country (which is reportedly slightly larger than Texas) in Central Africa.
There’s a bit more about me here.
My other blogs:
Tikkie of the Bushveld – the life and times of a spoiled and opinionated Schnauzer living in Africa
The Livingstone Advertiser – you may not believe it but this was an actual news publication until it went out of business a few years ago. I’ll never understand why.
I'll Give You a Letter For That 
Beautiful photographs! A few years ago I spent 2 months travelling through South Africa, and what an experience it was. I wasn’t on a tour, I simply backpacked my way up the East coast. It is hard to explain what Africa feels like to someone who hasn’t been there, but I found the people, the way of life, and their sense of hope in the face of adversity very inspiring. I wish you all the best in your new phase of African life 🙂
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Thank you for your comment and for your encouraging words 🙂
Backpacking in South Africa? You’re a braver woman than me! It must have been an awesome experience – the East coast is beautiful. Have you written about your adventure? I would love to read about it.
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Hi!
Thank you so much for visiting and following my blog… and putting in me in your list of “awesome blogs” – well, that’s just awesome!
I look forward to being a part of your adventures now too 🙂
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It’s a pleasure!
It’s not always easy living in a foreign country but it is always interesting!
Us expats need to stick together 😉
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Always nice to find blogs of fellow tribe members.
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It’s fun, isn’t it? (I love your blog 🙂 )
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Thank you for the follow, I moved to Rhodesia in the 70s and my 4 children were born there, so I think we have a lot of shared memories.
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It’s a small World! Us Rhodesians/Zimbabweans pop up from all over the place 😀
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Well having found this blog via another, I have to follow a fellow Rhodie….
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Likewise 🙂
P.S. You have some beautiful pictures on your blog
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Thank you so much for stopping over at my blog, I hope you like it and will visit me back.
Loved your blog, stunning photos out there. We have a common passion that is travelling, it just makes life wonderful. Looking forward to read more from you.
Cheers
Aanchal
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Thank you Aanchal 🙂 Your blog is very interesting, you have travelled to a lot of places I too would like to visit – then we could compare notes!
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I would love to do that dear. Lets travel more & more 🙂
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Great view to the great falls! I’ve been there and loved it.
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Wonderful that you have been here – it is a beautiful part of the world!
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Wow what a fascinating blog and life you have x
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Thank you.
It helps that I live in quite an ‘interesting’ part of the World 😉
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I nominated you for an award! Hope you enjoy it!
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Oooo Thank you! How exciting!
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You are welcome!
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Thanks for visiting and liking my blog. Hope you will visit again and read more posts and share your thoughts in the comment box.
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Hi El,
I just read some of your blog, ‘liked’ a post and clicked to ‘follow’ and within minutes 7 people had read my ‘about’ page. I am impressed. But I also realized I have removed bio references to where I come from. I was born in England but at the age of 5 went out to Lusaka with my parents – Dad had earlier run Ndola airport and now in Police Reserve and working in commerce while Mum worked for the Dairy Board. In 1961 we moved up to Kitwe on the Copperbelt and loved it! I had a very special childhood only left Zambia the first time in 1968 when I was working for Shell BP and ‘someone’ blew up the Oil Storage Tank next to my office, so my dad wouldn’t let me return. I flew to UK to nurse training as a SRN. Back and forth between home and UK for 7 years, then on to Australia. So I have an understanding of your home life, although ours was never as bad some… but it’s great to connect here. 🙂
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I knew there would be a connection with Africa 😉 !
Growing up in Africa was wonderful and I think those of us who did are very privileged.
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Pingback: The One Lovely Blog Award | Notes Tied On The Sagebrush
I have nominated you for the ” One Lovely Blog” award. If you would like to participate you can check it out here: http://notestiedonthesagebrush.wordpress.com/2014/10/05/the-one-lovely-blog-award/
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Thank you very much!
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You are welcome.
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Ha! I didn’t see until now that you had already been nominated but… it’s too late. I have already done it. Consider yourself nominated a second time for the ”One Lovely Blog” award. If you want to participate and accept the award you can check out your official nomination and how to accept it at http://writeoutofthedarkness.wordpress.com/2014/10/06/and-the-nominees-are-drumroll-please/
Happy Monday! 🙂
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Oh wow! Thank you very much 🙂
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I nominated you for the Liebster award! Check it out here: http://stayingmom.com/i-received-the-liebster-award/ =)
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Oooo! Thank you very much!
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Your blog is beautiful. Please continue sharing. I am now following you and look forward to reading and seeing more.
I have nominated you for the Liebster Award. It is up to you whether you want to participate. You can find more details here – http://www.courtneyscalise.com/2014/10/the-liebster-award/
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Thank you for visiting my blog and for your kind comments. And Thank You for the nomination! I will go and have a look now 🙂
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Pingback: My First Liebster Award | Notes Tied On The Sagebrush
So I was trying to remember how I stumbled across your blog, and then I realized Courtney nominated both of us for the Liebster Award. I realized this right after I also nominated you. Oh well…I already tagged you, so there’s no going back. And I do love your blog! Your nomination is in this post if you’d like to look at it: http://pinkpanthersnipes.wordpress.com/2014/10/15/the-liebster-award.
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Wonderful blog! Also love your profile pic- another sunset we guess. 🙂
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Yes it is. I guess you can tell I have a ‘thing ‘ for sunsets 😉
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I so enjoy your blog, and have nominated you for a Liebster award. (https://motherojim.wordpress.com/2015/02/07/thanks-taking-it-a-step-at-a-time/)
Pam
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Oh wow! Thank you 🙂
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Beautiful blog you have here. I’m now catching up on your inspiring African story.
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Thank .you 🙂 I am glad you are enjoying it
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Thank you for following my blog! I so enjoy yours!
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Thank you. I thought I was following you until I realised your posts weren’t appearing in my reader, so I quickly remedied that 🙂
We are visiting Cape Town again soon and I am so looking forward to it – this time I wont forget to take my camera!
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Thank you for visiting Writing Between the Lines. I have enjoyed visiting your blog, and look forward to reading much more of it. I can tell by your author statement and your photos that you have a great eye and sense of a story!
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Thank you Naome. We all have a story to tell – I think I’ve been very lucky to have had the experiences I’ve had .
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Love your work. You have a great eye and sense of humor.
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Thank you 🙂 And thank you also for the follow.
I’m enjoying browsing through your blog and looking forward to seeing more.
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Hello El Rolyat. I’ve just followed the link from a comment of mine you made on Scrapydo’s post and discovered that you live in an amazing place. As a former geography teacher I’m always keen to learn more about other countries and cultures. I’ve been to Kenya, Egypt and Tunisia but never to Central Africa. I’m intrigued and want to find out more. 🙂
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Hello to you too Millie! Nice to meet you 🙂
I’ve been to Kenya a few times (mostly for beach holidays – the coast is so beautiful there – and also a couple of visits to a private game ranch inland) but not Egypt or Tunisia. There is still so much to see where I now live that I think that will keep me busy for some time!
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Where you live looks amazing. Where we went in Kenya was a beach resort close to Mombasa. The beaches were lovely, and we flew for a few days’ safari on the Masai Mara. That was excellent. Thank you so much for following me back! I liked the look of your blog very much. 🙂
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That’s where we went too – first at Tiwi Beach and then a couple of times to Malindi where we went deep sea fishing. I love that coastline. The reefs make the water so calm, perfect for small children (which we had back then 🙂 ).
Inland I think the place was called Laikipia – very stark and arid. And beautiful.
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It is certainly beautiful. We had a lovely holidyt with lots of snorkelling.
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I’m writing this on a tablet at Gatwick before we fly to Spain in the morning. Please excuse any typos! I can’t type on things this small! 🙂
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I totally understand! 🙂 Safe travels.
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Thank you. 🙂
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Pingback: Real Neat Blog Award | Millie Thom
Just to let you know that I’ve nominated you for the Real Neat Blog Award. Hope you can accept, but will understand perfectly if you must decline. I can’t tell whether your blog is an Award Free one. Apologies if it is. Millie. The rules are on my post. Millie 🙂
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Thank you Millie! I’m quite busy with boring stuff like catching up with work at the moment (the price you have to pay when you go on leave – but it’s worth it) but I’ll definitely try to take part once that’s all out of the way 🙂
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There’s no real rush to do a blog award post. Many people leave them for a few weeks until they get time. It would be great if you manage to do one, but no problem if you don’t. I know what it’s like to be too busy with work. The rules are on my post if you decide to go ahead. 😀
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Cap your weekend with this crazy exercise called “Allergic to E challenge”. Show us if you can avoid using ‘E’ in a paragraph. Looks easy? Give it a try. The details are here: https://4yearoldadult.wordpress.com/2015/06/14/allergic-to-e-challenge/
Good luck 🙂
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Thank you for the nomination! I will certainly give it a try – hopefully I’ll be famously wallowing by the end of today 🙂
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Can’t wait to read more of your posts and learn more about you and every day life in central Africa. I think we have a lot in common (except for maybe the chicken farming)- perhaps we really are related? 🙂
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Wouldn’t that be wonderful?
Thank you for stopping by 🙂
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Hello, I’ve just stumbled across your blog and look forward to following you. Stories from and photos of Africa (my birthplace) will always hold a special place for me.
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Christina, thank you for stopping by and for commenting. Africa certainly is a special place.
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Pingback: 3 Days 3 Quotes Challenge #2 DAY 1 | 4 Year Old Adult
Hey there! I hope you are doing great. If you like quotes, I have something for you. Take a look: https://4yearoldadult.wordpress.com/2015/12/04/3-days-3-quotes-challenge-2-day-1/
Have an awesome weekend 🙂
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Hello, and thank you for the follow! Welcome to pensitivity101. Please dig around and pass comments. I love to hear from my readers.
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Hello, and thank you for the follow. Loved the first piece I read on here (Limbikani), and so have returned the follow!
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I’m so glad you liked Limbikani’s story. He’s a very big part of my life
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