#snaphappybritmums photo a day for May

Day 31. My blog....do come say hi

Day 30. Fruit....we are moving tomorrow, haven't been shopping in a while

Day 29. Panorama....view from the balcony

Day 28. Macro image

Day 27. Something for baby....well I'd need medical intervention so here's a teenagers pram

Day 26. Supermarket....Lethabong township

Day 25. Something old....My Gran's engagement present from 1934 and yes I use it

Day 24. Water....one of the few open spaces I found when we first moved to South Africa

Day 23. Religion....no hunting in back streets for a bible bag here

Day 22. Something beginning with A....Armoede, Afrikaans for Poverty

Day 21. Music....I've been playing this clarinet since I was 7

Day 20. A poster that catches your eye....one of the many organisations I have volunteered to work for

Day 19. Your favourite smile

Day 18. What the weather is like today....well it's winter now and temps will drop to below freeaing, but they do reach 25c in the day

Day 17. Boots....by Crocs

Day 16. Smooth....this floor took me all day to clean

Day 15. Fly the flag....as an expat you can never have enough

Day 14. Mirror Image

Day 13. Guilty pleasure....my bedside cabinet filled with goodies from the UK

Day 12. Kissing....Glaswegian kiss on the rugby pitch

Day 11. Frozen....despite it still being 22c in the day, the inside of buildings are really cold

Day 10. Blossoms....son has been diagnosed as dyslexic,now he can use his laptop at school he is blossoming

Day 9. Inside my (drinks) fridge

Day 8. Best part of me....My hubby

Day 7. Warmth....autumn is coming to an end

Day 6. View from a above....we'd been in the bird hide 5 minutes before we realised this was under us

Day 5. Blue....our pool

Day 4. Tipple

Day 3. School days....last time all 3 of mine were together for a school photo

Day 2. Pampering...my sons flight was delayed by 24hrs and while I tried to track him hubby made coffee

Day 1. 1st thing in the morning

Is it always really a twitter glitch?

I'll admit it, I've unfollowed people and when they've questionned it, I've blamed it on the 'glitch' and refollowed.....but why?

In the real world I'll avoid someone that I don't like, or I'll just cut the contact off gradually.

After moving to South Africa it was a great way to get rid of dead wood, in real life, by text and facebook, but not on twitter. I've blocked people in the past when they've been abusive towards me.

I was unfollowed recently by a woman who was upset she had been following me for 6 months and I hadn't followed her back and she made quite an issue about it. Well I don't check my followers. I did sign up to 'twunfollow' a while ago and despite revoking access, I still get occassional notifications, but I just delete the email.
Twitter to me without saying Hi, is akin to standing outside someones window listening in, if I don't see or hear you, how do you expect me to know you are there?

If I don't want you listening in I'll draw the curtains (blocking)

I tend to unfollow people that rarely tweet or haven't tweeted in a while. I unfollow people that I don't have a lot in common with or non stop tweet links (especially if its to sponsored blogs) but I don't unfollow people that I chat with regulary, people that are on my face book or I interact with on Instagram.

I've been known to only ask once or twice to find out if someone has unfollowed me, just out of concern that I've offended or if I genuinally think it may be a 'glitch'.

However this week 3 people unfollowed me, 3 people who @reply me on a fairly regular basis, that have thanked me for the RT or have RT'd me. All 3 were also on Instagram and that's how I knew they had gone.

I'm not bothered that they had gone, unfollowed me...I am just puzzled as to why they would go to the effort to remove me from both places? why they are happy for me to still outside their window listening in?

How do you deal with being unfollowed? Do you ask why? Does it upset you? Do you unfollow back?

I've had the most amazing day

This is where I've been today.

Olievenhoutbosch
There are two main areas in Olievenhoutbosch, namely the informal settlement area and the formal government housing area. In the formal community (government housing) there is electricity for all the houses, as well as water and sanitation. The informal settlement area, however, is crowded, lacks sanitation, electricity and all basic municipal services.

I am volunteering with Santa Shoebox and we have until today to register facitites to receive Christmas gifts.

Due to misspelling of a facility name, we were unable to contact one of last years receiptants, so I volunteered to see what I could find out.

Today I drove into Olievenhoutbosch to the secondary school on the edge of the informal settlement. I'd already asked at the Petrol Station if it was safe and I'd given a lift to a woman from another volunteer project to the area in the past and she had pointed the school out to me.

It was totally amazing, I fought back the tears as we moved from one day care to orphanage, people phoned their friends to help me, guys whistled at the end of the street, beckoning us to follow them to someone else that could help and eventually we found the Day Care Centre.

No bigger than a double garage, 2 shacks for toilets (they dig a hole, put a shack over the top, when the hole is full, they fill it in my digging a new one and move the shacks) A metal shed acted as the kitchen, no running water or electricity where they prepare food for the 62 children aged from 6 months to 6 years.

Parents pay between R200 and R350 per month for care from 5am-5pm to enable them to go to work and they must provide all the educational supplies. Out of this the facility employs 4 full time staff around R150 per day, supplies the food, water and activities.

The facility was clean, the children very well turned out and very quiet. They all stared at me for ages, I must have looked very odd to them. The guy who took me round said 'you won't see many people your colour here'

I completed the forms, I met the staff and spoke with the children and made an appointment to go back next week to obtain a list of the childrens names and ages for the appeal.

In the meantime I will be gathering educational supplies and baking cakes and as we are moving week a week thursday, I shall be having a good sort out of clothes, toys and other stuff to take back with me.

I gave my guide some money and thanked him for his time. The children all waved me off and as I rejoined the highway I'm afraid the tears came.

#bloggingforMadeleine

Blogging for Madeleine Helping to raise awareness outside of the UK as requested by @theroomset
Please look very closely at these images do you recognise me?

I'm writing this post as part of The campaign #blogging4madeleine
to help raise much needed awareness to find Madeleine and reunite a family torn apart.

Contact your local police force immediately if you see Madeleine
or call +44 (0)845 838 4699
www.findmadeleine.com

When i first saw the hashtag I was a little sceptical as to how #bloggingforMadeleine could help. I selfishly thought that this was just a gimic to bring traffic to people's blog or was it a one sided opinion of 'did the parents do it?' or 'how could they leave their children alone while they went out for dinner?'

But after reading a couple of posts it made me remember it's not about any one else, it's all about Madeleine.
What ever happened to her, whether she's dead or alive, whoever's fault it is or who is to blame she is a 9 year old girl who is missing.

My kids have all gone missing at some point...the eldest aged 2 wandered off at a car boot sale. I thought he was with my mum, she thought he was with me.
The middle son disappeared in San Francisco aged 12, there was so much for him to see. The youngest is the only one we've had to call the police out to...in France (was found under an ice cream sign) aged 4, in Abergavenny the following year when he ran off to find Fireman Sam and aged 8 on the beach in Perranporth.

I was petrified, I had images of never finding them, I was shaking, crying, shouting out their names. They were missing from between 5 minutes and 2 hours (Beach) the panic kicked in straight away each time. I was also scrutinised by the media as BBC sea side rescue were filming that day and followed me with a camera about 2inches from my face, they didn't use the footage as I didn't look distraught enough to make good TV viewing.

I read an article in Woman magazine, dated 7th may 2012. In which two journalists gave their opinion on whether it was time for Kate McCann to give up the search for Madeleine, after leading with the headline '74% of missing children are dead within 3 hours of abduction'

It's not their business, nor is it mine to pass judgement, but if it was my child, I don't think I'd rest until I had answers.

I met Kevin Wells, Holly Wells father (Soham Murders) at a Child Protection Conference a few years ago, even though he knew what had happened to his daughter and had the opportunity to say goodbye with a funeral, he still focused his whole life on preventing this from happening to anyone elses child.

You do what you need to do...I needed to write this and if you feel the same, please blog for Madeleine and help to raise awareness.

this weeks groovy Mums

If you don’t know what Groovy Mums is or how it can jazz up your life, click here http://kateonthinice.wordpress.com/how-to-be-a-groovy-mum/ All mums are very welcome to take part and this is possibly the most flexible linky on the planet as you get to make up your own rules.

So without any further ado here at this weeks challenges.

1. Body – Best Foot Forward

How are your feet? Would you happily publish a photo of them on your blog or could they do with a little care and attention? What could you do to treat your feet this week?


2. Mind – New Words

I want you to find 3 new words this week and hopefully ones that mean something to you.
Patience - my adult son has been visiting, it's been difficult, in fighting with him and his brother.
Atmosphere - not been good
Love - they are both my v=children, I've remained neutral

3. Spirit – I always struggle to come up with a challenge for this one so if anyone has any ideas on how to move this one forwards, let me know.

As ever alcohol pops to mind....lol

4. Blogging – I am inviting you to get behind my new blog hop type thing which will take place on Fridays. It is called Savvy Online Shoppers (SOS) It is all about celebrating the things we buy online from the mundane to presents to the spectacular. Come back here on Friday and find out more.

Will do, but online shopping isn't really that safe here and the postal service is to say the least, a little dodgy.

5. Charity Connections – It is #charitytuesday so BritMums are asking people to blog about their charity shop finds and experiences. If you write a blog, tweet @BritMums to let them know and they will promote the post for you to their thousands of followers.

I will be using our charity shop quite a bit in the next few weeks as we are moving it supports (and I quote) The Mentally Ill.

I also urge you to read these two posts and to take action. I am really disappointed at the numbers signing up to my #mums4good campaign so any help will be appreciated. Do click on the #mums4good on the sidebar and find out more. Discovering what it is all about will only take a few minutes of your time .

http://kateonthinice.wordpress.com/2012/04/17/do-you-shop-online-if-you-do-check-this-free-way-to-help-a-great-cause/

http://kateonthinice.wordpress.com/2012/05/12/will-you-send-a-message/

6. Special Days – Think about an important day for you that is coming up. It might be a birthday, an anniversary, a day off from work/home or a holiday. Commit now to making it really special for YOU. How will you do that?

Well last year I celebrated my 40th birthday, It was a very quiet affair as I knew no one and the day was spent with my Hubby, kids and my parents. This year for my 41st, in June, I will be celebrating it in style.

7. Twitter Party – All mums and mum-friendly employers and businesses are invited to the #groovywork Twitter party tomorrow Wednesday 16th May from7-8pm. If you have never attended a Twitter party before, fear now. Just be on Twitter between 7pm and8pm (you don’t have to be there all the time) and use hashtag #groovywork as we chat about all things work-related for mums.

Anyone fancy sorting me out a visa first?

Short but sweet this week. Hope you like the challenges and have a go. If you blog about them, link up and tap into the other lovely mums who take part.

What I love as an expat

There are some, in fact there are hundreds of reasons why moving 5764 miles from home is the best thing we've ever done...but you wouldn't know that from reading my blog...or would you?

I blog about the highs and the lows of living in South Africa, the funny and the sad stuff. It's all factual. I blog when I'm down and I blog when I'm happy. I blog about the kids when they piss me off, hubbies less than useless company (although things are improving) oh there's just too much to say here. I was going to hyper link some posts but couldn't decide which ones to pick.

So, without further a do here is 'Finding things you love overseas' inspired by the @Michelloui The American Resident

I love being able to pop out to the shops
I love being able to drive on my own, even in the dark
I love how I can discover new places without the GPS
I love being able to sit in the sun at anytime of my choosing
I love the open space in the houses and outdoors
I love the blue of the sky
I love the wildlife, birds and animals
I love the people (government departments excluded)
I love South Africa

I am NOT lucky, this has all been hard work

What does the word Lucky mean to you?

The dictionary definition of lucky is 'having, bringing or resulting in good luck'
The dictionary definition of luck is 'anything that happens by chance, an advantage or sucess due to chance'

So Lucky means to me that someone happens to be stood near me as I trip and they catch me....or I knock a glass out the cupboard, fumble around with it in mid air and catch it just as it hits the ground. Or I roll double six, 10 times in a row to win big in Vegas.

Are you with me so far?

I'm sick to death or being told how lucky I am, to have met my husband, that he has a good job, that we have a nice life style, can afford holidays and live in South Africa, Lucky that I don't have to work, lucky, lucky, lucky.

Well let me tell you and let's clear this up right away. So you're telling me I was unlucky with my first choice of husband? I was unlucky to have 3 wonderful and handsome boys. I was unlucky that I had a crap car and couldn't afford holidays.....oh you don't mean that do you?

Was it luck that I just happened to work as a family support worker? after being lucky to have a NVQ 3 in child care. Was my husband lucky that his wife left him and he needed care for his profoundly disabled daughter and wasn't it lucky that I just happened to be available.

Oh and then I was lucky that he fell in love with me, I was lucky now to be Mum to 5 kids, it was lucky he'd done a degree after school and worked hard, it was lucky that because he had his degree we could afford a house for all 7 of us to live in, lucky that I was able to go to Uni and get a degree, lucky that someone gave me a job, because I had that degree, lucky we could buy nice cars and have foreign holidays?????

Need I go on? Apparently so, because I'm lucky to be living here in South Africa, it had nothing to do with leaving 3 kids behind and all our family in the UK and absolutly nothing to do with my husband having worked hard to get this position.

No, it appears that everytime I just happen to be standing somewhere like outside a travel agents and someone walks out and says 'this is your lucky day' I've decided to pay for your family to go on holiday'
or the other time I was stood at the bus stop and this guy day, pulls up in his car and says 'this is your lucky day, here have my car I don't need it anymore'

So if it's not luck, is it fate? (the power that predetermines events) or is it as I believe just good old fashioned hard work and having made the right choices in life?

this weeks #groovymums challenges

Thought I'd link up todays post about weight loss to @kateonthinice #groovymum blog hop challenge this week
I know I don't need to lose weight, maybe tone a little, but then who doesn't after having 3 kids?

Anyway as I've said before my groove has returned, I am no longer looking for my groove, it's taken 16 months to adapt to being a SAHM, I've made friends, hubbies company has finally sorted out the mess they left us in financially and emotionally? well I've just got over it and moved on. That doesn't mean to say I don't get down from time to time, but it's now moments in time rather than days of it.
but I've told Kate I'll carry on with the challenges each week, it gives me something to focus on, helps me to help others and I get to meet some lovely people.

On to Kates challenges this week.

1. Body - How about getting into gardening as a good form of exercise? It is not too late to plant some fruit and vegetables.

I've sacked the gardener, he did sod all except chase leaves with a hose pipe and as we are moving end of May, I didn't see the point in paying him till then and having to pay a gardening company to tidy up after him...so this week I shall be sweeping the autumn leaves away.

If you do plant something, you can also link up here http://www.kitchencounterchronicle.com/2012/04/come-sow-with-me-planting-with-purpose.html and find out about ONE's "Let's Thrive" campaign.

2. Mind - why not look at the Open University website http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/ and investigate learning opportunities to fit in with your current commitments.

Mute subject with me at the moment, I was on my final unit for my degree in psychology but had to give it up due to lack of internet when we first moved here (it was a research project and no the local library didn't have internet, infact it didn't have power sockets) i promise to look into it again after my son's visit.

3. Spirit - do you have a favourite prayer that helps you? Or it could be a poem or inspirational saying? Tell us about it. It might help somebody else too.

Nope, afraid not. I'm more likely to crack a joke than come out with something thought provoking.

4. Blogging - Are you taking part in the #SnapHappyBritMums photography challenge? It is not too late and it is lots of fun. Basically, @BritMums on Twitter give a prompt each day and if you feel inspired, you post a pic that meets that theme.

Oh Yes and I'm having immense fun with it.

5. Charity Connections - Do you shop online? If you do or intend to at some point you can raise money for any charity of your choice including schools by clicking on the big square #mums4good badge over in my sidebar. All you need to do is to give your email and your name. You don't have to commit to shop today or to spend a certain amount. You don't make a donation to charity but the retailer you spend with will. Simples. So why are you not clicking? It is FREE money for charity.

Sorry, we've had this discussion before, there is no way I'm doing anything online in South Africa.

6. Special Days - Don't forget to get involved in the #groovywork Twitter party taking place on Wednesday 16th May 2012 from 7-8pm. We are talking about family-friendly jobs and self-employment opportunities.

I'll come along and see if there is anyone that can help me earn some pocket money by me working online from here. the next special day for me here is Mother's Day on Sunday.

Wow, you've lost soooo much weight.

Er no I haven't.

I've lost the number of times people say this to me, especially when they haven't seen me for a few weeks. Do people have a mental image of me being fat? How do they describe me? 'you know the chubby one that needs to lose weight?

A woman at school said to me today I'd lost so much weight that it really suited me. I told her straight, I haven't lost any weight, But she was adamant that I had, that I had been so much bigger last time she saw me. She was right, I was wrong....No other explanation.

I'm 5ft 7in and weigh 11 stone, yep quite heavy and you'd think I'd need to lose weight, but not really.

I do prefer to wear baggy clothes, loose fitting, especially in this heat, but that doesn't mean I'm covering up my fat.

I wear a size 10-12 on the lower half and a 14-16 on the top half.

So I decided to take some pictures of my fatness so I can take comparative shots next time I'm told I've lost weight.

Front and side images clothed, as appears naturally and as appears when I readjust the waist band on my jeans...i.e.pull them up.

I bought these jeans from Fat Face in November 2010 in a size 10.

Where do you go after a diagnosis of Dyslexia and Dysgraphia?

I knew my son was dyslexic, despite never having a formal assessment in the UK. He went to Private School and the government wouldn't provide funding for support in school. So we paid the additional support fees until Grade 6.



He moved into state secondary in grade 7 and we started the formal procedure for testing. The school accepted he was dyslexic and provided the necessary support.



However within 3 months we moved to South Africa and with his school records having been passed on from the UK, we assumed the support continued, we were and still are getting invoices for additonal support.



Yes I know I said 'assumed' but he was happy, passed grade 6 to move into Junior Prep, but to be honest, having moved to the bottom of the earth, there were so many other things we were focused on.



At the start of grade 7 in January, it became obvious within a couple of weeks that my son was having problems, he was labelled a bully, a manipulator and generally an uncooperative child. We'd not had any of this mentioned to us in grade 6. After inital contact with the school it appeared our son was being discriminated about (I've written many blog posts about how our Englishness has caused issues here)



In February I contacted an Ed Psych who tested my son and asked questions about his early development, she was in total agreence that he is indeed dyslexic.



I attended the feed back session today and was informed that he also has Dysgraphia, an inability to write. His other fine motor skills are good, his verbal reasoning is that of a 16 year old, but his reading and spelling are that of a child half his age and his written words per minute is 9.



He will now qualify for additional support and a reader for his exams when he is older and he will be allowed to type all his class work.



However it appears it is my job to ensure the school follow the plans to support his education that were written by the Ed Psych and myself this morning. (I lecture in Special Education Needs).



The reason for this discussion is that I have little knowledge of Dysgraphia, other than his inability to write and it does explain some of the emotional issues we've been faced with over the years.



Is there anyone out there qualified in this field or is or has a child who has dysgraphia? I would love to hear from you.

All this on my door step

Well a 2 hour drive west from Centurion to Pilanesburg Game Reserve.

I dressed for the part...

...camoflagued to blend in with the zebras (we saw only 1)

We were at altitude, the temperature averaged 35c during the day.

We saw so many animals it was unbelievable and so close to where we were.

There was only 1 rhino on this trip.

A variety of antelope (gets boring, Yawns) I promise I'm going to learn to identify them.


There were plenty of giraffes.

This Ostrich was seriously close.

Then there was the elephants...they are just so big, fast and not very friendly if you get in their way.



We heard a nosie beneath us and looked down.

Give us a lift mate.

Can't I'm tired.

I had to get out the car to read this sign...sort of defeats the object really.

A stop for lunch at one of many picnic spots and photo opportunities for the kids also.




Wrong side of the fence, son.

And finally about a mile from the gate...Lions

When do you stop influencing your children?

...and I don't mean controlling them.

As a Mother of 5 with only 2 left at home, I wonder about how long they are going to 'need' me for.

I don't have the need to be needed, but I do question when they stop needing me, if ever.

The 2 oldest boys left home at 18, they were encouraged to go out into the big wide world, they were influenced by us as their parents as to the routes they took with further education and employment.

No, we didn't dictate what route they took, we merely supported their activities, their levels of education and interests. And as parents we discussed with them from an early age that their dreams of becoming a vet and an architect were not going to be achieved with their current standard of education.

They both got their basic GCSE's (5 grade C's) which enabled them to access further education. They both had part time jobs and they had their activites which we continued to support.

The eldest joined army cadets aged 14 he just wanted to go into the army, aged 16, we didn't feel he was mature enough, neither did the army recruitment. They suggested he attended college to further his education, we agreed (our signature was required aged under 18 for him to join up) Every day was a battle, he wanted to pack college in, we nagged and badgered him every day to attend. Aged 18 he joined the army and spent 5 years in Germany, Crete and Canada as well as in the UK, Surrey, Yorkshire and Wales.

The second eldest wanted to do A levels, both us and school didn't think they was achievable but he was determined, he completed his A/S levels and decided to go to college to study catering. he worked park time at the local boarding school in the kitchens, he loved college and was selected for an apprentiship in Reading. We encouraged him to apply, took him for interview after helping him with his CV.

With both the boys settled with their independent lives we emigrated to South Africa, there were tears, how would they cope/manage with us, they had their other parent in the UK, plus aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents, but it's not the same.

Contact with the boys is alomost non exsistant bar from a few messages on facebook and it appears they don't 'need' us anymore.

I write, send gifts, they don't acknowledge them, but I know they'd be upset if I stopped making an effort. They've had their problems, they've asked other family members to help them out, who take pleasure in telling us they are their for them with us being so far away...but they don't get the help and support they need.

Eventually the boys turn to us, over facebook or on skype to say 'help' Hubbies response is to have a go, tell them off, let them know he is disappointed, whereas I bite my tongue and lip, hard, promise not to judge and from the other side of the world try to untangle the mess, find out what everyone else has already attempted to do, make phone calls, write letters on their behalf and talk it through with them, adding everytime...please contact me first, it's so much easier to involve me at the beginning, it mean you can sort your own problems out with me guiding me through it.

The younger son has asked for help/advice with changing job, writing CV, interview technique, moving flats etc and it's been a pleasure to watch him grow and develop by himself, taking charge of his own life. He's here now visiting for two weeks and the arrogance/cockiness previously displayed to his siblings has abated, he has matured, he is an adult, he is independent. He sorted himself out when his flight was cancelled.

The older one contacted me this week with his big news, I can't share it on here, in case he and his mother are reading it, but i think he's making a big mistake. He left the army and returned to the UK, he has no job and enough money to live off for maybe a year. But his plans for the future are wrong in so many ways (all I'll say is history is repeating itself). But at 22 he is also an adult, I can't and won't be around for ever to help, bail him out...and this time when he comes to me because it's all gone wrong, I won't be unpicking everyone else's mess to help him out. I've told him this is the case this time...harsh i know, but if he's old enough to make such huge decisions, if he won't listen to the other side of the conversation, especially after he asked me my point of view, then he's old enough to sort things out for himself.

I don't influence my two older children, they have reached the stage where they inform me of what is happening in their lives and if I mutter a single word, I'm in danger of them not even telling me that any more...so stum I shall stay, i'll not offer opinions, I'll not tut (I'll try my best) I'll wait in the wings to be told things, but if they aks me for advice and then dismiss me completly like the eldest has done, he'll not find me sitting in the wings any more.

When your adult son goes missing

My son, aged 20, is coming today to visit us in South Africa for 2 weeks.

We left him in the UK aged 18, he'd not long left home for an apprentiship in Hotel Management in Reading. He visited us here in March last year, we visited the UK in August and December. He got himself a new job at Christmas and moved to Cheltenham, back nearer his dad and my family.

Yesterday afternoon there were messages on facebook from him and his dad to say he was at the airport and the last one read 'Mum, do you want any duty free?'

So all checked in, I relaxed and went off to bed.

This morning I check facebook, twitter and emails...as you do to see an urgent message sent from his Dad on facebook last night at midnight

'Ring me asap!!!'

'Jamis has just phoned and said his connecting flight isnt until tomorrow night?'

3 hrs later I get this
'phone only had 2% battery life when he phoned so i told him to switch it off for a bit while i sort out a hotel texted him the address but havnt heard from him the hotel wont answer there fucking phone so not sure if he went to the hotel'

So panic, I checked and double checked I had booked the right dates, checked on the website. Flight cancelled and he's booked in for tonights flight.

And not another word on the subject.

I messaged his dad back with 'it's the air lines responsibilty to look after him.

Why is his dad booking a hotel? where? did he get to it? who's paying for it? Does he have his luggage? etc, etc, etc

No response from his dad, no reply to my SMS to my son, called Air France in South Africa, they know nothing, the number they gave me for France is unobtainable, Hubby now calling the UK to find out what's going on.

Yes I know my son is 20, he's lived on his own for nearly two years, but still it would be nice to know what is going on and if his Dad went off to bed having made sure our son was ok.

*update one hour later

My hubby has called Uk and been told all passengers were given hotel room and meal vouchers and allowed to make one phone call. they will not tell hubbby which hotel for security reasons.

My ex has informed me Son did not check into hotel he booked for him last night and was told by Air France desk thatI had booked the wrong flight and he was on his own. Have given ex the number hubby rang on so he can ask for message to be delivered to son and for confirmation he was one of the passengers that has been helped, rather than just left to his own devices.

PS
Flight : AF0990 Resa : OK
Departure : 01May, 23:20 Latest check-in time limit : 22:20
I didn't book the wrong flight

UPDATE

AT 11.30AM SON PHONED HIS DAD IN THE UK TO SAY HE MANAGED TO TRANSFER MONEY FROM UK TO PAY FOR HIS OWN HOTEL AND IS BACK ON WAY TO AIRPORT WITH RECEIPTS TO CLAIM HIS HOTEL ROOM RATE BACK, HE IS WITHOUT LUGGAGE AND CANNOT CHARGE HIS PHONE AS CHARGER IS IN HIS CASE.
HE NOW HAS 12HOURS BEFORE HIS FLIGHT HERE AND IS NOT A HAPPY BUNNY THAT AIRFRANCE DIDN'T HELP HIM.

UPDATE ON THE UPDATE

At 12pm today after 150+ hits in half an hour on this blog, Air France contacted me.
At 4.40pm they sent email to say sorry about all of this, they had sent son an email back in March to inform him of cancelled flight, I doubt he's checked his emails for years, I had left my cell number for them to contact also. They are refunding his accomodation and his meals as long as he can provide original receipts.

I'm sure he will accept this, he has been in touch with me on facebook, having bought a new phone charger as his luggage is in holding, located a wifi spot to tell me he was fine, no worries, he had a spare set of clothes, he understood my panic that had been caused by his Dads messages that he hadn't got hold of him since midnight last night. However, I'm still slightly annoyed that no one at Air France in South Africa, Paris or the UK could give any different information other than what I could see on the website...flight cancelled, booked in for tonights flight.
5 hours passed before anyone got in touch with us, around the same time son rang his dad in the UK to say he was fine.

I know he's 20 and an adult, but surely there must be better ways of contacting Air France, rather than on their web page and clicking several links to get local numbers to press a series of buttons, being put on hold and then told 'there's nothing we can tell you'

There is no way now that I'm letting my children (17 & 13) fly unattended now with any airline unless it is a direct flight.

Lesson learnt from this experience?

Always pack your phone charger in your hand luggage.

When all you can do is wait

Interview via phone in June, informed I'd hear by 30th November

Email sent February to ask why the delay, informed will be notified by April 30th

Phoned UK on Friday, told 'still in the running'

Today is April 30th, no email, website not updated and application still under review.

I do hope this isn't a sign of impending disaster with The London Olympics.

It's a poor show, there are 100's of people on twitter in the same situation, lots of us living abroad, needing to arrange flights home, organise child care. people in the UK to arrange their leave.

Should I give up? Accept I've not been sucessful to be a Games Maker at The London Olympics? Email them? (again) keep refreshing emails? keep logging in? checking UK papers? (online) Checking the official web, facebook and twitter accounts?

I was anxious last week, now I'm angry....please don't spoil this for me.

UPDATE
5th may
Yesterday I received an email to say basically, I've not been discounted, I'm still in the running I'll know by the end of June.

Oh Hello, 3 weeks before the games start? Accomodation? Flights? Guess what? the Olympics are on in London, whats the chances of getting affordable accomodation? Any accomodation?

Not to mention sorting out the kids here, hubbies work? he is now not scheduling any travel in July, August and September and I have a friend on standby for the school runs in the afternoons.

I'm finding the whole situation embarrassing....answering questions with 'no obviously I'm just not good enough to be a games maker....no I haven't hear....no I don't know how I'll feel....relieved? disappointed? excited? even if I do get a role now, I'll fell second place, do I want to feel like that?

A little bit of research has led me to discover I'm not on a reserve list, they sent a seperate reserve list email. I haven't been told NO, all the NO emails have been sent out. So just what does my email mean? So another email has been sent, an automated receipt received this am and i wait to find out what THAT email means.

In the meantime I've stopped myself from deleting the application, I so want this opportunity....and the more of you that do delete yours out of frustration the higher my odds are of getting a role.