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Weekends in Jozi
When we think of a beautiful part of South Africa, we always automatically jump to Cape Town.
Wine Routes, green mountainside scenery and blue, sparkling seas are part & parcel of what makes the Cape a very popular holiday spot.
Unfortunately we don’t all have a 2nd holiday home to stay in and the cost of flights and accommodation becomes a bit pricey if we wanted a regular break away.
Johannesburg is very under-estimated by many. Not only is it an exciting, cosmopolitan city, but it also has its’ fair share of beautiful spots and fun activities to enjoy.
Tiago and I have made it our mission to have a picnic (or at least a drink and a snack) in as many parks as we can in Johannesburg.
I am also enjoying the variety of events that take place in Jhb.
With all the pressures of careers and all these responsibilities we have as adults, it becomes very easy to fall into an unhealthy routine and before we know it, our spare time is filled with television and a couch (not that this is a bad thing… Just not all the time)
If you find yourself nodding along to this statement – then I challenge you to get out of your comfort zone and discover a beautiful picnic spot of your own.
It is a beautiful time of the year now – get out there and soak up some sunshine and happy vibes… Don’t forget the sunblock!
Ps: I’ll be making a concerted effort to blog again. I miss it and I really need to take control of my life again. I’m committing myself to once a week. Pop by every Tuesday and give me some encouragement ok?
Family – Animals Included
Last week, I spent Heritage Day with my family. I said goodbye to our 12 year old Rottweiler, Tyson. He had arthritis in his back legs and eventually was unable to walk. He spent his last days lying under an umbrella with his head on a comfy pillow with water and food nearby. His entire body moved with the wagging of his tail when he saw me, but he couldn’t get up to greet me. My heart broke.
He was euthanized the next day.
This sweet doggy went for walks with my dad every morning and wagged his tail profusely whenever he saw me. When I handed him a treat, he gently took it in his mouth so as not to hurt me.
I wish I had digital photos to put up here, but in those days I still had a film camera.
RIP Tyson – you were a lovely doggy.
Onto happier topics…
My nephew Noah is now 3.5 years old, He is a proper handful. He is a sweet child, but full of boundless energy.
I played Hide & Go Seek, Catch and all sorts of other games with this happy little boy.
I even managed to get him to pose for a photo or 2, before he ran off to play.
I am happy that my parents have a grandchild – they are wonderful grandparents – they deserve to have a little boy to spoil and make feel loved. There is nothing like a grandparent’s love to make one feel special.
In between photos, we walked around the lovely garden & fed the 2 new additions – 2 big Tortoises (Don’t you just love Spring?)
My dad discovered that a rose he had transplanted had not survived, Noah pushed the dead shoot back into the ground and proclaimed: “There! I fixed it!”
Now I know why everybody tells you not to wait too long to have kids – because boy do you need endless reserves of energy to keep up!
Diner en Blanc – with an extra serving of Hail
Gone are the days of elegant sophistication and refined dinners where smartly dressed guests participated in inane conversation.
Woman yawned politely behind their hand and men downed their scotch – each waiting for the time when it would be polite to leave.
Fast Forward to 2014.Â
Diner en Blanc – a concept that began 25 years ago in Paris.Â
Read more about it here
People dressed head to toe in their white finery. Shoes so new, they blind you.
Armed with picnic baskets and flowers, the excited attendees alight the bus and walk to their secret destination – the Library Lawns on the WITS University Campus.
The view that awaited us was beautiful. Imagine a flurry of activity in a sea of white. It was a beautiful sight – if I hadn’t been so darn excited I would have focused my camera and actually taken a photo that was clear enough to show you!
10 minutes were allowed for us to set up a table with as much decor (all in white) as we were able to carry. (I don’t think the Team Leader was actually clock watching – as she was quite busy running around herding her team in)
A couple next to us had brought a little tree, complete with bubbles to insert some baby’s breath and flameless votives – the effect was gorgeous.
Tip: Feathers & Pearls are an easy way to add luxury to table decor without spending a lot of money. To add some ambiance, Candles or Fairy Lights are always a winner.
We opted to forego candles as the wind is bound to cause some mischief with the candles.
We fell in love with a little white orchid (Orchids are my favourite flower) and thought it would be a lovely reminder of the event.
The balloons tied to our chairs were bobbing up and down and ruining my photos, so I pretended to be a model:
We had just gotten through our starter when a light drizzle began to fall.
This was expected – with 1 hand covering our wine (diluted wine is a big no-no) we donned our clear/white ponchos.
The mood was festive and the rain added to that extra bit of excited atmosphere that enveloped us.
Without any warning, there was a clap of thunder & hail began to pelt down. Imagine a scene in a disaster movie – this is pretty much the scene that unfolded before us.
I grabbed the precious orchid to hide it under the table, and reached for the camera, handbag and our glass of wine and we fled.
Hail stones were beating don on our heads and my exposed legs as we ran through puddles and fallen leaves.
We unsuccessfully tried to huddle up in an alcove, but there were too many people. We heard someone exclaim”The Great Hall”!”and we dashed after them into the warm protection of a building.
Settling down we realised that we had successfully salvaged our wine – running full speed I had not messed a drop – and T had only a teeny little splash on the leg of his pants.
Grinning at our foresight, we happily drank our wine as we watched the drenched people around us trying to get dry.
Apart from the water dripping from our hair, the top half of our bodies were relatively dry.
With some time to kill while the storm raged outside, we explored the eery corridors of the university.
Isn’t it funny how all universities and old hospitals have that creepy echo in the corridors?
After the storm had abated, we went back to find or basket ransacked and a special bottle of sparkling wine stolen (I had wanted to toast to T’s early birthday) – it was a disappointing end to the evening.
Despite the rain & being stranded by our bus or the discovery that our basket had been ransacked by looters, we had still laughed hard and had so much fun – this will definitely go down in the memory banks as a wonderful and special memory for the 2 of us.
If this event happens in your part of the world, I suggest you start saving for it now.
It is a bit on the expensive side, but if you watch the videos of what to expect (lighting sparklers and dancing) & what we experienced in an hour – I think it will be well worth it.
Pie & Lattes
Something I wish I had realised in my 20’s: Exercise to keep fit. It becomes so much harder to lose that extra bit of weight.
In my 20s if I wanted to drop 2-3kgs, all I had to do was cut out the junk food and the weight would drop off.
Now in my 30s. I have to exercise, eat salad leaves and water and I may be lucky if I drop 1kg.
I don’t want to be one of those unhealthy, overweight women with wrinkly skin that has seen the ravages of junk food and a sedentary lifestyle.
What if it is already too late?
For this very reason I have started doing Pilates. I need to get fit. Pilates works all the muscle groups, but most importantly your core.
I have not lost any weight, but I am feeling stronger.
I am not ready to diet and give up on my 6 cups of coffee a day (with brown sugar), but I really need to get my body functioning well, I think Pilates is a step in the right direction.
I have attended a variety of Pilates lessons. 3 different instructors. All different techniques. 1 thing in common:
They hurt like a mother the next day!
I realise now why they tell you Pilates is perfect for sufferers of back pain: Because everything else is so sore, you don’t notice that your back is sore!
Joking aside – I am thoroughly enjoying it.
I have given Yoga a try as well, but it really didn’t feel as if I had done any exercise.
What do you do to keep fit?
With all the movies around about the end of the world, have you ever wondered how you would react if it were the end of the world?
Would you be calm and take charge, or would you hide in a hole and wait for somebody to rescue you?
I really hope it isn’t zombies or aliens that cause our demise….
Rather a flood or something like that. Being in Africa we would have sufficient time to prepare a ship/boat – the squatter camps alone have some much rubble we would be well prepared.
However, if it is a zombie attack – according to this website these are the 10 vehicles that will help you survive.
I am doomed.
2014: A Better Me
Part of my 2013 and 2014 Twenty Wishes was to work less and be happier.
I failed at it in 2013.
Halfway through the year & I am doing better in 2014.
I have only worked late a few days of the year so far.
No matter how huge my deadlines are and how crazy work has become, I refuse to work longer hours. I work through my lunch break and that is as far as my concession goes.
Strangely enough, both the CEO and MD have commented on how different I am.
A close work friend even called me up to ask if I was really ok because he doesn’t recall seeing me this happy at work and was worried that I may be hiding some deep unhappiness. I had a good laugh at that, but was touched by the kind gesture.
I feel so much better. The work piles up. I do as much as I can. 2014 is my year, I gave my life to the company in 2013. I am taking it back in 2014.
Strange Dreams of Suicide
Last night I dreamt that I was planning to commit suicide. I didn’t want my money to be tied up after my death, so I bought my parents 1st Class tickets to London (on BA) and withdrew R80 000 cash for them.
I somehow managed to withdraw all this cash from an ATM and carried it around in an envelope under my arm.
I remember feeling a but sad everytime I spoke to them on the phone because they didn’t realise that I was going to be dead soon.
I was extremely calm whilst going about all the arrangements. I don’t know which method I had decided on…Â I would think I would choose to swallow a whole bunch of pills and have a Cosmopolitan to wash them down. That would be a nuce calm way to go… drift off to sleep. Also very considerate to the people who have to find you. (A colleague’s son-in-law hung himself from a tree in the backyard where the kids used to play)
I wish I knew why on earth I was planning suicide? My life is pretty exciting at the moment!
So, dear readers… don’t fret! I am here to stay for a while!
What is Love | Jason Silva
I love this video – Jason Silva is so passionate & truly captures the essence of what love is all about:
I Need/Want!
I came across these Jeep boots and they have been on my mind for a week now.
Bearing in mind that I leave for the UK in less than a month, I should be saving money, but these boots are taunting me.
Cocktails & Memories 