Fluff and Stuff!

I was going through my archive blogs – just seeing where I was this time last year, and the year before, and before that! Some of the memories are happy ones, some of them are sad, but all reminders of my life. I am so thankful for my blog and all the friends I have made through it! I found this meme which I took part in, in August 2009 and thought I would do it again – with changes highlighted in red! Just for fun ... and to see how much my life has changed!

 

1. What time did you get up this morning? My alarm went off at 04h45 and I eventually got up at 05h15! I am really struggling in this cooler weather. I don't like getting up in the morning! Got up at 5- had my run – left home early for the "State of the Nation" address at work by Henry Blumenthal.
   
   2. How do you like your steak? Rare to medium rare with NO basting! I especially like a juicy rib eye! Nothing has changed, although I haven't had a good steak in a while!
   
   3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Do you know that I cannot remember! I think it might have been the one about the dog with Jennifer Aniston – what was it called … "Marley and Me!" Still not an avid movie goer, but the last one I saw was "The Great Gatsby" with my friend Kath, sometime in late June. I LOVED it!
   
   4. What is your favourite TV show? Not a big TV fan, but I do like the cooking programes, Masterchef being one of my favourites. Also like the Crime stories and some of the medical stuff! Still don't watch much TV, but now enjoy the racing channel!
   
   5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? You know, sometimes I have a big mouth and talk about leaving SA, but I think somewhere here – definitely in the country with a warm and cosy B & B! Would still love my B&B, and it would have to be in Assagay KZN – always been my "happy place"!
   
   6. What did you have for breakfast? A toasted bagel with strawberry jam and a hot chocolate! Muesli, Yoghurt and a cup of green tea
   
   7. What is your favourite cuisine? Hmmm! I like Thai cuisine, and seafood! At the moment – hahaha – nothing other than salad!
   
   8. What kind of food do you dislike? Tripe – kidneys, liver anything like that! Also NOT a big veggie fan! Liking veggies more and more – still hate the tripe stuff
   
   9. Favourite place to eat? Chiurresquera in Rosettenville or Bombay Palace in Olivedale. I also like The Meat Co. at Monte. Love Lupa in Hillcrest
   
   10. What kind of vehicle do you drive? A black VW Polo Player, TDi – my best car ever! New favourite – Merc C180 – totally in love!
   
   11. What are your favourite clothes? Casual – jeans or casual pants with a nice shirt and SANDALS – I hate wearing winter shoes! Pretty much the same!
   
   12. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Been to Europe and the UK a few times. I would like to visit the States and maybe New Zealand. The States and Australia
   
   13. Cup ½ empty or ½ full? Half full! Definitely half full
   
   14. Where would you want to retire? To the Natal Midlands - Assagay
   
   15. Favourite time of the day? Home time – leaving the office in the afternoon with a good drive home – enough time to clear my brain before getting home and preparing dinner! Late afternoon
   
   16. Where were you born? The Mary Mount, Johannesburg, South Africa – no change! J
   
   17. What is your favourite sport to watch? NOTHING – I hate watching sport on TV! Horse Racing
   
   18. Bird Watcher? No! Not
   

   
   19. Morning or night person? Morning I think! Night
   
   20. Do you have pets? We have three family pets – a border collie called Holly, a long haired Dachshund called Schatzie and a tame guinea fowl called Vinegar! Not even a husband!!
   
   21. New and exciting news you'd like to share? Nothing at all – same old, same old! ...nope!
   
   22. What did you want to be when you were little? Always a teacher – and I was for 12 years!.... still miss it sometimes!
   
   23. What is your best childhood memory? Family holidays, getting sunburnt and sitting on the beach with an ice-cream cone! Watching my dad and brothers fish off the rocks! Those were wonderful days! Always!
   
   24. Are you a cat or a dog person? I am not an animal person at all! They give me terrible hayfever, but I do prefer dogs to cats! Mmm ... totally don't mind – Stacey has cats and I really have become quite fond of them!
   
   25. Are you married? Yes, to Philip! No - single
   
   26. Always wear your seatbelt? ALWAYS! Always
   
   27. Been in a car accident? Only a bumper bashing! Thank God for that! Same
   
   28. Favorite pizza topping? Mozzarella, ham and pineapple. Bacon, feta and green pepper
   
   29. Favorite Flower? Daffodils Tulips
   
   30. Favorite Ice-cream? Chocolate- never have it anymore – but it would probably still be chocolate
   
   31. Favorite Fast food restaurant? Kentucky – don't like fast food !
   
   32. How many times did you fail your drivers test? Once- same
   
   33. Who did you get your last email from? Christine - Pat
   
   34. Which store would you choose to max your credit card on? Woolworths (Seems to be the most popular!) – Jenni Button
   
   33. Do anything spontaneous lately? Bought Time Share! Went to Assagay for a midweek break!
   
   34. Happy with your job? Most times! I have my moments! Yes
   
   35. Broccoli? No! – still not!
   
   36. What was your favorite vacation? Our trip to the Black Forest in Germany. It's a beautiful place! I felt as though I was living in a story book! Although I still loved our visit to the Black Forest – new memories in the making and I haven't travelled for a while!
   
   37. Last person you went out to dinner with? Philip and Stacey- Stacey
   
   38. What are listening to right now? Marlene coughing! – printer going
   
   39. What is your favourite colour? Blue - Pink
   
   40. How many tattoos do you have? Not one! Still none, but am planning on changing that
   
   41.. Coffee drinker? I don't mind it sometimes, but it's not my favorite. One cup a day is MORE than enough for me! And sometimes after a nice meal I don't mind a cup! Ezio's filter coffee is my favorite!
   Was drinking quite a bit, but have cut down to one a day again!
   

Impulsive Decisions!

Little boxes all matching line my cupboard shelves. Filled with treasures and practical "stuff". Easy to find – and neat!

Grocery lists carefully written, dairy products listed together, meat, cleaning products – categorized!
Week-end arrangements made in advance and diarised so that there can be no confusion, and no double bookings!

Holidays planned with leave forms completed and approved!
No impulsive decisions – everything carefully thought through!

Sunday night – sudden decision. No time to think about. Tickets booked, bag packed. No telling anyone. Surprise visit - reasons ... but impulsive nonetheless!

Rush into office Monday morning. Put in 2 days leave. Check diary for meetings and re-schedule. "Out of Office" on and before I know it we're on our way to the airport. Anxious and heart beating furiously, I cannot believe I am boarding a flight to Durban. I did not expect to be back before September. As the plane taxi's along the runway, I start to settle. Quietly doing a check list in my head, hoping I haven't forgotten anything. 
 
 Two unexpected days out of the office, no normal routine.

Oh my Gosh – is this the age of living dangerously?

August Winds!

Home early today, and while I sit out on the patio, although it's quite warm, the winds are howling!  That's a good sign for us, I think.  The promise of good spring rains, and the knowledge that spring is around the corner.  The sun is setting later, and rising earlier!  I love it when the seasons "behave" as they should!  Looking forward to warmer weather and a summer garden!  Looking forward to our holiday at the beach, looking forward to happy days ... just looking forward!

 

Sandton Skyline at Dusk!

 



You don’t stop having fun when you’re old ...

... you're old when you stop having fun – so the saying goes! I had another fun filled week-end. It started off

• with the Bloodstock Horse Sales at Gosforth Park in Germiston. Turned into a night full of fun, with guest appearances from Jon Bon Jovi (AKA Rob Scott) and Dancing Queen, which ... maybe wasn't that good! But it was fun!
• Saturday mani and then lunch with the girls. Mel and her sisters went all out in preparing some Biryani and Butter Chicken – and a table laden with sweet things ... cheesecake, trifle ... too much to mention. Needless to say – we all ate too much, and I had a much needed early night!
• Sunday saw my second run – mmm – my health kick has kicked in, and I am running every second morning. I cannot believe how much more energy I have after I have finished. I even got creative on Sunday morning. After a visit to the local hardware store, I decided to start working on a little project – yes, a teeny tiny one. It didn't take long, and I am thrilled with the results.



Looking forward to a quick week – who knows what next week-end has in store! J

I am missing ...

... my old home today! As the weather warms up memories of my garden come flooding back and I am reminded of my home that I loved, my home that now belongs to someone else.

I will miss the Bankshire rose bush that started budding at this time of the year – the beautiful yellow and white flowers, that made SUCH a mess when they fell off! That reminded me of my Mum and my grandmother. I will miss the sweet smell of Jasmine, that heady, intoxicating smell indicating the arrival of spring! I will miss my "fairy garden" and remember how my niece was CONVINCED that real fairies lived there.

I have moved on and I am happy. It's time to build new memories and a new home, remembering that "a home is a place where love resides, memories are created, friends belong and laughter never ends." Although I miss my old home, it's no longer that – to me – now it's just a house!

Dreams ...

I had the strangest dream last night. I was in a car with a colleague, and instead of getting in a lift to the top of a building, we drove along a narrow, winding road. On reaching the top, I felt an awful fear of falling over the edge of the room, which had no walls. I woke up feeling anxious and confused about what it could mean, and why I felt uneasy.

Driving to work, I felt so de-motivated and really not in the mood for a day, which I knew was going to be quiet. I found an email in my inbox when I logged on at the office. The subject line read, "What You Can Do To Take That Step Forward". A glorified horoscope – but I decided to read it anyway. And this is what it said, for August 12^th:

"Moontrine Neptune – what you are feeling reflects what you are emoting from within. Dreams carry messages so take the time to write them down for interpretation".

I did find that rather weird, I must say, so of course, I had to Google dream interpretations and this is what I found:

"A dream in which you are top represents hopes and dreams. You are in pursuit of loftier plateaus. To dream of a building symbolizes your physical being, and to dream that you are at a great height indicates that you have finally reached your goal. On the other hand, if you dream that you are afraid of falling, this indicates your distance from realizing your dreams".

 

I have been feeling as though I am starting to reach my dreams, but maybe some of them are unrealistic. I guess I will just keep on buying that lotto ticket in the hopes of buying my farm in Summerveld!

New Toy and Sunday's at home ...

... here she is!  I absolutely love her - not only does she go like a dream, but she comes with a warranty and I COULD trade her in if I wanted to ... but I don't! Ha!

 

 

We had a prawn braai (BBQ) on Sunday, and it was such fun!

 



 

 



Week-End news!

Quick update on a good week-end!

• I did it ... I bought myself a new car!  Mercedes Benz C180 - white - an extravagant purchase, but I am completely in love with it! Desperate to take her out on the open road and just drive for miles :)
• Fabulous afternoon drinks with Kathy, Trace and Cindy!  Turned into dinner and a late night.  We had so much fun and laughed until we couldn't laugh anymore.  Slept like a log.  We really should do it more often.
• Sunday was a special one.  Alex is here from Durban and we had a really special time re-uniting and spending time together.  Rob's girls were so happy to see her.  We had a full day of prawns, decadent desserts and shared great memories.
• Monday dawned and I am feeling really grotty.  A trip to the pharmacy for a counter full of meds, hot bath and early night.  Lot's to do this week, so no time for 'flu! Really hope I feel better tomorrow!

 

 

Wishing you all an awesome week!