No rumour!

It is getting warmer!  Much warmer!  I live in hope and dream of summer.  Only as i get to the end of the season do i realise that i really dislike winter. So much!

This is really a short post but some snippets:

• I am finally having the odd things that have bothered me forever about my house fixed, the bathroom painted, the entrance hall tiled and my new dishwasher fitted.  I am in love!
• I am off to a two day strategic planning session and hope to catch up on my cross stitch.   It is really not proper that i feel such bliss at the prospect of a night away from my kids! :)
• We are in the swing of planning our september break.  We are looking at going away for a long weekend to Clarens, a small arty mountain town.  I have been looking at some wonderful accomodation and at some of the hikes and nature reserves that they have near by.  I really feel the need for a get away.
• I volunteered to do a whole bunch of stuff for my son's school so besides the usual madness i am planning a food stall at their annual fete.  This involves co-ordinating 100 parents which is easier said then done.

Best wishes to you all!
Al

Can you feel it?

I get a bit crazy this time of the year.  I have had enough of winter and start to long for summer.  This results in some semi psychotic behaviour where i start to look for the end of winter everywhere.  Is it getting warmer?  Are there more birds in the garden?  Now mostly this is just crazy wishful thinking and it is still really cold.

BUT, this weekend was not so!  It was warmer, much warmer.  I am not fooling myself that winter is really over, more likely a warm spell.  I think that we will have another cracker of a cold spell before it is over....Despite this we made the best of it.  Yesterday we had a braai and ate outside.  The sun was shining and the kids were inspired to play outside on the grass.  Oh, is it possible to miss summer with every ounce of your being?  I could smell the hope in the air.  I cant wait for green gardens and warm evenings, my kids in the pool every single day.  Salads for supper, rolls and cold meats being perfectly acceptable hot summer night fare.  Watermelons.  Sleeping with not a blanket on you and the window open so that you can feel the breeze.  Sigh!

Glad to announce that Seth has recovered from his illness and is doing much better.   Now if i could stop the sibling rivalrly......  Anyone have a recipe?  They love each other but boy can they fight!  The teasing is a bit much sometimes.  They are going to drive me to sugar which is really not on the menu right now as i try to gear myself up towards some pre spring weight loss.  I have got pounds to shift, girls.  Glad to say not much more then when winter started but still there none the less.....

I am sorry that the promise of our spring means the arrival of autumn for some of my far away visitors but none the less......  I  cant wait.....

Al

Viva South Africa soccer world cup 2010

For the last couple of weeks, South Africa and the world have been struck down with soccer fever.  Here is South Africa we have been overwhelmed by it all.  We have been hearing about the world cup for years, since it was awarded to us and have been exposed to numerous countdowns.  At the same time people, both in South Africa and internationally expressed concerns about SA's ability to host the event.  Today is the last match, a glorious final between Spain and Holland and we have thankfully proved them wrong.

Just take a look a the beautiful spaces - our stadiums - that we offered to the world!  Crime was minimalised and visitors were able to come to South Africa and really enjoy african hospitality.  For us, having the world here has been amazing.  Last night hubby and i went out and found ourselves surrounded by foreigners.  A table of Spainish people were sitting next to us and it was amazing.

I had never watched a full soccer match before the world cup and may never again but i loved the world cup experience.  I felt a huge connection with all South Africans as we welcomed the world and mourned the exit of our national team.  I know that this country has so many challenges but it was great just to put them on the back burner and have some fun for a while....  I loved the vuvuzela's - our south african soccer horn that drove the guests crazy but that they are taking home with them by the dozens.  We really had an african world cup.  Wonderful!

Despite all of that, i am glad that the world cup is coming to an end.  We loved it all but it exhausted us all and I think its time to end it and memorialise it in memory.  After all, we will always be able to say - we were there!  Now lets hold thumbs for our olympic bid 2020!

And of course, we need to end it all with a great Spainish win!  Ole, ole, ole, ole!  Viva Espana!

Al

Misty eyed

Once upon there was a first time mom.  She has just had her first son and thought that the sun rose in his eyes.  These are her first photos of him.  He is not even 24 hours old yet.

His dad thought he was pretty amazing too....

We could not stop looking at him, counting his toes, listening to him breath.  We could not believe that this little being was ours....

He was so beautiful.

Now he is turning 7 and we still think that he is just gorgeous.  I am such a lucky, lucky lady.

Al

The hands of time

When Jason and I were younger (early twenties) and students, and even to some degree when we were first married, we were rather poor.  Broke was our natural state of affairs.  But there was one area that we always scored big on - time.  Even when we had no money, we had lots of time.

As we have got older, more established the situation has reversed itself.  We are no longer broke all the time.  We have good jobs.  We save money.  Blah-blah.  And we have no time.  For the first time in our lives we have money to have a couple of holiday breaks a year and have no leave to take them.  What a turn of events.

On a day to day, minute to minute level, my life is governed by the clock.  I wake up at 6am.  Rush to the shower, get dressed (must be done by 6:20), wake kids, feed kids, feed myself, pack bags, dress kids and get out of the door by 7:15.  I race through traffic and get to work for my usual crazy work day.  Normally my day is consumed by meetings as a senior manager, some of which involve driving to one of my regional offices.  I watch the clock, racing from one to the next.  In between i am working frantically behind my laptop.  Checking email, allocating work, delegating tasks, checking on delegated tasks not done.  I hate my cell phone and the time that it takes away from me.  There is always the voice waiting to tell me that i have "10 new voice messages!"  AARGGHHH!

Then at 4 i race off again to start my second job.  Racing home wondering what is for supper.  Buying said supper.  Picking up kids.  Making supper, feeding kids, bathing kids.  Of course i need to put in my quality time with hubby and kids.  So invariably it is 8pm when i am actually able to STOP and breathe.  And then i sit and think about all the things i was supposed to do.  What a crazy life.

So time is my most valuable possession at this point.  I cant make more of it.  I guard it jealously.  I dont like to share it with people that are not important to me.  What i have i want to spend with my husband, my children, my friends and family that count.  I meet people and think that they may be interesting to start a new friendship with but instantly think "I dont even spend enough time with the friends that i already have and that mean so very much to me!"

It is not all as hopeless as it sounds.  Sure i wish that i was able to make more time but i cant.  I am now so aware of what i can use each second for. I am simplifying my life.  I dont get caught up in little dramas.  I let things go because my energy is limited and i cant waste it on others.

I still find time for myself in terms of going to gym and doing my crafts.  I am often amused when people say:  "How do you still find time to craft?".  I find time because being creative keeps me sane.  You have to get off the wheel sometimes.

And finally i am learning that it is okay, healthy to have some space away from your children.  I love 8pm when my children go to sleep and guard that rule diligently.  I do think the routine does them good, but it also does me good.  I need to know that there is a light at the end of a busy day and that soon they will be sleeping and i can relax.   It pushes me to spend quality time with them from 6 to 8pm because i know that at 8pm they will be down and i can have my space.

But despite all of this, there are many days when i wish that i could make just a little bit more time.  Or go back to my pre-motherhood 20 year old self and tell her to take more sunday afternoon naps and enjoy being alone.

Al

Winter blues

I have been trying so hard to be positive this winter.
I am not winning.
The cold sucks.
I hate waking up and getting out of bed in the morning.
I hate waking the kids up in the morning.
I would only like winter if i were in bed.
Permanently.
Aint going to happen girl!
:(
I need summer.
I really need summer.
I am currently wearing more items of clothing then i can count on my fingers.
Which is not normal.
Really.
I dream of sunshine.
And green grass.
I even dream of getting up to go to gym before work in the morning.
Which is just sad really.
I only have two months left of this.
Which is a really long time, no matter how you look at it.
So if you are lucky enough to have any sunshine.
Please enjoy it for me.
In the meantime i will go and console myself by having more hot Milo.
Which is just making me fat.
Make that fatter.

Al