At the Met

Wedding over and done with, we are at the J&B Met. Its a mix batch of people all dressed up to imperss. Put a few bets down and hoping we are going to be millionaires.

The big day is almost upon us

Its the night before the wedding and tensions are running high. Chris is a little ratty and everything is bugging him. He needs to just relax, and is coming to spend the night at our place. Tomorrow we are going to have a boys only morning. I still have to write my speech....

2 days to go

I CANT BREATHE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Four Families and a Wedding....

The wedding is now looming as there are only 2 days to go before the big day. The happy couple met the priest last night and he roped Ginger into singing in the church on Sunday. Well done!!! I spoke to her afterwards and her words were... "So I will have a little to drink at the wedding, then on Saturday night I will get plastered (At the J&B Met) and on Sunday I will sing in the church with a hangover...its like college all over again...."

I can not tell you how much I like this girl. She is so cool, and such a laugh and of course agreeing to sing in my church, scored HUGE brownie points.

So my folks and the grooms' father and step mom are on their way from Johannesburg, and we are going for the rehearsal dinner on Thursday night. This is an American thing where all the families get together and meet each other before the wedding. So I realised during this week, there will be four different families meeting each other.

There is Ginger's mom, a very nice quiet, suburbian looking woman, who listens allot and doesn't say too much unless she has something of value to add to the conversation.

There is Ginger's dad who is a mid American bloke who says what he wants when he wants to, is loud and doesn't care (allot like our family), and his new wife, who doesn't speak....ever....

Then there is Chris's mom and his step dad, who have been together for almost 30 years now. She used to be as loud as the rest and a party animal, but has had to calm down as her husband is not.

Chris's dad who is allot like Gingers' dad, in fact a hell of allot like that, and his new wife, who also doesn't speak too much.

Then there is my mom, who is worth a mention, because she is my mom, but also because, like me, she will probably take over the rehearsal dinner, make everybody feel at home by cracking the first uncomfortable joke, and from there on everybody will love her and want to sit next to her.

I cant wait for the wedding!!!!!!

3 Days to go

I have been counting wrong all along....

People in your life

All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts.

These words by William Shakespeare have never been more true. I was told by a friend a few days ago how she was taught that every single person in your life, relationships both romantic or otherwise, happen with one goal in mind. The people involved in your life are all there to teach you something about life or about yourself. They have lessons that you have to learn about life. They each have a part to play in your life and when that part is done, they move on. Sometimes the part they play is longer than usual and they stay for much longer.

I have had many of these people in my life, and have taken what I can from the experience. I suggest that we all live life in such a way that you learn everything you can from people in your life. They might have loads to teach you.

5 Days to go....

And its getting so stressfull now....

Its a....

Bird, no its a plane, no its a PENGUIN! All dressed up for the wedding

Total Eclips

There was an eclips of the sun this morning. It was a partial eclips and it made the morning feel very strange. You can see what it looked like in the right top corner of this pic. Interesting.

Afrikaans Manners

It is a well known fact that Afrikaans children in South Africa are about 20 times more respectful towards others (specially older folks) and have better manners. Yes, naturally this is in general and there are also some English children with good manners, and some Afrikaans ones with none. But hypothetically speaking. Now I am battling with a situation. I am one of those Afrikaans kids who have been taught to always be respectful and always call anybody older than you "oom" (uncle) or "tannie" (aunt). The problem is however that I have a cousin that I have only met once. Recently I got to see her again. I call her on her name, as I believe she is my cousin. However, I only realised later on that she was almost twice my age. Now do I call her "tannie" or do I keep on calling her by her name? I do call her by her name, but don't feel too comfortable....

Any suggestions

7 Days to go

ONE WEEK!!!!!!

9 days and counting

The great black (White) hope

It always amazes me how the Americans regard themselves and their country as the only place on earth. Was forced to watch the inauguration of Barak Obama yesterday and some of the remarks that came from the presenters where things like: "this is the first time in history that a black man has taken power in the world...." Have they never heard of a little continent called AFRICA!!!! Or does it just not matter.

And what is this sick obsession of South Africans with the new American president. Do we all want to jump onto the bandwagon and praise the first African president of the USA.... in the words of a very well known TV ad....WE'VE BEEN HAVING IT!!!! Our country and the entire Africa has been having African presidents since forever. Get over it.

A new black American president is going to do nothing for our situation.

Don't get me wrong, I think it is way over due and about time that the US appoints a black man as a president, and the fact that he is an extremely focused and dedicated man with phenomenal vision for the future, is a great bonus. That being said, America is miles away form South Africa and I don't think his appointment will bring huge change to our country like everybody seems to think.

Attitude

The more interaction I have with people, the more I come to the conclusion that most humans actually belong to the animal species, and they are only pretending to be humans. It absolutely grinds my nipples to see two or three people strolling up a flight of stairs at the rate of one stair every 2 minutes. Now granted, I move faster than most people today, but surely when you see someone flying down the stairs, you make space as you know you are not going as fast as they do, right. NOOOOO !!! Some people will just keep on strolling and they get upset when you push them out of the way so you can get down the stairs. Then there are the drivers on the road, of which I have now spoken about ad nauseam. Driving over two lanes, driving 20 in a 60 zone. I feel like I am on a different planet to the rest of human kind and that every single person (animal) out there is trying to test and piss me off today!!!! But its not working today. I WIN!!!!

10 days to go

Life with a "Do Over"

Last night on a TV program, it was remarked that someone wished life came with a "do over", implying that they want to change things that has happened in the past. I don't want or need a do over. According to me, everything in your life happens for a reason that is not visible to you right at that moment, but it is for the greater good and works towards something else later on in your life. Yes, of course not everything is nice and good and great, but even those hurtful things are there for a reason. Like my sisters accident. Yes it was a very hurtful and trying time in my, and our lives, but if it wasn't for that, she would never have met her husband and I would never have had a beautiful niece. As for all the breakups I went through in my life. They were heart wrenching, but if it weren't for them, I would never have met Tristan. God has a plan for us, and everything falls into his plan. It might not always fall into our plan but he knows best. So no do overs for me thank you, I need all the happiness, pain, crying and laughter that has been in my life. Its what has made me who I am today and put me in touch with some amazing people I have met.

Teaching an old Cat new tricks

Our lovely two cats have managed to knock over two glasses of water from the dresser in the past 2 days. One of them, full of water, on Tristans head, in the middle of the night, and woke him up. This coupled with me constantly having to keep them off the counters and out the cupboards and away from Leche's food, makes me very agitated. I constantly hear how "that is what cats do" and "you will never change them". When I say that they can be trained not to do something, just like a dog, I get met with things like you can not train a cat. Well that is just not true. I was watching a program on TV yesterday where a Russian couple had about 15 cats that they have trained and are doing circus tricks. So if they can teach a cat to shimmy along a pole, we can teach a cat to stay off the counters, surely...

The problem is that it obviously takes longer to teach cats, and they are able to manipulate better, so people give up faster. Its also not so difficult to go outside an pick up their poo. I manage to find the little doggy treats every time I pick up my dogs poo, so its not hidden from the world.

I constantly get told that the cats are not going to stop eating the dogs food, so its better for me to remove it. Well, the dogs are not going to stop eating the cats poo, so its better to remove it....

13, 12, 11 DAYS TO GO

14 days to go

Revolutionaries and Deamons

Apologies for my dinner companions last night, you have heard this story before.

I went to Argentina in 2005 and had the most amazing time of my life. Two things struck me as outstanding character of the Argentinian people. The first was the passion the Argentinians had for life and the conviction to protest against anything they thought to be unfair. Weather it was to them or to the world, they took to the streets, and let everybody know they were not happy. These were not violent protests, just citizens displaying their dismay, and it was such an inspiring thing to see. The people of the country, young and old, rich and poor, all standing together to let themselves be heard. One day maybe we can do that....

The second was all Argentinians share a love for Che Guevara. Now for those who don't know who he was, he was an Argentinian born man, who felt the plait of the poor, oppressed Latin Americans, and went around South America alleviating their struggle. Either from oppression of dictatorship, or from poverty. Ref: The Motorcycle Diaries.

I have always thought Che is an amazing freedom fighter, so had no trouble purchasing a t-shirt displaying his face on it. I wore it proudly all over Buenos Aires and was met with exhilarated exclamations of a nation proud of its most famous son.

We took a trip out to a farm along with some other Spanish speaking tourists, and me with my Che shirt on. After getting evil eye looks from an elderly couple the entire day, the lady finally speaks to me and asks me, in the best American accent I have heard, if i know who the person is I am wearing on my t-shirt. Me being the "well informed" worldly traveller I am tells her that he is one of the most incredible freedom fighters for Latin America and the world!!! The little old lady then starts telling me about her and her husbands life in Cuba as well off Cuban citizens, living the Cuban dream of work, freedom and love, when a young man called Fidel Castro overturned the government of Batista, with the help of Che Guevara.

This marked the start of many years of oppression, murder and torture the couple and their families went through until they finally fled the country for America in the late 70's. She was a very friendly lady, telling me about her horrific life and how much Che Guevara assisted in the executions and torture of many Cuban citizens.

It was only at that stage that the phrase "One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter" really made sense to me.

You don't have to go far to get this kind of paradox. Look at South Africa and our history. Nelson Mandela is widely accepted as one of the most forgiving, wise and loving leaders, but to many South Africans, he is a terrorist that planted bombs and fought against the government.

So should we stop wearing paraphernalia supporting these people who we deem as freedom fighters? No!!! If you believe in something or someone and their ideals, stick to it and be prepared to get blasted from the other side. If you portray these images just to create a stir, or to be fashionable, be prepared to get stoned.

Have your convictions, have your opinion, but for the love of peace and freedom, stick to it!!!!

15 Days to go

Run down thursday

I am having a very run down Thursday. It seems like everything anybody says gets me either flared up, or chocked up. I feel extremely tired at 11:00 in the morning, and want to collapse in a heap and stay like that for a while. What is it that gets me like this. I feel like gym is not working, I am stuck in a rut, I am frustrated, I am sad, I am feeling sorry for myself, I feel like taking someones head off. Its a bit of a roller coaster at the moment.

Live with it!

16 Days and counting

Its 16 days and counting to my cousins wedding!!!!!!!!!!!

Paulo Coelho

I am reading The Valkarys. Its about Paulo who goes in search of his guarding angel. I love the books Paulo writes. He has so much insight and is such an amazing person who writes the most amazing things. Although I am only in the beginning of the book, he has already taught me one thing. In the book his wife gets taught to "look at the horizon". Its very complicated in the book but what it means to me is to stop walking around with my head hanging down looking at the floor. We have to look up and look around us and take in everything we can. As humans we walk around with our heads down and don't look up. We miss so many opportunities and people and don't have enough interaction with others when we look down all the time. My lesson from this book is to interact more and with others and take in my environment. To look at the horizon. This way I can open myself up to new things and see more.

Work related

I have been working on an incentive program for our clients at work, and it warms my heart to see it taking shape and having to present it to the clients in the next few weeks to come. I am a real sales person who thrives on results, as this kind of thing really blows my hair back. I now just wish that I could get incentivised on how much my clients give us.....that would be even sweeter.

Last night

Last night must have been the hottest night ever. Everybody in our house were mad!!! We struggled to go to sleep, Lucca vomited because of the heat, Leche could not settle down, the cats were lying anywhere on the floor to get some cool, and we had to have the noisy fan on most of the night.

It was revolting, and I don't think I will get through another evening of that again.

Disabled Parking

I am not sure why this is such a big issue to me, maybe because it is something close to my heart. I find it so unbelievably arrogant that the most of us have no problem with driving around looking for a place to park, even if it means driving around for longer and parking further away, and then there are the select few individuals who just don't care. I am talking about the young Indian guys who drive the Tazz with the bright silver rims and the tinted windows, the older black lady in her very large Merc or BMW, and of course the extremely irritating middle aged Jewish princess in her 4x4. They have all been ordained by some sort of arrogance, ailment or illusive mother, which allows them to park on the disabled parking spots. What is it that gives these freaks the right to park there? What do they think it is that makes them more special than us.

I partly blame the institutions where these parking bays are situated. They just don't take any control over the people who park and just don't punish them enough. I was at a local gym on Friday, and while walking in, a member of staff and her boyfriend (Tazz) parked on the disabled parking bay and walked in to the gym. I got in before them and told the receptionist that their own member of staff is parked there, and she just giggled and said: "we are going to have to speak to them about that", and never did anything.

Well done Virgin Active Sea Point, for doing your civil duty so well!!!!!

Sunday lunch.

Had sushi for lunch today at CTFM. Sushi on a conveyor belt. Its nice enough but really pricey and now I just got another grammer lesson for today....

The year 2009

For some reason, this year has started on a very good note. I had a wonderful holiday, and on my first week back at work, I have made the company over 1.5 million!!! I hope this is a sign of things to come. I feel strangely exhilarated and alive and ready for many things. My parents are coming down to Cape Town in about 20 days, and my cousin is getting married at the end of the month. Its all positive and good things around me. My dog's ear has healed and now I just have to get my other dog to eat. I am happy in my living space, I am happy with my relationship and I am happy with friends and things around me. I have been back to gym and am getting my adrenalin fix from there every day and feeling the fat tyre falling off my mid section.

Now if I could only find that light switch.....

Darkness

Its dark out there,

and even more so in here

I cant find a light switch, but even if I find one, can I switch it on.

Will I be ok with what I see in the solace of the light

Will the light be comforting,

or will it be a sharp cold dagger thrusting into my heart,

bleeding my heart dry again.

It just healed so I will leave the light of,

and feel my way around,

lovingly stroking everything in the room to feel what it is,

and caring holding the things dear to my non bleeding, recovered heart.

The start of the day

Work has been challenging since I came back. We have had this internet problem from Monday and nobody seems to know what is going on. Can't get onto any internet programs at all. This makes looking busy at work when I am clearly not, extremely difficult. I should have taken this week off too!

On route in Namibia

On the way to Luderitz. All of Namibia looks like this...flat

The road outside Rosh Pinah, and the mountians in the distance.

Lutheran church in Luderitz

Kollmanskop

The most famous house in Kolmanskop..

The dessert looming outside

Abandoned ghost house

This was a doorway

inside the house

Luderitz

Luderitz pier and looking across the bay

One of hundreds of jelly fish in he harbour round the boats

the dessert meets the sea in the distance

Our rock lobster dinner in Luderitz

and dessert for Tristan...a bag of chocolates

Our Holiday

Here is a short version of our trip:

We left Cape Town and drove for about 4 hours to Springbok, where we stopped and had lunch. This is a little town where my dad was born and grew up.

From there we continued another hour to our camp site on the banks of the Orange river with Namibia on the other side.

The second day we had to drive back to Springbok to get Tristan's tires sorted out, but ended up going there for nothing, as they couldn't help us.

On the 27th we drove to the Fish River Canyon. The drive there was mostly on a gravel road and by lunch time we drove in at the Canyon Roadhouse. It is a nice oasis in the middle of the dessert where we had a wonderful meal, met some nice people, and finally bought our key hooks for the house. The canyon was an amazingly spectacular experience that made me appreciate my place on this earth once again.

After three nights of irritating campers, we packed up and left for Luderitz. Driving there we chose the "good" road, which was the tarred road, taking us via Keetmanshoop. Just outside Keetmanshoop we visited the Quiver tree Forest and the Giants Playground. This is where magma pushed up to the surface but cooled before it broke through, and due to erosion over millions of years got exposed as blocks stacked on top of each other, as if put there by giant children. Onwards we drove through the restricted diamond fields to Luderitz, a very quaint town on the West coast of Namibia. Had Rock Lobster for dinner and left the next morning for South Africa.

Leaving Luderitz we stopped in Kollmanskop. A ghost town established in the early 1900's when there were diamonds lying around on the floor, and abandoned in the late 50's when everybody left and went prospecting on the orange river. We struck another oasis in Rosh Pinah on the way, where we had lunch under a thatch roof next to a pool in the dessert. We drove further along the Orange River to Springbok, where we stayed over at my aunts house, whom I have never met before in my life.

On the last day we drove home. We decided on route to stop in Lamberst Bay for lunch at the original open air sea food restaurant. Muisbosskerm. This was fantastic as we had a full Crayfish and mixed seafood and traditional stews for a really low price. From there we made the long journey back home.

All in all an eventful and glorious trip!!!

Back to school....

So am finally back to work again and wishing I was still in Nam...Namibia...

The next few posts will be some of the trip pics, and I will try and get more pics from Tristan. (He has a digital camera, and I don't).

Me making a fire at our camp site....

2009

Wishing all a prosperous new year and a blessed time!