My gift

So I got this amazing police watch from Chris and Ginger for coordinating the wedding. I did nothing really but introduce them to the venue, but I will take the watch anyway! Thanks.

The day of the wedding

Well it finally came along, and after all the stress and panic of the past week, the day turned out memorable. The venue was beautiful and not even the slight breeze (Cape Town kind of breeze) could ruin the day. As Ginger came down the isle, she looked like a wedding book model. She was amazing and even my hard-ass cousin had to subtly wipe a tear away. The message from the priest was so nice and fitting, but the highlight of the ceremony was the singing! Two friends of Chris and Ginger (Tony and Adrienne) sang Come what may from Moulin Rouge. It was so beautiful, with the 12 Apostles mountains in the background. EVERYBODY in the crowd were crying by now, including me. It was magical.

The reception was like a fairytale and even if I must say so myself, my speech went down very well. We had a slight issue with the wedding cake about 1 hour before the ceremony, but between the cake lady and the flower guy, they managed to sort it out and produce the spectacular cake in the picture. (Considering this was created in 45 minutes from scratch, I think it looks great)

Like I predicted, my mom had everybody hanging on her lips by the end of the night with the jokes and the stories.

The Americans were sooo nice. Amazing friends and really nice family. It has been a great weekend and phenomenal wedding and after party and everything else.....

And now my cousin will be moving to the US. He is in very good hands with everybody, and we have got enough free holidays in the US to last us a good few years!!!

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