Lemons

Shew. What a week ... if I thought the weekend was bad, well this week certainly upped the game :(

On the plus side tho, I'm feeling better. Went to the Doc on Monday afternoon and got some meds. On Tuesday and Wednesday I got to spend my work day in a Lego Serious Play workshop which was pretty freaking cool.



And then on Tuesday I headed out with some colleagues for another girl's Pizza & Wine night.

But then on Wednesday, things turned a corner. Someone at the office got diagnosed with German Measles (not great for me with the whole Project Get Pregnant thing). I'm not too worried since I did get re-vaccinated last year. But I still popped in to get an anti-body blood test done on my way home from work (the whole pesky contagious for 7-10days before you even realise you have it thing, makes me nervous about everyone else around me at work :/ )

The Trucker was also back at Olivedale ... he'd apparently been there since 14h30. Waiting to get a sonogram (or something?) done on his ankle. I was going to take him home, but he had to stay so I went home and walked Pepper ... and waited.

Eventually he said I could come fetch him at about 18h30, after he'd seen the Ortho. So, um. He's in a moon boot now. He's torn 2 of the 3 tendons on the outside of his ankle and another on the inside. His foot looks dreadfully bruised and is very swollen. And he can't fly for 6-8weeks.

Yes, that's right, we were supposed to be jet-setting to Turkey in 2 weeks. Urgh. So, I don't know yet what we're going to do. We have 2 possible dates we could bite the bullet, pay the change fee and move our trip to. BUT (and it's a big but), one of the dates is in 7 weeks ... so it's hard to commit and say right now if he'll be okay and ready to go then. And the other in at the end of November. But the weather will not be nearly as good as now and they don't offer the Blue Cruise part of our trip in winter.

So yeah. At this point, honestly, I think we might just cancel the whole thing and try and get as much cash back as possible ... health is a tricky thing to take a chance on. He's asked me if there's anyone else who can take his place, but honestly, I really wanted to go with him.

We do have Kruger in November with my folks to look forward to still ... anyway, to say it's been a little grumpy in our house since Wednesday would be an understatement. Not annoyed / angry at him, but obviously we both are with the situation.

Dead Past by Beverly Connor

As a child, Juliet Price witnessed the bloody slaying of an entire family. Then the killer chased her down, brutalized her, and left her for dead. The police were never able to find the man responsible. For years, Juliet's traumatized mind hid the events from her. Then she sees a television show featuring the unsolved cold case, and the horrors come to her in her nightmares. She shares her fears with Diane Fallon, who realizes that Juliet's shattered visions recall not one, but two intertwined crimes-crimes that Diane intends to uncover.

I enjoyed this book quite a lot, but I definitely found that it felt a little confused about which story it was actually trying to tell ... it was kinda like watching an episode of CSI, you know where half the team is solving one thing and the other half is solving another. So there's like a sub-plot that starts and ends up feeling like it was supposed to be the main plot. And that neither of the "mysteries / crimes" are focused on enough to tell the story properly.

While I am enjoying this series, none of them have had any serious plot twists, which would definitely tip the scales in their favour, instead of them just being nice easy "filler" reads.

* This book is part of the Diane Fallon Forensic Investigation series: One Grave Too Many (2004), Dead Guilty (2004), Dead Secret (2005), Dead Past (2007), Dead Hunt (2008), Scattered Graves (2008), Dust to Dust (2009), The Night Killer (2010), One Grave Less (2010)

My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler

In this raucous collection of true-life stories, actress and comedian Chelsea Handler recounts her time spent in the social trenches with that wild, strange, irresistible, and often gratifying beast: the one-night stand.

You've either done it or know someone who has: the one-night stand, the familiar outcome of a night spent at a bar, sometimes the sole payoff for your friend's irritating wedding, or the only relief from a disastrous vacation. Often embarrassing and uncomfortable, occasionally outlandish, but most times just a necessary and irresistible evil, the one-night stand is a social rite as old as sex itself and as common as a bar stool.

Enter Chelsea Handler. Gorgeous, sharp, and anything but shy, Chelsea loves men and lots of them. My Horizontal Life chronicles her romp through the different bedrooms of a variety of suitors, a no-holds-barred account of what can happen between a man and a sometimes very intoxicated, outgoing woman during one night of passion. From her short fling with a Vegas stripper to her even shorter dalliance with a well-endowed little person, from her uncomfortable tryst with a cruise ship performer to her misguided rebound with a man who likes to play leather dress-up, Chelsea recalls the highs and lows of her one-night stands with hilarious honesty. Encouraged by her motley collection of friends (aka: her partners in crime) but challenged by her family members (who at times find themselves a surprise part of the encounter), Chelsea hits bottom and bounces back, unafraid to share the gritty details. My Horizontal Life is one guilty pleasure you won't be ashamed to talk about in the morning.

Wow, this is one of the most boring books I've read in a while. I mean it's no where near the Fifty Shades level of not-worth-reading, but it's still definitely not worth reading. I didn't find it at all entertaining or funny, which is what I was hoping for. It was just boring. I don't recommend you bother reading this.

Worst in a While

Well, I reckon that might rank as our worst weekend in quite some time!

I got home from work on Friday to find The Trucker (and another guy he hired) working on our patio roof. I wasn't in the mood to do anything so I ended up watching a movie (That Awkward Moment) on the couch.

It was completely predictable and exactly what I was in the mood for :) It was pretty cool seeing the girl from Halt & Catch Fire in something else.

The evening didn't progress much from there, I think we both needed a quiet one on the couch. On Saturday, I had a bit of a lazy morning while he went to the Body Corporate meeting. We thought I would need to take Pepper to her new obedience class but it is now on a Sunday. So instead I took her for a walk and did our grocery shopping. The Trucker finished off the patio roof. It looks awesome!

We still need to put the wooden poles under the clear corrugated roofing and figure out what we're going to do on the floor ... but so far I'm thrilled :)

Unfortunately just before he could help finish the roof, The Trucker sprained his ankle. So the guy helping finished up and then I took dropped him off at home and took The Trucker to the Emergency Room.

They were pretty efficient but he left with his ankle in a sort-of cast and crutches ... as you can imagine, Saturday evening was also very relaxed.

On Sunday, I had to take Pepper to obedience training. On my own. At 8am. I did not get home a happy camper. It was freezing, my nose would not stop running, she had no idea what she was doing and would not calm down the entire class (I know, I know, she's missed 2 weeks). I was just pretty much miserable. So when I got home I hopped back in bed.




And that is pretty how our Sunday went. From bed to the couch and back to bed. Morning and afternoon naps. Me sick and miserable and The Trucker unable to move around too much. What a pair!

We watched Patch Adams as well this weekend. Weird realising that Robin Williams and Philip Seymour Hoffman are both dead now ...

Quietest Week

I know, blog. It's Friday. But it's been a quiet week ... Seriously. We haven't done a thing! (Boring, maybe, but much needed after our 2 weekends away) Well, except I did start Boot Camp again. And went swimming at the gym on the day I missed. Impressive? I think so.

Pepper got her fur cut again. Shewee it's so gorgeous! She's sooooo soft (will try get some photos this weekend). Shame, she wasn't well at the beginning of this week. All lethargic. We were a little worried it might be biliary, but The Trucker took her to the vet and she's fine :) Back to her normal self now.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue - Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is - she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves ... or it might destroy her.

Mkay so another book I'm reading *after* watching the screen version ... I enjoyed this movie, and I think I probably would've even if I'd read the book first. It sticks pretty damn close to the book. I mean sure there are a few extra details that the movie tweaked, but after reading the book, I felt it was a pretty damn accurate portrayal.

I'm definitely adding the next one to my list of books to read!

* This book is part of the Divergent series: Divergent (2011), Insurgent (2012), Allegiant (2013)

Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

With a career, a boyfriend, and a loving family, Piper Kerman barely resembles the reckless young woman who delivered a suitcase of drug money ten years before. But that past has caught up with her. Convicted and sentenced to fifteen months at the infamous federal correctional facility in Danbury, Connecticut, the well-heeled Smith College alumna is now inmate #11187-424 - one of the millions of people who disappear "down the rabbit hole" of the American penal system. From her first strip search to her final release, Kerman learns to navigate this strange world with its strictly enforced codes of behavior and arbitrary rules. She meets women from all walks of life, who surprise her with small tokens of generosity, hard words of wisdom, and simple acts of acceptance. Heartbreaking, hilarious, and at times enraging, Kerman's story offers a rare look into the lives of women in prison - why it is we lock so many away and what happens to them when they're there.

So after watching Season 2 of this, I decided reading the book would be a cool idea :) It's fairly different, I like what they've done with the series from this. Every now and again a character pops up, but don't expect them to all be similar to how the show depicts them. It did make me wonder how any of them felt about their TV Show representation? Do you have to get permission and things like that?

Anyway, the book is still interesting to read and if you've watched the series, I would definitely recommend it.

A Weekend in Cape Town Celebrating!

Okay, okay I know I missed the "end of the week" post last week. But at the last minute I took a Sick Day on Thursday and I already had Friday off because we were flying down to Cape Town on Thursday evening.

Plus not much happened last week. I had Tuesday evening plans but they were postponed so I ended up at SCM. And other than that, seriously, nothing.

On Thursday tho we flew to Cape Town and got to have dinner with Mom & Dad :) Was fab seeing them again. On Friday we had big plans to make use of Mom's The Entertainer vouchers and do some wine-tasting, but she woke up feeling awful, so went back to bed while The Trucker and I took a drive to Kalk Bay for breakfast.

What a superb day. And my word, it was like a Ghost Town on a Friday morning, superb! We ate at Olympia Cafe and then strolled along the main road.

By the time we got back mom was feeling better so we picked up our plans with lunch at Eight at Spier. The setting is lovely, but I wasn't very impressed by the menu. It is fairly small and looks like it changes regularly. Mom & The Trucker both had the burger and I tried the gnocchi. I forget now the official description, but it was a very high-maintenance meal. I had barely had a bite of mine by the time the others had finished because it took so long for me to remove the fat from the meat (supposed to be ribs?). This may not bother some people, but it certainly bothered me. I ended up with a side plate full of bits I wasn't going to eat.



At least the flavour was nice once I'd dissected it ... unfortunately by then it was a bit cold. But since it was lunch on a beautiful day, I wasn't too bothered. I doubt I'd go back any time soon ... perhaps for a picnic?

We did get 2 of their desserts to taste. Mom's choice was the Summer Fruit Tartlet (poached pear), which was massive and had a lot of cream (which completely overpowered the flavour of the rest). The Trucker chose the Rooibos and Honey Creme Brulee. I really liked the flavour of this although the colour and texture were a bit odd.

After that we headed to Quoin Rock for their Chocolate & Wine Tasting. I didn't really like any of their wines, honestly. But the chocolate was quite nice. The big surprise was that the only wine I actually did like was their dessert wine ... which I NEVER like! Haha.



And then we headed home and watched The Bone Collector on tv.

We were up early-ish on Saturday to head off to my aunt's place in Riebeek West for my gran's 90th birthday. Wow, what an awesome day. We had perfect superb weather, so much good food and family :) We even got to chat to my cousins who are overseas on their gap-year.

We got home in the evening and had an early night.

On Sunday we still couldn't sleep in because we had a 10:20 flight home after a quick Wimpy breakfast at the airport with Mom. And then once we were home, it was back to normal. Pepper spent the weekend at a kennel (we told her it was holiday camp) and apparently had a wonderful time. It was awesome to be back home with all our animals :) I think Gypsy was particularly pleased to see us ... especially since she had 2 hours with us before Pepper got home. She didn't leave us alone for a second. Poor girly. How are they gonna cope for 2 weeks next month when we go to Turkey!

In the evening we watched Chef, which I completely enjoyed ... although it made me very hungry - haha!

Dead Secret by Beverly Connor

In the depths of an unmapped cave, forensic anthropologist Diane Fallon makes an astonishing discovery: the decades-old skeleton of a caving victim. Soon, the remains of two more bodies are found—one in an old car submerged in the waters of an abandoned quarry, another buried in the Georgia woods. At first, with nothing to link the dissimilar victims except desiccated bones, Diane can't fathom the connection. But someone in her shadow does. It's the key to a mystery that reaches back seventy years in a heritage of love, greed, and murder—and an unearthed family secret that still holds the power to kill.

Another one, yes (and there are more to come!). This one was back up to the first one's standard, I thought. I really enjoyed it. Although I did consider that the next one might start off immediately after this one (based on how it ended), but I skimmed a few pages and it didn't ... otherwise I would've had to move directly onto it!

I am still really enjoying the characters.

* This book is part of the Diane Fallon Forensic Investigation series: One Grave Too Many (2004), Dead Guilty (2004), Dead Secret (2005), Dead Past (2007), Dead Hunt (2008), Scattered Graves (2008), Dust to Dust (2009), The Night Killer (2010), One Grave Less (2010)

Oppikoppi 2014: Odyssey

Shewee. Second Oppi done and dusted (quite literally). I left work a little early on Thursday and we headed thru to Northam. This year we had booked in to the Kreef Hotel. That was kinda a last minute decision (a couple of weeks ago), luckily there was still space.

This year's Oppi was quite different to last year's, but also quite similar. Let me try to explain. Last year, I thought it was all "themed" for Bewilderbeast. This year I realised how little there changes. The food stalls were almost all in the exact same places, the stages were hardly different at all. In fact it would be harder to try and tell you what had actually changed ...

So I found that a little disappointing, honestly. I guess I expected the whole thing to be a lot more themed each year, for the stages to be underlying the same but done up differently.

This year's line up also didn't feel as good as last years. The things I was super looking forward to were Wonderboom (on Thursday night at midnight!), Shortstraw (last year's Oppi discovery!) and Editors (this year's big headline act, although I only know 2 of their songs). The rest was pretty much fluff.



It was different staying in Kreef vs. Mordor. We definitely didn't feel as dusty this year ... we had showers available but didn't end up using them. The serious perk was having toilets so nearby! The *serious* downside was the density of the population in Kreef. We were packed like sardines. Oppi is noisy. I get it. But usually there is still some space between you and the next campsite. In Kreef, although we were next door to our friends, we were across from quite possibly the noisiest people in the whole camp! These people literally did not leave their camp for the whole day on Friday, they sat outside their tent (so in the walkway between where our tent and their tent both opened) getting more and more drunk and louder and louder.

Not much of a problem when we weren't there, but when we headed back to our tent in the midday to get out of the heat and catch up on some sleep it was rather annoying.

At Kreef breakfast is included too. There are long queues for this (and the showers, we heard someone queued for an hour & half :/). We only ate breakfast there on Friday morning and it was pretty decent: eggs, bacon, sausages, orange juice etc.

We visited our friend's camp in Mordor on both Friday and Saturday ... they couldn't visit us in Kreef. And we pretty much bumped into people on and off in the main area, depending on who was watching who ...

We started on Thursday with a very disappointing Squeal on the James Phillips Stage (below left) and then we caught The Kiffness on the Red Bull Stage (which was our surprise band of this year) (below right). We ended the evening off with Wonderboom (one of my favourites!) on the James Phillips stage. The Trucker reckons Cito is such a poser. I was impressed at how he was exactly as I remembered from the first time I saw him at Up The Creek in 2004! Well, minus the long hair, obvs.



I must say, I was disappointed with the sound on the James Phillips stage this year, and EVERYBODY seemed to be playing there. Literally, Editors was the only band we really went to watch on Wesley's Dome Stage properly. And they were fantastic. The sound was much better there ...

On Friday there was nothing really interesting on till late afternoon. And nothing we HAD to see at all that day :/ We did wander up and sort of watch some Gangs of  Ballet, Zebra & Giraffe and Springbok Nude Girls (who were wearing dresses and a lot less coherent than I expected).

On Saturday we had another lazy day (so glad I took my kindle!) and didn't have our eye on anything till Shortstraw on the James Phillips stage (below left) and then Editors on Wesley's Dome (below right). Editors put on a fantastic polished show. We had a great position near to the stage with plenty of space. But that lead singer is a bit odd. Very bendy, is probably the best description ... but what a great voice.



On Sunday we were up at 5am (the music was still going!) and home before 8am (with a quick Wimpy Harties stop for toasted sandwiches). We did a lot of washing, we showered, we did our grocery shopping and we took Pepper for a walk. And then we napped.

It was a good weekend :)

The First Slippery Spoon Dinner in Jozi

Ah Friday! For me, probably not for you ... haha. We're off to Oppikoppi this afternoon.

So, it's been a short week. We had dinner plans last night so stayed in on Monday and Tuesday evening.

Last night I'd booked us tickets to Johnny Does Jozi, a 3 night Slippery Spoon pop-up dinner by Not Ham But Man at the Ceramic Factory in Linden. @Sascha_with_a_C was supposed to join us but sadly got tonsilitis and had to cancel :(

We arrived early and got a chance to enjoy the decor before it got too crowded (there wasn't much space to wander in once everyone was seated). I had no idea what to expect or how they'd manage to convert the space but they did a wonderful job! And the ceramics were half-price ... so The Trucker & I walked away with the Rhino Planter I've had my eye on for ages (the front half only tho) and a green Dinosaur Utensil Holder.



 And then after a brief introduction, dinner began. I managed to wrangle myself at the Twitter table ... where I at least knew some people, if not yet in real life ;) We got to sit with @MegPascoe, @TheJoLurie and @Nicki_Dadic. The Trucker thought it was hysterical how many phones were out snapping photos of the food and decor thru out the evening!

The whole meal had a Joburg Street Food theme ... although you probably wouldn't have guessed that if you hadn't been told. But theme or no theme, the food was amazing and if you have the opportunity to get yourselves to one of the next Slippery Spoon dinner, I would highly recommend it!

We started with a dish inspired by a Boerewors Roll. Tuna Tartar as the wors, tomato consomme as the sauce and crispy phyllo for the roll (below left). It had amazing flavour!



The second course was a corn risotto with popcorn foam (above right). Do not even ask me how you make popcorn foam, but it was superb. This was inspired by the corn on the cob roasted over open fires for sale on many street corners.

Mains were their take on Steak, Egg & Chips (below left). It was a serving of steak with an egg yolk cooked in beurre noisette and milk stout battered fondant potatoes (thank goodness for @MegPascoe because I would never have remembered all of this!). This was amaze-balls. Shew.



Dessert was kept simple, which was exactly what we needed! Didn't feel stuffed and it just gave a sweet ending without being too rich. They made crepes suzette, served with creme fraiche and cinnamon marshmallow (above right).

Seriously. Such a great evening of flavours!

Oh, and for those of you who might be interested, Johnny and Marcus (from Borsspeld, Bangles en 'n Blond) are planning a 7-day Food Experience in Zanzibar in November.

Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

For fans of Tina Fey and David Sedaris - Internet star Jenny Lawson, aka The Bloggess, makes her literary debut.

Jenny Lawson realized that the most mortifying moments of our lives - the ones we'd like to pretend never happened—are in fact the ones that define us. In the #1 New York Times bestseller, Let's Pretend This Never Happened, Lawson takes readers on a hilarious journey recalling her bizarre upbringing in rural Texas, her devastatingly awkward high school years, and her relationship with her long-suffering husband, Victor. Chapters include: "Stanley the Magical, Talking Squirrel"; "A Series of Angry Post-It Notes to My Husband"; "My Vagina Is Fine. Thanks for Asking"; "And Then I Snuck a Dead Cuban Alligator on an Airplane." Pictures with captions (no one would believe these things without proof) accompany the text.

Oh. My. Goodness. This may be the funniest book I've ever read ... if we're basing it purely on literal laugh out loud moments. It certainly brought out a peculiar reaction in the cat. Whether I was sitting in the bath or reading in bed, when I started hysterical, barely-able-to-breathe laughing (at least once a sitting while reading this), she (Gypsy) would suddenly arrive and peer at me as if I'd gone mad. Which made it even more entertaining. Funny thing.

Anyway, I've never read the author's blog, so I can't compare it to this. But I really rather enjoyed this (obvs based on the paragraph above). I would *definitely* recommend you read it!

Definitely Monday

Yay! The first of 2 four-day weeks in a row kicks off today. Damn, I'm gonna need it. However I don't think they're going to be very relaxing since the weekends are jam-packed.

But first last weekend. So on Friday I stayed late at work for drinks and The Trucker & I had a lazy evening at home. He had pizza and I had a Nando's Chicken Salad. Been feeling revoltingly fat lately :( (The Nando's Chicken Salad is a Dietician approved take-out meal) And we watched Divergent.

I haven't read the books yet. But now I am super keen! I really enjoyed the movie. Even tho it feels very Hunger Games. Perfect for an evening at home.

On Saturday we headed to Puppy Training ... Awe, all the pups did so well on their obstacle courses. I really didn't think Pepper was gonna manage it but she was a star :) #proudmamma And now I'm pretty bummed we're missing her graduation class on the coming weekend (we'll be at Oppi). I won't lie, it was a tricky start to this whole puppy-training business for me ... a bit overwhelming. But now, having completed the 10 weeks, I would definitely recommend these classes. I think, in retrospect, it's like raising kids. If you're super strict upfront, you can ease off later. But, if you're too easy-going upfront, it takes so much more strictness later on to get to where you wanna be.

I am very excited for Peps to start her Basic Obedience training now too! But I suspect we may have to repeat that course (not sure how long it is) since we're missing the next 2 weekends and then 2 weekends in September (Turkey!) ... but we'll see how she does :) She is such a cutey. I adore her.

Anyhoo, then we went looking for tiles for the patio. Damn, my favourites are like R150/m2 ... and we have 26m2 :( And as The Trucker points out, this isn't our forever house, so how much do we really wanna put in and spend on something we may only be living in and enjoying for the next year or two. I dunno. He doesn't like any of my cheaper option either tho so whatevs. That's a problem for another day. It was right about here that he turned into a grumpy-pants for the rest of the weekend :/

We had a relaxing afternoon at home and then went out to try the Jo'Anna Melt Bar in Melville for dinner. So, the whole concept here is toasted sandwiches. We skipped starters (2 options: Potato skins or Chicken wings), to save space for what looked to be a decadent dessert (1 option).



So we ordered 2 different mains and shared them (thank goodness!). We HAD to try the Mac 'n Cheese (which was amazing) and then we got the Popey (which is pretty much like a burger on a toasted sandwich). Both came with coleslaw.

And then dessert. Thank goodness we ordered to share, I could just manage to finish my half. Yoh but it was decadent! A toasted sarmie with Nutella, sliced strawberries, pecans and toasted marshmallows. It was amazing. I'd recommend you go just for that! (And for the Mac 'n Cheese, obvs). Wow. I couldn't have it often, but it was completely worth it :)



On Sunday The Trucker headed out early for a double cricket game and I headed to brunch with some friends at La Vie en Rose. I haven't been there since The Trucker & I first got back together, but what a great little spot. We sat outside, which was lovely once we moved our table into a sunbeam.

I couldn't decide on breakfast ... the waffles sound really delish, but I find sweet breakfasts don't seem to leave you full for long. So I opted to try the Shakshuka. I was kinda expecting something like our Harissa Eggs. Not quite but really yummy :) I'd have it again ... it's a bit like a bowl of tomato soup with eggs in it. Haha.



And then there was grocery shopping and general weekend Sunday laziness. The End :)

-- So, I managed to write all that this morning, in my usual start-to-the-morning sorta way. But then I noticed that despite being plugged in, my laptop was, in fact, not actually charging. At about 16% remaining battery, the IT Guy showed up and promptly told me there was nothing wrong with my charging cable, but instead it was the little thingy in the laptop you actually plug it into. And that was broken. So my entire computer shut down and I spent a lot of my day swapping batteries with someone else in the office. Unfortunately that was coupled with 3+ hours of meetings. So, really, it was a bit of a headless chicken sorta day and that is why this is late ... but it's here now :) Finally.

Sorry for the Downer

Shewee what a week. I know I don't usually mention it but the world does seem to be off it's axis lately. There is so much going on (not in a good way), all over, every day. Usually I can hide from it and not let it affect my little bubble (which some may say is not the best approach, but I am not a protesting change-the-world type). All these airplane incidents lately. It's kind of unsettling (especially as one is about to fly ...).

And then there is the Israel-Gaza stuff. I don't know much about this, and am trying to avoid it because it seems there are so many conflicting views. I just really don't understand why people fight and kill each other in general. So I'll just hang my head there.

And I think because of all these things going on in the world, we become more aware of other saddening news items, like people dying in sinking boats and whatnot. It feels like it is definitely time to avoid any news for the sake of ones own personal well-being. People are cruel and mean and nasty.

And then yesterday, someone killed a giraffe :( I say killed because it doesn't seem like that was accidental to me. It's a freaking giraffe. Being transported on the highway. With bridges. Which make me sick.

It makes me want to curl up at home with my special people and animals and bunker down and hide from so-called humanity :/ I know there are probably also some good news stories out there ... but they are currently being vastly overshadowed.

Sorry, that's pretty heavy for a Friday. But it is the sad state of our world and it is tangible everywhere you go and everyone you speak to lately. Everyone seems to be feeling the slump of all of these stories and more.

Anyway, back to my frivolous life now ...

Erm, where to begin. I barely remember Monday evening. On Tuesday I went to the SCM Xmas in July. Which was pretty freaking awesome! There were 15 of us and the feast was enormous.

We started with home-made butternut soup (garnished with pumpkin seeds) to go with home-made bacon&cheese rolls. So tasty! Then we moved onto mains which included a KFC Bucket (a long standing joke in the group), slow roasted lamb with mint sauce, 2 rotisserie pork with different marinades, cheesy veggies and roast potatoes. And I made my Mandarin Broccoli Salad which was a hit!

And then dessert too! Custard Milk Tart. Shewee. Even when you try to just take a tiny taste of every dish, you end up stuffed.



Wednesday was a quiet night in. Our Patio renovations began this week so the garden has been in a state. Tricky to let the bunnies run around at the moment ... And Pepper & Gypsy also had to be kept inside for 24hrs while the cement set. Although that doesn't seem to have stopped another cat running thru it and leaving paw prints :/

Today the wall between the garage & garden should go up and then this weekend we'll pick the tiles. We're currently thinking those "Wood-like" ones. Not sure when the roof will get added, what with the whole Steel Strike that's been going on and The Trucker being busy with his own house still (the slab for the double storey should be starting today. Wowee. And he's got 2 buyers interested in buying the shell. We decided it made more sense to sell it that way for a lower price than finish the house and then the new owner may end up doing what we did when we bought our house to get all the finishes etc they want. It just doesn't make sense. So fingers crossed that all goes smoothly :)



Last night we went for dinner at a friend's house. It was an awesome evening :) And this weekend, I'm hoping for a quiet one. We're away the next 2 weekends (Oppi & my gran's 90th in Cape Town - woooo!).