Exciting news

We have our first booking for the World Cup next year! Yup, TSC and I are renting our spare rooms out and we've had a booking confirmation and request from three folks in the USA. For me, this will be a way of actually getting involved with the whole event. Up till now it's felt like it's been over my head. I'm excited to host guests and show them some of amazing South Africa (have always dreamt of running my own B&B) although I'm also a bit nervous! But being pushed outside of your comfort zone is usually a good thing.

In other news, I am working from home today. Why? Well, Tuesday is the day our cleaning lady and gardener come to do their thing, but yesterday the gardener couldn't make it as he was taking his sick uncle to the bus to go home to Limpopo. They think he may have TB, so he's going home to the family where he can be taken to hospital and visited.

Normally our cleaning lady, Margaret, takes care of Stephen, our gardener, while they're both here on one day a week, seeing she's been working in this house for the past seven years and knows every nook and cranny. But seeing she already came yesterday, I asked my boss if I could work from home today so there's someone around and she agreed. There's really no work to be done, so I don't think she minded at all, although I still hate asking for favours.

So now I am here, in my tracksuit, to make sure Stephen gets lunch. He's a lovely guy, but he's only worked for us on a once-a-week basis for about two months, so I'm not quite ready to leave my house open and trust him completely while I'm away for the day.

Unfortunately, seeing I primitively use the IE feed reader on my work PC to keep track of blogs, I may miss a post or two here at home. But fear not, I shall return tomorrow.

Off to check my work mail now. Just to be proper and all. Have a good one.

Fridayness

There is nothing better than getting a nice handwritten letter in the post. That's why my grandfather and I write to each other. We could SMS (yes, at 82 he is great on the cell phone) or call, but we write.

I really wish I got more letters. Hence my question to you... Anyone wanna be penpals? Not in the "I'll write to you every week on Sunday at 2pm" strict kind of way, but just to exchange the occasional correspondence for fun. If so, email me: doodlesofajourno@gmail.com.

Ok, aside from that... it is Friday, and I am back at work. Yesterday was spent in bed, sounding like a donkey with my hee-hawing flu voice. TSC thought it was hilarious, of course. It's a bit better now. I just sound like a phone-sex line, or a 30-a-day smoker. All gravelly and such. And so, while it lasts, I will use it (as any woman would) to get exactly what I want out of my darling hubby. Hehehe...

Ok... I am stalling and writing rubbish, when what I actually want to write is: THE OFFER ON THE HOUSE IS ALL GOOD TO GO AND WE ARE SOON TO BE HOME OWNERS!!!

So excited! I've already started planning where the furniture will go, what veggies to plant and what sort of house-warming to have ;-) Yeeha! Our first house. Our house... in the middle of our street... Can't get that song out of my head.

On that happy (ecstatic, over the moon, joful etc.) note, here's a Friday funny for you. One of my favourite C&H strips:

Nervous/excited

Right. Rather than bore you with the details of my disgusting and slimy head cold, let's talk about something nice. Well, for me, anyway...

We have made an offer on a house. And it has been accepted. Our only clause was that a structural engineer be brought in to have a look at a crack on one of the upstairs walls before we sign. So I am trying very, VERY hard not to get excited about anything until his report comes in (today or tomorrow), but I am walking around with butterflies in my stomach.

It is a wonderful house. TSC was sold on it because it has loads of garage and working space, and I was won over by the beautiful veggie garden and the fact that it's like something out of Anne of Green Gables. And the owners are nice. And the rooms are huge. And it has a fireplace. And, and, and...

Please, if you're the type who doesn't mind being asked, say a little prayer that (God willing) everything works out fine!