Phones can be useful, I suppose

This morning started with a spate of phone calls. now, if you know me well, you'll know how much I hate telephones. I'm ridiculously awkward on the phone. Just ask Louisa. I called her last night and in our five minute chat managed to swing wildly between tongue-tied silence and embarrassing babbling half a million times or so. I have a bad case of phone phobia and probably always will.

This morning's first call was a cupcake order. Apparently I bake and sell cupcakes now. This was a friend who was at Roo's birthday party and liked the cupcakes I made. She's ordering a batch for her engagement (it's a big family event as a Muslim) to give to her fiance. So this weekend I'll be baking "boy" cupcakes.

The second call (and two more after that) was from one of the members of our neighbourhood committee that's fighting this development. Seeing it's now such a massive part of my life, I might as well explain what I've been on about. Makro wants to open a 20 000 square metre shop on the border of the development where I live. For those of you who don't know, Makro is a sort of warehouse store where you can buy in bulk, everything from booze to toilet paper or catering equipment. This will wreck our whole suburb if it comes about. All other Makros are built in commercial or industrial zones and I think it's outrageous that the company thinks it's ok to put their huge eyesore of a warehouse next to our homes. So the calls coming through this morning were about some of the campaigns we've embarked on to publicise the issue. More on that another time.

The third call was from my "big boss" at the first job I ever worked, let's call her Tannie. I was the junior copy writer for a small ad agency in Cape Town and she was the sort of top director person. I adored her (while I was totally terrified of the woman I reported to, who was between me and Tannie), but didn't get to know her very well as I was only there for four months before TSC and I relocated to Johannesburg.

She called this morning to say I should expect another call - she's been asked for a recommendation on a writer and she's given the person my details. I was so touched! I mean, I haven't seen her in a good few years and I only worked for her company for those four months, so it was incredible that she thought of me. She says she told this other person, "You can't go wrong with Tamara."

Wow. Such a confidence boost. I've since chatted to this other person and her project sounds very interesting, so we'll see where that ends up.

It gives me hope that there are people out there who are willing to give you a leg-up even when it benefits them nothing. Aside from the fact that the day has been spent on the phone, it's been pretty good so far.

What's bugging me

The weekend was a good one. Hope yours was too. We did supper on Friday night with friends, volunteered at Kitty haven on Saturday, found my brother's 21st present, watched the first Grand Prix of the season yesterday with our neighbours over a delicious lunch and got lots of work done.

If it wasn't for the moths it would've been perfect. I hate the moths.

Let me explain... We have a pantry in our kitchen that attracts moths like Malema attracts news headlines. They are prolific. And they get into everything! I have found the little blighters and their revolting white worm offspring in my Tupperware containers, inside packets that have been sealed with packaging tape, inside boxes that have yet to be opened and even behind labels on tins and bottles.

They give me the creeps and there seems to be nothing I can do about them!

Every few months I clean out the whole damn pantry. This involves taking out everything - tins, boxes, containers, spices etc. I blitz the tiny room with almost a full can of bug-zapping insect killer. Then I wipe down each and every item, sitting on my kitchen floor, checking for moths and worms and chucking out anything where I can see evidence of these intruders. I hate doing this because it is a phenomenal waste of money (nevermind being a disgusting and time-consuming exercise).

Then I pack whatever's left of our supplies (usually a few lonely tins stripped of their moth-infested labels with my handwritten notes in permanent ink, some onions, sachets of cat food and the icing sugar, which for some reason they don't like) into plastic containers with lids. In theory, this means that if I've missed a moth or worm or eggs in the macaroni packet, the evil bugs will only be able to ruin the pasta and not everything else.

I then wipe down the shelves with a cloth dipped in bleach, replace the newspaper lining on each shelf and put down little containers filled with mothballs. The moths find this hilarious. They demonstrate their lack of respect for me and my kitchen stock by laying their eggs on top of the moth balls.

When we use anything to cook with, we check for moths. We sieve our hot chocolate, rinse our rice (bugs float) and store our flour and mielie meal in the freezer. We are even more careful when serving guests. We once found worms in a box of previously unopened, sticky-taped closed Ferrero Rocher luxury chocolates that we were going to serve with coffee.

I have tried not using the light in the pantry for a few weeks. We still got moths. I tried not ever turning the light off. We still got moths.

Apart from spraying everything with Doom and poisoning ourselves along with them, I don't know what more to do.

Where do they come from? And why do they love my pantry so? How can I get rid of these horrible bugs?

Help, please!!!

Would like your opinion...

I have a friend who runs a lingerie and feamle entertainment company. She offers everything from pole dancing bachelorette parties to boudoir photography shoots, cocktail shaking lessons, adult toy evenings, salsa or Burlesque dancing, lingerie parties and workshops on style, etiquette and posture. She is very strict about keeping it upmarket and tasteful and steers clear of the sleazy stuff. She is now considering doing a roadshow to some of South Africa's smaller towns that "need a little excitement". Women would buy a ticket for roughly R150 to attend the all-female event. There would be light refreshments, a presentation on boosting your confidence and "spicing up your love life" with lingerie and adult toys and each woman would have the chance to get three sexy photos taken in a professional mini-shoot. The lingerie and toys would be available for sale afterwards. She's done an event like this in Sasolburg and says it was very successful.

This is her big idea. But before she starts pitching it, she'd like to gauge interest. So, what do you folks think? Would it work? Would you be keen? Do you think it's a good idea or too in-your-face?

I'm going to print out the comments I get for her feedback, so let's hear it.

Have a good weekend!

Things I wish they'd invent

Wouldn't it be awesome if there was such thing as a thought recorder?

Imagine that you're having a discussion with a client who is taking six years to tell you the same story he told you yesterday. Your mind wanders and you run through what you need to do before your big meeting this afternoon. "Call Susan and arrange a projector. Print out four copies of the contract. Make sure you don't seat Clive next to Deon because they'll start talking about rubgy and we'll never get anything done."

Of course, by the time your conversation has concluded, you'll have forgotten all of these things. But if you had a thought recorder, you could have taken notes without your client even knowing. This magical machine could be a small earpiece - inobtrusive and hardly noticeable. And it could have the capability, like modern voice recorders, to be plugged straight into your computer. That way you could download your thoughts and save them to the relevant file. The recorder would, of course, have "password protect" capability (you would only be able to access the files by thinking of the password) and be able to transcribe thoughts into picture or text files.

Imagine - all those blog posts you think of late at night might actually get published!

A better weekend

Let me start this post off with a line I'm sure has been uttered around the world since time immemorial on Monday mornings:

I don't feel like being at work today.

I'd rather be continuing with my lovely weekend, which, after a surprisingly good business meeting with a new client, kicked off with dinner with fabulous friends on Friday at our place. We've decided to do a regular super club with these two couples, T&R and B&M, and it was our first turn to host. After the crudites, I served my red Thai chicken curry with glass noodles and roasted pumpkin from the garden. Dessert was my white chocolate tart topped with blueberries and strawberries. Forgot to take a pic, but it was pretty.

We enjoyed a bottle of red wine, easy conversation and then coffee and chocolates before they left, still at a fairly reasonable hour as T was working the next day. What I love about these friends is that we can see each other once a month and just pick up where we left off. We all have vastly different interests (T&R are serious touch rugby players while B&M are chess champions), but we get along so well.

On Saturday, TSC and I did our volunteer training at Kitty Haven. I love being surrounded by the affectionate cats and dogs. One cat, Forrest Gump, is blind in one eye and has a neurological disorder that makes him walk very strangely so that he looks spastic. But he is the sweetest cat and threw himself on my lap for a cuddle and a bellyrub while we listened to the volunteer coordinator explaining how things work. He was most put out when I had to get up for the sanctuary walk-through.

We followed the training with brunch at Grand Central Cafe again. And it was just as brilliant as last time. So often I find that I enjoy my experience at a restuarant and then the next time I'm there it disappoints me. Not so here. It was great. And their homemade lemonade is divine.

We went through to Pretoria to see my folks. My mom seems to be ok. We all, including my brother (who was actually quite charming for a change - he normally reserves that side of him for his mates), went out for supper at the cutest restaurant in Hazelwood, Boston Deli Kitchen.

It's so quirky, with a shop selling random jewellery and clothes, as well as relishes, jams and sweet treats, all inside the restaurant. Menus are Afrikaans literature books that have the actual menu pages glued onto certain pages. There's a pay-by-weight carvery too. The food was great. I had duck confit and my brother had a lamb mint pie. But the best bit was the desserts! Brownies, deep-fried nougat and Cointreau creme brulee, among others. Yum! It was a good evening of laughing and chatting.

On Sunday, while TSC studied, I popped into HobbyX. I'm not a fan of expos because there are just too many people pushing through the stands. But it's alsways worth going to HobbyX to stock up on craft equipment. I got some beautiful embossed, glittered, flocked and handmade papers from Paper World (the main reason I go to HobbyX), as well as loads of scrapbooking bits and bobs that I use to make cards. I behaved myself and stayed away from the mosaic stands (where I could easily spend my entire salary), but also bought more chocolate moulds (don't know what happened to all of mine) so that I can make my own Easter eggs this year.

Then it was back home to prep for today's round of interviews for a magazine commission I'm busy with, and to quickly write the newsletter for our complex.

It was a good weekend in all. I even got to swim, ever so briefly. This week looks like it may be ever so slightly less manic than last week, which would be brilliant.

PS: Congratulations to Meriel on her marriage. She is a special, special lady and I wish her much happiness.

PPS: What do you think about the change in colour / style here?

Friday funny

Things you can be certain of: death, taxes and nagging



It's the weeeekend, baby!

Thanks goodness. I don't think I could take another day of this week. But this weekend will be filled with good things. We're having friends for supper tonight, tomorrow we're heading to Kitty Haven for volunteer training and then we're going to see my folks so that I can make sure with my own eyes that my mother really is ok. In between I'm hoping to sleep, read and write. And hopefully that works out better than last weekend.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

Thought-streaming

Random thoughts from a sleep-deprived brain:

I'm repeating my pattern. The one I always think I'm over. Basically, I over-commit myself, find my life has been eaten by my commitments, burn myself out trying to do too many things at once and then begin to withdraw from everyone and everything to recover. Right now I'm nearing the phase where I cry a lot, drop the ball, cry more for disappointing people, hide under a blanket with Oreos and a Marian Keyes novel and eventually get some much-needed sleep. Hmmm... maybe it's possible to skip all of that and jump straight to the sleeping? I hope so. The crying bit is unattractive and leaves me with aching sinuses. Also, I've run out of Marian Keyes. Maybe not such a bad thing.

My mother is possibly the reason I don't like to expose my vulnerability to people in person (for some reason, I seem absolutely fine to broadcast it on the internet where random strangers and my father, who may be lurking here right now, can read it). The woman is a trojan. She's been sick the past while with cystitis. Antibiotics didn't seem to help. But yesterday when we spoke on the phone, she told me the infection had spread to her kidneys and she'd been to hospital the day before to get a stronger antibiotic, be put on a drip and get herself sorted out. I was gobsmacked. She hadn't said a word until I pressed her about her health. I was ready to rush out to their place and play Florence Nightingale, but she said she was "fine" and that at least she was feeling better than she had the day before.

My dad doesn't know how to handle my mom being ill. Maybe it's because she's a doctor and when she was still practising she developed an amazing immune system from being around bugs all day every day. She hardly ever got sick. And when she is sick, she doesn't seem to demand sympathy like most of us. She just carries on, and, if necessary, puts herself to bed for a day or so until she's feeling better. But she no longer works as a doctor and her immune system isn't as impenetrable as it used to be. She works with a children's home and sometimes picks up bugs from the kids there, or from one of the family if we're sick. My dad worries a lot while she's sick, perhaps because she's so independent about it, and frets until he's sure she's better. It's very sweet, really. He can be a total hardass at work, but he's tender as a lamb with my mom (hehe, hope you're enjoying this, Dad. Seeing you won't let me blog about certain other things. TLL).

On a totally different and even more random topic, don't ever buy "Budget Russian" sausages from PnP. I made Jambalaya last night and TSC managed somehow to convince me that the usual sausages I buy are too expensive and that with all the spices and herbs I use in the dish, we wouldn't even notice the difference if we replaced them with the cheapie Russians.

Ugh. We did notice. Never again. Sausages are fairly gross in the first place (made with the sweepings of the abattoir floor, I tell you), but Budget Russians are just plain disgusting. And orange. That should've told us. There's not much scarier than a tanned sausage. Except maybe a dancing sausage with an Afro.

This sausage incident once again demonstrated to me the value of doing the grocery shopping without TSC. Because if he's with me, it's somehow not acceptable to buy the normal supposedly pricey sausages, but absolutely fine to fill up my trolley with other arbitrary expenses, like Lunchbar chocolates ("but they're on special!"), which due to their strange advertising tactics always remind me of short, black Scottish men in skirts. Or huge bottles of orange juice (he reckons that "we both drink it!" suffices as an explanation).

Now here's something I am glad they don't tell in our local PnP, because I would never be able to pass up on the chance to buy these beauties:

Prettiest cupcakes ever!

My head is killing me

No, it's not the voices this time. Just an evil headache.

I worked till late last night to finish a piece I'm doing for a magazine. This publication always gives me insane deadlines. But they pay well. This time, they couldn't find the contact details for the person they wanted me to interview, so I only managed to get hold of him on the day of the original deadline. Eventually we set up an interview (4pm on Monday afternoon). He was 30 minutes late and so I only finished at about 5.30 and had to hang about on the other side of town until traffic subsided slightly. Seeing the piece goes to print on Friday, I had to get it to the interviewee today to give him approval time. That meant that I only had yesterday to write the 2100 words I was commissioned to do.

Normally that wouldn't be a problem. I write fast. But, this article is incredibly technical and I lack the specialised vocabulary to explain certain processes, so it took me ages. I was still impressed with myself for getting it done, I must admit. But, true to form, because my brain was in work mode, I could not fall asleep.

And when I eventually did nod off in the wee small hours of the morning, I had weird dreams about my editor turning into my writing course teacher and then giving me awful feedback and making me rewrite the whole article today. In between there were also some strange dreams about the work I have to review written by other students on the course, and about the megastore that plans to build on our boundary wall.

I don't think I will ever grow out of the habit of dealing with whatever is bothering my psyche through odd dreams.

Today I feel and look like a zombie. Thankfully I don't have any business meetings today. I reckon people would assume I have a serious drug habit because of my red eyes.

Off to go do my reviewing now. Hopefully it doesn't give me more nightmares tonight ;-)

It is my brother's 21st this month

Can't believe the little bugger's all grown up. I still think of him as my little brother, even though he's all attitude and facial hair these days.

He's having a party with the family in a few weeks time and I want to get him something special. He's not very sentimental, but I still think a 21st present should be something that will last. He bought me a beautiful necklace for my 21st back in the day, which I still adore and wear often. But boys are difficult. He doesn't wear jewellery. His hobbies are computers, his car, occasionally golf (although he's not a regular or dedicated player by any means), wake-boarding and drinking rum ;-)

Any ideas on a suitable gift for him?

Weekend lessons

The weekend was not as planned. But here's what I learnt:

• When booking a weekend away next time, it would be wise to check whether it's a mid-term break for schools or not. Holiday spots are busy during mid-term breaks.
• My GPS, Gloria, does not know everything. Sometimes she is a spiteful cow and makes us drive in circles.
• You can be all set up in your nice allocated campsite next to good people and thinking life is grand only to have it ruined by a car full of revolting, noisy, drunken, loud, epically foul-mouthed brats who pitch their tent next to yours and play rubbish music at full volume until 3am.
• Talking to such brats will only result in quiet for 30minutes after the conversation. Then, magically, they will forget everything you've said and continue as before.
• People who don't know how to behave in public should not be allowed out. Especially people who think it's ok to leave dirty diapers lying on the lawn next to the swimming pool when they leave.
• I am only a people person when I am surrounded by pleasant people. Otherwise, I am very intolerant.
• Rules without consequences are only good advice. And not likely to be followed by Joe Public.
• Moving your tent to the opposite end of camp, far away from all amenitites and other people, may secure you the peace and quiet you have been craving. Good red wine also helps.
• TSC and I can have fun together despite imperfect conditions.
• There are few things in the world as refreshing as ice cold, homemade gingerbeer from a farm stall.
• I can cook a mean red curry on a camp stove.
• I love my home. It is the first place since we've been married where TSC and I have had our own garden and not shared bedroom walls with someone else. It is very, very precious to me and I love heading home after being away, even just for two days.
• If I am writing and I am in "the zone", I do not like to be interrupted, even by my darling TSC. It is difficult to pick up where I left off after being distracted.
• I may write better poetry when I am miserable, but my fiction comes more easily when I'm happy. Go figure.
• It is important to set boundaries and to say 'no' to people. I will probably need to learn this lesson over and over again.

Anticip... ation

Counting down the hours until we hit the road.

Even if it rains the whole weekend, at least we won't be at home, following up on emails and being badgered to protest against the megastore (I just keep pointing people in the direction of committee members who don't seem to have done anything yet. I have done more than my bit so I don't feel obliged to stand on a street corner holding a banner. Besides, the tall people would be better at that).

This weekend, I plan to write. My course has me so inspired and I am bursting with ideas, but I have barely found time this week to have supper, let alone sit down and spend quiet time writing. I have warned TSC that I will spend hours scribbling. He says it's fine seeing he will have to do some studying for the three tests coming up this week, poor boy.

Other than sleeping and writing, I hope I get to read and swim. If I can do all of those things, it will be a joyous weekend indeed.

Can hardly wait!

Well, I will let you know on Monday. Until then, take care, be safe and have a fab weekend.

Why is always the irritating songs that stick in my head?

And does anyone know of a good dentist in the Fourways / Bryanston / surrounding area? Please mail me at doodles of a journo at gmail dot com if you have answers to these deep and meaningful questions. Thanks.





I thought seeing my brain has turned itself off today (like our electric gate, it tends to play up when it's raining), I would leave you with something that made me smile:



Have a good Thursday.

Cupcakes and headaches

Last night we had yet another committee meeting last night about this 20 000 square metre store that wants to open next to us. It ended in political mud-slinging when various members began arguing about whether we should get the local DA or COPE folks involved (two South African political parties). What a headache!

I am the youngest person at these meetings but I am often tempted to stand up on my chair and tell the lot of them to grow up.

Oh well, at least we got stuff planned and accomplished. I can't make the next meeting. What a pity ;-)

When I got home I treated my headache with my usual therapy - baking. Roo had ordered cupcakes from someone, but got dropped at the last minute. I recommended her to cupcake miracle worker Angel, but because it was just so last minute with no notice, Angel couldn't fit her order in. I said I'd do it, so here are the results:

Roo seems to like them.

Weekend happenings and various random metaphors

The weekend felt like a very welcome water stop in the middle of a marathon - we were briefly refreshed and hydrated before hitting the road running again on miserable old Monday.

I don't know what I would do without TSC. Seeerrriousssly. When I arrived home on Friday I was bushed. I felt about as fabulous as a wrung out dishrag. And he let me drag myself up the stairs, throw myself on the bed and immerse myself in my book for a bit of an escape while he stacked the dishwasher and made supper - courgettes stuffed with mince. Yum! Then we watched a couple of Scrubs episodes to laugh a little and went to bed. Happy days.

Something else I realised again this weekend is that we generally get along with people who are older than us better with people our own age. There are exceptions. We have close couple friends Brett and Kim who are of similar age to us. But most of our friends are older. For example, we had our neighbours, let's call them The Italians, for supper on Saturday. They're a couple in their late 50s and are closer to my parents in age than to us. But we get along like a house on fire. They only left at midnight once we'd all devised a plan to bomb the new warehouse shopping centre should it ever come into being.

On Sunday we slept in.

I felt that sentence deserved its bold font.

It was wonderful. I have missed spending quality nap time with my bed. And my pillow. And, of course, my lunatic cats who climb on top of me and poddle away when I'm trying to snooze. As someone once said, "There's no such thing as a snooze button on a cat that wants breakfast."

We also went for a picnic at the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens with my folks. It was my dad's idea. I was surprised, seeing he's not generally one for finger food or sitting on the ground. But a great time was had by all. After some delicious chilled wine, samoosas, roast chicken sandwiches and then candied cashew nuts (dessert), TSC and my dad were so relaxed that they fell asleep on the picnic blanket. My mom and I went for a walk to the waterfall and brought ice-cream back with us.

On Sunday evening we also had pizza with some mates after church at Ciro's - one of my favourite local spots. It was good to chat about stuff on our minds with other people (also much older and wiser than us). We needed it. I think they needed to share too.

Monday morning was a smack with a frying pan after such a great weekend. It was my only free night of the week. We have meetings galore this week and I'm on a few freelance deadlines too. Plus I am supplying Roo's birthday cupcakes. So I had better hop to it and do some work.

I can spot an oasis in the distance though - this weekend we're going camping. Yay! No emails, no meetings... can't wait.

Would you read my book now?

I have refined my synopsis and found my focus. At last! I've also sent this to dear Po. And seeing she was nice about it (she always is nice), I am going to be brave and put it out here. So, readers, what do you think?

70-year old Joe Botha is struggling to cope alone after more than 40 years of marriage to his wife Marge, who recently and unexpectedly died, following a massive stroke.

Living in a small town in the Freestate, Joe is surrounded by well-intentioned but meddling neighbours who unwittingly make his grieving process all the more difficult. Months after Marge’s death Joe meets Rose Oosthuizen at a bowls tournament. The strident Afrikaans ex-wife of a prominent politician, she is nothing like Marge. Nevertheless, Joe is intrigued.

As their friendship develops, Joe is shocked to learn that Rose has been living alone on a small plot on the outskirts of the town. Left destitute by her ex-husband, Rose has nothing to her name.

Shared neediness and shattered confidence bond the two firmly and, despite the disapproval of their families and townsfolk, they are soon involved romantically. When Rose moves in with Joe the rumours escalate and even Joe’s priest tries to put a stop to the relationship.

At 72 years old, Joe is tired of trying to impress people. He and Rose buy a dilapidated nursery in KwaZulu-Natal and escape to start a new life together in their old age. Rose brings Joe back to his Afrikaner roots and as they work rehabilitating each other and the nursery, they discover a variety of love that is new and different to both of them.

Not much at steak here

I am utterly exhausted. All I want is 10 minutes to stand still and do nothing. But seeing that's not likely (am typing this post between following up on work emails and filing residents' objections to this stupid store), I will indulge in a random rant instead. About steak.



Yes, steak.



It's just one of those things I don't "get". Seriously, what is the fuss about steak? It's a lump of cooked meat. But people go mad for it (especially South Africans). They search for the perfect steak restaurant, order their massive piece of dead cow and then rave to everyone about how delicious it is.



But it isn't really. It's just plain boring. I would never order steak at a restaurant - there are too many other more exciting things on the menu for me to get stuck with a chunk of meat. I would even pick good old roast chicken over steak any day of the week. Or calamari. Or curry. Or a stirfry. Anything, really. Except tripe. I draw the line there.



People think I feel like this because I haven't had a "proper" or "perfect" steak. I have. My husband is the world's greatest steak snob. I have tasted the steak he orders at restaurants ranging from The Cape Colony to Coco Bongo and many, many places in between. And I'll tell you what... it all tastes like steak.



Yes, some steaks are tender and some are tough. Some are cooked beautifully while others are burnt to a crisp or slapped on your plate while they're practically still moo-ing. TSC actually does a better steak than most of the restuarants we've been to. But even the most delicately spiced, perfectly cooked piece of steak still tastes like a big chunk of beef.



I prefer the taste of fresh coriander, lemon butter, plum sauce, green curry or napolitana sauce to steak. That's just the way it is.



But you wouldn't believe how many people have tried to convince me that I am wrong and that steak is indeed the ultimate meal. Weird.



Anyway, go ahead and take your shot. Tell me how awesome steak is. Or don't. I'm going to pick the roast chicken anyway.

Not going quietly

I have yet another meeting about this warehouse store tonight (before my church small group meeting, so it's going to be a real rush). The past few days have been spent writing fliers, posters, banners, web copy and emails... I am now heading up the communications for our newly formed residents' action group.

It may seem like a lot of fuss for nothing, but the new development would negatively affect our property values and introduce serious security, traffic, noise, pollution and storm water considerations to the whole suburb. Our complex is specifically affected by the proposed road developments, which would have the delivery entrance to the warehouse runnign past us, meanign trucks arriving and departing at all hours of the day and night. It would also, no doubt, become a new back route for people to use to avoid the main roads in our areas, so we can look forwrad to peak-hour traffic congestion.

We bought property in this area because it is quiet, peaceful and safe. Now they're meddling with all of those things. And the tragedy is that those of us who will actively stand up and fight are in the minority. The rest simply shrug and say, "Oh well, it sucks. But what can you do? I guess we'll live with it."

Not us. Not ever.

Bring it on, biatches. We're ready for you.

Explanations and deliberations

My blogging mojo, as you may have noticed, has been severely lacking. I put this down to a couple of reasons:
a) my creative writing course is keeping me so occupied that it's difficult to find a moment to blog, and when I do, I feel like I've used up most of whatever creative juices I might have had.
b) I have been otherwise occupied by a crapload of admin, mainly for church and my freelancing business, as well as by the fact that our neighbourhood is up in arms about this big warehouse store that wants to open on our doorstep, so we've been attending, photocopying notices and generally running around like headless chickens.
c) a lot of stuff that's going on in my little world is unmentionable on this-here public space, just in case the wrong people happen to be reading it.

But here I am anyway, so let me give you a little update on happenings:

• We saw Up in the Air on Friday. It was good. George Clooney is as gorgeous as ever and the movie was well made. But I don't quite see what all the fuss was about.
• On Saturday we visited Kitty Haven and signed up to volunteer. When asked about which area I'd like to help with, I ticked "Cat cuddler". Isn't that a dream job?
• We went for brunch at Melrose Arch on the way back at Grand Central. It's the first time I've been to Melrose Arch just for the sake of being there - I've only ever been there to the offices before for work meetings. I must say, we had a divine time at Grand Central. It is the first place we've found in the almost three years we've been in Joburg where the Eggs Benedict matches up to that perfect creation from The Gardener's Cottage in Newlands, Cape Town. TSC had that, while I enjoyed a homemade lemonade (yum!) with my brerakfast of polenta toast with sweet corn, avocado sala, sauteed cherry tomatoes, wilted rocket, pesto, Napolitana sauce and grated pecorino cheese. It was heavenly.
• I got seriously stuck into my garden on Saturday afternoon. I have the scrapes and bruises to prove it.
• TSC went to the rugby with friends and I enjoyed the opportunity to go out gift shopping for Roo and finish up TSC's Valentine's Day card.
• Yesterday we overslept. And it was bliss. Since I started this writing course I haven't been able to sleep properly with all the ideas running through my head (and not all of them are useful. Sometime early this morning, my dreams were telling me that there should be a giraffe as one of the central characters and that I should name her Abigail. Weird). Anyhoo, we spent our day having a picnic on our lawn with sparkling wine and chocolate mousse. It was the best way to spend the day - away from te madding crowds!
• Last night we met my folks for dinner at Primi Piatti in Midrand. It was nice to catch-up, although I did almost all the talking. I couldn't stop myself... I just needed a vent about this stupid warehouse store (noise, traffic, security and aesthetical issues, nevermind the fact that the value of our property will plummet if it goes ahead) and work stuff. The good news was that this Primi still had gnocchi bolognese on their menu. All the other branches have stopped making it and that dish was pretty much the only reason I ever went to Primi.
• Today was the deadline for the submission of our first writing assignment. I had great fun doing mine, but I'm terrified of the feedback! I posted my synopsis on the course forum and the course teacher gave me a great response. He loved my writing, although he reckons I'm giving myself way too much work. I agree with his poitn of using my granddad's life story as background and writing the last bit I'd planned - the relationship this old man has with his second love, and how he deals with the situation. Having a clear focus has helped me more than I can say. I may post the revised synopsis sometime for your thoughts.
• Have a great week. I promise I'll be back soon this time ;-)

Would you read my book?

Here's my first draft of the synopsis...

Born in Southern Rhodesia as the youngest of seven children, Harry learns early on to make his own way in life. When his mother dies and his stern Afrikaner father remarries, he finds himself with another seven siblings and his fight for independence intensifies.

Hardworking and intensely stubborn, he finds a job on the mines before meeting his match in the fiery red-headed Nell Carol. Although they can barely understand each other and belong to different social classes, Harry pursues her against both families’ wishes.

They marry and, despite facing financial ruin, political instability and eventually guerrilla violence as Britain loses its colonial hold on the country, they stand firm together, raising two children and sending them to school in South Africa to acquire the education Harry always dreamed of having.

When they are forced to flee the country to avoid political violence, Harry and Nell start over in the small Freestate town of Deneysville. Closer to their children and involved in the community, they are happy again until Nell suffers a massive and unexpected stroke. Within weeks she dies.

Distraught, Harry does everything possible to keep busy. After more than 40 years with Nell, he is unable to function alone. Months pass before he meets Lilly. Divorced and destitute, she is living alone on a plot outside of the town. As their relationship deepens, she brings him back to the roots of his Afrikaans culture. But not everyone approves of their love. Townsfolk and even family members make hurtful comments and shut the couple out.

To escape rumours and judgment, they relocate to KwaZulu-Natal where they once again start over, learning to put past relationships to rest and to embark on new adventures together in their old age.

Thoughts? Comments? Be nice... but honest ;-)

Piccie post

I know I haven't been around for the past few days and that I left on a low note, but I honestly haven't felt like posting anything. I start typing and then I delete.

I've done that about seven times in the past 10 minutes. And I still have nothing. So here are some pretty pictures of happier places instead.

A scene from TSC's family farm in Namibia in Dec 2008.



Me at Mooiberge Farm Stall in Cape Town in Dec 2009, where we picked our own boxes of strawberries. Yum!



Our kitties when they were still littlies, back in 2007.



Me when TSC and I took a harbour cruise in Cape Town - one of the last touristy things we did before we left in 2007.




One of my favourite pics of us ever. Taken in Mpumalanga in Nov 2004, about eight months into our relationship.

Photos are great pick-me-ups on crappy days.

My version of hell...

...Would include eternal Chuck Norris re-runs, lots of Barry Manilow and/or Lady Gaga, fountains of custard (can't stand the stuff), pot holes the size of the one in the road near my office and, worst of all, admin.


Good grief do I hate admin! And right now I feel like that's all I'm doing. Since when did it become my fulltime job to follow up on people?! If I'd wanted to spend my time nagging folks I would have adopted a teenager by now.


Please bear in mind that I am not talking about my own personal admin here. I am not half bad at remembering to pay bills, invoice clients, and file my paperwork (ok that last one's a lie. My paperwork is a mess). The admin that is threatening to bury me at present is not mine and is for the most part avoidable if people would just do what they're supposed to do.


If I spend hours and ours drawing up the ushering roster for church (which is enough admin in itself - keeping track of 60-odd people's schedules) I would really, really appreciate it if once I hit the 'send' button I didn't receive 29 replies within the first two hours (not an exaggeration. This is an actual figure) asking me to make changes. If you can't make your duty on a given night, use the contact details sheet I attached and swap with someone else. Please. I say this with tears in my eyes. And homicide in my head.


Likewise, I would love it if just for once my clients would do their bit. It is impossible for me to send your web copy to the developer to finish your sparkly new site if you refuse to take five minutes to read it and sign it off. So please do not complain that we are running late. The copy is all sitting in your inbox.


I would also love to know how it has become my responsibility to fight neighbourhood evil. For some reason it is me that gets the joyful tasking of writing, printing and paying for notices to alert our complex of the meeting happening this week between our town planners and the major retail corporation that wants to plant one of their fugly stores on our doorstep. I'm not even on the board of trustees for our complex, for goodness' sake. How is this up to me?

Grrr.

I would whine more but I have to go. So much to do and so little medication.

Because modern life isn't terrifying enough...

...Someone (actually, a whole bunch of people) thought it would be a good idea to write children's books that will scar kids forever.

Why am I on about this? Glad you asked. Because, dear readers, this morning the Green Tip newsletter I subscribe to arrived in my inbox with this in the header: Stinkytown turns into Greentown.

Now, with a charming subject line like that, I just had to investigate further. And this is what followed:

Buy "green message" books for children. Forget about the 'Big Bad Wolf" - children's futures nowadays are far more threatened by greenhouse gases than they ever were by wolves. In a new book, Giggles is a happy little bean, planted in good soil, but he sprouts into a world in which the air stinks and the trees are gasping. In "Giggles the Green Bean Turns Stinkytown Into Greentown"... Giggles, guided by his bean grandmother and by a Wise Old Cabbage, learns environmentally friendly lessons and spreads the word to others. In the process Stinkytown is turned into Greentown."

Now forgive me if I would never consider buying this book for my hypothetical children. But seriously... if I'm ever going to be doing the bedtime reading, this book will not be my subject matter of choice.

It did, however, get me thinking about the rubbish kids' books out there. So I did a quick search online and oh my goodness gracious... the results were even more appalling than I could have imagined.

Take Who Cares About Disabled People? available on Amazon. Part of the Who Cares series, this book aims to teach children to care for disabled people, including fat kids and glue sniffers.

Another winner is The Little Boy Who Loved Dirt and Almost Became a Super Slob, by the same author who wrote Nobody Wants a Nuclear War. This woman has a gift for terrifying children.

She's almost as good as the lunatic who wrote Alfie's Home. The reviews tell it all. Basically, the book follows the tale of a little boy who is sexually abused by his uncle and teased about being gay before he is miraculously "cured" by a counsellor who tackles his father issues and makes him confront the naughty uncle (who also miraculously escapes prison or any consequences at all).

The pictures are disturbing, the text worse and the most awful thing for me is that you will end up trying to explain to your kid what the word faggot means as it features prominently. Lovely stuff this.

For more books to avoid like the plague, check out this link.

On a happy note, if this post caused you a bad boo-boo, you can fix it with a bacon band-aid. Gotta love Amazon.

Have a good weekend.

Poor Roo

My colleague Roo drives her mom's car to work everyday. Last week, after Boss chick's birthday drinks, she was driving home in the rain when the car in front of her, a Merc, braked extremely suddenly (the car in front of the Merc turned into a driveway without indicating or slowing down). She braked too, but the brakes locked and she hit the Merc. She was a bit shaken and broke a fingernail clean off, but other than that she was ok. The car's front is smashed up, but there's not too much damage.

Seeing her sister is abroad on holiday at the moment, Roo started driving her sister's car, a sexy little Audi A3, to work while her mom's Toyota Yaris is at the panel beaters. This morning, as I was leaving for work, I got a frantic call from Roo, who was in tears. Someone had driven into the side of her sister's car. This time the damage was worse - the car was crumpled and the airbags had deployed.

She asked me to tell Boss Chick that she wasn't sure if she'd be able to get to the office today. We were all more worried about her. She says she's fine, but the medics have taken her to a nearby hospital to check her out. She is more worried about the fact that her sister will want to kill her.

Poor girl. It's such a horrible thing to happen to anyone and twice in two weeks just doesn't seem fair, especially seeing neither accident was her fault.

A step in the right direction?

I have signed up to do a creative writing course online with the aim of producing a novel. Eep! I must admit that I'm terrified.

What if everyone else is an incredible writer and I'm the loser of the bunch? What if I have spent all this money as an investment in me and a step towards giving up the PR job and I can't finish the assignments or my novel is a flop or the course is rubbish or they tell me my idea is stupid or...

These are some of the things going through my head at the moment. But I am trying to be wise and rational, so I'm telling myself that there's no reward without some risk and that no matter what happens I'm sure to learn something from the experience.

Then I go back to compulsively chewing my nails.

Oh well, it's too late to go back now. I have taken the plunge so I'll just have to get on with it. I get my first assignment on Mon. Will keep you posted.

Some thoughts

Funny how running on a treadmill can invigorate you and lying in bed stressing can tire you out.

My money is in my account today. I feel... a mixture of relief, the dying embers of white hot anger and a wee bit emotionally exhausted.

Had a little breakdown yesterday when TSC got home. I can soldier on bravely on my own, but when someone's nice to me and I'm upset... Well, it's a tearful, messy scene. So much for waterproof mascara, by the way. It's about as effective as transparent window blinds.

It's not so much the late payment that upset me, but the way it was handled. And the fact that the cracks are seriously starting to show here at morning job. I don't think I can do this anymore. Lay awake last night and mulled over the options, from physical violence to finding a job flipping burgers. There were a few sensible thoughts in between too. Pity I can't remember most of them this morning.

I can, however, remember one of my dreams, which was like an episode of Scrubs. That could be because TSC and I watched a few last shows night to make me laugh a bit. Alternatively it might be because I dream of having a good old Dr Cox style rant at *ahem* certain people.

"Dr. Cox: [explaining he doesn't care it's JD's last week of residency] I suppose I could riff a list of things that I care as little about as our last week. Let's see... low carb diets, Michael Moore, the Republican National Convention, Kabbalah & all Kabbalah-related products, Hi-Def TV, the Bush daughters, wireless hotspots, the OC, the UN, recycling, getting Punk'd, Danny Gans, the Latin Grammys, the real Grammys, Jeff that Wiggle that sleeps too darn much, the Yankees payroll, all the red states, all the blue states, every hybrid car, every talk show, everything on the planet, everything in the solar system, everything, everything, everything, everything, everything, everythingj every-everything that exists past present & future, in discovered and undiscovered dimensions! [turns away, then turns back] Oh, and Hugh Jackman."

Why Hugh Jackman? K, I'm outta here.

Mixed bag

It was a weekend of good and bad.

Let's get the bad out of the way first. Once again, my company has not paid me my salary. So, once again, I have had to transfer money from another account into my bank account so that my debit orders don't bounce today. I can't afford to buy groceries or put petrol in my car. My colleagues (who are both younger than me and live with their parents - no rent, food or bills to pay) are complaining that they can't hit the sales at the mall. I'm stressing about paying my insurance. It's a bit different.

The newest addition to the company, let's call her Vicki (not her name, but she idolizes Victoria Beckham for some inexplicable reason), resigned this morning. It's a new record - she's only been here three weeks. Sweet girl. I'll miss her. But I'm used to this saying goodbye thing now.

I had a meeting scheduled for this afternoon for possible freelance work, but when I phoned to confirm this morning, they said they've found someone else to do it. So bleak! I desperately need to find ways of bringing in more cash every month if this morning job is going to crash and burn. I've been trawling the net for freelance and part-time work, but it's in scarce supply.

My Ella (she's my car) has to go back to Honda sometime soon for a window check-up. There's been a safety recall on all Jazz models made between 2002 and 2008.

And that's the bad news done. Now, the good bits...

On Friday we had supper with four awesome friends. The one couple we know from church and the other couple are friends that they introduced us to. We had to mission out in the mother of all storms that hit Joburg on Friday evening to get to their house (our road flooded so fast that the manhole cover popped out), but it was well worth it.

On Saturday, I hit the gym for an aqua class and then TSC and I watched a few episodes of Scrubs and ate poached eggs on toast. I had planned a big day for us, starting with a nice home-cooked brunch, but seeing I had almost no money left over after buying my mom's birthday present, that didn't happen.

I had, however, found something to do in Joburg that cost less than R50 and would keep up entertained for the afternoon - SAB World of Beer. Now I am not a beer fan, but I must recommend this tour. Seriously good value for money! It's R25 per ticket (and R20 if you have an Edgars Club card), which includes the 90-minute tour, a small souvenir glass (filled with beer) and two drinks of your choice (beer, cider, cold drinks etc) with chips and peanuts at the bar afterwards. The tour shows the history of beer, from 6000 years ago to the present, as well as how beer is brewed at SAB today.

While there are some corny bits (like the "comedy" 3D clip showed at one point), we loved it. Good fun! There's also a shop selling SAB merchandise and a pub offering lunch and snacks on site. Very kewl.

Yesterday, we met up with my mom (who tells me she's now a lurker here too. Awesome), dad and brother to celebrate my mom's birthday, which is today. We had lunch at Mythos in Design Quarter and it was divine. I have leftover Mousaka for lunch today. Can't wait!

I love my family. They make me laugh.

After lunch we all went back to our place for some of my crowd-pleaser ice-cream (must post the recipe sometime) and coffee. It was so good to sit on our veranda and look out on the sunny garden while we chatted. Happiness, I tell you.

Wish I could stretch it out into today. I feel so helpless with this whole work situation. I don't know what to do, but I can't take this anymore. Anyone know of part-time / freelance work?!

I suppose there's no point in moaning about it, so I'll get back to work. Mom, if you're lurking today, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! You are the best mom I could wish for and I love you more than I know how to say.

I love my new gadget!

For Christmas TSC gave me this nifty little voice recorder. I have been wanting one for ages and I am loving it!

I used to have one of those old tape recorder dictaphones. Sorta like this:

Once, after taping an interview for a story, the thing fell off my car seat and the "record" button got switched on. I taped over the whole interview without knowing it. Since then I haven't trusted the things. The tapes stretch, you have to flip them over after 45 min and they are heavy to haul around in your handbag all day long.

My new little Olympus thankfully has a "hold" button, so hopefully there will be no more accidental over-recording. This amazing device can also record hours of interviews, save them in different folders, transfer them to my PC when I connect it via USB and all sorts of aother fancy things.

Fabulous!

Of course, I still take written notes during interviews anyway. Just in case ;-)

Anyway, just thought I would share my glee. I'm so much happier now that my foot is better! And it's Friday. Woohoo!

Have a good one, y'all.

Kitty Shower

My foot is foot-shaped again! Yesterday it looked a bit like a pink balloon. This is good news.


This (below) is also good news for those in the JHB area who love kitties and want to help out:





*click on picture to view it in full (can't get it to fit on this page properly. Meh)

There's also a wishlist and other ways to help out on the website, if you'd like to help out but can't adopt a kitty or don't live in Joburg.

Fun times, my foot!

Sorry for the lack of posting yesterday. I was out doing interviews on a large building site for most of the day. That would suck normally, but yesterday it sucked even more than usual because on Monday evening I was stung on the soft part of the bottom of my left foot by... something (I thought it was a bee at first but the reaction has been too severe. I'm thinking wasp, TSC reckons small scorpion), and it's still giving me trouble.

I had gone outside to get some herbs from the veggie garden and stepped on something on the lawn on my way back in that sent fiery pain through my whole foot. After staggering into the kitchen, I examined the foot and found a stinger sticking out, which made me think it was a bee, although it could've been another insect whose stinger was pulled out when I stepped on it.

I've been stung by bees four or five times before and all those times it was sore at the time but quickly passed. With this sting I could literally feel the toxins flowing through my foot (I had tried to scrape the stinger out with a knife, but it hadn't worked, so in desperation and pain I resorted to pulling it out with my fingers, which probably squeezed more poison into my foot. Yes, I'm a dumbass, I know).

I hopped on one foot up the stairs and crashed onto the floor in the bathroom once I'd pulled our first aid box off the shelf. TSC was on the phone and came running when he heard me (poor man probably thought I'd fainted and fallen on something with all the noise I was making). I found some antihistamine cream and tried to rub it on the now violently red and painful-to-the-lightest-touch area.

After a couple of minutes the pain subsided a bit and I was able to hobble downstairs and make supper with TSC. My foot was a bit swollen, so before bed I put some anti-inflammatory gel on it and figured it would be better by morning.

Hah!

Yesterday I woke up to find my foot had swollen so much that I was barely able to fit it in my shoe. With a site visit up ahead, I had no option but to don closed shoes (and a safety helmet. So hot. Or not). Thankfully the interviews were conducted in the site's showroom, so I only had to pegleg my way to and from the parking lot and to the toilet. But after four or so hours, the foot was even more swollen from collected fluids thanks to gravity.

I drove myself home, made some two-minute noodles (they didn't feed us the whole day on site and I was starving). Then I collapsed on the bed with a pillow under my foot. And there I stayed for most of the evening, getting up only to make supper, call my mom (she's a doctor) and take a shower.

Following my mom's instructions, I took antihistamine and anti-inflammatory pills, applied some Voltaren to the swelling and got back into bed with my foot up high.

Today the foot looks just the same - grotesque. It's quite fascinating. In fact, I nearly took a photo. But then I realised nobody wants to see that ;-) I really wish the pain, itchiness and swelling would go away now. It makes walking, driving and normal life very difficult.

But anyway, on to more pleasant topics... Guess who found the camera cable?

So, at last, here are some pics...

The view from Sani Pass Hotel. The scenic views are one of the best things about this crumbling old place.

Flowers at the top of Sani Pass, near the Highest Pub In Africa

The mountains on the way to the pass itself

The bread baked by a Basotho woman we visited in Lesotho

TSC and I on horseback

The river at Sani Pass Hotel

The waterfalls at Sani Pass Hotel

My "baby" marrows when we arrived home (the furthest one to the left that you can hardly see is the size you normally find in stores)

A selection of veg picked from my garden

My parents' boat, which TSC and I got to experience for the first time at Bronkhorstspruit Dam during the holiday

Suggestions welcome

Last year I mentioned I'd like to do a swap circle sometime early this year. And seeing the year is already getting on (?!?!?!panic much?!?!?!), I'd better get my A into G. So, I would like ideas, please. How is the best way to do this? Should people just bring their stuff and haggle among themselves (could be entertaining)?

Should I invent a currency for the day (I'm thinking Clams, like the Flintstones used)? I could make one Clam equivalent to R5. Then everyone could give their swappables a monetary value, round it off to the nearest R5 and put a Clam price on it. Then when you arrive, you hand over your stuff and get its value in Clams, which you can spend on other people's stuff. Does that make any sense? Probably not.

I think I should also give folks the option to donate any stuff that doesn't get swapped to a suitable beneficiary (not me, clowns. I mean like the books left over can go to a library, the clothes to the children's home my mom works with etc...). I'd be happy to do the deliveries of the stuff.

In fact, maybe I should ask everyone who comes along to bring something from the charity's wishlist if they can (for instance, at the moment I know the children's home needs tupperware containers and bath towels).

Of course we'll have to set some rules in place. Like no bringing your manky old socks to swap. What do you think?

And while I'm asking, how was the weekend for everyone else? Mine was good. Ended up having a spontaneous supper with our neighbours on Sat (they whipped up a three-course meal out of thin air. It was impressive) and went to see Phillygirl in her new place yesterday and caught up with some other bloggers too. Then it was church, coffee with mates and off to bed so that we could both get up early for gym this morning and TSC could get to varsity on time on his first day back.

He's been on holiday for almost two months (I miss that about my student days), so I think he's glad to be back in a way, despite the fact that it's going to be loads of hard work.

Well, have a fab week, people.

Let's (not) go to the mall!

Yesterday after gym (good grief swimming kills me!) I briefly visited the mall to pick up a birthday present for my boss. It feels like forever since I've been into a mall. I've been avoiding them because a) it's January and I am flat broke b) I don't like malls very much (artificial lighting, large groups of pushy people and enclosed spaces combine to make me feel a bit trapped) and c) there are waaaay too many temptations at the mall.

I'm not a fashion follower by any description (I think brand names are a waste of time and until recently, when my colleague Roo "educated" me, had never heard of Ed Hardy, Jo Malone or Baby Phat etc). In fact, I bought my Matric dance dress (the South African version of your prom, for non-saffers) at a fleamarket for a whopping R350 (less than $50) and I do most of my clothes shopping at sales and factory outlets. I am also lucky to inherit clothes that my mom is done with. She has great taste and I look forward to her cupboard clean-outs with anticipation.

I like things this way. I enjoy my clothes and look just fine in my cheap ones (to my knowledge, that is). I get a certain satisfaction from putting together an outfit I think is nice without spending much money, and from the fact that I can spend a little cash on other things instead, like my garden, crafting, spoiling TSC, going out to dinner occasionally or nice birthday gifts for friends.

But, for some inexplicable reason, when I am broke (pretty much the end of every month) I have this wicked urge to go out and just blow money. On clothes, on homeware, on anything really. I don't (not because I have great self control but because I have no money to blow and haven't allowed myself the temptation of owning a credit card). But I want to spend. And so walking through a mall is pure torture.

Those retail magicians make the store windows seem so pretty, sparkly and inviting. And then they put up great big "SALE" signs on top of it all. They're usually red, which should be a warning. Red is the colour of danger in nature. Red is the colour for 'stop'; the colour of blood. But not in a mall. In a mall, red is the colour of "if you buy this record your life will be better".

And once you're actually inside a store, there are all sorts of clever tricks retailers have to make you spend your hard-earned bucks. Thankfully, there are people with too much time on their hands helpful folks out there who have dedicated themselves to exposing this treachery. For Sarah and Po, there is even an article by some guy meationing how Barry Manilow aids and abets these merchanisers and how not to be a hamster.

I have my own solution. And it is simpler, better and faster (unlike a certain bank): DON'T GO TO THE MALL.

That is all.

World Cup stuff

For those of you who live underneath a rock, 2010 in South Africa is synonymous with the FIFA World Cup. It's been the topic of conversation for what feels like forever, with people debating safety issues, whether or not the stadia will be ready, if small businesses will benefit from the event at all, how to get hold of tickets etc...

And I have been wishing that I could disappear to anywhere else in the world for the period because everyone keeps telling us how bad the traffic will be, that prices will skyrocket on everything from airplane flights to toilet paper and that we'll be stopped by daft tourists wearing socks and sandals every five minutes to ask us why there are no elephants wandering the streets with them or where they can get a stab-proof vest.

But, since we listed our spare room on an accomodation website and have started getting some interest and even a booking or two, the World Cup is beginning to feel more real to me and like something I would like to be a part of. No, I am not a soccer fan and yes, it's true that I have little faith in our own team, but it is actually pretty cool that our country is kicking off the new decade with such a big, exciting event that is getting people thinking positively about SA (except the Brits marketing those stab-proof vests, that is).

Hosting people will be a way of being part of the event and I'm looking forward to showing a few visitors a little bit of this awesome country and its culture, whether that means having a braai with some boerewors or taking them to see some lion cubs at the Rhino and Lion Park.

Now if I can figure out this ticket application process we might even get to go to a game!

Bring back Saturday!

I think that it's only once you're back at work after a holiday that you realise how truly short weekends are. *sigh* And this rainy weather is not conducive to office productivity. We're all dreaming of being home in bed with a good book and a mug of Milo.

The weekend was a good one. We spent Friday evening chilling at home watching How I Met Your Mother upstairs while Isak watched some big soccer match in the living room. We could hear him cheering once in awhile, so it must have been good.

On Saturday morning, I hit the gym for an aqua class, which left me feeling alive and refreshed - a good way to start the weekend. When TSC arrived back from his golf lesson with a mate of ours (late, of course), I made us all a big breakfast of poached eggs, toast and bacon.

Then Isak finished up the last window, TSC and I did a few chores and we all headed to Pretoria. We dropped him off at the station to go home, sending some Christmas presents, veggies from my garden and a load of clothes with him, along with his pay. I think he was hoping we'd give him the R1 000 he needs to cover the monthly installments he's skipped on his furniture repayments, but we just don't have that money to give him.

We then went to spend the rest of the afternoon with my folks. It was good to see them again and we enjoyed a family supper along with my brother and a friend at the new Simply Asia near their house. My dad's latest is to wag his finger at me and say, "Don't put this on your blog!" if he thinks he's said something I could tease him about ;-)

On Sunday morning TSC and I went for brunch with them at the Primi Piatti in Irene Village Mall. The food was great, but it took forever to arrive even though we were the only people in the restaurant. We finished quite late and had to rush back to Joburg in time to make a friend's birthday braai before church. We didn't take meat with us, having just eaten, but TSC (of course) ended up cooking everyone else's food because he's brilliant behind a braai.

This is his last week of holiday before he starts varsity again. On the one hand, I'd like him to finish the projects he was meant to do this holiday (installing shelves in the study, fixing the leaking toilet etc), but on the other hand I think he should enjoy a last week of rest before the craziness begins. Third year is sure to be tough and I'm not looking forward to the stress on him and on us. That said, I'm sure he'll enjoy the new challenge and the fact that he doesn't have to do statistics as a subject this year!

I'll have to plan something nice for this weekend to end off his holiday on a high note. I would ask for ideas, but seeing he's now reading my blog, if you do have any brain waves please email me at doodlesofajourno at gmail dot com. Ta.

Have a fab week.

Just not fair

In late December last year, TSC got a call from a painter he used to work with when he was still in construction at the last company he worked for, let's call them Asshats Inc. This guy, Isak, was stressing because it was past Christmas and he hadn't been paid yet. He has two kids and a wife to feed, and he was at the end of his tether.

TSC deposited R300 into his bank account to tide him over until the end of the month, when the company promised to pay him. Last week, Isak called again. He still had not been paid. He'd managed to stretch that R300 (about $40US) for two weeks, but he once again couldn't put food on the table.

TSC and I discussed what we could do to help. We don't have spare money just lying around, especially not in January. But we decided that seeing we need to strip and repaint all the windows of our house, we would take a few hundred Rand out of our savings and hire Isak to do the painting. That way, he keeps his dignity and doesn't have to stress about paying us back, and our windows get sorted out. Plus, while he's with us we can feed him and save him buying groceries.

So Isak came to stay with us on Wednesday. We took him to see Avatar in 3D (his first time in a cinema), which he loved. At one point, during a fight scene, he took the viewing glasses off, saying that the characters were "just too close".

Chatting at home over supper afterwards, he told us that he has been working for Asshats Inc for four years and that they periodically treat him like this. Currently, he reckons that over 100 people and their families are still awaiting December payment from the company. He has been unable to buy his kids Christmas presents (I'm sending him home with some) or purchase their school stationery.

These workers from Asshats Inc are hardworking labourers who support their families on an absolute pittance. They have trade skills, but no training that would allow them to move into a career that pays better. Most earn around R2000 a month ($270US).

When the company doesn't pay them on time, they can't put food on the table, pay their bills (Isak has defaulted on his furniture repayments) or clothe their kids. Yet they are terrified to report the company to the CCMA (Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration) because they're sure they would lose their jobs. In the middle of a recession, construction jobs are hard to come by.

Most are paid in cash and don't pay tax, so the company simply denies that they work for them. The tragedy is that this seems to be the norm in construction in South Africa.

Isak, as a sub-contractor, issues the company with written invoices for work done and receives payment by direct deposit into his bank account, so he at least has proof that he works for the company. I'm chatting to a friend whose mom is a labour lawyer to see what his options are. We're also looking out for a driving job for him as he does have a driving licence and is reliable and willing.

He doesn't drink or gamble, is a church-goer and devoted father and I just can't get my head aeround the fact that such an honest, hardworking man should be made to suffer like this. It's not right. And it's definitely not right that Asshats Inc continues to get away with treating their employees like dirt.

Quick update

• Blogger has been giving me the finger yesterday and today, so let's hope this goes up.
• TSC, yes, my darling TSC, has surprised me by starting his own blog. Never in a million years would I have thought this could happen. Yay!
• I cannot find the flipping camera cable, so photos will have to wait until I've sorted out the study (am reorganising, so there are boxes and paper everywhere). I tried to load a few pics last night from the home PC, but the formatting in Blogger was out of whack, so you'll have to wait.
• I'm going now.
• Bye.

Movies galore

Today I remembered the camera. And forgot the cable to link it to the PC. Chop.

So more written nonsense for you lot. A brief collective movie review, if one could call it that, of the movies I've seen in the last while. Would love your thoughts on them too.

Surrogates

This was not a bad movie. It wasn't great, but it was enjoyable enough. We saw it because TSC and I both adore Bruce Willis (Not sure why, admittedly). The concept of the film is that in the future world, people have bought perfect surrogate bodies that they control from their homes. While the surrogates go to work, party hard and do anything else their owners imagine, the real people hide at home behind closed doors, chubbier, more wrinkled and generally less attractive than their airbrushed "surries". Then a murder takes place and a person is killed through his surrogate. This changes everything. And, of course, Bruce is required to save the day.

It's an interesting idea, although difficult to translate into a mere two-hour film. The don't-be-too-dependent-on-tech moral is very clear, but the gaps in the created world and the storyline are annoying. It's entertaining, but not as memorable as it should be.

500 Days of Summer

The tagline, "This is not a love story. this is a story about love," says it all. The film follows Tom, a greeting card writer, and his feelings for Summer, the girl he believes is "the one". An offbeat, sweet indie film, the movie portrays Tom's journey in a non-linear but entertaining manner. Great music, laugh-out-loud funny moments, heart-breaking emotional scenes and a gorgeous scene straight out of a Broadway musical made me love this movie.

Sherlock Holmes

We saw the premier of this movie at Montecasino. Blergh. What a load of hype for nothing. For a film by Guy Ritchie, the director of my favourite movie, Snatch, as well as Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (we will ignore the fact that he also directed Swept Away starring his looney ex-wife, Madonna), it was a disappointment. I also adore Robert Downey Jnr, but found that he mumbled his way through Sherlock's lines so that for half of the movie, none of us could understand what on earth he was saying. It felt like the movie went on forever. And I'm sure there will be a sequel. Which I will not be watching.

Avatar

Let me say upfront that this movie is not about the plot. You know within the first few minutes of the three-hour epic exactly what will happen. But that's not the point. The glory of this movie is the rich new world that has been created - Pandora. I could cast aside cliched script and ignore Sam Worthington dropping his American accent (he's an Aussie) so long as I could gaze on the phosphorescent plantlife and be transported into the world of those tall blue humanoids for a bit longer. Technologically, this movie has given us a leap in film-making technique that we last saw with The Matrix. Despite a predictable storyline and stock characters, this film does what sci-fi is meant to do - transports us into a new world.

The Visitor

We saw this last night. It was really good. And then it ended. Abruptly. In the middle of the most important bit, I think. But maybe that was the point. *sigh* Let me backtrack. It's about this man, a widower and lecturer, who arrives in Manhattan for a conference to find two immigrants, Tarek and Zainab, living in his apartment. They have been leased the place in real estate scam. He reluctantly allows them to stay as they have nowhere else to go, and then becomes involved in their lives and ultimately Tarek's struggle to avoid deportation.

Despite my annoyance at the ending, I would recommend seeing it, even just so that I have someone to discuss it with ;-)

Those of the films I have seen on cimema recently. Any other recommendations (and don't tell me Couples Retreat).

Random thoughts

*sigh* My first working Monday of the year. Blergh.

Well, at least this was a good weekend. We watched loads of How I Met Your Mother episodes (I just don't get tired of them). On Saturday I also hit the nursery with my Christmas voucher from my folks and spent time pottering and planning in the garden. We had a relaxed braai on Sunday for lunch and then headed to church. It was chilled, all in all.

I must admit, one of the other highlights of the weekend for me was enjoying the fruits of my labour from the veggie garden - carrots, gemsquash, courgettes, sweetcorn and beetroot. Yum!

I forgot the camera again today. Dumbass. So my plan of posting loads of pretty pics here instead of trying to wade through the New Year slush of my mind to write something sensible has failed.

After such a long break, it's actually difficult to get back into the swing of blogging. I guess that's why so many bloggers fall off the face of the planet post-vacation. But I did keep a paper journal during the holiday, so I guess I just can't quit writing. It wouldn't feel right ;-) Also, despite not being in the office, I have been doing some freelancing admin and writing, so I'm easing myself back into things.

My goal is to be freelancing fulltime in six months time, so I have to get serious about this stuff. And every client, no matter how big or small, brings me closer. My other goal for 2010 is to stop being late. I hate being late and yet I generally am. And then I get grumpy. Being late stresses me out and makes me miserable, so it makes sense to stop doing it. Will keep you posted on how that goes.

I have now (temporarily) run out of babble. Have a fab week.

A few lessons learnt this holiday

• There is no substitute for quality time with really good friends.
• I will never entirely get over Cape Town.
• A long stretch of relaxing "us time" at the end of the year is the best possible thing I could wish for TSC and me.
• My mom is the most amazing present-giver I know.
• My brother and I have not yet outgrown the sibling arguments.
• Our cats appreciate us a lot more when we've been away for a bit.
• Saving enough money to have a holiday that doesn't revolve around financial stress is a really good idea.
• That said, there is a lot of fun stuff you can do without spending much money.
• Spring cleaning is cathartic.
• Leaving your veggie garden for five days may result in an untamed jungle developing (my baby marrows / zucchini are about six times the size one finds in grocery stores).
• Good music makes a long car trip seem much shorter.
• TSC and I are so blessed with the life we lead.

A holiday moment

Since I am officially back at my desk, wondering at the fact that it's a new year and yet my spam remains the same, I will choose to dip into my holiday memories and write about one of the perfect moments from the past few weeks.

It was day one of the Cape Town trip. I am not counting Friday 11 Dec, which was a frustrating day all round. This was Saturday morning. We were staying with our dear friends Nicola and Matt (Nic is my best friend) and we all got up early to find a perfect Cape Town day - sunshine and no wind - awaiting us.

TSC and I were desperate to see the sea again, so we all headed to Camps Bay beachfront for breakfast. We found a parking space (a small miracle in itself) and a little restaurant offering a great breakfast special.

After the meal, we wandered along the beach in the sun, occasionally daring to dip a toe in the clear blue freezing cold water. Nic and Matt even had a (very) brief swim. On our way back, TSC noticed a flipper in the water. There were two whales swimming in the bay! In all our years of living in Cape Town, we never once saw whales at Camps Bay, so it was something really special. People thronged to the water's edge to watched them rolling about and splashing their tails.

Before heading home, we drove Chapmans Peak Drive around the coast - beautiful! It was such a perfect morning and the best possible way to start the vacation.

Pics tomorrow, if I remember the camera.

Hello world

Happy 2010! Hope everyone had a fantastic festive period. Personally, it's been an awesome holiday and I'm not keen for it to end. I go back to work tomorrow though, so end it will.

Forgive the lack of blogging and reading, please. I realised that I needed a break from all things digital for a bit. It was good for me. I missed this space though and am thrilled to be back, despite the daunting number of items in my feed reader.

Have a fabulous day. Be seeing you shortly!