My weekend by the sea

JC and I had a bit of a getaway this weekend,in an old,tiny,nearly-falling-apart caravan in this really tiny little seaside town,about an hours' drive from our town.It was so nice to just get away and relax,and not have to do anything but just walk around,talk and joke about nothing in particular,have a drink (or 10),etc.

{Here are a few pictures of my weekend}

JC taking a walk in the caravan park

JC relaxing at the only little (and obscenely expensive coffee shop in town)

The load of crap we took along,and didn't use all weekend

The tiny caravan bed we slept in ~ very cosily ;-)
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The outside of the tiny caravan

Having a braai.Yum!

My drink.Yum again

The view from our caravan

The view of the mountain

Some more of the view

The picture is very blurry,but I was trying to show how long this beach is.It goes on for about 14 miles

Some more of the very long beach

The beautiful sunset on Saturday

Some more of the sunset

Zebra,as seen in local garden

A good Tuesday...so far

{Here's why}

~ I found out one of my best friends and her hubby are moving into a house that's only about 3 houses down from our apartment!I am super excited,because A and I used to be really close,and would party all the time,along with my sister (who was originally A's friend).We would go out during the week and then spend the next night moaning to each other about our hangovers.It was awesome!Anyhow,she got married 3 years ago,moved away,and we probably only saw each other like,4 times in the whole time since then.She called me yesterday with the news,and I have to say,it was the best birthday present I could've asked for.

~ My best friend,L,sent me a lovely letter and the most adorable (and super comfy) winter socks for my birthday.
She knows me too well,because my old slippers have finally gotten the boot,and come winter time,my feet are always freezing,so this is the perfect present for me.I didn't know I was getting anything,so when I got this package,it was a very fun little surprise.She's the BEST!

~ My boss told me yesterday,that since I worked so hard this past weekend (which was my birthday weekend,of course),they've decided that I should have this Friday off.Can you believe it?It's awesome!

~ Only 4 more days until we go away for the weekend.We are renting a caravan for our stay by the seaside,which is so great,because I love anything to do with a caravan.I don't know why,maybe I have some gypsey blood in me.

So there,like I said,a very good Tuesday so far.

My very un-Valentine's weekend (and Maya pictures!)

Like I predicted,this was not at all a very romantic or 'special' weekend,but rather,one like all the others.I was not in a good mood for most of it,and spent most of the time just relaxing at home and watching bad tv.The only time I really ventured outside the apartment,was on Saturday afternoon when my sister came and picked me up,and we spent the afternoon making her wedding invitations.She had decided early on not to waste money on getting someone else to make her invitations,seeing as they are keeping the wedding guests to the bare minimum (only about 40 people) so we decided that we would make the cards ourselves.As soon as they are completely finished,I will put up a picture of what they look like.Very plain and simple,but very cute.

Saturday night we went for a very quick drink (which I wasn't really in the mood for) and saw the end of the Bulls vs. Reds,Super 14 Rugby match,which the bloody Bulls won (I hate those guys).My team,the Stormers,lost by a mere 5 points to the Sharks,so I'm hoping it was just a shaky start and that by next weekend they will have recovered and proceed to kick some serious ass.

This week is going to be extremely hot,according to the weather services,and there have been lots of veld fires in the Western Cape,while the eastern and northern part of South Africa is basically drowning in all the rain.We are indeed having really strange weather for this time of year.Although the heat is a constant here where I live.I can't wait for winter.Seriously.

I took some new pictures of Maya,and just have to show you.She is getting so big,and is getting prettier by the day.She is really adorable,but we have decided to keep her in the apartment during the day when we are at work,because our next door neighbour is a big old grouch,and even though he has like 5 cats of his own (including 2 kittens),he actually had the nerve to say that Maya came into their apartment on Saturday and pee'd on his carpet.WTF?!Like there is no chance that it was one of his own cats that did it?And this after I explicitly told him that he should chace her away from his place if she bothered him.He's an asshole.

The new week

Once again the weekend flew by at the speed of light,and I already feel like I never had a weekend at all.Work is really busy right now,with preparations for stocktaking (which,btw,is happening on the weekend of my birthday - cool,huh?),so I am reading the blogs I follow and working inbetween.Can't just work,I know that sounds lazy,but I would go crazy if I did,because my very bitchy co-worker is letting me answer all the phone calls again,and so I'm not getting any of my work done anyway.

{Weekend Recap}

- On Friday night I made a very delicious soya mince pizza (again) and JC and I watched 'Best of the Best' (old school,and not my choice).My friends from Cape Town came by at like 10 at night because they were taking their new Rottweiler puppy for a walk.It was sweltering hot even at that time of night (27 degrees celsius!),so we all chatted for a while,and after they left I just didn't see the point in staying up later,because for some reason I was bone tired.JC stayed up till 1am to finish watching a 20/20 cricket match,which I wouldn't have wasted my time watching,seeing as neither of the teams had any hot guys in them,and it was on till 1am.

- Saturday we defrosted our fridge,did the laundry,and made a brunch for my Cape Town friends.It was once again insanely warm,and the only time I went outside the whole day was to put the washing on the line,and take it off again.All the clothes dried in less than an hour.It was that hot.At about 6pm we decided to have a braai (bbq),and a few drinks,seeing as it was starting to be a bit stuffy inside,since we hadn't left the living room all day.The poor aircon worked overtime,and did its best to cool everyone down,but it was just not going to happen.We sat around drinking,eating and basically talking a lot of crap,when all of a sudden raindrops start falling.Those type of drops that actually hurt your skin when they fall on you,their so heavy.Either way,it actually got even hotter after that.And also,the power went out.But luckily only for about 10 minutes.After everyone left,it was still early (11pm),but I was a little drunk and just wanting to climb in bed and sleep,but JC had other plans and wanted to listen to some music (his code for karaoke),because I told him thanks,but no thanks,I'm going to bed,and as soon as the music started,I could hear him singing loudly along with all the songs.His favorites being Bon Jovi and James Blunt.All fine if listened to once in a while,but when he gets drunk,singing along to these guys' songs,is like a must.

- Sunday morning my bitch of a friend woke me at 9,after I explicitly told her,no earlier than 12,since Sundays are really the only day of the week that JC and I get to sleep in.They basically just came around to say goodbye,since they were going back to Cape Town that afternoon,but as soon as I'm awake,I can't just climb back into bed and sleep again,so I just started cleaning up after the previous nights' braai.The day ended with a clean mini-kitchen (but still dirty mini-livingroom and bedroom,since I didn't have time to clean this weekend.It was too hot for cleaning anyway),lots of food being eaten (especially by me on Sunday),2 trashbags full of alcoholic beverage bottles and a kitten that played outside all day,and gave her 'mom and dad' absolutely no attention all day.So the day was kind of 50/50.

This week there is really nothing major to look forward to,but in my experience,those are the weeks when the weirdest stuff tend to happen,because you're not expecting anything to happen.So,we'll see.

Good/Bad

{Good}

- It's Thursday,so it's nearly Friday,so it's nearly weekend.
- I've already had 3 sandwiches today,and am looking forward to making a very nice pasta dish tonight - still have to figure out what.
- I got a Valentines Card yesterday already.
- I've been reading the coolest blogs today,so the day went by pretty quickly.
- I'm going to buy myself something sweet and fattening on my way home after work.

{Bad}

- The Valentines Card I got was from my Aunt (very sweet,but still...not romantic.at.all)
- It's over 40 degrees celsius today,and that's the forecast for the rest of the weekend too,so I'll be stuck indoors,lest I get burned to a crisp.
- Maya (the kitten) is completely ignoring me and only sleeping with JC,on JC or anywhere in the vicinity of JC - very annoying (and makes me think why does all my cats hate me so?Do I smell funny or something?)
- The month has only just begun,and already I'm having to count cents in order to have enough for each week.Poorness sucks big time ass.
- An old school friend of mine is coming to visit this weekend (her parents still live here) and I am not looking forward to her particular brand of moaning and groaning about shit.I have enough crap of my own to think about,without her trying to turn it into some sort of competition of "my life sucks worse than yours does".I think that's a game where no one wins,am I right?

Damn Tuesday

I know the feeling.

Monday Morning Madness,sort of

It has been a very hectic Monday morning at work,that I only realised now that I did my 100th post on Friday,and in just little more than a month!I rock!In my own mind,at least.

I'm one of the select few (it seems) that don't own a home computer,because in all honesty,I don't really like computers all that much,and mostly just use it for work.So I only post during the week,and therefor tend to be very behind on all the other incredible bloggers,who keep up to date posts going,even on weekends.

I got tagged on Sunday,by the adorable Snickerdoodle Champagne,and only now have gotten the chance to do it.So here goes.

Step 1: respond and rework—answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, add one more question of your own.
Step 2: tag other people.

1) What are the 3 things you would save out of your burning house?
My family photos,my cat and my purse (since my purse contains most of my important stuff anyway)

2) What was the last thing you read/are currently reading?
Dark Hollow by John Connolly

3) Do you nap a lot?
Once in a blue moon,like yesterday afternoon,and only because my headache forced me into bed

4) Who was the last person you hugged?
My boyfriend

5) What is your current obsession/addiction?
My little nephew

6) What is the last thing you said out loud? To my boss "These people are such assholes."And he agreed

7) What websites do you always visit when you go online?
Facebook,X17 Online,Evilbeet,Sasha is a Monster and Check my Secret

8) What was the last item you bought? A new watch battery

9) What is your most challenging goal?
To not strangle my boyfriend during PMS

10) If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished, anywhere in the world, where would it be?
That's easy,in Hermanus

11) Favorite Vacation spot?
South Africa's West Coast,like Yzerfontein or Elands' Bay

12) Say something to the person who tagged you:
Even though we don't know each other personally,you're an awesome blogger,and I look forward to reading everything you have to say

13) Name one thing you just can't resist no matter how bad it is for you: Highlighting my hair,even though I know it messes up my hair

14) What is your favorite item of clothing?
A jersey my mother knit for me

15) Favorite pair of shoes you keep going back to over and over, even though your closet is over flowing with a zillion others?!
I actually don't own that many pairs of shoes,because I have terrible feet to get shoes for,but I have this plain pair of little black boots,that were very inexpensive,look good with every long pant,and are extremely comfortable.

16) Name one thing you can not live with out:
My boyfriend (cliché,but very true)

17) What do you envy?
Heiresses,I would love to be able to just spend all day just worrying about my next outfit.Carefree

18) If you could only have one 3 course meal for eternity,what would it be?
For starters - prawn cocktail,main course - lasagne,dessert - malva pudding with vanilla ice cream.

So,that was quite painless,and since this is a game of tagging,here are the people I'm tagging:

* Creative Kerfuffle
*Chele
*Drollgirl
*Mmmadrid
*Belette

Whazzup?It's weekend!

Basic plans for the weekend:
1.Eat too much
2.Talk too much
3.Sleep too little
4.Play with my nephew so his mother has trouble putting him to sleep
5.Make a chicken potjie and rice (yummy!)
6.Start reading my new book

And if,somewhere in my hectic schedule I get the time,I guess I'll have to clean the apartment again,although I have no problem living in some degree of filth.I wasn't born in the Chinese year of the Pig for nothing,you know.

Have a great weekend everyone,and stay safe!

Thought for the weekend

If fire fighters fight fires and crime fighters fight crime, what do freedom fighters fight?

My sister and nephew are coming!

Yay!I haven't seen my big sister and my nephew since he was baptised the first weekend of November,so I think it's about time that we get together again.Ludwig (my nephew) is 7 months old now,so he is getting to that really cute stage where they sit up,try to crawl and are basically all around cute.Can't wait to see them,unfortunately they are only coming tomorrow afternoon,because my sister still has to work til tonight,and maybe tomorrow morning as well.It would've been awesome if they could've come tonight already,just to have someone new to talk to again.

Our Family Weekend In L'Agulhas

Sign in the Struisbaai harbor
Andreas with his first fish caught
Making sure the fishy is ok
Two seagulls off the "Finding Nemo" set
Daniel going for the waves
Daniel on the beach
Andreas and Zané swimming in freezing water
The harbor walkway
Bella,boat named after my cat (Lulubella)

Some more little fishing boats
Andreas looking for the stingrays at the harbor
Me,not being able to take good pics of the boats at night
Ditto as above
Daniel,the way he always looks
Daniel,very smily
Daniel enjoying some sand for lunch
Andreas,our little monkey,climbing the tree
The tide pool,which is great,except the water is verrry cold
The Lighthouse in L'Agulhas,near the most southern point of Africa
Zané
And Zané
Zané and Andreas looking for fishies with their nets


A little bit of the traditional style houses built in L'Agulhas

PS. The shipwreck you see in the pictures,is that of the 'Meishu Maru 38'.

I live in a very beautiful country,and also in the most beautiful part of this beautiful country.So I like to show that off to people,because I know that lots of foreigners tend to believe that South Africa is all about apartheid and violence and basically all things bad.But we have lots going for us too.

Either way,I wanted to show you all some of the pictures that I took when we had a family get-together in September '08 in L'Agulhas,Western Cape.It's a seaside town,about 4 hours' drive from my town,but it was the ideal place for us all to meet,and we mostly chose it because it was only an hours' drive for my sister,whose baby was only 3 months old at the time.

We had an absolute blast,and I really hope we can do it very soon,but would love to do it somewhere on the West Coast this time,like Yzerfontein or Elands Bay.