July is nearly over

This was taken on one of our football fridays !!!

July is nearly over & I am exhausted July & August are always busy months for us business & social wise. We have had business going on full steam for June & July (thanks to the world cup the boost was wonderful - hard work but really good.) & its time for my charity agms and back on the committees ( I believe God gave us 2 hands so - one to recieve & one to give) which means new people on the team always challenging & fun.

Plus it means we travel in these months, July we have been up to Joburg, south coast, eastern cape & in August it means Mauritius (pleasure for me a tiny bit of business for DH) & then back in Durbs for 4 days & off to Pilanesberg for time out with my sister & bil. THen through the north eastern transvaal & home via Swaziland. We actually don't slow down till December so I need lots of energy & really I don't have much lol.

I am also trying to get going on my Christmas list so December is not a shopping frenzy, and I have made a small start and am hoping that I gain momento.

layout finished off lol !!!

Didn't like the empty space on the top right so voila !

So this is better than the last posted l/out.

A couple of layouts

I actually did a bit of scrapping today after Alan & I had tea at Umhlanga after church. I have to admit to not having my camera in my bag as I have just changed bags & the view from the Oyster Box in Umhlanga is so beautiful especially its red & white lighthouse...... gorgeous.

We came back I was full of energy, Alan slept under a blanket (in Durban !!!) but it is a bit chilly here today.

Actually I was thinking of all the lucky ladies who have been at Senz in Christchurch this weekend - i have been wishing that I was there too LOL.

Home sweet home

Maluti mountains in the Mount Alyff area quite a contrast.

Gee even the lifts were "soccerized" very nicely done

Alan & flags of the nations

So colourful & soccer friendly

Well we've been to Joburg and back, all good & I survived the traffic and cold. LOl and Alan even survived the shopping (Joburg has such nice shops ) so all in all a success.

Then on saturday morning at 4am we set off for Port Elizabeth via East London via the Transkei, well it was a wonderful meandering trip with the most gorgeous african scenery including the Maluti mountains being capped by snow. No wonder the game in PE on saturday night was so rainy & cold.

We were in East London on saturday night warm & snug in our hotel room but the whole hotel was just so festive & full of soccer cheer. After a lazy sunday breakfast in East London we stopped in at Kidds Beach, Kenton on Sea, Port Alfred and then onto Port Elizabeth. It was so nice to be able to stop & look & we really enjoyed it. Not so Monday, it was business in Port Elizabeth & then Uitenage & then home via a night in Umtata (now Mthata) which has grown since we were last there twenty years ago !!!!!!

Getting back home to a hot pot full of stew & veg care of our DD was magic & of course your own bed. Needless to say today I am not full of beans I wonder why !!!!!!

DH is up & walking

Oh my prayers have so been answered, he's walking full time - officially from the doctor on Friday. Driving - alas no & believe me he's finding it just as trying as I am, he doesn't like being a passenger...... I am getting used to being told which lane to drive in, which petrol pump to go to & where I should park...... I have patience & generally am easy going . Lets just say the petrol pump guidance didn't go down that well LOL infact I think my mouth opened before my brain was in gear.
This morning we went to a church 'English ' breakfast raising funds for our local old age home, it was fun & yummy & was the start to Alan's first full morning out. Then it was off to the shopping center to grab some yummy food for our trip to Joburg tomorrow, then a stop at our favourite coffee shop for a superb capuchinno & terrible piece of chocolate cake. We shared a piece thankfully because it was not eaten only to find out that the ownership has changed quite sad really. Anyway we won't be stopping in there again. Needless to say he's back with his feet up & has to decide what sport to watch or record or just miss out on !!!
We are off to joburg tomorrow and I am his driver & chief do whatever, but he only has two meetings, a consignment to check up on & collect & its back home again. I am anxious about the Joburg traffic but sooo looking forward to seeing the aloes that are in full bloom on our way.

Winter wonderful

Durban is cold at the moment & I am loving it... winter in Durbs (as much as we ever get) is lovely clear crisp days with blue blue skies. I love it, the colours are sharper & everything seems so crisp & fresh.
I did dig out my "overseas" warm clothes that only get brought out either for a long trip or when its really nippy.
Mark flew into Durban this morning & both him & Steven are off fishing to Mboytie in the Transkei with a group of mates. They leave at 4am tomorrow and I love that the two brothers enjoy very similar sports etc & they have fun but to have both my boys(26 & 24 but still my boys) on the road together in one car just makes me a bit wobbly. I never show it or put a damper on any of their adventures but until I get a call or sms to say "we're here & ok" I do worry. They are very good at always contacting us & I am grateful for that. As a result the lounge has fishing gear of all shapes & sizes everywhere while they pack.
As the children are all here today & its a public holiday, they have decided to celebrate fathers day doing a dinner for Alan ( orchestrated by DD of course) & that means my kitchen already is in a mess but I love having them all home & even for a short while can enjoy the mess & noise !!!

10 days to go to the Fifa World Cup opens

I am not sure why but Durbanites have been gripped by soccer fever, we really do support our events, contrary to the common belief we are indifferent. Anyway as well as Football Fridays when we all(all businesses, schools etc) wear soccer shirts & jeans ( mostly the bright yellow Bafana bafana ones) the cars & houses are adorned with different countries flags its really fun. Our laundries are decorated with a few flags & vuvuzelas & our staff love football fridays.
I know nothing about soccer/football except that its good for the city to embrace their events & give it some support. I have only just discovered that you can only buy Fifa "stuff as in memorabilia etc" in the country holding the Fifa WC - so I have gone out to buy shirts for my big nephews in New Zealand & blister packs of pens etc for all the others as its a one time event for us & its fun.
Alan has got the all clear to walk around now for short bursts as the doctor put it & is loving being mobile - as are we !!! He went up to Joburg with Steven being his chaffeur & they had a good business session but his feet were very swollen & he was exhausted - LOL as was Steven ! Anyway he's on the mend although will not be driving for another 6 weeks.