Christmas Eve 2011

Well its the 24th of December 2011 & I can't believe its here. Where has the year gone.

This year has been one of great joy, family fun & a family crisis which is ongoing and has hurt many people. I am praying that 2012 will be a more peaceful year.
I always try & count my blessings before Christmas day & know that i am really blessed & grateful for everything.
This year I was more organised & everything was done in advance & its really a good feeling, it also allowed me to not be caught up in all the busy hub bub & thats been fabulous.
Crackers are made, salads are done or halfdone, meat is prepared just need to be cooked tomorrow, table is laid & we are ready. DD is busy dipping strawberries into chocolate, hope some are left for pudding tomorrow.

Our family always have a simple dinner tonight, off to church & back to put out presents & sleep. We are blessed having, extended family & friends to spend the day with us tomorrow.

A Blessed Christmas to everyone & keep the hope & love & joy in your heart all year through.

Family 2011

This was taken by Miquel Lopes Capelo Photographic, he was such a laugh put us at ease & was finished with us in 25 minutes. The family were there under duress but hey it worked. For any Durbanites - his contact number is 074 1020234 & he is so super, very casual & confident.

We have been away since Monday 19th at Pongola Game reserve & it was blissful, quiet & lots of family fun. Fishing, fishing oh did I mention fishing. I am glad to be home but the traffic & crowds are too awful for words but its back to real life. Photos for another blog right now I want to shower & relax before doing my last grocery shopping before Christmas.

December rush

November was so busy, we had so many functions & people staying over it was lovely but rushed, and now December is trying to rush me too & its very very very hot & humid here in Durban.

My SIL from Johannesburg spent some time visiting & it was lovely but stressful too, she is an orthodox jew & I had to do a lot of special cleaning, sort my fridges out so no meat & dairy were together etc & make sure we had nothing offensive in the fridges. So it was lots of salads & veges & fish, no meat or chicken for her at all. It was paper plates & plastic knives & forks etc. We did have fun & went out on her last night to a super restaurant that was so lovely to us too.
I was glad she visited & was quite glad to see her go - lol sounds awful but she is 15 years older than my DH & is very settled in her ways. I am just very grateful that they both make an effort to see each other. Their aunt & uncle came for lunch & they are in their eighties, fit & able, but they are very rigid in some ways - eg they eat lunch at 1'oclock not twenty minutes later etc - I was so glad to see them being taken home as between SIL & them - they demanded attention ! LOL I have told my kids welcome to a preview of your life, it was quite funny after they had gone.

Our DD turned 30 on the 20th of Nov 2011 & don't ask me where the time has gone - its staggering but we all enjoyed a lovely evening out at Ile Maurice in Umhlanga where we all indulged in sumptious food & wine, followed by sinful puds & irish coffees. Very yummy. Her celebrations continued with a braai at our house on the Sunday for family & friends - so casual & relaxed but equally good. Photos to follow my pc isn't playing nicely today.

My hubby returned home from Aus & NZ with lovely photos, memories & a lovely stash from me from my darling SIL - woo hoo a big thanks to Jen, she is one special lady. He had such a great time & I do feel sorry for him because he is really missing his family overseas its so hard at this time of the year.

My best friend came out from Mauritius with her hubby & we just loved being with them, its very special as she has cancer & being able to travel was such a blessing to us. Both hubby's give up because we always have so much to talk about & never get tired, even though we normally only see them once a year its like yesterday & we just have never lost that special bond & I know we never will.

I am glad to be ticking off last things eg last Mothwa meeting, last Bible study for this year, Christmas lunches etc - they seem to just be all on top of me but I am trying to keep my equilbrium - long may it last.

RIP Jean Elizabeth Curtis

RIP Jean, a very dear friend in every sense of the word.

She was just Jean, we were a trio, Sharon, Jean & Jenny - we were meant to meet for scrapping tomorrow as usual - she didn't cancel, she didn't say goodbye.......... she just died.

Theres a hole in my heart Jean & while I will cherish everything we have shared, I am so terribly sad and bewildered.

Our boys have been friends since they were toddlers, there is no distinction between yours & mine and I feel their hurt, loss & sadness.

God's love & mercy on your dear family till we meet again and be at peace now.

01 November 2011

Can you believe it, its the first of November & I feel as if I am on a treadmill and just going nowhere.
Not that I have been unproductive, my DD had an idea to make Christmas bunting for her laundries to cheer them up over the festive season, it was a great idea until, I realised I was the one doing the sewing & then it was oh not such a good idea. Needless to say the weekend was spent cutting, sewing & finally we finished it tonight. Whew or so (sew) I thought, then it was her open day for her craft shop coming up so we needed some pretty pink bunting. Mmmmm I am thinking conspiracy here.
DH is winging is his way to Auckland today & has been so enjoying his family visit, I can't wait to see the photos.

Busy busy busy

Linda, Cathie(Birthday girl) & Gwen !!!! Fun fun fun

Posing for the official photo - friends are precious.

This cake was made by a lovely friend Lianna who has only made two before !!!!!

This month has been hectic, the first of October was our church fete, hard work, good fun & it went so well with funds being raised.

The 08 of October we had a surprize birthday party for my sister's 60 th birthday in Joburg, we live in Durban & it was quite busy getting everything organised but it went off so well & though we were all tired travelling back to Durbs on the sunday - I would do it again in a heart beat. We had a garden party theme such fun & my DD did so much work with flowers & decor.

The 13 of October & I was winging my way to Cape Town for a Mothwa conference with 16 other Durbanites, it was fun & festive but hard hitting too as we had to make hard decisions about the Mothwa Havens we all help run & raise funds for. Sunday coming home our plane was delayed by an hour and a half - needless to say we were ready to come home.

This Thursday my DH left for Australia & New Zealand & boo hoo I am at home maintaining the status quo with the businesses.

So I for one am really glad its Friday, even though I am working this weekend, scrapping with friends in the afternoon & then its going to be shoes off & feet up LOL.

Boys & their toys

Life is hectic & I am exhausted, that seems to be my constant cry right now.

We are in Johannesburg on business, its fast & the traffic is oh so busy. My DH is involved in automobile leather so we were vip visitors to the SA Motor Show today, it officially opens on Saturday for the public & WOW - it was incredible, I have never seen so many men drooling over cars, trucks, hot rods & 4 x 4 toys. There were so many 4 x 4 ramps etc & there were no shortage of guys waiting for their turn.

There were so many foreign vips & it had a fantastic vipe. I must admit I was impressed but oh my feet were sore after six hours.

Tomorrow there are two meetings & I am off to Sandton to relax & maybe shop.....