galentines

It's become a February tradition. Pick a day, inform all the partners and children that we'll be off, pack swim things and cold beer, get on the road.

Same gang, same route, same plan.

Same destination, same seafood platter for lunch, same wine.

Same ice cream, same beach.

Because we did everything SO PERFECTLY the first time that we can just redo it endlessly now. Until the end of time, or we all perish together in a tragic boating incident as we sometimes muse about.

We're a pretty irreverent bunch.

This time however, we did one thing differently.

We added a stop at this river for our pre-lunch swim, and it was sublime.

We're not opposed to adding new things, as long as they are EXCELLENT. This was.

As we relished our lunch - fresh fish, prawns, calamari, mussels, salad and the most excellent white wine with this view from our table, our friend told us about her prepan holiday in Italy in 2019.

The beaches and the views and the food and the wine. 

But you know she said, look at us here - we're in a tiny village an hour or so out of Cape Town, eating the best food, drinking internationally-acclaimed wine, swimming in wild rivers, off to sandy beaches with no access fee and hardly any people...Italy is magnificent, but this right here is GOLD.

And better than all this astounding natural beauty and the food and the wine and the silky summer air?

This bunch of girls and the aching abdominal muscles we have after a day of endlessly laughing together.

I'd love to visit Italy one day, but if it never happens I think I'll still die happy, be it in a tragic boating incident or not.

25 things about right now.

1. I spend all my days logged into the Other Google Account.
2. The one with The Work and The Questions and The People who need me all the time.
3. My life could not be more different to this time last year.
4. As the conference I'm working on draws near (9-13 Feb), I'm feeling The Thrill. It's a good feeling.
5. I'm working with such a diverse group of people.
6. And seriously have to watch my foul potty mouth - probably not a bad thing ...
7. Also, I was in a meeting this week with 5 other people who were all 5 - 10 years younger than me.
8. Just, wow.
9. RETRACTED
10. Unrelated: if I want to send a Glitter Bomb I need only sweep my study (aka the Art Room) floor.

11. A Glitter & Dog Hair Bomb that is.
12. Seriously, our dogs have the worst life.

13. And on the subject of Lego, there's been a bit of building around here - it's a great work distraction.

(I only noticed the cat/eye thing when I downloaded this.)

14. LEGO building is also fun by lamplight, during load-shedding, which is back.

15. I'm extremely lucky to have a LEGO Fairy Godmother. She's been keeping us in steady supply.
16. Oh wait, there's more LEGO...
17. Somebody has started meticulously planning her birthday party in March.

18. These are all the items which will appear on her cake .... apparently.
19. Not pictured: a fluffy leopard (which I said would have to stand alongside because icing) and a ninja (because invisible).
20. I sense I'm going to have to relinquish control over this one. And that's okay.
21. There's nothing wrong with a LEGO-Leopard-Dinosaur-Ninja 5th Birthday Party at all. We welcome diversity in this house.
22. My brother and sister-in-law are moving into their new house (much closer to us - yay!) RIGHT NOW. We're standing by with supper ...
23. My other brother is getting married NEXT MONTH!
24. Family for the win.
25. Now what the hell am I going to wear for 5 days of formal conferencing??

the grumps

Today, I had them.

Two nights of bad sleep - last night a particularly spectacular mash-up of bad back, throbbing spot, annoying cat, restless children, snoring husband - a bit (okay, a lot) of 'back-to-school' misery, and apprehension, a whole lot of 'whatamIgoingtobewhenIgrowup' angst. The perfect blend of ingredients to produce an exquisite case of the GRUMPS this morning.

Those grumps you can't get out of because frankly, you don't want to. Those grumps you almost become protective about. These are MY grumps and it feels like they're the only thing I've got going for me right now so just LEAVE ME ALONE WITH ME AND MY GRUMPS M'KAY?

But of course they don't. Kids I mean. Kids only understand their own grumps, they've fuckall respect for anyone else's.

Slitty eyes.

Mid morning I packed my eldest and my GRUMPS into the car to head off to a 5 yr old's birthday party. RAD venue for the grumps indeed. I was NOT GOING TO HAVE FUN and the only thing keeping me from dropping and fleeing was that it was a swimming party and as Frieda's not an entirely proficient swimmer yet I thought I'd better stick around and be watchful. Oh, and grumpy of course. Couldn't leave the grumps in the car by themselves now could I?

But turns out I may as well have. 

Because instantly I was welcomed by lovely, stoic, inspiring, refreshing and caring Other Mums. Women who all may have had some grumps concealed in their handbags too, but weren't going to waste fun social time (precious social time as all our smalls were occupied in the pool) with indulging them.

We laughed and drank beer and compared tans and shared and wiped cake off each other's dresses and just ... made light of it all.

Never, ever underestimate the power of girl friends. I love learning this lesson over and over and over again.

'tis the season to be thrifty

Husband resigned yesterday.

With only 26 shopping days to go 'til Christmas. 

Oh and that small thing called Global Economic Recession.

Oh and, the toddler. And, the home loan. And, the contract which hasn't yet started.

So last night we did what any responsible adults would do, and finished off a very good bottle of wine, too many shots of a very good whiskey, and an extremely delicious cigar to celebrate, all the while planning our Thrifty Christmas and while we're on the topic, our potentially Very Thrifty Few Months to come. And laughed long and loud about being masters of our own destiny.

And the best thing of all is that this morning, despite two very good hangovers, we still feel upbeat and energised, united in a common purpose and excited about this next stage.

Basically it all happened fairly fast, but was not completely unpredicted. Husband and partners have recently started their own company, but were contracted to Another Business Who Shall Not be Named (or ABWSNBN) in their personal capacities to cover their salaries while growing the start-up. ABWSNBN have increasingly been acting like shits and finally really put their foot in it by trying to sell husband to a bigger conglomerate with no consultation, fore-warning or even courtesy in-house memo. Husband ain't having none of it.

Not being a hasty man however, there are many exciting prospects in the pipeline and a number of options available. His company is growing well and we're hoping soon it'll be able to support him outright, and in the meantime we'll be thrifty, and mindful, and cool-headed.

And, most importantly, Masters of Our Own Destiny! Mmmm wha ha ha ha ha (evil laugh with gleeful hand-rubbing)....

And I'll go take another Panado with a big glass of water.... groan...