10 dec 2010

A 4pm glass of wine on a lawn with friends and snacks sure takes the edge off suicide hour.

9 dec 2010

Book Club. I never really got it. Women in movies/Oprah/magazines getting choked up talking about their book clubs.

But I do now.

The company, the food, the wine and the books, oh the books. Sanity restored, once a month. Book club.

8 dec 2010

First day of school holidays, traditionally the day we put up the Christmas tree. Well, it's a tradition now, circa December 2010. It's great that Frieda's old enough for us to create rituals around family events, holidays and birthdays.

This is a work in progress.

As with everything we had a bull terrier assisting us.

Also,
~ I may have lived in Africa all my life, and only once experienced a real European Christmas, but I still find it weird putting up Christmas decorations in 30 degree heat, drinking lemonade instead of egg-nog.
~ I'm slowly learning to let go and give Frieda free reign on things like putting up decorations, icing cakes, wrapping presents. I resist the urge to tweak, improve, correct.
~ I still love love love this Tin Town tree. A dear gift from a dear friend.

7 dec 2010 (like, for serious this time)

Back to the vet.

Another injection, a round of antibiotics, swabbed down with antiseptic and a manicure.

I thought she deserved an illicit drink from the kitchen tap. It's not usually allowed but she loves it so.
Dear old mog.

(and fyi, the jar in the background holds not some rehydrating shiitakes, a stool sample or chestnut puree, but some coins I've been disinfecting for Frieda's endless game of Shop Lady).

7 dec 2010 (oops!*)

It's pretty busy over here. (*ja, that busy slash sleep-deprived. 6 dec. 6 dec!)

Husband's got some DIY on the go.

Frieda's making more gift tags than gifts we're likely to give. Ever.

Stella's working damn hard on pushing out some more teeth.

And I'm stuck into a few crafty Christmas projects, which makes me happy.

(Hey, anyone up north feel like sending me some red & white candy canes with which to make peppermint bark? No problem if they get crushed in transit ...
I'll return the favour with some cute African Christmas decorations. Hmmmm?)

5 dec 2010

Sunday was not as idyllic as this picture makes it out to be.

 

But the forest, the forest is always idyllic, and for a while there was peace.

4 dec 2010

Sucks that we didn't get our weekend away, but on the upside: I got all our Christmas shopping done this morning.

I'm starting to get the holiday spirit.

3 dec 2010

I slept in Frieda's room. Stella in mine. Frieda on the couch.
Lego in her basket in the kitchen.
A cat curled up next to my laptop, another passed out on Tigger in the playroom.

A sleeping body in every room of the house. 14.44 on a Friday afternoon. A rare occurrence.

We were supposed to go away for the weekend, but she's not well. We'll hunker down at home instead.

2 dec 2010

My mother's house.

So much time spent here this year. Resting my bulk in the shade of the garden through the dog days of last summer. Napping with my newborn while she played with Frieda. Gaining clarity and support from endless chats with both my parents on the stoep. Delicious meals, ridiculous games, some tears, lots of laughs. Lots and lots of breast-feeding.
And now stolen moments off by myself, to run some errands, get a haircut, have a coffee. Both girls as entertained and enamoured with their grandparents as I am.

1 dec 2010

This is my life. Taking stock. Giving thanks. Stopping and pondering.

Call it what you will, at the end of a crazy year which has moved far, far too fast for my liking, a year in which I feel like I've done so little while confident that I've achieved so much, a year in which I feel I've not touched base with myself properly but yet have learnt so much about my own capabilities, a year which has just ... happened, one crazy day tumbling after another.
At the end of this crazy year I want to take stock, give thanks, stop and ponder. Even if it's only for a second.

And what better place to start than this?

Shew.