Monday already ? Can't be ...

Well what a weekend ... I think again this one was just too damned short ... no we don't have a long weekend this weekend - August Bank Holiday doesn't mean a thing here boo! hoo! But hey! we have a lot more 'public holidays' than you guys in the UK do anyway... so I guess it's "even Stevens!" then...

To all my friends and family (hubby etc.) in the UK have a good Bank Holiday today :-)

Kelsey & I had the pleasure of joining friends Cheryl, Mike and their girls on Saturday at 'The Shark Tank' to watch the Currie Cup Rugby (our local and best, I'll have you know... Rugby Team is called the Sharks and their home ground is lovingly known as The Shark Tank!!!) We had a fab day ... went a bit earlier than usual so that we could get the 'braai' set up etc... Cheryl was soooo organised with the camping table and chairs, and she even had the kettle for tea (gotta love a well organised woman!!!:-) We had to be set up early so the boys could escape to the Pub and the big screen to watch The Boks whoop some more ass in Australia for the Tri Nations ...

The Sharks played against Western Province and unfortunately we lost that ONE !!! Hey our excuse is cos most of our best boys are in the Boks team overseas!!!!!

However overall a great day was had by all - Kelsey was chuffed cos I got his rugby ball signed by the team .... (well some of us'll do anything to oggle those hunks eh?)

Sunday we had a lovely lazy (and hot) day at home ... there was a very hot 'Berg Wind' blowing through the house and it actually felt like someone had a fan heater blowing ... I'm told Spring is definitely here because the Kites and the Monkeys are back ... Indi and Shadow spent the best part of the morning being taunted by the monkeys sitting on the telephone wires (I'm sure they are teasing the dogs - it would not surprise me if we saw them sticking their tongues out and going da ta ta da ta da ta!!!)

I had a really productive day too ... see my latest 'Handbag Bling' ... I'm really getting into this beading stuff ... well I don't need much space to work and the results are quick ... and pretty and sparkly!!!!

So far I have done 3 colours but I have another 2 colourways to try - Orange (well tans/browns and oranges) & Blue. Of course I had to do my favourite colour first - PURPLE... it looks so good on my Purple Kipling 'DARLING!!!!!'

Pinks for all the Girly Girls:

Purkles for ME !!!!!!

Black & White for the elegant bags

And all 3 colours of the ones I have completed so far :


Of course true to form I didn't just make 1 of each, me do things in singular ... made at least 7 of each colour !!!! I can hear Glenis saying it now .... so typical gotta overdo it!!! :-O

All back to 'normal'!!!

Well my boy doesn't stay down for too long... he went back to school this morning... well he was driving me mad yesterday!!!

One dose of medicine and he's fixed T.G... ;-D

Believe it or not but I'm making the final payment on the brickwork of the main house today !!!! All 3 buildings are to roof height now (except I may want to put 1 minor change in ... it's a woman's prerogative to change her mind isn't it??? and my builder keeps coming back for more!!!) Gotta feel sorry for the guy really... :-)

So what to moan about today ???? True British style - The Weather ... yesterday we had t-shirts on and cotton trousers ... today well ... at 6am the sky was bright blue and clear... now we've got gale force winds, lashing rain and it's bloody freezing ... the rest of my day is going to be spent hugging the fire, my new best friend "blankely" wrapped around me and I'm going to 'bead'!!!:-) Got some 'Angel' orders to get out .... Who would have thought????

Man (or rather BOY) down!!!

Hell! this weeks challenge arrived early :-(

Kelsey came home from school yesterday, crashed into bed and has been there ever since... raging temp. 39.5c last night , barking worse than a dog and all through the night...

So it was off to the doctors for him (and me while I was there) my boy - he has Bronchitis... me I have muscle spasms and migraines brought on by .... WAIT FOR IT .... STRESS !!!! me stressededdd !!!! never

Now the quack wants me to look at my diet, so I did !!! and I'm still eating all the wrong things... I mean really who would'nt get stressed if they were told the can't eat chocolate, cheese, drink coffee, coke and wine !!!! I mean reeeeaaally eh? Is this man on drugs or what?

So typical of a man to tell us we can't eat all our comfort foods.... :-D

M.I.A...

Well that's kinda like how I've been feeling lately - a little Missing in Action (well OK there's a lot of me missing, but that's yet another story)

I really don't know what kind of 'nazty vichious bugg' has had hold of me these last 2 weeks but I wouldn't want to wish this even on my worst enemy !!! Pounding headaches, running into the migraine scenario of blurred vision and pins & needles in arms ... stiff neck and shoulder muscles, sharp stabbing pains in the back of the head like someone actually was using those voodoo dolls!!!! Bongo drums sounding all the time in the head... totally NAZTY stuff... but I is a woman with a kid so I don't get time to BE sick just have to self medicate - and Kelsey's favourite expression 'build a bridge and get over it!' Boy I hope I am over it cos I'm sick of feeling like this !!! But I do believe that sick mind = sick body and vice verso, so I have to pull myself towards myself, have a bit of an attitude adjustment and move forward !!!! (there that just saved me R 500.00 on head shrink fees !!!! pmsl :-D)

Last week also saw the long awaited 1st match of the boys Hockey season cancelled (well actually rained off believe it or not!!!) The Hockey Tournament cancelled on Saturday due to suspected Swine Flu at the school where the tournament was to be held.... AND Kelsey had his mobile phone stolen out of his bag from a locked classroom !!!! Overall a rather weird week eh???

But even with all this I have been trying to keep moving forward ... we have been to look at a few houses to rent ... nowt suitable yet, BUT have found a possible shop !!! Can you believe that !!! Just when I'm now NOT in a position to be thinking of business and here is an almost perfect place ... but if it was perfect then why can I find all the things wrong with the situation ... If only my house was completed here then I would have no hesitation in taking this shop ... however yet again I have to make that pros/cons list and see where it leads me ... (prioritise I suppose sanity vs practicality)

In the meantime between bouts of head banging and prioritising I've also been playing - I'd like you to meet my latest addition to my play family - The Queen of Hearts, her 'ugly' sisters and a few of her little friends :

The Queen in all her glory...



All the 'Ugly' sisters (above) - I've only managed to find red, black and pink hearts at the moment... the bead lady is looking out for other colours for me... Not sure exactly where they are going to feature in my bag of tricks but hey ??? AND (below) all the little 'Angel Friends'...

Well at least this is keeping me out of mischief ... although maybe it's not stopping me from moaning though!!! :-) (Hey it's in my nature to moan LOL)

And talking of moaning I'm sitting in my little cubby hole of a room in the house, heater on, blankely wrapped around my legs, watching the rain 'lash' against the windows and playing !!! wif my new fwiends !!! ;-0 !!!

Phew!!! It's Wednesday night and I survived!!!

Well I made it through today ... I have negotiated thousand pound contracts, dealt with some serious sensitive stuff in my previous professional carreer but never have I felt as sick and stressed as I did for this meeting at school, I'm convinced that was what was causing the migraines and nausea!!!

We had a long 'serious' chat , mum said she was very proud of me for not 'loosing it' and then it was all over and we all agreed that the most important thing was that Kelsey was happy at school and everyone was on the same page and *poof* it was all over.... Mum and I then went for breakfast, and 5 days of migraines and 5 sleepless nights was just forgotten... LIKE THAT...(mind you after a slimmers breakfast at Mugg & Bean all can be forgotten!!! LOL)

And we move on ...I still have a house to find,business premises, my car needs some 'wobbldygook, thingy -me-bobby' fixing on it, I still need to renew Kelsey's passport, and the rest of our house needs to be built etc. and so 'living the dream' continues...

Kelsey is playing Hockey tomorrow!!! So just wait for those action photos again... mind you if the weather has anything to do with it I'll be watching from the car... shock horror we are expected to have maximum tempearture of 18c and gale force winds... I hope the winds are blowing towards their goals!!!!

This week's Challenge...

To get through this damned meeting with the school on Wednesday without 'breaking down' 'beating up' or 'throwing up' !!!! Why do I feel like this when we are the victims here????

I have hardly slept since this stupid thing happened and now again today I wake with ANOTHER migraine.... the left shoulder feels like I have hot needles being shoved into it and I'm convinced it's STRESS!!!!

But - the sun is shining and the birds are singing and when all else fails I can always grab a bar of chocolate !!!!! (A.V.W.S = A Very Weak Smile)

Work done, weekend almost over again

Wow another week gone and the weekend is also almost over ...

Have had a hell of a week, after we celebrated Kelsey's birthday on Tuesday the rest of the week just flew by...

I had this order to complete and get out - yup I know not my usual style but when the customer (who's paying the bill) asks, you do!!!! I don't usually like repetitive orders but this one was a little different in the fact that I was able to change some of the designs a little... well I only had a limited number of sheets of peel offs and as I am all the way here is SA and I can't just pick up the phone and order more when I need them I have to 'maak 'n plan'!!!! lol.

Well the customer was delighted and I guess that's what matters eh?

Kelsey's had a harsh week... his best mate was off school sick and he ended up having a bit of a run in with a couple of boys at school... well 7 against 1 scenario... I am so sick of this!!!! BUT what has really freaked me out is that the teacher who is in charge of 'disciplining' the kids gave Kelsey a lecture justifying WHY he was being 'picked on' CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT???

Well I'm taking it further (not that Kelsey wants me too, cos he says he wants to have a chance of playing on the 1st Team Rugby next year and these bullies just happen to be part of the 1st Team ????) ... this is yet another first for me ... your kid gets 'bullied' at school, the teachers condone it, and your kid does'nt want you to take it further cos he wants to play on the same team as these kids!!! WHAT THE HELL!!!!

Just remember Janet " You're living the Dream!!!" Then I wonder why I'm having these tension headaches, can't seem to shift this damn chest cold... and fell positively like S...!

Cake & Candles

So many candles we nearly caused a fire!!!

Wafting away all that smoke ...

All the pressies ... V.I.P. the DC's (only kids (and boys) will understand so I'm told) lots of money of course, as well as some sea monkeys, and his very own 'crystal' (meths oops!!! kelsey said that) set !!! (you know that was something I always wanted when I was a kid, sea monkeys not crystal meths !!!!p.m.s.l) Guess we're gonna be doing some science experiments at the weekend... I'll let you know if we blow ourselves up... LOL.

As you can see by these photos Kelsey enjoyed his 12th Birthday yesterday, despite the fact he'd had a crap day at school - his best mate is off sick and he'd had a set too with one of the boys at school, who by the sounds of things is a big bully!!!

(oh! oh! I'm off on my high horse again !!! kids can be so cruel, and NO I'm the first to admit my boy is no angel BUT !!! when a bunch of kids gang up on one then it really gets me going !!!! but deep breaths and keep calm... let the bloody school sort it out cos if they don't !!!!!!!! :-(!!!)

But Kelsey knows that at home he's our number 1... he was thoroughly spoilt, he loved all the attention with the phone calls, text messages and e.mails from everyone ... thank you all ... and then he waitied patiently till after dinner before he opened his pressies ... he's such a card at times!!! Aunty J has a notice board in her kitchen where we all write our shopping lists on... he was wandering around with it around his neck with "I want presents" written on it ... then Aunty J said there was a word missing he then wrote NOW !!! I don't think that was the word she meant !!!!! LOL.

Later on though he did say it would have been a totally perfect day if Dad had been here... I know what he means... :-(

12 years ago...

My but how time flies ....

Can you believe it but TWELVE years ago today I became a mummy... yup today is Kelsey's twelfth birthday... I can remember exactly what it was like 12 years ago today ... the weather was exactly like it is today (had to get the comment in about the weather there LOL) ... hot and sticky and I felt so uncomfortable ... (no don't panic I won't go into all the gory labour details) but by 5pm I had me a gorgeous baby boy!!! And the rest is HISTORY !!!! LMAO

I can't believe that 12 years has gone by and so quickly ... the things we've done these past 12 years, the places we've been, the friends we had and kept, the new one's we've made on this journey ... (oh am I getting too deep now???, what am I going to be like when he reaches 18 or even 21!!! )

Well HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my very special and precious boy ... and many, many more to come .... (enough of the sloppy stuff mum please !!!)

Tonight we gonna celebrate with the Aunt's, Kelsey chose to have his favourite dinner (Tattie Pot, bet you're pleased you're not here dad!!!!) and Aunty June baked him a Chocolate Cake !!! Of course we'll have candles to blow out... you're never too old for cake with candles!!!!

Happy National Womens Day

Today is National Women's Day here in South Africa :

9 August: National Women's Day: On this day in 1956 some 20,000 women marched to the Union [government] Buildings in Pretoria to protest against a law requiring black women to carry passes. This day is celebrated as a reminder of the contribution made by women to society, the achievements that have been made for women's rights, and to acknowledge the difficulties and prejudices many women still face.

A friend of mine sent me this lovely 'ditty' that I thought I'd share with you all:

To the wonderful women in my circle
When I was little, I used to believe in the concept of one best friend,
And then I started to become a woman.

Then I found out that if you allow your heart to open up,
God would show you the best in many friends.
One friend is needed when you're going through things with your man.
Another friend is needed when you're going through things with your mom.
Another when you want to shop, share, heal, hurt, joke, or just be.

One friend will say, 'Let's cry together,'
Another, 'Let's fight together,' another, 'Let's walk away together.'
One friend will meet your spiritual need, another your shoe fetish,
Another your love for movies, another will be with you in your season of confusion,
Another will be your clarifier, another the wind beneath your wings.

But whatever their assignment in your life, on whatever the occasion,
on whatever the day, or wherever you need them to meet you
with their gym shoes on and hair pulled back,
or to hold you back from making a complete fool of yourself
those are your best friends.

It may all be wrapped up in one woman,
but for many, it's wrapped up in several...
one from 7th grade,
one from high school,
several from the college years,
a couple from old jobs,
on some days your mother,
on some days your neighbour,
on others your sisters,
and on some days, your daughters.
So whether they've been your friend for 20 minutes or 20 years,
I would like to pass this on to the women that God has placed in my life to make a difference.
To all the women who have read this .
Thank you for a being a special part of my life !!!
xxx J.
HAVE A HAPPY WOMENS DAY

Its fried ... again!!!

How the heck does a hard drive get fried??? without being dropped into hot oil???

Dr Geek tells me my hard drive is corrupted AGAIN and I have to go thru the whole process of backing up all my details etc ... and taking the computer back to the 'warranty' holders and getting a new hard drive again???? I told him I needed my computer this weekend if possible as I have an order that I need to complete by Tuesday ... he's managed to 'isolate' the one section I needed to complete my order and I have loaded that onto Kelsey's computer.... I am soooo glad Santa gave Kelsey a computer for ... Christmas...

And to add to my 'challenge' I'm 'feeling under the weather' (no I am not actually talking about 'The Weather'!!!! ) See the quote below from Gussy Tucker, whenever she sends me an e-mail she always includes a little bit of infomation from a 'nautical book' she has :

To be Under the Weather means to feel unwell and unable to function properly, and is yet another phrase with its origin out at sea. In days gone by when a sailor was ill he would be sent below decks where he could recover. Under the decks and 'under the weather' his condition could begin to improve.

So right about now I wish I was under the decks, tucked up in bed with a hot toddy and a a good sailor (pmsl)!!!!! But I suppose the Mars Bar Chocolate cake that I bought as my comfort food will just have to do instead !!!!

This weeks challenge:

The laptop - it's stuffed AGAIN !!!!

There are NO pills available on this planet that can help with this type of stress!!!!!

More info tomorrow after it's been to Dr. Geek !!!!

A whole day wasted today trying to keep the system running long enough to do this weeks back-up!!!! Another day wasted !!!!

AND NO mention of the weather !!!! LMAO

Finally we start on the main house....

House progress to date:

Thursday 30th July - Day 1 - start of the walls on the main house ...

Friday 31st July - End of Day 2 - walls going up....

Monday 3rd August - standing outside my back kitchen door !!!

Monday 3rd August - external and internal walls to half way mark....

Onto Another Week ....

I wasn't going to talk about the weather this week, but it changes so often that I just have to keep mentioning it...

Last night before we went to bed the sky was cloudless and you could see the whole of the Milky Way, it was beauoootiful ... not yet seen Mars which is supposed to be getting closer to earth!!! But we'll keep a look out for that ... this morning is beautiful ... clear skies, sun shine and birds singing loudly ... (SPRING?? :-)

I had a lurvely surprise last night - BNM1 has finally (it only took a year of my pestering) got Skype ... so we had a nice long chat ... herself in Florida myself in South Africa !!! Isn't technology a marvelous thing???

Been on the phone to some estate agents ... mum, Kelsey and I (oh and Indi and of course Paul when he visits!!!) going to be looking for a place to stay, seeing as how we have no idea how long it's going to take for that 'Miracle' we been praying for (to sell the house UK side!!!) and the Aunts need their lives back before Christmas (oops sorry to mention that word but after all it is only 143days away!!!)

Plus I need to get me A into G and get my business up and running - hello! in less than a month's time we will have been here 1 YEAR!!! I still have a storage place full of stock (which is probably outdated by now, well not in Africa!!! lmao) and now I need to start making some 'pennies' and finding my mojo again, and getting me a customer base!!!! SO the idea is to find a 'house/place' big enough for us all to live in AND run the business from .... that way I only have to find 1 rent a month !!!! (quick thinking there Cheryl!!! lol) I'll keep you all posted on our progress .... :-D

It may be miserable BUT...

Oh No! she's not at the bloody moaning again is she????

You forget just how wet, cold and miserable it can get here ... last week we moaned about the 'winter' when it was cold on a morning but the sun still managed to shine some time in the day ... unfortunately the forecasters got it right for this weekend .... yesterday the thick heavy clouds massed and then it started raining and it has'nt stopped since ... and it bloody cold too!!!! (oh shut up women when are you going to learn that there's one thing you have no control over - the weather!!!)

But none of that stopped us from having a lovely day - celebrating Penny's Birthday... we went for 'Sunday Lunch' to The Meercats ... a very nice local pub/restaurant just up the road from us ... we have definately decided we'll be visiting there again soon ... and it was even cosier cos they had log fires burning all over the place ... and of course the food was fab!!!

Me & Kelsey looking gorgeous as ever !!!!

The Lurverly Jessica & Kelsey waiting for FOOOOOOD !!!!

Ready for dinner !!!

Dayne before food!!!!

Opening Pressies - note the Pink Scarf (handmade by me for Penny for her birfday)

The rest of last week was a bit of a mission ... but then again when do I not have a mission???

Had a 'lurverly' chat with Sharon on Skype last night and she came up with a great idea ... you know how other crafty bloggers have a 'Challenge of the Week' and it's usually something crafty for you all to do??? Well I'm going to have a 'Challenge of the Week' but mine's going to be telling you all about the 'Challengers' I have to face (LMAO !!!)

Like - getting my car serviced that took 9 hours !!!! and I still have to go back!!! Like Paul sending me money via internet/electronic transfer and 24days later it still not being here and no one seems able to find it BUT he's sent me more in the mean time and that arrived safely and on time as usual !!!! (O.I.A)