To be honest, I have no idea if anyone reads my blog – but I don’t really care as it is good for me to write things down and get them off my chest,
I have been remiss in updating my blog this past week, but things are a bit hectic right now especially with the family crisis overseas wrt my nephew etc.
I am also royally pissed off since middles sister went to help baby sister in the UK with the said family crisis for 4 weeks and has informed as that they are not coming back.
I am seething with anger – I don’t care that she has skipped the country and not said goodbye to us, her family, I’m mad that she has upped and chucked off leaving her daughter behind too. My niece is 23 and in the middle of her studies, the only family she has now are my aunt, uncle, cousin, myself and HTB.
Luckily my aunt and uncle live fairly close to her near Boksburg where she is currently staying, but we are in KZN.
I have been so stressed and upset with all the family drama that I have not slept for a week which renders me rather ratty and irritable, which means poor HTB gets it in the neck.
I was a PFH (Psychobitch from hell) last night because HTB commented that he does a lot of work around the house. We don’t have a maid and we both work full time. I sweetly pointed out that he generated most of the mess in the household, and if he felt that he was doing too much work around the house he was entitled to refrain from doing so! HTB noticing the steely glint in my eyes wisely backed off and modified his statement that we both did a lot of work around the house and peace was restored. I then huffily proceeded to wash the dinner dishes, had a shower and retired to bed in a sulky mood. I did not sleep a wink the whole night – and woke up with a sore jaw from clenching my teeth.
I have dragged myself to work – but have to face the dentist later for a filling. Luckily I am meeting some girlfriends for drinks after work where I shall proceed to have a restorative drink or too before heading home to oh so hardworking HTB!
HTB id desperate to go camping this weekend – so we are off to Highmoor tomorrow which should be rather pleasant. Hopefully I will be able to get some shuteye and improve my sour mood.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
TGIF - Again
I resolved that my blog would record funny zany musings of the crazy day to day happenings in my life – but there are some days where all the things that happen are sad.
First off, my youngest nephews in the UK is critically ill in an ICU in hospital in the UK where he lives with my youngest sister, her husband and their beautiful children (they have 4 kids in total)
So my poor sister has spent the last 3 weeks at her youngest son’s bedside praying for a miracle.
To assist this family crisis, I paid for our middle sister to fly over to the UK to help the youngest with the current family crisis. The remaining 3 kids need to be taken care of while their mother is at the hospital and their father has to work.
So middle sister and her husband flew over to stay with the UK family for 4 weeks to help – but have decided they are not coming back!
Husband is going to fly back in 2 weeks, pack up the house, rent it out etc... and then fly back to rejoin middle sister and the remaining family in the UK for good. No goodbyes nothing!! That now leaves me to be the only one left in SA to take care of and put up with WS (wicked stepfather)
WS is a British citizen, so I may just pack him off to the UK and the 2 sisters over there can look after him for a change.
Cuzz C, who is always, admired by us for her upbeat personality in spite of life’s challenges, is going through a rough patch with a non committal man who she has just “terminated”, termination of contract employment coming up, worries about financial security etc.. and I am really worried about her. I wish I could have won the 90 million lotto so that I can take care of everybody.
The cherry on top of this was to receive a letter from SARS indicating that I owe them 200 000 rand. Luckily for me, my tax returns are submitted by a very clever reputable tax consultancy, and they have lodged an objection on my behalf. It seems that SARS are trying to tax my pension funds a little too early- about 17 years too early. I guess someone has to pay for the tax revenue deficit.
On a positive note: TGIF
First off, my youngest nephews in the UK is critically ill in an ICU in hospital in the UK where he lives with my youngest sister, her husband and their beautiful children (they have 4 kids in total)
So my poor sister has spent the last 3 weeks at her youngest son’s bedside praying for a miracle.
To assist this family crisis, I paid for our middle sister to fly over to the UK to help the youngest with the current family crisis. The remaining 3 kids need to be taken care of while their mother is at the hospital and their father has to work.
So middle sister and her husband flew over to stay with the UK family for 4 weeks to help – but have decided they are not coming back!
Husband is going to fly back in 2 weeks, pack up the house, rent it out etc... and then fly back to rejoin middle sister and the remaining family in the UK for good. No goodbyes nothing!! That now leaves me to be the only one left in SA to take care of and put up with WS (wicked stepfather)
WS is a British citizen, so I may just pack him off to the UK and the 2 sisters over there can look after him for a change.
Cuzz C, who is always, admired by us for her upbeat personality in spite of life’s challenges, is going through a rough patch with a non committal man who she has just “terminated”, termination of contract employment coming up, worries about financial security etc.. and I am really worried about her. I wish I could have won the 90 million lotto so that I can take care of everybody.
The cherry on top of this was to receive a letter from SARS indicating that I owe them 200 000 rand. Luckily for me, my tax returns are submitted by a very clever reputable tax consultancy, and they have lodged an objection on my behalf. It seems that SARS are trying to tax my pension funds a little too early- about 17 years too early. I guess someone has to pay for the tax revenue deficit.
On a positive note: TGIF
Monday, February 15, 2010
Floorsanding and Families
Oh joy of joys! The floors sanding saga is finally over and they look stunning. We can now resume living like normal, not camped out in one room at a time. There was a fine layer of reddish dust everywhere and a massive cleanup campaign was scheduled on Friday afternoon.
I got home on Friday afternoon, fortified myself with 3 Woolies cup cakes, changed into a t shirt and shorts, tied a bandana around my head – I meant business and started to do the massive cleanup.
I had to damp dust everywhere, including the picture frames, rehang curtains, wipe every bit of furniture down, re position all the furniture and pack things away, plug in all the electric appliances etc etc…
This took me from about 13:45 to about 16:45. I decide to stop for a rest with a Savannah lite to refresh and fortify myself. HTB then duly arrived looking like a cat that had got the cream, because he had gone to collect kitty, who is the cat who gets the cream. He was positively beaming with delight as he had desperately missed her, and was so happy to have his beauty/princess/darling back home. (He used to call me these things but kitty has usurped me) After kitty had run around the house, we fed her and left her to settle down. HTB then knuckled down and cleaned up the bathrooms which were filthy. We finished the big clean up by 8 pm, all sweaty and tired. We showered and headed off to our favourite restaurant for some supper as neither of us was in the mood to cook.
We got home and hopped off to bed. Kitty joined us, but since she was unsettled, she pawed me and bugged me for attention the whole night. I eventually locked her out of the bedroom, but still got no sleep as she yowled plaintively outside the bedroom door. HTB slept through the entire drama. Typical male selective hearing. I had to let her back in and spent the rest of the night trying to catch forty winks with a needy fretful cat (just like a baby). I spent most of Saturday reclining on the couch with kitty nursing a thumping headache from heat/sleep deprivation. We decided to braai that night, and I invited cuzz C to join us for our impromptu braai. As soon as we decided to braai, it started to rain, so HTB was banished with braai paraphernalia to the verandah, while Col and I reclined in comfort on the sofas drinking wine.
Apparently, according to springbok boy scout HTB, the braaing process was hampered by the fact that the wood was wet as well as him and the braai were being rained on. He was told to persevere nevertheless while we girls knocked up a salad. Somehow, is spite of the adverse braaing conditions, HTB managed to successfully scorch the boerie and lamb chops to and edible state, and get the foiled tatties and onions done to a turn.
We had a rather satisfactory meal with more wine. Thereafter, HTB retired to have a shower as he had been totally smoked out and asphyxiated during the braaing saga. The evening was finished off with chocolate for dessert.
After Col left, we 3 (me, HTB and kitty) headed off for bed. Kitty and I were both really tired and we passed out on the bed. According to HTB, kitty was the only one who moved around from lying by my feet, to onto his chest then between the 2 of us. I woke up on Sunday morning (Valentine’s Day nogal) to find HTB sleeping with his arms alongside his head, and kitty happily curled up and snuggled into his armpit. One happy little family!!
I got home on Friday afternoon, fortified myself with 3 Woolies cup cakes, changed into a t shirt and shorts, tied a bandana around my head – I meant business and started to do the massive cleanup.
I had to damp dust everywhere, including the picture frames, rehang curtains, wipe every bit of furniture down, re position all the furniture and pack things away, plug in all the electric appliances etc etc…
This took me from about 13:45 to about 16:45. I decide to stop for a rest with a Savannah lite to refresh and fortify myself. HTB then duly arrived looking like a cat that had got the cream, because he had gone to collect kitty, who is the cat who gets the cream. He was positively beaming with delight as he had desperately missed her, and was so happy to have his beauty/princess/darling back home. (He used to call me these things but kitty has usurped me) After kitty had run around the house, we fed her and left her to settle down. HTB then knuckled down and cleaned up the bathrooms which were filthy. We finished the big clean up by 8 pm, all sweaty and tired. We showered and headed off to our favourite restaurant for some supper as neither of us was in the mood to cook.
We got home and hopped off to bed. Kitty joined us, but since she was unsettled, she pawed me and bugged me for attention the whole night. I eventually locked her out of the bedroom, but still got no sleep as she yowled plaintively outside the bedroom door. HTB slept through the entire drama. Typical male selective hearing. I had to let her back in and spent the rest of the night trying to catch forty winks with a needy fretful cat (just like a baby). I spent most of Saturday reclining on the couch with kitty nursing a thumping headache from heat/sleep deprivation. We decided to braai that night, and I invited cuzz C to join us for our impromptu braai. As soon as we decided to braai, it started to rain, so HTB was banished with braai paraphernalia to the verandah, while Col and I reclined in comfort on the sofas drinking wine.
Apparently, according to springbok boy scout HTB, the braaing process was hampered by the fact that the wood was wet as well as him and the braai were being rained on. He was told to persevere nevertheless while we girls knocked up a salad. Somehow, is spite of the adverse braaing conditions, HTB managed to successfully scorch the boerie and lamb chops to and edible state, and get the foiled tatties and onions done to a turn.
We had a rather satisfactory meal with more wine. Thereafter, HTB retired to have a shower as he had been totally smoked out and asphyxiated during the braaing saga. The evening was finished off with chocolate for dessert.
After Col left, we 3 (me, HTB and kitty) headed off for bed. Kitty and I were both really tired and we passed out on the bed. According to HTB, kitty was the only one who moved around from lying by my feet, to onto his chest then between the 2 of us. I woke up on Sunday morning (Valentine’s Day nogal) to find HTB sleeping with his arms alongside his head, and kitty happily curled up and snuggled into his armpit. One happy little family!!
Valentines day
I have just read my cousins blog about her Valentine’s Day yesterday. Her story is so poignant and brave, and I wish that in the future she will have that someone special to spend every day with her , not just on Valentine’s day. She deserves nothing less. Yet in spite of the curved balls life has thrown at her wrt to relationships, she remains positive and upbeat. A person made with lesser mettle would have buckled into a little heap by now. I know lots of “single” women, who on these so called “couple” days have to put on a brave face and smile sweetly when labeled as single with no significant other, as if their single state renders them lesser that the rest of us with a partner. I agree 100 % with her that it is better to be alone than in an unhappy relationship. I know, I have been there!
HTB and I had a quite relaxed day with none of the usual hype on Valentine’s day yesterday
HTB likes the simple things in life, so while he was still asleep on Sunday morning, I sneaked out into the garden in my nightie, picked some flowers and arranged them in a wine glass on a tray with fruit juice, coffee, fruit salad and a Valentines card. I put the tray on his side table, so it was the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes. He was ecstatic. He said that I didn’t have to go to so much trouble, and just waking up in bed next to me every day is good enough for him. So sweet! We lazed around and read the newspapers in bed – such luxury. He then took me out to the midlands for a lazy lunch.
HTB was a confirmed bachelor for most of his life. I asked him yesterday, what he did on Valentine’s Day before we found each other. His answer was that it was just another day. And he is right; it is just another day in that every day should be Valentine’s Day, for everybody, even if you are single or in a relationship, and not just for couples- for everybody young and old. When out at lunch yesterday, I noticed whole families spending the day together and this is how it should be.
HTB and I had a quite relaxed day with none of the usual hype on Valentine’s day yesterday
HTB likes the simple things in life, so while he was still asleep on Sunday morning, I sneaked out into the garden in my nightie, picked some flowers and arranged them in a wine glass on a tray with fruit juice, coffee, fruit salad and a Valentines card. I put the tray on his side table, so it was the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes. He was ecstatic. He said that I didn’t have to go to so much trouble, and just waking up in bed next to me every day is good enough for him. So sweet! We lazed around and read the newspapers in bed – such luxury. He then took me out to the midlands for a lazy lunch.
HTB was a confirmed bachelor for most of his life. I asked him yesterday, what he did on Valentine’s Day before we found each other. His answer was that it was just another day. And he is right; it is just another day in that every day should be Valentine’s Day, for everybody, even if you are single or in a relationship, and not just for couples- for everybody young and old. When out at lunch yesterday, I noticed whole families spending the day together and this is how it should be.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Stuffed chicken breasts and Red shoes
We are still in the middle of the floor sanding saga – the house is chaos – hopefully it will be completed by this week Wednesday or Thursday.
Friday afternoon: Attended gym with Cuzz Coll. We both gritted our teeth and sweated our way through two circuits. I don’t know why we do this – it’s awful- and said as much. Coll and I decided that we only go because we both go and it is good for us in the long run.
On Friday night it was our monthly Tiara club getogether. 5 of us readily convened at Yossi’s for good food and wine. I had chicken breasts stuffed with gorgonzola and apricots in an orange cream sauce. It was sublime. I immediately went and bought the ingredients to replicate the meal for HTB as this is one delicious taste sensation. I was going to make it for HTB this weekend, but alas I was too busy with lectures followed by whirlwind shopping with Coll to make any meals. I have resolved to make it for him tonight – if I can get into the kitchen depending on what the floor sanding people are up to.
As usual Tiara club was great – except Shaz is in NZ and we really missed her.
I had to attend lectures this weekend – the one advantage being that I was in an air-conditioned lecture hall and not in the stinking hot humid Durban weather. However the lectures finished early, so I called Coll, as we have been planning a shoe shopping expedition for some time now, to go hit the shops for some retail therapy. Now only those who have ever watched SATC will now what we are talking about.
Every girly has to have a few pairs of CB (Carrie Bradshaw) FM (f***k me) KA (kick ass) shoes. The criteria for these shoes is that they must be sexy, fashionable, very indulgent and not in the least comfortable. We decided that we needed red shoes to complete our shoe collection. We headed straight for Ooh La La at Musgrave and we both immediately found the shoes we needed. We also both bought 2 pairs each (ok – I did buy a third pair but they are sensible work shoes and don’t count) Coll bought two pairs of lovely sexy strappy sandals – one pair in red and one pair in gold. I bought 2 pairs of satin wedges with a lovely ankle strap and rose detail on the strap, one pair in red and the other in baby pink. Of course we did not stop there, we each bought a top and I also bought a lacy shrug. Once satiated with this spree, we then headed to Pick and pay to do more mundane grocery shopping for necessary items like food etc…
When I got home, HTB was given a private fashion parade in my new shoes. He clearly liked them since I was given some more nice attention.
Well I don’t know if Coll has worn her shoes yet – but I have already worn my pink pair. HTB and I went to watch a movie on Sat night and I insisted on wearing them. They remind me of ballet pumps – which nurtures the inner ballerina in me. I always wanted to do ballet, but for some reason my mother never sent me to ballet lessons, but when I wear my pink satin shoes, I feel like Margot Fonteyn.
Friday afternoon: Attended gym with Cuzz Coll. We both gritted our teeth and sweated our way through two circuits. I don’t know why we do this – it’s awful- and said as much. Coll and I decided that we only go because we both go and it is good for us in the long run.
On Friday night it was our monthly Tiara club getogether. 5 of us readily convened at Yossi’s for good food and wine. I had chicken breasts stuffed with gorgonzola and apricots in an orange cream sauce. It was sublime. I immediately went and bought the ingredients to replicate the meal for HTB as this is one delicious taste sensation. I was going to make it for HTB this weekend, but alas I was too busy with lectures followed by whirlwind shopping with Coll to make any meals. I have resolved to make it for him tonight – if I can get into the kitchen depending on what the floor sanding people are up to.
As usual Tiara club was great – except Shaz is in NZ and we really missed her.
I had to attend lectures this weekend – the one advantage being that I was in an air-conditioned lecture hall and not in the stinking hot humid Durban weather. However the lectures finished early, so I called Coll, as we have been planning a shoe shopping expedition for some time now, to go hit the shops for some retail therapy. Now only those who have ever watched SATC will now what we are talking about.
Every girly has to have a few pairs of CB (Carrie Bradshaw) FM (f***k me) KA (kick ass) shoes. The criteria for these shoes is that they must be sexy, fashionable, very indulgent and not in the least comfortable. We decided that we needed red shoes to complete our shoe collection. We headed straight for Ooh La La at Musgrave and we both immediately found the shoes we needed. We also both bought 2 pairs each (ok – I did buy a third pair but they are sensible work shoes and don’t count) Coll bought two pairs of lovely sexy strappy sandals – one pair in red and one pair in gold. I bought 2 pairs of satin wedges with a lovely ankle strap and rose detail on the strap, one pair in red and the other in baby pink. Of course we did not stop there, we each bought a top and I also bought a lacy shrug. Once satiated with this spree, we then headed to Pick and pay to do more mundane grocery shopping for necessary items like food etc…
When I got home, HTB was given a private fashion parade in my new shoes. He clearly liked them since I was given some more nice attention.
Well I don’t know if Coll has worn her shoes yet – but I have already worn my pink pair. HTB and I went to watch a movie on Sat night and I insisted on wearing them. They remind me of ballet pumps – which nurtures the inner ballerina in me. I always wanted to do ballet, but for some reason my mother never sent me to ballet lessons, but when I wear my pink satin shoes, I feel like Margot Fonteyn.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Wine and supper in bed!!
After work yesterday, Cuzz C and I bunked gym and met for coffee to catch up on more skinner. The coffee shop had a special with coffee and chocolate cake which we could not pass up. It was lovely and chocolaty and warm and gooey! We will work out extra hard at gym today to make up for our sins.
After coffee, I made it through the traffic home to the half completed floor sanding job, managed to make more space in the kitchen so HTB could access said kitchen.
I half heartedly and not very enthusiastically started supper by boiling some rice. I then plonked onto the bed – we have no lounge or TV currently. HTB came home from gym and offered to make his signature snoek and rice dish. I readily agreed. He made the supper and served it to me in bed with wine.
He then washed the dishes and made me tea which was served to me in bed also. A gal certainly can’t complain about that! HTB is a definite keeper.
After coffee, I made it through the traffic home to the half completed floor sanding job, managed to make more space in the kitchen so HTB could access said kitchen.
I half heartedly and not very enthusiastically started supper by boiling some rice. I then plonked onto the bed – we have no lounge or TV currently. HTB came home from gym and offered to make his signature snoek and rice dish. I readily agreed. He made the supper and served it to me in bed with wine.
He then washed the dishes and made me tea which was served to me in bed also. A gal certainly can’t complain about that! HTB is a definite keeper.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Floorsanding Saga continues
After work yesterday – went off to gym and did one and a half circuits instead of 2 – better than no circuits. Cuzz C and I then headed off to have a coffee and catch up on gossip.
Got home to find that the floor sanders had lifted the carpet in the living area and the passage and had started to sand the wooden floors – it looks lovely, the only problem we can’t put any furniture back in there until the floors are sealed. This mean we cannot get into the kitchen or any of the spare bedrooms until Thursday.
Thanks to the kitchen being inaccessible we had to eat out. Once back home I managed to squeeze between the 2 bookshelves and various other items of furniture stuffed in the kitchen to make us some tea.
This morning I managed to make a little more space so as to wash the dishes and make breakfast. I managed to make coffee and pronutro in the space of one third of a meter. My contortion skills are getting quite good.
HTB, who does not cope well when his comfort is affected, has already started hyperventilating about how are we going to iron clothes and cook etc, as the furniture can only be moved back on Thursday.
Have re assured HTB that I will make a plan and to chill! Being twice my size he is rather disadvantaged and cannot squeeze in anywhere, so is rather helpless right now.
Got home to find that the floor sanders had lifted the carpet in the living area and the passage and had started to sand the wooden floors – it looks lovely, the only problem we can’t put any furniture back in there until the floors are sealed. This mean we cannot get into the kitchen or any of the spare bedrooms until Thursday.
Thanks to the kitchen being inaccessible we had to eat out. Once back home I managed to squeeze between the 2 bookshelves and various other items of furniture stuffed in the kitchen to make us some tea.
This morning I managed to make a little more space so as to wash the dishes and make breakfast. I managed to make coffee and pronutro in the space of one third of a meter. My contortion skills are getting quite good.
HTB, who does not cope well when his comfort is affected, has already started hyperventilating about how are we going to iron clothes and cook etc, as the furniture can only be moved back on Thursday.
Have re assured HTB that I will make a plan and to chill! Being twice my size he is rather disadvantaged and cannot squeeze in anywhere, so is rather helpless right now.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Chicken soup and floorsanding for the soul
On about Thursday last week I ran out of one of my BP meds – and did not get a chance to replace them until the Sat morning. Suffice it to say, that by Friday evening I was snarling at HTB through my teeth like a she wolf for the huge crime of leaving a teaspoon and teabag in the middle of the 2 kitchen sinks while I was trying to throw together my famous flung chicken and roast veggies for supper, having invited Cuzz to join us for supper. Also – I had just had 2 filling at the dentist and the LA was beginning to wear off, so I have a good excuse for being all snarly. I resolved to get my meds ASAP on the Saturday. In spite of the snarling, HTB remained calm and unruffled to his credit, but did remind me to go to the pharmacy first thing on Saturday to get the meds. Once I had got them, we stopped at Sam Browns for a breakfast where I consumed a double dose immediately. HTB then announced he was going to record the length of time it would take for the meds to take effect. After breakfast we got home and I fell asleep on the couch for a couple of hours and started to feel much better. Apologised to HTB for snarling at him. HTB accepted apology.
Saturday evening passed without too much excitement. Sunday the sun was shining- which does not happen often in Kloof – so I took advantage and hung up some washing. After breakfast, HTB and I headed off to Umdloti beach for a swim and snorkel. This was rather pleasant. We had a beer and salad for lunch then headed home. HTB expressed a desire for my famous homemade chicken soup that I make from scratch by boiling a chicken carcass up for stock and so forth. I decided to teach HTB to make the chicken soup himself so that he now has 5 recipes under his belt! He is quite an enthusiastic student and was proud of the result.
I have arranged for our yucky old greeny/grey carpets to be lifted and the parquet floors underneath to be sanded. This would be traumatic for kitty – so kitty was dispatched to Helga the cattery lady in Everton.HTB was given the task of taking kitty to her 5 star kitty hotel- which she does not, for some reason appreciate, which he also hates doing as he is the big softy in the house, so I had the horrible job of stuffing yowling kitty into her cat box for HTB to take to the cattery.
The next 2 weeks should be interesting as all the floors in our home are to be sanded. Watch this space!
Saturday evening passed without too much excitement. Sunday the sun was shining- which does not happen often in Kloof – so I took advantage and hung up some washing. After breakfast, HTB and I headed off to Umdloti beach for a swim and snorkel. This was rather pleasant. We had a beer and salad for lunch then headed home. HTB expressed a desire for my famous homemade chicken soup that I make from scratch by boiling a chicken carcass up for stock and so forth. I decided to teach HTB to make the chicken soup himself so that he now has 5 recipes under his belt! He is quite an enthusiastic student and was proud of the result.
I have arranged for our yucky old greeny/grey carpets to be lifted and the parquet floors underneath to be sanded. This would be traumatic for kitty – so kitty was dispatched to Helga the cattery lady in Everton.HTB was given the task of taking kitty to her 5 star kitty hotel- which she does not, for some reason appreciate, which he also hates doing as he is the big softy in the house, so I had the horrible job of stuffing yowling kitty into her cat box for HTB to take to the cattery.
The next 2 weeks should be interesting as all the floors in our home are to be sanded. Watch this space!
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