Life At A Glance

Quite a few things have been going on since my last post, some of which can be summed up in this “Life At A Glance”:

Clockwise from top left:

• I completed my second course via UCT for the year. I’m really quite chuffed with myself and the results that I received. Hard work really does pay off.

• My best friend and her husband celebrated their first wedding anniversary in the time that I was offline. They also celebrated their birthdays (on the same day) of which hers was the big 30! They’ve been living in LA for over a year now, but will be coming back to the Mother City for a month long visit in December which I am super excited about.

• Speaking of birthdays, we’ve celebrated many of them — especially in September where we had one nearly every day of the month. This cake was my first attempt at a Kit-Kat cake that I made for my niece’s 13th birthday.

• John Legend will be performing in Cape Town in November and when the tickets for this concert went on sale, they sold like hot cakes. I was really bummed that I wasn’t able to get my grubby paws on a set for Granville and I, until a few weeks ago when a colleague told me that some had become available! I dropped what I was doing, went on line and secured two tickets to the show’s opening night, which happens to fall over the weekend of our second wedding anniversary.

• I believe that there is a cycle of events that one attends through life. I’ve been through 16th, 18th and 21st birthdays. Then hen parties, kitchen teas and weddings. Now it seems as though I have entered the time for baby showers. I am having loads of fun planning my high school friend and bridesmaid, Rene’s shower for later this year as she gets ready to pop in early January. She is one of five friends getting ready to welcome an extra pair of feet into their families (within the next six months) and I can’t wait to welcome each little bundle.

• We’ve started on some DIY projects at home. One of them was restoring this wrought iron table which has now found a new home on our balcony. Over time I’ve discovered my own sense of decor style (which I’m really glad Granville likes too) and this definitely fits into that.

• I am blessed enough to have a family who don’t need an excuse to get together and have a good time. When you throw in a number of family birthdays on top of that, you know that a fun time is about to be had. This photo of my mom, brother, husband and I was taken at a celebration of five birthdays in one at the Italian Club in early September. The next day we all got together again to celebrate our flower girl, Lana’s “Day At The Races” birthday party.

• No doubt about it, I have the most amazing husband! He had taken a few days of from work last week and when I came home, I discovered an enormous gift-wrapped box on our bed. Inside were these beauties! The reason for this super fantastic gift? Because he believes that I have the talent to take my hobby and make it grow into something bigger. Oh, and just because it was Thursday…

Hello July!

I can’t believe that we’ve officially entered the second half of the year. It seems like just the other day that we were doing a countdown to welcome in 2014!

Nevertheless, I’m embracing it with a few “mid-year resolutions” one of which is to stick to the goals I set myself as far as my blog goes.

That being said, I’m starting up a new installment (for lack of a better word) called: “Life At A Glance…” It will include a collage of some snaps that I’ve taken throughout the month. Some will lead to longer blog posts, while others won’t. What they have in common though is that each one means something to me.

So without further ado, here is the first “Life At A Glance…”

Clockwise from top left:

• It was my brother’s birthday on 28 June. He is my younger (and only) brother. Often he drives me crazy, but I wouldn’t trade him for the world.
• My dad would have celebrated his 59^th birthday on 28 June as well. Sadly, he passed away nearly three years ago, but he is always remembered on this day like every other.
• This month marked a year since my best friend left for the USA to get married. I can’t wait to see her (hopefully) later this year.
• My sister-in-law gave birth to our (second) super cute niece on 17 June. Welcome to the family and the world aunty’s poppet!
• The Soccer World Cup kicked off this month and I drew Argentina in the pool we have going at work. They play their knock-out match this evening, so I’m keeping everything crossed for the boys in blue.
• Granville and I visited Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens earlier in the month. This photo was taken from the Boomslang Tree Top Canopy Walk.
• June is a month of birthdays in our family. We celebrated my mom’s with some good Mexican cuisine at Fat Cactus, Mowbray.
• Granville and I headed to the village of Greyton for a weekend getaway. This was the view of our accommodation from the bed (where I was curled up under the blankets when taking the photo).

Reid Wedding

After loads of distance, time and airtime between them, family and friends gathered at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Klipheawel on 1 May to witness Vanessa and Gio commit their lives to each another. Chosen not only for its …

The Newman’s Present: A Ribbon In The Sky

Saturday, 5 April was a beautiful and blessed day. Not only did it have the most perfect autumn weather, but it was also the day that our dear friends, Melissa and Clinton promised their lives to each other — before friends, …

March Madness Part Two

Nicole’s Italian Club Birthday Bash

After the romantic start to the month, it was time for a crazy party, when, less than a week after Nikki and Kurt’s wedding, my family headed to the Italian Club for Nicole (my cousin Darren’s girlfriend’s) birthday.

She’d been telling us about her party since January, and her excitement was infectious! Everyone was looking forward to it, despite the only thing Nicole was able to tell us about the place was: “It’s in Milnerton. The food’s amazing and they have an Elvis impersonator!”

Thanks to the power of Google Maps, we all found the venue and were gob-smacked to discover that this hidden gem was just off Koeberg Road.

Inside, the venue was set for a party – three to be exact. Yip, three birthdays all been celebrated on the same night with one group of people crazier than the next.

The menu left your mouth watering and your eyes popping, as the proper Italian names are given for all of the dishes. (Thank goodness for English descriptions and waitrons who don’t find it rude when you point at what it is you’d like to eat).

The jaw-locking names were worth it though, because the food did not disappoint. There were only two things that could give it competition – the cupcakes that Nicole’s granny baked and the entertainment.

Performing music from nearly every era, the live band had the crowd on the floor in no time. That teamed with their box of wigs and props for everyone to use was a lethal combination of fun. At one point in the evening, Elvis was dancing on our table and there was a train going around the venue – instigated by none other than Nicole herself!

Thank you Nicole, your crazy family and mine, for an unforgettable evening – but most of all to your granny for those AMAZING CUPCAKES!

A Bushwhacking Birthday

I was blessed to celebrate my 29^th birthday last month. Seeing as it was my last before the big 30 (God willing) I decided to do something different. What I came up with shocked quite a few people – I had decided on a tent camp!

Doing this was quite out of the ordinary for me for three reasons:

1. I always have lunch or tea with my family the Sunday of my birthday.
2. I have never gone away for my birthday.
3. I have always been the person that has needed the most convincing to go tent camping.

Tweede Tol, just outside of Wellington was the place that I decided to go to. I’ve heard nothing but good things about it and after looking at photographs of the place, I was sold. And so, it was that on Valentine’s Day some friends and I headed out for a weekend of bushwhacking.

Even the drive to the campsite was breathtaking – and I’m not just talking about the spectacular views. You see, to get to Tweede Tol, which is a Cape Nature site, you have to go over Baine’s Kloof pass. This is all good, if you’re on the mountain’s side, because the other side is a steep drop. It’s so bad, that Lynn has actually said that the next time we go over it; she needs to be in a deep, deep sleep.

Heading through Wellington before reaching Baine’s Kloof Pass.

Views from Baine’s Kloof Pass.

On arrival, Granville and I set up our tent (yes, I really helped with all of that) and settled in to wait for the others. Once all the tents were pitched and the fire was started, Granville got to work on his most amazing biltong potjie. It was during this time, as the sun was setting that we realized that between nine people we had packed everything except the kitchen sink – and extra torches! Granville and I had one between us, as did Jeremy and Lizel. Thankfully, theirs was so bright that Gary was forgiven for bringing a torch with flat batteries.

Our home for the weekend, before attaching the fly-sheet.

The stream behind our campsite, which was used as a quick place to cool off.

One of our neighbours.

The next day was insanely hot. The heat was so intense, that we didn’t make it to the site’s huge waterfall, from which you can jump into the natural pool below. Instead we went to a smaller, closer one. It was so gloriously cool. With a baby waterfall and fish nibbling at Melissa’s feet, we stayed at this natural pool until our hungry bellies forced us back to camp.

One of the two natural pools.

At the campsite and going for a dip.

The Hartogh’s clearly love photo-bombing!

I love this sequence of events.

Eventually the sun got the better of us once again and we set off in the opposite direction to cool off in the natural pools in the site’s day visitor area. It is here that we discovered a boy, diving down in front of one rock and coming out the other side. He had found a tunnel through the rock that was big enough to swim through. Did this discovery not call to Clinton’s inner child! He very excitedly went through the underwater tunnel and even showed other children where to go and how to do it!

The day visitor’s “pool”.

After a super yummy braai for supper, thanks to Erin and Granville, we played a few rounds of 30 Seconds by (single) torch and firelight before calling it a night. Unfortunately, we had to head back home the next day. More accurately, we headed to my uncle’s house to spend the rest of our Sunday in the pool.

Packing up on Sunday morning.

Thank you everybody for making my birthday weekend camp so much fun and so memorable. I know that my last year as a 20-something is going to be a good one if this is how it began. So, here’s to many more camps, good friends and family and the year that lies ahead.

Fluttering Lashes

I do believe that I’ve been blessed with quite a few of my dad’s personality traits and physical features. Unfortunately, his beautiful long eyelashes was not one of those things. Not to say that my lashes were non-existent, but they always needed a mascara wand’s magic touch to give them an extra bit of “oomf”. The problem with this though, was that every time I needed to apply some I became a danger unto myself — having stuck the mascara wand in my eye many a time.

Thankfully, my friend Melissa has come to my rescue. She owns a company called Scarlet Styling, and offers a wide range of beauty treatments including Brazilian blow dries and make up artistry. Recently, she’s added lash extensions to her box of tricks and I’m over the moon about it.

It was in the comfort of her home (normally she comes to where you are, but Granville was playing golf nearby so I went to her) that I had my lashes transformed…

Tools of the trade.

Melissa puts the eyelash glue on a funky purple stone while she applies the lashes because it makes the process easier.

There are different lengths of false eyelashes that gets applied with the iLash Artistry Adhesive which gives the client natural looking lashes.

The glue that is used to attach the false lashes to your own.

I’m not going to lie, it’s a long process. It took nearly two hours of Melissa concentrating to individually glue a lash extension to each of my natural lashes. And as hard as she was concentrating, I was too — on keeping my eyes closed and trying to lay as still as possible, a task that I have never quite mastered. My attempt at this was well rewarded with the most beautiful, natural looking, false eyelashes.

Melissa at work.

It’s been just over a week since I’ve gotten my luscious lashes and I’m still getting compliments about how great they look, and how open my, narrow, eyes look. With a fill required on a monthly basis, at a very reasonable price, my new eyelashes are something that I will most certainly be maintaining.

If you’re interested in having your lashes, hair or make up done in the comfort of your own home, feel free to check out, and like, the Scarlet Styling Facebook page on https://www.facebook.com/scarletstyling/info.

 

New Year’s Eve Campout

December 31^st is a day that many, if not everyone, looks forward to. It’s a day when you can pat yourself on the back, because no matter what may have happened to/with you throughout the year, you’ve gotten through it. Midnight brings with it a brand new year filled with hope and possibilities. It marks the start of a blank page in a 365 page book that you are able to fill with the most amazing memories and adventures.

This date also symbolises a night filled with parties and, sadly, many people driving recklessly. For this reason, my friends and family always meet up at one house, party the night away and sleep over and this past New Year’s Eve, we did it with a twist, by camping in my cousin’s backyard!

With tents pitched around the campfire in the middle of his yard, the music pumping and the Jäger bombs flowing, New Year’s Eve 2013 was definitely one for the memory books. Besides the laughs, fireworks and glow sticks, Inga also took her final puff on a cigarette!

Thank you to everyone who was there to ring in 2014 and especially Gary and Lynn for hosting such an amazing night that led to a great New Year’s Day…

So here’s to a very Happy New Year everybody! I hope that each of the pages in this new book you’ve been handed is filled only with great things.

Pitching tents for the night to come.

The fire’s set and ready to go.

Inga’s last puff on a normal cigarette. It’s just e-ciggies for her now, with minimal nicotine!

We’re not just friends, but family!

And So They Said “I Do”

Together for eight years, our dear friends, Charlene and Zaayien, tied the knot earlier this month – not once, but twice! Their first wedding was a traditional muslim wedding, with the second a white wedding held under a canopy of trees at D’Aria Wine Estate in Durbanville.

A natural beauty, both inside and out, Charlene looked breathtaking and Zaayien’s smile when he saw her was absolutely priceless…

Charlene and Zaayien, thank you for an amazing, fun-filled day. It was truly special. May the love and respect that you have for each other continue to grow and may your union always be blessed. Granville and I are both honoured to have shared both your weddings with you. Congratulations!

At Charlene and Zaayien’s muslim wedding.

Some family members at the first wedding.

The beautiful bridesmaids

Uncle Julian giving his eldest daughter away. I love this photo…

The wedding cars were just jaw-dropping.

Congratulations. May you forever be blessed.

A Very Merry Christmas

There are certain things that will always remind you of Christmas and put you in the festive mood. For some it may be making Christmas pudding/cake. For others the anticipation of trifle is what does it for them. In our family, it’s going to buy a fresh Christmas tree for my mom and decorating it (my mom is probably the only person I know who still has a fresh tree, but it really is great) and the smell of gammon filling the house as it’s being cooked on 24 December for lunch the next day. Even though I’ve missed the gammon smell since moving out last year, Granville and I still go and help my mom and brother decorate the tree, where each of us put on our own special ornament. My mom’s is the most special though: an ornament that was handed down to her from her grandmother. As she says: “That (candle) was on Mamma’s Christmas tree when I opened my eyes, so who knows how old it is”.

My mom with her three angels and each of our special ornaments. Erin’s “Believe”, the star that Granville places on the top of the tree, my great grandmother’s candle and a teddy that I’ve loved for as long as I can remember.

I hope that one day, should Granville and I be blessed with children, they will be able to say the same thing about an angel ornament of my mom’s that I always loved and she gave me this year, as well as the beautiful angel we received from friends, Charlene and Zaayien, at their wedding earlier this month.

Mine and Granville’s Christmas tree at home. The angel in the bottom left corner is the one that my mom gave me.

This and the extra special time with family is a huge part of what Christmas is to me, and that’s exactly how we spent it – with family at my super godmother’s home. I hope that everyone was able to have a day that was as blessed and filled with love and laughter as mine was.

Here’s a bit of our Christmas day in pictures…