Sticks and Stones.

Can you guess what I did this Thursday?

New Acquisitions #4

I coveted these when I first saw them - I love all the artists featured. Also, I have a thing for cards - playing cards, tarot cards, post cards, ACEOs, and yes, even  kids' games such as Happy Families. The first lot sold out before I could get my act together, and then I saw on Esti's blog that I had another chance to order them. Yay! It is like having 32 miniature works of art. (See here for all the artists).

Have a great weekend everyone. Be a Happy Family.

Blanket. A recipe.

Take one fleece blanket.
Sew some rows of stitches with cream cotton yarn.
Sew on some car boot sale buttons.
Done.

Experiment.

Take six drops of water.
Tell them that you love them.
Then photograph.

Okay, just joking.
I followed the advice of clever Kendalee of Dance of a Painted Lady - and photographed my kaleidoscope at work ...

Dry.

Succulents in my sun room ...

No U-turn.

Captured this morning in Simon's Town.

In Search of Happiness - Right Now?

Found yesterday  - in Fish Hoek.

Xmas

Meet the Big Dog

Yesterday Snous went to meet Simon's Town's famous Great Dane - Just Nuisance. To read more about him, click here.

Weekword: Lesson

Bear School, where ....

... the Three Bears have to learn ...

... their lesson ...

What do you think point 3 should be?

Figure 24: The Three Bears' Lesson

For more Lessons in Life, see Alexandra's blog !

New family member!!

Meet Snous.

Dia de los muertos

For the past 6 years I have made an offrenda on the 1st of November.

Offrenda - 2009.

Water - a story.

Yesterday we were without water again. For the entire day. And on Saturday the water was cut off for half a day as well. My mood was not good. Although we have become used to water problems in our area (something to do with an old system of pipes that cannot handle the load), this was the longest we have been without water. We ranted and railed. Not being able to shower and wash my hair puts me in a vile mood. L'Usband felt there was not enough Information about the problem given through to us. Information! he grumbled, Information! At about 9 pm we got a call from the technical services department. With Information. Sorry, the problem persists, they are sending out a water tanker to the neighbourhood with water. By this time I had accepted the waterless day and my grubby state. Actually, I was beginning to see it all as an adventure (a bit late in the day, I admit). We took our three pails and marched up the hill in a roaring wind and pitch darkness - our area does not have street lights - to find the tanker. And two very friendly gentlemen to help us.

L'Usband shivering in the wind, waiting for the pails to be filled ...

... and the two very helpful council workers. Full of smiles. I was beginning to feel quite bad about my attitude. For one day I felt what millions of South Africans without running water in their homes experience every day.

We struggled home with our three pails of precious water. Against what seemed to be a gale force wind. When we got home, the water was on. Yes, the water was running through the pipes. And a little later there was thunder and almighty lightning flashes and the water came pouring down from the heavens, I kid you not.

I did not know what to make of all of this. I still don't know. But this morning, as I was clearing out my bookshelves to make space for new books, I came upon a book by Beverley Nichols called Merry Hall. I got it a few months ago at a car boot sale and I just bought it for the cover which has a lovely illustration (by William McClaren). I have never opened this book. I opened it. It fell open at this page -

I kid you not.

Absent

The car guard usually sits on this upturned milk crate. But today he was absent.

UPDATE: From the comments it seems that the ubiquitous car guard is a curiously South African phenomenon. Here is a short explanation. Some car guards are appointed by local businesses to look after cars in streets and parking lots. (We do have a lot of crime, including the more petty kind such as car break-ins and car thefts.) Other car guards (probably most) are self-appointed. Yes, it may be a glorified form of begging, and I am not sure what a car guard will actually do if someone breaks into my car (in most cases, nothing, I suspect, and I do not blame them - why become involved and possibly risk your life for a few measly rand that you may or may not get from the car owner?), but I guess they can act as a deterrent. A little bit like locking your front door when you go out - it makes you feel safer, and prevents a chancer from just walking in and helping himself, but it is of course useless if someone really wants to break into your house. This is my take on it - the car guard feels that he has a job and I feel that I am helping to support someone. It annoys me very much when locals say that car guards should get "proper" jobs - there are very few of those around here. Proper jobs, I mean.

Weekword - update

I'm late! I'm late!! I am working on a project, and in the midst of this did something very naughty: I slipped away for a few days, partly to visit this place, which is indeed part of my personal history - my dad grew up here:

So I am not at all ready for weekword yet. I hope to post mine on Sunday evening. In the meantime, here are the other participants:

Linda Sue, Sarah, Leenie (possibly), Anne, Valentina, Aris, Aimee, Esti, Alexandra, Veja Cecilia, Nicky, Sarah the jeweller (who is having another amazing giveaway of a beautiful pendant), and Line. Also Cindy!

Have a great time visiting their blogs. See you a little later!

Weekword: Twilight

From the beautiful poem Clenched Soul by Pablo Neruda. Cindy chose this weekword; look at her lovely blog Quaint Handmade for other participants.

This Space

I do try.

Happy #3

Blue skies make me happy.
It has been raining in Cape Town for the last couple of days. I like the rain, and many good things associated with it. But I can't say that rain makes me happy. Especially since the rain brings so many added problems to the informal settlements in and around Cape Town. On the other hand, blue skies, even just a patch of blue, always make me happy. They speak of summer and good times and hope.

(Images above all taken on my Karoo trip. For other participants, see Lisa's blog.)

Happy #1

Spontaneous road trips make me happy.

Both L'Usband and I freelance - which makes spontaneous road trips possible. The kind where you muse at about 7 pm on Sunday night: "Jeez, wouldn't it be lovely to spend a week in the Karoo?", then look at one another, gleefully say: "Let's go!" and leave early the next morning. No planning, no bookings. Just get in the car and go. That makes me happy.

Lovely Lisa of curious girl is hosting a Happy Week - so from Monday to Saturday we will be posting things that make us happy. Have a look at her blog to see other participants.

PS Spontaneous road trips notwithstanding, I am also happy to be back - I have missed all you beautiful people!

Time Off

I'm taking a week off for a much-needed break. Will see all of you beautiful people next weekend! Have a great week, my dears - read, eat, drink some wine, take a road-trip (even if it is just around the block), sit in the sun, draw, paint, think, dance a little (even if it has to be by yourself), dream, make lists, sing. Because that is what I'll be doing!