Stop the World I want to get OFF

I cannot  believe  that  it  is a month  since  I  last  had  the  time  to sit  on my computer, I  have  so missed  reading everyone's  blogs,  it is  like  I have  lost  touch  with  all my friends.......  which  I  have......  it  will take  me  some  time  to  catch  up,  but  at  long  last  things  are  slowing  down  and things  are  back  to normal........  well  as   normal  as  my  life  can  be.

Financial  year  is  over,  with going on our new  computer  system  in June last  year,  this  was  our  first  financial  year  end  and  it was  tough,  it  was  rough  and  it  was  dirty......  I  feel  like  I  have  gone  10 rounds  with  Mohamed  Alie,  and  had  both  my ears, eyes  and  tongue  bitten  off  my Mike  Tyson,  and  just  for  good  measure  have  been worked  over  by the  Gladiators............  and  that  doesn't  begin  to explain  how  touch  it has  been.

I have  been  spring  cleaning,  I reached  a  stage  when  I could  not  live  any more  with  all  the "Ex's"  personal things,  and  so  I  advised  his  lawyer  he  had  21  days  to  collect.......  surprise.......  he  didn't  and  so  I packed,  and  packed  and  packed,  he  had  3  boxes  of  shoes........  he  had  more  shoes  than  me.........  he  had  15  bags  of  clothes................15  bags..............  and  with  every load  I  carried  outside  it  was  like a piece  of the  hurt  dropping  off.

I had  an  18th  party  for  my daughter,  planned  an  outside party  under  the  trees,   with  umbrella's  it  looked stunning  but  before  I  could  take  pictures  and  10 minutes  before  the  25  guests  arrived...........  the  heavens  opened...............  so  it became  an inside  party...........  oh my goodness..................  this  was  a  big  one  for me  i  had  to allow  people  to eat  in my lounge.................  in my  lounge...........  on my  couches...............actually eat.............
Then  it  was  Easter,  and  all the  preparation  that  goes  around  that..................
Then  I  went  back  to  court...............................................................................
And  then  I  did  a  Woman's  tea ........................
And  now that   I  have  my life  back,  and  some  time  on my  hands with  only  the  lessons  for  the  Holiday  club  in  June,  and the organisation for the Woman's  retreat  in  August, the painting  of  Kayla's  room,  a  Sunday  sermon,  and a  cell  group  lesson  to  do.....................   I  will be  completely  up  to date..................

 Will be  checking  up  on you  all in the  next  few  days.................

Eighteen today

Today  is  my  baby  girls  eighteenth  birthday,  I  cannot  believe  the  time  has  flown  by  so  quickly  it  was  only  yesterday  that I  held  her  in my  arms  for  the  first  time,  where  have  the  years  gone............... After  the  birth  of  my  fist daughter  they  told  me I  would have,  no  more  children  and  I was  okay  with  that  I  had  a  little  girl,  a  career  to  build.
And  then  10 years  later I was  feeling  a  little  sick.........  with  my  first  pregnancy  I was  sick  for eight  and  a  half  months,  and  put  on  only  5  kilograms,  left  the  hospital  in  my normal  jeans................ so  off  i  went  to the  doctor,  I  thought  he  has  lost  his  mind  when  he  wanted  to  do  a  pregnancy  test..............  and  it  was  positive.....................
I  cried  all the  way  back  to  work.............  told  my  boss  I  needed  to  go  home................... it  is  strange  how  when  you  know  you  have  a  little  person  growing  inside  you  how  quickly  you  accept  how  quickly  you fall in  love..............   I  was  sick  again  for 8 months  at  one  time  they  wanted  to  put  my in hospital  because  I  had  pulled  the  muscles  in  my  back,  I  lived  off  bread  with  sugar  on.............   that  was  about  all I  could  keep down.........  mind  you  if  you  think  about  it  I at  least  got I my  starch  and  sugar  intake  each  day.

I  went  to  the  doctor  in the  morning,  to  do  a lung  test on the  baby, the  doctor  phoned  to  ask  where  I  was,  and  I  told  him  at  work.............  they  wanted  to  do  the  ceaser   at  9 that  evening..........  They  allowed  Kira  to  hold  her as  soon  as  she  was  born  and  they  have  had  a  special  bond  ever  since...  I  must  admit  she  was  the  ugliest  baby  I  had  ever  seen,  she  looked  like  a  little  vulture..........  talk  about  turning  into  a  swan............
The  second  night  I  was  in hospital  one  of  the  water  pipes  broke  and  the whole  floor  was  flooded,  they  nurses  had  dished  out  sleeping  pills  to  all the other   Mom's,   so  24 hours  after  having  Kayla,  I  was  helping  move  sleeping  moms  and  babies  into  other  rooms,  the  next  day  I  got  a    bouquet  of  flowers  from  the  hospital  to  say  thank you.........  It  was  in  hospital  I  met  my  friend  Helen,  she  and  I  had  daughters  on the  same  day,  and  when  we  were  chatting  we  discovered  we  had  much  more  in  common,  out  older  daughters  were  also  the  same  age.............  we  became  good  friends.
Kayla  had  a  difficult  first  six  years,  and  eye  operation  at  three months  for  blocked  tear ducts,  tonsils  out  at  18 months she  was  always  sick,  and  then the  big shock,  we  discovered  she  was  born  without  a hip  on her  right  hand  side.............  something  they  should  have  picked  up  at  birth...............  12  hospital stays,  and  two  operations  later,  lots of  sleepless nights,  hydro therapy, physio therapy, occupational  therapy, and  any other therapy  that  you  can  think  of she  could  walk.  I  think  at  some point  I  should  write  a  book  about  those  6  years.

And  now  here  we  are  18 years  old....................  Happy  birthday  baby................

Whoosh........................

If  I  had  any  time  at  all to  blog  I  would  tell you  that the  last  few  months  have  flown  by  so  quickly,  that  I  feel  like  my  life  is  moving  like  a super  sonic  jet,  you  don't  see  it  just  hear  the  noise  as  it  breaks  the  sound  barrier. If  I  was  to  tell you  about  what  I  have  been  up to,  I  would  tell you  about  the  birthday  present  that  the  girls  bought  me  for  my birthday,  his  name  is  Dash  and  is a Jack  Russel  and the  naughtiest  thing you  have  ever  met  in your  life, and he  has  me  wrapped  around  his  paw  already.

 I would tell you  the  wedding  that  we  started  organising  in  October,  was a success and was on the  26th  February and was absolutely  beautiful  everything was  perfect,  the  bride  looked  beautiful,   the  best part  for  me  was  the brides  dance  with  her  father it   brought  tears  to everyone's  eyes  it  was to the  song  "Butterfly kisses", and  was  just  so  special. The  fact  there  was  a  really  sexy  guy sitting  next  to me,  and  we  laughed  all night  had  nothing  to do  with  it at  all.............mmmmmmmmmmmm.

If  I  had  time  to  blog  I will tell you  I  have  been  to  court  3  times  in the  past  month  to  get  garnishee  orders  so that  my  ex-husband (  still feels  really good  to say  that)  pays  the  court  ordered  maintenance, not exactly my favourite  place  in the  world,  but at  last  step  one is  done,  I have  a garnishee for the arrears  and  step two,  for the  monthly maintenance  is  well down  the  road......  I knew  I should  have  been  a  lawyer.

If  I had  any  time  left  at the  end  of the  day  to  blog,  I  would  tell you  about  my son-in-laws  surprise  birthday  party  on Saturday  the  theme  was  St  Patrick's  day,  he  just  loves  everything  Irish,  it  was  great  fun,  and  much  fun  was  had  by  all,  it  was  held  at our farm,  just  on the  outskirts  of  Heidelberg,  there  was  no entry  unless  you  were  dressed  in green.

I would  tell you  that  the  food  was  absolutely stunning..............  the  cake  was  made  by my "bestest"  friend  in the  whole  world..........

If  I  wasn't  so  busy  and  I  didn't  know  whether  I  was  coming  or  going,  whether  I  was  here  or  there, whether  I  was  upside  or  downside,  whether  I  was  Arthur  or  Martha,  in fact  I  would have  so much  to tell you  if  I  didn't  feel  like  this...............................

Smile..

Smile 

Smile though your heart is aching; Smile even though it's breaking. When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by. If you smile through your fear and sorrow, Smile and maybe tomorrow, You'll see the sun come shining through for you.

Light up your face with gladness,
Hide every trace of sadness.
Although a tear may be ever so near,
That's the time you must keep on trying,
Smile, what's the use of crying?
You'll find that life is still worthwhile,
If you just smile.

That's the time you must keep on trying,
Smile, what's the use of crying?
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile.

THE wedding..........

I think  that  it  might  be  safe  now  to blog about THE wedding  I went  to last  year  in November when we  flew  down  to  Cape Town  for the  weekend,  this  is  a  true  story  but  names and places  have been changed  to protect innocent  people involved.............. and no pictures........... to protect me  from a law  suit....
Lets  start  at the  very  beginning............... the wedding was  supposed  to take  place in March 2011,  and  we had  planned  to take a week and spend the time  in Cape  Town,  it  was  brought forward  because the brides parents  were  emigrating  to  Australia in December................  we are   now in  March,  and her  parents  are  still here.................
My eldest  daughter  was a bridesmaid so she  spent  all afternoon with the bride,  us lucky  ones  arrived at the venue  at  4pm  the  wedding was to start at 4.30pm.  The  place  The Cape  Pillars  is  a  four  star  bed and breakfast, and conference centre,   and  a very  pretty  place,   there  was a welcome table  set up in the lobby of the venue  with some  tea,  coffee,  and iced  water............  no glasses.........  only  coffee  mugs..............     although I must  admit  the  snacks  were  really good,   so I assumed   that  supper  was  going to be good because I was starving and  we  all know  what assume  means.
We  were  asked  to come  through  to the hall  in which the wedding would take  place,  the  colour scheme for the wedding  was maroon and  brown,  the  chairs  were  orange,  all different  shapes  and  sizes,  and on each chair  scribbled  in pencil  on a piece of paper torn  into  small pieces  from an  A4 sheet  was our names,  we  were  back  row,  now  I wonder  why that  was,  we  were  next  to the  nurse  who was  looking after  the brides  granny,  everyone  at last is  seated..........
The music  started  and the  bride appears at the top of the  stairway,   her  dress  was  really beautiful,  she  is a  slim  young  lady  with  beautiful hair,  but  attached  to her  headdress,   was  a dead  drooping  flower,   she walked  down  the  aisle,  the minister  smiled,   said the  vows, asked  if they took each  other  as  husband and wife,  read a poem about what  love  is,  you may  kiss the  bride........  7 minutes  later  the  wedding  is  over..........  no really the  wedding  is  over...........  no prayer,  no  bible  reading,  no message,  no inspiration,  nothing..........   we  travelled  1500km and spent  R 10 000 for  7 minutes,  that  is  R .. .........  a lot  per  minute.  Kira  told  me later  that  she  had  seen  the bride  paying the  minister  R 800 for these  7 minutes,  I would  have  done it  better  for  free...........
The  first photo's  are  being  taken  outside in the garden,     I tell Kira  about the  dead  flower  on the  brides head,  and her  looks  turn  me  into a tea  strainer,  I am let  into the  fact later  that the  mother,  insisted  that the  flowers  looked nice,  but that  was before  they  had  become thirsty  and started  heading  downwards  looking  for  water.  The  grooms mother,  who it was  quite  obvious  it  not too fond of the  bride   is  crying she   is refusing  to have  her  photo  taken  with the  couple, she  obviously  did  not get an invitation  to the wedding  which  said  formal,   she is dressed as thought  she has just come back from a picnic,  the  photographer  convinces  her  just  one  photo....... which because  two  and three,  until  she  stormed  off the  set..........  I mean  left the garden.
The second  photo  shoot  was taken inside  on the  stairs,  lovely  photo,  I warned  them that the  sign "mind the step"  was  visible , and  was  shot down,  they can  all be  photo shopped  out they  said ..........  well they  weren't.....  While this was  happening  the  owner wanted to put the  TV on  and can you imagine  an important  rugby game,  guys,  no one  would be taking part in the wedding,  so I put my foot  down ......
then , politely of course   that  my bed and breakfast  was much nicer that this,  and why would I change,  not sure  why but she didn't ask me again......................

We then  went  out to the back   garden  for the  reception,  where  we  took turns  in sitting  down,  as  someone  stood  up,  there  would be another  body  sitting  on the chair,  before  you  knew  what  was  happening.  As  are  most  wedding  here   it was a  cash  bar,    should  have  been  called  a day light robbery  bar,  a 2 litre  bottle  of  Coca Cola  is   R 12.99,  and  one  bottle  gives  you  8  glasses  of coke,  and they  were  charging  R 15.00  per  glass,  daylight  robbery,   we  just  refused to buy anything,  and  I stuck  with the  tea,  coffee and  water,  After the  toasts however  the champagne was  free  so with the help of the  brides  aunt  we "affirmative shopped" a couple of  bottles........... the wedding  did not seem  so bad  after  that.

Now  it is  time for the  toasts,  we are  all called  to assemble  for them,  and the  brides  step father  gives  the  first  toast..........................  no champagne  ................    he  rambled  on for  about  20 minutes,  then  her  mom  had 20  minutes, then the  best man had  20 minutes,  then the groom had  20 minutes,  that the  bride had 20 minutes ...............  is this  normal at a  wedding........................ and  his  mom cried,  and  cried  and cried...........
Now  it is  time  to get this  party going.........................  and the  DJ  for the evening  is..................... the bride................. forcing  everyone  onto the dance floor,  and  no one is in the mood,  oh  wait  a minute  there  is no mood..........

The wedding  starts  at  4pm and  now  it is  7pm  and everyone  is  starving,  and  out  comes,  finger  food,  how much  finger  food  can  one person  eat...........  lots  when  you are  all starving,  so  we  quickly ran  out of  food.  The  wedding  cake  was  chocolate  and really nice,  and came  with  a liquour  called  Amarela Cream  really nice.............. and  free..................
The brides  parents,  have a printing  company,  and the  thank you gifts  were  all left  overs  from  jobs  they had  done...........  I got a pen set for my desk,  Kayla got a mug, Kira  got a picture frame,  at  8.30  it was at  last  safe to leave..................      I pray with all my heart  that  God  was at their wedding and that  he will bless then and guide them, and protect them, I pray that the mother-in-law,  with whom they live,  will learn tolerence and acceptance, and I pray that  love  is enough  to see them  through ...........

High Tea - Victorian Style

Last  Saturday  I went  back 150 years  and  for  a  little  while  I  pretended  that  the  year  was  1868...............After  going  to    Her  Majestea's  Salon tea  garden  it  was  really  laid  on my  heart  to do  a  Victorian  tea  party  there,the  place  was  perfect,  the  ambiance  was  great  and  on their  menu  they  actually  serve  a  high  tea,  perfect.    To  "advertise"  the tea,  I had  a  few  minutes  to  talk in church  before  the  church  services,  and  to  make  it  interesting  I created, and  wore   a  hat  and  in  my  best poshest  English  accent  invited  all the  ladies  to  attend........  in fact  when  I had  finished  some  people  clapped, I think  they  forgot  where  they  were,  did  the  minister  laugh,  I think  I  missed  my calling  perhaps  I  should  have  been  on  stage.

It  was  an absolutely  perfect day  and  one of the  great  things   for  me  was   there  was  no preparation  and  when  it  was  over there  was  no  cleaning  up  and   NO DISHES.  We  sold  tickets  to    29  ladies  and  they  were  asked  to  dress  up  Victorian style  but  the  minimum  requirement  for  entrance   was a  hat ,  no  one  would  be  allowed  in  without  a  hat.

The  place looked  absolutely  beautiful,  the  tables  were  stunning  and  the  food  looked  and  tasted  fantastic.

I  was the  MC  and   was  a  cousin  to  "Vicky"  ( Queen  Victoria) I   had  done  some  googling  on  what  was  happening  during  that  time,  what  life  was  like, and  did  a  whole  comedy  skit  on the  current  happenings,  the  casting  of  Big  Ben,  the  first  steam  train  in  London,  the  Imperial  Penny  Post,  I  was  a  personal  friend  of  Frank  Turner  and  William  Wordsworth  was  a  secret  admirer  and  he  wrote  most  of his love poems  with  me in  mind.............. it  was  a  challenge  to  maintain  the  British  accent  and  remember  the  skit,  but  it  turned  out  great  and  everyone  had  a  good  laugh,  I  still haven't  decided  if  they  were  laughing  at me  or  with me.

With "Vicky'  being  a cousin  I  threatened  anyone  who  laughed  at  my "hat  hair" when  I  took  my  hat  off  with  a  beheading,  it  did  not  work,   I  love  hats  but  just  cannot  wear  them.
Noreen  Hart,  a member  of the  church  and  a  phsycolgist  gave  a  talk  on  love,  really   thought  provoking stuff,  during  the  whole  talk  she linked  song   titles such  as  ,  "I  think  I  love you"   "Love  changes  everything"   "Never ending love"  and  movie  lines  like Love  Stories  famous, "Love  means  never  having  to say  your  sorry"  in  to  the  real  world,in  to  real  relationships  and ended  with  the fact  that  love  is  a  verb,  it  is  a  doing  word,  it is  something  we  need  to  work  on,  all day  everyday  in  order  for  it  to  be  a success,   it  was  really very  apporpriate  since  it  was  just  a  few  days  before  Valentines  day.

I  had  everyone  write  a love  note  which  they  would  like  to receive  from  our  Heavenly Father  and  then  when  everyone  left  they  were  each  given someone  elses   note  as  inspiration,  it  was  amazing  how  many  people  received  the  message  that  they  needed.
As  we  were  leaving  I got  my  idea  for the  next  tea................  I  just  love the  way  God  works  never  a  dull  moment.................. we  truly  serve  an  awesome God

Lost and found

Today is a day of ones. Give one smile to one person, one hug to one other. Say an encouraging word to one. Perform one charitable act for one person. One-on-one. It’s a way of life, but it will multiply many times over in your lifetime. For now, one is a great way to start! (By Ron Cooper) 

 

I remember  reading  a  blog a few  months  ago,  it  was  Pennie's over  at Mom's Thoughts one  afternoon  she  could  not  find  her  son  after  school,  he  had  taken a short cut  home, and I remember  thinking  how  awful  that must have been,  well now I know  just  how  awful  that  was.................   Last  Friday  my  daughter  went  to a sports  evening  at the  school,  I dropped  her  off,  and  I didn't need  to fetch  her  as she  had  arranged  with her  friend  to  pick  her  up  with  the  evening  was  over,  simple......  at  about  9.30  I  phoned  to make  sure  that  all was  still organised  as  after  the  week  I  had, had  I was  exhausted  and  bed  was  calling my  name  loud  and  clear................  KAREN  COME TO  ME,  KAREN  WHERE  ARE  YOU,  I  NEED  YOU................... 

 

as  all  was  still on  track,  off  I  went to  bed,   just  as  the  sand  man  was  filling  my head  with  thoughts  of love........mmmmmmm........... my cell phone  singing  to  me  somewhere  in the  back  of my head  was  an  unwelcome rude  awakening,  as  I  dragged  myself  back  to  reality,   it  was  Kayla  asking  if  I could  fetch  her,  I asked  what  happened  to the  friend,  and she  tells me,  OH  she  forgot  her  friend  was  fetching  her...............    alarm  bells  began  ringing and  being  a  Mom  I  just  had  a weird  feeling  so phoned  her  back  and  I could  hear  she  was  a bit  panicked,  so  asked  must I  fetch her,  and  her hurried  YES  told  me  she  was  stressing  so I  jumped  in the  car,  pyjama's  and  all..........  not  a pretty  sight   and  off I  went  to the  place  I had  dropped  her  off...................  which  has  always  been  the  rule,  that  I  pick  up in the same  place  I  drop  off,   which  just  happened  to  be  a one way street, in the  rush  to  get there,  I made  mistake  number one  I forgot   my cell phone  at  home, and  after  driving  up and  down  the  street  for  10 minutes,  was  people  and  cars  everywhere  she  was  nowhere to be  found..................  okay  I am not  going  to panic  yet,  I  sped  home  as  fast  as  grease  lightning............

 

  I  flew   home  to  fetch  the  cell phone..............  and  on reaching  her on her  phone she asked  where  I was   she  was waiting ,    Luckily  we  live   minutes  away  and  as I  got  close  I was  surprised  at  how  everyone  had  left  so  quickly,  there  was  a few  people standing  around  a couple of policemen,  but  no  Kayla.............  panic  is  now  setting  in,  I have  to park the  car.............  picture  the  sceen  pyjama's............  no make up...........  bed  hair............... 

 

panic  attack.................  no one had  seen  her................. by now  hysteria  is setting  in............... so  I decided  to drive  around the  school to see if  i could  see her................  on the  other  side  of the  school  it was  in darkness  and there  was  no one  except  there  by a tree,    Kayla  all alone...........  crying  her  eyes  out................  as  usual  my first  hysteria  reaction  is  to  yell,  scream,  shout, explanations  come  later.....................   

What  had  happened  was  she  had  come  out of the  wrong  gate,  and they  would  not let  her  back  into the  school,  she  had  no air time  and  could  not  phone  me,  and  was  to afraid............  thankfully.........  to walk  around  to where  I would  be.

We  both  learnt  a  lot  of lessons,  never  forget  your  cell phone,  always  make  sure  you have  airtime,  I  will always  drop off and  pick  up to  any event,  I  really  need  to learn  not  to  panic,  and  she  really needs  to be  much  more  responsible,  if she  wants  to be treated  like  an  adult ,  it is  time  for  me  to let  go,  and  stop the  "smothering".