BRRRRRRRR – I FORGOT MY SLEEVES…..

I have this really cool winter jacket that I scored from Hubby’s work and it has sleeves that can zip on or off, so it can be worn as a sleeveless jacket too. It is black, so it is of course a vital item in my wardrobe for winter.
Now you see this morning I put on my black polar-neck top and grabbed my black jacket on my way out the door forgetting that on Saturday night I had taken off the sleeves while we were out watching a movie (me and some girl friends), now I am sitting at work getting cold cause I forgot my sleeves at home!
The jacket looks good with or without the sleeves, but I am cold without them at the moment.
Oh me….

And I have come to the realization that I am seriously lacking in the clothing and shoes department for winter that it is not actually funny. I have one pair of boots that I need to have re-soled because they are leather and I am not going to go out and buy new ones when all these need are new soles. But then that is the only pair of winter shoes I have. So, guess who’s going shopping at the end of May – that’s right – ME!!!
I am going to get me a pair of black boots, and tops etc. I have got loads of jerseys and jackets and plenty sneakers, but I need some trousers, hhhmmmm, my list is growing already. And I will need something a bit dressier for work. I do wear denims to work, but when we have important guests around, it is important to look important, heh.

So let’s see, that’s one white, pink, blue, and black top, preferably a polar neck type, and maybe something green, never really tried a nice green before, two pairs of black pants, one black jacket and one pair of boots. YAY! I love shopping, but I have to make a list before I do or I end up with all sorts of impulsively bought items that don’t fit right, or look right.

So, what are you all thinking of getting for the new season – I know that most of you bloggerflies are not in S.A, so things are warming up in your parts of the world, got any must have items you want to get for the summer? I mean what’s a new season without a new item of clothing or 2, or 10, and some new sandals of course, a really cute pair or 3 or 6 – hee!

Now I am cold from typing – my fingers are frozen and stiff with cold.
I am going to have some tea to warm up.

I GOT THEM SUPERMODEL BLOOOZ.......

So I went and had my hair cut and coloured a few days ago, and granted I do look like a Super Model now and my hubby can't seem to get enough of me - I realised last night why I have not cut my hair into a shortish style.It is too much effort!!! I cut it into a sporty shoulder length bob style - and it looks Fabulous - but it is a mission now to have to style it in the mornings.

I have to blowdry it and use my straightner to get it sleek and neat etc, etc - which I am used to doing, but the thing is I have this new Ultra Larny Hairdryer. It is a salon type - one of those really big ones with the looooonnnnnge nozzle and handle. And it blows so powerfully that it blows everything on my dressing table around!! I literally have to sneak up on my hair with it so that the part I have already styled doesn't get blown all over the show again! And because it is so big - it feels as if my arms are too short.

I worked up quite a sweat doing my hair last night - it's like a work out, and of course hubby will lie on the bed and tell me what I am doing wrong, and that it's my own fault for choosing such a big powerful hairdryer and so on and so on, but I got it right in the end and the result is - of cousre - perfection. But I cant help wondering how long my hair will take to grow out again so that I dont have to worry about styling it everyday - only now and then. Then again, maybe I will get so good at styling it that I will keep it this length.

Oh the woes of being a Super Model.... ;*

I'M IT!!!

I been tagged by Angel, a Six Things list - so here goes:

1. I totally *"gril" for ice. When someone removes anything frozen from the freezer and it makes that sound - you know the two frozen surfaces scraping on each other - ugh, I get hairs on my teeth, goosebumps and my toes curl!! Same with taking ice out of the ice tray or chewing on it - just writing this gives me chills. Anything to do with ice - even if it is in a movie and even the sound of ice-skates on ice...I can't bare it!! Ice. Yup - weird, I know.

2. I have a thing/phobia for other peoples bodily fluids – spit, snot, sweat, blood, and any other you can think of – I want to just die if I come into contact with it at any time – vomiting has occurred at such encounters. I hate having to blow my childs nose for him - I want to disinfect my hands when I am done - it totally grosses me out.

3. I am allergic to all animals – yes including cats. And even though I suffered permanently when I had my cat I loved her too much to do anything drastic, until we moved that is. I really want another cat one day, and I will probably get one regardless of my allergies.

4. I am lazy when it comes to work, my filing piles up and I spend too much time doing other things (like blogging...). I can work really fast and I can catch up within half a day – so it doesn’t really worry me. But I am good with housework, that doesn’t really bug me to much at all, I have no problem doing that when I need to. I don't have a maid or anything so I do everything myself - and quite frankly, I don't think I want a maid either.

5. I am useless at anything mathematical. My math teacher wrote on my report card at the end of 9th Grade that he felt I would be a much happier student once I had dropped math. He was right – I was much happier.

6. Now this is a shocker - I don't have my drivers license yet - YIKES!!!! I know, I know - it is shocking, I think life just got in the way... you know baby's, children, no time - I don't know. When I looked again time had flown and I still hadn't done it. I am working on it - mainly cause hubby said when I get it I get a car!!! - maybe, I am holding thumbs though!! But trust me there will be huge celebrations when I do get it!!!

Now it's my turn to do some tagging, and I tag:

Beads - from Mississippi Mud Pie
Terri - from Terri's Web Stuff
Debra - From Soul Reflections
Peach - From Just Peachy

Have fun gals !!

* A South African term that originated from the Afrikaans word to explain something that gives you chills, makes your toes curl etc, like nails on a blackboard...

DNA MAPPING

I saw this on Angel's blog, for those of you who haven't been there here is a link angel, and I decided it could be interesting to try out and see what they say about me. Well it turns out I am a Benevolent Director - yea, I said the same thing...

Any hoo, here are a few descriptions of me and a picture of my DNA MAP:

· As a DIRECTOR, you combine an unusual openness and passion for beauty and style with confidence and a down-to-earth sensibility that allow you to realize your vision.

· By focusing on what is real and concrete, you achieve more than those who always have their heads in the clouds.

· Having beautiful things in your life gives you pleasure and satisfaction - you have a keen eye for style.

· When routines get too familiar, you become bored and start looking for ways to spice things up.
· You are a great person to interact with—understanding, giving, and trusting—in a word, BENEVOLENT

· Your caring nature goes beyond a basic concern: you take the time to understand the nuances of people's situations before passing any sort of judgment.

· You're concerned with others at both an individual and societal level—you sympathize with the plights of troubled groups, and you can care about people you've never met.

· Considering many different perspectives is something at which you excel, and you appreciate that quality in others.

· Other people's feelings are important to you, and you're good at mediating disputes.

· Because of your understanding and patience, you tend to bring out the best in people.

Benevolent Director

You can move your mouse over each colour and it will tell you what it is. Most of the things I have to say I agree with, it is quite a good personality test dontcha think?
See ya all tomorrow - at least, chat to ya all tomorrow...

MY INTERVEIW

Well, I asked Terri to interview me and in my honest opinion she did a very good job of it. (And thanks for writing such neat stuff about me Terri!) Before I started blogging hers was one of the blogs I would visit daily. I became very fond of her and I love the way she writes. She writes a killer short story too, here is a link to her site if you haven't been there yet: http://www.terriweb.blogspot.com
Terri's blog has become a daily fix for me and I feel honored to be interviewed by her. So with out any further ado - here it is:

Question 1:
It's proving quite difficult to come up with questions for you, because you're so open about yourself on your blog. You have a husband who makes you happy, children you adore and parents and siblings you obviously love dearly. You seem to be happy in yourself. In fact, you seem to have the perfect life - one you are completely content with. Is this an accurate reflection or do you have regrets, or things you would change if you could?

1) In a nutshell, yes I am happy – now. It has not always been this way, but I believe that God can take any unhappy situation and turn into something positive. Regrets I have are that I know I have caused pain in peoples lives and that things said and done cannot ever be unsaid or undone. But as I said before – I think I said it before - regret is something you need to learn to leave behind. And that is what I try very hard to do. I am happy in myself, now. And I am confident in my husbands love for me too. We are good together.

Question 2:

This sort of relates to question 1, but not quite... How did you picture your life as a grown-up when you were young? Is it very different now to what you wanted for yourself when you were a kid?

2) When I was young I pictured myself as a rock star!! Up on stage with an audience of thousands – no millions!! All singing along to my music and cheering etc!! So, I guess you could say it is very different to where I am now. I still dream of being on stage – I guess I always will.

Question 3:

OK we've had one on the present and one on the past, so let's have one for the future. Do you envisage any big changes in your future? For want of a better phrase - where do you see yourself in 10 years' time?

3) You know, I would love to be touring the world with my husband and family taking God's Word to people everywhere! I love to share about God and what He has done in my life and I can see myself “preaching” His word in many different countries. And if it is in His plan for my life, then that is what I will probably be doing.

Question 4:

You live in Centurion which is in Jo'burg if my geography doesn't deceive me. From my point of view - having lived out of the country for almost 5 years now - South Africa has changed enormously in recent years and is continuing to change rapidly. How do you feel about South Africa? Have the changes made a big impact on your life, and if so, in what way? Do you think circumstances will ever prompt you do make any major life changes like moving away from Gauteng, or even away from South Africa?

4) Just a correction there Terri – Centurion is right behind the Boerewors* Curtain. We are in Pretoria, the last city you hit before Midrand. I love S.A! I am positive about the changes that are occuring, but the unemployment and the crime rate is still extremely high and that is disheartening. Afrimative Action is also still strong and as a result young white males cannot find work here – it is a worry having 3 sons, but I trust that they will be blessed with work, maybe they will live abroad and work in other countries too. I am happy in Centurion, but if, for whatever reason, we find we need to make a move I will move – I am not afraid of change. If it comes to leaving S.A, I am not closed to that option either – I just don’t think I will ever leave S.A permanently, maybe for a few years and then return again. Home is, afterall, where your heart is.

* This is an Afrikaans term used to describe Centurion and Pretoria by people in Jo'burg.

Question 5:

Ah, you thought you'd got away with it, didn't you? Yes, Spookie, it's The One You Don't Really Know If You Want To Answer. After lulling you into a false sense of security, I'm going to get personal. Because really, there's only one personal question I have to ask you: Will you tell us the story about how you met your husband? I know he was married when you met him and I know this causes you to feel guilty sometimes. You have also mentioned in one of your posts that your early relationship with your stepchildren was a bit difficult. How did they come to live with you? OK I know this is a multi-part question but it's all the same theme so I'm hoping you'll humour me.

5) Sneaky hey. Ok, here goes – you comfy? Good.

We met at work. I was working at a 1 hour photo lab and he came to work there too. We hit it off immediately – there was definitely a spark, an electricity right from day one. But I knew he was married and so we became very good friends – sharing everything with each other. His marriage was in turmoil and they were both very unhappy. He did not even speak to his wife anymore. They had been married for 3 years and had a son – Marke, and she was pregnant again, with Sean. One day without even thinking about what I was saying I just blurted out that if he was so miserable why not get a divorce? Anyway, our friendship grew and I fell in love with him, I think he fell in love with me then too – I am not sure. I found another job in randburg at the same time and moved there. I was there for nine months and he would come out and see me every weekend, his wife had moved to Nelspruit. I couldn’t believe I was having an affair with a marrried man – I even sent him away once and told him I couldn’t do it. The guilt and shame was just eating me up inside. I even told my mother about him so that she wouldn’t hear it from someone else, like the people I had worked with before. She knew, right from the start that he was the one. It was a very difficult relationship, I cried alot cause I was so torn between love and guilt. And then when Sean was born and My husband went to go and see him I was prepared – I thought – for the fact that he might decide to stay with his wife and children. He didn’t though and their divorce came through a wile later. And about 4 or 5 months later I moved back to Centurion.
I still live with the regret and guilt of the pain I cause in her life. I cannot imagine what she was going through being pregnant and all. My husband and all of his family have told me that I was not the reason they got divorced and have told me that their marriage would never have lasted anyway cause they didn't love each other. He married her cause she was pregnant. I do believe them, but a part of me will always bear the guilt.
For reasons that I will not go into Hubby got custody of the boys. Their mom just isn’t stable or strong enough emotionally or otherwise to raise two boys on her own. She visits often and they visit her and she and I get along well.

I guess I never told this before cause I know of so many men who left their wives for other women – and even if people say my situation was different, it doesn’t make the fact that I was “the other woman” any less painful a label to wear.
What I did was SO not like me, but my mom says that if it was not meant to be and if we were not intended for each other, things would not be going as well as they are now – and we would never have been as happy as we are.
My early relationship with my stepchildren was very rocky and I made many screwups, but I think it was because I was very young – 22, and I had no idea what being a full time mom was all about. Suddenly I had two small children in my home – 18 months and 4 years old and my lifestyle took a HUGE change. I had no more late nights partying away cause I had to be up early and make sure the boys got breakfast and changed nappies and watch them – you can’t leave two small children to their own devices. Sometimes I felt like a hired nanny and I resented my husband for working weekends and leaving us alone all weekend and my temper would flare and the boys would be the ones to bare the brunt of it. When I had Donovan, all that changed, slowly – something changes inside you when you have a child and I was suddenly aware of what mothering was all about. It is not just making food and washing dishes and clothes etc – it is so much more. And if I could go back – I would go back and redo those years and spend more time loving and less time worrying and working at loving.


Phew! thanks for that Terri – it has helped to get that all out in the open. I just hope other women out there who have experinced the pain of divorce wont judge me too harshly.

These were great questions – I hope I did them justice.

And thank you for being so special Terri.

Ok, here are the "Interview Game" rules:

If you want to participate, leave a comment below saying, "interview me".

I will respond by asking you five questions - each person's questions will be different.

You will update your own journal/blog with the answers to the questions.

You will include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post.

When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will then ask them their own five questions.

And so on and so on.