Ka ching

I've suspected many times before that there is a conspiracy against me. And lately I'm starting to believe it all over again. This time its about shopping. I'm always screwed one way or the other. Its freaking annoying!

I'm constantly overcharged. I just don't understand. Few days ago I bought some fruit, got home and check the slip: they added items on my bill which I don't recognize, and obviously didn't get. What do I do....go back and demand a refund? What proof do I have I didn't get the items? Other times I'll just pay much more for stuff than it was marked on the shelf - this I moan about of course if I notice in time, but I don't always notice in time (especially when the kids are with me). The other day I bought 6 breadrolls, got home and only had 5 in the pack. When I buy clothing, there's often something wrong with it when I get home....I soooo often have to exchange it. Lately I'm so suspicious, that I double check the cashier while she's ringing stuff up, just waiting for a mistake. *sigh*

Very very annoying.

Not on par

What is it with people and golf? I just don't get it. People are interested in different things (how boring would the world be if we weren't).....but tell that to them! I freaking can't stand it when they act like you're such a fool for not being interested in it. Good for you if you enjoy it. But...hello! Do I think you're stupid for not liking knitting like me? Ugh. And its not just one person, but all female golfers that act that way. Freaking annoying. To me golf is just so boring, never been interested. The husband is good at it though, although he only gets a chance to play once in a while. He would do it more often if he could get me to join...I just can't see myself ever getting interested. I did actually take lessons (uhm, well...gave up after one) - trying to get involved in something he likes. Didn't do anything for me (sorry hubby). Guess I'd like it more if I was good at it....but oh well... I knit pretty cool jerseys though :D

Why don't they come back for more?

I hate when they change the actors in movie sequels. I guess sequels should sometimes be viewed as independant movies, and not be compared to the previous. But still...it doesn't work for me.

We watched Prince & Me 2 on DVD last weekend. Didn't even know there was a sequel, just noticed the DVD in the rental shop while we were there looking for something for the kids. We enjoyed the first movie. It was predictable of course, but a nice romantic story. So when we rented the sequel, we thought it would be similar.

Not that it was a bad movie, but the fact that they changed too many characters spoiled it for me. I guess I could have lived with Eddie's parents being different actors. And the butler guy...what's his name again, Soren I think.....well, he wasn't bad - still felt weird to have the new guy though. But why did Julia Stiles not star in this movie? She had a totally different personality than Kam Heskin. She fitted in the role of Paige Morgan so well. There was an innocence about her in the first movie that got lost in the sequel. What a pity.

Oh well...maybe the pay wasn't good enough for Julia? :-/

Sometimes husbands are useful

A few nights ago, while putting the youngest to bed for the night, there suddenly came a pounding noise from the other side of the house.... sounded like someone was breaking the house down! Quite confusing...and a little unnerving since we're all still a bit rattled after having a burglary a few weeks back (while we were in the house). But as I walked down the passage in the direction of our bedroom, it sounded as if someone was breaking through the roof.... weird.

As I walked into the bedroom, I found my darling husband....standing in front of his open closet. He looked up with this wierd innocent look on his face, and said: 'I don't have any more shoes....'

Uhhh....*frown*

Huh?

Turns out he had been throwing all his shoes against the bathroom ceiling...trying to kill our latest (unwelcome btw) visitor. A rain spider. Man, this thing was Ugly! It had been wandering around our bathroom for a few days already, and we'd hoped it would find its way out the window by itself....but no. It had finally stationed itself right above the toilet, and since it had front legs in the air (which appently means attack mode), this posed a little problem. Everyone refused to use the damn toilet!

So my peace-loving husband decided that was it. His shoe plan didn't work though (his aim was totally out...kinda odd for him), but he did get it with the broom. (I had proposed the more friendly, kind, nature-loving approach....you know, the catch-it-in-a-bottle-and-set-it-free-somewhere-else approach... but I was certainly not going anywhere near it!!)

They say: "They are among the biggest non-tarantula spiders in the world." This one was really huge. And I don't care that they aren't dangerous.....they ain't no friends of mine!

Brave little Joshua

I don't follow the news in the country too closely...mainly because it is quite upsetting most days. So I only came across the story of little Joshua Hulley-Miller today, and I am astounded...and sad.

This 2 year old little boy did such a brave thing, it is absolutely amazing. After seeing his mommy shot by robbers, he must have been so scared. But then he saved her life. No child should have to go through an experience like that. Really sad to think what some children have to endure in this country.

The thing that brings tears to my eyes though is the thought of what his mother must have gone through during those hours after he left through the window, until help arrived. Being a mother myself, I cannot (and don't want to) imagine what agony that must have been...wondering if her little boy was safe, while being in such a bad state herself...not sure if her body would hold out.

Sad. Don't want to think about it...

How long do whirlwinds last?

*phew* Where do I begin!?

The last +/- 12 months have been a whirlwind of craziness! Packing up house in the Philippines to move back to South Africa, going on tour in Europe, getting back to South Africa and feeling rather overwhelmed. Within the first few months after returning we decided to move across country to Cape Town, and trying to settle down once again...

We've been in Cape Town almost 3 months now. I guess it takes a little more time to adjust than I expected :-/

We moved into this house without seeing it before. Never do that!!! We didn't have a choice though....it was that or the pavement somewhere....or maybe becoming beach bums :) Rental houses are really really hard to find here, and we didn't want to buy before getting to know the suburbs and deciding where we'd like to live. Oh well.... The house isn't that bad, but wouldn't have moved here if we'd seen it before :-/

And to put the cherry on the cake: someone broke into the house 2 nights ago, and stole all my freaking camera equipment!!! Around R50 000's worth (oh, and the husband's iPod). I'm so mad, but more freaked out because we were in the house when it happened, and in this country its really bad news to catch a criminal red handed (you really don't wanna do that). And I almost walked in on him. Almost. But just as I was about to push open the door I suddenly got this weird feeling not to go into this room.... It freaks me out that I almost didn't listen to this feeling......

Really hope this whirlwind starts to slow down......soon!

I'm back!

Wow, first post of the new year!! And a quarter of the year has almost passed already!!

Life has been crazy. Not just everyday crazy.....but Seriously Crazy! If I start to write about it now, I'll sit here for weeks.....so I'll get to all that later, bit by bit....especially since its after midnight already :-/

*smile* Its nice to be back :)

Season's Greetings

Wishing everyone out there a very Merry Christmas! Hope you have a wonderful day.

Changes

I've often heard: life's about changes. Well, I'm definitely Living!

This year has been hectic. First the move back home from abroad - a huge change! Then our Europe tour (ok, not a change, but huge adventure). We arrive back home (our old townhouse from before we left) - the kids have grown quite a bit over the years that we've been away, and the house is too small. Start house hunting. The kids go back to school - quite an adjustment, especially since they've been in an English school for so long, and we put them back in an Afrikaans school (since that is our home language). Hubby gets a bunch of job offers, and then one comes from right across country. He flies there and decides he wants the job. Few weeks later, I find myself in Cape Town.....househunting!! We're moving January!! Its all quite overwhelming....

Oh, but the house hunting trip wasn't very successful. A little snag. So now we'll have to choose house using only pictures! Its a little scary in a way... It could turn out to be a disaster! And we have to move before schools start for the new year...which is around middle January. That doesn't give us much time, does it?

*sigh* I need to refill my wineglass.....

Adorable

When we went abroad, we sold one of our cars, but we kept mine (the smaller one) so that we would at least have wheels when we visited, or returned. Yes I know that seems stupid now, but we were never sure how long we'd be away....and I just couldn't let my cute little purple car go.

Anyhow, now that we're back (and of course the family has grown quite a bit over the years that we were away) we need to buy another. So this morning my 6 year old son (who's favourite colour is green btw) has this conversation with me:

Him: When you buy a new car, can it be a green one that sometimes has a roof and sometimes doesn't have a roof?

Me: Hmm, that's a cool idea. But those are sooo expensive.

Him: Oh. Ok then, can you buy a green one that doesn't have a roof??

Wacky sleep patterns

OK, so the same thing happened. Worse actually.... :-/

I just lay down for a second, while everyone was watching a movie on my bed....and I was gone! This time with my clothes on... The kids hadn't even bathed yet either. I guessed dad got them to bed later (though he didn't bother with the bathing, and I doubt he checked that their teeth were brushed). Oh well, at least this time my own teeth did not bother me like the previous night *giggle*. I was really just so exhausted (it really was a busy busy week). And after a good sleep I felt much better this morning :)

Then this morning I walked into the girls' room....and the eldest one (which is kinda odd at times) was humming!! And yes, as far as I could tell she was still asleep!!

Two nights ago my son was in the bath, and when I got back to check on him and get him out, this is what I found:

It was kinda funny. He was snoring too!! When I tried to wake him, he turned on his side and muttered something like: 'Is it time for school?'

Molarmares!

Not quite a nightmare, but close!

Its been a really crazy busy week, and last night I was so so tired - I lay down on the bed before I was ready for bed, and not long and I was out.....before I had brushed my teeth. And it kept me from proper sleep all damn night!! There was a constant nagging at me that I hadn't brushed my teeth yet (ugh, my subconscious at work), but I never woke far enough to actually get up and do something about it. And I can actually remember the nagging.. So stupid. *rolls eyes* I stayed just under the surface of slumber all night...

And today I can't keep my eyes open.

*yawn*

I can't win

I forgot a little detail when I posted yesterday. I said that the hubby started work recently, but I forgot to mention that he's actually working from home.....that makes a little difference, doesn't it. At first I thought cool!...and it is cool, but its not an easy adjustment either.

I don't wanna bother him, but its natural to chat when he's around. Sometimes I'll notice that he's only hearing half of what I'm saying, and I hate that. Or he'll talk and talk about work or whatever when I'm busy, and I hardly take in what he's saying. When I have to go out for groceries, or whatever, he'll come along. Then later that night he'll complain about how little work he'd done that day. When I stay completely out of his way during the day so he can work undisturbed, he'll still complain about not getting stuff done. And when I comment that its not my fault cos I stayed out of the way, he'll say: that's exactly the problem....... *sigh*. What the hell am I supposed to do? I just can't win...

Shattered dream

For years hubby and I have been dreaming about working together (be it normal employment, an entrepreneurial venture, whatever). So after deciding to move back to our home country, we thought: this is it! We had decided that we would take some months off, renovate the house together (paint etc.), and work on our future plans. We're both quite introverted people, and don't need a highly social life, so this is fine. We love being together, and have never had issues spending all our time together. But it hasn't worked out this way.

This move has really been quite stressful. Everything that could go wrong, did. And being back here isn't moonshine and roses (more on that another time). Though we can afford to take a little time off before starting work again (and planned it that way), the hubby couldn't quite stick to that plan. From day 1 he was paranoid about that, and have now started work. So....no house renovations....no special time together. In fact, in the 3 months since we've been back home, we've done nothing but bite at each other. This is really sad for me, and I hate not liking my husband at the moment. But I don't.

I've spilled so many tears lately...don't know what the hell is wrong with me. And then I came to a conclusion: I have to go to work again... I wanted to stay home for the kids' sake (the whole adjustment thing, etc), but I think they'll survive. I have to start thinking about Me for a change...

Its time to get out of my little box.

I'm freaked out!

Of all the people I've met on the internet, I've never met any of them in person. I've always wondered how that would be...if they'd be close to what I'd imagined. Its almost like when you read a book, and then see the movie....its never really the same - you use way more imagination when reading the book than when watching the movie, so things are just different.

Well I think its the same with people. Of course the anonymity of the internet allow people to be different than their true selves, but I think we also perceive people to be as we'd like...especially when you become friends.

One of the friends I've made on the net quite a few years ago happens to be in the country at the moment. We've become quite close and of course decided that we'd meet while she's here. Today she unexpectedly called to let me know she was in the area, and we could meet on the weekend. When I answered the phone and she said it was her, I was completely flustered! She sounded totally, totally different than what I expected.....not that I really had an expectation, but this didn't fit the profile at all! Not sure its the kind of person I'd get along with in real life....and yet we got along so well online all these years...

I'm a bit freaked out about our meeting. I'm probably just being silly, but what if this ruins the 'online' friendship that's become really special to me...?

(oh, don't get me wrong: I like most people, and get along fine with anyone...but I'm a very private person, and don't allow people into my private life very easily. and she was one of the very few that I shared with.)

Go with the flow...

In SA our schoolyear starts in January, until beginning December. So its almost time for final exams, etc. Our youngest is in 'kindergarten' (as most of the world calls it - not here though). Last night he had concert, and 'graduation'. It was soooo sweet! Half the time I was laughing so much, tears were flowing *blush*. I'm not comfortable yet with posting pictures of my family, but I'd have loved to :)

Its a little sad though - my baby is growing up! Five years ago I was at this same point with my oldest, and although it was sad that they were all growing up so fast then, it wasn't quite the same. This is my last one!

Oh well, life goes on...right?

Hmm..right now I have a puppy and a crazy kitten fighting over who gets to lie on my lap. I feel so wanted....

No Halloween this year...

Here in South Africa we don't celebrate Halloween at all... Nothing...no pumpkins, no costumes, no candy. It is not even mentioned. I guess mostly because its believed to be pagan. Never bothered me, but after living abroad for years (where they do celebrate) we got used to the idea, and enjoyed it (especially the kids). So this year it feels kinda odd, I am tempted to put out pumpkins! Problem is: people will think I've gone crazy.....well, crazier than normal :/

Anyhow, did a little test to see what I should have been this year:

Your Halloween Costume Should Be

Candy Corn

What Should You Be For Halloween?

Hmmm.......

The circus is in town

Its really a struggle to settle down and adjust. We're trying to create a 'normal' life for the kids once again. In the effort to accomplish that, we decided (by accident really) to get pets again. While living abroad it was difficult to do that, since it was always a temporary thing.

So last week we got 2 little kittens. They're not from the same batch, and its amazing just how different they are! The one is quite shy, but the other one is stark raving mad! I suspect the mother is a monkey...

That has been going really well, but yesterday we happened to be close to the pet shop again, and my daughter (who is a real big dog person, and has been wishing for a dog for a long time) just popped in to see what they had.... And there they had the sweetest little Jack Russell X Daschund.....quite an interesting combination :)

She was in tears (the daughter, not the dog), said it would be her Christmas and next birthday gift!

You can guess what happened...

But now the shy little kitten has declared war! And the crazy kitten thinks its a plaything. The dog couldn't care less about the cats, but is ambushed wherever she goes... Poor thing. Its quite funny actually :)

I'm back!

Yes, its been quite a while... We've been travelling for months, and haven't had much access to the net until very recently, but we're finally settling down again.

We're back in South Africa now. Lots have changed in the years that we've been away. I'm having quite a hard time adjusting to the return. I've read about a thing they call 'reverse culture shock'...and it makes so much sense! When you move to another country you prepare yourself for the change, and you're aware of the culture shock that you'll experience. But, when you return you think you're going home, and don't prepare for the change.....and then Boom! Reverse culture shock.

Its sad, and a little ironic, that a place that should be 'home' is the place where I feel 'out of place'.....

A little background

We're starting a new chapter of our lives. Yeehah! Tomorrow we're packing up house, and venturing into another adventure.

Proudly South African, but we've been living in the Philippines for about 4 years now. A while back we woke up one day, and decided it was time to move on. Making the decision, and deciding that we were going to stick by it, was exciting. But none of the arrangements and preparations that followed that decicion have been fun At All (moving is never fun, I know...but this has been ridiculous). Some things are just sooo much hassle in this country, its unbelievable. Things are starting to come together though, even though we still have a number of loose ends. After tomorrow I'll hopefully be able to breath again....

Next week we're off on an amazing adventure: we're going to Europe for at least 3 months! Getting visas organized have been a major issue (don't forget: the universe is against me..). We were supposed to collect our passports (with granted visas inside) from the embassy today, and even though I doubted that anything further could go wrong, it did (I don't wanna go into it right now...its quite exhaustive). Today has been quite aweful. It looked as if the trip was off (actually still could be)...meaning thousands of dollars in the water... I got word though (a little while ago) that someone might be able to help...hold thumbs :)

In the meantime I really should try to get some sleep. Packing starts early, and I haven't been sleeping well through all this crazyness.

ZZzzzz...