A busy day today. Firstly monthly shopping, then after lunch rush off to the Zombie Walk and later to the Purple Snow Photowalk. Very busy. I have posted the good images up on my Facebook profile (Jerome West) so just pop in there to see the Nom Nom Nom and Purple Snow albums.
Today's Matthew's 12th birthday and we had an underwater scuba party for 10 kids. It was a splashing success with even Carol going to the bottom. Here is Justin and Matthew about to do their first pool dive.
Our home met at Fratelli in Ferndale Village to celebrate Brenda's sixtieth birthday. Round the table from the left is Mike, Tracy, Gary, Carol (hidden behind Gary), Andy, Petra, Sandy, birthday girl Brenda, Linda and Denise with her back to the camera. We had a wonderful time with friends.
Last night there were many thunderstorms which cause many accidents during this mornings rush. Here is a photo of one accident of a minibus taxi which jumped a red traffic light outside the Gautrain Braamfontein Terminus and hit a pickup. This caused a back-up for quite a few hours.
This mornings meeting was held at Intersite's office at Jorrisen Street, the old PRASA offices. This is the view from the 12th floor boardroom. You can see the Shosholoza Junction Building with the Shosholoza Rolling Stock sheds next to it.
After a busy day at work, I was wondering how to get my brother-in-law Hans from the airport to my house and be back in time for cell. Matthew was at baseball practice and Carol waiting for him would only be back about six thirty. This gave me no time to drive across town and back before seven thirty. The Gautrain was the answer. I drove my Vespa to the Sandton Station hop onto the Gautrain and was in Rhodesfield before Hans could blink an eye. Soon we were gliding back to Sandton passing frustrated commuters in their cars trying to get home. The longest part of the whole operation was waiting for Carol to pick Hans up at the drop-off zone on West Street. Anyway this was Hans' first experience of the Gautrain so a perfect photo opportunity.
As the days count down to V Day, Sophia and I start preparing. Today we got new treads for Sophia. With all the rain, they will make it much safer on the wet roads.
Today was supposed to be a quiet day. Carol and Matthew out hiking and me with me feet up. Soon after midday, the phone rang and it was Mai Ling and Uwe Jens, they wanted to know where we were as they have been waiting for us at the Indaba Hotel. Oh my goodness, I'd forgotten our lunch appointment made over a month ago. They are returning to Germany a few weeks time. So after apologizing for Carol and Matthew, I sped over to join them for a lovely afternoon lunch.
After a walk to Golden Harvest Park, Maxy, my mischievous Italian Greyhound, came home up to his armpits in dried sewerage. What a good opportunity for Matthew to take him for a swim and a ride on the board afterwards. Best buds for life.
You're on Buzz! Let the games begin! What a wonderful time had by all at BBC tonight in the first quiz Game show to be held, Buzz. Hosted by Stu and his team of judges, score keepers, technical staff, three Dorises and the lovely assistant. Check out my Facebook album for all the photos. Here is Stuart, keeping a tight leash on his two score keepers Russell and Troy.
Here is Collen, another developer or database person from PRASA CRES. They joined us today for ICT rationalision meeting which took all afternoon.
I am not sure if this is Steven or Stephen. He is the Oracle and SAP developer from Intersite or now as they are known as PRASA CRES or if you really want to know Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa Corporate Real Estate Solutions. Maybe it is Services not Solutions as no one really knows what goes on at PRASA and I am not sure if PRASA knows too.
Meetings upon meetings on how we are going to fit into the new business unit of PRASA ICT are being held in the Fishbowl. Here is the Back-End stream sitting the whole afternoon. Not a pleasant sight. Oh dear, it's our turn tomorrow.
Mondays for most people are depressing but for some a new opportunity represents itself nearly every day including Mondays. This is what Rayne comes across as, a free spirit looking for next opportunity to soar. So far this Monday for her has been frustrating having to deal with people but after I left, there was a glimmer of a smile.
This afternoon I decided to take my new Canon along to my usual weekend dog walk. My aim was to test the different settings on fast moving Italian Greyhounds. The conclusion, I need a lot more practice. Here is Michael with his Italian Greyhound, Nike.
Yes this is me, the very first photo taken on my new toy, the Canon 550D. Thanks Robyn for taking the first photo. I brought my new baby at the Photo & Film Expo for a very good price. It was just too good to resist as I was like a kid in a candy store.
I was in Yeoville today looking for the army surplus store that used to be in Rockey Street as I am after an old style gas mask to wear on my bike. Although I could not find the store, I did stumble upon this strange looking water tower on Yeoville Ridge. It is like out of place and out of time. Joburg is so full of surprises, that is why I am part of the now famous Joburg Photowalkers. After a bit of research found that the Yeoville Water Tower was built about 1914 and is a national heritage site. I sense a Photowalk coming in this area.
I'm Makatini from Maritzburg. Yes a memorable Cadbury's Lunchbar advert from yesteryear but when Makatini comes to my office from Marketing, he always reminds me of this advert. It's all in his name and you need to have seen the advert to appreciate this.
Know that we are PRASA ICT or in the process of becoming from all the different business units, I am getting work not just from Metrorail. Today Vuyiswa from PRASA Rail's Marketing Department had an urgent request for an electronic flyer series for the National Level Crossing campaign. I had to get her name right because I battled with it with my dyslexia. Tintswalo is much easier to say. Anyway today I give you Vuyiswa.
Yes the server room alarm is still whining away. We even duct taped the speakers in hope of deafening the noise but to no avail. Nkgadi, shown above, came round to start the process of the SMS system ingratiation into Intersite.
Today, like Friday the moisture alarm was whining from the server room which left the aircon people puzzled as to the fix. I just want the alarm to be dead because it is starting to bug me to such an extent that I am about to go postal. Whining and a Monday do not go well together and Johani (shown above) just reveled in my pain. I think he will be the first to go followed shortly by the two aircon people. Agghhhh! Under the floorboards of server room should be a good place to stash them as the temperature would preserve the bodies quite a while.
It is Summer Splash time of year again where Families of BBC get together and celebrate summer with a splash.
What a lovely Saturday it has been for a long time. It started with a walk in the park with my friends; Veressa is one of them. Along came 11 Italian Greyhounds, 2 Dachshunds, a Whippet and a Dalmatian. After the walk we sat down for coffee, biscuits and great company. Later on after a pop into the Vespa workshop to fix my lights I ended up at oDD CafƩ in Greenside for Roseberry Mocktas with friends. And to finish the day off, a juicy 500g well matured steak with a green salad and red wine.
It is amazing how slowly today crawled. My work was finished about midday and for the rest of the afternoon time just slowed. But it was Friday and now weekend has started. Caroline shown today arrived to work in a traditional dress which was a change to the scenery.
Today started like every other without a rain cloud in sight. Matter of fact it was a perfect day to take my usual monthly photo of the Gautrain Terminus building at Braamfontein as you can see. But later in the afternoon dark thunder clouds closed in and Johannesburg had it first real rain of the summer. It even hailed. What a perfect start of summer. You can smell rain soaking into every pore. Welcome summer.
My new word of the day is Sesquipedalian after listening to a chairperson for over two hours use big words and strangely placed quotes. Like this one "There is a Chinese saying that states you can take a donkey to water but you can't make it drink". What, where did this come from? Weren't we talking about Aids Day? And that defiantly is not Chinese that is for sure. Oh and it is a horse, not a donkey, a horse. By the way Mr Chairperson you can make it drink by giving it salt at the water's edge. Old cowboy trick or was that Chinese? I took this photo on my way to the boring meeting in Umjantshi House. It is a different view of the Gautrain Terminus at Braamfontein. I must say there is another interesting word that is for the fear of long words, sesquipedalophobia and if you have it bad like I do then I suffer from hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia.
Uncle Norm is back from about 2 week's recovery from diabetes. It is good to have him back to his old tricks again. Here is Ash demonstrating that she is still the boss even with the huge size disadvantage.
It has been a quiet start for a Monday. It is like floating down a river and you reach this calm area where it is so peaceful which causes you to forget that further downstream rapids await. Today was like that. Just drifting gently along and ending the day with sundowners at PRO Design. Well not quite but it could have been the perfect ending. So to burst the bubble, I bumped into Maxwell returning from his lunch and I could not help myself not noticing his rather stumpy tie. Is it the latest fashion or did I wake up on Lilliput's Island?
The weekend is just about over and tomorrow is Monday. Carlie, Angi and Gary's youngest daughter shown here is so cute that she would make anyone go ahhh. There must be a baby boom at BBC because there are so many pregnant mommies around that I am starting to look thin.
After the monthly shopping I took Matthew and Justin to Rage which is the annually gaming and computer technology show in Johannesburg. The problem is that Matthew never wants to leave Rage which tends to create problems after a long day on your feet. While there I also bumped into Willie and his son Wian also enjoying the day at Rage.
My days are getting busier and busier that I am starting to look forward to the weekends. Today was no exception with the work from Shosholoza Meyl. Back home, I could wind down and finally get to take a photo for the day. Matthew has his friend, Justin staying over for a couple of days during the holidays.
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