Last Hurrah

It is the last day of the year 2018, a very hard year for me and most people that I know but it is finally over. Goodbye cruel year.

My cellphone is warm from all the happy New Year wishes that I have been receiving that little Princess lay on top of it to gleam off the heat while it has been rain continuously outside.

Wearing Raincoats

The temperatures have dropped much to the appreciation of everyone, and the rain has arrived in time to put the damper for any New Year celebrations. 

To our family we had to say goodbye to Maxy today as his cancer is getting too much. Maxy has been eating for the cancer his body has just withered away. This morning he was so weak, and could not eat any more, so that was it. In the rain we took him to the vet and gave him a tearful goodbye.

So as tears fell from heaven, we saw that even the traffic police's speed cameras were wearing a raincoat to keep the system dry. 

Okay this has been a hard day for me, so I have only a jumble of words to write as the rain continues to fall.

One Year

Little Kamden is now 1 year old and we joined Kyle, Nicolene, and Kaylen to celebrate his first year. Happy birthday little Kamden, may you live long and prosper.  

Sleeping Beauties

It is wet rainy Friday morning and my 2 sleeping beauties are having a wonderful sleep in. The year is about over and catching up on sleep hours is all important. Lynda and Rosy are enjoying the cool air after the first 3 days of this week as searing heat sapped our energies.

Need of a Haircut

Ahhh I think it is time for a haircut for Matthew but he is very reluctant. I must come up with a plan, uhmmm it is not going to be easy cutting his hair, such as Samson. 

Walking on Water

Bradley's birthday was yesterday and because we were too busy celebrating Jesus' birthday so we held the family get together today, Boxing Day or Family Day as it is now called. Everyone had fun, as can be seen by Rachael walking on water. 

Christmas Wrap

I'm impressed. I am not very good in wrapping presents as you can see from some of my efforts at the back. Matthew wrapped Lynda's Christmas' gift and he did it to such perfection that even the stripes lined up. I am not worthy!

Super Heroines

Super Heroines do wear capes and well masks too. We had an early Christmas dinner and Rebekah received a purple mask and cape from us or should I say Santa Claus. Rebekah was running up and down whooshing wearing her new super gear. 

Dakotah enjoyed watching her elder sister that she too waned to wear the super heroine mask and cape.

Oprah Jon

A gift for you, and a gift for you, wait there is a gift for everyone, says Oprah Jon on this Sunday's service at Centre Church. It is the summer holidays and the roads are clear yet the church was quite full, all here to listen to Jon. Preach it Oprah Jon!

Last Night's Crash

It all started with a phone call from Andreas, since its the holidays the RNW is asking for patrollers to help out with traffic control. Seven hours later here we were still directing traffic.

A truck carrying wine was coming down Doreen Road and its breaks failed. At the first set of traffic lights at the bottom of the hill the truck collided into a BMW and Mercedes, pushing the Mercedes over 50m past the lights before rolling on its side trapping the driver of the Mercedes. Not to mention that the truck went over an electrical box which caused extra problems. 

Matthew and I crawled back home after 3am this morning, duty done. 

Millennial Thank You

As a Generation X, I get on well with most people, that is until now. I am battling to understand  a Millennial who is not socially connected. Because of our clashes in the past, my millennial problem has given me a Thanks. 

Tired Tyre

On Friday, I discovered my rear tyre of my Vespa flat and I had to leave it at work due to it being a long weekend. Yesterday I finally got round to replacing the tired old tyre. Strange my Vespa has been very heavy on rear brakes and tyres. I have never replaced my front tyre or front break pads since I got the Vespa about 5 years ago, not once BUT I have changed my back tyres and break pads about twice a year, that is a lot. 

This is the first morning that I am riding on this rear tyre. I'm not sure about this brand from China but it was at a good price and I got good reviews from it. Well lets see how long this tyre lasts.

Unhappy Banana

Warning this post contains nuts. Truly this is the season to be jolly... not. 

Well you too would also be unhappy with sitting in an office with the heaters on instead of air con on a hot day. A colleague, not to be mentioned, doesn't like the air con yet does not want to move from the air con and make all our lives a sauna. 

So here I am sweating, trying to do my work, and not succeeding very well. I have asked to turn off the heat and put the air con on but said colleague doesn’t want to budge and if I push the subject, I am annoying said colleague and get reported in the gossip circles. 

I need a dip in the pool asap.

The Gift

This afternoon I received our first Christmas gift from my mentor and his wife. Thank you this was not expected at all but I am most grateful. I can't wait for Christmas day itself so that I can open this gift.

The closing of 2018

Ahhh a public holiday to end the weekend and the start for the summer holidays for most South Africans. For me I am just thankful for being able to work as my future is not in my hands. I don't know what is going to happen next year, I am scared yet at the same time calm, strange.

So on my deck after 2 years in this home, it has been great, but I can't help thinking that it has all been in God's hand. Thank you.

Mams

Custom Couches asked me to help out at their first Pop Up Store at Mams Mall in deepest Africa or that what it felt like driving over an hour to somewhere North East of Pretoria in Mamalodi. The mall is very modern with most of the leading retail stores. SO here I am on a long weekend sitting in a pop up shop, thank goodness the aircon works.

Christmas for the Aged

The Rooderkrans Neighbourhood Watch held their annual Christmas Carols Evening at the Kruinpark Retirement Village. The RNW had a wors braai at the old age home to feed the hunger while Andreas and his band entertained. 

Fragile Seat

Well not quite the hot seat, but arriving at work there was a Fragile sticker on Dylan's chair. Now who would do such a thing? Well we can only guess, okay it is kind of obvious but it would cause an office ruckus if it comes out. Sigh office politics and gossiping does get a bit much in this little office.

When the Wife Calls

The year is coming to an end fast and year end functions are adding up on the list. Today is SRC's turn and the best place for our final meeting is over beers at Silver Star. Towards the end Andrew's phone rang, it was the missus. Time to finish up our beers and head home.

Sulley

I have this little creature on my phone, well it doesn't look so little in the photo but trust me it is. His name is James Patrick Sullivan aka Sulley. He first appeared in Monsters Inc way back in 2001 where he held the title as the Best Scarer for some time well that was until he met Boo, a 2 year old girl who wasn't scared of him. 

Oh well I am the Best Scarer in the office, I think, a big cuddly scarer. 

Like Bees to the Flower

This obnoxious cactus in my front garden produces these awesome flowers every so often and the bees  simply love them. Did I ever mention that I have this garden that attracts butterflies and bees from all over. The nectar must be sweet with this prickly plant.

Wet Wet Wet

Thank goodness I saw the weather report this morning and decided to drive instead of ride to work. It looked like it would be a wonderful clear day but by the afternoon the clouds had closed up and the weather started to look rather ominous. By the time I left for my journey home the heavens opened up and it took me 3 hours to drive home. By this time I was wishing I was on my Vespa as I would be home by now.

Blue Marlin Tataki

Matthew and I were planning to go to the Blue Marlin Seafoods in Boksburg today as this was the place that I took his mother, Carol to a long long time ago but the restaurant was not there anymore. After tracking it down found out that it had moved 2 months ago and did not serve the seafood buffet anymore so we decided to go to Tataki for sushi instead.

Tataki is under new ownership and the sushi chef must still be in training as the sushi was tasty yet the form needs to be perfected, for example these salmon handrolls shown above.

Pool Party

POOL PARTY! Yay the sun somehow held back the rain clouds, just long enough for Rachael to have her pool party at our home. So my day has been taken up as a life guard for the girls to enjoy themselves at our pool. 

Takealot Not

After the online shop Takealot got into the papers for up'ing the prices for Black Friday, here they again in the papers. They must not be doing well to be advertising an online shop in the local newspaper. Get everything you need, I don't think so.

Bald Jerome

Yesterday I got a little flak because it was post Movember and I still sported a mustache. Oh well, now it is all gone and here I am all clean shaven ready for the new year.

Salsa

Okay this is my forth and final year end function of the year, the combined Websense and Cellcor lunch at Salsa, a Mexican restaurant. From left to right, Graham, Josh, Trish, Sam, Taleesha, Enia, and Scott.

I am not a big chilli lover hence Mexican has never been high on my list but I must say that I really enjoyed the food served by Salsa and had a great time. It is hot outside and I can now do with a siesta about now. 

Who switched off the lights?

Last week the Eskom CEO told parliament that there won't be any loadshedding in the foreseeable future. Oh well he must be blind because we are now in a stage 2 loadshedding. Or maybe it was because they have asked to a tariff increase and are using loadshedding as a big stick.

I rushed home after work this afternoon because we are scheduled for lights out from 16:00 till 20:30 but hear I sit just after 18:00, staring at the blinds and we still have electricity. I am so confused with the loadshedding schedules. We are not cooking tonight because we are headed to our Connect group and its year end party. Well that is party number 3 for me.

Matching Socks

Oh look matching red stripe socks. No I don't normally wear odd socks but these socks are matching the red of my Vespa. So there I am zipping through traffic on my red Vespa, wearing black clothes and these bright red socks gleaming out from the gap between my shoes and pants bottoms. Oh deary me, this year is finally getting to me. Believe me I am not crazy at all, it is just my thoughts that get me into trouble.

Cloudy Sunday

Over weekends while I supposed to be relaxing, I am normally fretting over work that needs to be done but strangely this weekend, my mind is devoid of work and I am truly relaxing. I actually am not sure what I am thinking. I am sinking into that dark little corner of my mind yet at the same time I am at peace. Oh look it is very cloudy outside!

December Flowers

Wow, what has happened to this year? It is December already and the year is just about over. This last weeke has been hard with the lightning strike and all. The last of the replacement items came this morning after a drive to Crown Mines. Never again. Never again will I go down town during month end. It was hot, crowded, and very unpleasant but thank God, it is all over and I am back home with the gentle breeze and scented flowers lofting through the windows. Ahhh this is what the doctor ordered.

Jelly Babies

Well this will be second year end function of the year, the RNW staff Year End which was held at Piccolo across the border in Krugersdorp. We enjoyed the company, the atmosphere except the food took way too long. I suppose we shouldn't complain as we were a rather large table. Since I was the designated driver, I had to watch as jelly babies started flowing. Oh dear this is going to be a long night. Somehow I have to excuse myself as my bed is calling. I will leave the parting to the young ugns.

Life and Chauke

After a couple of phone calls yesterday, my insurance policies kicked in and teams started arriving to access and get us back to normal after the electrical storm yesterday morning. At one time there was 8 pickups in my driveway. 

Here is Life and Chauke, doing an awesome job getting my alarm system back on line while I had to go to Pretoria to get move Matthew out of Res as tomorrow he writes his last exam for the year.

As Lynda reminds me to be thankful in all things.

BANG - We're Hit

The clock had just struck midnight when there was a terrible BANG! Suddenly I was was awake! Not just half asleep, but wide awake as I hear a thunder and saw flashes outside. A storm had just fired its first salvos overhead and we were hit. It was a huge storm, the biggest so far in the 2 years that we have been living here.

The electricity was restored to the neighbourhood at 3am in the morning except our house we remained in the dark. As first light peeped over the horizon, I went outside to survey the damages but there was nothing structural. At 5pm this afternoon, our power was finally restored. We had an direct lightning hit to the house and the Smart Meter outside took the brunt. 

Now with the lights back on, we found that the Vuma ONT box, router, 2 TVs, intercom system, gate motor, the alarm system, and the dishwasher was taken out by the lightning.

Connect of 3

I left work and rushed home to start the supper so that we could get to Connect Group on time but the connect family starting sending messages that they could not make it. In the end it was just Lance, Kerry, and myself that had a small connect meeting for 3.

It was a good evening and we caught up on life.

Meatballs and Spaghetti

Wow, I think I outdid myself today with an awesome Italian meatballs and spaghetti. Okay I didn't have any Italian cheese but with everything else authentic wow did it taste really good.

Breaking Good

Thanksgiving Sunday and as a family at Centre Church we broke bread together. Breaking bread means a whole lot to me and is very close to my heart knowing that the Jews throughout their history did this very act during Passover and the time came when all God's pieces were in place, Jesus sat with his followers and broke bread over the Passover seder. There are 3 pieces of unleavened bread on the table which a daughter of an very important Rabbi in Israel once told me that she was taught by her father that they represent Abraham (the father of the Jewish nation), Isaac (his son), and Jacob (his son who is also known as the Spiritual leader of Israel. 

Now Jesus took the middle bread representing Isaac and said while breaking the bread, “take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” (1 Corinthians 11:24) Wow! The middle bread gets broken, not in half but a third and the small piece gets hidden somewhere in the house. The small piece of bread wrapped in a cloth is called the afikomen and it is the only Greek word in the whole sedar. Later the children go and look for the afikomen which means in Greek "the coming one" and in the Jewish sedar is a clear reference to the Messiah.

With so many things explained during the Haggadah, the afikomen gets glanced over just like Isaiah 53 gets missed in Jewish homes.

The best thing today, is that I got to break bread with my spiritual family.

Vespa Year End

Vespa was quick off the mark with the first of the Year End parties for me this year. About 50 of Vespa fans met at Melville and then went on a ride in and around Jozi much to the envy of the all the hipsters eating breakfast at all the eateries that we rode past.

Halfway along our ride we arrived at Northcliff lookout for a break from the saddle before heading on another round about route to the Vespa Head office in Wynburg for an smashing lunch. To be on a ride with other Vespas and not just commuting was wonderful and something which I have missed. So I had to send some photos tp the other Posers and it wasn't long before I got a phone call from Paulo.

End of Week

This week is finally over and a busy weekend is about to begin. It has been raining on and off during the week and only twice was I caught in it. Anyways I am just happy that I can finally put my feet up and relax although it is for a short time.

Naartjie Skins

This is all that is left from my lunch, naartjie skins or as it is better know outside South Africa mandarins. 

Lynda was going to be home late and I had a meeting with my mentor so there was no supper prepared this evening. Knowing this I ate throughout the day and arrived home not hungry at all but made myself a lekker salad and put my feet up and enjoyed the evening and binge watching men's stuff on Netflix. 

IT Crowd

Let me introduce our IT Crowd, well that is just Joshua himself, or as he likes to state that he runs the "Supply Chain Logistics". Uhmmm with that response you would think he works for the CIA. 

Josh have you tried turning it off and on again?

Applix

And finally the ecommerce website, Appix that I built from scratch is up and running. Wow over 400 professional broadcast equipment to manually upload and categorise all over. Now the client can do the rest. Just some fine tuning before handover and a training manual to create. I am officially tired. 

Wet Shoes

I arrived at work this morning after riding through some rain. Yes yes yes I had my wet gear on but not covering my shoes. So now I am working around the office in my socks.

Leaf or Sandwich?

Every morning as a treat for the dogs, Lynda makes each of them so lovely tasty treats. For River Song and Pup, they get a meat spread sandwich each. Now River Song still being a puppy and all is struggling to share any food with the others. Although she is now a year old, she is still a puppy to me.

To try get her calm and not eat all the other dogs treats, I get River Song to sit calmly while I place the sandwich on the floor before her. She can hear the other dogs scoffing away at their treats, she has to wait patiently until she is calm and relaxed. And only then can she eat her sandwich. 

This morning while River Song was waiting for me to give the go ahead, I decided to take a photo. It was then that I noticed the leaf next to her treat but she was not fooled and when I gave the go ahead she smartly picked up her treat and it was devoured in seconds.

I know, I know, she hasn't had much socialization or puppy training but I somehow need to find a way. She is not quite a puppy anymore and I need to find some obedience school near me that won't break the bank.

Snor Gaan Voort

My moustache or snor in Afrikaans is coming alone quite nicely, thank you very much. I am not sure that I can get it to Magnum PI status but I am trying Higgy Baby, I'm trying.