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.

Breaking the Diet

The eCommerce site that I developed went live yesterday without any serious hiccups (check out Applix). The Graham did the transfer and he was so chuffed that it all just fell into place, so much so that Taleesha said that this means pizza tomorrow, hence Graham bought us pizza and at the same time broke his diet of healthy foods. 

I'm too on a diet, a Light Diet, yip you read correctly and it is not as in eating lite foods as you might think. It is that I can only eat by Day Light, Moon Light, and  Refrigerator Light.

Whose Finger is it?

Whose finger did the cake heist belong to? Uhmmm I wonder. After work I ended up at a children's birthday party Nd my little granddaughter Rebekah was out to impress her granddaddy with how mischievous she can be. 

Enter Hulk

Arriving at work this morning, I saw that the glass door had fallen off the door frame and a notice had been placed on the door, "Don't open door!!!"

Okay who thinks they are Hulk and rip the door off its hinges? 

There there I know you are upset that Stan Lee crossed over. It doesn't mean that you can now get upset.

Fairy Irises

The fairy irises are in full bloom in our garden. They say that when the iris flowers, it heralds the rain. Yeah come summer African rains, come. This heat is starting to get a tad uncomfortable. 

Maybe the irises are blooming for the nonagenarians who have recently crossed over. Last Friday my great aunt Isa past on at the age of 95 and now I hear that Stanley Lieber also past at the age of 95 yesterday. Better known as Stan Lee, this real life hero will not be forgotten. 

Victor

Coming out of my office after a long Monday at work, I see Victor as usual making sure that all is okay in and around the office park. I don't think I have ever not seen him on the days when I am at work.

Wasp Pollinator

I am not sure what this fella's name but this is not the first time I have seen this wasp pollinating the Protea trees when s/he comes in for a tasty sweet snack.

Walking in the veldt outside my home, it is just rocky grass covered slopes with Protea trees. Now a then, if you look carefully you catch a glimpse of colour. No wait the veldt is full of colour, you just have to open your eyes, and see.

Hear me Roar

I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath. Scared to rock the boat and make a mess. So I sat quietly, agreed politely. I guess that I forgot I had a choice. I let you push me past the breaking point. I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything.

Oooh Minky's roar reminded me of Katy Perry's song "Roar" I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter dancing through the fire 'cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar. Louder, louder than a lion 'cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar!

My what big teeth you have Minky Minks. Oh Minky is such a human cat, she does not tolirate any other cat but loves hooomans. Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh you're gonna hear me roar!

Maroon Socks

Bless our maroon socks, it's Friday afternoon and feet are up in anticipation for the upcoming weekend after a long week. What more can I say other than enjoy.

License or Lisence

Aren't there any editors or proofreaders at Caxton Newspapers anymore? I now I am not the best speller due to my dyslexia but working as a journalist one of the first requirements is to be able to spellcheck. That is what computers are for.  

So Roodepoort Record, is it license or lisence?  Sorry but you can not say it is Afrikaans as a license is 'n lisensie in Afrikaans if my memory serves me well. Caxton how could this have slipped through the cracks?

Vespa Commute

For the next few months, things will be a little tight therefore come rain or shine I will be commuting to work and back via my trusty stead, the Baroness Scarlet. And rain it did in the last few days, and today it is clear, thank goodness. I found that in the pouring rain, if I ride at 70 to 80kph the windscreen deflects most of the rain which helps a lot but zooming past traffic that is crawling even at 70kph in the rain gets a little unsafe especially in terms of stopping capability. 

Horseshoe Moustache

Movember is in full swing and my moustache is coming along quite nicely. Movember is the annual growing of a moustache during the month of November to raise awareness to men's health issues such as prostrate cancer. Somehow I would like to have a Tom Selleck style stache. 

Flattered Turntail

Looking up in the little boys room of my office complex I spotted this little chap, an Eutelia Adulatrix or a Flattered Turntail moth. This little feller look like s/he had been through the cleaners and will most likely not last long with the spiders and janitors on the prowl.

No More a Teen

Wow I can't believe that 20 years has gone by so fast since you were a tiny weening little baby, Matthew. And now I am driving back to Varsity on your 20th birthday, no more a teenager. There is only 4 more weeks left then your 1st year of Bachelor of Computers is over with 2 more years to go. May these next few years be a blessed time for you.

Melon Rugby

With the previous week being cold, the temperature of the pool dropped from 27°C to a low 22°C yet Matthew's varsity friends still had to have a pool party. We had brought a watermelon earlier for the party and put it into the swimming pool to keep cool, and of course the boys had to play with it. Well Matthew's birthday pool party turned out to be a great success.

Cat Chillax

Ahhhhhh let the weekend begin. Dad has arrived home early with Matthew and he is winding down after a long work week on the deck with a sundowner. This is life, me stretching and chillaxing on the deck overlooking the pool with dad nearby is just what a cat like me needs other than a back rub, of course.

Broken Kreepy

If you are a South African you will know what this creepy object is. This is a Kreepy Krauly automatic pool cleaner, invented in South Africa in 1974. This model is not even a year old and it is giving me headaches. It works work like 30 seconds then stops. The suction is continuing but the triangle magochi in the main body stops working. 

So here I am, tired, headachy, cooking supper, paying the bills, and trying to fix the Kreepy. Lets hope this solution works as Matthew wants a pool party this weekend.