market-ing

So I was out with La the other night and she mentioned that the reason she wasn't staying with me that night (I live forever away from everyone so a fair number of weekend plans involve sleepovers) was because she and S were taking their mothers to the Irene Village market the next day. I invited myself along immediately, with the disclaimer that I tend to go nuts at markets.

As much as I am trying really really hard to not be a hoarder (my parents house is cluttered and just gets worse all the time and I am trying very hard to keep my new home a sanctuary, and that sanctuary nature partly depends on it being relatively empty and clutter free. That and having the dishes washed, which is harder than I expected). I have been practicing restraint by going to thrift stores and not buying armloads of random junk.

Anyway I met them out there early (they swear by getting there at opening time, and seeing the state of the place at 11am I understand why) and we went off shopping. I got two new 'children' for my burgeoning jungle (I have a tulip names Petunia, some daffodils named Gary, 2 cacti with a rather inappropriate name as they are the love-ferns of a particularly vindictive person, an african violet (Violet) and now tw more plants, Basil and Rosemary (named appropriately if not inventively).

I also managed to pick up some chandelier button earings (yesm they are a thing), another set of earrings that are a fork and a spoon (everyone except P1 loves them) and a filligree heart necklace that is cheesy but I've wanted one forever.

kind of like this (not my picture)

After that I limited myself to gifts for the impending baby shower season, managed to walk away from an awesome lampshade that I don't have a lamp for and a pewter lizard doorstop (I do need a doorstop but it's the principle or something) and got accused of haggling by an artist until I admitted that I have a small place and I only have space on my walls for things I really like. As much as smiley elephants are cool, I would end up stabbing one after a bad day at work.

After a while La folded from shoppers-fatigue and an impending appointment and left me with the other three, who really do believe in going through every. single. item. at. every. single. stall., and I passed the time wandering around until S and I stopped at a funny little stall with canvas paintings. I fell in love with a simple little painting and thought about it for a while. It helped that the artist was not pushy, but happy to discuss his motivation for painting it and what it meant to him and I was able to see it, but still know what it was that spoke to me.

At that point S's mother decided that I clearly had no decorating ability, and I couldn't possible have only one bright blue painting, and bought me matching one to make a set. I took them off to a framer and now I am waiting for the quote and the paintings. I can't post a photo because I don't have one, but I will as soon as I get them back.

I also loved a HUGE mosaic that I can't afford, but the artist promised to make another one for me when I have saved up, if the original one has been sold by then. So instead of painting light grey stripes on my yellow living room wall, I'll wait until I can get the mosaic and then paint the whole wall grey to go with the multicoloured amazingness (once again, should have had the presence of mind to take a picture).

so all in all a successful day that has left little by way of regret except some rather stiff legs from walking so much (getting unfit). Next up, exploring the Braamfontein markets I think!

I think I am in love

With Werner Herzog

Since Grizzly man introduced me to the joy of meeting the love of your life at a mediaeval-themed diner, and the song of the coyote:

if you didn’t get that far, listen to the song here instead:

I want to sing along in a helicopter too!

Anyway the point of all of this (besides sharing the total awesomeness of being completely random), my folks were overseas recently, and my mother got me a documentary by Werner Herzog called ‘Encounters at the end of the world’ –

basically he goes to Antarctica and interviews some rather interesting characters.

P1 says as much as they were all crazy, I’d totally fit in down there. I might have been offended if I didn’t agree.

Can I go and find interesting people now please?

Falling slowly

So when I was a lot lot LOT younger I used to ice-skate. Yip, every Saturday morning my Dad and I would get up super-early, drag ourselves out the house and make Die Groot trek to the other side of the world (i.e Krugersdorp).

I skated for a few years, loved it at first and ten as my gawky teenagerliness started taking over I began to not enjoy it as much, then hate certain steps and then resent it completely. And then I stopped.

Recently, as we’ve been going skating relatively often, She-Who-Has-Yet-To-Be-Named and I decided to sign up for classes. They’re not too expensive (I think it works out as the price of a session plus R10 or so per lesson), and I was frustrated at my general lack of confidence in trying anything I used to be able to do, while she wanted to be more confident and do a few tricks rather than clinging onto the side.

So last night I battled through some delightful traffic to find that She-Who-Has-Yet-To-Be-Named was nowhere to be seen. I found her eventually, stressing out like crazy over the average age in the previous classes (it’s around 5-8 years old I think), the fact that the classes are visible from the rest of the centre and that she didn’t want to fall. By the end of it all I was terrified too, particularly when we’d signed up (and had to fight a nasty stage-mother and inefficient admin person), put our skates on and found a small group of people over the age of 5 to hang out with.

The adults class was nicely placed out of general public view. It was also a nice size, with lots of really friendly people. Unfortunately I got kicked out within the first two minutes because I could actually skate, and I was sent off to meet my new classmate (yip, singular), a terribly shy girl who might have been six or seven years old.

It was the weirdest thing though: I’m comfortable on skates. I can zip around the rink quite happily, do one or two cool things and avoid the crazy skaters who always seem to try and trip me up, but I had never realised how slightly-nervous I am all the time. after two or three steps with a coach-guy explaining and critiquing and helping I suddenly felt SO much happier and more in control – to a point where I did a lot of steps that I’d tried recently and wobbled/freaked out/wussed out completely.

By the end of the lesson I think we’d covered the entire class syllabus (this guy hasn’t had time to become immune to my “what’s next? Teachmemoremoremoremoremoremoremoremoremore! attitude – the tai chi teachers are completely desensitised by now) and I’m hoping to move up to the next class next week. I tried out my nemesis-of-a-step last night and it didn’t end well, so I will need all the help I can get with it (and it’s in the next class).

After the lesson I went and found She-Who-Has-Yet-To-Be-Named who had had an equally fantastic time (from clinging on to the side they had her calmly zooming around forwards AND backwards) and we went around and she practised very diligently while I bounced around in total over-excitement and tried out everything I could think of and I managed most of them! And I (sort of) managed my FAVOURITE step from back in the day which totally made my night and had me dashing around squealing and (yes, I admit it clapping) in joy.

I think the other people there think there is something wrong with me…

But I’m so excited and I can’t wait until next week!

the aftermath…

So I took the shiny (literally, it ROCKS!) new hat out last night and it was a major hit! too bad my phone is dead and so there are no pictures, but I can safely say it was loved by everyone, tried on by everyone, and it still looks better on me :) Well it looks best of CG, but she won’t believe me…

And now I’m exhausted, and confused, and I have a weird bruise on my back (I think from when someone tried to pick me up when they hugged me) and trying to finish a batch of data-fiddling before going off to meet the Oracle and the Oxfordian (I will never call her an Oxonian, it makes me think of those stock cube thingies) In the spirit of getting things done (and stopping the awful waffling i seem to do lately)

Things I have learned:

1. I will never be able to play pool as I seem to get worse every time I try. This doesn’t stop me from loving it and doing a happy-dance whenever I sink anything!
2. Hats rock!
3. I love this site
4. Sometimes you run into people you thought you’d never see again
5. This can lead to very strange situations
6. I like having my own hat!
7. It is SO awesome having the group back together and drama-free, I knew I’d missed CG since the mega fight, but I don’t think I realised just how much she holds us all together and how she calms us down when we start going a bit too nuts.
8. I think it might be OK to date someone with longer hair than me.
9. I love my friends
10. Sometimes you have to be nasty if the other person doesn’t know how to take a hint. I’m dreading it though.

To be perfectly honest...

I'm not so sure that I deserve it, but I am honoured to receive the Honest Scrapper award from the awesome Kath

It's pretty...

And with everything being mildly hectic here at the moment, it makes today's post slightly simpler! Thanks Kath!

So apparently the rules are that i get to pass it on to seven people who have blogs that 'post from the heart' (as opposed to the kidneys) and then I have to write about me (yay!) or rather list ten honest things about me (oh dear).

Here goes:

1. Suvvygirl - Suvvygirl lives in the US, and although we're very similar in age she has a husband, two kids, and a heck of a lot of wisdom! We started exchanging emails a while back and she is the one I go to whenever I need her services as a handy advice columnist (without the column). On the plus side she's far away enough that there are no repercussions to her knowing a lot more about my personal life than most people... Her blog is always entertaining as she tells stories of trying to handle playing in a pool league, working, sorting out the love-lives of her closest friends and trying to raise two kids who aren't always the most cooperative.
2. Tamara - Tamara is a journalist, and her writing is incredible! Shes entertaining while still describing issues like rude waiters, nasty doctors, the fun and games of freelance work and life in general. I was lucky enough to snag an invitation to her birthday party a while ago and was amazed at the amount of energy coming from such a little person!
3. Po - I LOVE her blog, she's such a quirky and funny writer, and always has a different perspective on things. As for honesty well as someone who loves South Africa (even if I don't always love living here) I have really felt for her as she struggles to adjust to living in the UK.
4. Becca - I just started reading Becca's blog, and i find it really interesting. Besides having a strong faith and a close-knit family, she has interests in football and shopping and shoes - and we must love a girl who has a balanced idea of fun! Particularly one who isn't afraid to talk about all of it! She also gives great life-lesson advice.
5. Skinny Bitches in the Making - this blog has two authors (which is why I'm counting it as two awards. Wouldn't want them to fight!) and it's one of my favourites! They have plans and ambitions and longing to be the capetonian sex & the city girls, and they're totally honest about it! They aren't afraid to write about hopes and dreams - even if it's something like being photographed by a style guru, saving money on lattes or figuring out how to have fun on a 2-minute noodle budget (at the end of the month at least. I feel their pain on this one!).
6. see above
7. The mutton-chopped mutant - Read at your peril as this guy is very VERY honest (and a bit too much so for my delicate brain sometimes) but always entertaining and very different!

So that took longer than I thought... so, ten things about me...

1. I've been teaching for 5 years and although I'm the tough one who makes the students get over their fear of insects, slimy stuff and dead things, all of the above kind of freak me out. I hide it well, but seriously, one look at a Parktown Prawn and I do a fantastic Madam & Eve re-enactment.
2. I found a grey hair this morning and it totally ruined my day.
3. I've never been a girly girl, but lately I've found that putting in a bit of effort really improves my self-image - I do it for ME because I want to.
4. I did Scottish Dancing when I was little and sucked at it. I did ballet and it wasn't much better. I ice-skated for two years and kind of hit a progress-wall. The only sport I was vaguely good at was hockey because I didn't mind being whacked in the shins by players 4 years older than me (there wasn't a team for my age-group at one stage so I was put in with the older group). There's a lot to be said for stubbornness in sport!
5. When I was younger I was so shy I used to get left behind on fieldtrips, locked in classrooms and generally ignored. I used this to my advantage by getting myself locked in the classroom and using the time to out-read my entire grade 3 class.
6. I HATE not winning anything. Even board games (although I'm getting better with them).
7. I've never wanted to get married or have children, but lately the idea isn't as repulsive to me as it was. this freaks me out completely.
8. I love getting dirty as long as there's somewhere to clean up. The minute there is no shower or change of clothes I get upset and refuse to do anything that might involve dirt.
9. I used to be terrified of heights, but I got over it to chase lizards. I have never jumped off a high-dive board (which is where I discovered my fear in the first place).
10. I seem to attract mentors/parent-figures. People seem to like helping me and I'm never sure why, but I do appreciate it and I love all of them!

the joy of all things shiny!

So it's been a pretty good 24 hours! Leia finished teaching so we OD-ed on sugar to celebrate, Candice came for tea (not in a semi-comatose state this time) and the stretching really really helped with my soreness, there was a mega thunderstorm which was really exciting and I had to get home early to do something for my mom so I got to take a nap!

The nap plus a generous dose of painkillers meant that I managed to almost walk into my tai chi class! Sadly enough the people I usually chat to weren't there, but it was actually quite nice to get to know the others - they were all really awesome! And once we'd done a few warm-ups and group activities (while dodging the pools of sweat from the aerobics class) we split off and I went with the advanced group to practise the form I've been working on (there is beginner; me and advanced at the moment...).

Once we were done, instead of the group giving me feedback and the teacher leading me off to work on things he said "So you're happy?" and I said that I know some of it needs work, but it's in my head now and it's just a case of needing arms and legs to catch up and I can do that at home. So he asked me (get this!!!!!) if I wanted to start on sword work!!!!!!!

I got the biggest smile on my face and bounced around in total excitement (so much so that most of the group started grinning) and about three different people started showing me warm-ups while I tried to avoid stabbing anyone all the while babbling about the shiny-ness! The teacher (the father of the usual teacher this time) just laughed at the whole situation and said that we're a class of many teachers. They didn't seem to mind.

And so I got to stumble through the form a few times and end up with my word the wrong way or hitting people or whatever (they had been very kind and made sure I had someone to watch at all times - it's hard to follow something when you're turning all the time) and the amazing thing is that even though I had no idea WHAT I was doing it felt really really cool!

After all that the substitute teacher from last week, who has been helping out since the mom and the usual teacher aren't around at the moment took me aside and taught me the first couple of steps, how to hold the sword and that sort of thing. It was SO much fun!

So of course when I finished to find that TOD had come to find me to schedule training for today I was not impressed at all. On the plus side even though I will be in a lot of pain tomorrow, I'm mostly ok today (gotta love arnica!) and he's got me a pair of boxing gloves so I get to hit him! Which is awesome considering the amount of pain he has been inflicting on me over the last week!

Must go and finish running now, wish me luck!