we're back!!!!

Double, triple YEEEEEHA!!!!!!!!!! Man it was good to have my feet on UAE soil again, and the best part of it was seeing Gideon off course .... I missed him way more than I expected ;)

A quick warning - this is a LONG post ... go grab that glass of wine and get comfy :)

So, back to the SA holiday. We had a blast, it was super special seeing everybody. It was busy though, we spent the first week in Pretoria, then went to Plettenbergbay to visit my in-laws, then to Cape Town or more specifically the gorgeous little town of Grabouw, where Genevieve and Sheldon now lives and then back to Pretoria for some last minute shopping.

Some random thoughts that I've been mulling over in my head:

South Africa still is in my mind, the most awesome country. It's friendly and green and has a sense of humour so distinct. Mostly the people are just trying to make a living and provide for their families as best they can. Why is it then that the Government seem incapable of listening to its people and make the changes that are so necessary? And more than ten years on, can we please stop blaming Apartheid? There comes a point, where you have to take responsibility for your actions, it's a law actually, Newton's, if I'm not mistaken, for every action, there's an equal an opposite reaction ... this isn't rocket science? Oh, wait, maybe it is...

And then a weird thing happened at a braai one day, completely, out of the blue came the attack ... the one about why on earth would I even dare think about coming back. The reason I was so surprised is because the source of the question was so unexpected. I explained that I want to come home, for me, for Kaydin, for Gideon, for my family and friends. So that my boy can know his country and the Afrikaans culture that he was born into. So that he may know about normal weekends and that there's either cricket or rugby on a saturday and that to go camping in the veld is really the normal way of doing it, with grass and trees and birds and wildlife around you. To be woken by the sound of the bosloerie in the tree and the hippos in the water ... that is his birthright, to know his country and his culture and that we have 11 different languages and that they are all beautiful in their own way. I want him to know that not every family drives a Land Cruiser or a Prado and that you should respect people for who they are, not what they look like or what car they drive. So that he can grow up in a country with so much diversity, it will take you a lifetime to understand it, but you can and should make an effort every single day. So that he can make an informed decision about living in SA one day or moving elsewhere, because how can you make an intelligent decision about something so momentous, if you don't have all the facts? And that, is my prerogative, as his parent to make the seemingly stupid decision to move back. Good thing it's mine to make and not yours.

A very pleasant evening was spent with one of my dearest friends, whom I'm also fortunate to call my sister. What made it even more special was all the gifted souls present that night. It was a privilege and an honour to be there and like I told you that evening dearest Dilly, thank you so much for inviting them while I was there, it was a blast, a hoot and so very precious to me, to be able to share thoughts, to be given life lessons and messages that were meant to come to me then. Thank you.

And to answer someone else's question, what was it like to be back, second time round?

The people still drive very slowly!

The taxi's seemed to have acquired some road sense!

The politicians still just fart around

Carte Blanche is still one of THE best programs on TV, ever.

The people seemed friendlier, everybody was smiling and helpful and not so negative

Woolworths RULES, wish we could get a Woolies Food here!

The view from the top of Sir Lowries Pass is probably one of the best I've ever had the good fortune to see. I could do that every day :) Thanks G&S for making the effort to stop at the look-out point, it was awesome!! ((HUGS))

And last but not least, think I've mentioned this already? It's good to be home, where all my things are, LOL!

So, all in all a somewhat bitter-sweet trip. I've realised that while we're here, my heart will always be torn, between wanting to be back home in SA and wanting to be here, in Abu Dhabi, my adoptive home.

And off course, here are a selection of pics:

Salomé and Ben entertaining Kaydin

all the cousins on my side of the family (from left to right): Salomé, Gina, Ben Luca, Nicoletta & Kaydin:

My sister Linda has the most amazing garden, and look who came to see what all the commotion was about:

with his other cousin Quinn and Oupa (his grandfather):

playing drums with Annet & Ouma Hettie:

Bea's cat found the stroller a most comfortable place to take a nap, LOL!

Unpacking Ouma Nobie's tupperware cupboard in Plett:

first driving lessons:

That view that I mentioned:

Kaydin & Angus playing:

meeting Bev and Fiona, in person! we had such a wonderful time together! Thanks for making the effort girls! (hugs)

and back in Gauteng, visiting with my sister Dalene and her family, this would be her children playing with Kaydin, their dad eventually said to them: "now remember, he's not a barbie doll, put-him-DOWN!" LOL!!

and here's me, having a merry old time :)

and finally, back home the boys catching up in Kaydin's room :)

I send much love to all ...

it was a secret ...

I've had this post saved in drafts for a while now, I couldn't post about the holiday 'cause some people that read this were on the receiving end of a surprise visit from me, LOL!!!

So, Gids has got STRICT instructions on how to publish this, AFTER the 11th of February, as by then, both girls will know that I'm in SA. Ooooohhhhh Giggles!!!!

My mom and I had such a relaxing time, went to the shops when we felt like it, mostly we just stayed at home.

I really wanted to take my mom camping and we thought this past weekend the perfect time, as it was Gideon's off Saturday, which meant that we could leave Friday arvie, sleep over and come back Saturday round about lunch time. Or so we thought, on Wednesday Gideon said he heard on the radio something about and impending sandstorm, we checked on the local paper's web site and sure enough, high winds, low temperatures and a specific note that any outdoor activities would be highly unpleasant. We decided to not tempt mother nature and decided not to go, a bit disappointing none the less. However, we were not going to miss anything so decided to drive to the beach, to get a look at the rough seas and high winds ... The wind was unpleasant enough, but you have to giggle at the high seas, though in fairness, this really is quite rough by UAE standards, it usually looks like a dam:

 

The K-man off course had a blast:

and for some bizarre reason his daddy wouldn't let him crawl right into the ocean LOL!!! (ok, it's a good reason, I didn't pack any dry clothes, K-man doesn't actually care or understand, LOL!!)

And then my mom spotted the Dude, off course Gideon had to rescue him, we're not sure if he made it back into the ocean safely, but hey, we tried:

So, in the next week we'll go do some last minute shopping, I seriously don't understand why we do this, leave stuff to the last minute that is. And by the time Gideon publishes this for me, the K-man and I will be in sunny Pretoria :-). It's going to be a busy holiday, we're in Gauteng for about a week, then off to Plett to visit my in-laws, then to Cape Town to visit Genevieve & Sheldon and meet up with some online friends and then back to Pretoria for the last week ... I may not do this again soon, I get exhausted just reading it! LOL!!!

So, while typing this, the wind is still blowing a week later and it's still flippen COLD, by UAE standards. I'm all packed and ready to go. The pressies are wrapped, the tickets and passports are ready, so to those of you in SA that I'll be seeing - I CAN'T wait and am SO looking forward to seeing everybody!!

A quick funny: As you know by now, we share the house with another couple and because we share the kitchen as well, we're on a rotating schedule as far as dinner is concerned. Which means that I only have to worry about dinner every second night, it's just marvelous let me tell you. Not so much for Gids though, now that I'll be gone. So, the other night while we were chatting, he asked me, a little desperately: "what will I feed the people"? I'm slightly amused by the comment as the other people are two adults!! I replied, well, you know how to cook, you've seen me in the kitchen ... he says, (slightly more panicky by now), ja, but I don't actually KNOW how to make pasta or rice or mac and cheese .... I just giggled and said well, when it's your turn, phone me and i'll give you the recipe and instructions :ROTFL ... so I told the other lady of the house the story .... she agreed to let him suffer for a few nights ... aaahhhh, it's GOOD to let them be on their own for a little sometimes I'm still hugely amused.

So, here I am, on the eve of leaving for home, totally excited and yet a little sad, I'm going to miss the non-chef so much, I'm going to miss not having him around to help and I'm sad that he's going to miss a whole month out of Kaydin's life ... I am also however tremendously excited about seeing everybody, about the totally cool surprise I planned for Bea and Gia-Michelle, about going to Grabouw and spending copious special days with G and Shelly. About being able to spend precious time with the other Ouma and Oupa, so that they can also have some K-man time .... Hugely excited about seeing my sisters, giddy in fact LOL!!!

So, to all of you that we'll be seeing soon - YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Darling Gideon - I love you more than I can possibly ever say. I'm so thankful and so very grateful. Thanks my love, for this holiday, we'll miss you so very much and we'll speak to you as often as possible ... remember to call about that mac and cheese recipe, hey?

and finally! the birthday party!!

Took us long enough to get there, lol!!!

I just have to tell you about buying the ingredients for this ever so important birthday cake. You'd think that you can walk into a big supermarket and there would be a place where they group all the baking goodies together? Hmmm, not so much. They do have the flour and icing sugar together with the baking soda and cake-in-a-box mixes, however, no goodies to decorate the cake with. The candles, oh yes, upstairs with all the party paraphernalia (ok, that makes a little bit of sense). The multi-coloured sprinkle thingy's that you'd put on the icing ... no, they don't have those. The silver ball thingy's that you'd put on the icing to decorate with .... nope. Liquorice sticks, ah yes, with the sweeties and you can only get the rolled-up ones. Oh, and coconut flakes, ah yes but off course you'd think to go look for it where the breadcrumbs are, makes total sense.  This little exercise took me about an hour!

We were going to have the party last weekend, then the K-man got sick and I decided nope, not a good idea so we postponed to this weekend. Which turned out to be just fine, with my mom here it was so special to share his party with her!

Then I came down with a n-a-s-t-y tummy bug on Thursday arvie, but hey, I was a real trooper and managed to mix and bake the cupcakes for the birthday cake, then managed to mix the carrot cake for the grown-ups and just when that was in the oven, realised I wasn't gonna make it and asked my mom to please keep an eye on it for me. That was me, in bed and I didn't move until 11:00 on Friday morning! Gids very sweetly took Kaydin with to the desert and I got to sleep in and feel marginally better. The people came at about 15:00 and we had a blast. Gids and I both got all teary-eyed when we sang "happy birthday", I tried to hide behind my camera ... The K-man didn't quite know what to do with the cake and candle at first, but later on he realised that he can actually get himself all sticky and dirty and man was that fun.

 

ok, that's us for now

much love to all

it's raining, it's pouring!!!

For the last few days it's been raining on and off, so totally lovely! And such a big deal that it's making the headlines!! LOL! you KNOW you live in the desert when 16mm makes it to the headlines

http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Environment/10182101.html

And here are some pics from last night, when it started to come down again:

and this morning:

Totally lekker!!

And in other news, the K-man's not been very well, all snotty and coughing, the poor guy slept most of yesterday but awoke to his old self this morning with his usual "wa-wa" sound and having serious discussions with the toys in his cot.

My mom's arriving for a visit tonight and the house is off course looking, well let's just say it's less than tidy. Thank goodness for the last minute as nothing would get done in this house if it wasn't for the last minute! Gids will therefore sort out my mom's room tonight when he's home from work and I'll be fetching her from the airport, now that's teamwork for you hey?

No other news, just wanted to share the rain thing.

much love to all