In South Africa tomorrow is National Election Day. I have been struggling with voter apathy and why bother but it is such a privilege to be able to vote; and I was reminded of this fact so tomorrow morning Johan and I will walk to our voting station and cast our votes. It is not far from us and makes sense to walk there as parking may be a nightmare; and we always benefit from the exercise. My Mom has already voted as yesterday the IEC were at her retirement village for those who had registered to be able to have a special vote and vote early like she did. Her left thumbnail bears the proof of her voting!
Kerryn posted the below quote this morning on her social media and I thought it so apt, that I had to do the same.
Zapiro, South Africa's best cartoonist, always gets his political commentary cartoon-style, spot on with his cartoons from yesterday and today (as seen in Daily Maverick):
Social media and my e-mail inbox is being inundated with offers of free coffees, discounts off bills at coffee shops and restaurants post voting as long as your thumb displays the telltale ink mark, your proof that you have marked your voting ballot!
The last week has been relatively quiet with me looking for work opportunities, networking, shopping for my Mom, aqua aerobics on Friday and my daily bouncing on my Rebounder. I have also been working hard on my various knitting projects which I brought out of hibernation as I only knit in the cooler seasons ie autumn and winter; though currently autumn is so warm and I wonder what winter will bring - will we have such a warm and mild winter or a bitterly cold one; who knows what climate change and global warming is going to do with our forthcoming winter.
It was great to be able to have coffee and a catch up with Libby on Friday afternoon at Mugg & Bean at Cresta Shopping Mall after having had a fabulous hair wash and blow-dry by Ruki at 7 Sins in Greenside. Saturday, after Cinnamon and Elmo were washed, brushed, groomed and sporting nice neat short nails, at Doggy Box Parlour, I headed to Buitengeluk in Broadacres for a very long overdue catch up with Mel, Mia and Lesley-Ann, our last get together was just short of a year ago. So scary when we realised how long it had been since our last gathering and the speed at which time gallops by.
Buitengeluk was busy, not as hectic as it has been when I have been there before, but sadly the service was not brilliant, even when it has been so busy with a variety of functions and events happening, the service has been top-notch but not on Saturday. We had a lovely table in the garden which is always so pretty and we were surrounded by baby showers, gender reveals, kitchen teas and a variety of birthday celebrations. It is incredible how times have changed and now a baby shower can be on the same scale as a small wedding, engagement party or bar mitzah!! I was telling Mel and Lesley-Ann (Mia was unfortunately eventually not able to join us) that I was very pregnant with Morgan; I was at home and baking a cake on a Saturday afternoon when there was a knock on the front door - I was literally barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen!! At the door was a group of my friends together with my "second Mom", Doreen (whom I blogged about last week) and they were there to give me a surprise baby shower (stork party in those days) - Doreen took over the kitchen and produced a variety of delicious eats and treats and we had such a really fun, relaxed but wonderful and very memorable event and I was so spoilt. No fancy decor or balloons (which all got left behind on Saturday for the events and decor people to remove) let alone everyone dressed in the colour of the awaited baby (which was one of the baby showers there with all the attendees in blue - no prizes for guessing the gender of that baby!)
We certainly had entertainment and several heart-stopping moments when one of the many balloons festooned everywhere burst - a balloon bursting always gets me! We had delicious food - chicken pie for Lesley-Ann, spanakopita pie for Mel and brinjal melanzane for me and we all opted for the pavolva for dessert.
My brinjal melanzane
Pistachio Nut Pavlova Crisp pistachio nut meringue disk filled with crème Chantilly
and topped with fresh seasonal fruit.
We usually take a photograph of all of us but this did not happen - too much emotion, and so much chatting. Next time! I got home after 5pm so it was quite a lunch and a really heart-warming time with Mel and Lesley-Ann; Mia was sorely missed and her empty chair reminded us of her absence.
Morgan and Alyssa hosted Johan and I on Sunday morning at their house along with divine coffee and tasty gluten-free rusks and muffins (the gluten-free range from Woolies is amazing). We were there to have a little catch-up and do a lot of talking, plotting and planning for Italy 2024 as Morgan and Alyssa will be joining us in Rome on Sunday, 29 September 2024 and will leave on 9 October (we arrive in Rome on 28 September and leave on 17 October 2024). We had a fun time talking about everything we want to see and do so our lists of places to visit, food to taste, where to drink coffee and taste gelato is growing, and the excitement is building. If you have ever watched Chef's Table Pizza on Netflix, episode 2 features Gabriele Bonci, who has a pizzarium in Rome - I got so excited when I watched this episode recently as two of the visuals from Rome were (amongst the others) VERY familiar for me
Viale Vaticano which is the street where Domus Getsemani is, in Rome, and where we stayed in December 2019/January 2020 - the orange squiggle indicates where Domus Getsemani is. The wall on the left of the above picture is part of the wall surrounding the Vatican City
The infamous stairs (all 72 of them) we climbed up and down every day at least once! I write about these steps in my book "My Son Went to Rehab, I Went to Rome - A Journey of Hope"
I have an Italian playlist on Spotify, daily work on learning Italian the Duolingo way and enjoying the time to work on our lists for France and Italy.
On Saturday, Tristan, Bruce and their If Only landscaping crew, completed an amazing labyrinth for my former boss. I knew that they were busy with this but did not know it was completed until I got a photograph of it from Donald with the invitation to come for tea and to walk the labyrinth. I am so very proud of Tristan, Bruce and If Only for this incredible project, their very first labyrinth - and Saturday was Tristan's 4 years and 5 months clean and sober milestone #beyondproud
No aqua this new week due to a death in our instructor's family which is sad for her and her family. I spent Monday afternoon with my Mom, in her cottage, so we could watch the memorial service for Margaret Wood on You Tube. It was a beautiful and very fitting tribute to a remarkable woman; and it was a privilege to have known her all my life and to be able to be part of her final farewell albeit virtually.
Today was spent writing this blog and enjoying the treat of a lovely lunch with the awesome Angie; and a much needed catch-up and quality time which was really special and superb.
Some potential good news re Professional Assistance for me later this week; Election Day tomorrow and finishing off a few creative projects; and how many sleeps after the election and the broadcasting of the election results, will loadshedding return? - all great reasons for you to "tune" in to next week's blog post! ha ha ha
Where I have been:
7 Sins - https://7sins.co.za/
The Dog Box Parlour - https://dog-box.co.za/
Buitengeluk Broadacres - https://www.buitengeluk.co.za/
Silver Birch Restaurant - Lifestyle - https://www.thesilverbirch.co.za/
The Cheshire Chest Thrift Store - https://www.facebook.com/CHSouthAfrica/
What have I been listening to?
Podcasts:
Betrayal Season 3
Beyond All Repair
Blood is Thicker
Dark Down East
Something was Wrong
The Daily
The Damage Report
The Meidas Touch
White Devil
Who Trolled Amber Heard?
What have I been reading? What am I reading?
"All the Broken Places" by John Boyne
Audible:
My Favourite Mistake by Marian Keyes
What have I been watching?
My usual bubblegum shows so I can decompress and not think; and just be entertained
Matt Willis Fighting Addiction (an excellent BBC documentary)
Ciao House (filmed in Puglia, Italy)
Netflix:
My Brother, My Sister
A Man in Full
Buying London - I am so mad I wasted my time watching this show although the properties were incredible, some beautifully furnished others with hideous interiors. The team of real estate agents include a South African realtor; the show seems to revolve around her and she is so fake and false -
this show, which has been slaughtered by the critics (not surprising at all) was a real yawn fest. Life is way too short; don't waste it watching this!!
Love, light and blessings
Barbara
