For Luke on his 40th

 Luke, for your 40th I definitely did not intend finding 40 photos to post. I wanted to find a couple of photos that I personally took of you, that would embody your wonderful traits, and somehow I found, I had to reduce the number down to just over 40 😂. Wishing you a fabulous 40th and an awesome year ahead, with much love Tasha 💙💙💙💙

You help others to achieve more than they would on their own

                                                            Nothing is too much trouble 

The braai king

Always kind to Nanna

Always in for some fun

You settled into my home so easily

Making time for naps with Ta

You even share your food

Such a proud dad

Wld adventures are always on the cards

You appreciate a sense of spirituality 

Always ready to make up a fake birthday

                                                        Chill out in the strangest places

A real Baker boy

Selecting jam in a tube is serious business 

Game for a photo in the oldest bookstore in the world

You find the most interesting and funny objects

You don’t like admitting defeat and you keep trying

Your laughter is contagious

                                                    You don’t give up no matter what

Happy to lose almost every round of what are the odds in Porto

You rise above the obstacles in your path

You find the best chill spots even in the palace gardens

Always willing to celebrate 

Ready for a game anytime

Crossing bridges to get to where you want to be

Willing to do crazy things

Always having your friends in mind

Whatever hat you wear, you will be fine

Good food is always part of the plan

Best prawn chef around (don't tell the others)

Always ready for a little mischief

So much a part of all our family moments

Brave as a lion

A heart as soft as a buckskin

You take time to share moments

The hunt for the best coffee is never over

Taking us to the best places

There’s never a question about taking the wine pairing

You’ve perfected the lobster claw

Great at taking naps

Your cooking is a delight

Quite ready to taste anything

And the love you have for your family shows in your smile!

How I told the kids about our trip to Thailand 2010.

Devin and Kiara didn’t know about the trip to Phuket, so Tarryn and I decided that the Sun City weekend would be a good time to tell them. I didn’t want to just come out and tell them, so Tarryn got her friend at work to make 3 lots of vouchers for the kids, the 1st was for a dinner of their choice, the 2nd for a massage and the final one said all vouchers are only available from the 25th August to 5th Sept and in small writing, it said in Phuket J.

After breakfast the first morning at Sun City, I gave them each their first clue and had hidden 2 other clues each to get them to their voucher. Kiara got one that said, “you are the ____ of my life” and she had to hunt outside for a light to get to her next clue. Devin’s first one was “at the 3rd rock from the sun”, you get the idea. 

On the second day they had a group photo treasure hunt between the chalet and the Valley of Waves. I gave them a list of about 25 things that they had to take photos of, like a sign that says “mystery”, a bowling ball, a crocodile etc.

On the last day they decided they wanted another photo hunt, so I arranged one at the Sun City pool. The waiter’s name was Peter, and the barman there had a gold tooth, I had both those in the list of 25 things, but they went off and asked random people in the Sun City hotel if they had a gold tooth, found one who agreed to be photographed. They were very enterprising and got all 25 photos. 

Their last clue was that their prize was with the person who performed ‘the part-time job that Tarryn aspired to when she was in high school’. They were horrified that they had to go to get the prize from the lifeguard on duty! He gave them the envelope with the final vouchers, and they were both over the moon with excitement. They both said it was a lovely way to find out and that the timing was perfect. Tarryn got to guess a number between 200 and 900 and that number was subtracted from 1500 to give her a cash prize and make her feel like she was part of it too.

I had great fun sharing the news of the trip this way.

Parenting Baby Book

 I was cleaning out this week and came across the book that helped us get through parenthood. It’s Marina Petropulos baby and child care. A lot of moms at the time had the book and it was a very practical guide that answered the many questions we had as new parents. Remember, we didn’t have the internet, imagine that, and no cell phones either 😀. I don’t know why I kept the book all these years because, now every question is just a Google search away. I wonder what it will be like when Cali has kids, will they say, those poor parents they had to search the internet for answers? Here is a pic of the book before I get rid of it.

Family photos 2022 meeting Cali

Todays blog post is about some recent photos of the family when Tarryn, Luke and Cali were out from Australia. Tarryn wanted family photos and the rest of us teased her about the pics but once we had seen them, everyone loved them.well, everyone that I spoke to thinks that everyone else in the pictures look amazing but they look terrible. We are so self-critical, we should all just go easier on ourselves. I’m very grateful that we have this lovely family photo and I love the smiles and carefree look about it. We had a great time away for the two nights at Kievitskroon near Pretoria. Happy families and so incredibly blessed to have Cali meet the rest.

Road trip with Fabulousness

This past weekend I had an amazing time and noted again just how special these 3 ladies are in my life. I took a days leave and we all met at my place for our road trip. Annie was our driver, I was co-pilot and Jenny and Rene were the backseat drivers. 

Rene and I alternated as DJ’s and there was much singing along during the trip. We stopped for a Wimpy breakfast which was a real treat for me, as I hadn’t eaten at one for years.

Photos were taken all the time because you know the motto, ‘if there isn’t a photo it didn’t happen’. We also learnt a lot along the way, some very interesting details were shared and we learnt about middle names and how they came about, also some boys names that are just too descriptive and some details that shouldn’t be shared. We laughed a lot and some eyebrows were raised. 

Another stop was at the delightful Blueberry Hill where the toilet view was a highlight A delicious blueberry cheesecake experience and our Abbey Road picture that for me, just sums up the spirit of our group of friends. It’s not often that there is a group of girls where there is love and caring like this. I think the thing that stands out and sets this apart, is the joy we have for each other’s successes and pleasures. There is no envy, just joy and it’s a really special bond.

 

A delicious prawn dinner and a visit in the pub, a hospital trip for an allergic reaction and an almost sleepless night ensued. All was back to normal by morning and breakfast and coffee was most welcome. The bee-keeping course run by Highveld Bees was incredible and so professional. We learnt such a lot and had an amazing, unforgettable time. I think everyone that attended was blown away and left as passionate bee-keepers. 

Saturday passed in a flash, we had a great braai and sat outside talking, an early night and then breakfast again and we went off to the midlands to hike, bum slide in the river and another great meal at a restaurant with a beautiful view. We only got home after 7pm so it was a jam-packed fun time. I hope we get to do many more adventures with Fabulousness.

The contents of my handbag

I decided a while ago, to post about the contents of my handbag. There is an unwritten rule that no one ever scratches through a women's handbag, I think most people are afraid of what they might find there! I recently went out for a meal with a friend of mine, and he commented on my see-through handbag. I just find that it's easier for me to find things that way. When I want to be a bit fancier, I put my entire plastic handbag into a 'proper' ladies bag and off I go, pretending to be normal.

One of the the things that was visible in my handbag was a roll of duct tape. Now, I did not think that this item would raise an eyebrow, but I have been teased mercilessly about my duct tape by this friend ever since. I think it's awesome stuff and it has come in handy so many times. My wet-wipe pack is currently sealed with duct tape. Okay, so that is one of the practical items I carry around. 

I emptied out my bag and took a photo of all the items in it. Some items that stand out for me, are masks and sanitiser, in this time of Covid-19. Re-usable shopping bags and a metal straw tell a story too. I would not have bothered with those items 5 or 10 years ago and now re-cycling has become routine. 

My Parkrun and MyRun bracelets go with me wherever I go, imagine if you did a run and never had your barcode! And yes, I know they have been closed for lockdown, but you never know. I like to be prepared, the motto of the girl guides and brownies worldwide. You would have never guessed that I was kicked out of brownies my first day, I think I was cheeky and the leader didn't appreciate that, lucky I learnt to be prepared despite her. I also have a small Leatherman, a Swiss army knife, a Burn shield pack, a peg, a hair elastic and a very comprehensive first aid kit, contribute to my preparedness.

Various other items like earphones (and a spare set), as well as EarPods,  also get carried around. I use them when I go for a run or warm up on the treadmill at gym, and don't like to be without them. A power bank and charger cables, basic toiletries like a lipstick, deodorant, sunblock, refresher wipes, tissues and creams are also part of my pack.

You will always find loose, cash notes in my bag, that's for just in case I need something, when I run and leave my wallet in the car or at home. My wallet has the usual cards and cash in it, a safety pin and my blood type card (it's O negative). I have a special piece of citrine (the Merchant's stone) that I keep in my wallet and, like it does in quantum physics, the outcome and impact on the particles, at a subatomic level, are influenced by the one doing the observing, so it is with this piece of stone that attracts wealth, believe it and it is.

One of my favourite possessions is my pair of Maui Jim sunglasses. I could never wear sunglasses for more than a few minutes at a time, and would go through many cheap pairs in a year. About two years ago I treated myself to a pair of Maui Jim's and I am delighted with them. They are incomparable. Tarryn bought me another pair of Maui Jim's recently, and they are waiting for me in Australia, so one day when we can travel again, I can get my back-up pair. My Manchester United South Africa supporters club card is always with me too, that too, should give you some insight into my life. 

I think we all have revealing items in our handbags and I hope you learnt something about me that you didn't know before. Until next time, have fun.

Simple Abundance

 This year I intend to read the Simple Abundance book again. I skipped a few years and feel it’s time to do it again. I love the byline of the book, a day book of comfort and joy, that resonates with my soul. Linda gave me this book in 2001 and I have cherished it ever since. It’s held together with duct tape because of overuse and I really enjoy having an actual book to hold in my hands and read.  I love that Linda wrote inside the book for me and smile when I see the inscription.