03 March 2008
February 2008
Christmas and New Year
Have come and gone so quickly. We had a lovely family lunch for Christmas and spent New Year at home too.
Devin
He bought an Arsenal soccer ball at the mall this weekend (I know, really bad choice!) and left it at a food outlet that has tables in the mall’s open area. He only discovered this when we got home and we told him to just write the ball off. 2 days later he convinced his sister to call the Juicy Lucy outlet and they let him know that the waitress had found the ball and kept it for him! I was so impressed at finding there are still people with good values in South Africa.
Kiara
Started high school and absolutely loves it. She is like a different child and comes home smiling and full of enthusiasm. The new Grade 8 class (standard 6’s) went on a 3 day camp near the Vaal with the prefects and some teachers and she came back with the comment “Mom, I go to the best school in the world!”
Tarryn
She had a nice long time doing nothing but spending money on my credit card until last week. She has started a course, training as an air hostess and so far she is doing brilliantly. They completed their paramedic week and she was top of the class with 100% for her practical and written tests! I was so proud of her.
By the time I added this, she had completed her training, gone for 2 interviews, got the 1st job and is at the final interview stage for another airline. How amazing is that?
Ballito
We spent a super week at my favourite holiday spot and although I had to work down there for 2 of the days we had a fantastic time. The weather was terrible for most of the week but I got lots of reading done, we played poker, took photos, went for walks and I caught up on much needed sleep.
Colin
The day after we got home, my stepdad Colin got dressed for work and then did not feel well. I heard him and my mom leaving and a while later I got a call from the hospital to say I needed to get there. Mom drove Colin to the hospital and he got onto the bed in casualty and had a massive heart attack and passed away. It has been a very difficult time for us, my mom is struggling to come to terms with it and it brought back painful memories for all of us. It was really nice to see how family and friends rallied around and made me realise how lucky we are to have such special people in our lives.
Work
We have had some restructuring at work and I have been fortunate to be given the Quality portfolio, strategies, processes and standards. I am also assisting with a graduate program that we have set up to train up test analysts.
Attended an awesome conference at the Emerald Casino and met a bunch of great people there.
Scrapping
I created a scrapbooking page this weekend for the first time in about 5 months and was so glad that I did. I realised how much I have missed playing with photos and journaling. I will make time for this.
‘Basco
Is the new dog that we got from my brother who is moving to a new place. We were the lucky winners of his German Shepherd puppy that chews everything he sees!
And
I have renewed an interest in gemstones and their properties and meanings
Between the kids, supper club, book club, Facebook, Devin’s BMX, skateboarding, scrabble, friends and my boyfriend, there is not much time left for blogging.
Hopefully I will be more organized in the coming months.
Love to all
Tasha
Christmas and New Year
Have come and gone so quickly. We had a lovely family lunch for Christmas and spent New Year at home too.
Devin
He bought an Arsenal soccer ball at the mall this weekend (I know, really bad choice!) and left it at a food outlet that has tables in the mall’s open area. He only discovered this when we got home and we told him to just write the ball off. 2 days later he convinced his sister to call the Juicy Lucy outlet and they let him know that the waitress had found the ball and kept it for him! I was so impressed at finding there are still people with good values in South Africa.
Kiara
Started high school and absolutely loves it. She is like a different child and comes home smiling and full of enthusiasm. The new Grade 8 class (standard 6’s) went on a 3 day camp near the Vaal with the prefects and some teachers and she came back with the comment “Mom, I go to the best school in the world!”
Tarryn
She had a nice long time doing nothing but spending money on my credit card until last week. She has started a course, training as an air hostess and so far she is doing brilliantly. They completed their paramedic week and she was top of the class with 100% for her practical and written tests! I was so proud of her.
By the time I added this, she had completed her training, gone for 2 interviews, got the 1st job and is at the final interview stage for another airline. How amazing is that?
Ballito
We spent a super week at my favourite holiday spot and although I had to work down there for 2 of the days we had a fantastic time. The weather was terrible for most of the week but I got lots of reading done, we played poker, took photos, went for walks and I caught up on much needed sleep.
Colin
The day after we got home, my stepdad Colin got dressed for work and then did not feel well. I heard him and my mom leaving and a while later I got a call from the hospital to say I needed to get there. Mom drove Colin to the hospital and he got onto the bed in casualty and had a massive heart attack and passed away. It has been a very difficult time for us, my mom is struggling to come to terms with it and it brought back painful memories for all of us. It was really nice to see how family and friends rallied around and made me realise how lucky we are to have such special people in our lives.
Work
We have had some restructuring at work and I have been fortunate to be given the Quality portfolio, strategies, processes and standards. I am also assisting with a graduate program that we have set up to train up test analysts.
Attended an awesome conference at the Emerald Casino and met a bunch of great people there.
Scrapping
I created a scrapbooking page this weekend for the first time in about 5 months and was so glad that I did. I realised how much I have missed playing with photos and journaling. I will make time for this.
‘Basco
Is the new dog that we got from my brother who is moving to a new place. We were the lucky winners of his German Shepherd puppy that chews everything he sees!
And
I have renewed an interest in gemstones and their properties and meanings
Between the kids, supper club, book club, Facebook, Devin’s BMX, skateboarding, scrabble, friends and my boyfriend, there is not much time left for blogging.
Hopefully I will be more organized in the coming months.
Love to all
Tasha
12 December 2007
12 December 2007
Well I see I missed another month and now it’s just over 2 weeks to go until my favourite day of the year. I have started buying presents but know that I will forget what I have bought and will end up buying until the last moment. The tree is up and gifts are wrapped thanks to Tarryn and her organized, efficient character. The kids have put their wish lists up on the notice board in the kitchen and I see the list growing every day. Kiara is especially good at adding to her list and I now see a whole lot of skateboarding items that appear on both her and Devin’s lists.
Devin has started to teach her some tricks and she just loves the attention and praise he gives her when she achieves. I love seeing them together and not bickering.
I know we don’t do Thanksgiving in South Africa but I really think it is something special. I do it on a small scale and love to start out writing 3 things a day in my journal that I am grateful for and then finding that I have written 20 things before I even realize it.
I love December and the build up to Christmas. It is really my favourite time of the year. This year I am making decorations using photos of my friends. I have the family photos on my Christmas tree and there is a fight on with some people to “get on the tree”. I have run out of frames for the tree so I figured making a “friends” chain would be a good alternative.
I still need photos from a few of you
Cathy, Jon, Hazel, Liz, Chris, Brian, Carin, Carol, Elsabe, Erica, Jeanette, Judy, Kathy, Liezel, Mark, Peter R, Peter P, Richard, Sav, Sherie, Terry, and Viresh so hurry up and send them please ...
Tarryn
Matric is now over, it’s so weird to think that my little girl is driving around and finished with school!
She loves having the independence of having a car and is a great help when I need something done. She has not quite decided what she is doing next year and although she applied to do a BCOM, I think she will be doing flight school (air hostessing) training and then maybe flying for a year before she decides.
She was so excited to be going to Cape Town with Trevor. He has never been before. Even though he is an Arsenal supporter, he has also been included in all our Christmas activities at our home and got his own advent calendar when my bunch got theirs. He was so pleased with it and allowed me to take photos of him opening his very first advent chocolate ever. I think he is getting used to the photo thing now and does not seem fazed when I whip out the camera to record some event that seems significant to me.
Kiara
She went away to Grade 7 (Standard 5) farewell camp for a week and seemed to enjoy every minute of it. Although she complained about school every day for the past year, tears flowed when she said goodbye and realized that it was the end of primary school forever.
Prize giving was very fruitful this year for her again. She got an external ATKV certificate for Afrikaans. A certificate for distinctions in 4 subjects and the computer trophy for the best student. I got a photo of her with her Grade 1 teacher so we can have a first and last day comparison.
She has been pestering me to get her new school uniform and everything she needs for next year, I hope Santa brings me a credit card that never needs repaying!
Devin
I took him on a date on Monday after work and we went to see Balls of Fury and then to Spur for a meal and to the games arcade for some games. We had a great time together and he must have thanked me 10 times for taking him. Makes it so worthwhile!
He is still having fun and doing well at skate boarding and we will see if he gets involved in BMX next year. Since Trevor has been around, he has developed a passion for soccer so we will see what develops there.
Devin also did really well at prize giving and got distinctions for Maths as well as Economic Management sciences and an external Math certificate.
Natasha
My friend Claire is leaving for Wales this week and I don’t even want to think about that. It will be terrible to drive past her house every day and know that I can’t just pop in for coffee.
Our Christmas Supper club event was our annual breakfast at Aurelia’s at Emperor’s palace. A perfect day with friends, gifts and lots of smoked salmon with breakfast. What more can a girl ask for?
Our Christmas Book Club event was a day at Mangwanani day spa and it was so enjoyable that we decided to make this an annual event too. The day was filled with laughter and stories about sweetie pies, long toes, a herd of wildebeest doing the strangest things to Louise.
The Pantomime this year was Peter Pan and thanks to my friend Ruth, we could take Trevor, Dylan and my mom with us to this annual event. We all loved it.
I have made some lovely new friends this year that have just added to my wonderful life. I have also started dating someone and went out with the folks, Darrel, Scott and his girlfriend Sue the other night. I told them about my new relationship and it was one of the scariest things I have done in ages. Darrel still teases me about it! They were all very happy for me as is everyone else in my life.
We went to Sun City for our team building event this year and I loved every minute of it. We went by bus and I was served different flavoured Brutal Fruit drinks all the way there! We swam in The Valley of the Waves, I went down the dark tunnel water slide with Alan and Herman (first time I have ever done that and yes I was sober!), ate lunch there and lazed about at the pool at the Observatory deck. Al must have had far too much to drink because he asked Herman and I “Why don’t they fix this stuff up, it looks so shabby!”
The supperclub girls are going to Phuket in August and I am really looking forward to that. I was not going to be joining them, but I got an award at the Year end function this year and decided to spoil myself.
Nanna & Colin
Colin was hospitalized for a few days with pneumonia but is recovering well. Nanna is doing well and enjoying the summer garden. We are going to be having Christmas at our place this year so she will be very busy arranging all the food. Keep her out of mischief!
Lawrence
My brother and I have fallen into a lovely Sunday routine where he comes around for a cup of coffee or 2 and we play backgammon outside on the patio. It is usually early and quiet before the mad rush of the day begins.
Will update again before the end of the year!
Love
Tasha
Well I see I missed another month and now it’s just over 2 weeks to go until my favourite day of the year. I have started buying presents but know that I will forget what I have bought and will end up buying until the last moment. The tree is up and gifts are wrapped thanks to Tarryn and her organized, efficient character. The kids have put their wish lists up on the notice board in the kitchen and I see the list growing every day. Kiara is especially good at adding to her list and I now see a whole lot of skateboarding items that appear on both her and Devin’s lists.
Devin has started to teach her some tricks and she just loves the attention and praise he gives her when she achieves. I love seeing them together and not bickering.
I know we don’t do Thanksgiving in South Africa but I really think it is something special. I do it on a small scale and love to start out writing 3 things a day in my journal that I am grateful for and then finding that I have written 20 things before I even realize it.
I love December and the build up to Christmas. It is really my favourite time of the year. This year I am making decorations using photos of my friends. I have the family photos on my Christmas tree and there is a fight on with some people to “get on the tree”. I have run out of frames for the tree so I figured making a “friends” chain would be a good alternative.
I still need photos from a few of you
Cathy, Jon, Hazel, Liz, Chris, Brian, Carin, Carol, Elsabe, Erica, Jeanette, Judy, Kathy, Liezel, Mark, Peter R, Peter P, Richard, Sav, Sherie, Terry, and Viresh so hurry up and send them please ...
Tarryn
Matric is now over, it’s so weird to think that my little girl is driving around and finished with school!
She loves having the independence of having a car and is a great help when I need something done. She has not quite decided what she is doing next year and although she applied to do a BCOM, I think she will be doing flight school (air hostessing) training and then maybe flying for a year before she decides.
She was so excited to be going to Cape Town with Trevor. He has never been before. Even though he is an Arsenal supporter, he has also been included in all our Christmas activities at our home and got his own advent calendar when my bunch got theirs. He was so pleased with it and allowed me to take photos of him opening his very first advent chocolate ever. I think he is getting used to the photo thing now and does not seem fazed when I whip out the camera to record some event that seems significant to me.
Kiara
She went away to Grade 7 (Standard 5) farewell camp for a week and seemed to enjoy every minute of it. Although she complained about school every day for the past year, tears flowed when she said goodbye and realized that it was the end of primary school forever.
Prize giving was very fruitful this year for her again. She got an external ATKV certificate for Afrikaans. A certificate for distinctions in 4 subjects and the computer trophy for the best student. I got a photo of her with her Grade 1 teacher so we can have a first and last day comparison.
She has been pestering me to get her new school uniform and everything she needs for next year, I hope Santa brings me a credit card that never needs repaying!
Devin
I took him on a date on Monday after work and we went to see Balls of Fury and then to Spur for a meal and to the games arcade for some games. We had a great time together and he must have thanked me 10 times for taking him. Makes it so worthwhile!
He is still having fun and doing well at skate boarding and we will see if he gets involved in BMX next year. Since Trevor has been around, he has developed a passion for soccer so we will see what develops there.
Devin also did really well at prize giving and got distinctions for Maths as well as Economic Management sciences and an external Math certificate.
Natasha
My friend Claire is leaving for Wales this week and I don’t even want to think about that. It will be terrible to drive past her house every day and know that I can’t just pop in for coffee.
Our Christmas Supper club event was our annual breakfast at Aurelia’s at Emperor’s palace. A perfect day with friends, gifts and lots of smoked salmon with breakfast. What more can a girl ask for?
Our Christmas Book Club event was a day at Mangwanani day spa and it was so enjoyable that we decided to make this an annual event too. The day was filled with laughter and stories about sweetie pies, long toes, a herd of wildebeest doing the strangest things to Louise.
The Pantomime this year was Peter Pan and thanks to my friend Ruth, we could take Trevor, Dylan and my mom with us to this annual event. We all loved it.
I have made some lovely new friends this year that have just added to my wonderful life. I have also started dating someone and went out with the folks, Darrel, Scott and his girlfriend Sue the other night. I told them about my new relationship and it was one of the scariest things I have done in ages. Darrel still teases me about it! They were all very happy for me as is everyone else in my life.
We went to Sun City for our team building event this year and I loved every minute of it. We went by bus and I was served different flavoured Brutal Fruit drinks all the way there! We swam in The Valley of the Waves, I went down the dark tunnel water slide with Alan and Herman (first time I have ever done that and yes I was sober!), ate lunch there and lazed about at the pool at the Observatory deck. Al must have had far too much to drink because he asked Herman and I “Why don’t they fix this stuff up, it looks so shabby!”
The supperclub girls are going to Phuket in August and I am really looking forward to that. I was not going to be joining them, but I got an award at the Year end function this year and decided to spoil myself.
Nanna & Colin
Colin was hospitalized for a few days with pneumonia but is recovering well. Nanna is doing well and enjoying the summer garden. We are going to be having Christmas at our place this year so she will be very busy arranging all the food. Keep her out of mischief!
Lawrence
My brother and I have fallen into a lovely Sunday routine where he comes around for a cup of coffee or 2 and we play backgammon outside on the patio. It is usually early and quiet before the mad rush of the day begins.
Will update again before the end of the year!
Love
Tasha
28 September 2007
September 2007
What a crazy month, my calendar looks like a pre school kids got hold of it and scribbled everywhere!
It’s been lots of fun though a bit stressful at times.
Tarryn
She survived prelims and passed all her subjects, not much studying went on I can assure you. The highlight of her month was the matric farewell that was held on the 20th of September. Her friend Garth did all the crystals on her dress and I think she looked perfect! Trevor had his hair dyed to match her outfit and he looked stunning. Trevor’s dad Gary arranged an old Jag to take them to the farewell at the Birchwood Hotel. From there they went to Roxy’s in Mellville in the Party Bus which I think was a brilliantly sensible idea. I got an sms from her at 6-15am the next morning, to say they were back at Gary’s place and he was making breakfast for them. Gary sent me a message shortly thereafter saying they had eaten and passed out for the rest of the day! Oh the joys of youth! Gary and kids joined us for Sunday lunch and the topic of Ballito came up. I said that the kids were wasting an opportunity not being at the coast this week. They could not quite believe it when we agreed to let them drive down for a week on their own!
Kiara
Her highlight is the Cape Town trip that the school arranged. She is coming home tomorrow morning and has had a great time so far. They had a jam packed schedule and she was lucky enough to get to see her cousins from Cape Town while she was there. She is still doing ice skating but deserves her colours for shopping. Took her to Greenstone shopping centre to get a few things for the Cape trip and wow she shopped. Her report was perfect as usual and she goes into the last term at primary school next week. Hard to believe.
Devin
His moon boot is finally off, although he won’t be riding in the Grand National champs for BMX. Next year maybe? He has joined “skate skool” and is learning a whole lot of skateboarding tricks that have names that are beyond me like NOLLIE, OLLIE, NOSEGRIND, POPSHOVEIT and SPINE TRANSFER. I have a whole new language to learn. He was feeling very left out when Tarryn went to Ballito and Kiara was in the Cape, so we arranged for him to fly to Darrel and Marina’s for 4 days. He is coming back tomorrow and when I asked him if he was looking forward to coming home, he said, in typical diplomatic Devin style, “Sorry to say this mom, but NO I am not, I wish I could stay longer”. Another perfect report too.
Natasha
My month has been made up of friends, fun, alcohol, laughter, smiles, book club, supper club, meeting Darrel for breakfast, dinner and strawberry daiquiris with Megan after the matric farewell cocktail party, Facebook,
MSN Messenger, TV (yes I did watch 3 program this month!!!!!!!), music (and I still love my ipod), going on
a personal effectiveness workshop that reminded me of my Lifeline training, hooking up with old friends, ten pin bowling, taking lots of photos, not much scrapping and some new goals. Will share with you soon.
Nanna and Colin are well and so is my brother.
What a crazy month, my calendar looks like a pre school kids got hold of it and scribbled everywhere!
It’s been lots of fun though a bit stressful at times.
Tarryn
She survived prelims and passed all her subjects, not much studying went on I can assure you. The highlight of her month was the matric farewell that was held on the 20th of September. Her friend Garth did all the crystals on her dress and I think she looked perfect! Trevor had his hair dyed to match her outfit and he looked stunning. Trevor’s dad Gary arranged an old Jag to take them to the farewell at the Birchwood Hotel. From there they went to Roxy’s in Mellville in the Party Bus which I think was a brilliantly sensible idea. I got an sms from her at 6-15am the next morning, to say they were back at Gary’s place and he was making breakfast for them. Gary sent me a message shortly thereafter saying they had eaten and passed out for the rest of the day! Oh the joys of youth! Gary and kids joined us for Sunday lunch and the topic of Ballito came up. I said that the kids were wasting an opportunity not being at the coast this week. They could not quite believe it when we agreed to let them drive down for a week on their own!
Kiara
Her highlight is the Cape Town trip that the school arranged. She is coming home tomorrow morning and has had a great time so far. They had a jam packed schedule and she was lucky enough to get to see her cousins from Cape Town while she was there. She is still doing ice skating but deserves her colours for shopping. Took her to Greenstone shopping centre to get a few things for the Cape trip and wow she shopped. Her report was perfect as usual and she goes into the last term at primary school next week. Hard to believe.
Devin
His moon boot is finally off, although he won’t be riding in the Grand National champs for BMX. Next year maybe? He has joined “skate skool” and is learning a whole lot of skateboarding tricks that have names that are beyond me like NOLLIE, OLLIE, NOSEGRIND, POPSHOVEIT and SPINE TRANSFER. I have a whole new language to learn. He was feeling very left out when Tarryn went to Ballito and Kiara was in the Cape, so we arranged for him to fly to Darrel and Marina’s for 4 days. He is coming back tomorrow and when I asked him if he was looking forward to coming home, he said, in typical diplomatic Devin style, “Sorry to say this mom, but NO I am not, I wish I could stay longer”. Another perfect report too.
Natasha
My month has been made up of friends, fun, alcohol, laughter, smiles, book club, supper club, meeting Darrel for breakfast, dinner and strawberry daiquiris with Megan after the matric farewell cocktail party, Facebook,
MSN Messenger, TV (yes I did watch 3 program this month!!!!!!!), music (and I still love my ipod), going on
a personal effectiveness workshop that reminded me of my Lifeline training, hooking up with old friends, ten pin bowling, taking lots of photos, not much scrapping and some new goals. Will share with you soon.
Nanna and Colin are well and so is my brother.
Work is great too and so we plunge into the next month …
Lotsa luv
Tasha
Lotsa luv
Tasha
11 September 2007
10 September 2007
Such sad news this weekend about Angi’s mom that passed away. She was such a beautiful person and will always be missed. Her photo is in my older posts on the blog.
Went to scrapping university and it was a great weekend. Spent my time with Dee and Derryn and what a perfect choice that was, we had great fun, lots of laughing and great memories were created.
Got to meet my blogging friend, Canadian scrapping teacher and Making Memories Idols winner Wilna Furstenburg. She got her husband to take a photo of us together so she could remember me! What a stunning person.
I got home and was feeling really tired. Kiara met me in the passage and said ”Mom, come you have to help me with a homework project”. I moaned and groaned all the way down the passage into my bedroom, my room was spotless, lights low, music playing and a bubble bath ready for me to climb into! What more could you ask for?
I have become reunited with my beloved old music and in typical Tasha style have gone totally overboard. From no music in years to listening to everything I can get my hands on.
I am just loving the sunshine and the friendliness of people in general. Don’t know if it’s my attitude that has changed but I am finding myself so abundantly blessed in all areas of my life.
Devin went to see the WWE wrestling twice this weekend at the Dome and also went to Greenstone shopping centre to see his hero John Cena. He got about 2 meters away from him and apparently John looked at him and gave him the thumbs up!
I am would have been happy to see Randy Orton up close and personal.
How awesome is the gold price today? I have been waiting for $700 for quite a while now.
Well, I have some interviews to do for the rest of the morning so better get to work.
Went to scrapping university and it was a great weekend. Spent my time with Dee and Derryn and what a perfect choice that was, we had great fun, lots of laughing and great memories were created.
Got to meet my blogging friend, Canadian scrapping teacher and Making Memories Idols winner Wilna Furstenburg. She got her husband to take a photo of us together so she could remember me! What a stunning person.
I got home and was feeling really tired. Kiara met me in the passage and said ”Mom, come you have to help me with a homework project”. I moaned and groaned all the way down the passage into my bedroom, my room was spotless, lights low, music playing and a bubble bath ready for me to climb into! What more could you ask for?
I have become reunited with my beloved old music and in typical Tasha style have gone totally overboard. From no music in years to listening to everything I can get my hands on.
I am just loving the sunshine and the friendliness of people in general. Don’t know if it’s my attitude that has changed but I am finding myself so abundantly blessed in all areas of my life.
Devin went to see the WWE wrestling twice this weekend at the Dome and also went to Greenstone shopping centre to see his hero John Cena. He got about 2 meters away from him and apparently John looked at him and gave him the thumbs up!
I am would have been happy to see Randy Orton up close and personal.
How awesome is the gold price today? I have been waiting for $700 for quite a while now.
Well, I have some interviews to do for the rest of the morning so better get to work.
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