Charlie's Bird
living the dream with Charlie and Thandi and chirping all the way back to the nest.Archive for October, 2013
Dreaming
…of travel and holidays… The last little while a yearning to travel has grown in me. I never had those itchy feet as a young adult. Backpacking and minimal budgets didn’t appeal to me, and I guess I was just a bit scared to fly with my somewhat caged wings. Now though, the desire is there. On this holiday we met a couple who prior to their wedding traversed Africa, coming from London down to Egypt and via the East Coast of Africa. It took them 8 months, all they had as a deadline was their wedding date in Cape Town, and off they went. Ah, their stories were awesome. An old secretary of mine did the same, but came down the middle as opposed to the East, and they also had an awesome 9 month trip. What an indulgence, what a privilege… I know a long holiday like that is currently out of my reach, hell, even taking 2 weeks feels nearly impossible, but I dream of a time when I can… When Charlie and I get to show Thandi the world! And share in her delight in it. DrHF is in Paris at the moment, and I am so envious, her pictures of cheese, fruit, foie gras, breads, sights and memories of sounds are almost tortuous to me! I’ve been to Paris once, it wasn’t a great experience (circumstances prevailed, as did the extremely cold weather!), but I’m aching to go again, with Charlie and soak up the Parisian experience.
Ah, we can dream and plan… On my bucket list; France (with my little family), Italy, Spain, Namibia, Serengeti… Dream…
Damn these germs
…”Have you got germs in your throat Mommy? Why you coughing?” asks my girl last night. And my word, I do! Whatever afflicted her and Charlie has caught me, and I feel terrible… ugh…
Holiday recovery
…I love going on holiday, I love being away from the office, seeing new things, experiencing new things, but I really don’t enjoy coming back. The earth shuddering thud of reality hitting is awful. And our wake up began as we were preparing to leave Umngazi, with Thandi developing a really high temperature, refusing medicine and being decidedly not herself. We arrived home with our unhappy little lady who took herself to bed(!) in the middle of the afternoon after sleeping most of the 3½ hour drive home. And that temperature would not come down, and she would not take her meds (I spit it out mommy). Eventually with me in tears, Thandi in tears in a tepid bath (again), Charlie put out an emergency distress call to Dr Angel, who swooped in, and reassured us that whatever it was, despite the high temperature, wasn’t anything too dire, offered encouragement and alternative drugs, and finally, she slept, and cooled down.
Yesterday, along with a busy day, I’ve had a still feverish lady on my hands, and a sickening Charlie. And I’m coughing like an annoying barking dog in the night. Damnit!
The poor girl woke up at 02h20 this morning, declared it playtime, and took a lot of convincing that it was sleepytime, and just when I thought she had fallen asleep, had her following me out of her room at 03h15… She looks a little better this morning, fortunately; Charlie not so much. Looks like this will be fun and games for a few more days. I will just add that I am grateful this happened on the last day of holidays, not the first…
The week in pictures
Umngazi is a special place, we made some spectacular memories…
Early Morning walks on the beach, jumping for joy!
Paddling through the mangrove swamps at umgazana.
Watching Fish Eagles catch their dinner.
Chilling at the poolside.
Making new friends.
Walking into the dusk.
And watching the sun set on a glorious holiday…
We’re all going on…
…spring holiday! Yay! It has been fantastic thus far. The weather isn’t really playing along, but we’re so grateful for the rain, we aren’t complaining. Today has been magnificent, a run on the beach, a swim, a paddle up the river, and I am currently feet up, next to the pool.
Tomorrow there’s a massage planned, after a walk and a paddle to the nearby mangrove swamps. And there’ll be more food! Oh my hat, the food!
I could get used to this! As could Thandi!
There are not
…enough hours in my day. Argh! I am so tired of feeling so stretched all the time! This week has been insane, I think an extra 6 hours a day might have made it bearable. Then I might have had some sleep. Waking up this morning my eyes looked so baggy, ugh, no eye cream was going to help! Oh well.
Tonight I fly to JHB for a conference. It’s a chance to see my brother and his family and my brother-in-law and his tribe, most mostly it’ll be the chance to miss my Charlie and Thandi. They’re staying at home, and then next week we are taking some time off for a bit of a holiday! I cannot wait! We are off to the Wild Coast, and despite dire rain predictions for the week, I am beyond desperate for some time out with my little family! Beyond!
Anyway, I am overwhelmed by the amount of work I have to get through before I leave, so forgive me, I will blog from my conference tomorrow again!
Breaking records
…today I did something I have never done before. I ran uninterrupted (by a walk that is) for 31 minutes. I could’ve carried on, but that was my programme for the day. I am pleased and relieved. I was beginning to doubt I ever would; it’s been a huge psychological barrier for me. So there we go, precedent set. Record broken. Onwards and upwards I say.
Of a mouse and a girl
…these are the tales (tails) of my weekend! Sorry I didn’t update yesterday, it was insanely busy! 3 babies and hardly a chance to breathe (2 girls, Peyton and Sunelle and a boy, James), anyway, I had to be at work early, so I am here, with a chance to blog before the day begins.
The weekend was good. We travelled to the neighbours and arrived in time a walk on the beachfront,
and then we arrived at Adip’s, settled in and ordered in a slap up sushi meal, yum! Given that the quality of sushi we get in our home town is so awful, it was great to get decent quality for a treat! Saturday dawned miserable and damn windy! I had a great (albeit windswept) run on the beachfront, and then the day began. After a chat with our fabulous Dr DB (news for another day), it was off to a party with Thandipants, and won’t you just look at her! 
She is amazing! Those curls! Undoubtedly, the highlight of the party for her was the face painting, and when she saw one of the other little girls, there was no persuading her to be anything else, but Minnie Mouse. 
She was so, so, so excited! Squeaks abounded the rest of the day. She was in her element! I love her so much!
Changing rooms
Catching up with the girls was good last night. Lots is happening in our lives – 1 couple has closed their restaurant, another’s husband has resigned and is starting a new venture, another is trying to buy a new home and start a new business, another is thinking about a career change, another is training like crazy for all sorts of physical challenges. It’s been a year of ch-ch-changes! Or impending changes. And isn’t it just luxurious almost, that we have this option? These moments to re-invent ourselves. What a privilege.
I recently declined an incredible work opportunity offered to me. It would have meant a move away from my home town, and while I would have probably earned substantially more, I couldn’t shake the idea that my personal quality of life was not going to improve; in fact it was probably going to deteriorate, and I was going to work harder and longer with less time for my Thandigirl and Charlie. Don’t get me wrong, I have a deep respect for my patients and my work, but I love my family more, and my girl needs a mom who she does see, even if it is only occasionally.
I got wondering last night, why are we all facing and many of us grabbing these opportunities to reinvent ourselves? Is it our age? Are we starting to become dissatisfied with our lot in life? Are we hitting the ‘Is this it?’ question? I wonder…
Remembering others
The last few weeks I have been working on my Santa Shoebox project. For those of you who don’t know much about them, they are a charity that collects names and ages from less privileged schools and playschools and then asks for people to pledge boxes for these children. You simply go on line, identify which kids you’d like to give gifts to, and pledge. There are a few prerequisite items, but that actually helps to act as quite a nice guide and you can spend as much or as little as you want. Last year I chose 2 little girls, almost the same age as Thandi, so that we can grow these children with her. This year there were only boys a similar age to her, so I pledged 2 boys of 3 and then 2 older girls of 5. My aim is that this is something she and I will do together as she grows up, to allow her to count her blessings and share her bounty. It has been fun shopping, and I’ve probably spent more than I should have, but I keep thinking of these kids getting this as their possibly only gift. Lunch boxes, colouring books, stationary, puzzles, clothes, toiletries and toys. A big part of it for me is decorating the boxes. The boxes are meant to be a bit of a keepsake, so I go to town, hauling out my scrapbooking stuff and really personalising them. They aren’t finished yet, but I’ll post some pictures when I have completed them, I think they are looking quite special already!
So I pose the question today, what are you doing to remember others this year?
Charlie's Bird 