Charlie's Bird
living the dream with Charlie and Thandi and chirping all the way back to the nest.Archive for October, 2014
55
..tick, tock!
So last night we started trialling our Christmas cocktails – yum! I’m not going to give too much away, but it was green and tasty! It got approval from all test subjects, so all good on the first cocktail. Only 3 more to test, 1 we know is a hit, so no need to test that one. Then there is something ever so slightly different that I am going to attempt, will prepare it this evening, so we can test it over the weekend.
The weekend is going to be fun and games – a braai with friends, the Colour Run with Charlie and Thandi, supper with other friends and a visit to a local market on Sunday. Looking forward to not being on call my first weekend back from leave.
I am nursing a groin injury, I saw my physio yesterday, so I am hoping that after a second session (planned for tomorrow) I will be much better for an easy run sometime over the weekend. The Colour Run is going to be at Thandi’s pace, so hardly a run then, but it will be loads of fun! Next weekend there are also a couple of runs coming up – a (belated) Halloween night trail run, which we are again doing with Thandi, and a 10km run which is supposed to be really speedy! Hoping that it all works out between being on call etc!
57
…more sleeps to Christmas! EEEEK! That isn’t very long, is it? And I really need to tackle my crafts! Ok, so on my to do list are the handmade gifts to be completed for family and friends, my drinks menu needs to be finalised for the Nightmare before Christmas cocktail party, ingredients sourced etc, and the menu finalised for Christmas lunch, which this year is, I think, going to be a picnic! All of a sudden 57 days doesn’t seem very many!
So, any suggestions for Christmas cocktails? And what are your food favourites for Christmas? I am quite inspired and have been Pinteresting and googling up a storm, so the bug is starting to nibble. If you have seen the latest Taste magazine there are some gorgeous looking cheese ideas – I’m thinking a cheese table! And a dessert table. Every time, the desserts get me! Yum, yum, yum! My sweet tooth is just evil!
And my gift ideas seem to be coming together nicely! I’m just not sure what the little girl who has everything her mother desires is going to get from Santa yet. She did ask for ballet pumps, maybe a jump start on some lessons? I have got a few stocking fillers for her – a personalized pencil bag, some books and small things… And then there is the gift for Charlie! Why are men sooooooo difficult to shop for? And throw in our anniversary 5 days before Christmas! 6 years – I must check what the gift is for that.
Jiggedy Jog
…home again!
Wowee, the break was awesome! I wish I had had another week. My battery is not completely recharged yet, but, beggars can’t be choosers. And it was fabulous!
It all started with the trip to the Guest farm, which really was special. As I mentioned we celebrated my cousin’s 40th birthday there, and it was great. We arrived in temperatures of 7°C on Friday afternoon, and left in temperatures of 25°C on Sunday, after Thandi even had a dip in the pool!
(Gotta love her wearing my sunglasses!) The trip up seemed eventful for everybody! Cousin took 7 hours, after a drive that had even the farmers shaking their heads, considering the passes he drove. We took just over 3 hours, but we were flummoxed by our GPS every now and again, but really, compared to the 7 hours, it was easy! 
The scenery was really stunning! Friday night was all about just relaxing and getting into the swing of holiday mode. On Saturday morning the boys were off to do some off road motorbiking. It was all fun and games, until someone fell off, and broke his hand… So with a bone sticking out of the skin, back home they travelled for surgery, I was just so grateful it wasn’t Charlie! That did put a bit of a damper on things, but anyway, we celebrated in style, with bubbly and lots of laughs. Thandi had a whale of a time – playing with her cousin, horse rides and tractor rides!
Sunday Charlie and I got up for a run, to run off a few of the previous night’s excesses, and then it was time for a lazy morning before we all packed up and headed home after a tasty lunch.
Then we were home for a day and a bit – a day and a bit of running around, getting things ready! On Monday evening we had a mini Oktoberfest with our German friends – from sauerkraut, to obazta and fleischkäse, to black forest trifle and beer, we had a great evening!
Thanks TJ and MB!
Then Tuesday dawned and we were off to Umngazi River Bungalows. Ah, one of my happy places!
Despite some serious wind, we had some glorious days! Thandi got to play up a storm with her Umngazi friend, Tay, we got lots of exercise and rest in – running, hiking, cycling, swimming.
And there was some eating and lots of wine and fun and games!
Really, for a family with children, it is the best holiday you could wish for, great kiddie meals (Thandi ate more than I believed possible), awesome nannies who take care of the children while you sun yourself next to the pool. I love the Wild Coast, the vibe, the friends we have made, all special! And it was a good time for Charlie and I to recharge and reconnect. Bliss!
love the little girl secrets being shared in this picture…
No more
…sleeps!!!!!!!! Today, after my last patient at 12, the holiday begins. I cannot wait! I am shattered because last night I was p finalising things for my cousin’s 40th, look what I made for him 
They are far from perfect, but they are cute, hey! He is a beer fanatic, so I really hope he enjoys them – milk stout cake inside too! It was alwys going to be a finicky job when you have to bake the cake, cut it up, then ice. It wold have been easy if I have had a mould for it. And if I had started before 21h00 last night. And if I’d slept the night before that. Oh well… Overcommitted me! I also made him some champagne jelly shots, hope he enjoys it all!
Anyway, my peeps, I must be off now, must work, dot my i’s and cross my t’s. I will check in again when I can! Stay safe, have fun! Smooches to you all!
Getting there
…madly and crazily, but getting there. I am starting to count the hours left at the office, and freaking ever so slightly when I look at how many patients I have to see in those hours. (It’s 10 hours in the office and an afternoon in theatre to summarize.) I also have a huge number of things to do this evening – train, supper, make and decorate cupcakes, champagne and raspberry jelly shots (thanks to Cousin fudgingood’s recipe on her blog! http://fudgingood.wordpress.com/2014/09/15/champagne-and-raspberry-jelly-shots/) Phew. I don’t really envisage much sleep tonight. And after a late night delivery last night… Oh well! ooh, and I need to pack, gosh, I can’t forget that! I think it is time to work on that to-do list! I like have a list to tick things off.
Daydreaming
…about the weekend away… about the week away… about Christmas. I feel like there is so much going on in my head, it may have a little bit of an explosion! Oh well, all good stuff though. After my paper crafting this weekend, last night, and after an awesome post work massage (my heavenly reward for working this weekend!) I got some embroidery out. It is a cross stitch I was working on for the beach house last year, but ran out of steam and commitment, so I never finished. I am so close to being done, then I can send it to the framers. It was very therapeutic, but my heavens, my eyes are deteriorating! I had to set up a table lamp nearby so I could see what I was doing. Admittedly I was sewing white and grey thread onto white fabric, but I suspect that nasty old 40 is really creeping up on me now! Buggers! Another Christmas gift soon to be ticked off the list! Tomorrow I need to co-opt Charlie into giving me a hand with another gift idea I have – I can’t blog about them yet, because the potential recipients read this, so you will all have to be patient and see after the festives!
Anyway, enough daydreaming, work time!
4 more sleeps
..until I get to my vacation! Woohoo! A few things to get done before then, some deliveries, a bit of work, some biscuits and some cupcakes, and we are sorted!
Is my ‘water fairy’ not the cutest one you have ever seen? And can you tell she’s saying cheese here? She’s so crazy about dressing up, a bribe with a fairy outfit (on special at AC Kermans) meant a cooperative girl all day! Look at her Marilyn pose, with the wind blowing her skirt up here! 
The weekend was nice, I trained on Friday afternoon, then it was onto supper with TJ and her family. It was really nice, and Thandi had such a blast! Saturday involved a little work, a run, some paper crafting and box packing. Sunday there was another run, a bit more work, lunch with my parents and some more crafting. I can feel the festive season starting to approach – lets hope it’s going to be a blessed one! And here is the start of my festive projects – my Santa Shoeboxes. 
Tinkerbell got Thandi’s nod of approval, so I scrapped away!
Planning
…ok, so the plans for the weekend involve a casual supper with the TJ and her family this evening, after a session at gym (been a bit slack this week), a couple of hours at the office tomorrow morning, another run, working on my Santa Shoebox pledges, and some Christmas presents for friends and family. Sunday, maybe another run, depending on work and the weather, and then just a quiet day…
And this time next week I will be packed and ready to hit the road to a well known Eastern Cape holiday farm to celebrate my cousin’s 40th, and then it’ll be almost directly from there to another EC classic, Umngazi River Bungalows – I cannot wait!
What I really need
…aside from a clone, is just some more time. Time to be just me. Some quiet time, some time for my family, some time for my friends. Something for me. I really do find it difficult to prioritise myself, and in so doing, get lost in the chaos of my days (and nights). I know I have to find the life giving things in my world, and I struggle sometimes. So this weekend, despite being Dr Birdie on call, I am going to get some sewing, or some paper crafts out. It is time to work on my soul.
Melancholy
…is such a funny thing. Here I am today, I had a bad bout of insomnia last night, so despite not sleeping very much, I am not really yawny tired, rather I feel somewhat flattened and melancholic. I love that word… But it is a curious state of affairs. Yesterday, during the day I was fine, last night, I wasn’t. I could feel it rising in my soul. And as the night progressed it settled in. And it’s strange, how I find corresponding to the melancholy rising, an emerging creativity. Maybe there is something to the tortured artist thing. Last night I was working on a digital project, and if I hadn’t made myself turn the computer off, I suspect I would have been busy all night. But I can’t really explain where the melancholy came from? Maybe it’s just hormones, maybe it’s just the need for a long vacation…
Charlie's Bird 