Charlie's Bird
living the dream with Charlie and Thandi and chirping all the way back to the nest.Archive for May, 2019
A promise
…to myself, and I’m hoping you guys, my readers will make me accountable. For the last week I have been threatening to go for a run, my first since my start at the 2 Oceans. I have found every excuse in the book – I’m too busy, too tired, too late a night, I’ll upset the family, I have too many chores. This morning I had committed to a run, but after a late night at bookclub I cancelled. Not good enough Birdie! So expect news of a run on Monday. (it won’t be pretty, it will be slow, it may be short, but I will do it!)
Arting
…around. So last night I went to my weekly art class. I live the time to escape into my creative heart. Our studio has an exhibition coming up, so we are all working on pieces, and last night I worked on some miniatures which will go up for auction on the opening night. I think I have uncovered a new passion! Back into watercolors, but LOVING the smalls!
They all measure 4.5cm in diameter. So just bigger than a R5 coin and just so satisfying! Can’t decide on my favorite!
What shall I do
…with a drunken sailor? No, not really, but a broken tooth. On Sunday morning, munching on a sweetie, I felt a crack in my mouth, had a look see and discovered that I’d lost about a third of a filling in one of my molars. Now ordinarily there wouldn’t be an issue – call the dentist, he’ll make a plan and accommodate me. However, his mum passed away last week, so he is not back at work. Try another dentist you say? Why, yes, that would be logical, the next one ‘on my list’ is away currently, not back for 10 days. And then I get nervous of trying other ones… And my mouth is starting to get sore now…
Birthday weekend!
While I’m not convinced of the wisdom of 2 birthdays so close together, I know this weekend was amazing!
Thandi’s party on Friday evening was amazing! And surprisingly less work than I anticipated. The kids had a blast, and I’ve had lots of moms telling me their kids insisted they cook some of the recipes with them. So success! They children stared by making a dinner roll, decorated with poppy and sesame seeds; then the red team made meatballs in tomato sauce; and the blue team Parmesan chicken. (I cooked a big vowel of spaghetti with it all) and for dessert, both teams made chocolate mousse. (a quick setting Nigella one with mini marshmallows) While supper was in the oven, the kids had a taste test which was hysterical! Between broccoli, gherkins, cheese and chocolate, they laughed like drains! A really successful party in the end.
There you have it, the cake, the party and the goodie bag.
The rest of the weekend was all fun and games. Other birthday parties, a family picnic and lots of baking!
And today we vaguely remember my birthday.
Back to the grind
..so now that my brief moment as an interweb schleb is done (although I dud get another mention on the show this morning – made me sound quite learned – it’s back too the grindstone. My busy week continues to be busy.
Okay, so far, what have I done
- baked and iced chef’s hat biscuits – the icing is about 60 %complete, need to add some details, but the icing already there needs to dry
- The cake is baked, it will be dirty iced tonight, and fondant iced and decorated tomorrow
- I am a quarter of the way through the sweetie jars
- recipes have been printed and laminated
- recipe book is done, Thandi must just autograph them (and I must correct a spelling mistake in one recipe!)
- aprons have been acquired and embroidered
- Charlie is laser engraving some wooden spoons for their goodie bags and some wooden boxes, for the whole Masterchef ingredient thing.
- And then I think I’m done!
Phew! Roll on 7pm Friday night when it is all over, but, a bit like Thandi, I can’t wait for them to have fun and enjoy this party!
An outing
…of myself. I know I don’t have to share, but thought I would, because I love my readers – I was interviewed by Gareth Cliff this morning on his pod, chatting about Ms Caster Semenya. I am still shaking an hour later, but I did enjoy the experience. I felt a bit like a kid meeting Father Christmas for the first time, I am a long standing fan of Gareth, so I was ever so slightly overwhelmed. Here’s a link to the podcast, if you want to have a listen…
http://cliffcentral.com/gcs/mass-debate-about-masturbation/
(omg, excuse the title!)
The next instalment
…so the ED went to see Pops, who made it quite clear that he really has no intention of moving into the retirement village, so essentially I am stuck in this very difficult situation. He is adamant that he is content, not lonely, and has gotten used to being on his own; and there is nothing we can do to convince him otherwise! I’m sad, and I am disengaging.
The weekend was an on call one – 2 babies joined the world, 2 little girls! It is an honour to be involved, I have to say. Although I really do still wish babies would arrive during working hours. Oh well, 11pm on Saturday night and 5:30 on Sunday morning made for a tired, headachey Birdy yesterday! The rest of the weekend involved ballet rehearsals, a birthday party for T, and some meetings for me, but made it through, and now it’s Monday. Here we go! It’s a BIG week, school book dress up day (she’s going as The Worst Witch), Founders Day at school, Thandi’s birthday, her party; another party and prep work for games day at school. (I’ll post lots of pictures!) Give me strength!
Ducks
..in rows.
This morning I had a small gap, since a patient who I should have seen delivered last night, so I used the chance to do some of the things I’ve been putting off – like chatting to the executive director at the local retirement village about my dad; and calling a colleague to sort out a surgery for a patient. (I have to add that I am almost phobic about talking on the phone; I think because phone calls bring work and potential complications, I am appropriately anxious around it) Anyway, the surgery is now scheduled, so that’s great for my patient who has just completed a course of chemoradiation for an exceeding rare gynae cancer; and an appoitnemt has been made for my dad with the ED.
You see, what’s happening with Pops is that he is starting to loose some insight. He’ll tell us that he can’t wait for said retirement village to call him, he’s waiting for that call; then when they do, he tells us he can’t bear the thought of all those old people, he doesn’t want to move, and he’s got too many memories of Dawny wrapped in the house that he can’t leave. Aitog… So, the ED is going to go and chat to him, gauge where he’s at, in terms of the dementia, and also try to talk to him from an independent point of view. I can’t talk to him anymore; and I will have as little to do with the matter as I possibly can, I’m broken. I cannot bear that my strong, wise independent dad is becoming a hollow shell of the man I loved. I can’t watch the irrationality, I can’t hear the feeble excuses, and I don’t want to face what happens next, the anger and fury…
Big brother
…no, not the one watching you, I’m talking about my big brother. So this weekend was his 40th high school reunion, and he came back to meet up with old friends and support his old school. It’s one of the traditional boys schools of the Eastern Cape and has gone through some big upheavals in the last little while and has been struggling to maintain its reputation and standards. Anyway, long story short, a new headmaster is sweeping clean and it looks like it is turning a corner. Which is great.
So BB flew in on Thursday evening, and presented me with this little trinket.
By now you really should all know that pumpkin shells have a special place in my heart – a reminder of my Dawny. And its also a reminder that my brother gets a few little things about me. He was dragged to Kamers by his wife and daughter and while wondering around spotted this piece and thought I needed it. Ah, he’s an old softy after all…
Wit’s end
…I am close to that point! One of my associates is away and I am finding dealing with his patients extremely trying. My wits are close to ending, my patience has been tried and found wanting, and now I am just desperate for him to be back so he can take over these challenging patients. I am all for complicated work and challenging diagnoses, but when I get called rude because I can’t make an appointment for a patient after hours, when I get phones hung up on me because I am not that associate (and its happened more than once in the last week), when common sense becomes decidedly uncommon, I despair. Oh, let this week end, please!
Charlie's Bird 