The long weekend in drips and drabs. Part 2...

On Saturday afternoon, we went down to The Barrel. It's in Richwood. Yes, I know its dodge, but it's really very nice. We've been there before, but Jake was quite a bit younger and it was a lot colder then when we went on Saturday. It's really such a great venue for kids and Jake had a ball. It's got a small farmyard, which houses goats, sheep, pigs, chickens and ducks; it's got a large lawn area, a little park with swings, a jungle gym and sandpit. And of course it's got horses. Jake was in his element. Besides all this for kids, it's also got a bar type restaurant, which actually serves really decent food. We had kassler chops with veg and it was delicious. So, while the kids play, the adults can sit and relax, keeping an eye on things from a distance.

We had a really quiet weekend, but tried to slip one or two fun things in for Jake along the way. I'm going to do seperate posts for each day, so that I don't bombard you with hundreds of photos in one go. So, for starters, here are the pictures of Jake and his encounter with a foal (OK, a young horse, but it was with it's mother still) down at the Barrel...

The long weekend in drips and drabs. Part 1...

So, I've been a busy girl. Sorry for neglecting my blog this week, but it's been month-end and a short week to boot. And this is my first month of working half day, so I've just been working pretty hard at keeping all my ducks in a row. Finally, I've paid salaries, done recons, paid suppliers and have done debtors and I now have 5 minutes to indulge in my blog and upload some of the 300-odd photos I took over the weekend. I'm going to do seperate posts for each day, to try keep things in some kind of logical order and so as not to confuse you all...

Good Friday was a lovely quiet day. The day started off really slowly. Jake and I got up at about 7 and we made breakfast and coffee, which we took back to bed with us. We watched a DVD (in bed) that we'd hired the night before and eventually got up after 10. Joanne came around for our traditional Good Friday lunch of delicious home-made fish cakes. For the rest of the day, we played in the garden and just generally lazed as much as possible...

I have to beg and plead and bribe to get a photo of my child at the moment... And he's looking SO much like his dad at the moment... Duracell (at the back) and Sasha... And Amber, whom you all know from previous posts...

Lots of love, me xxx

The Easter Bunny's coming...

Jake had a beautiful swimming lesson on Tuesday and his confidence is definitely up a lot. We had a vomit free class (although he did puke at the previous lesson last Thursday) and he was quite happy to jump into the pool through a hoop. He's also able to swim the width of the pool on his own now (4m) and is learning to come up for air on his way. I'm VERY proud of how well he's doing. After swimming on Tuesday, I had a few things to sort out at home and found Jake a little while later, sitting on our back step, peeling carrots. He tells me they were for the Eater Bunny, but the next morning, he wanted them in his lunch box, so the bunny didn't get any. It all went really well, until he cut his finger on the peeler and had to abandon his job. One drop of blood and that's it... I had a really bad night last night too. Jake spent the night in my bed (I'd been out and it's his treat when I'm not there, to go to sleep in my bed). In the early hours of this morning, I woke up with to him calling me. I asked him what was wrong and he cried that he was scared of the sea. I asked why and he told me that he doesn't want to drown in the sea too. I told him that he doesn't have to swim in the sea if he's scared and asked him if he was happy with that, but he was fast asleep. Needless to say, it left me with a lot to think about and had me in tears - I can't deal with my own grief, let alone my childs. And he's obviously hurting. Added to this, I've had a pain in my stomach (generally lower right) for about a week now and sent myself into a panic during the night at the thought of it being something really serious. Imagine if I had to leave my child all alone in this world? That made me cry more. So, I've made a doctor's appointment for this afternoon and hopefully he'll tell me it's my appendix as I originally suspected. Or a spastic colon. Anything except something scary or life-threatening. I don't think I could deal with that. Anyway, that was quite depressing. I've been home already to get a tranquilizer - I just couldn't stop crying this morning. Everything seems so trivial. Anyway - I hope the photos of Jake and his carrots made up for the rest of my post. I hope that you all have a very blessed Easter and that you enjoy the long weekend. Jake and I have a pretty quite one planned, although my out-laws are away camping (again) and the pressure's already on for Jake & I to go spend a night there. Not sure when though. I've been so busy over the last 2 weeks, I'm just really looking forward to some quiet time at home with Jake... Love Sue XXX

OK, this post has taken me 3 days to get up!! Work has been busy, plus I have 2 prospective new clients, who I'll be doing books for privately, so trying to get all that set up and sorted out on the side. I've always wanted to get into doing bookkeeping privately, but have never quite had the "balls" to take the leap. Maybe it's time now...

The weekend feels like so long ago already. Jake & I did have a lovely one though. Friday night, we lazed at home together with a movie (Lilo & Stitch - trying to get him familiar with all the Disney characters before our trip) and pizza. We were both in bed early after a fairly busy week. Saturday morning, I went through to Somerset West for a friend's birthday; then had a wedding (Ruari & Kirsty) in Franschhoek on Saturday evening. I went through to Franshhoek a little early with Ruari's mom and his brother's wife, Sandi . We got dressed and ready and headed off for the wedding, which went really well, although the bride was about an hour late (don't you think that's rude) and they spent about 1 1/2 hours getting photos done. Crazy. I over-indulged on the booze (Pims, wine, champagne, Jagermeister and Jager bombs = bad hangover) and it was about 2am when I got home, so I had a really long day on Sunday. For the sake of getting out a bit and keeping Jake entertained, I drank 2 Red Bulls and Jake & I went out to Newlands Forest for a walk with my folks. Despite what most people think about the safety of walking through the forests of our beautiful mountain (there have been more then a few muggings), it was pretty busy. We had a lovely time; Jake had a ball. From there, we went to Rhodes Memorial for tea and scones, or in my case Savannah (OK, it was only lite, but id did the trick) and hot chips. Jason & Sandi popped in on Sunday evening for a glass of wine. It's so great to see them again, they're such wonderful friends. Funny how you can go for so long without talking to some friends, but when you eventually catch up, it feels like just yesterday that you were together. I love them to bits! It also sounds like they'll be joining us a Disneyland in Paris in June/July, which will be great. Well, Sandi definitely is coming, I'm just waiting to hear about Jason.

Anyway, here are a few pictures taken yesterday...

Jake's current favourite, a praying mantis

A nesting wasp in our garden...

Jake trying to lure Amber up onto the bench next to him with a biscuit...

Trying his best to get her up, but all her focus is on the biscuit...

Jake on a natural "swing" we discovered in the Forest...

Hugging a tree...

Catching his breath during our walk...

A reminder: Winter's on it's way...

Rhodes Memorial on the slopes of Devil's Peak...

Statue of Energy - Rhodes Memorial...

View over Table Bay from Rhodes Memorial...

Jake enjoying scones and cream at Rhodes Memorial's very busy restaurant...

Silly Banana...

Pulling silly faces for the camera (again)...

Cleaning the pool at home. Enough now, mom!!!

Jake's cork arrangement on top of our piano...

Something pretty to help you forget that ugly wasp...

Lots of love XXX

Two wishes...

Firstly, to Nicci Lamarina - enjoy your maternity leave!! I hope that little Joshua gives you a few days to yourself to relax and catch up on everything before he makes his grand appearance. I wish you everything of the very best through the coming weeks. It's going to be a very exciting time and this journey into parenthood is indescribable. I hope that your labour goes quickly (and as painlessly as possible) and I can't wait to meet little Josh!! Good luck to both you and Clive for all that lies ahead.

Secondly, to Wendy and little Lily - it's been fabulous seeing you both again!! Lily's growing into such a gorgeous little girl and it's been lovely seeing her now. I hope that the flight home goes effortlessly and that she behaves like the angel that she is. It's been good to catch up with you so much while you've been here too and we'll hopefully see you in London in June!!

Lots of love, Sue xxx

This and that...

Jake's sunflower - he's grown it from seed...

Working in the garden... Weeding... Take one more photo, mom, and I will use this fork. I'm warning you... What do you prefer - with flash... Or without? I think I prefer the colours without, but the one with is clearer. Should've gone to fetch my tripod. Lazy ass... Full frontal - Bee... Full frontal - Fly... Yuck, yuck, YUCK - I HATE flies... I can wink... Quick mom, this is hurting...

I warned you yesterday about taking photos of me... Something nice to help you forget that ugly fly...

XXX