Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

Well, we had a really busy weekend and while I've negelected my blog (again) for the last couple of days (or weeks), I now have tons to say and lots of photos to post - Oh, forgive me!!

So, a few weeks ago (sorry Wendy), to get into the festive spirit, we took a drive through to the centre of Cape Town to go and see the Christmas lights that they put up every year down Adderly Street. They're pretty similar from year to year, but it's a family tradition that we see them at least once a year. It's become a relatively new tradition to pick up coffees at MacDonalds on our way, which we sip as we drive through town under the lights. There were quite a few new lights this year and my dad attempted to take some photos, while I drove. The wind was blustery and its a wonder that the lights didn't blow down. Of course our recent electricity problems did cause a bit of havoc and the city has only been allowed to turn the lights on from 1 December. And, even then, many of the lights were not functioning properly. Still, they're always beautiful and we spent a good 45 minutes driving up and down Adderly admiring them.

Here are some of photos my dad took...

Adderly Street...

Christmas Tree at the top of Adderly Street...

The Nativity...

Proteas...

The Flower Sellers...

National pride and a "San" dancer...

As I already mentioned, this weekend was a really festive one for little Jake and he is now beside himself with excitement and anticipation over Christmas. On Saturday morning, we (my folks & I) took him to see The Elves and the Shoemaker, which is on at the Baxter. It's only 40 minutes long, but it's in the concert hall, which must seem huge to a kid his size. All the songs sung during the show were to Christmas tunes and Father Christmas made an appearance at the end, handing sweets out to all the kids. Jake didn't want to go up on his own, so I had to carry him up onto the stage to collect his loot. I must be honest, by the end of the show, I just wanted to get up on stage and join in the fun!! The actors all seemed to thoroughly enjoy it and hung around after the show to say hi to the kids too.

Sunday morning was the 16th and so we put our Christmas tree up. Joanne came through to share the excitement with us. Every year, my mom buys us each a new decoration. This year we got two though, one beautiful blue ball with glitter and pictures of snowy countrysides on and the second a snowman with a long tinsely body - they're really great. Anyway, now that the tree's up, all Jake wants to do is sit and look at the lights. Oh, and to have us light all the candles he can find so he can blow them all out again after looking at them for 2 seconds. I'm really glad that he's past (touching wood) pulling the tree down this year. He knows the dangers of electricity and he knows that the tree really is bigger then he is. He's still very fascinated by it though and keeps checking to make sure it's still there. He was disappointed for about a minute on Monday morning though, when he realised that he didn't have any presents under it yet...

Getting ready to decorate the tree. Yes, he did dress himself and yes, he does have two t-shirts on...

Mom and I preparing the tree...

Jake and my mom decorating mirrors...

Jake & I infront of our tree...

Sunday afternoon... Jake ready to go to a braai. This is Jake's favourite shirt and I have to hide it away from him to get him to wear other clothes. It's full of stains, but he loves it. He's very proudly South African - he tells me that he was one of the big men that won the cup for the bokke...

Sunday night...

Our beautiful Christmas Tree!! The finished product (fairy got cut off)...

Our alcoholic fairy - my mom bought her at Pick 'n Pay for R4.99 when Jo & I were little...

Christmas candles...

Definitely a highlight of our weekend, was Uncle Paul's Party, which we went to last night, along with Joanne, Paul, my folks and Jacques' parents. If I hadn't any family, I would still have made an effort to take Jake on my own - it's amazing! I used to go as a kid and I have been dying to share it with Jake, but you've got to wait till your kids are 3 and then they stop going when they're 8, which really stinks. It's just the most magical experience ever and really makes things feel like Christmas time. We always used to go to the party at Silverhurst in Constantia and they've moved it to Groot Constantia in more recent years, although I have been to some there through the years too. The routine of the night is - you head up to the farm, catch a tractor up to Uncle Paul's Party and then get involved in the biggest straw fight ever. I had straw absolutely EVERYWHERE when I got home last night and my hair's still full of it, but I was too tired last night to care and ran out of time to worry about it this morning. After the straw fights, the Salvation Army's matching band comes, we have a quick march with them and the kids are allowed to play on the instruments (I still pity the trumpeteer!!).

Next, Noddy arrives with ice-creams (the same wafer kind we had as kids) for everyone; then it's dinner time and the pooled sandwiches are offered around in big crates. I must admit though, that the food has improved over the years - where we used to get peanut butter and syrup or cheese or egg mayo, you now get quiches and pies and sausgage rolls and delicious sandwhiches - I'm quite fussy about where food's prepared and the food was really OK. After dinner, is Christmas Carols and singing for Father Christmas (Silent Night's his favourite). The kids blow out all the lights, Father Christmas arrives, then you call for the fairy to come. She arrives with magic sweets that don't make your teeth rot. The kids get the presents and everyone packs up, catches the tractor back down to their cars and we all go home exhausted!

Absolutely nothing's changed since we were kids. The party area's much smaller, or so it seems now that I'm bigger; Uncle Paul's hotter and much younger then he used to be and Big Ears is thinner; Noddy looks like a kid of about 10, as does Father Christmas beneath that beard. The only significant change was that Noddy arrived in a golf cart, instead of his little red & yellow car like he used to. To be honest, I'm not sure who had the most fun last night, the adults definitely had a ball!! I highly recommend taking any kids within the age group and making sure that they have enough adults with them to enjoy it all as well. Anybody looking to go next year, let me know, I'm sure we'll get invited again...

Jake loved the whole experience and has apparently been playing with his presents all day (he got a whole box of junk and loves it, incl water bombs, sparklers, pencils, felt tip pens, pencil box, scissors, sweets, fire engine, etc). He's normally quite a cautious kid and will often hang back until he's settled in. Last night, he literally jumped off the tractor and ran without even looking back to see where I was. He loved the straw fighting!! He was a bit nervous about Father Christmas coming and kept his eyes tightly shut when the moment came for the big man in red to arrive. But as soon as he saw Father Christmas, he got up and ran towards him with all the other kids. He didn't stop once to see where I was. I can't wait to get my own photos printed - will be more put up here once I've done them, but it'll probably only be after the holidays now.

Here are some photos from Uncle Paul's Party...

Waiting in the tractor queue at Uncle Paul's Party...

Jo and Paul on the tractor ride up to the party...

STRAW FIGHT...

Having tons of fun in the straw...

Rolling in the straw...

Seating arrangments...

The castle...

Chatting to Big Ears...

Waiting for Father Christmas...

Opening his present...

And that's that. A week today and Christmas will be over. I've got to make my last trip to Canal Walk tonight and then my shopping's finished. Believe it or not, I did start in October, but have left the last few gifts till the last minute as usual. I'll catch up again during the week, but hope everyone's well and wish you all a happy, safe week in the build up to Christmas.

Tons of love, Sue xxx

A night to remember...

I didn't write about this last week for 2 reasons. Firstly, I was too tired to even think and secondly, I guess i was in a state of shock...

On Thursday night, Rosanne was arrested. Yes, my innocent 22-year old baby sister was thrown into the back of a police van and carted off to jail. There are no words to explain the feeling of getting the call to say that someone you love has done something so wrong. To put matters straight from the start, she ended up being proved innocent, but still - what an ordeal! She'd been down at a party at the Edgemead Cricket club with some friends and the cops had been sitting in the parking area, waiting for people to leave. They obviously saw 3 young girls leaving and getting into a car and assumed that they'd been consuming copious amounts of alcohol. Rosanne was driving and they drove along the back roads to another friend's house, about 4 streets away. As she was about to pull up, she saw blue lights and was told to get out of her car. She did as she was instructed. The policeman asked her if she'd been drinking, she said no; he asked if she was sure, she told him she'd had one cider. He then told her that he could see that she was drunk and that she needed to go with him to the Bothasig police station. She told him she wasn't going with him and he asked her again to get in the van. She repeated that she wasn't going with him, at which he twisted her arm and told her not to resist arrest. She got in the back of his van on her own (wasn't allowed to take a friend with) and off they went. At this point, her friends phoned her boyfriend (he'd gone home, because he'd worked late) and then me. I was at Canal Walk with my mom, raced home to pick up my dad and my parents went off to the police station to see what was going on. Rosie was sitting behind the counter and wasn't allowed any contact with her "visitors". The police had given her forms to fill in and sign (she delayed things, wanting my parents to get there, saying she wasn't signing anything until she'd read through it) and a proper docket was opened. Then they told her they needed to take her off for testing - to some place down the N2. They cuffed her (she could choose between going in the back of the van again or being cuffed) and took her away...

Her trip in a police car was hair raising to say the least. They made her sit in the middle of the back seat, between the two seats and she wasn't allowed a seat belt, he drove like a maniac, going through red robots and talking on his cell phone, swearing non-stop - all the while throwing Rosanne around on the back seat. With her hands cuffed, she couldn't catch herself. When they got to wherever they went down the N2, she was asked by another policeman if she knew why she was there and she said yes; he asked why and she told him she was there for drinking 2 ciders in 2 hours. This policeman was NOT impressed with the officers from the Bothasig police station and was even less impressed with them when Rosanne's breath test came out at 0.00% on two seperate tests completed on two different machines. She was stone cold sober.

Back to Bothasig and papers were completed for her release. We're waiting to hear from the public prosecutor now to see whether it will go to court. I'm sure it won't since her tests showed no trace of alcohol...

There are so many reasons in this story to be angry over - firstly, in today's world of modern technology, why don't police carry portable breathalizers? Aren't there on site tests they can do before dragging someone off to jail? Secondly, in South African, you hear stories of how criminals pretend to be police men and take you off to who-knows-where to do who-knows-what to you. Surely they could've let a friend go with Rosanne for safety? Thirdly, don't our policemen have better things to do with their time? One policeman actually told my mother that they had a target to reach by the end of the month. Surely, going after taxi drivers or burglars or murderers would make our country a safer place. I know two elderly people from Switzerland who are here on holiday and were mugged last week on the beach in Hout Bay - wouldn't it be a better idea to protect the public? I realise that drunken driving is a very serious offence and one that most of the South African public don't take very seriously. I realise that it is imporatnt to keep our roads safe, but surely someone who does this as a profession, knows what a drunk person looks like! What right do they have to arrest you under suspicion like this? It was a total waste of everyone's time...

Either way, Rosanne is extremely embarrassed about it and we have all learnt a huge lesson from her experience. I won't drink any amount of alcohol if I am driving anywhere. The thought of spending a night in one of our prisons is just too scary.

Besides that, we had a nice weekend, it was just very busy. Jake's much better, but sprained his ankle at school on Thursday so he's hobbling everywhere. He's slept really badly because of it. Yesterday afternoon, he took himself to my room and just passed out on my bed. I found him fast aslep. I ended up accidentally falling asleep on the couch waiting for him to wake up. We missed Rowan's birthday party because of it (sorry, Suzaan!). Jake very rarely sleeps during the day and I know when he does pass out, if I wake him up, I'm goign to pay for it for the rest of the day. Normally, if he does have a nap, it's for an hour, yesterday he slept for 2 hours 15 mins!!!! Which was just as well, because his grandparents came for a braai last night and he only got to bed at 10:45.

Hope everyone else had great weekends!

XXX

PS. Forgive me for any mistakes here - I'm just too tired to re-read it all.

Another 2...

Last, but not least - these were the two pictures they sent home for me to chose from... Have picked the one where he's smiling with his mouth open. XXX

Jake's school photos...

OK, I have to say it - isn't he just the cutest thing ever?? I know he's mine and all and I know I'm very biased (aren't we all?), but I could just EAT him up!! Man - how am I possibly supposed to pick one of these to have printed?

Small mercies...

I managed to get Jake to swallow his antibiotic last night and this morning and he's feeling much better for it. I tried to hide it in very chocolatey chocolate milkshake, but he picked up what I was trying to do after one sip and told me it was gross. Anyway, told him that he had to have the medicine and that he could chose how he took it - either from the teaspoon on its own with nice milkshake straight after, or by us forcing it down his throat with a syringe again, or in the milkshake. He saw the milkshake as the best option, although it took him about 2 hours to drink 50mls. I did the same thing for him this morning and it went much faster - whoohooooo!! Success at last. I am the winner!

Well, today is my father-in-law's 59th birthday. Happy birthday, Dad #2, I hope that you have a wonderful day. That said, I'm pretty sure that he doesn't read my blog, so what's the point? On a not-so-good-note, he's off to see the doctor today, with a swollen leg that they think might be a thrombosis, so fingers crossed that he's OK. We were supposed to be going up to Cafe Chameleon for a family dinner tonight, but I'm not sure now whether that'll be happening...

XXX

What to do...

Well, today I can relate to how Pia and Dave were feeling over the weekend - Jake has had a fever on and off all weekend and I've been treating him with paracetamol to keep his temperature under control and kept him off school yesterday. Before I got home from work yesterday though, my mom took his temperature again and it was over 40.5 deg C. I rushed home and made a doctor's appointment, but could only get one for 5pm. Needless to say, he was also running 20 mins late. Jake was very good at the doctor and, besides threatening to puke everywhere, let the doctor do all the checks he needed to. Turns out that my child who says he doesn't have a sore throat has tonsillitis. The solution - antibiotics. This is great in theory, but try getting a sick 3 1/2 year old to swallow some bitter tasting muti. It just isn't happening. I've tried everything - from gentle persuasion to forcing it down his throat with a syringe whilst holding him down with his nose blocked (he still managed to spit it all up). I've made up stories about the medicine being a monster and the paracetamol being spiderman (it's red) going to chase the monster down his throat into his tummy. I've even threatened taking him to the hospital and warned him how sick he's going to get if he doesn't take it. This morning I ended up in such a bad mood with him over it. Honestly, I'm in a complete panic, I don't know how to get him to swallow this vile tasting stuff. The doctor's warned about the dangers of rheumatic fever and I know that Jake just has to take the stuff, but won't. Every now and then he succumbs and has the paracetemol, which at least keeps his temperature under control, but the infection's not getting treated. He just will not listen to any reasoning though (must be the little bull in him) and I'm at a total loss over what to do. I'm going to have to bother the doctor again for an alternative. I wonder if you can teach a 3 1/2 year old to swallow tablets? Why don't they just make medicine taste better? It must be made by men. Without kids...

Hope everyone else's kids are behaving like little angels!

Love, A worried mum xxx

Tomatoes...

This is the last one, I promise. Just some photos of Jake enjoying his veggie garden. He picked his first tomato yesterday and was too excited to wait for it to ripen fully on the shelf before eating it. His strawberry plants seem to be finished bearing berries for now, but his beans have got flowers on and everything else seems to be growing really well. We found a watermelon seedling growing in the garden, so have potted that too. He's still loving every moment of it and can't wait to get digging and scratching when I get home from work. Anyway, with the price of tomatoes as they are at the moment, I think we're all looking forward to Jake's juicy, home-grown ones. Just a few more photos...

XXX Jake's first tomato... Grow tomatoes, GROW! Jake contemplating the meaning of life in his garden...

I'm on a roll...

Might as well get my life (and you) completely up-to-date while I'm about it...

Last weekend, we took Jake to the Cape Town Military Tattoo at the Castle. Although it was freezing cold and we had to snuggle under warm jackets, it was a really fabulous experience and Jake loved every second. It's a bit of a rip-off of the Edinburgh Tattoo (down to the lone piper at the end), but it was really great to have it in Cape Town and to see our men all dressed up and taking part. There were various bands, horses, skits, live gunfire & canons. Although it's got room for improvement, we'll definitely go again next year.

Just some photos to share of the evening. Unfortunately, it was pretty dark inside and my dad's digital camera (I don't own one)doesn't have a strong enough flash...

All the military men lining the entrance into the castle... Jake & I checking out one of the canons with the Serg. Sorry, my dad cut off the top of the mountain... Going in with my mom and Jake...

Congratulations!!!

To my super-duper-clever friend, Caroline: Congratulations on passing all of your exams!!! You have worked so hard throughout the last year and it's been a real challenge adding a tiny baby into the equation, but you've exceeded all our expectations and you are an inspiration to all who know you. I know that you will take the time that you need now, to relax and enjoy your gorgeous baby girl! Well done! I'm so proud to be your friend!! Love you lots xxx

Playball awards

I was invited to go to Jake's school this morning to his playball awards ceremony during which he was presented with a certificate and report card. Needless to say, as a first timer, I had my camera with to capture the moment. I don't often get the opportunity to see Jake playing with his friends and it was a real treat to just sit on the sidelines and watch him interact. While most of the kids either burst into tears or hid their faces when their names were called to collect their certificates, Jake jumped up and was all smiles for the camera. I could've eaten right up! What is playball? I have no idea. I know I pay someone for an extra class given during Jake's time at school and I know that it involves all kinds of ball skills and I guess motor coordination, but it also teaches them life-skills such as sharing and taking turns. His report was good and I'm very proud of his progress - he scored all 2s and 3s, meaning that he either attained the desired level or attained it well (they were only scored out of 3). Some real highlights were 3s were for Enthusiasm, Participation, Independence, Discipline, Perseverance and Social Interaction. Although he didn't get any 1s, he got 2s for all the ball skills, aside from rolling, hitting and stopping, which were 3s as well. So, looks like I need to try spend more time kicking a ball about with him. Men's work. His playball teacher's comment at the end of his report read: "Jake seems to really enjoy all Playball activities and is always eager to learn new skills. It's been a pleasure coaching Jake!" What more could I ask for??

Enjoy the weekend XXX

Jake with his class, two teachers and his playball coach... Jake getting his playball certificate from his coach...

Christmas traditions

After reading Wendy's blog, I've decided to follow on with my family's Christmas traditions as well…

Our tree goes up on 16 December and it always marks the real count-down to Christmas. Putting it up is always a very festive occasion and we listen to Christmas carols while we "trim the tree". We decorate and my dad fights with the tangled lights, which he always has to put on last. There's always something yummy to snack on and drink (either champagne or coffee). In the days that our tree's up, the lights are on every night and we often just sit around and enjoy the colour and beauty it adds to our home. We have an artificial tree, which is only 2 years old now - the previous one my parents bought when they got married and it was looking really tired. We have a fairy that goes up on top of the tree, unlike most people who have stars. My dad always has to put this on – a tradition that started because we couldn’t reach the top of the tree as kids. She’s also looking tired (actually, she looks like an alcoholic on a bad hair day), but she’s so much part of our Christmas tree that nobody's got the heart to chuck her out!

This year will be Jake’s first Rotary Christmas Party experience. As kids we always went to Uncle Paul's party in Constantia and, needless to say, I’ve managed to get us in at the same one!! It’s on Groot Constantia and the excitement and magic of it is indescribable! From tractor rides, to straw fights, to the marching band, Noddy and his gang, naughty goblins, singing Christmas carols and Father Christmas and his fairy arriving - it's just so magical. There are 7 adults going with my one child and I'm pretty sure we're all way more excited about it then he is about. I think it’s more about sharing it with him and seeing him experience it for the first time. I CANNOT WAIT!! Apparently, the show hasn't changed in all the years since we went, it’s going to be a real trip down memory lane. We haven't received our invitation yet, but I have been told that we are going on the 17th, which is the day after putting our tree up, making it a very exciting weekend for us!

Before bed time on Christmas Eve, it’s vital to remember to put out something for Father Christmas and his reindeer to snack on when they visit our house, which does not have a chimney, but remember Father Christmas is magic – he can get in anywhere! So, it’s always carrots and water for the reindeer and mince pies or shortbread, chocolates (used to be Quality Street, but they’re not as nice as they used to be) and a glass of sherry or Amarula. There were always photos taken of us (and now of Jake) putting out our Christmas Sacks under the Christmas tree. Then it’s off to bed, to try and sleep. When morning eventually arrives (sometimes as early as 4:30am), my dad always has to go through to the lounge to check that the big man in red’s not still there. And then it’s complete mayhem as everyone dives for their individual sacks and begins ripping open wrapping. Coffee’s served, normally with scones and we exchange gifts with one another. In the old days, we used to go to church on Christmas morning, more recently, we’ve been going on Christmas Eve. Not sure what this year holds.

Because we share so much of Christmas with my family, since we live with them, and they really get to enjoy so much with Jake, I always give Jacques’ family first option on whether they want us to have Christmas lunch with them. This year, we’re having Christmas Eve with them and lunch with my folks (Jacques’ sister is with her in-laws for Christmas lunch). Joanne’s new family-to-be will be joining us as well, so there’ll be a nice little group. My mother always spends hours shopping and pouring over recipe books to put together the greatest feast ever and each year we swear we’ll never eat so much again, but by the time the following Christmas arrives, we do it all over again.

Other family traditions include driving through town (and Bothasig) to see the Christmas lights; a Christmas dinner with Jo and Paul during the week before Christmas; picnics and Christmas carols by candlelight at Kirstenbosch; looking for fairies’ lights in the garden, which are really glow worms, but the tradition is sticking and Jake loves hunting them down; being warned that the fairies are listening and reporting back to Father Christmas on our good/bad behaviour; eating too much; napping between lunch and dessert on Christmas day; drinking too much; spending time together; trifle for breakfast on Boxing Day (also my mom’s birthday); left-overs for days; the list is endless…

And not forgetting that, while Christmas time is always a time of excitement, tradition, special memories and magic, it's also an incredibly sad time of year for many people. We will always miss having Jacques with us, but I will do my best, as always, to make this a happy time of year for Jake...

I know that it’s a very early wish, but the festive season is just around the corner now - I hope that you all have the most wonderfully happy, peaceful and safest and festive season this year! For those of you with young children, remember how important your own family traditions are and enjoy making special memories that your children will look back on fondly one day when they have children of their own.

Lots of love to you all,

Sue xxx

Some Christmassy photos taken over the last few years...

Christmas Day 2004... 16 December 2005 - Decorating the "tree" (note the tired tree)... Christmas Eve 2005 - putting food out for Father Christmas & the reindeer... Christmas Eve 2005 - Testing the reindeer's food... Christmas 2005 - Jake's stuffed sack (I made the sack)... Christmas morning 2005 - Jake and his Aunty Jo... 16 December 2006 - Decorating the "tree" ... 16 December 2006 - My dad putting the alcoholic fairy on top of our new Christmas tree... Christmas Eve 2006 - note the Christmas fare... Christmas morning 2006... Testing out one of his presents - Christmas morning 2006...