OK, OK...

Morning!

Seems like Facebook is a bit of a problem for me at the moment. My blogging (and everything else) is severly suffering from it. You have no idea how far behind I am on my e-mails. And it's not really like I've done much with Facebook, it's just so much fun catching up with people you've forgotten about and looking at pictures of their lives. So, please forgive me for not having been blogging, I promise that from now on, I'll do my blogging (and work) before I open Facebook...

So, what's up? Actually a lot of nothing on our side. Things are looking up for a change and life's quite exciting. That said, nothing's really happened yet. What the heck am I talking about? Well, I've met this guy. Yippee! He's really, really nice, but for now, he doesn't even know that I like him. We're really just starting to become friends, but I do get the feeling that he's possibly a little interested too. And, this is some serious opening up for me, only a very few selected friends know he even exists. He's 38, never been married, has no kids, but is dying to settle down and have a family. Sadly, he travels for extended periods throughout the year (he's the chief marine engineer on some international fishing boat - sounds aweful, hey?). His longest trips away are for 2 months, but he's normally only away for 2 - 3 weeks. I've known him since I was about 12. Back then though, he was 20 and I was just a kid. Jacques came along and my mind never ventured further then that. Now though, he's just broken up with his girlfriend (yes, he finally did it!) and is looking pretty good from where I'm sitting. He's really sweet with Jake (the little time that they've spent together) and I just have such a good feeling about him. Time will tell, I might be setting myself up for some serious disappointment. I just don't believe that we are meant to grow old alone. I lost Jacques very early in life and at the time I said there'd be no way I'd ever love anyone else. I can honestly say that I can feel that something in me's changed within me. I am feeling happier then I've felt in years and I'm looking forward to what the future holds for Jake & I. I do believe that the love I shared with Jacques was unique, but I also believe that I can love someone else, just as deeply. Anyway, for now, the "new guy's" away and he'll probably only be home around 10 July. Will keep you posted...

As for Jake, he's had quite a bad cold lately, which has developed into a bit of a cough the last 2 days. He hasn't been going to swimming this week - I can't handle snotty noses. His coughing seems to have gotten worse since yesterday, so the anti-snot medicine I've been giving him obviously hasn't worked to it's full extent. Must go get a cough-suppressant tonight. We had dinner at the in-laws last night, which was nice. It was Tammy's birthday. Justin was teasing Jake and pushed him at the table - Jake pushed him back and I was quite surprised at my child's strength. Justin got him in some kind of rugby lock and Jake just shouted "get him off me". I can't believe the things he says and does these days. He's also become incredibly protective of me. Rebecca, my youngest niece, was moaning at her mom and I for being rude about something and Jake turned around to face her, lifted his finger in the air, glared at her, then, without saying a word, turned and put his arms around my legs, keeping up the glare. He also told my mom recently "I look after my mommy, I not let her die." It amazes me the depth of his thoughts sometimes.

I was looking through some really old photos to put up on Facebook (some of Jacques with Jake) and I can't believe how tiny he was. He's grown up and has learnt so much in 3 short years. It's unbelievable. I thought I'd share a few special, old photos with you so you can see for yourselves:

This was taken the night Jake was born. He was about 3 1/2 hours old...

Going home from the hospital. Jacques bought Jake this tracksuit - it was huge and also he wore it on his first birthday!

The next two are of the first bath Jacques gave him at home. He was always home to do the bathing; his favourite was cuddling his boy dry...

My boys snoozing together...

Then while I was looking through my old pictures, I also found some of Buitenverwachting. Not too many of our own pictures were digital (we only got our digital camera a couple of days before Jake was born and then all the photos were of him!). But I found some on their web site too. We lived in a corner of heaven, didn't we??

The entrance to the farm...

The view from our patio

Another view from our garden...

The Manor House...

Rolling Vineyards (our house was just over the hill and around to the right, further up from that mansion)...

The building with the four peaks on the right is the cellar and the farm restaurant's next door. The previous picture was taken of the vineyards to the left, looking back...

Joanne and Pual left on holiday on Sunday. They've gone to Costa del Sol in Spain for a week, then on to Madeira, Portugal for another week. They've got friends getting married in Madeira, so it should be a good party. I've had a few sms's from them and it sounds like they're having a good time. Paul's luggage got lost in transit, but the airline managed to find it a day later. Yesterday they were off to Marbella for the day and she said they are still planning to go see flamenco dancing and bullfighting. Somehow, I don't think Joanne's quite aware of the brutality of a bullfight, but I guess she's going to find out the hard way. It's something I'm so dead against, there's no ways I could sit through something like that!! Anyway, you live and learn! Here's a picture of them checking in their luggage...

Joanne and Paul checking in for their holiday...

Besides that, not a lot to tell. I hope, Ronnie, that you're happy to have some news from me! I think that this blog is seriously over-long, but hope you enjoyed it anyway! Thanks for shaking me into remembering about my blog (I do religiously read everyone else's daily though, even when I'm not actually keeping mine up-to-date).

So, I end off now, finally, with lots of love to all my fellow bloggers!!!

Susie xxx

PS. Last but not least, here are some recent photos - I know, I know, I need to take some more digi ones...

Saturday morning's treat - making fried eggs on toast with his Pa (my dad). He won't eat them if you make them for him, but he'll eat them off my dad's plate...

XXXX