A ton of photos...

OK, I have an unnatural obsession with my camera. I'm in love with it. I take far too many photos and I don't really get time to even look at them properly. Work was really busy last week and, while I started uploading these pictures early in the week, we had a holiday on Wednesday and I just didn't get around to finishing this post off. Turns out, I'm about to share something like 150 photos from last week with you now. If you don't want to see them, feel free to leave...

Getting ready to hit the road with his Grandpa Hubie...

I love how tiny his body looks underneath the huge helmet...

All set! I actually got on behind Jake to help keep him on tight and we really did just go around the block. Jake loved it and kept shouting "faster Grandpa, faster!".Next, Jake hit the road on his own bike... He's getting better at his riding, but still needs help getting going and he does tend to topple over quite often. He's getting quite frustrated that he hasn't mastered pushing off on his own yet. And, although I've taught him to put out his leg when he needs to stop and to lean to one side, his main way of stopping is by crashing up a pavement. Anyway, here he's whining for some help... Then getting cross with me for taking photos of him doing the whining. Note that he is not actually allowed to stick his tongue out, but he knows he's pretty safe when I'm holding my camera... See? So, then he ignores me for a while (I love this photo)... And sticks his tongue out again. Little monster, I tell you!! And that's him heading across the road, to crash up the neighbour's pavement. Note: We were checking for cars all the time and he is not allowed to play outside unsupervised in any event... This was last Saturday afternoon. Jake & I had one of the best days ever. Once I'd collected him from his grandparents house, we went to watch a movie (Space Chimps) and then went down to play at the beach. This is the plot I want. It only costs R8.8M. Anyone want to go in with me?

This is the view from the above plot... I could SO live with that view. Stunning, hey??

This is taken a little further on... Despite the sunshine, Jake would not take off his coat. He had a ball digging around in the rock pools... Jake splashing around in front of my favourite watering hole, the Blue Peter. It's the best spot in the world (well, to me anyway) for a lazy, sunny Sunday afternoon drink. Jake loves going there too. There are always dozens of kids running around wild. Actually, he'd have a tough time chosing between the B.P. and Super Plants at the moment... The view of Robben Island from The Blue Peter... Getting rid of some energy (or running away from the camera)... Finally, a smile! The sticker on his head was from his Aunty Tam for some kind of good behaviour... Jake's grandpa took him to watch Western Province (our local team) play rugby on Friday night. Jake got a gorgeous flag, which he's very proud of and pulled it out on Saturday evening as he was going to bed to show us how to use it. It's bigger then him... Jake also gave us a practical demonstration of how one supporter donned his undies on his head. By the way, these are Jake's favourites - a Batman pair of boxers, which he tells me are more comfortable then conventional jox. I didn't ask him to explain why... He thinks he looks fabulous and I wouldn't be surprised if he actually tries to go out in public like that. Would give him a good excuse to show off the boxers. And note: he's still wearing the sticker... OK, he's also a practical joker... Sunday was the airshow. Jake had a ball and the weather was perfect. A bit bright since I'd left my sunnies at home, but it was better then freezing cold wind or rain. Like I said, Jake had a ball and in addition to the 2 Ferrari's he's going to own one day (a convertible for me to use on sunny days and a conventional closed top for him to use to take me shopping on rainy days. Told him he's going to have to work hard and save up every penny because his wife won't be happy with him buying one for me me and not for her!!) he's also going to own a jet and a helicopter. Wonder what he'll have to do to be that wealthy.

This is a Gripen...

Jake & my dad with a tank. Can't remember what it's called and I don't think it'd matter to any of my blog readers either...

A Harvard preparing to leave. These were great!

The Harvards doing their thing...

Jake watching the helicopters preparing to take to the air... The Harvards again... Airwolf? Jake watching the helicopter display from on top of a dust bin. Again, in the 25 deg sunshine, he wouldn't take off his longsleeves. Might've been because he had 3 telephone numbers scribbled all the way up his left arm... Just before it was time to leave, Jake decided he wanted to have his picture taken with just about every plane on dispay. Again, I don't have a clue what any of these are called... The SAA A430 with the Harvards doing some kind of display. It's pretty big, but not as cool as the A380 as I'm told... Sunday afternoon/evening saw us lighting up the braai. We'd spent Sunday afternoon having tea with friends and Jake was given a Batman cape, which he adores... Jake & Amber sharing a joke... I think I've said it before, Jake is a braai master in the making. He absolutely loves the whole ritual. From the lighting of the fire, to preparation of the food. He loves cooking and turning the meat and is always very proud of himself when we're sitting around licking our fingers at the end of another delicious meal. Plus, it's really entertaining watching him. He pulls the funniest faces and concentrates so hard. He does darned well too - I mean, if you look at the size of him next to the size of the braai, he manages to lift the meat on and off the grid with only the tongs for assistance. So far, we've never had sandy meat!! I'm sure it's just a matter of time before my dad can laze on the stoep with his beer while Jake does the braai completely unassisted, but for now, Jake does still need some guidance, much to his disgust... Check... And note the face. Jacques used to stick his tongue out like that when he was concentrating... And one of the luxuries of being the braai master is getting to taste the meat (sorry to all my vegetarian friends, this may be disgusting you all!) straight off the fire... Of course, you have to wait for it to be cool enough... And then confirm with all your loyal spectators that everything tastes OK... So, Jake's assistant at this particular braai was Gareth. This is Jake putting out stray flames with water. It's one area of the braai'ing that he still needs to work on. He doesn't quite understand that you need the heat to keep going for a while and that when fat splatters on the coals it does light up for a few seconds. Jake just nukes them with water, which causes the fire to cool down quite a lot... Check the face... And again... A happy boy with a tummy full of deliciously cooked food... Joanne & Paul went away for a few nights with some friends. My parents house & cat sat for them. Jake & I went up on Tuesday evening, since Wednesday was a holiday, to join them. We went out for a delicious fish dinner and had plenty to drink. Jake had a ball playing with Jo & Paul's first born, Gemma. I think she was glad to see the back of us on Wednesday morning. Look at his eyes - I'd be scared too. (Jo - promise he didn't hurt her. He just loves her so much, he can't leave her alone!)... Isn't she gorgeous... As mentioned in a previous post, Wednesday was Heritage Day as well as National Braai Day. The weather wasn't great, sunny and cool, but we still managed to pull off a braai in honour of our heritage. My dad cut some branches off an old tree, so Jake had tons of fun breaking them up and tossing them into the fire.

Here's Amber chewing a branch. My dogs aren't allowed to eat bones. It's the one thing our vet told us that we should NEVER give them. Neither cooked nor raw. He said bones cause most of the blockages that he sees in animals. Still, I can't help but wonder if they'd be better for my dog's stomach then sticks. She loves them...

Jake getting into the branch breaking... Checking out his fire (note: yes, he is wearing the same tops that he wore in last Sunday's photos, but they've been washed and ironed in between. Just a coincidence!)... Getting the grid ready... Umm... this is what kids do when you aren't quick enough with the tissues. Gross... That's Jake putting the grid onto the braai. A spring bloom with the braai in the background... Pretty colours, hey? Unedited... Jake with his assistant, this time my dad... Check how my son is eyeing out that beer... The view from the other side of the garden. Note who's sitting closest to the fire. And Amber's just waiting for a tasty morsel... What we ate. Snoek with peppers, onions and herb butter... And I made toasties. You have to have toasties with a braai, it's tradition. These had cheest, tomato, onion, basil, garlic and chutney on - they were DIVINE... The cooking fish... A moment amongst the braai'ers... Um - did I say that this was delicous? Jake getting his portion... This is the last photo for today, I swear. Jake won the cake raffle at school on Thursday. They rotate it and two cakes are raffled off once a month. Whoever wins the cake, has to bake another for the next month and means that Jake & I need to send something in for the 30th of October. Every time they've had a raffel on at school before now, Jake's come home in a bad mood because someone else has won. It's been a good lesson for him to learn that there have to be losers in order for there to be winners. It's just been a long wait for his turn to come around. Anyway, on Thursday afternoon I got a phone call from a very excited little boy to tell me that he'd won the cake!! It was (yes, it's finished) a gorgeous carrot cake, decorated with bunnies, carrots and little bees. He was just so proud, it was so sweet. The moment I got home from work, he cut it up and we had cake and coffee...

Anyway, sure you're dead bored by now, so I won't bore you with any more news for now. Hope that everyone's well and looking forward to catching up on all your news soon too. For those of you whom we saw over the weekend - it was lovely to catch up again and we must do it again soon. Thanks for a stunning lunch on Friday, Ron. Sarah's doing great and you're a wonderful mommy. Your new home is beautiful too. When we doing it again, ladies? Nor, thanks for a lovely evening on Saturday. Sorry we had to run off a bit early, but Jake was getting out of control!! Caroline, thanks for having us around yesterday, it was really good to catch up. We must do it again sometime soon too. And hopefully we can get it right to actually go out somewhere!!

Lots of love,

Sue xxx