Thinking & Feeling

“The world is a tragedy to those who feel, but a comedy to those who think.” Horace Walpole

Sunday 31 October 2010

Halloween 2010

We went to Sally's Halloween party last night...
Image

It was the boy's second of 3 Halloween Parties so their dress-up was less extreme than for the first... I on the other had had a ball getting to dress up!

Image
There are some more pics on facebook (including pics of Sally and her cool cake & pudding)http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=247086&id=652081922&ref=mf

Saturday 30 October 2010

Kinda like this thing

I am really loving this song atm...

Martin Solveig & DragonetteHello

I could stick around and get along with you
Hello
It doesn’t really mean that I'm into you
Hello

You’re alright but I'm here darling to enjoy the party
Don’t get too excited ‘cus thats all you get from me
Hey

Yeah I think you're cute but really you should know
I just came to say hello
Hello
Hello
Hello

I’m not the kinda girl who’d get messed up with you
Hello
Imma let you try to convince me to
Hello

Its alright I'm getting dizzy just enjoy the party
Its ok with me if you don't have that much to say
Hey

Kinda like this thing but there’s something you should know
I just came to say hello
Hello

Hey
Hey

I could stick around and get along with you
Hello
It doesn’t really mean that I'm into you
Hello

(I’m here darling to enjoy the party)

I just came to say hello
Hello
Hello
Hello

I'm not the kinda girl who’d get messed up with you
Hello
Imma let you try to convince me to
Hello

Its alright I'm getting dizzy just enjoy the party
Its ok with me if you don't have that much to say
Hey

Kinda like this thing but there’s something you should know
I just came to say hello

Hey

Wednesday 27 October 2010

Anyone have a Solar Geyser yet???

I am looking at getting one for my house since our electricity account has gone from about R350pm when we moved in 5-6 years ago, to more like R750pm now! :shock: Note that this is AFTER putting all low wattage bulbs in and having one less family member... bloody Eskom! :evil:

Anyway so those that have gone ahead and got a solar geyser system:

How much did it cost? Before and after your rebate.

How long did it take to get your rebate paid to you?

Did you have to replace your entire geyser in the process?
Apparently this is necessary and you only get the rebate if you do this? You can't keep your old geyser.

How much of a saving do you have afterwards, is it significant? Our main uses of electricity at home are our geyser and pool, the rest is trivial (no dish washer or tumble dryer or heaters, and hardly use my oven etc). We have a washing machine and vacuum running a few times a week but apparently these don't consume much and TV and PCs are trivial...

How long do you reckon the Return On Investment takes to pay for itself?


How long does it last and have you had to spend anything further on fixes, replacements or any other maintenance etc?? I.e. are there other hidden costs involved?

I presume it's a kind of investment in the property and would be attractive to future buyers as a really nice to have fitting/feature?

Any advise, warnings or suggestions from your experience?

Should I go for it???

Friday 22 October 2010

Stop the world

Prime Circle: Breathing

Step back
Stop the world
Stop the time
It's always running
Just trying to catch my breath
Just trying to take it in

Unfold and calculate
Concentrate and reach for something

Here's to the good times
The bad times
The times that could have been
To the wrong times
The right times
I know we'll breathe again
Until then...
Until then...

Suppose that we got older
Suppose that we'd begin
Suppose that I stopped running
It could begin again
Suppose in life we made it
I'm never looking back

I'm never looking back

The hardest part of letting go
Not easy to believe
And sometimes you'll just never know
Gets harder to perceive
You're gone
You're long gone

I know you can see it, now
Can't feel it, after all
Seems it's us versus time
Think we made up our minds
All that's left is just to see

Here's to the good times
The bad times
The times that could have been...

Monday 18 October 2010

I've been waitin' on my own, too long

This Years Love - David Gray


This years love had better last
Heaven knows it's high time
I've been waitin' on my own, too long
And when ya hold me like you do
It feels so right, oh now
I start to forget
How my heart gets torn
When that hurt gets thrown
Feelin' like you can't go on

Turning circles, time again
Cut like a knife, oh now
If ya love me, got to know for sure
'Cos it takes somethin' more this time
Sweet, sweet lies, oh now
Before I open up my arms and fall
Losin' all control
Every dream inside my soul
When ya kiss me
On that midnight street
Sweep me off my feet
Singin' ain't this life so sweet

This years love, it better last
This years love, it better last

'Cos whose to worry
If our hearts get torn
When that hurt gets thrown
Don't ya know this life goes on
Won't ya kiss me
On that midnight street
Sweep me off my feet
Singin' ain't this life so sweet

This years love, it better last
This years love, it better last

This years love, it better last
This years love, it better last

This years love, it better last
Oh, oh, oh, aah yea
This years love, it better last

Random Updates to catch-up

I haven't blogged properly in the longest time... I have kind of lost my motivation and inspiration to do it. It takes time and I had started wondering wtf the point was. However I do like being able to go back to events and times in the past and see what we did and have a record of it, so I don't want to stop entirely.

Anyway so here is a catch-up and random thoughts and updates of bits and pieces from the past few months

- I went to see the Basement Jaxx when they were in town. Sadly they were not half as good as I expected them to be, and they only played a couple of their songs and were mostly just DJing other music and quite badly at that. The sounds at the venue was terrible too). Still despite that I had a darn good time and was out till 4am! YIKES.

- We climbed Lion's Head a few times again. ALWAYS love that. It is the best! It makes me feel happy. :)

- I had sushi a few times with a few different people. Always fun and worth while and the variety of dinner companions was interesting too. Most charming by far was Quinn though. He is my most ideal man. LOL. (And no there is nothing weird or inappropriate about our relationship!)

- All in the space of one week I found out that:
  - Half of Quinn's latest op medical bills were not being covered by our medical aid.
  - My job may be becoming redundant after the end of the year.
  - Our beloved Nanny was considering resigning - for a better offer.
  - My car needed a service.
  - My heart was slightly broken
  - Oh and a Summons arrived for the ex for a tidy sum of R74 662!!!
It was a just a tad overwhelming to say the least. I was not so happy to be alive that week, but I managed to put each issue in a box and shut it and carried on, and dealt with each one at a time as and when I could and I seem to be on top of most of them now. Still ongoing but at least I am taking steps to resolve them all, and I am still here and still smiling!

- Despite the above shit shit shit week we went to Rocking the Daisies at the end of that week. Not much sleep was had but I came back exhausted but happy again. It was just what I needed after a damn tough couple of weeks. I actually almost didn't go because of all the things piled up to overwhelm me and I was not really in a festive mood, But in the end I dragged myself there and I am so glad I did, because despite struggling to get the tent up in the wind (ARGH), and for a moment thinking 'I hate camping'. It was a total blast from that moment onwards. We just chilled and went with the flow and did our thing. The boys really clicked into place and we had some real quality time too. We worked as a well oiled machine to take our camp down and get everything back in the car. It was  so nice to be able to just sit and not feeling like you have to be somewhere or do something important instead. Bliss! There was one moment on Sat night when Q was cold and he just came and snuggled into me while we were watching the fire dancers, and life just felt perfect in that moment. And then one morning as the boys were sneaking out the tent to go explore Griffin kissed my cheek as he climbed over me. *melt* I live for stuff like that, seriously. :) (Next time we need a mattress though. I definitely don't drink enough to not have a mattress and I kept having to roll over to give my poor hip bones a break. I think my minimalist camping style is a tad too minimal!) Still I came back from that week-end feeling refreshed and revived and ready to tackle life (and all it's challenges) again. WOOT!





- I have been more sick this year than I think I have ever been before, and certain in the last 10-15 years. I have had colds/tonsillitis/flu at least 3 times now, and have had migraines 2-3 times this year too. I blame stress, of which I have had heaps this year too. I actually have seriously considered taking myself to the doctor in the past few days, THAT'S how bad I have felt. Note that my last GP visit for myself was when I was 15 - I just don't go to the doctor... like EVAR! But yeah my immune system is struggling this year. I hope this is the last of it.

- I cleaned my pool thoroughly yesterday, it is usually very clean, but I let it slip for a few weeks and it was quite mucky. 2x backwashes, a load of chlorine, much sweeping and scrubbing and 5x leaf basket empties later and it is now sparkling clean and ready for summer. BRING IT ON!

- Quinn is healing up nicely still following his c-toma op. We have another check-up on Wednesday but so far everything is 100% fine. Yay! :)

- My sister is pregnant and due to have her baby in the next month or so, very exciting. I can not wait to see my new baby niece, who has a gorgeous name!

- My gran turned 91 last month and despite trying to phone her unsuccessfully on the actual day I have not spoken to her nor dropped of the cookies the boys baked for her. I feel SO bad about it. I am a terrible person!

- Just got an email from SARS that I need to pay them R17 000!? WTF!!?? Best I go deal with that then....

Roll on Summer

We are ready!

Tuesday 12 October 2010

Our gift of life & furthering medical science

I am a registered organ donor and one day I happened to mention it to the boys, when the subject of death and burial came up somehow. I ended up asking them how they felt abut organ donation and whether it is something they are comfortable with and would support themselves.

I told them that I'd like whatever of mine is usable to be used to help people in need and I would like the rest to be cremated.

Griffin agrees with this and says he'd like the same for himself.

Quinn however said he'd like to donate his entire body to medical science so that "It can be used to help people to learn and to improve science & technology." Wow, I was kinda blown away by that!
 
Have you signed up yet?


Sunday 3 October 2010

Quinn: What's Alimony?

So yesterday the boys ask about 'What's alimony' they hear about it on Two and a Half Men. So I explain it's maintenance/child support etc.

Quinn says if he was a woman he'd marry a 2-3 guys and then get alimony and not have to work again. :shock: :?

So I was like dude it doesn't work like that, I don't get anything, I pay for everything myself.

So he was like wow really? What about all the lawyer bills?

So I let them know that I paid for EVERYTHING, and their dad hasn't contributed at all, not the the divorce or afterwards and they were astounded. G (our morality police) was offended 'But that's rude because alimony is for school fees and so the kids can eat and stuff!'. Uhuh I agree!

Anyway I am not sure I should have told them, but we have such an open relationship and talk about EVERYTHING and it sort of feels to me like they need to know about what went down with their dad. If and when he ever makes amends he'll have to do it with them actually knowing what's gone on...

Saturday 2 October 2010

I'm back and not as unfit as I thought!

I have been rather slack this year, winter & and the world cup gave me excuses to eat, drink and be lazy. I last ran a race on 1 May - the Safari Half - and since then just haven't been bovvered. I kind of lost my enthusiasm and drive and it just felt like I couldn't really do it anymore, my knee's been niggling and I just kind of felt 'over' the whole running thing.... which worried me because it kind of keeps me semi-sane and stable.

Anyway I am entered in a Half Marathon in 2 weeks time - with booked accommodation and a 5 hour drive each way, booked in JAN - and so I feel like I HAVE to do it. So this week I found a race to do - the Cape Gate 10km - and decided to force myself to do it, to at least see if I can do a 10km without dying... and to get my ass in gear for the half marathon.

It was this morning and I actually loved it! I felt good and quite strong, didn't need to stop and walk once and finished in 54:25 (not my best ever but only 3 mins short of it! - anything below 55min is good I think) So I am chuffed and have new motivation and drive now. I am quite chuffed actually.

:) :) :)

Friday 1 October 2010

Pics from Quinn's surgery

Not the best quality photos but these are from our awesome Doc, taken in the theatre during Quinn's latest surgery...

Under GA - My baby Under General Aesthetic (for 5 whole hours) for his second Cholesteatoma surgery. This is our anaesthetist affectionately known as 'Tubby' who takes fantastic care of my boy.
Image

The Docs in action - The fabulous Dr R standing by, Prof L working with the microscope, the theatre nurse and scrub nurse. Fascinating stuff. I would have loved to have been able to attend, I love surgeries!
Image

Inside his head - Inside Quinn's head during the surgery. It is hard to see with the over exposure but that is his ear flapped forward and retracted and they are working inside his head from behind the ear...
Image

I love that I have this relaxed relationship with the doc that he shares these things with me and will say;
'Sorry I should have got consent before taking photos of him'.
I was all like 'Dude you know me, I'm totally cool with it'.
And he said 'Yeah I know, that's what I thought. Give me your memory stick so I can give you a copy!'
8)