Harvest Bounty

I never knew what joy growing your own vegetables could bring. I started planting seeds for various reasons, one being to see if we could ever be truly self-sufficient. Now in a suburban garden, this is not really going to happen but it's not bad. I just tasted my first tomato of the season and it  brought back memories of when I was a child and we used to slice a tomato in half and sprinkle salt and pepper on the cut sides and devour with tomato juice and seeds dripping down my chin and onto my t-shirt. I realised that it was the smell of the tomato that conjured up that memory. The tomatoes we buy in supermarkets don't have a smell. This one even tastes better which probably has something to do with the fact that I grew it with my  own hands, but I really believe it tasted better. It's actually more than that, it just has more taste and less water. It doesn't look as pretty as my Woolies tomato but with a smell and taste like that, I'm clearly in this for the inner beauty.

I've had such a cool day with the boys today watching the sweetest movie, UP! It was actually quite deep for a cartoon, with a beautiful message which I think I may have needed to hear today. I've been thinking about death recently and whilst I will be the first to say that if I died tomorrow it would have been the end of a life well lived, I have still been thinking about the things that I have not done yet. I guess we all think about this now and again but I'm going in for a biopsy tomorrow (almost today) and I'm really afraid of what they might find. I'm not sure if I'm ready for what may come. I will however try to sleep now and think positively, tomorrow will sort itself out. Goodnight!

Anyone who knows me will know that we had a bit of a fright over the weekend when my grandmother (83) got really ill, really suddenly. I must just share with everyone the wonderful service we received from the Emergency Management Services (EMS) paramedic, Jafta, to the doctors at Chris Hani Bara Hospital. The hospital itself is in a shocking state for the most part, but the people that work there seem to be doing the best they can under the circumstances. The EMS guy came to the house because we couldn't transport my Granny in a car. He spoke to her in the most gentle manner, all the while explaining everything he was doing to her. I rode with her in the ambulance and still he was gentle and caring all the way to the hospital. The emergency room is frightening to say the least. The staff are very firm but never rude really.
We did see some of the nurses and porters behaving badly, I must be honest, but nobody that dealt with us. Later the night they allowed my mother, Lester and I to sit outside the theatre while they did a gastroscopy on my Granny. When the doctor came out he gave us a full explaination of the procedure and her condition and his concerns in a gentle and caring manner.

This is when I got blown away... we escorted the other doctor, a porter and my Granny to the surgical ward where they allowed us to stay while they got her settled in and then!!!! they told us that the doctor would be around for another five minutes should we want to sit down with her and ask any questions. We've done Helen Joseph hospital with my Granny not too long ago. Not a single doctor spoke to us the whole time we were there and nobody could tell us what was wrong with her. Do you see why I'm so awestruck by this experience.

All I can say is thank you to all the people who took care of her during her stay at Bara and especially to people who selflessly donate blood. She had to have several transfusions which would not have been possible without donated blood. Needless to say, I donated my first 400 or so millilitres of blood yesterday. I encourage everyone to do they same, provided they are able, as you never know when you or a loved one will need a pint!

Do Not Disturb

Oh dam! Lester's getting restless. My blogging seems to be disturbing him. He gives me the evil eye every time he stirs. I have to shut down. I have to switch off the light. What will I do lying here in the dark? And this bedroom is dark when you turn out the lights. We light-proofed it about two years ago - for those summer mornings when you want to sleep a bit late, you know what I mean. And anyone who knows me, knows that I'm afraid of the dark... it's alright when I'm sleeping, but lying awake in it is a whole other story.

HELP!!!

De-Caf please!!!!

I'm still awake and it's 02h57. I don't think the coffee I had at Mark and Merlyn's was caffeine free. I'm doomed. I'll be awake all night.

Tech Challenged

I have never thought of myself as being technologically challenged, but hey there's a first time for everything. In trying to become the follower of a friend's blog I managed to become a follower of my own - if ever you feel lonely and unwanted, love yourself. Ha ha ha!

Now how in heaven's name do I undo this?

So... Michael Jackson has passed on to better things (we hope) and life for the rest of us goes on. Alyssa had a first major haircut today - it's sad in a way because my baby is all grown up and being a teenager. She looks really cute with her new short hair.

It's school holidays, which is really great. We get to sleep in almost every morning unless we have plans. I would have loved to go on holiday but our plans fell through and now everything local is booked out so I guess it's Joburg for the Joostes.

I've started working on what I hope to be doing with my life next. Not that being a wife and mother is not fulfilling, I just want to do more. I want to make a contribution to society as a whole. In all honesty I've been thinking about death and the fact that it comes to all of us and when it does, did you do everything that you wanted to? What will you be remembered for? I'm not thinking about saving the world from global warming or anything as life-changing as that but I have realised that maybe I have something to offer - goodness knows I have an opinion on just about everything (not always as bad a characteristic as you may think).

So wish me good luck and let's see where this new road takes me!!

April, the month of non-stop celebrating!

So much for this blogging thing. Not as easy as I thought it would be, there's just so much to say but no time to say. That said, I've had the most fun time over the last few weeks. Now I know the public holidays are just a drain on the economy, but dam are they fun to have around. They bring a sense of "holiday season". There've been birthdays, voting, religious celebrations, weddings and lots of getting together with friends and family.

The voting was exceptionally intriguing, with a sense of doing something larger than yourself. The spirit in the queue, knowing that you are one of millions participating in the same act hoping that this simple act will have even the tiniest impact on everything around you. This rather profound reaction, I must admit, stems from the fact that this was my first time voting. Before you judge me, please know that my previous lack of participation was not due to a lack of interest but just my way of time conservation. My previous vote would truly not have made any difference - I'm sure you can figure out why - but this election's vote was to be different and therefore participation necessary. I'm glad I voted, it makes me feel like a worthwhile citizen who now is able to express my opinion about whatever I want - I never felt as though I had the right before.

To the more celebratory side of the past few weeks, I'm blessed to have been part of several milestones in the lives of those I love. I was priviledged enough to witness my niece, whom I shared a bed with when she came home from the hospital when she was born, Jade's 16th birthday - the wonder of life. I toasted Julian, my cousin with whom I road m BMX bike when we were children, on his 30th birthday and I danced until my feet almost fell of f at the wedding of one of my best friends, Lesia, whom I met in a ballet class at the age of about 9.

It is at times like these that I realise just how rich and fulfilled my life is, even more so that I get to indulge in all of this accommpanied by my amazing husband and my three beautiful children, who carry a piece of my heart with them each day.

What a day! You'd imagine being an unemployed freelancer, house wife and stay-at-home mom you'd have a million extra hours a day to do absolutely nothing. Suprisingly, you'd be wrong. Anyway, after a really hectic day I'm now on my way to the kitchen (one of my favourite places to be) to bake a swiss roll for Lesia's bridal shower tomorrow. I would normally make it on the day, but I've got a junior league soccer tournament for the day so no time for baking.