One of the busiest weeks ever.

Good morning folks can you believe it is now just one month to Christmas, what happened and who stole the time ??  Gee whiz still so much to do.

Last week definitely goes down as a super busy week and I have declared that I am not moving my rear past the gate this week.  Today there is not one Fibro pressure point on my body that is not protesting and untouchable.  Domestic chores and catch up this week is my motto, I started yesterday with painting picture frames.

Back to last week, it seems as if we were out every single day.  Wednesday was the cream on the cake as Hubby needed spares for watches so off we went and it turned out to be one of the best days ever. We started off by going to Atlas Trading, a shop I have been itching to get too since we've been here. They sell ALL kinds of spices and a lot of baking ingredients, at wholesale - pure heaven, I saw stuff there that I had no idea we could get in SA and ended up spending a 'wee bit' more than planned but now I am well stocked for HOTTTTT Dragon Drizzle, and many curries and breyanis . Right next door is a Cape Malay Museum and they had a chap dressed in full shiny costume who was handing out pamphlets and because we were battling to find a parking I asked very nicely if he would move the traffic cone so we could park there.  He was so sweet and was more than happy to oblige, Jelly Bean only thought as we drove away that she should have had a photo taken with him, next time girl I promise.  From there we went to the watch shop before going up to Caledon Square to meet up with BigBear for lunch.  First off we discovered a leather factory where I just melted.  They sell everything related to leather from the smallest off-cuts to huge sheets of leather that are as soft as marshmallow.  Oh my word for me that was an absolute experience, I even saw a crocodile hide.  Definitely going back there, their sheepskin slippers are half the price of everywhere else.  Then lunch was next door at Diaz Tavern which is a Portuguese Restaurant/Pub, my precious Hubby had been there before with a friend so he was well versed in the best way to order.  We all decided on what we wanted collectively and then ordered everything to share, so they put it all on a huge platter -  without a doubt THE best calamari I've ever had, BigBear and Jelly Bean went for the calamari tentacles and Hubby ordered peri peri chicken livers, totally delicious and a definite go back as well. We ended off the day by going across the square to Charlie's Bakery which has had a couple of series on television.  They have a sign outside saying "Please don't feed the pigeons they are getting diabetes."  Hahaha That box is now ticked as well.

This past week has seen about 4 birds finding their way into the house. Two have knocked themselves unconscious, one recovered really quickly and the other took about a half an hour of me dripping sugar water into her beak before flying off.  As I type this we have yet another one flying around the ceiling, this one is not particularly bright and still hasn't discovered the open doors. #facepalm.  The one thing I keep forgetting to mention was about 10 days ago on our way into town we were driving along the last stretch of road before Gordons Bay and Jelly Bean and I both looked down at the same time into a tiny little cove far down below us and saw about four or five sharks mulling around in the clear water - it was a magnificent sight and is imprinted in my memory.   The rest of the week was taken up with planting new bushes and a Wild Olive tree, which means that we are now watering all the new plants.  We then had to tackle a tree on our neighbour's property which had died and was busy collapsing our fence because it was also heavily loaded with a big creeper.  That was fun - NOTT, trying to saw branches on the other side of the fence and then literally both of us pulling with every ounce of energy to pull the branches out with the creeper attached.  My hands were sore for days, the upshot is we now have a much bigger, better view of the sea.  Saturday saw us off to Paarl for yet more watch spares, while Jelly Bean met with a friend in GN for coffee, that was me done for, the last straw haha.

Folks that is my extremely busy week but a good one.  Now to prepare for the family who will ALL be arriving in stages for Christmas, Princess will the first to arrive and then in stages the others.  This will be the first time in four years that we will all be together at home on Christmas, I am so excited I just cannot wait. That is all my news for now, I wish you one and all a blessed, peaceful week friends, please stay safe out there . Ciao Ciao

The street outside in Bo-Kaap which is famous for their beautiful colored houses

View from Diaz Tavern, looking out over Charlies Bakery to Table Mountain.

An interesting week hmmmm

Good morning friends and family, I am guessing that for many, if not all of us the countdown to the Christmas holidays has begun.  I know that in our family it is in full swing and this year Santa has apparently allocated some very busy elves to do all the organizing, which I am very excited about.  Still, there is lots to do on my end and I am busy pacing myself and getting it done bit by bit.

We've had a good week with some interesting moments, as I predicted it was very busy as will this week be. I had it fixed in my brain that somehow last Friday was Black Friday #facepalm, and therefore planned my week accordingly.  We completed the bulk of our Christmas shopping (to avoid Black Friday rush), had doctors visits  and so it went.  We managed everything and on Thursday shot off into town (to avoid the rush) and halfway through all the stops Jelly Bean chirped up that surely Black Friday was only in 8 days ...............  complete silence in the car before her and my dear Hubby collapsed laughing, this is one of those things that I am NEVER going to live down.  I could not believe that even though I knew it was the 23rd I had still branded it for last Friday.  The worst was when Jelly Bean happily chirped up saying "oh well mom, we get to do this all over again next week."  NOT !!!!!!! Bar doing the grocery shopping a day early I am done!  Seriously where are my brains?  The upside is all the big shopping and deadlines are done #doublefacepalm.

Over the last two weeks we have had a few little birds fly into the house and then spend some time, in varying amounts, to find their way out again.  On Saturday we once again heard the rustle of wings and saw a little Sugarbird had come to visit.  He flew around a couple of times and then made a beeline for the open French doors, miscalculated and flew straight into the glass.  The poor little fellow actually knocked himself out cold,  Jasper came to investigate and I rushed up to remove him, not that I think he has the courage to catch a bird, he is scared of his own shadow.  We picked the bird up and he was alive but obviously concussed, so after holding him awhile Hubby put him on a big log we have on the deck and I fed him some sugar water with a teaspoon.  He sat for about half an hour and let us stroke him before flying off to join the rest of his family.  Our 'fly through' bird feeder has a steady stream of quite a large variety of birds, if there is no water they sit on the fence in a row looking into the kitchen as much as to say "hello we are waiting".  This crowd are going through 2 bottles of 500ml sugar water a day but are such a delight to watch.  We even have a mouse that joins them, see pic below.

Well folks, enough from me for this week, I DO know that Black Friday is THIS Friday and will not be anywhere near the shops hahaha, I will spend my time watching the birds and preparing the house for the family's visit.  Wishing you a wonderful week, please stay safe and if I can encourage you, spread some kindness.  This time of year is very difficult for a lot of folks and your kind word, hug, cup of coffee or just a listening ear can make the world of difference to someone.  Ciao ciao for now.

Pics of our bird feeder

Mr Mouse who eats and now drinks with the birds.

The mist is making everything so still and quiet.

Good morning all from an unusually quiet, mist covered Bettys Bay, I can even hear the flap of birds wings as they fly overhead, not even the sea seems to be moving.  After an uneventful week we are looking forward to what the next seven days  have in store for us.  With only a few weeks before the family start arriving for the Christmas holidays so there is much to be done i.e. washing curtains etc, if the weather holds that should be a breeze.

We have decided to do something different this year for Christmas given the size of the family, the cost for everyone having to fly down AND the fact that this will be the first time in about four years that we will all be together (except Miss Muffets family) on Christmas Day.  What we have done is a name draw, where each peraon drew a name and with a set amount for all, will buy just one present for their drawn name, it pormises to be interesting.  As you can imagine I am SUPER excited and there will be lots of baking ahead.  Christmas cakes and this year I want to try my hand at making my own Mince Pies hmmm.

Today is the first day in two weeks that I have woken up without a piercing headache thank the Lord, just the 'normal' pains, what a relief.  The family are all well and as usual really busy with the pace they all keep.  Princess is in the middle of writing her year end exams so please keep her in your prayers, she has four big exams this week.

Last week Jasper decided that I was completely invisible, after three weeks of being my best friend, a moodier cat I have yet to meet, happily since yesterday he is back to being his friendly self whereas Gemma seems to be 'losing the plot' as she will now growl at an empty room #facepalm.  She has taken to sitting outside Jelly Beans's bedroom and meowing with increasing volume until she is allowed entry, it doesn't always make her popular haha.  I have had some very successful baking results - gorgeous ciabatta breads, buttermilk rusks and chocolate chip muffins, whilst Hubby dearest has a constant stream of broken watches coming in, which keeps him smiling.  Yesterday while we were watching tv we had a little visitor in the form of a swallow,  he flew in and then spent about an hour flying around the room, without any panic before he found his way out again.  Jasper being the brave soul he is, heard the bird and watched for a few minutes before charging out of the window and staying outside for the duration of the visit haha.

Well folks that's my news in a nutshell, I wish you all a fantastic week, filled with blessing and joy.  Please stay safe wherever you are and as always be aware of your surroundings.  Sending love from our family to yours Ciao Caio for now.

Jasper being lazy

Our little swallow visitor

A quiet week

Good morning friends and family from a very cold and wet Betty's Bay, what a lovely way to start our week, waking up to the sound of driving rain and snuggled up under the covers.   By comparison to the last few weeks we had a very quiet and relaxed week.  Hubby dearest went into Cape Town for watch spares and then proceeded to clear the back log of watches he had in for repair and then a new lot started arriving so he is a happy chap pu.  There were no baking fails or domestic criseses which was a great blessing and even Jasper seems to be settling down a little.  Weather wise it was a mild week which has now built into a huge cold front making its way through much to our delight.

We took both the dogs to the parlour thank goodness, and they came back looking like new pets with a new spring in their steps haha, both the cats even did a double take when they saw them.  The family are all good some recovering from flu, Princess busy studying and writing year end exams.  BabyBear has moved into her 'work home' with help from her amazing hubby who flew back to Cape Town last night, welcome back son.  BigGuy is pushing on, Miss Muffet and family are doing well and back into the swing of school and summer, her favourite time of the year.  As for me, well perhaps the less said the better this week, I have been in a major flare since my 'little episode' on the boat last Sunday which this time includes a delightful bout of Neuralgia.  That friends is mostly why we had a quiet week and also why I am keeping today's Blog shorter than usual.

To close,  as Jelly Bean and I pulled out of the driveway this morning to go to the pharmacy we saw three Spotted dikkop - Cape thick knee, birds sitting on the grass. Jelly Bean spotted them and it gave her such a thrill, both of us actually, that is without a doubt one of the delights of living in the midst of a protected Biosphere.  Have a wonderful week folks, please make a point to appreciate your family and friends and stay safe out there this week.  Ciao ciao

Spotted Dikkop - Cape thick knee