My Life's Winding Roads: Finally August has arrived.

My Life's Winding Roads: Finally August has arrived.:   Good morning friends and family, i hope today's Blog finds you all well and ready for the new week.  Weather wise winter was late and ...

Finally August has arrived.

 Good morning friends and family, I hope today's Blog finds you all well and ready for the new week.  Weather wise winter was late and arrived with typical Cape ferocity.  My goodness so much rain, it has been amazing.  Something I haven't seen in many years is days and days of continuous rain.  We had a few days break this past week but then Saturday evening down it came and rained all day yesterday. Happy Blogger 🙂

Where to start ?  so much happening all the time.  Hubby had his Op ten days ago and was discharged on day 3.  He is doing extremely well and hardly had any pain or discomfort from the actual operation site. He has struggled a bit with sciatica in the other leg, but that too is now easing and he is more and more mobile every day. At the beginning of the month I had a very bad fall, where I tripped over the sliding door frame and landed, literally, flat on my face. This left me with stars in my eyes, a goose egg above my eyebrow and a beaut of a black eye.  Good grief, Hubby's comment was the foundations of the house shook 🤦🏻‍♀️. The eyebrow is still sore but otherwise all healed.  I eventually saw "the family" Orthopaedic Surgeon who is incredibly kind and experienced.  He has confirmed that I will have to have a knee replacement but because a lot of the pain is being caused by a torn Meniscus he waited until Friday to inject the knee with Cortisone as he wanted the most pain free period for when Baby arrives.  It was jolly sore but is helping keeping that intense pain at bay.  Ho Hum.

TODAY is the day that our little Grandbaby enters the world.  Wow what a wait and sooo much excitement.  I will be able to go in and see them on Tuesday whoop, whoop.  Hubby won't be coming with but Jelly Bean is going to come with as the second Grandparent hehe.  The Bears are more than prepared and I think MORE than ready for this day.  A huge wait for me between Princess and this little one, 21 yearas, but well worth the wait.  I actually felt a little at a loose end over the weekend as I finished off all projects and did not quite know what to do with my hands.

I have just recently just completed not only Ollie the Octipus for baby, but also another two for JB and Princess made from different yarn and more as stress type toys. I have a though of making them, both for babies and bigger as stress tools and selling them. Also completed was  a long discussed and planned Balaclava Hoodie for a very good friend.  it took some doing finding a pattern in English as the majority are in Russian.  When I did find one it was for a completely different weight of wool and eventually I used it only as a guide and amended it as I went.  The final test will be when she receives it and does it fit ? Here is crossed fingers 🤞 

As per usual, in our family, August is birthday month with a vengeance, and now we have another birthday HaHaHa.  Just immediate family there are four of us and then on Baby Bear's side another two or three.  Last week Big Guy sent a message saying It's birthday month people ..."

Work has been coming in steadily, and God has been so good to me, when I have crazy medical/busy weeks it always seems to slow down to a manageable level.  I had to turn down a job for the very first time last month, which I found very difficult to do.  I had been asked to re-make the seats on restaurant chairs which were a very thick woven plactic type of fabric.  I managed to make and cut the pattern and that is where it all came to a halt.  My domestic sewing machine was just completely unable to sew it.  The bottom line of stitching would just pull right out as it was not catching underneath.  I hate turning someone away but thankfully the client was more than understanding.

Poppet's trip tp Australia went very well, as the previous company she worked for also had offices there and so this time she had friends and got to do a lot of touristy things.  She even went especially to Bondi Beach and took pics for me, she didn't meet any of the Life Guards though haha.  She also got back on the Padel Court yesterday for the first time in three months, after pulling a tendon, so is a very happy camper. It is good to have both her and Big Bear back in the country and home.  His trip to the USA also was a great success and thank the Lord baby stayed right where it was and there were no emergencies.  I am really missing Big Guy and Princess at the moment, especially with baby's arrival today and all the birthdays. If I could wave a magic wand, all my family would be in the same City.

Well folks, that all for now (as they used to say in the cartoons).  I wish you all a wonderful August, make the most of every opportunity to make a memory and stay safe and well.

Ciao Ciao

The  Balaclava/Hoodie and Octipi family.

The bottom part tucks under and then covers the nose and mouth to keep warm 

My Life's Winding Roads: Good morning on this first Monday in July.

My Life's Winding Roads: Good morning on this first Monday in July.:  I am honestly trying to figure out how this year has flown by so fast it seems that every year that passes, appears to go faster than the y...

Good morning on this first Monday in July.

 I am honestly trying to figure out how this year has flown by so fast it seems that every year that passes, appears to go faster than the year before.  Greeting folks from our Village that has still not seen winter arrive.  Oh ... we''ve had the odd day or even three or four but truly not winter.  I realised on Saturday that I have not worn my boots even once and my jacket only two or three times. 

Well June was a cracker of a month, so much happening, so much planned.  First of all was Princess's 21st Birthday - how on earth did we get there?  Sadly it was still during her Varsity term and so we could not celebrate with her on the day but, that did not deter us spoiling her.  Poppet flew up to spend the weekend with her.  She truly got to celebrate for almost the entire month. With a good family friend having a fancy dinner for her while Poppet was there, then her party with her friends, then another party down here with Poppet's friends and then extra smaller get together celebrations with the family.  We were also blessed out of our socks to have Princess and her Boyfriend spend two days with us last week.  My heart is full after having spent time with everyone in my family. How I wish we all lived closer.  We were also gearing up for our little Munchkin's Baby Shower and the Daddy Braai which ran concurrently.  What Big Bear did not know was that his brother Big Guy flew in for the event / weekend, as you can imagine many messages back and forth, secrets being kept etc.  Princess and her Boyfriend also flew in - oh my word it was so good to see and hold her again.  It is the longest time that I had not seen her. I had determined that I would finish all the sewing of sheets, receiver blankets and the blanket which I knitted before the shower, success. Although now I find myself at a bit of a loose end, so to that end this weekend I crocheted at little Octopus for baby to hold. Apparently the tentacles remind them of holding the umbilical cord.  It is the first time I have ever read a crochet pattern and truthfully it was not as difficult as I have always thought.  Currently Big Bear is in USA for a business trip and will be back at the end of the week, there are MANY prayers going up that our Munchkin stays exactly where it is until due date.

Apart from all the above excitement it was also time for all my annual check ups. MRI, CT Scan, Mammograms and Sonars.  That, whilst exhausting, went very well and I am happy to declare that I am cancer free and well.  Sadly that wasn't the only doctor dealings we had. Hubby is scheduled for a "small" back op on the 23rd of this month, which is going to put him out of action for some weeks. I also had to see the Dr because of ongoing knee pain for the last ten months.  Hmmm after x-rays I saw an Orthopedic Surgeon who said I need a knee replacement.  I have also made an appointment with the Surgeon who operated on Hubby and Princess for a second opinion, in about two weeks.  Either way it will not be immediate or even soon as I need Hubby to recover and Baby to arrive.

What would one of my Blogs be without some event / mishap / drama ?  Back in March when Jelly Bean had her birthday all of the ladies in the family went Clay Pottery Painting and then to a High Tea.  It has taken all this time to get our painted articles back, which Baby Bear did just before the Shower.  On our way home that night I had ours as well as Poppet's piece in the boot of Hubby's car.  Big Guy was with us and we arrived home after dark (it was a long day).  As I came up to the turnoff to our road I was concentrating on why the lights were on in an empty house and saw the speed bump just a second too late.  I was not speeding because I was about to turn but,  we hit the bump with a BUMP.  On unloading the car as I picked up the paper wrapped package I could feel, and hear, that one of the articles had broken.  Oh how I prayed that it was mine.  No such luck, I had broken Poppet's big pottery leaf bowl in three pieces.  I was absolutely devastated.  Hers was the biggest and the most expensive.  I could not rest and definitely could not sleep until I had confessed and told her.  Bless her heart, she was so understanding and really didn't sound upset, although I would have been.  I asked Hubby to glue it together and he did a superb job.  I gratefully handed it to her last week and thereby absolved myself of any further damage. I have said to her that I will take her Clay Painting again on me.

Well folks, as you can see, one incredibly busy month which seemed to run into itself.  I am hoping July will be less manic and decidedly more peaceful.  I have a good amount of work to get through, which is always a blessing and optimist that I am, I am still watching the horizon for winter :) 

I pray you all have a good July, please take care and stay safe.  Ciao, Ciao.

Charlie waiting for "the kids" to return to the table on our coffee date.

 

My Life's Winding Roads: Somehow June snuck up on me ...

My Life's Winding Roads: Somehow June snuck up on me ...: Good morning world, wow apologies folks I woke up at about 3.20 and could not get back to sleep.  Once my mind switched on 💡  I suddenly re...

Somehow June snuck up on me ...

Good morning world, wow apologies folks I woke up at about 3.20 and could not get back to sleep.  Once my mind switched on 💡 I suddenly realised that I am late with this months Blog.  So, here I sit at 4.43 catching up on my life.  The world is still, I am wrapped up in a blanket,  if I listen carefully I can hear the waves breaking on the shore and now and again the patter of soft rain on the roof.  Sadly because I am up both the cats think it should be breakfast time and are wandering around expectantly ( not happening guys hehe).  Up until now we haven't  really had much of a winter, yes cooler temperatures but not winter, until last Friday when the wind and rain arrived with a vengeance and is still around. There is also snow over many areas of the country.  Needless to say we have had our fire going - to create the perfect scene right now the embers should still be glowing and I should have a hot cup of tea in my hand but, nope the fire is dead and I have not put the kettle on because that would probably wake the entire household.

May was a very busy month with work and everything that just seems to happen without planning or warning.  The family are all doing well, what more can a Mom ask for?  Hubby has a scheduled back op at the end of July to fix the  two vertebrae which are causing him a lot of sciatica pain.  Next week sees my precious Princess turn 21, oh where has the time gone? We are obviously not going to be able to see her but she is coming down on the 21st and we will be making a point of celebrating then.   I know that I for one am counting sleeps until then, we miss her so, so much.  Preparations for Baby are ramping up and added to that the lady who works for the Bears, has a daughter who only found out she was pregnant at 27 weeks, four weeks later she gave birth to the tiniest little human. Who is doing extremely well. Obviously they were all caught unaware as the couple were not planning on having another child.  My heart went out to them and I put out an appeal on one of our local Whats App groups for preemie baby clothes.  Well, never in my wildest dreams did I expect the result.  People were absolutely amazing and baby things came flooding in. I managed to knit up a few pairs of the tiniest booties you can imagine, they just fitted onto my thumb. There were clothes from preemie to older, someone donated a cot and a baby bouncy chair, blankets, books, even brand new preemie vests in their original sealed packaging from Sears in the USA.  Given that space in this house is a premium, I stored everything in my car.  Then almost three weeks ago Jelly Bean and I went to house sit for the Bears, it was just so timely and  a much needed little holiday.  When we arrived in Sea Point my dear Picasso looked like a small bakkie.  the family met us there and we transferred all the baby stuff to their vehicle and I could put my seats back in place. 

We truly had the most magical week, looking after the apartment and Panda their gorgeous cat (who has an obsession with being patted on her back just next to her tail - I do mean patted ... until your arms are tired).  JB and I had planned out where we wanted to go beforehand, first of which was to Bloubergstrand and a Mall there which I had heard a lot about.  In all honesty I have to confess, Malls are not my thing, I find that they are so big that I only go to the shops I need to go to and completely miss the rest.  Anyway, we managed to find everything we were looking for and then went to the beachfront for a well deserved cup of coffee. The weather was cold and overcast but that did not deter us in the least.  One night we were treated to a wonderful meal at La Boheme, which is a very smart restaurant (thank you guys for that). Next we went through to Camps Bay which in all honesty was a disappointment.  It used to be such a special place with views hard to equal.  The views are still there, but the overall feel of the area has gone down considerably and yet very flashy hmmmm, sad to see.  Then I took the r

oad back to Sea Point that goes over the neck of Table Mountain, again it was rainy and overcast, but it was also a bit of a sight seeing trip for JB.  On the Saturday we went to the Oranjezicht Morning Market ( which is no longer in Oranjezicht, it is down next to the Waterfront.)  Again not quite what I was expecting but, what a vibe.  It is 99% food stalls from every conceivable country, a few fresh produce stalls with unusual products and a few stalls selling clothing etc.  Talk about busy, Oh my word, it felt like the entire city was there, it is obviously  a popular meeting place.  After that we went back to the apartment and curled up with blankets and binge watched a series on TV.  As with all good holidays neither of us was ready to come back home and back to routine, but hey that is life. 

I have managed every now and then to get some Diamond Dot painting done between knitting and working.  Thank the Lord that the work keeps coming in and in most cases always involves a challenge of some sort.  The latest ''bundle' that arrived yesterday is going to test not just me, but my sewing machine as well.  It is to replace the plastic seating on patio chairs for a local restaurant - eeeek, if it turns out successfully I will post a pic or two at the end of the job.

Well folks it is still pitch black here, the cats have settled down, the rain still patters on the roof and the rest of the world (and family) still sleeps, Charlie has joined me so perhaps I can go back to bed and join them hehe.  I have just seen another weather advisory for wind and damaging rain, so it is going to be a blanket and hot tea kind of weekend.  Again my apologies for the four day late posting of this Blog.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend, let someone know how much you love / appreciate them. Stay safe and well. Ciao Ciao.

Sunset in Sea Point.

Bloubergstrand looking across the Bay to Cape Town, 

Driving to Camps Bay with a peek down to Clifton, the home of millionaires. 

Camps Bay

My Life's Winding Roads: We've made it to May

My Life's Winding Roads: We've made it to May: Wow!!  Good morning folks  what a merry-go-round April seems to have been.  So much happened and there is so much to share.  First of all, f...