When we were growing up, we seemed to have this notion of New York being the most crime ridden place in the world - no, the universe... (Don't you love how kids do that) But this morning I was browsing the news on CNN and I read about a shoot out in Madison Square Gardens where the suspect had been shot and no bystanders were injured. (Talk about a Christmas miracle...) It reminded me of the all the violence my own family have been subjected to in the last few years, and suddenly it dawned on me: New York is a BREEZE!!! While driving home from church, some of my family got caught in the crossfire of a cash in transit heist - it was so bad, that their car was shot at - how those bullets managed to miss the driver is another absolute miracle.
Then there was the time Les got hijacked right outside the Temple... Okay, that was Joburg and we all know how bad Joburg is, but still - if I wasn't aware of it before, it's glaringly obvious now that crime is spiralling out of control in this country.
My hope for the new year is that where ever possible we can educate and focus the youth - if they have positive goals and are driven to make themselves better, there won't be room for getting up to mischief and crime. If only crime and drugs wasn't so damn glorified by the media - if only money wasn't so lauded by society and everyone could acknowledge that actually, there are some things worth more than money can buy...
Friday, December 11, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Special Message for Viwe
I have to agree with you about the shirtless thing - as great as it was to see how hard all these boys worked to get in shape, they were all a little too obvious in their tatty baggies and no shirts. There was a lot of painful stuff to sit through!!!
Still moving...
Can you believe that we are still re-arranging and arranging stuff?? So yesterday I went and had a look for lace curtains. For those who don't know what lace curtains are - you are completely excused. NOBODY USES LACE ANYMORE!! Except for a few pedantic and ocd people who have to have that sheer covering (that eventually gets mouldy from the window being open unless you wash it once a month, and I'm not even keeping up with mount neverest, why would I possibly go and add to it??) Honestly, if I had a sandblasting machine, I would have done the windows in order to save myself the nightmare of trying to find acceptable lace curtains to certain family members who shall remain nameless (protect the innocent and all that..)
So, I go to PEP (!!) and I have my dark Jackie O sunglasses and the scarf to cover my hair (Just kidding - that would make me WAY too obvious - I walk past as if I'm going somewhere, then I trip into the shop like it wasn't actually meant to be...) And I find one OKish set of lace curtains and one positively hideous one that I think maybe I can sneak into a really small window in the new place.
Ha! Not a sausage of a chance... They walked in and it was though I'd poked them all in the eyes with toothpicks. Amidst wails of "No! Stop! What is that? Where are we?" I took the offending lace down and buried it so deep in the cupboard I knew there was no chance that I'd ever have to hear the wails again.
And so the rest of the family have banned me from shopping at PEP - or at least, banned me from buying lace - which is fine with me since I didn't want the blasted stuff in the first place... Aah, it was all a psychological ploy to rid us of the lace...
Anyway, the place is great apart from the brand new carpet that got flooded on Saturday morning - oh, you mean I didn't tell you about that?? Well, we set up the washing machine and the outlet pipe, but with the first rinse cycle, the outlet pipe rips out the sink and floods the bathroom, passage and toilet... It was ankle deep after only 20 minutes!! So Rescue Richard tips the entire laundry basket and all the towels we possess in an attempt to suck up the water from the carpet so that it doesn't stink. Needless to say, as furiously as we worked and slaved, the carpet smells ugh!! Fortunately Nanna gave us this amazing little gadget that sprays air freshener on its own. You set it for how many seconds you want it to wait before it sprays again and every now and then you hear a little sppprrrt as it blasts a boost of fragrant air! Of course, it's always good to be sitting on the loo when you hear it, since it scared the living daylights out of someone recently... We won't go there.
Last night I started painting the cupboards. I'm sure if we're all honest with ourselves and each other, we'll recognise that there are certain things we become a little obssessive about. Mine is cupboard interiors. They have to be a light colour and I abhor paper in cupboards! Unfortunately, I seem to have chosen a most inopportune time to start this whole laborious process. The weather has been unseasonably wet and cold and this new place is cold to begin with, so the paint (gloss) is NOT DRYING!! Much to my horror and the annoyance of all the family who are walking around sniffing and coughing and clearing their throats. So, I don't think I'm going to be popular this holiday...
So, I go to PEP (!!) and I have my dark Jackie O sunglasses and the scarf to cover my hair (Just kidding - that would make me WAY too obvious - I walk past as if I'm going somewhere, then I trip into the shop like it wasn't actually meant to be...) And I find one OKish set of lace curtains and one positively hideous one that I think maybe I can sneak into a really small window in the new place.
Ha! Not a sausage of a chance... They walked in and it was though I'd poked them all in the eyes with toothpicks. Amidst wails of "No! Stop! What is that? Where are we?" I took the offending lace down and buried it so deep in the cupboard I knew there was no chance that I'd ever have to hear the wails again.
And so the rest of the family have banned me from shopping at PEP - or at least, banned me from buying lace - which is fine with me since I didn't want the blasted stuff in the first place... Aah, it was all a psychological ploy to rid us of the lace...
Anyway, the place is great apart from the brand new carpet that got flooded on Saturday morning - oh, you mean I didn't tell you about that?? Well, we set up the washing machine and the outlet pipe, but with the first rinse cycle, the outlet pipe rips out the sink and floods the bathroom, passage and toilet... It was ankle deep after only 20 minutes!! So Rescue Richard tips the entire laundry basket and all the towels we possess in an attempt to suck up the water from the carpet so that it doesn't stink. Needless to say, as furiously as we worked and slaved, the carpet smells ugh!! Fortunately Nanna gave us this amazing little gadget that sprays air freshener on its own. You set it for how many seconds you want it to wait before it sprays again and every now and then you hear a little sppprrrt as it blasts a boost of fragrant air! Of course, it's always good to be sitting on the loo when you hear it, since it scared the living daylights out of someone recently... We won't go there.
Last night I started painting the cupboards. I'm sure if we're all honest with ourselves and each other, we'll recognise that there are certain things we become a little obssessive about. Mine is cupboard interiors. They have to be a light colour and I abhor paper in cupboards! Unfortunately, I seem to have chosen a most inopportune time to start this whole laborious process. The weather has been unseasonably wet and cold and this new place is cold to begin with, so the paint (gloss) is NOT DRYING!! Much to my horror and the annoyance of all the family who are walking around sniffing and coughing and clearing their throats. So, I don't think I'm going to be popular this holiday...
Thursday, December 3, 2009
The Move
It took only 3 hours to move everything into the new place. Wow! Kathy is amazing - I couldn't keep up with her! Anyway, it's taken us the past 2 days to pack stuff and rearrange and get everything organised.
Last night I went out with Vimbai and Yvonne to see New Moon. It was a little disconcerting having the entire movie theatre filled with tweenagers and it was even worse watching the movie with them since they were under the misguided notion that it was an interactive experience (I blame play stations!!!).
I was once again reminded why I read NM so quickly - skipping over all the pathetic lovesick schtickk between Bella and Edward. Of course, in the movie I was subjected to that whole dreadful ordeal in addition to really inexperienced or just plain bad acting...
Apart from Jacob, that is. If only the book had been written about the wolves! I loved every minute that Jacob and the pack were on the screen, it was so brilliantly done, I really enjoyed it. As for the beginning and end of the movie... Ho hum, yawn... Ok, Emmett was good - but could somebody PLEASE do something with Jasper's wig and constipated expression??? Somebody give that boy an eanama. (Don't judge me with the spelling - I've been up since 3am with Rachel)
It was great to get out and I was so grateful to Emma who played mom and took care of bath time, supper time and nursing when Rebecca cut her head open falling out a box... Don't ask. Rich was busy putting up curtain rails and lights and fans...
Last night I went out with Vimbai and Yvonne to see New Moon. It was a little disconcerting having the entire movie theatre filled with tweenagers and it was even worse watching the movie with them since they were under the misguided notion that it was an interactive experience (I blame play stations!!!).
I was once again reminded why I read NM so quickly - skipping over all the pathetic lovesick schtickk between Bella and Edward. Of course, in the movie I was subjected to that whole dreadful ordeal in addition to really inexperienced or just plain bad acting...
Apart from Jacob, that is. If only the book had been written about the wolves! I loved every minute that Jacob and the pack were on the screen, it was so brilliantly done, I really enjoyed it. As for the beginning and end of the movie... Ho hum, yawn... Ok, Emmett was good - but could somebody PLEASE do something with Jasper's wig and constipated expression??? Somebody give that boy an eanama. (Don't judge me with the spelling - I've been up since 3am with Rachel)
It was great to get out and I was so grateful to Emma who played mom and took care of bath time, supper time and nursing when Rebecca cut her head open falling out a box... Don't ask. Rich was busy putting up curtain rails and lights and fans...
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