Monday Survival Kit

Don't get me wrong - I love public holidays, but having two "Mondays" in the space of four days, really pops my bubble. Here are a few tips for turning crappy into happy:

• Google a funny word! Not only will you crack a smile every time it comes to mind, you'll broaden your vocabulary in the process. You're welcome, SA school system.
• Invest in a bottle of bubbles! There's nothing more soothing than blowing a soap bubble and watching it drift weightlessly through the air.
• Look at a cupcake. They're so cute, you only really need to see one to feel the glow of happiness in your heart. Joy, minus the calories. (If it's a really bad day, eat it. Just eat it.)

• Breathe deeply. Not in a psycho killer kind of way, well, unless client service phone you for 17th time and psycho breathing makes you feel better.
• Pull faces while brushing your teeth. It wakes you up, ignites a smile and makes oral hygiene rather interesting. 
• Paint your nails a bright colour. I did this for the first time today and every time I look down at my crookedly painted sunshine yellow tips, I can't help but crack a smile.

• Start a Monday ritual - invest in a special tea or coffee or tin of biscuits or ANYTHING that's reserved for Mondays - it has to be so delicious, you'll be willing to trade a Friday for a Monday.
• Ask an English (non-Afrikaans) colleague to say something in Afrikaans. Really, this always makes my day.
• Find your Monday tune. Whether it's current or as old as the Stonehenge, find that tune that just brings a smile to your face and hum it (in your mind. Please.) This is mine: 

• Buy something - anything! I save most of my happy purchases for Mondays. Whether I need new mascara, a mug, a new dress for an occasion - it all happens on a Monday.
• Cause destruction. Shred old paper, crush an empty tin, smash a glass jar - it's a great relief and you're spring cleaning in the process!
• Draw a funny hand puppet thing on your hand.

• Spray a really happy scented perfume on your wrist - one that reminds you of meadows and dew drops and baby's breath and rainbows. When you feel down, take a whiff!
• Facebook message a BUNCH of people late the night before. Come manic Monday morning, your day will be brightened by the sporadic responses.
• Make someone else's day. There's no greater feeling than putting a smile on someone's face, so whether you make a cup of tea or send a funny pic - do what it takes to see some teeth!

Things that make you go "Aww"

I don't get gushy often, only on Fridays ♥

WARNING: This post contains pictures of baby kittens. And puppies and bunnies and all sorts of cute. Not suitable for the stone-hearted.

  

  

  

 

 

 

Happiest of Fridays to you all, jelly beans! ♥

It's fun to be lame

A few weeks ago, the Cansa Relay came to town and so did 4 very jolly Capetonians (or rather 2 ex-Caledonians, one ex-ex-ex-ex-Caledonian and an ex-Drakensberger). And so, dear tea lovers, I'm proud to bring you a blow-by-blow of the epic lameness that transpired that fateful Saturday afternoon. Am I blogging about my weekend like a 13-year-old? It would appear so. 

It all started with a guided tour of the country town which, considering the size of Caledon, really took no longer than 6-and-a-half minutes. By someone's random suggestion, we then made a stop at the arcade and before long my three travel-buddies got stuck in like only guys (*cough* 4-year-olds) can. In the end they violated the Elevator Game with 6 hands instead of the recommended 2 and won 418 tickets in 15 minutes. Impressive. 

Ripping off the arcade. 

418 tickets in 15 minutes.

Unfortunately we were then thrown out by security, banned for life and served with three months of community service. OK, that's a lie, but it would've made for an epic story. More importantly - I got my super awesome zombie ring and plastic alligator toy (which has since morphed into a brooch), and the guys went home with Ross the stuffed dinosaur, who went on to claim the title of official Cansa Relay mascot.

The Rossetron

Another big event that added to the undeniable awesomeness, was Dan picking up his first chameleon ever. Go Dan Man - you're half way to becoming a real Plattelander! 

Dan picks up a chameleon for the first time. Big moment, big smile!

Next came the actual relay...

Only my family can come up with a team name like this one.

3 proud Pienk Kiewiete, boasting their team colours.

Me + the siblings - picture of pure innocence. We never fight, can't you tell?

Tents pitched near and far, "Afrikaanse boeretreffers" blasting across the field, the worst talent contest you've ever witnessed, yum-yum chocolate cake, proper "basaar poeding", barefoot skipping and all-night chatter around the sports field. 

And THAT people, is what we call a good ol' Caledon weekend.

Split-Second Christmas Table

This post is hideously delayed, I know, so for the next 3 minutes I'd like you to pretend that today is in fact the day after Christmas and be super impressed by how rapidly I got this post up. Reset brain, and GO ---> 

As you might remember from this post, I had a bit of a dilemma yesterday (on Christmas day ;-) when I realised that I had (stupidly) volunteered to decorate the Christmas table. 'Freak out' is an understatement. So with no time to ransack the shops, I had to make do with what we had lying around the house and garden, which is how this white + yellow + lime recycled table came into being. 

1. Newspaper table cloth, mainly because I ALWAYS mess.
2. Glass jars as juice tumblers with double straws, & halved lemons/limes as place card holders.
3. A pretty gardenia ("katjiepiering") under each glass.

1. Freshly picked garden flowers in recycled glass bottles + wooden crate.
2. Yellow/lime A4 paper as place mats.
3. Cutlery, straws, jars and glasses decorated with tan raffia string.

Apologies for the bad pictures and colour. Quite frankly, I blame the camera. What's that, camera? Oh, he says, "yes - I screwed up".

19 Reasons to Love Winter

I can't remember the last time I was this happy and clappy on a Monday, and it's all thanks to the droplets of rainy happiness pouring down from the heavens outside. Yesterday's sunshine made me mourn the slow death of summer, but this morning's rain and fog made me realise that, quite frankly my dear, I'm ready to bury the sunnies and go me buy some hoodies. WINTER IS COMING, PEOPLE! WHOOP-DEE-FREAKING-DOO! 

Here are 19 things I can't wait to see, hear and get up to:

1. Drawing pictures in the mist on the car window.
2. Baking pancakes with friends!
3. Making butternut soup from scratch! (Okay, more like from those pre-cut veggie soup packs they have at PnP and Woolies - same difference though.)
4. Making a run for it through the pouring rain and getting soaked to the bone. 
5. Changing out of your drenched threads and into warm dry clothes (right off the heater, even better!)
6. The strange combination of fear and exhilaration when thunder and lightning break through the sky.
7. Going home to Caledon for the weekend and chatting away in front of the crackling fire.
8. Jumping in the puddles when the rain has subsided.
9. Listening to the thundering sound of chubby little rain drops crashing down on a tin roof.
10. Rainbows!
11. Curling up in the passenger seat for a long journey in the rain.
12. Breathing foggy clouds into the cold morning air.
13. Wearing boots, scarves, comfy jeans and hoodies all day and everyday - yay!
14. Walking around in your socks or shloff-shloff-shloffing through the house in furry slippers.
15. Watching full day movie marathons with hot chocolate, marshmallows and good company.
16. Polar fleece blankets and hot water bottles at the office!
17. Waking up on a Saturday morning and crawling deeper under the warm covers, while listening to the rain pouring down outside.
18. Getting to sleep late on the weekends without the sun making you feel guilty for sleeping past 7.
19. The feeling of someone pressing their warm hands against your icy cheeks.

 

This list should really go on and on - there's just so much to love about winter! But my brain is mashed potato today, so I'm stopping at 19 for fear of overexersion. I'll let you add #20 in the comments section below :-)

Chaos on the Golf Course

Yesterday I was out on the golf course for the day. See, I'm quite a keen golfer and often head out to the course on a Thursday for... ah, shucks I can't even finish that sentence with a straight face. 

In actual fact, I had the pleasure of "coordinating" this year's Bokomo Golf Day video with KFM Breakfast's Deon Bing and our very own bouncy and bubbly miss Leah Karriem (whom incidentally you can win a date with, but more on that later). Temperatures reached 83 degrees (well, it certainly felt that way) but on the plus side I got to swap my desk for a golf cart and the breathtaking views of Boschenmeer Golf Estate.

Here are a couple of snaps of the day - full video coming soon!

Deon + Leah + Watering Holes = Trouble.

Testing the weaklings' biceps at the Smash tee-off.

Salsa dancing on a golf course. For real.

ProNutro Active shooters at the ProNutro tee-off.

Cuban living room at the Sasko tee-off.

(Questionable) Gangnam Style at Liqui Fruit tee-off.

How low can you go?

Leah showing them how it's done.

Oh ya, and there were golfers too.

All the while we kept Tracy in shackles behind the editing desk.

"Tequila!" Take 17.

And a special thank you to Cheryl (left) and the team from Boschenmeer,
who had to deal with all our whims and fancies - rock stars, I tell you!

Brands featured on the day: ProNutro, Weet-Bix, Otees, Werda, Smash, Sasko, Liqui Fruit, Bovril, Marmite, Nulaid, Safari Dried Fruits, Moir's, and more.