Day 541 - Leon Schuster

Another glorious sunny day in Hermanus, Jaco & I enjoyed a little sunshine. He hit the tennis ball for a while & I started a new book. Petro made a lovely dinner of roasted veggies, chicken & a great big salad. And for dessert - Malva Pudding. Jaco is certainly looking less lanky. As am I. Unfortunately it wasn't a problem for me to begin with. My resistance is low, so I'm going to be doing my best to say... No. Tomorrow. 


We watched South Africa's version of 'Candid Camera'. It's actually VERY funny. One guy & his sidekick play a wide variety of pranks on South Africans. From leading politicians to golf grannies to comedians, he caught them all! It was a movie called Schuks Tshabalala's Survival Guide to South Africa. Check it out here. It takes a while to get into it, but it's hilarious. I haven't seen a movie that made me chuckle that much for a long time!


Jaco worked on some emails & I worked on the blog. I'm still playing catchup! Maybe by the end of the week I'll be caught up. Fingers crossed!


And today is Tweet Pea's 2nd birthday - Miss my girl like crazy!!! Mama loves you!!!


xxxxMaria

Tweet Pea in her Hamburger costume

Jacqueline & Adele inspired the engraving on our wedding rings. It reads, 'It's a wonderful life with you.' In Afrikaans, of course!

Day 469 - Graduation

Today was Graduation day for those who arrived the week before me. Neil, my housemate, whom I’ve grown to love, graduated & left today. He was quite emotional about it. In fact, we were talking late last night & he teared up just talking about it! Poor fellow! I think this has been a real awakening for him! I hope he does well once he leaves! Bless his heart!

Marina also graduated today. I’ve enjoyed getting to know her & I’ll miss her next week. She lives close by, so hopefully when the ship is in port, we can meet up one day down the road & have a raw lunch! Yay!

This evening I went to see True Grit. It was brilliant! I thoroughly enjoyed it! I haven’t seen a great western for a long time. Jeff Bridges was classic! I went with Chandler, Ron, Woody & Jackie. We took a cab to the closest theatre & although I had initially planned to go with Chandler & Ron, I ended up going with Woody & Jackie. Chandler & Ron decided to see something more ‘technological’ & modern, whereas, I was opting for a romantic comedy or eventually, a western! I was lucky, as Woody paid for the tickets, I got mine at the Senior’s price! Thanks for that!

We waited for a cab for a while & about 15 minutes later, the same driver showed up. He ripped us off, but we called him on it & got some of our money back. While we waited, we enjoyed the warm evening air & of course, people watching. These Floridians are a different breed. It’s quite an interesting mix with the South American/Latino flavor mixed with New Yorkers & of course, all the other nationalities that find their way here! We saw one young mother who loved hot pink so much, she matched her outfit, shoes & child! Yes, the wee one was sporting hot pink in her hair & on her body!

That’s it for today… Sleep tight & I’ll be in touch tomorrow!

xxxxMaria

The sweetest little girl!

Her family

My spunky little friend!

Beautiful dress!

Lolly on her birthday!

Ehyan from BC - Champion Waterskiier

My Housemate - Neil

Neil's friend, Happy

Anna Maria, Brian, Happy & Neil

Inspiration!

Marina

Shariar

Loved this gal!

One week grads

Brian gives a talk

Pinning our homes on the map

The Gang - week 2

Terry - Stage IV breast & bone cancer. Couldn't walk when she arrived. She went from a wheelchair, to a walker, to a cane! You go girl!!!

Monika, Marina, Anca & yours truly.

My neighbour

The pond at night

Day 303 - Eat Pray Love & The Burnett Bunch!

This morning Jaco & I left for Fort McLeod. We were off to see Mike & Jenn & the kids. Mike has been waiting to hear on a start date for a new job & we wanted to see the whole family before he left for work. 

We had made plans to go for dinner & a movie this evening. Jenn & I had decided that we would see Eat Pray Love. When we arrived, they thought that East Side Mario's would be a wise choice for dinner. 

We visited for a few hours in the afternoon, Jenn took Harrison & I on a little tour of the ranch where her parents live, while Jaco & Mike chatted inside. Harrison played on his slide/jungle gym while Jenn & I caught up on the past few weeks. They've only moved recently, but it feels like ages since I've seen them last! 

Little Miss Heidi has grown so much! She's still got that sweet, sweet smile - I think she'll always melt my heart! And Harrison's vocabulary is growing as much as he is! He was excited to see 'Aunty Jo' when we pulled into the yard. They are truly two wonderful children! 

I helped Jenn edit a few photos & now that I know what she's after, I can finish up the rest for her. Before we knew it, it was time to leave for town. We climbed into the minivan & headed for Lethbridge. 

I have previously only eaten at East Side Mario's once - a LONG time ago. I surprised Collet for her 22nd birthday & we had the surprise party at East Side Mario's. It has been 8 years since we were there - needless to say, I don't remember what the meal was like. (It was a great surprise party, though!)

We each ordered a yummy drink & soon the salad, soup & bread arrived. They feed you as much as you like prior to the arrival of your main course. We each enjoyed our main dishes. We each ordered something very different from the next person, they have a great menu! Of course, a little desert was in order, hello Peanut Butter Stack! Mike & I share a fondness for PB!!! 

We visited for awhile after the meal & then it was time to head out to the movie. I was so excited to see the film. Perhaps too excited. I should have known. The book is ALWAYS better than the movie. It wasn't a bad movie, it just wasn't as good as I was expecting. The Eat or Italian part of the movie was hilarious & perfect. The Pray or Indian part of the film was okay. The momentum was lost somewhere in this section. By the time Bali or Love rolled around, it was getting hard to sit still. At just over 2 hours, it was a tad drawn out. 

I love Julia Roberts & I loved the book. I could watch the Italian section over & over. Sigh. I miss Italy. My fingers are already crossed that Jaco will get a contract in the Mediterranean. I could SO be Julia Roberts on a 'leave no carbs behind' diet in the Med. Who am I kidding, my pants barely fit now!

I should also mention that it was FREEZING when we left East Side Mario's. We were so cold, in fact, that we ordered tea at the theatre! How crazy is that!? A - that it was that cold & B - they sold hot tea! Naturally we cranked the heat in the van on the way home... Brrr! 

We said goodnight to Jenn & Mike & thanked them for a great date night. We ventured off to the RV for a cozy night's rest...

Lekker slaap,

Maria, Jaco & Valentina

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

T-Rex hits up East Side Mario's

Mama Jay, T-Rex, & Papa M.Bee

Even dinosaurs need lovin'!

The party animal sleeps

Day 259 - Survival of the Fittest!

Oh deary me. I had the worst dream of my life last night/this morning. Those of you who know me, will remember that I have, most likely, some of the most bizarre & far-fetched dreams out of anyone else you & I may know. However, this one was so REAL, I woke up frozen with fear. 


I dreamt I was in Wal-Mart with Heidi, the baby girl I was to care for today & tomorrow, and I was carrying her, along with something else. Somehow, Heidi slipped out of my grasp & I didn't even notice. By the time I did notice that I wasn't holding her any longer, I couldn't find her. She was gone. I panicked, frantically looking everywhere for her. The store called a 'CODE ADAM' & the doors were locked & the lights dimmed. (Not sure why you would dim the view when you're LOOKING for something, but hey, it was a strange dream.) The staff looked for about 30 seconds & then the lights came back on & the doors opened & it was business as usual. No sign of baby Heidi. I was running around the largest Wal-Mart I've even seen. I finally called my Mom to come & help me look. I couldn't bear the thought of having to tell Jenn that I had lost their beautiful, perfect, happy little girl! 


Mom came & helped me look. We asked people if they'd seen her - Nope. UGH! Someone must have kidnapped her! Oh where could she be!? Finally I had to call Jenn. Between sobs & hyperventilation, I told the story. Jenn rushed over from work to help look for her daughter. While she was checking in with the dry cleaners (What? Doesn't your Wal-Mart have dry cleaners?) I went along the way to look elsewhere. When I couldn't find Heidi, I turned around to go back & find Jenn when I realized I was lost. 


I thought I knew where I was headed when I hopped onto this strange escalator. It was brightly coloured & there were a lot of kids on it. It didn't have any hand railings & it was quite curvy. I suddenly realized it was fast too! By this point, I couldn't get off. I was fast approaching a sharp dip & turn. Yep, as I rounded the turn at the bottom, I went sailing off the escalator over the housewares when I abruptly woke up. 


Thank goodness the dream was over. But where was Heidi? I realized that Jenn was already gone to work & I was so relieved to see both Heidi & Harrison in their beds. We did NOT go outside at all today. The door was locked. Sorry. Maybe tomorrow if I have pleasant dreams tonight!!! Phew! What a way to start the day! 


The rest of the day went really well. I am so impressed with the routine Jenn & Mike have Heidi & Harrison on. It really makes life easy for both the parents & the children. In fact, I'm thinking I need a routine to keep my life simplified! Harrison & Tina played famously & I'm not sure which of the two enjoyed it more! 


When Jenn returned from work, she took Harrison downtown for some errands & I napped on the couch with Heidi snoozing close by. Jenn made a fantastic seafood pasta & caesar salad for supper & afterwards, we finished watching The Prince of Persia & She's Outta My League. Both were fantastic! The Prince of Persia is one of my new favourites & She's Outta My League was great for a laugh. A little crude in places, but still good for a gas!


I had ran into town for a few things & while I was unloading the truck, this fellow & his little boy walked by. Here's how our conversation went:
'Hi. How are you?', he said.
'Good thanks.'
'It's a beautiful night, eh?'
'Yes, definitely. Summer is finally here!'
'Yes, it's nice. You look like Demi Moore.'
'Wow! Thank you!'


Yeesh, I could pay him every day to walk by & say that! Thanks! Now, if only I had the figure to go along with it!!! :o)


And then there was the phone call to Shaw cable. Jenn's internet wasn't working & since the phone is through the internet, we were without communication. I said I'd ask the neighbour if we could borrow the phone & call Shaw to see what the problem was. As I popped out the door, the neighbour across the fence was just going inside. So I asked Sarah if I could use her phone to call Shaw. She was a little hesitant to lend us the phone - I think she thought I was going to call Ethiopia or something. I reassured her it was only Shaw & since the phone reception wouldn't reach into the house, I sat on the step & called from there. I was on hold for a whopping 57 minutes before someone finally answered my call! Crazy! They couldn't even do anything to fix the internet either! Anyhow, while I was on hold, listening to the 'Unbreak My Heart' chorus over & over & over, I asked Jenn if she would mind clipping the back of my hair for me. Of course, she didn't mind. 


It wasn't until we were mid-way through the process that we realized how silly we looked. I was wearing a ratty old tank top & some sweat pants. Mike had been away less than 24 hours & I had 'moved in'. Looking rather 'butch' in my sweat pants & tank top with a shaved head, I'm sure the neighbours were brewing up the rumours. 'My goodness, the husband's not even gone a day & the lesbian lover has already moved in!' 'Gasp! I know! Can you believe it? Those poor little children, growing up with two Mom's & an unsuspecting Dad!' Oh well, at least they'd know who the 'other man' is in the relationship! We had a pretty good laugh! 


So there you have it! Day 1 of SuperNanny survives without losing a child in Wal-Mart! Yay! Here's to an even more successful tomorrow! Sleep well! I know I will!
xxxx
Maria & Valentina

There's no mistaking it - Harrison looks so much like his Daddy!

My Not-So-Feminine Outfit & the kids. Harrison & I have the same haircut!

Day 139 - Heartland

I woke up at about 0530 this morning to the sounds of trucks rolling through the yard, one after the other. They were filming an episode of Heartland on the ranch today! I was pretty excited, even though I've never seen a single episode, I thought it was awesome to have a little 'Hollywood' in the back yard!


I was supposed to meet Roxy in town today while she ran errands, but I had a lot to do at home today as well! I did up everything as quickly as I could & left for town around 1500. I met Roxy at Community Natural Foods & we left for the Asian market in search of a young coconut. We didn't find one & then Roxy had to leave. It was the shortest meeting ever! 


Roxy left for home & I went into CNF for some goodies. My next stop was Winners, to replace the wicker basket. I called Mom on my way & she informed me that Heartland was only there today! Oh no! I was so sad! I really wanted to go & check things out! Darn it! I asked Mom to go down to the barn & take a few photos for me... :o(


Shortly after I got home, Mom's friends, Gena & Sue, arrived. The three of them were off to Kamloops for a week. There is a big Western Art Show happening & Gena is an amazing watercolour artist. Check out her work! Mom was taking her photography & Sue's son, Mark, works near Kamloops. 


It was quite funny to watch the girls when they met Valentina. Here's two grown women talking the cutest baby talk you ever did hear. Now, when you talk high pitched baby talk to Valentina, she gets excited & most often 'happy pees'. Sue made the mistake of running into the bathroom for a wee, but left the door open behind her & Valentina followed suit.  Sue, not knowing the 'happy pee' effect, picked up Valentina & talked away. Pretty soon Sue was peeing & Valentina was peeing! Oh dear! I'm sure that is a first (& hopefully a last!) for both of them!


Sue had lost her cell phone, but her other son, Kirk, found it under a car in the parking lot where they had dinner! Kirk & his friend, Ty, brought it out to the ranch. Everyone had a good visit!


Oh, the other part of the day! The bankruptcy place called & told me they want to confiscate my 'Tools of the Trade' because I haven't made any money from them since I declared bankruptcy. My tools of the trade would be my camera gear. That's like another limb. I was quite distraught! I had traded website photos for pies & ice cream, wedding photos for Keith Urban tickets... Doesn't that count?!? She responded to my email by telling me that my photography is more of a hobby than a career. Oooooh, she does know the right buttons to push, let me tell ya! I was so offended. Crap. Is she right? Well, no. I worked 5 years on ships as a full-time Photographer, so that has to count for something! I only left when I got sick & I haven't been well enough to focus on a land or sea based career! Argh! 


Perhaps this is the 'Ah-ha' moment where I realize it's time to get a little more serious about my photography... But for now, it's off to bed... My hubby is hopefully calling before he flies to join the ship...


Sweet dreams!
xoxoxoxoxox
Maria & Valentina

Heartland Props

Down at the barn

...And ACTION!!!!

Adios charms Ty

Kirk, Ty, Gena & Sue. (Note Adios still charming Ty)