What will you be watching this New Years Eve and Day??
I remember News Years Eve I spent in the USA, I sat on the beach in New Jersey and watched the the fireworks in New York. I didn't want to with the the other Au Pairs to New York. It was a bit lonely but very serene.
This I plan to dance the night away with my daughter and Nieces - we will see who can stay up they are 7,6 and 4 years old.
TAILS - "This Time Of Year" Tell what you do or don't like about this time of year.
Like: Family time and good food Getting presents with no pressure attached Giving presents (especially when I know I have not overspent and given something the kids will enjoy) - Our family has agreed to not do adult presents - we play a game where we all buy one gift for a particular amount and each receive one. My two best friends Denise and Claire - we roll Birthday and Christmas gifts in one and depending on how we are doing financially we sometimes club together and try to give each other something really meaningful. What I like most is that the pressure to try meet the cost of the gift is not there. And we give this gift at the time in the year that is most convient for us. Last year Claire paid for plane ticket for me to visit her and Denise in Johannesburg - knowing that Denise was moving to New Zealand and I was moving to Northern Ireland.
Dislike: Disharmony amongst some church members about how celebrate Christmas. (It happens almost every year not matter where I live - South Africa, USA and Northern Ireland) Hearing the same songs over and over again especially Boney M (though I must admit that some years it makes me feel nostalgic) The pressure of giving presents and cards. Especially when I am not in a financial position to return the gesture. Getting caught up in wasting money. The "Christmas Rush" .
This is the first place I had coffee and a sandwich when I arrived in Northern Ireland. I still enjoying stopping in there some days for coffee while wait for the CAB (Citizen Advice Bureau) to open - I volunteer there 1-2 day a week.
This the view from my favourite seat in the lounge. I enjoy having a snack, drinking coffee and reading a book.
Street performers in the Belfast during Summer 2008
I love theatre and cultural events
my mom, daughter and me This was the last holiday my mom had with us before we moved from South Africa to Northern Ireland This is a demonstration at our school picnic. I did this - its a great workout and you don't feel dizzy at all.
My on going battle with my weight (kg) My husband and daughter on his GOMOTO Photo taken by Claudel at Helderberg College
Knitting and braaing - YAY My friend Ruth and I knitting at Claudel's home.
One of the last photo shoots and outings with Claudel. This is Claudel and her youngest son Caydon
Family project - Weiers, Jeandre and I worked on this. Unfortunately we did not get it framed and left it in South Africa.
My Wedding day It was a bilingual service English and Afrikaans
My favourite books All female authors
Weiers and I were engaged and attending some else's wedding.
Me, Robert and Lisa We slept over after his 21st birthday party Robert is now a well known performer and organiser in the Durban Cultural circles
The next 3 collages are of me before I got married
My closes friends in primary school - Ferndale (Newlands East - Durban- South Africa) Standard 4
Me at a baby and as a flower at my older sister's wedding
Don't have one - couldn't figure out how to get a nickname and have my actual name on my address.
If i did it would have be Le-Butterfly
2. What is the most unique or interesting thing about the city, or country you live in?
Northern Ireland: Everyone knows the story of RMS Titanic, yet few realise the ship was built right here in Belfast.
3.If you celebrate the winter holidays, share a special memory or thing you enjoy about the season.
When I lived in Durban, South Africa - it was going swimming (pools were empty and free) and be at the beach when the big Surfing competition (Gunston 500) was on.
4. What's your favourite song at the moment?
Soak up the sun by Sheryl Crow
5.What's your favourite frozen food?
Pizza
6.What scent do you wear the most?
Lavender (calming, relaxing, stress relieving)
7.One word that describes me is......#
Emotional
You Are Emotional
You are dependable, popular, and observant.
Deep and thoughtful, you are prone to moodiness.
In fact, your emotions tend to influence everything you do.
You are unique, creative, and expressive.
You don't mind waving your freak flag every once and a while.
And lucky for you, most people find your weird ways charming!
8. My favourite crafts are........(include pics, or links to your stuff!)
Knitting
9. If I had a million dollars I would......
Buy a house, travel , invest it.
10. 3 things I'm good at are........... ( think positive, dont leave this blank!)
Organising programsTeachingListening
for Reach for a Dream
11.My favourite childhood toy was a.......
didn't really have one - liked marbles, cars and one teddy bear that looked like a fox.
Gave away all my dolls by the time I turned 10. I liked paper dolls.
12. Name 5 you cant live without........
Feeling loved, wanted, understood and needed
food glorious food
family and friends
music the other food of life
Internet connection (well maybe I can but that would be no fun)
13. Name 5 product things you cant live without.....
computer
kettle
ipod
Skype
coffee (1-2 cups per day but not first thing in the morning)
14. I 'm in love with.....
with nothing at the moment. I love my husband, my child, my family and my friends but I am not in love with anything. I do miss that giddy, passionate, exciting feeling.
15.A cause that I care about is.....
CAB - Citizen's Advice Bureau - a charity organistion that helps give advice to people.
ADRA - an agency that helps with development and disaster relief.
Care for the Family
Stop Smoking Campaigns
16.my new years resolution is to....
Stick to a healthy eating plan..........
17.In my neighbourhood it is common to see many........
decorations in the windows through out the year.
18. On friday nights I enjoy.....
Quiet family time, listening to music, singing along with a music dvd and my daughter or watching a Christian movie like (Joseph, Jesus Christ Super Star or Fiddler on the Roof)
19.My computer desk has these items on it.....
Hand cream, pencil case, camera, knitting, flash drive, glass, hair brush, pen and car keys.
Some-thing round - made me think of circles - I like to think of life and love as circles. One of my favourite sermons is about how we cannot expect others to fill the holes in our circle especially marriage.
Broken Circle of Life
Disconnected labyrinth losing me within Turning right into emptiness left into pain Retracing the same empty steps losing myself within Finding my begining uninterupted before me Where I began unknowingly unfamiliar territory That I've traveled a thousand times there is no end no escape Too broken to find my way coming around to find the same me Startled by the same shadows The walls enclosing me forcing my direction my destination Opening to a circle of desert and empty sky Running back to retrace the same empty steps losing myself within And my begining lies before me
Lots of ironing to do. Will watch some series while I do that.
Making a trifle for the first in my life - forgot to make the jelly last night and discover that I don't have enough flour to bake a sponge cake. I have made the jelly - hope it will set by this afternoon and my husband is going to buy a cake - just hope he does not come home with Swiss Roll instead of a plan sponge cake.
Decided to do this list again. I did one at the beginning of this year and I felt that it would be a good idea to end off the year by doing it again.
1. Life 2. My husband 3. My daughter
4. My immediate family 5. My friends near and far 6. The internet 7. the telephone 8. Ability to communicate 9. SDA South African medical aid 10. south African doctors 11. Digital Camera 12. Music 13. Books 14. Library - especially the one in Banbridge 15. Public transport 16. Volunteer organisations 17. My computer 18. Knitting and knitting groups 19. Swap-bot 20. Postal service 21. Food 22. Coastline 23. Mountains.
Helderberg Mountain (Somerset West, South Africa)
24. Rain
25. Memories 26. Medicines 27. Religion 28. Dance 29. Exercise 30. Prayer 31. belief in myself 32. The fact that I am not working at the moment 33. Ipods 34. Podcasts 35. extra lesson's my daughter goes too. 36. Dreams 37. Hope 38. Freedom to move (no more apartheid restrictions) 39. Freedom of speech 40. Freedom of association 41. The ability to vote 42. Be able to travel. 43. Getting to Northern Ireland Safely. 44. CAB - Citizens Advice Bureau 45. Affordable Public transport 46. Car 47. Hobbies 48. Different types of friendships 49. Support groups 50. Seminars 51. Retreats 52. Tourist information centres 53. Museums 54. Places of safety for animals 55. Aquarium 56. Zoo 57. Strawberry Picking Farms 58. Irish flavoured ice-cream 59. Coffee
Dulce' Coffee Shop
60. Coffee Shops 61. Poetry 62. Art 63. drama 64. theatre 65. parks 66. Hiking and walking
My husband and daughter after hike on Helderberg Mountains
67. Ability to swim 68. Waterfalls and streams 69. Camping
70. A house 71. Fireplace 72. central heating 73. Beauty 74. Gifts 75. Ability to give gifts 76. Massages 77. reflexology
My feet at a reflexology session
78. Alternative Medicines 79. Alternative Therapies 80. Ideas 81. Herbal teas 82. Long Bubble Baths 83. Quick hot water showers 84. Electric Blankets 85. Life Experiences eg. Au Pairing in USA 86. Mission month in Malawi 87. Trip to Botswana with the Sedaven Drama Group 88. Teaching in SDA and Government schools 89. My parents divorce (sounds weird but its true) 90. My siblings 91. Romantic experiences 92. Getting breakfast on bed from my parents. 93. Rituals 94. Friday evening family time (when i was young) 95. Sabbath 96. Truth 97. Feeling loved and supported 98. Alone times 99. Feeling understood 100. For the opportunity to do this list again.
