Recent love's :)

As I recently increased in age, I felt it necessary to document my latest love's:

1. I discovered Pooh, again :)

My best friend read a piece from Pooh's life lessons and it just reminded me of the saying: "If you want your children to be clever, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be wise, read them more fairy tales!" I concur...

2. Classical music - I am going through a barok phase!

3. French bubbles...I cannot resist those micro, effervescent explosions of joy. I really enjoy the South African stalwarts like Graham Beck - many special moments toasted.

4. I got my baking groove back. I used to be quite a baker, but seemed to have left it by the wayside in my corporate years. Now, the smell of freshly baked bread, cakes and tarts waft from my windows.

5. I am learning to love walking. Yoga is more my thing, but I know I need to take more steps, seeing I'm the main consumer of the baked goodies!

6. Nature in all her splendour: The moody sea on a windy day; soulful evenings in the bush veld with a low hanging full moon; chilly winter's evenings high in the mountain, with a log fire burning - love it all!

7. And of course....friends. I have a circle of beautiful friends whom I adore. I feel so blessed to know these amazing people and to be loved by them.

Many birthdays :)

So, every year around the middle of January, I start reminding those I love that my birthday is imminent. I create a little count down, and every day, my partner is greeted with: "And whose birthday is it in 3 weeks time?!"



Two weeks prior to my B-day I was surprised with a weekend in Paternoster on the West Coast :)

Clearly, this approach holds many benefits: There is an increase in the level of wining and dining and the quality of entertainment is at an all time high. I have also noticed that the gifts tend to become more in volume and generosity :)

On the day, a breakfast at the One&Only with a Spa appointment afterwards...



Mom and me for a compulsory celebratory cappuccino!



Brother and I for the first leg of of the "after-birth-day" celebrations



Our family being entertained with a flambe crepe Suzette...

The hero of the special celebrations is my partner, who tirelessly works every year to make this the best one ever. As part of my campaign, I always assure him that this is the case, as it seems to motivate him enourmously for the next year!

When You are Old

 

by W. B. Yeats

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars

I just absolutely love my birthday....cannot wait for the next one!

My family

Once in a while, my sister-in-law takes it upon herself to organise a family-picture-taking event. We all huff and puff and complain, but eventually, she gets most of us herded to the venue of choice. Her most compelling reason: She needs the latest pictures from all off us, in case of a sudden death, we will need pictures for the funeral letters?!

Well it works...who wants their last picture and memory to be a moment captured in 1998, at a formal dinner, where you had a bad hair day?

I look at the pictures and it tells the story of my family: Of connections and bonds. It shows the passage of time and how roles have adjusted over the years. I see the marks on our bodies and in our eyes.

But most of all, I see love.

Valen-times?!

I had a rather rushed Valentine dinner with my beloved. We had to really plan well to see each other: In between my lecturing non-stop for 5 days....

and JC's current deadline, we stumbled into our neighbourhood restaurant after 8 pm....had a glass of wine...ate some seafood....and barely made it home by 9:30 pm, before we fell into an unconscious sleep!

Ridiculous....a sign of the times? Yes, Valen-times!

Doing what I love!

I always dreamt about earning a living, by working with professionals who are trying to make South Africa a better place. Finally, after 20 years in Corporate I can honestly say:
I luurrrve what I do :)

The key for me was to first sort out what exactly made me tick. After a few hits and misses I came to the conclusion that I should stop looking for a role to fulfill. It made more sense to look  for opportunities to work with people I love spending time with and whom I respect...and then it happened :)

I am currently lecturing on a customised Absa programme at GSB - a beautiful group of professionals, who are on an amazing journey, which I get to witness and be part of.

I love this job!!!

I've got the travel bug...again!

I am currently working hard! And on the occasion when that happens, I feel the need to incentivise myself. I keep on finding articles and pictures about Mexico?
So I have been thinking...

A beautiful beach...

Some stunning food...

A beautiful little hide-away...

Some history...

....some R&R!

So, as I contemplate a caipirinha cocktail and some fish tacos, I am starting to practice...
Hola...Cómo estás?

At last, a man who listens!

 

I found him on a windswept veranda.

He looked a little worse for wear:

I could sense that he had been waiting there a while.

Surely not for me?

I reverently walked forward,

whispered sweet nothings in his ear.

And softly,

as the sound a leaf makes when unfolding,

he answered with a sigh!

 

Anne-marie