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

 



 

 

 

A day in the garden!

So if you do not have a garden, do go and wander around in the Stellenbosch Botanical Gardens :)
 I love Kirstenbosch, but it was such a treat when JC introduced me and my Mom to this little gem.

Unbelievable that more than 80% of the most common plants we grow in our gardens originate from Asia and most specifically, China - It really gives "made in China" new meaning!

Green and grounded was the concensus after a lushious lunch surrounded by nature. I feel like Eve!

Sunshine days!

I wished for this summer to come - and it came with all its radiant hotness! I live close by the sea and it is amazing how the sea tempers even the most scorching of days in Cape Town.

So, as not to look a gift horse in the mouth, I make a point of celebrating these lovely, long summer days.

- I feel the sun on my skin for 10min every day, no sunblock, I just choose the right time of day
- I swim, preferably in the sea -  as often as I can
- Have BBQ's or picnic's, even if it is just a humble sandwich - it tastes better outside
- Enjoy a sun downer every day, even if I am on my own - I celebrate the gift of another lovely day

To a glorious summer in Cape Town...and L'hiem - to life!

Filled with moonlight....

A beautiful full moon over Cape Town last night :)
I am a wolf woman, a coyote, howling abundantly with joy as She gently bathes me in loving light.

"The moon stood silent in the sky,
And looked upon our earth:
The clouds divided, passing by,
In homage to her worth.

There was a dance among the leaves
Rejoicing at her power,
Who robes for them of silver weaves
Within one mystic hour.

There was a song among the winds,
Hymning her influence —
That low-breathed minstrelsy which binds
The soul to thought intense.

And there was something in the night
That with its magic wound us;
For we — oh! we not only saw,
But felt the moonlight around us."

Excerpt from poem by Derozio

 

 

 

You're OK...just breathe :)

 

I've been having this dream. Some of the people are familiar, others not, but we are always in a state of helplessness?! I am sitting next to them, holding a hand or sometimes in a ferocious, all-out, child-enveloping hug. Thoughts, rather than words seem to come from somewhere...

 

"All is as it should be...you're OK...just breathe..."

 

 

I cannot explain the comfort and sense of love this image brings. Complete and absolute peace *sigh* :))

 

A special place...

 

There is a special town close to the most southern tip of Africa, called Struisbaai. Neither hip, nor happening, but it does have an unpolished, small-town charm.



 

 

We go there as often as we can, which is never enough, but it is like a gentle breeze washes over you. Close to nature, peaceful and quiet - I just love it.

We have these ridiculous little habits, which sound mundane, but create such pleasure - we really miss it when we are not around:

When we arrive all windows and doors are thrown open and a fire is made for dinner. We always open a bottle of bubbles - mostly because we survived the N2 and the road from Caledon to Bredasdorp! We always end up outside, where I try to revive all the fynbos and succulents which made their way into a garden of sorts.

Saturday starts off with "Struisbaai" moer-koffie (a special pot that stays on the stove the whole day) and rusks. Then a  slow trek to town (about 5km from where we stay) for the local pannekoek tent, some small town shopping and maybe some fish and chips at the little harbour. Most days, the fishermen come back around lunch-time with the catch of the day. Gorgeous, big yellow tail is the local delicacy, which we sometimes take home for our evening braai.

Long walks on the wooden walk-way at the beach or in the nature reserve where we stay, is always a treat. Sunday is slow and begins with a late brunch, a morning swim and maybe a video evening, as we mostly come back on Mondays or Tuesdays, to give the weekend traffic a miss.

Time flies, and in a blink we are on our way back to Cape Town. The only thing that pulls me through is a stop at Napier for Antiques, Houwhoek for the best bread and pies is the Cape and maybe the Engen for a quick take-away to ease of the start to the week :)

Indeed, a very special place...