Past and Present

Sorry ... Women's Silence

2012-01-20T20:22:00.001-08:00

Don't forget to switch the maxipod off.

Women's Silence

Just because her eyes don't tear.
Doesn't mean her heart doesn't cry.
And just because she comes off strong.
It doesn't mean it is nothing wrong.
...
No matter how strong we may appear
or How strong we all may try to be
We all have times that we are a little fragile.
♥*¨`*✿*¨`*♥

2012-01-19T12:31:00.001-08:00

I m lost in your eyes. can you give me the directions to your heart?

I never intended to be the most important person in your life, that’s just too much to ask. But I do hope that I’d cross yourmind and you’d smile thinking that I touched your life in a special way.

2012-01-17T13:55:00.000-08:00

I am waiting for someone
who will never come
The smiles that i shared ,
tears that rolled out,
Why Blow of a wind that slowly tells me
that you would return,
Return to where you belong,
to where your love is.

I am waiting for someone
who will never come,
Ask my heart to stop
beating for you,
Let me loose so that i can
fly again and feel your presence,
Let me run away from your memories,

I am still waiting for someone
who will never come,
Why do i still wait when we know
She is not coming back,
My answer was this -
I DON'T KNOW WHY , But i do !

Eyes doesn't stop looking at the door
& ears for your voice,
I am waiting for someone
who has to come,
I am waiting for someone
who has to come for me & only me....!

A Love Calling .... White heart

2012-01-04T16:04:00.000-08:00

A Love Calling ... WhiteHeart

Like the dawn breakin’
The Light came shinin’ through
And a heart broken
Is now a heart given to You
But still there’s somethin’ deeper
Somethin’ more than gratitude
And it’s
Sayin’
Sayin’
Sayin’
There’s so much more that we can do

We’ve got a Love callin’
A Love callin’
Oh we’ve got a Love callin’
‘Cause we hear Love callin’

Ah there’s a new wind blowin’
Since we’ve been given this call
When Your Spirit’s leadin’
Oh it doesn’t feel like a burden at all
There are still lands locked in darkness
There are hearts like an empty room
And we’ll never know how to help them
Until Father we listen to You

We’ve got a Love callin’
A Love callin’
Oh we got a Love callin’
‘Cause we hear Love callin’

Like the rustle of an autumn breeze
I can hear You whisper inside of me
And I know
In my heart of hearts I do believe
Now I’m thankin’ You for givin’ me

A Love callin’
Oh a Love callin’
Oh we’ve got a Love callin’
‘Cause we hear Love callin’
Callin’ for a new vision
Oh a heart mission
Oh and it’s drawin’
It’s drawin’ us
‘Cause we hear Love callin’

A love callin’

Do you hear His love callin’
Do you give yourself away

Oh do you feel He’s drawin’ you nearer

Do you feel Him drawin’ near you

Please Also Visit:
[FishHawk Droppings]
and
[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]
Posted by Jerry E Beuterbaugh
Labels: A Love Calling Video, WhiteHeart

A must read for anyone that has lost a child or family member ...

2011-12-14T14:56:00.000-08:00

The death of a reader's son ... I copied and pasted this post from Down to Earth by Rhonda, a lady I have followed for years. I am sure Rhonda would not mind me posting it here.
There will be some readers who'll prefer not to read today's post. You can see by the title what it's about. But I am writing for a reader who needs our help at this time. The fact that it's Christmas and everyone is full of joy is irrelevant. We are real people living real lives and when a world collapses, it is healthy to reach out and connect. If you only want to read about simplifying, please stop reading now and come back tomorrow.

This is part of an email I received a few days ago from "Amy", a regular reader:

" ... We have only 5 weeks ago lost our amazing, precious and most darling 26 year old son...Rhonda if I told you he was an angel who walked this earth I would not be exaggerating one bit. If at some time could you please just mention your thoughts on children who leave before their parents...I know it's not in line with your blog....but I would dearly love to hear just a few words from you....as you ALWAYS make sense, your life is about compassion and I just know that everything you say is true. With Christmas upon us it is probably not the time anyway to be anything but full of joy. I have been going to grief counselling only so that I can show my girls who are 15 and 16 and another who is 27 and married with a darling little 2 year old how to grieve in a healthy way. Through my torment and agony I have to show the girls that we will get through this. But, oh Rhonda, the pain... "

I have no idea what this would feel like. Can you help someone if you don't understand the depth of their pain? I know I would cope with almost everything that might happen to me but the one thing that would wipe me out would be if anything happened to my children, or my grandchildren. I would not get over that. The first thing I did when I read this email was to read it to Hanno and to ask his advice. I don't tell you everything about us, but Hanno said it's okay to share his story if it's going to help someone. Two children from Hanno's first marriage died. A son at age two and a daughter at age six, both died from unusual and unrelated diseases. Hanno said you never get over it, you just learn to live with it. "Sometimes, when you've been making progress, a memory or a smell will take you back, you remember and you're back to zero again. That never stops."

I have a big problems with that word "closure". It seems to me that all of a sudden people started saying it in relation to death and grief. I thought it was a made up "Oprah" word but I just looked up my Webster's American Dictionary and it's in there. I'm sure their meaning is closure as in a door or window but it's there none the less. I don't think there is closure and it's absurd to think there would be. How can you close off that part of your life when it is the one thing you think of every day, the one thing you want to remember every second of, even though it causes you more pain than any thing you could imagine. Why would you want closure? It beats me.

I think that counselling is good; talking to friends is good but often friends are trepidacious and don't want to bring up the subject thinking it might make things worse. I think when that happens, when the talking stops, when the person who died is not mentioned for fear of upsetting someone, those who are grieving the most feel their loved one is being forgotten. Talking makes a difference. Even this post will play a small part. It's recognising that a wonderful son, a young man who died young, is not here now and his life's promise was played out far too soon. His family and particularly his mother and father are devastated but all of us lose when this happens. We need good people.

There is another woman here who has gone through this pain herself with her daughter about the same age as this young man and I wonder if she would email me so I can connect her to Amy. There is some good in sharing grief but the sharing is best done with someone who has experienced it. Raw pain needs to meet raw pain - there is no half way mark with this kind of grief.

Hanno is right, I am sure of that. You never get over the death of a child. Parents aren't supposed to outlive their children and when it happens, you have to question if anything can be right again. My mum died 18 years ago but it seems like it was yesterday. I miss her so much and if someone were to offer me a million dollars or five minutes with my mother, I'd take that five minutes in an instant. I will never get over her death but I now know how to live with it. I do it by honouring the person she was, and wanted me to be, I do it by emulating her example. She was a very generous and open hearted women. I try to follow in her footsteps. Sometimes I step in them, sometimes I fail but the doing of this has helped me live without her.

I started writing this post yesterday afternoon and sent Amy an email asking if it was okay to share her story in the post. At this point in my post I received this reply from her: "Today has been the same, I need to really pull something out of my being to keep on, to make the bed, to wash the floors, to do a little cooking, but I say often to myself that I have to stay the person that my son knew and loved, I can't let that person slip away...in his honour." Amy, that is exactly what you need to do. Keep doing the practical things that gave structure to your days in the past. If there are days when you can't manage it, that's fine; rest on those days, or go out somewhere with the family, or alone. That is how I am dealing with my mother's death. It is the only way that makes sense to me.

If anyone tells you you need closure, don't listen to them. This is your son! You have to feel the pain. there is no closure. There is only you honouring the memory of him, being the mother he knew and staying true to that. There will be days when that will be easier than others. We live in a society that fears death and many people don't like talking about it. But it's the one true thing we all share. Don't let anyone sanitise your son's death, feel the pain, remember him, honour him by living well and true. One day there will come a time when the pain isn't as sharp. One day there will be the beginnings of acceptance. One day you'll be surprised by peace. I doubt there will ever be a time when you remember him without sadness and yearning but there is life to be lived. You have to do that for your daughters, and for him. He would want it. You need it.

Hanno and I send our sincere condolences to you and your family. I have no doubt there will be many readers who will do the same. There may be some who will share how they have coped with the death of a son or daughter. I hope this has given you some sort of comfort. I will be thinking of you in the days ahead and will stay in touch.

2011-11-28T14:21:00.001-08:00

Each of our lives is like a painting and we are the master.
Each day and each act can be another stroke on the canvas.
If our hearts are in the right place, we will create something
of beauty that will touch peoples lives and be remembered.
Robert Duncan

Last Unicorn ...

2011-11-21T11:37:00.001-08:00

Last Unicorn
When the last eagle flies over the last crumbling mountain.
And the last lion roars at the last dusty fountain.
In the shadow of the forest though she may be old and worn.
They will stare unbelieving at the Last Unicorn.
... When the first breath of winter through the flowers is icing.
You look to the north and a pale moon is rising.
It seems like all is dying and would leave the world to mourn in the distance.
Hear her laughter.
It's the Last Unicorn.
I'm alive

Don't Judge Life by One Difficult Season

2011-11-11T11:33:00.000-08:00

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall. When they had all gone and come bac...k, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said, “no – it was covered with green buds and full of promise”. The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen. The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree’s life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it’s winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

Moral: Don’t let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Don’t judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time or later.

~ Author Unknown

Ouma ...

2011-11-01T12:22:00.000-07:00

So many years ago a special girl was born this day,
she grew up to be a strong woman,
a sheep farmer's wife,
a mother to her own and her sister's child,
a grandmother to me, special times we had many,
lessons learnt by listening and following in her foot steps and her ways,
there was nothing she could not do if she wanted too.
still loved and remembered very fondly to this day.
she left this place too soon.

Friday, April 30, 2010
Gemmerbier en Oumas

Kyk wie kon nou better Gemmerbier make as my Ouma, niks was fout met haar hande nie. Now die storie is oor Gemmer bier wat ons daar by Pelgrimsrus gekoop het in sukke mooi pottery bottels. Die kinder was nog baie klein toe, so dit is baie lank terug. Maar ek onthou dit was in die somer en ons het so lekker daar rondgeloop en alles bekyk. Gemmerbier gekoop en in die kar se boot gesit, hmmm die bier het warm geword en die proppe het begin skit ... watter gemors hoor.

Dit was wonderlik om so baie tyd saam met my Ouma en Oom Dan te kom spandeer, sommer maande op 'n slag. Oom Dan het aan bom skok gely en Ouma het vir haar broer gesorg. Saam het hulle meer as 'n akker groente en vrugte bome versorg, rye wit mielies jy kom wegkruipertjie speel. Sy was 'n regte boeretannie, so sterk soos 'n os met 'n hart van goud. Ouma het geglo 'n vrou se handed moet besig bly. Oupa hulle het vir jare met skape geboer daar anderkant Vryburg maar nadat hy oorlede is het Ouma koshuis moeder geword.

Later koop sy 'n huis met die groot erf in Paris. Dis nou Paris in die Vrystaat. Dis waar ons gebak en brou het , regte botter in die glas bottel gemaak het, hoenders gevoer en eiers gaan soek, gehelp verre pluk as sy hoenders slag. Skaap slag was geen problem en as alles verby is dan maak sy lekker kerrie afval. Sondag na kerk was daar skaap boud met vars aartapples van die tuin. In die kerk mos jy stil sit anders kry jy nie 'n pepermintjie wat sy in haar handsak gebere het nie. Ouma het self biltong gemaak strepsakke vol, dan bere sy dit daar onder in die kombuis kas langs die droe vrugte. Ouma het my geleer hekel, skeef en krom, maar vandag kan ek vir my kleinseuns hulle eie bersies maak. Daar in my kis is nog ouma se knie kombersie +- 50 jaar oud en 'n resepte book wat ek by my ma vasgele het (nadat sy begin resepte inplak)

Maar die memories is nog by my en ek weet Ouma glimlag van daarbo. Ek het altyd daar op haar bed gesit en my verkyk hou sy daardie lang swart/grys hare uitkam en dan vleg totdat dit dun raak. More word die hare in 'n bollatjie gemaak en sy trek een van baie voorskote aan, reg vir nog 'n dag. Ek was 13 jaar oud en haar enigste kleinkind toe Ouma rustig in haar slaap oorlede is.

Ek het soveel mooi memories van my Ouma Mimmie, dinge wat sy gedoen het, my geleer het en gewys het wat tot vandag toe by my is. Ek hoop om eendag die selfde vir my Kleinseuns te kan betekken wat Ouma vir my was. Miskien was daar iemand anders in julle lewe met die selfde invloed op jou. Kom vertel 'n bietjie.

Until Nexttime
Rina

Trapped Like a Bird ...

2011-11-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

trapped like a bird in a cage
limited to living between those wire walls
keeping you behind the wire bars
the door is open and you'r not free
free to go where you want to go
free of the chain around your ankle
so you make the best of it
you keep them entertained
instead of sitting in a corner
feeling miserable with it all
tomorrow it might be different
tomorrow you might be free

Trust ...

2011-10-13T16:43:00.000-07:00

And once again my hearts scattered in a million pieces
No Jar of Hearts, just silver splinters aimed straight
No drops of red , but silver tears
And a hole in a tired heart
a tightness in the throat
tears to near
knowing I fail once again
the trust of a little boy
to be continued ...

2011-09-27T14:16:00.001-07:00

Henry En Marelize Townsend
GET YOUR TISSUES OUT ... I was walking around in a supermarket when i saw a
cashier hand this little boy his money back, the boy
couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 years old. The
Cashier said, 'I'm sorry, but you don't have enough
money to buy this doll.'' The little boy turned to the
... ... ... old woman next to him, ''Granny, are you sure I don't have enough money?'' She replied, ''You
know that you don't have enough money to buy
this doll, my dear.'' Then she asked him to stay
there for just 5 minutes while she went to look
around. She left quickly. The little boy was still
holding the doll in his hand. Finally, I walked toward him and I asked him who he wished to
give this doll to. 'It's the doll that my sister loved
most and wanted so much for Christmas. She was
sure that Santa Claus would bring it to her.' I
replied to him that maybe Santa Claus would bring
it to her after all, and not to worry. But he replied to me sadly. 'No, Santa Claus can't bring it to her
where she is now. I have to give the doll to my
mommy so that she can give it to my sister when
she goes there.' His eyes were so sad while saying
this, 'My Sister has gone to be with God. Daddy
says that Mommy is going to see God very soon too, so I thought that she could take the doll with
her to give it to my sister.'' My heart nearly
stopped. The little boy looked up at me and said, 'I
told daddy to tell mommy not to go yet. I need her
to wait until I come back from the mall.' Then he
showed me a very nice photo of himself. He was laughing. He then told me 'I want mommy to take
my picture with her so she won't forget me.' 'I
love my mommy and I wish she didn't have to
leave me, but daddy says that she has to go to be
with my little sister.' Then he looked again at the
doll with sad eyes, very quietly. I quickly reached for my wallet and said to the boy. 'Suppose we
check again, just in case you do have enough
money for the doll!'' OK' he said, 'I hope I do have
enough.' I added some of my money to his
without him seeing and we started to count it.
There was enough for the doll and even some spare money. The little boy said, 'Thank you God
for giving me enough money!' Then he looked at
me and added, 'I asked last night before I went to
sleep for God to make sure I had enough money to
buy this doll, so that mommy could give it to my
sister. He heard me!'' 'I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my
mommy, but I didn't dare to ask God for too much.
But He gave me enough to buy the doll and a white
rose.'' 'My mommy loves white roses.' A few
minutes later, the old lady returned and I left with
my basket. I finished my shopping in a totally different state of mind from when I started. I
couldn't get the little boy out of my mind. Then I
remembered a local newspaper article two days
ago, which mentioned a drunk man in a truck,
who hit a car occupied by a young woman and a
little girl. The little girl died right away and the mother was left in a critical state. The family had to
decide whether to pull the plug on the life-
sustaining machine because the young woman
would not be able to recover from the coma. Was
this the family of the little boy? Two days after this
encounter with the little boy I read in the newspaper that the young woman had passed
away. I couldn't stop myself as I bought a bunch of
white roses and I went to the funeral home where
the body of the young woman was for people to
see and make last wishes before her burial. She
was there, in her coffin, holding a beautiful white rose in her hand with the photo of the little boy
and the doll placed over her chest. I left the place,
teary-eyed, feeling that my life had been changed
forever. The love that the little boy had for his
mother and his sister is still, to this day, hard to
imagine, and in a fraction of a second, a drunk driver had taken all this away from him. Now you
have 2 choices: (1) Copy & Paste this on your wall
(2) Ignore it as if it never touched your heartSee more

2011-09-21T21:28:00.000-07:00

Ode to an Old House

There it stands in the empty paddock,
Now all alone and forlorn
No longer glass in the windows.
No longer gardens or lawn.

The roof is lifting and rusty,
No paint on the walls to be seen.
Once a proud family home in the country.
Now a derelict. Just a has-been.

A sad looking picture. I feel
For that broken down building out there.
Where’s the family who once occupied it?
Who were they, I wonder, and where?

Did they leave all at once in a hurry?
Or all drift off one at a time?
Were they happy or sad? Were they good folk or bad?
When they left was there reason or rhyme?

Yet I feel some warmth for that lonely old house
As it stands on its own way out there.
In its tumbledown state it can only wait
For collapse. Would anyone care?

I do. I wish I had taken a photo
Of the old decayed building out there.
For I feel sad for the house which was once
A glad home of a family there. ©

Posted by Dave

Hold my hand ...

2011-09-15T14:35:00.001-07:00

I wish I was there for you today
Take my hand in yours
Together we can do it
There is just a few stones to cross
Together we can do it
Tomorrow the sun will shine again

Jakobus van Niekerk ... my Dad

2011-09-12T22:20:00.000-07:00

Today is the anniversary of My Dad passing, it's 12 ago that We got the phone call. Do you know I don't even remember who call me right now, I think they called and spoke to George. I just felt this huge hurt and sadness, I don't want to go down that road again, so I tried to shut it out, never really accepting he was gone. I was so disappointed he never made it over to Australia as we had planned for the 2000 Olympic Games, just a few months off. The last time I had hugged Dad was a few days before we left for Australia, we spoke on the phone a few time and wrote a few letters.

What can I tell you about My Dad. They came from the poor class folk of Johannesburg, living in a red bricked semi-detached house, the front door just about on the road, only a brick wall separating it. Grandpa van Niekerk worked on the railways as most men in that neighbourhood did those days. Grandma was a seamstress and even turned her hand making beautiful wedding dresses, all to help support 3 boys and their youngest a girl. Those were the days when most cars were all black heavy beasts. I remember when Grandpa died there were so many black cars parked down the street and everyone was dressed in black. I was only 4 years old then, the world looked very scary. The day before I had landed in hospital, my little finger was jammed in the backdoor, Mom closed the door and locked it before realising what happened. I lost the tip of my finger.

Anyway Dad was probably rebellious, cause he ended up going to a boys boarding school in the eastern Cape Provence. Where he must have excelled at sport esp swimming, cause many year later He went there and his swimming record was still standing. Dad worked on the mines for a bit. Mom tells the story of when they helped move my Grandma, with a ute/bakkie, they loaded up the ute with some of her belongings and then her chooks in a crate. Dad being a smoker flicked the burnt cigarette bud and it landed in the back of the ute. By the time he noticed there was smoke, he panicked and ripped everything off the back, only to inform them afterwards he had a few sticks of dynamite on the back.

Dad joined the Police Force Later he joined the Correctional Services and we were stationed at Barberton. Somehow he was involved with riding horses in a parade in full uniform, that is a very faint memory. Mom came from good breeding stock as she used to say, never heard the end off I helped put your Dad through university. Dad was a bit of a Hermit, happy being by himself, spending many nights studying and finally receiving His Honors degree.

Dad dreamed of having a son, the go cart he built while Mom was pregnant never got used, cause on 12th January they had me. I had a happy childhood, Dad taught me to drive when I was just 6 yrs old, really only steer the car on his lap, he did the gears and clutch. I remember Dad having these coffee tins with holes punched in them in the garage, with snakes he caught while on duty, waiting to be posted off to the Hartebeesport dam Snake park. They used to milked them for anti venom. Never got to close to those coffee tins. Later Dad got a job in a Government Department and we moved to the city. Mom squashed so many of his dreams and schemes, 24 years later they divorced.

There's heaps more stories about Dad, he was one of the best. Love you Kosie

A Daisy A Day

2011-08-31T16:42:00.000-07:00

A Daisy A Day ... wonderful old song

He remembers the first time he met er
He remembers the first thing she said
He remembers the first time he held her
And the night that she came to his bed

He remembers her sweet way of sayin
Honey has somethin gone wrong
He remembers the fun and the teasin
And the reason he wrote er this song

Ill give you a daisy a day, dear
Ill give you a daisy a day
Ill love you until the rivers run still
And the four winds we know blow away

They would walk down the street in the evenin
And for years I would see them go by
And their love that was more than the clothes that they wore
Could be seen in the gleam of their eyes

As a kid they would take me for candy
And I loved to go taggin along
Wed hold hands while we walked to the corner
And the old man would sing er his song

Ill give you a daisy a day, dear
Ill give you a daisy a day
Ill love you until the rivers run still
And the four winds we know blow away

Now he walks down the street in the evenin
And he stops by the old candy store
And I somehow believe hes believin
Hes holdin er hand like before

For he feels all her love walkin with him
And he smiles at the things she might say
Then the old man walks up to the hilltop
And gives her a daisy a day

Ill give you a daisy a day, dear
Ill give you a daisy a day
Ill love you until the rivers run still
And the four winds we know blow away

~sung by Jud Strunk

Borrowed from Note Song

Come take a walk with me ...

2011-08-28T15:14:00.001-07:00

Please turn off the mixpod on the right. enjoy

Come on ...

No Monday blues here...

2011-08-21T15:11:00.000-07:00

My heart beat just a little faster when I got mail today, you still make my day. Even this far apart, it makes no difference.

My boys are growing up so fast now, and it's nearly another school holiday again can't wait it's been a few months since I last saw them. Today I am going to book those plane tickets. Just to make sure you are both coming.I missed ya both.

and I got cookies to bake
before I go

A little something from a friend ... Carelene
There are 5 things in life you cannot recover: A stone...after it's thrown. A word...after it is said. An occasion...after it's missed. The time...after it's gone. A person...after they die. Life is short. Break the rules. Forgive quickly. Kiss slowly. Love truly. Laugh uncontrollably; and never regret anything that made you smile, So very true! Treasure every moment life gives you!!

See ya
Rina

Tiny Angels ...

2011-08-15T15:35:00.001-07:00

Prayers for Baby Sebastian on facebook .. my link woun't work sorryThis morning one of my friends Estelle asked us to say a little prayer for Sebastion ...
Please pray for baby Sebastian ♥ His mommy and daddy waited such a very very long time for him, he was a miracle even before he was born and we pray for him today and all the days after xxx
Prayers forbaby Sebastian. This is a prayer and dedication page for Baby Sebastian van Rooyen born 2 months premature on 28 July 2011 weighing in at 1.56kg. Sebastian progressed very well but suddenly took a turn last night (15th August) and was diagnosed with having NEC or inflammatory bowl disease.
A message on Sebastion and his parents Facebook would be really appreciated

I went blog hopping this morning and found Tyla's blog,felt like an intruder reading these blogposts but can't help myself. You can feel the pain of these poor parents. What I am most impressed about is the good that has come from their grief God it is still sad no matter which way you look at it. Please follow the link to other sites on Tyla's Blog. Tyla's Daddy died of Cancer (making it doubly as sad for her mommy)

Link to Tyla's Memory Boxes,www.tylatreasuresblog.blogspot.com

~~~ Babybear ~~~
Today is babybear's 6th birthday.

Hard to believe 6 years has passed
since I said hello and good bye
to my little girl.
It seems like only yesterday
and forever ago.

On her angel day (Friday),
I had a few people over for a BBQ.
I made these sad looking cupcake bears.
At least they tasted better than they looked.

The balloon place closed
so I didn't get to do a balloon release.

What I wouldn't do
to have a real birthday party instead.
With a little birthday princess
instead of an angel.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~ A Song for Daniel~~~
Stillborn
by Jean Felice Eilbert (his mother)

When I held you in my arms that day
Born so still, born anyway
How was I to know to say goodbye?
No one knew just what to do
Except tell me I'd get over you
As if forgetting makes it all untrue -- a lie

But I remember to remember
I can't forget just to forget
Your memories are a part of me
Connecting me to what comes next.

And even after all this while
I think of you, sometimes I smile
Memories of my unknown child, fade slow.
I've held you in my heart each day
Life so short, life anyway
Memories are meant to say hello

Maybe I could ask each of you to think about helping make a suitable baby item, Bev's on the right handside of Tyla's Blog has the link, and donate it to a hospital near you or maybe a lending hand with these beautiful memory boxes.

Thought I would just update this post, firstly I must thank everyone who read this post and prayed for Sebastion, 13 September he passed on after taking a turn for the worse.

God has tiny angels,
Flying in his heaven,
Looking over you and me
Now it has little Sebastion,
We shed a tear for you today
You are in our thoughts
A tiny Angel has received his wings.
Fly high little one

Our thoughts, prayers and love are with you today. So sorry for your loss. Sebastian put up a brave fight.

Set Fire to the Rain ... Adele

2011-08-07T15:52:00.001-07:00

Don't forget to go down to the Mixpod on the right and switch it off before starting Adele's Set Fire to the Rain. Thanks and enjoy listening ... Rina

Making a Baby.. This is hilarious!

2011-07-28T16:36:00.000-07:00

Making a Baby.. This is hilarious!
This is just so funny!--
The Smiths were unable to conceive children and decided to use a surrogate father to start their family. On the day the proxy father was to arrive, Mr. Smith kissed his wife goodbye and said, 'Well, I'm off now.
The man should be here soon.'
Half an hour later, just by chance, a door-to-door baby photographer happened to ring the doorbell, hoping to make a sale. 'Good morning, Ma'am', he said, 'I've come to...'
'Oh, no need to explain, 'Mrs. Smith cut in, embarrassed, 'I've been expecting you.'
'Have you really?' said the photographer. 'Well, that's good. Did you know babies are my specialty?'
'Well that's what my husband and I had hoped. Please come in and have a seat!.
After a moment she asked, blushing,
'Well, where do we start?'
'Leave everything to me. I usually try two in the bathtub, one on the couch, and perhaps a couple on the bed. And sometimes the living room floor is fun. You can really spread out there.'
'Bathtub, living room floor? No wonder it didn't work out for Harry and me!'
'Well, Ma'am, none of us can guarantee a good one every time. But if we try several different positions and I shoot from six or seven angles, I'm sure you'll be pleased with the results.'
'My, that's a lot!', gasped Mrs. Smith.
'Ma'am, in my line of work a man has to take his time. I'd love to be in and out in five minutes, but I'm sure you'd be disappointed with that.'
'Don't I know it,' said Mrs. Smith quietly.
The photographer opened his briefcase and pulled out a portfolio of his baby pictures. 'This was done on the top of a bus,' he said.
'Oh, my God!' Mrs. Smith exclaimed,
grasping at her throat.
'And these twins turned out exceptionally well - when you consider their mother was so difficult to work with.'
'She was difficult?' asked Mrs. Smith.
'Yes, I'm afraid so. I finally had to take her to the park to get the job done right. People were crowding around four and five deep
to get a good look'
'Four and five deep?' said Mrs. Smith,
her eyes wide with amazement.
'Yes', the photographer replied. 'And for
more than three hours, too. The mother was constantly squealing and yelling - I could hardly concentrate, and when darkness approached I had to rush my shots. Finally, when the squirrels began nibbling on my equipment, I just had to pack it all in.'
Mrs. Smith leaned forward.
'Do you mean they actually
chewed on your, uh...equipment?'
'It's true, Ma'am, yes.. Well, if you're ready, I'll set-up my tripod and we can
get to work right away..'
'Tripod?'
'Oh yes, Ma'am. I need to use a tripod to rest my Canon on. It's much too big to be held in the hand very long.'
Mrs.Smith fainted.

The One ...

2011-07-27T01:58:00.000-07:00

Destiny

The minute I saw him I knew that he was THE ONE.

He was standing there all tall and lanky, looking so fine.

The connection was instant.

The minute I touched him, shivers went up my spine.

I know he felt it too.

There have been others, so many others.

But, they never satisfied me the way he does.

His name is Charles and I know we are going to have many happy years together.

Maxine Monday
Mel's Backyard

Living Masks ..

2011-07-25T19:53:00.000-07:00

Living Masks
-
What’s the point of tears,
If there’s no remorse in the heart;

What’s the point of a smile,
If there’s no joy in the heart;

What’s the use of a thanks,
If there’s no gratitude in the heart;

Just what is the use of bravado,
If there’s no real courage in the heart...

Such hollow masks people adopt to live in this world…

What’s the point of living,
If you are dead in the heart…

posted by Ayan Bhattacharya

Anonymous said...
what is happiness... its a sensation, what is a sensation... its a feeling, what is a feeling ... it is belief , what if such masks and pretentions make u believe u r happy and you actually start believing you are happy. isnt the object of lyf is to be happy and if some sweet nothings make u happy for a while y shud u bother. coz tomorrow you are not going to think about today and if today u r happy y shud u think about tomorrow.

Helene ...

2011-07-25T04:26:00.001-07:00

We meet at our kids pre primary school and soon we became really good friends, two peas in a pod, we had so much fun visiting, sewing curtains and other stuff. We baked together, laughed and cried together. Our kids played together, helped you look after the kids when you got sick. Many a Saturday I pick you and the kids up, we'd have a BBQ, then Hubby would drive you home, see you in safely. Never could I for one minute have guessed why you pulled back, why it seemed I was the only one calling, why you became so busy or why you had other plans. I knew your husband was away at a training camp, not the first one either. Then he came back and he was transferred, I even helped you pack.

We lost contact for a while, and then I found you, we decided to visit you for a weekend, it's was lovely. But something was not the same anymore. It never dawned on me. You must have been feeling very guilty, embarrassed I am not sure, a moment of weakness cost our friendship. The truth game we played so many years later, was the moment my hubby told me, only then did I understand why our friendship suffered a slow death. I had lost a best friend ...

2011-07-23T23:55:00.000-07:00

Who matters,
Who never did,
Who won't anymore...
And who always will.
So, don't worry about people from your past,
There's a reason why they didn't make it to your future.

Carelene posted this on FB

Or

Who does not matter, cause they choose not to
Who always did, cause they shared of themselves
Who will forever... And who never made the grade.
So, worry about the people in your future,
They deserve to be rewarded with your love,
Forever is timeless, or it could be as short as a day.

My version
Until nexttime
Rina

Falling into a black hole ...

2011-07-21T14:10:00.000-07:00

I have dug myself into such a big hole,
fallen into it head first,
it deep, very deep.
It not just the last few months it years of digging,
at this bottomless pit.
My hands and nails claw at the sides trying to get out
but the sides are wet and slippery.
my face is streaked from mud and tears,
my hair a mess.
Can't see the light anymore,
I don't care anymore
more downs than ups,
why bother writing,
it just makes it worse.

When life throws you lemons make lemonade ...

2011-07-21T05:08:00.000-07:00

Rina, I think of you everyday because I have this little treasure hanging in my kitchen. You sent this to me in California in 93, before you moved to Australia. You embroidered the lemons and I framed it.....I love it!

What a pleasant supprise, I really did forget all about this little cross stitch I did so many years ago, then sent it over to my good friend Dalene. We walked a mile together on the PTA and then at the Halfway home for Abused Ladies and their kids. Tanya and Nicky were friends for a while, Nicky into her swimming and Tanya her dancing. Jolene was in Michael's class at Westville Junior School and still after all this time, they now chat on Facebook. Then Dave and Dalene moved all the way to California, we still kept in contact all this time. Christmas newsletter with a family photo, invites to graduation days were just so exciting to receive.

So nice to see all the girls together, Grandma Bessie, Nicky who's expecting your first grandbaby, Jolene at the back and Dalene.
Thanks for the memory
Rina

Ships passing in the night ...

2011-07-18T14:19:00.000-07:00

waves smashing against the rocks

Have I learnt something from all this? it just confirms we are here to walk a path choosen way before our births, it's how we walk that path that counts. Sometimes there is no solution to our problems and we will just have to live with it until that line in our palm ends.

Never really believed in all that stuff but found it a little amusing, but the older I get the more things happen and the more I start believing. There must be a reason why things happen the way they do. And why we meet people on our lifes journey, the special ones. Someone said recently to me I believe that we come to this life to learn by our past life mistakes. Once a relationship brakes down we have learnt what we had to. You have to continue on your new journey where ever it takes you . Wise words

Too many problems lie in my path to do just that and it's just a little to late for that. So we move on again a little tattered around the edge, wishing a good journey ahead. Maybe we meet again in another lifetime ...

when thing have gone bad .....

2011-07-14T15:23:00.001-07:00

WEES BLY VIR ELKE DAG..
Met ‘n traan in my oë skryf ek dit en nie omdat ek bang is om oud te raak nie maar omdat ek bly is die kameraman het die foto van agter af en nie van voor af geneem nie...:) LOL

*********************************************************
What are the odds of things working out? The odds are good but only if a couple follows some important rules. Here are the rules for relighting the fire between you:
Relight Rule No.1: The pressure's on — so your ex is putting enormous pressure on you to get back together — phone calls, texts, wanting to wine and dine you — but you both have to want it. Yes, one of you may be the instigator, coaxing the other along, but it shouldn't take huge pressure to do so. If there's loads it's a sign that person desperately wants to control you and get you back under their thumb.

Relight Rule No. 2: Only the lonely — are you tempted to try again because you're so lonely or feeling insecure and nobody else is ever going to want you? These are definitely bad reasons to try again. Going back to your ex full of insecurities will only compound your previous problems.

Relight Rule No. 3: Honesty is the best policy — be honest with yourself and ask if the annoying issues that broke you up in the first place have changed. If in your heart you know these issues are still hanging over your heads this is a bad basis for getting back together.

But if things have changed — e.g., one of you used to party too much, causing rows, but now has calmed down — then you have a chance of it working.

Relight Rule No. 4: Rose coloured specs — is hindsight playing tricks on you making you think your old relationship was actually pretty rosie? If this is the case think again. Take some time, close your eyes, and remember the last couple arguments. The problems you two had will probably come flooding back — it might make you re-evaluate your desire to go back.

Relight Rule No. 5: Take the blame — are you both ready to hold your hands up to the part you played in your relationship breaking up? If yes, that's an excellent sign that you realise it's a two-way street when relationships end. Use this new, responsible attitude that you both have to work out how you can do things differently.

VIEW GALLERY: Why sex is good for your health

Relight Rule No. 6: Strangers in the night — did your relationship finish because of "relationship drift", i.e., you let things drift apart and became strangers. If you both recognise this you'll take more care a second time around and not take each other for granted.

Relight Rule No. 7: Let's get physical — are you missing the hot sex you had with your ex? Often major relationship issues are ignored because fantastic sex can keep a couple together for a time. Having been apart for a while you might be missing that sexual compatibility you had and end up tempted to try again. If nothing else has changed, though, great sex won't make it work second time around.

Relight Rule No. 8: Let's get practical — in discussing trying again have you both made suggestions of what might help make it work this time? It's all well and good thinking you can rekindle your love — and that love will conquer all — but it won't. As well as realising you still love each other, you both must think practically about what things you should do differently.

Relight Rule No. 9: It's a whirlwind — do you both feel like rushing back into a full-on, living-together relationship? Think again — it's far better to rekindle things through a slow build-up, and to date again, rather than jumping in head first to a fully fledged relationship.

Relight Rule No. 10: Proceed with caution — finally, are you getting back together for the sake children? Think long and hard. Of course your children would've taken your breakup badly. And maybe they're finding it hard to adjust to the status quo.

But getting back together again without ensuring it's going to work will only make things worse for them. If you've considered all the above rules — and think you've got an excellent chance — then go for it.

Mr Fox you better watch out ...

2011-06-30T04:10:00.000-07:00

Now I have mentioned before we got a big problem with Mr Fox,he's making a real pest of himself stalking the chookhouse, digging his way in and having a field day with the white chooks, killed 3. If only I could lay my hands on the bugger, I put those dead chooks on a orange bag, tie it around his neck and send him on his way. Oh you don't know how delightful that smell could be after a few day, Mr Fox woun't be able to live with himself. For sure Mrs Fox would pack her bags and bugger off. Oh I can see him begging me to just take it off, no mercy from me ... just give me a gun.

Talking about guns, while sitting in front of the computer having my cup of tea in my pj's and pink gown, see no more poison coffee, a shadow passes the window, this time there's no Miss Daisy's hoove noises on the concrete, strange! It's landlords wife Gayle with a air rifle stalking past the window, heading towards the chookhouse. She had spied Mr Fox from her kitchen window, got one kid to watch while she grabbed the rifle, got it out of the case and loaded it, slipping out her backdoor and heading towards our place. But Mr Fox had seen her coming and had taken off through the fence, all you see is a orange flash jumping in and out the tall grass,gone with the wind he was. 10/10 for trying Gayle, she lost 2 of her hens to that fox and boy she's on the war path.

Now really Mr Fox would not even feel that slug if she managed to hit him, she needs a real gun or maybe shotgun, maybe a visit to the hood, would be a great idea. There you can buy just about anything if you got the money
Maybe not ...

Gotta watch this ...

2011-06-29T21:03:00.000-07:00

Roses from a friend ...

2011-06-26T16:11:00.000-07:00

A thoughtfull friend brought me Some roses Saturday, they just so beautiful.
Thank you Pina x0x

2011-06-17T14:04:00.000-07:00

I put a dollar in a change machine. Nothing changed.???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Well i am off to hospital ... se ya when I see ya

2011-06-13T13:11:00.000-07:00

Good Morning my Fellow Blogger,

Well I need to apologize in advance, not much news is going to be coming from this side of the country for the next few weeks. Reason I off to hospital tomorrow, having all the girlie bits removed, they in bad shape and the Gynie wants them out. Now I am not sure if she only going to take the Ovaries and tubes, or we going the whole hog,that she will decide in theater. so it could be just day surgery or I be in there for 1 week. Who knows but i have full confidence in my Doctor to do the right thing.

Either way I have made a heap of meals inadvance, sauces and soups, just incase I am not up too doing much around the kitchen. Yeah I know take it easy, I'll try. Emotionally I have been a wreck for more than one reason, not sleeping that well for the last two months. Also there's this ... I am a Capricorn and find deligating very hard, well who can blame me, found the chook house twice wide open at 11pm with foxes in the neighbourhood, when I have asked for help. My main concern is the meat chooks, you know how hungry and thirsty they can get.

I know not to expect anyone to be doing a spring clean, but boy a clean cup would be nice (sorry I ranting again)
well that's what's going on here
see ya when I see ya
Rina

You will be there, won't you? ...

2011-06-11T14:11:00.001-07:00

You will be there, won't you?
-
When lost in life's tenuous maze,
Alone, forelorn and defeated,
Gagged and blinded, confused in haze,
You will be there for me, won't you?

When subsumed in ignominy of failure,
Ostracized by men of the world,
Beyond all balm, beyond all cure,
You will be there for me, won't you?

When drained hollow by aspirations of life,
Enervated, enfeebled and effete,
Barren and infecund, only dissipation rife,
You will be there for me, won't you?

You will be there for me, won't you...
--
originally written on March 25, 2005
Borrowed from another blog, should have put it in favorites but forgot to.
Oh I did save it, A curious Mind by Ayan Bhattacharya

2011-06-06T22:11:00.000-07:00

If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
...I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
~Diane Loomans, from "If I Had My Child To Raise Over Again"
Australian Missing and Endangered Children (FB)

Nog 'n ou storie ...

2011-05-24T16:31:00.000-07:00

# Chester
Gold Member

Het net gou terug gekyk na my post "Going Bush" net om seker te maak ek het nog nie vir julle die storie vertel. Kersdag 2 jaar terug, sit manlief en kuier op EBay, ons het net die stukkie hemel gekoop en wonder hou ons dinge gaan doen. Ek kom uit die kombuis en vra wat maak hy, kyk karavanne se hy, hier's een vir cheap en net 1 min oor. Wil nog vra wat dink hy doen hy, cheap ek like van cheap, jag hom daar af en sit my bid in, koop net daar vir my 'n karavan. Nou om die ding by die plaas te kry, nie tyd gehad om mooi te lees nie, die towbar het erg roes, geen lisensie nie, tyres is amper op maar sy lek nie, and that a good thing. Boer is nou nie gelukkig nie, hy moet nou plan maak, maak so 'n ding met yster en nuts & bolts by die werk, gooi 'n mattrass in die stasiewa en daar gaan ons. Nou ons volg nie altyd all die reels nie en besluit vandag hak ons karavan, dit reen en ons koes maar die Cops. Dis 'n lang pad plaas toe amper 8 uur se ry want Manlief wil nie te vinnig ry nie, net ingeval, sy nerves kan dit ook nie meer hou nie.

Dit het lekker gereen en die grond is maar sag, so ons haak haar af, level dit sodat ons nie afdrane rol nie. Bad sommer in een van daardie kinder plastic skulpie, daar buite. Ry dorp toe, kry the nodige en bekyk daardie karavan en groen skulpie bad so van die pad af, o koek jy sien alles van die pad af. Dink nou net wat gaan hulle se van ons nudiste kamp en hulle is nog nie eers 'n paar uur hier nie. Manlief moet maar daardie ding skuif en van voor begin.

Het julle al die TV program gekyk Changing rooms waar hulle die blik verf oop maak, wel die volgende keer laai ons die compressor in en 'n blik verf, hy moet nou skoon gemaak word en geverf word. Manlief maak daardie blik verf oop en se nee, ek se ja, hy begin maar verf en skud kop, pers kan nie wees nie. Hy kan maar net nie gewond raak daaraan nie, either you like it or you don't maar almal weet van die purple caravan

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#2 Guest_Mauritz_*

Group:
Guests Posted 16 January 2008 - 08:36 AM

Sit pics op van die Purple Flowerchild Caravan en baba bad - dan sit ek pics op van ons blikhuis

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#3 JayJay

Gold Member

Het jou gecheck van die begin af -daai karavaan wat julle gekoop het vir somma cheap, plaas toe gevat het - ek dink jy't nog pics opgesit, of het ek die kat aan die gat beet?
As ek nie te gesuip is nie, het jy op een van my threads van braaipap geanswer dat julle hier deer Newcastele ry plaas toe, en vi my mieliemeel sal aflaai as ek so erg gestres is??
Lekker Chester!! Wanneer gaan ons - ('n moerse klomp mense!) daai braai bou??? Jy moet net kans gee dat ons settle!!
Groete

Life is about attitude
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#4 chester

Ek sal try, my photo attachments werk nie altyd so lekker nie
Ok Sy's op, Vir net $300 het 'n ek droe bed om in te slaap. In die agter grond is die fence wat al die pad on die plek gaan wees eendag, Check my bad so bo op daardie water tank, net reg vir 'n bietjie water te vang. Die yskas onder die pink plastic het ek ook cheap opgetel vir $10, en het lekker gevries.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chester
Dit lyk baie gemaaklik, kan ons maar ruil Toemaar goed things come to everyone that waits, only I have been waiting forever, wanting to live as self surfficeintly as possible, grow my own food, keep chooks for eggs and just become a hermit. Only don't take my computer away.

JJ no problems with the mielie meel, just say when. Need lift from the Airport ? maybe stay over a few nights.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#7 Nilo

Citizen

Julle ek kan nie wag vr daai lekker bymekaar kom nie!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#8 Suidwes

Blikhuis oppie 'plaas'. Die pics het ek geneem, die eerste dag toe ek na die plek kom kyk het. Grond is 10 akker groot.

Hi Mauritz...

Hoe lank het julle al die stukkie grond en wys bietjie fotos van hoe dit nou lyk.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#9 Guest_Mauritz_*

Group:
Guests Posted 16 January 2008 - 08:52 PM

Suidwes, on Jan 16 2008, 03:43 PM, said:

Hoe lank het julle al die stukkie grond en wys bietjie fotos van hoe dit nou lyk.

Ons is net so oor die 2 jaar oppie 'plaas'. Ons kan nog 'n huis op die 10 akker bou, maar kan dit nog nie onderverdeel nie. Ek het dit gekoop omdat dit op 'n hoek is en dit onderverdeel kan word, indien nodig.

Ek wik en weeg om die blikhuis in iets unieks om te sit - 'n meer Japanese ontwerp. Ek wil alles self doen - die tyd is net nie altyd daar nie - ons is mos sonder die 'handjies'.

Die 6 perde en 5 honde (wat so groot soos perde is), 3 kinders en 'n besigheid in die doeke stadium innie gatkant van Aus - maak die tyd 'n relatief ingewikkeld konsep. Ek sal die plek seker regkry as ek so 80 is.

Ek sal later iets oor die 'plaas' & plot bedrywery skryf en ook fotos plaas, want dit is wat baie mense in Aus doen. Dit is soortvan bie mense se droom - 'n stuk grond met kalkoene, pampoene en 'n perd wat bokspring - julle weet mos.

This post has been edited by Mauritz: 16 January 2008 - 08:53 PM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#10 Annette

nou's ek verlief. Daai pers karavaan is NET FANTASTIES!!!

Gooi nog 'n doop ...

2011-05-24T15:50:00.000-07:00

Just been going through all the old posts on SAForum and found one I never transvered here, so nou it's here and I still have strong feelings on the subject. There was one particular person on that forum that wrote and in every post mentioned what a great time he and his mates had drunk as skunks ... is it not possible to have a fun time without alcohol or at least in moderation. No I don't think I just cranky....

Man hier is nou 'n ding wat nie so lekker by my sit, en ongelukkige gaan ek 'n paar Saaffers goed nors maak. Hoe is dit dat drank so 'n groot problem geword het, ons manne is so trots op hulself..........
Ek self was met so 'n man getroud en het so 'n skoonpa gehad. Die dinge wat hulle aangevang het, laat my skoon skaam kry vir hul ontwil.

Die tyd saam met my eerste man, was beslis "an eye opener" in baie opsigte, geweld en baie beklei en sommer alles wat by dit gaan. My twee seuns was al waaraan ek kon dink, en as ek dit kon help sou hulle nooit hulle gesin so behandel nie. Hy wou skoon sy eie kind laat aanneem en dit is waar ek die lyn in die sand getrek het. My tweede man het ook in so 'n huis groot geword maar het goed gesien wat dit aan sy gesin gedoen het. Skoonpa het sommer daar in die tuin uitgepas, nadat hy daardie bottel klipdrief in die ventsterbank leeggemaak het. More moet hy maar weer een gaan koop, of 'n boks wyn. Hy vra mors eendag vir my om vir hom 'n boks wyn te koop, man ek kry toe die slegster asyn wat te kry was, hy trek sy bek so en kla, suip dit maar alles op. Wel dit was die laaste dat hy my weer gevra het

Manlief vertel stories van skoonpa wat jy maar net jou kop kan skuid. LM het by die vliek gewerk vir saakgeld, en daar sien hy mos sy fiets wat gesteel was en vang die klein vetter en sleep hom polisie kantoor toe. Die kops kom neem 'n statement by die huis, skoonpa is in die tuine besig en sien net die kar in sy driveway en gaan blaas ook sommer die tyres af. Natuurlik vang die kops hom met 'n stokkie nog in die hand. Hy mos maar tyre opblaas met 'n fiets pump.

Ek het ook teen my better wete my VW beetlejie by my skoon ouers se huis gelos omdat ons Namiba toe is vir 2 jaar en maak toe mooi reelings om dit te stuur. Man Hy was toe mooi kort aan drank geld en verkoop toe sommer my karretjie vir spares. Ek hoef nie vir julle te se hou kwaad ek was nie.

Vandag sit ek die TV aan en daar is DR Phil en sy Vrou Robyne besig om met so 'n jong 15 Jarige seun te praat wat nog nooit sy pa nugter gesien sien het nie, jy kan sien en hoor die pyn in die kind, die haat in sy vrou se stem vir wat hy geword het. Is dit wat Julle wil he?

Ek het geen probleem met 'n glasie wyn met ete nie, of 'n paar biere met 'n vlies braai, maar om misbruik te maak is nie reg nie.

Until nexttime
Rina

It really has been a long time between updates ...

2011-05-12T05:27:00.000-07:00

But Rina's be busy with work, then cleaning the house, tending animals you know the normal old things we women folk need to do. I try to do dishes once a day, to save wasting water cause we on tank water here. But somehow I can't face that sink with it just piling up when I am home. Just not right is it? It was 2 degree this morning old man winter is showing his face around here.A layer of snow fell on the Snowy mountains and blew that cold wind right at us.

And then we got 40 fluffy yellow meat chicks to look after as well

Many years ago, we still lived in Tsumbe,Namibia my babies were still little then, we had a neighbour across the street from us, a nice little blond thingy. Boy she was the best little housewife I had ever seen, washing on the line everyday, soft toys washed and hung up by their ears and tails pegged. I used to wonder if those little kiddies ever got dirty, they were bathed and in their pj's by 4.30 pm and fed before hubby got home from work. She had her little face all pretty and hair taken from curlers, bushed and shiny too.(I am for real)

My biggest dread was she'd pop in before 9am and find me not finished or as that particular morning she knocked and found my sink full of breakfast dishes, soaking while I lay reading over a half made up bed. Needless to say I could not find a hole big enough to crawl into. Don't let me get started on a book that's the end off me for the day.

Now our home was full of fun, lots of water fights, sometimes it even came in the house when least expected, Michael my eldest throw a bucket of cold water at me were he cornered me in the kitchen, while I just stood there helpless from laughter, no threat was going to stop him. I did instigate that fight by hosing him first. Lots of fun and laughter. Now it's the grandsons carring on the tradition ...

Gosh Sorry I strayed off from the topic of the day, I was going to tell ya all about the baby chookies, they growing so fast see their little white wing feathers are starting to come out they so cute now. Already they are grow so much taking up double the space where they sitting under the heat lamp. Sure need it to keep them warm.

Song for Elsa ... and her story

2011-04-11T01:31:00.000-07:00

Have you heard there's another lioness named after Elsa of Born Free, the movie from long ago. Well now you can be part of Elsa's fan club, maybe even buy a T-Shirt or visit Elsa. Read her story and Miekie Van Tonder's

The Story of Elsa:
During a cold winter day in July 2008 a lioness was darted in a field on a game ranch in the KROONSTAD district, as she was to be transported. Only after she was asleep, game rangers found a lion cub next to her - approximately 5 days old. As a lion will never accept the cub again after such a traumatic experience, other plans had to be made with the cub. That is how Elsa ended up with me.

I raised Elsa by hand in the house. She was fed by hand with a baby bottle and a special milk formula which was tested and tried until it was suitable for Elsa’s sensitive digestive system. She slept with me on my bed as to enable me to monitor her throughout the night. When Elsa turned one month, we celebrated ...Elsa shared the room - and bed - with three Bengal tiger cubs and she thrived on the personal attention. The four cubs shared the same play area, toys, food and attention. As the days went by and winter turned to summer, Elsa also shared the swimming pool with her tiger brothers and sister! When Elsa and her tiger family turned 3 months, the tigers went to a game ranch. As Elsa was then alone, she was moved to the yard where all the other wild cats roamed. Her new companions consist of 2 adult cheetahs, 2 young cheetahs and 2 wolf puppies. She immediately took to the wolf pups and played with them as if she too was a wolf.All too soon Elsa was eight months old, and I was, according to law, forced to move her to an enclosure, which she shared with 2 male lion cubs - slightly bigger than herself. This was the first time in her life that Elsa interacted with other lions. The bigger males were very active and played rough lion-games with Elsa. Unfortunately, Elsa did not understand these games although she played along, and as a result of the rough play, she sustained an injury to her neck. A piece of her neck vertebra broke and pressed on a nerve in her neck. This caused her legs to give way and she fell down continuously, causing more injury.I then took Elsa to a vetenarian (Dr Fanie Naudé) in North Rand Ridge - with the help of Elsa’s foster parents. After a thorough examination by Dr Naudé, it was decided to operate on Elsa’s neck. The operation lasted approximately two hours, and Elsa, her foster mother and myself stayed on for another 4 days before we could return to Bloemfontein. Elsa was now almost 1 year old.For the next two weeks Elsa was closely observed. During this time I slept with her on the ground as to monitor her every move. During the period of her recuperation, I had to escort Elsa whenever nature was calling - day and night - as I had to prevent her from falling down and injuring her neck again.

As she grew stronger and was more mobile, Elsa was gradually introduced to her wolf-family again. In this time we also celebrated her first birthday. After the crucial first two months, Elsa was introduced to five new lion cubs, all younger and smaller than herself. She was still closely monitored, but showed remarkable improvement and after just about three weeks she was already playing with these cubs. Approximately four months after Elsa’s operation, three of the lion cubs were moved to a game ranch. Elsa and the remaining two lion cubs were then moved to an enclosed lion camp as required by law. Elsa’s wolf family also moved to the lion camp with her.
Although Elsa was still a bit unsteady, she hardly fell down anymore and improved daily. She was healthy and happy and enjoyed her stay with the other lions. I greeted her daily and fed her myself. She actually allowed me to touch her while she was eating. After the day’s work - round about 17:00 - I spend quality “family time” with Elsa. This included playing hide-and-seek patting, swimming, licking each others’ faces and chasing each other around. Elsa was now one year and eight months old and weighing a whooping 120 kg!! During the middle of January this year, I noticed a change in Elsa’s condition. She was falling down more frequently and it was obvious that she experienced balancing problems.

,

This is the story of Elsa ... from a human mother’s heart.
Due to the deterioration in Elsa’s condition, I contacted Professor Schwalbach of the University of the Free State, who observed Elsa’s interaction with me. His diagnosis was that either Elsa’s neck injury was not completely healed or that she has an infection that could effect her brain. He then advised me to take Elsa to Onderstepoort for an MRI (cat scan) to establish the cause and severity of her deterioration. I also contacted Dr Naudé from North Rand Ridge, who undertook to be present at Onderstepoort if I can arrange for the MRI to be taken. If it was necessary to operate on Elsa again, Dr Naudé undertook to accompany us back to his surgery and perform the needed operation.

I then started with enquiries concerning the cost for the injections to put Elsa to sleep for the journey, the cost of the MRI, transport and the estimated cost of the operation if needed. I was shocked - the total amount needed before I could take Elsa to Onderstepoort amounted to at least R21 000. As Elsa is my baby, I wanted to give her the very best in life - including the chance of complete recovery so that she can live a full, happy life. Unfortunately I was not in a financial position to cover the expenditures that were needed. I then took to the streets in an attempt to raise the needed funds. Deidre of i-party sponsored a lion suit and I stood at intersections at LANGENHOVENPARK and Mimosa Mall with a donation tin. I handed out flyers telling Elsa’s story and explaining my need. Motorists and passers-by donated and although I was tired every night, I could see the bank balance growing daily. A friend of mine sponsored cupcakes which we sold in a shopping centre to also strengthen Elsa’s funds. In this time I registered a face book group, Elsa the lioness, and told Elsa’s story there. In no time at all we had 250 members and then all the members started donating. Soon members were challenging each other to equal their donations and Elsa’s bank account (and my hopes) soared. A friend arranged for an MRI to be done at a local hospital. I send a copy of the MRI report to Dr Naudé and he contacted me as soon as he received it. Elsa’s condition was far worse that we had anticipated and Elsa was to be taken to JOHANNESBURG the very next week. I knew that I did not have all the money for everything that had to be done, but I made traveling arrangements and on 22 March Elsa and myself left for Johannesburg. Transport was sponsored by Mr Willem VAN SCHALKWYK who also made available his driver, Johan. We arrived at the veterinarian at about 06:30 on the 23 March and Elsa was taken to a private hospital again to take another MRI scan. That afternoon the veterinarian called me to his office and showed me the report - it was not good news. Another piece of vertebrae had broken off and was pressing against her spinal cord. There was also a lot of scar tissue as a result of the previous operation that also pressed against a nerve in Elsa’s neck. I had to take a very serious decision: Either Elsa must be operated upon on 25 March, or I would have to consider letting her being put down. Obviously there was only one decision to be taken : Elsa would be operated on. As we anticipated that Elsa will stay at most 10 days in “hospital” after the operation, my aunt, Yvonne Schreiber, offered me accommodation as well as the use of her vehicle as I would need to travel between Pretoria and Johannesburg. On Thursday, 25 March, Elsa was prepared for the operation, and I injected her myself with an initial aesthetic to enable personnel to move her to the theatre. Although I was prepared for a period of 45 min for the operation to be completed, it took a whole 3 hours before Elsa was returned to her “room”. Apparently the scar tissue was much more that showed on the MRI and there was also some bone pieces present very near to Elsa’s spinal cord that had to be removed delicately. Elsa was very drowsy for the remainder of that day, and I stayed with her until 19:00 when the veterinarian’s offices closed. The next day I was there again at 06:30 - to find Elsa standing at the gate of her “room” - waiting for me! I was so excited., That whole day Elsa and I was cuddling, sleeping, I fed her and she was even playful. I felt much better when I had to leave her that evening.

When I arrived on Saturday - 2 days after the operation - I was shocked when I saw Elsa. She was falling down a lot and obviously in a lot of pain. She still ate her food (3 chickens) though and allowed Yvonne and her family to enter her “room”, touch her and take photo’s of her. When I left het that evening, I was really worried. From then on Elsa’s condition deteriorated daily. So much so that on the next week Wednesday -31 March - Elsa was dehydrated so much that we had to administer an intravenous drip. She was so exhausted that she allowed the personnel of the veterinarian to do that without anaesthetic. On Friday 2 April, Elsa received another intravenous drip as she was almost comatose by then. She was knocking at death’s door, but I believed that she was going to survive as she is a fighter.What a lovely surprise I got!! On arriving at the veterinarian on Saturday 3 April, Elsa was lying in front of the gate of her “room” - waiting for me!! She was “talking” to me - making little grunting and roaring sounds - and I then KNEW that she was going to be OK. As she was very weak, we had to do physiotherapy with her daily, turning her from her left side to her right side to prevent bedsores and pumping her legs to stimulate blood flow and exercise her muscles. I also fed her 1 kg of chicken hearts daily in addition to her 3 to 4 chickens as she considers it a treat. From then on Elsa went from strength to strength and on the next Thursday - 8 April - she walked to a piece of garden in the yard - with our help. I was elated, as were Dr Naudé and his personnel. I also received the good news that I got a job at a farm outside of Parys. Elsa would have a smaller enclosure to enable her to recuperate after The operation as well as 1 ha camp as required by Law. I contacted Mr VAN SCHALKWYK again and he agreed to send Johan again to transport Elsa and me to Parys- on Saturday 10 April. I arranged with Yvonne, who made one of her trucks available to transport my possessions from Bloemfontein to Parys, I was so happy and positive and could not wait for Saturday!!On Saturday 10 April I was up and above long before dawn and on my way to Elsa. I think she sensed my excitement as she was very playful. I had an interview with a journalist from Beeld and then the “limo” arrived to take us to Parys. As it was quite hot, we packed bags of ice on top of Elsa’s crate, and covered the inside of the crate with wet blankets. I also kept bottles of water with me in the back of the truck to prevent Elsa from dehydrating. Yvonne and her family also accompanied us to Parys to welcome Elsa to her new environment and help me unpack. Elsa just loved the new camp, marking her territory and roaring at her cheetah neighbours.Everything went smooth. I arranged for a sponsorship by Almur Smith chicken farm for Elsa’s chickens (5 chickens per day) and when we
were shooting on the farm, Elsa also got her share of game, especially the carcass. She was blossoming, and getting stronger daily. She was soon running around and I had to open the gate to her bigger enclosure. I saw her everyday, for the whole day, as I had a lot of spare time on hand. It was like heaven for the both of us.

However, at the end of April some major changes took place, forcing me to quit the job in Parys. I had to arrange again for Elsa to be transported, and was frantically searching for a new place for her to stay. I also had to arrange for my belongings to be moved back to Bloemfontein. I then got a temporary enclosure for Elsa on Donkerhoek farm, outside of Bloemfontein. Here she could stay for a month, after which I had to move her again. Yvonne and some friends of her’s joined us on 1 May for a picnic in Elsa’s enclosure and we had a marvellous time. Mr van Schalkwyk again assisted me with Johan’s help to transport Elsa to Donkerhoek. Unfortunately I was unemployed then and have to travel more than 20 km to visit Elsa. That resulted in me not being able to visit Elsa daily, as I make use of a motorcycle and on rainy or windy days it is impossible for me to drive the 20 km to Elsa. Mr Ingleton of Donkerhoek assists me in feeding Elsa on days that I do not visit her. In the meantime I enquired on Elsa’s face book group about permanent accommodation for Elsa, but without success. I received a lot of offers to build my own camp on other farms, however, but for that I needed at least between R60 000 to R70 000. Again Mr van Schalkwyk came to our rescue with an offer to build the camp on his farm - with my assistance. Again I turned to Elsa’s face book group - who have more than 780 members - for help. And I was not disappointed, as a lot of Elsa fans donated fencing, poles, cement, tiles, etc. Although I do not have nearly enough, Mr van Schalkwyk has already started with the camp! Elsa has to be moved at the end of May, as Mr Ingleton needs the enclosure for other lions. Due to Elsa’s weak neck and the fact that she is a foreigner on Donkerhoek, she can not mingle with the other lions. An injury at this stage could mean the end of her.On Saturday 15 May on my way to visit Elsa, I was in a motorcycle accident and as a result of it I suffered severe injuries to my right arm and right knee. My motorcycle is also a write-off. Now I must rely on others to taxi me to Elsa and back. Elsa is doing fine, and she loves my visits. I also still give updates on Elsa the Lioness (facebook group) on Elsa’s condition, her daily routine, her eating habits and some titbits of “nice-to-knows” concerning Elsa. We currently have a competition running on the group, where donators towards Elsa’s camp are entered in a draw to win an Elsa-package consisting of an Elsa t-shirt, meet and greet Elsa, and an A5 colour photo of the winner with Elsa as a lifetime memento of their encounter with a real lion. Also running currently on the group is a challenge between male / female to determine who donated the most towards Elsa’s camp. During my stay in Johannesburg I met a lot of people in the same financial position that I experienced when Elsa had to have her operation. That gave me the idea of registering a non-profitable organization, Elsa’s Haven, to assist these people and animals. The registering is time-consuming though, as I have no experience of the process, and no money to employ someone to do it for me. I am coping however and the process is coming along.
MIEKIE AND ELSA

PS Donations can be made by Paypal to Miekie's brother Werner Paypal a/c: vtwerner@gmail.com
Or go to Elsa's Haven or Elsa the Lioness on Facebook for more news of Elsa.
Thank you Rina

Tracy Chapman - Telling Stories (lyrics)

2011-04-04T02:31:00.000-07:00

What an afternoon ...

2011-03-30T03:55:00.000-07:00

Is there a better way to spend an afternoon watching a few fishermen cast a line into Botany Bay waiting to be rescued by a tow truck. Not that I be complaining, for who could complain with a beautiful view overlooking the bay, Million dollar homes and boats to match line the shores. A few yachts with trims of royal blue bopping on the water, the water so calm with barely a ripple. Only a slight backwash from a boat, slowly cruising past up the George's River.

Before we moved out west to the foot of the Blue Mountain, I used to pass this beautiful spot, wishing I could pull off and watch the sun rise. Looking towards the east you see the beautiful bridge, with lights of blue and green reflecting on the dark water, just before the sun comes up. There was barely enough time to wake up before opening the servo, duties call and regular customers waiting to fill up before heading off to work.

After a while (4yrs) you start knowing their names and lots about them, it's a community "The Shire" everyone knows everyone, I'd have my first cup of coffee with a local bricklayer, on his way to work. Russell the prosecutor, would pull up in his crappy 4 wheeldrive, mostly grabbing a morning paper and a coffee, but then he'd pull the bonnet and fill up the oil with his clean white longsleeve shirt on, I'd cringe thinking of washing the darm thing with grease all over it. I did blast him a few times nicely, even filled it up for him a few times. Then there was the nice old man with his yellow dog, who'd be waiting outside the door, while he got the paper and milk. You'd get to know them all.

Many Collared and tied, smelling of aftershave made me think of my dad, so neat and tidy, smelling of old spice with his black hair gelled back with brylcream, dressed in a suit on his way to the office. There he had a saying for the day on his desk. What a disappointment, I wasn't a son like he wanted, the go cart he built while waiting to become a father, never got used, no idea what happened to it. He finally got his wish with two grandsons. He would have enjoyed their teenage years for sure.

And yes the ute is broken, some electonic thingy, I got a ride with the towtruck driver, can't say I liked him much. Just lucky it was'nt peak hour yet and I could pull off to such a nice little fishing spot, now if only there was a fishing rod in the back with a little bait ...

Daisy's story ...

2011-03-24T23:14:00.000-07:00

Daisy's story
For those that are new to my blog, Daisy is a feral goat that was picked up somewhere near Mudgee by a young couple that thought raising a goat in their backyard sounded like fun. They struggled to feed her and had to find a new home for her. When I got her,she could not have been older than 4 or 5 days. I wonder how different Daisy's life would have been living free. I wrote this a while ago for Daisy. Please read it to your little one's and if they like it I would love to know. Here goes ....

Where's my mummy?
What just happened to me ... why have those strange humans snatched me from my mummy? I tried to run away from them, but I could not cause they where so fast. I am frightened and hungry, my tummy is rumbling so loudly. Where are you Mummy?

Mummy, I don't like the milk the humans want me to drink. It's not nice and warm like your milk and they so rough with me. I asked them to "Please take me back to my Mummy. I miss you.
Where are we going now?

Why have we stopped and who is that new human person?
Hey where are you going without me? Oh no, they leaving me.
She picks me up and cuddles me softly. She warm up some milk for me to drink and talks to me softly. My eyes are so tired maybe I will close them a little.

Mummy, I not scared anymore cause she is kind to me ...
I like her. I going to drink my milk and grow big. Then I will go look for you.
I love you Mummy.

Facebook and Avatars

2011-03-18T04:41:00.000-07:00

Dis nou net so rukkie dat ek daar kuier op Facebook, het dit eers niks gesmaak nie, maar as ek wil weet wat in alle my pelle se lewes aangaan dan moet ek nou maar daar kuier.
Myne seun sit vir my so mooi kat prentjie op vir my avatar, so niemand kan sien hoe oud die tannie nou regtig is nie. Daardie plooie en bags under the eye's, hulle kom sommer vanself. Weet nie of die roompies nou enige verskil sou maak nie. Oud gaan ons almal word. Al my sussies daar op Twisted Sisters spring so een na die ander uit die kas maar Rinetjie kryp weg agter daardie wit haar Gnome met haar blou oe, rooi lippe en bril.

Kyk as jy vinnig kyk dan kan jy jou misgis en dink dis 'n blow up meisie of 'n ding, maar ek belowe dis 'n really bad verf job, jy moet al haar maatjies, daar by die Camberra se Tulips show gesien het. Ek het sommer baie pic geneem. Dan edit en crop ek en naderhand is dit so 'n gemors, not even remotely in focus anymore, something to do with pixels.

Even the Queen was attending the show.

Then Poppie put my mugshot up on FB so now I can't hind anymore, well not anymore, we back to our blow up doll. First one to notice
Nilo ...
LOL Rintjies en nou die nuwe profile pic?
Yesterday at 8:08pm ·LikeUnlike · · View Feedback (2)Hide Feedback (2) · See Friendship
Rina ... ek voel dis tyd vir 'n change, ek het meer make up nodig en nuwe brille en 'n box blond dye lol
Yesterday at 10:43pm

Sometimes I feel a little guilty with the blog avatar it's just a little out of date, say maybe by 15 years or so, Do I want to update it, NO

The Hitch hiker .... lifes what you make of it...

2011-03-16T03:57:00.000-07:00

It's a Big No No, you just don't pick them up

Driving back to Sydney after a few days up at the farm, listening to music, it could have been Rowan Keating or John Williamson who knows. Anyway I was towing the trailer with the green John Deere ride on behind the 4x4. There at Moorlands I make a little detour by Terry the juice man's farm. He has the purest freshly squeezed OJ you ever tasted in NSW. Checked on Nelson, my old Suffolk's ram, how he was liking his new ladies. Named him Nelson after that gay guy on the sunrise tv show, they both got such long faces. My Boy is King of the Farm for sure there. He sorted out those weathers real quick, wonder why Terry hasn't slaughtered them yet. Just love his wife Ann, they a great couple actually.

How I hate coming home after a weekend up at the farm, there you don't hear traffic or cop cars or planes over head coming in to land, so low you can almost tough them. Rather listen to kookaburras and maggie the magpie, and the frogs at night. I'm glad we stay at the foot of the Blue Mountains, on this 2 acre dry piece of land, it's just temporary. Not the nice lush green slice of heaven of Lavender Hill, not that there's any lavender planted yet. There's the 3 Jacarandas guarding the gate that one day will invite you in as you drive over a purple carpet of flowers.

Gee I am straying again from the hitch hiker and his dog. When I first saw him on the opposite side of the road, it was the brown bundle of fur that caught my eye. The man was standing there hiking with his dog by his feet, lying down and not moving a muscle, just a foot away from the side of the road. I swear I could see only his big brown eyes move. Then I looked at the man, he was tall with long greying hair tied back, not the average hiker sun burnt and raggedy. I could imagine his eye's to be a soft kind of green, that change depending in what mood he was. This man trained that brown dog with love and lots of Patience, for that dog trusted the man fully. Now if I was going his way I would have picked him up cause of the dog. Animals are great judges of character, don't ya think.

Many many moons ago while I was married to my first man, we lived on a plot just outside of Knysna in an old farm house with a old wood stove and a loft. I love it there, only neighbour was an old aunty living by herself, I'd go over and we'd have a coffee and a good chat. I am sraying again sorry. He bought me a filly, she was still young and untrained but a sweetheart with me. But she could not stand the sight of him, used to nip him when ever she could. Needless to say he resented that and soon she got mowed on to new owners. It was'nt long before I had enough and moved too, but that's another story.

Those two tiny little boys from many moons ago, have given me the best present ever, they made me a grandma of two little boys just 3 weeks apart. A lot has happened over the years, some stories I have randomly shared with you already, some I woun't. But there are many more memories to be made in the future with the ones I love.

Until nexttime
Rina

Tropical Cyclone Yasi ...

2011-02-01T17:19:00.000-08:00

North Queensland is now preparing for a Huge cyclone to cross land ,
1am Thursday morning.
She is being described as a dangerous giant,
category 5 ..massive system.
No more rain is need in the state,and the days to come will be a nervous wait.
Where the rain travels after that is however, a big worry.
Our forecast is for winds and high seas for now.

A few of our friends will be coming face to face with Cyclone Yasi. We're thinking of you all and pray you will be safe. Nilo and Des, who moved up to Airlie Beach a few months ago. Hope Al's well at your place, we'll be thinking about you.
Stay safe everyone

Path Cyclone Yasi is taking. Nilo's son and Girlfriend managed to get to them from Townsville and they sitting somewhere down just past Mackay. It looks like a category 5 and they expecting it by lunchtime today. with the eye crossing at midnight.
According to the weather people it will cover an area of 800km wide while the eye is 100 km wide. Severe winds up to 280km per hr that is as strong as Katrina. 400 mls of rain is expected.This cyclone is stronger than Cyclone Tracy that devistated Darwin many years ago.

Elise says ... Wow, Willis Island weather station has not updated for 40min, they presume it has been wiped out!! And they say this is the BIGGEST cyclone ever to hit Australia... May God protect all those who are in danger!
More updates ... From FB Nilo'says...

Nilo says on FB ...
Went to bed at 12 and up at 5 just couldn't sleep anymore. Rather nervous about the Cyclone, it is Cat 5. Pray people Queensland needs your prayers...

‎12 Hours before STC Yasi and the wind is picking up already. We are all set for the event, Des has just connected the Generator and is load testing it. We have water, fuel, gas and food a radio, torches and batteries. The necessary windows are boarded up and we have our emergency pack ready to go if need be.If you have prepared well and you use your common sense we will all be fine. Stay safe Airlie.
11.45 2/2/11

From the offical sites:
Details of Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi at 7:00 am EST:
.Centre located near...... 16.1 degrees South 150.9 degrees East
.Location accuracy........ within 20 kilometres
.Recent movement.......... towards the west southwest at 30 kilometres per hour
.Wind gusts near centre... 295 kilometres per hour
.Severity category........ 5
.Central pressure......... 922 hectoPascals

From another Queensland Blogger 6am ... Yasi has been up-graded to a Strong category 5 this morning.It is 5oo kilometres wide.The eye is 30 klms wide.It will take an hour for the eye to pass over ,and then the 280 - 300 klm winds will return.
It is the biggest storm we have ever experienced.The frightening radar images shown behind our Premier Anna Bligh gives you a good idea of the size.
Yasi is moving fast and still growing.Now due to hit 10pm tonight.(Wed 2nd feb)
It is so hard to believe this is happening..just when you think it cant get any worse..it does.
My thoughts are with all my fellow Queenslanders further north.
Stay safe...

Christmas 2010 ...

2010-12-24T12:40:00.000-08:00

We're on the last legs of year 2010, and today is a very special day in our calenders. One to get together and celebrate the birth of Jesus. Lets not forget what this day is really all about. Enjoy the closeness of having your families around you, enjoy having a wonderful meal together.

May I take this opportunity to wish you all
A MERRY CHRISTMAS and A Happy NEW YEAR

Geseende Kersfees en Voorspoedige Nuwe Jaar aan almal by die huis.
All is ons ver is ons harte naby.
Stay safe, Mag God julle oppas en veilig hou.

Until nexttime
Rina

Nasa and the Bible ....

2010-12-11T22:33:00.000-08:00

NASA & THE BIBLE
Thought this was pretty amazing and interesting

For all the scientists out there, and for all the students
Who have a hard time convincing these people regarding the truth of the
Bible, here's something that shows God's awesome creation, and that He is
Still in control.

Did you know that the space program is busy proving that
What has been called 'myth' in the Bible is true?

Mr. Harold Hill, President of the Curtis Engine Company in
Baltimore , Maryland , and a consultant in the space program, relates the
Following development

I think one of the most amazing things that God has done for
Us today happened recently to our astronauts and space scientists at Green
Belt, Maryland .

They were checking out where the positions of the sun, moon,
And planets would be 100 years and 1,000 years from now.. We have to know
This so we won't send up a satellite and have it bump into something later
On in its orbits.

We have to lay out the orbits in terms of the life of the
Satellite and where the planets will be so the whole thing will not bog
Down.They ran the computer measurement back and forth over the centuries,
And it came to a halt. The computer stopped and put up a red signal, which
Meant that there was something wrong with either the information fed into it
Or with the results as compared to the standards.

They called in the service department to check it out, and
They said, 'What's wrong?' Well, they found there is a day missing in space
In elapsed time.

They scratched their heads and tore their hair out.. There
Was no answer.

Finally a Christian man on the team said, 'You know, one
Time I was in Sunday School, and they talked about the sun standing still.'
While they didn't believe him, they didn't have an answer either, so they
Said, 'Show us, '

He got a Bible and went to the book of Joshua where they
Found a pretty ridiculous statement for any one with 'common sense.'

There they found the Lord saying to Joshua,

'Fear them not, I have delivered them into thy hand; there
Shall not a man of them stand before Thee.'

Joshua was concerned because he was surrounded by the enemy!

And if darkness fell, they would overpower them. So Joshua
Asked the Lord to make the sun stand still! That's right... 'The sun stood
Still and the moon stayed and lasted not to go down about a whole day!'

(Joshua 10:12-13)

The astronauts and scientists said, There is the missing
Day! They checked the computers going back into the time it was written and
Found it was close but not close enough. The elapsed time that was missing
Back in Joshua's day was 23 hours and 20 minutes, not a

Whole day.

They read the Bible, and there it was about [approximately]
A day. These little words in the Bible are important, but they were still in
Trouble because if you cannot account for 40 minutes, you'll still

Be in trouble 1000 years from now.

Forty minutes had to be found because it can be multiplied
Many times over in orbits. As the Christian employee thought about it, he
Remembered somewhere in the Bible where it said the sun went BACKWARDS.

The scientists told him he was out of his mind, but they got
Out the Book and read these words in 2 Kings that told of the following
Story: Hezekiah, on his death bed, was visited by the prophet Isaiah who
Told him that he was not going to die. Hezekiah asked for a sign as proof.
Isaiah said 'Do you want the sun to go ahead 10 degrees ?'

Hezekiah said, 'It is nothing for the sun to go ahead 10
Degrees, but let the shadow return backward 10 degrees.' Isaiah spoke to the
Lord, and the Lord brought the shadow ten degrees BACKWARD! Ten degrees is
Exactly 40 minutes!

Twenty-three hours and 20 minutes in Joshua, plus 40 minutes
In Second Kings make the missing day in the universe! Isn't it amazing?

References: Joshua 10:8 and 12,13 and 2 Kings 20:9-11.

Forward this to as many people who you believe would think
This is equally as cool.
If God could do this then; how much more can he do for us
Today. If we only believe in his word.

Montana Nana posted this on another forum, so it borrowed!

Now who played a prank on Aunty Tanya ...

2010-11-20T02:00:00.001-08:00

Now there's two little 7 year old boys who's going to be in big shit with their Aunty Tanya ... wanna know why?

But first we'll start at the beginning ... we cousins not brothers, and we live in Brisbane and we going to visit Grandma and Aunty Tanya, and they got lots of animals. There's Daisy the goat, Knight and Tammy and Chief, they're dogs and all the cats there's 6 cats. Poor Virgin Air hostesses sure they know this pair of chatterboxes, they never stop. So with great excitement we head on to Mulgoa Farm just outside Penrith. The house comes alive with them around and the cats all go into hiding, just can't handle all this loving, not one minute of peaceful existance to have a catnap somewhere quiet.

We doing the usual fun thing with them like horse riding lessons, movies, craft and shopping. They very good at keeping themselves amused too and this time they thought of a lovely prank they could play on Aunty Tanya who drives this whopping big black Territory and has lovely big wheels. Well Grandma was busy grinding some rusty nails and dropped a few cause they were to hot which they found... now do you see where this is going. They confide in Grandma "we played a trick on Aunty Tanya we planted nails in the driveway, hidden in the stoney gravel". Well Grandma who is a little afraid of Tanya's temper could see this is a bad thing, tells them off cause it a very silly thing to do and out we go with a torch looking for the needle in a hay stack.

Fast forward a few weeks and you guessed it she has a flat tyre, she ain't happy and stomps around finally takes the Rodeo, while we neighbour came to help ... having a wonderful time putting the spare tyre on. It's a devil of a job the nuts are on good and solid eventually we both the flat on the ground finding a place to jack the Territory up and jack is the worst design you have ever seen in your life and and and ... and it's getting late to get too Nick and Adele's for a bunny chow lunch. It's a zoo at our place trust me!

The spare is a little bigger than the other tyres so Monday Tanya's off to the tyre shop to have them fixed and reports back there where 4 nails in her tyres and it just cost you $50 Ok anything you say dear daughter cause I knows it's my fault dropping them nails in the first place. (Ja nee kak en betaal die wet van Transvaal)
Then yesterday I remembered those two little boys planted some nails just right ...
hmmm

Until nexttime
Have a great weekend
Rina

Borrowed Poetry ...

2010-10-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

Nothing Gold Can Stay
by Robert Frost (1874-1963)

Nature's first green is gold.
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf''s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief.
So dawn goes down to day.
For nothing gold can stay.

A little autumnal poetry for my lovely readers!
Posted by Melody

Autumn Song ...

2010-10-21T03:04:00.000-07:00

Autumn Song
by Katherine Mansfield

Now's the time when children's noses
All become as red as roses
And the colour of their faces
Makes me think of orchard places
Where the juicy apples grow,
And tomatoes in a row.
And to-day the hardened sinner
Never could be late for dinner,
But will jump up to the table
Just as soon as he is able,
Ask for three times hot roast mutton--
Oh! the shocking little glutton.
Come then, find your ball and racket,
Pop into your winter jacket,
With the lovely bear-skin lining.
While the sun is brightly shining,
Let us run and play together
And just love the autumn weather.

And as we heading into summer here in Australia and Africa, our air cons will be working overtime keeping us cool. Let us spare a thought for our friends in Europe and North America cause they heading into their winter soon. Just the other day Retha from Canada posted pics of her garden thawing out. Where had the summer gone.
Until nexttime
Rina

2010-10-20T02:26:00.000-07:00

It's be nearly 3 months that George landed in hospital and only now the skin is just about 95% healed. It's was just the beginning of our once a week visit to the doctors or hospital. Now he is going to need orthotic specially made for a Diabetic. Our medical aid contributes $500 to the shoes if the shoes are made from scratch and we will have to cough up the rest.

Dis nou al meer as 3 maande vandat George in die hospitaal beland het met daardie voet, en nou eers is die vel weer toe gegroei. Maar dit is maar net die begin van al die dokters en hospitaal besoeke. Nou moet ons gaan vir special orthotics skoene, wat seker 'n plaas se geld gaan kos, gelukkig het ons 'n medical wat $500 gaan aanlas dan betaal ons net die verskul. Beter as niks nie.

During the last few months I have discovered that I do not make a very good nurse, and even a worse driver in the early mornings. That we got to work in one piece was a miracle cause I am not a morning person, and it took a lot of willpower to try keep those eyes open esp at 5 am on a busy highway ... 45 min drive seemed like forever. If it weren't for Nilo and Des's sonday visits helping out with the work on the farm, and Nilo's great work as The Podiotist. They were a real blessing to us and we are so thankful to them both. (Going to miss them so much)

The last few months I have negleced this blog so badly, just haven't got a story in me atm, I have be so occupied with George and work, the animals and everything else. And my lovely grandsons come from Brisbane for a visit.
What I really need is time out at the farm, only that's not possible with the new lambs and chick season and paying for the electricity bills. Have you got your new bill yet? ours had gone up by $250 a quarter, and now the next one is due again, can't wait to see what that ones going to be.

Until nexttime
Rina

Happy Mother's Day

2010-10-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

I know it's not Mother's Day but I just found it somewhere else and had to share it with you...

Happy Mothers Day to my children
I found this poem years ago and it always makes me giggle - so happy Mothers Day to all moms, and of course to my children. And here is what you all have to look forward to.

When I'm an old lady

When I’m an old lady, I’ll live with my son.
And make his life happy and filled with such fun,
I want to pay back all the joy he’s provided,
When I’m an old lady and live with my son.

I’ll write on the wall with red, white and blue,
And bounce on the furniture wearing my shoes,
I’ll drink from the carton and then leave it out,
I’ll stuff all the toilets and oh will he shout!
When I’m an old lady and live with my son.

When he’s on the phone and just out of reach,
I’ll get into things like sugar and bleach.
Oh he’ll snap his fingers and then shake his head,
And when he’s all done I’ll hide under the bed.
When I’m an old lady and live with my son.

When my son’s wife cooks dinner and calls me to meals,
I’ll not eat my green beans or salads congealed.
I’ll gag on my brussel sprouts, spill my milk on the table,
And when she gets angry, run fast as I’m able,
When I’m an old lady and live with my son.

I’ll sit close to the T.V., thru the channels I’ll click,
I’ll cross both my eyes and see if they stick,
I’ll take off both my socks and throw one away,
And play in the mud until the end of the day.
When I’m an old lady and live with my son.

And later in bed, I’ll lay back and sigh,
And thank God in prayer and then close my eyes.
And my son will look down and with a smile slowly creeping,
And say with a groan, “she’s so sweet when she’s sleeping.”
When I’m an old lady and live with my son . . . .

By Mary Ann Hopkins

2010-09-25T14:59:00.000-07:00

from an old gravestone
If you hold your nose to the Grindstone
and you leave it there long enough,
Then soon you'll say
there's no such things
as brooks that babble
and birds that sing,
these three will all your world compose,
just you, the stone and your poor old nose.

For Nilo and Des

2010-09-25T14:35:00.000-07:00

As we walk our path of life,
We meet people everyday.
Most are simply met by chance.
But, some are sent our way.
These become special friends
Whose bond we can't explain;
...The ones who understand us
And share our joy and pain.
Their love contains no boundaries.
So, even when we are apart.
Their presence enhances us
With a warmth felt in the heart.
This love becomes a passageway,
When even the miles disappear.
And so, these friends, God sends our way,
Remain forever near.

We will miss you so much, enjoy the time spent nearer your family and baby boys.
Good luck and many blessings on your path forward.
(We will come for a visit promise)
Love Rina and George

My other blog ...

2010-09-15T03:30:00.000-07:00

Well I tried fixing it but finally just added my other blog "Our Slice of Heaven"to my favorite blogs, so please come on over and visit me there too. (Kom kuier bietjie daar asb.)

I have not disappeared from the face of the earth just busy getting the garden organized for the summer, working and still dealing with George's foot. We decided to remove the plaster cast just to see if there is any improvement, it is a removeable one to allow dressing the wound daily. Some how it is catching the wound and causing some rubbing, no pregress for 2 weeks. But now he needs to be extra careful and not hurt the foot, or we will both have to answer to the specialist and her assistant. It's the assistant we more scared of!!!Our next appointment is Tuesday.

I did have a little Get Away to Tasmania and have some nice pics to share with you. Enter the Give Away by simply commenting on any of the Tassie posts before it closes.
See ya
Rina

Do you believe in dreams ...

2010-08-06T05:05:00.000-07:00

Have you dreamt then the next morning you remember everything and wonder what it all meant. I have had a few "very real" dreams lately, but this one had me a little worried. Background ... Father inlaw died of cancer more than 20 years ago, brother inlaw suffered from depression and committed the unthinkable a few years ago, and other uncle died a long time ago.

The phone finally woke me up after a few very short little rings, silence and then a another ring, dazed I answer, and it's the father inlaw saying I must go look amongst the uncle and brother inlaws clothes. But his voice is so faint and then the phone went dead. It starts ringing again just like before. I answer it again only this time it my motherinlaw, and she mumbles something to me, also in the same faint voice, then the phone dies. The phone starts bieping again but thank goodness I wake up for real and find the portable phone is still next to my dear husbands bed where he left it the night before, warning me the battery needs to be recharged.

Now my mom was born with the ability to see things and many times she was able to tell you stuff that could make your hair stand on end. So I called her (had to wait because of the time difference) and told her my dream. She says she still dreams every night but can't remember anymore which is a good thing. Anyways she going to call me after she calls Mother inlaw, and the funny thing is Trudi ,my sister inlaw said she also dreamt of the mother inlaw, very strange!!!

We do have an engagement announcement the same day, has it got anything to do with that?
Until nexttime
Rina

It's late but I just had to say Hi to everyone

2010-08-04T05:32:00.000-07:00

It's been a long day and week and a few weeks, and I have missed ya all. Blogging has really become a great tool to express myself and like you would all know, a lot of my friends are all scattered over the world, not just my blogging friends. There is my dear friend Rosie who I plan to visit next time I head to SAfrica soon. Then Dalene in Irvine in the USA, we served on the Parents/Teacher committees together and we help as volenteers at a halfway home for women and family. My sister inlaw Trudi, who was my bridesmaid so many years ago, she's still in SA, she has a whole heap of medical problems. Just too mention a few ...

Cause of blogging, I have found a whole heap of new friends and maybe just maybe someday we could really meet and have a cup of coffee and cake together. Just like when Pippa from Down to Earth come from England to visit her daughters now living in Sydney. That was heaps of fun, I picked her up and we headed for the NewPort Arms Hotel right on the waterfront, with yaghts moored at the marina and the odd person walking their dog down by the river. We had lunch and had a great chat. And we will meet again next time Pippa comes visiting later this year. PS she's going to be a grandmother again soon.

Have you also found your have lots of acquantances but only a handfull of real friends.
A TRUE FRIEND IS SOMEONE WHO SEES THE PAIN IN YOUR EYES WHILE EVERYONE ELSE BELIEVES THE FAKE SMILE .

My stubborn Diabetic Husband ...

2010-07-23T01:14:00.000-07:00

Some of you could be aware that George has been off work and in hospital the last two weeks. His has had a huge scare and now promises never to complain about my cooking cause hospital food is crap he says. Now gone is the rich food, in with smaller portions, no more large pack of chips and litres of PepsiMax. Now he will be eating more correctly for a Type2 Diabetic.

What happened to change his mind ...
he messed coollant on his work shoe, which soaked through to his sock and onto his foot, and continued to wear the shoe and sock causing a huge burn/blister on the side of his foot by the little toe. (Well that was his theory anyway but it turned out to be a foot ulcer x 2) He never noticed it until the blister popped a few days later, by that time he was running a fever and the infection (Blood poisoning)was creeping up his foot and his leg.We carted him off to the emergency dept and he was admitted. To cut a long story short he was so lucky that the doctors managed to save his foot. The staff at the Public hospital were so nice and caring, we definitely don't have any complaints about them just the food.

George is doing better and it will take a while before the skin grows back, only he is not allowed to drive and has to stay off the foot. His Doctor is a woman, senior head lecturer at the uni and with more Certificates than I could count, so one very clever little Cookie. He has to see her again on Tuesday and till it foot is healed.
So you folk out there with Diabetic friends and family please look after them, even a blister can mean big trouble.

Until nexttime
Rina

It's sad to get old .... Con was once a young man.

2010-07-13T03:29:00.000-07:00

I take my hat of to nursing staff at hospitals and old age facilities, they should all get a raise, the money they earn is not enough to pay for their care they give. My Old Man landed in Emergency last night with blood poisoning, chest pain and to top it off he is a diabetic, so we just got to be a bit more careful. But this is not about him, btw he seems to be doing better.It was way past our bedtime when the Blond One and Myself took him in, and now I can tell by my sore red eyes, and big yarns it time for bed.

Only I got to tell you about this little greek man, dressed in his pj's, his name was Con. Physically there seems nothing wrong with him only the old brain does not work to well. He had his own minder, an young irish nurse, first they chattered softly, he told her his life story. Then he started asking about his wife, who was also admitted to hospital, only she was already in a ward and sleeping. Staff told him she was upstairs and sleeping, only he got more determined to go to his wife, getting out of bed and carrying his bag around desperate to go find her. Staff told Con if he got back into bed they would call his wife and ask her to come down. No he said they better stop taking photo's (with the mobile phone?!)He stood next to another ladies bed staring at her before asking her if she was his wife. How sad is that

Nothing they said could make the little man get back in bed, he was on a mission to find his wife. Staff tried coaxing him into drinking a sleeping tablet, but he point blank refused. He is not allowed to take any tablets cause he was told not to cause he will die. Eventually reinforcements were called to help out. It was past 1.30 before it got a little quieter around emergency and we left to go home.

Fairies and mushrooms ....

2010-07-07T06:49:00.000-07:00

Your fairy is called Thorn Goblinshimmer ... She is a bringer of riches and wealth.She lives in brambles and blackberry bushes.She is only seen when the first flowers begin to blossom. She wears purple and green like berries and leaves. She has gentle green wings like a butterfly. Emma Davies

Wonder where fairies live ... under mushrooms I bet.

2010-07-06T19:37:00.000-07:00

(yumm The kitchen smells of freshly baked rusks, baked in a woodstove in the old kitchen. Feels like Nana's kitchen, smells of aniseed.)

Hmmmmm die beskuit ruik lekker. 'n Ou koolstoof in die kombuis sou nou vandag gewerk het! Dit voel soos my Ouma se kombuis, ek ruik net Anys. "My nooi is in 'n Nartjie, My ouma is in Kaneel, Daar is iemand in Anys. Daar 'n vrou in elke geur!"

borrowed from Nilo's FB.

Our little trip to Gippsland, was all about buying just such a woodstove, a rayburn not very big but boy it heavy. And on the way we stopped off at so many cute little spots you would not believe. Tilba Tilba is very much like PilgramsRus in South Africa, cute little shops where you can have tea and scones or what ever you like, look at antiques, a real lolly shop with rows of glass jars full of bright lollies. A cheese factory with way more than cheese inside. It's really the sort of place you would bring your girl friends to and make a day outing off it. Most men get dragged (by their hair)around by their wives while the kids suck on a huge flat spiral lolly getting their whole face full of sticky stuff, and grandma has to clean the mess.

Then there is the nursery!! and old wares shop and cafe, Now here I feel most comfy.Just a sneak view into the garden which promises to be a delight come spring, this alone is going to be worth a return visit. Here I am sure the fairies live, you just have to go quietly down the stepping stone path.

I invite you to come with us come springtime and visit.
Until nexttime
Rina

Oh Crap have you tried reading it in english ... (Below)

2010-07-06T02:47:00.000-07:00

Cobi's first horse riding lesson.

Well I clicked on translate and nearly rolled off my seat laughing ... Somethings you just can't translate and the last post is one of them. One of my fellow bloggers from Holland Johanna leaves cute little comments on my other blog Our Slice of Heaven but it's does not always come out correctly either, but I still love her.

So I thought I would translate it as it should be

My wiele is so bietjie pap ...
Regtig, ek jok nie, miskien is dit te veel lees by al die mooi blogs en dan sukkel ek om aan die gaan te kom. Alles gaan agteruit, my venster kan jy amper nie meer deur sien nie, en die stryk goed hoop op. Ek was en vou so 'n bietjie op waar ek kan, maar soos huiswerk is daar geen einde nie. Man ek moet erken ek het nog nooit baie van huiswerk gehou nie. Doen dit maar net omdat hier geen Agnus is nie.

Hier is Googles toolbar translation :)

My wheels are a little soggy ...
Really , I lie , maybe it is too much to read all the fine blogs and then I struggle to go to come . Everything is backwards , my window you can almost no longer see, and put good hope . I was and fold a bit on where I can , but as homework , there is no end. Man I must admit I have never held a lot of homework not. Do this only because this is not no Agnus

So what you think Google is that how it should be?

Or ... My wheels are a little flat ...

Really I kid you not, could be from reading all those lovely blogs and then struggling to get going. Everything is neglected, my windows are so dirty you can hardly see through them, and the ironing is piling up. I wash and fold up where I can, but like housework it never stops. I must admit I have never liked housework. I do it cause I have to and there is no Agnus to help me.

Let me tell you about Agnus, she was a lovely african girl that work for me when I owned a takeaway in Pinetown. We started at 6am and finished at 6pm 5 days a week and half day on Saturdays. Then it's home time to do the housework, dinner and kids. Then Agnus got pregnant
to Petrus and they were expecting twin. At about 7 months I asked her if she would like to live at our house, going on light duties. Cleaning the kitchen, seeing to the dogs and giving the kids a sandwich after school. (Still getting her full pay )They decided it was a good deal and moved in.

One evening she knocked on the window to wake me up, It was time to go to the mission hospital run by nuns and have those babies. Nou let me tell you being the only white woman except for the nuns was very out of sorts, and the looks I got ... but the day I fetched Agnus carring her bags while she carried the babies was even funnier. After a few months Agnus wanted to be closer to her mum and resigned. We helped cart her cots and other goodies. Those days there were a lot of taxi union problems (25years ago)

You know there are still a few goed people out there, but things have changed so much back home, I felft like a stanger in my own country. We have so many good memoirs of Africa and will always have a little soft spot for her. I do worry about the people still left behind, esp when I look at videos on YouTube. This post just sort of happened like this and it's alright . Atm one of my grandsons are visiting us for the 2 week holiday. We have been feeding the sheep, chooks first thing in the morning, then remove the doggies PJ and give them a few cubes. Then it's breakfast time ... fresh eggs and toast. We having a really cold wet winters day, overcast and grey. Stoked the fire for a little warmth......

Greetings from Australia

Rina

My wiele is so bietjie pap ...

2010-07-05T01:32:00.000-07:00

Regtig, ek jok nie, miskien is dit te veel lees by al die mooi blogs en dan sukkel ek om aan die gaan te kom. Alles gaan agteruit, my venster kan jy amper nie meer deur sien nie, en die stryk goed hoop op. Ek was en vou so 'n bietjie op waar ek kan, maar soos huiswerk is daar geen einde nie. Man ek moet erken ek het nog nooit baie van huiswerk gehou nie. Doen dit maar net omdat hier geen Agnus is nie.

Man dit was nou 'n oulikke ousie, sy het eers daar by my Takeaway gewerk en ek het haar sommer baie gelike. Ons werk van 6 uur vroeg tot6 uur laat dan is dit huistoe, kosmaak en kinders versorg. Toe raak sy mos preggies met Petrus se kinders, ja 'n tweeling. Maar sy werk nog tot ek eendag vir haar gese het"Agnus kom bly daar by my huis, dan kan jy dit mos maklikker wat en nie so te moet travel nie. En dis nou amper 7 maande jou pensie word darem lekker groot." Hulle geselse en besluit ja dis 'n plan, en toetrek sy ook sommer in. Al wat sy moet doen is skottlegoed was, kombuis skoenmaak en sien dat die honde kos en water het, en dan in die middag vir die kinders 'n broodjie maak as hulle van die skoolbus afkom.

Een aand klop sy aan die venster om my wakker te maak, en dis tyd dat ons hospital toegaan, daar trek ons twee na die mission hospital in Pinetown. Nou laat ek julle vertel, ek was nog nooit so snaaks aangekyk soos daardie dag,Nee ek jok, die dag dat Ek vir Agnus gaan haal het met die twee babies, toe mos jy sien, Wat maak die wit vrou hier?Ek dra haar tassie en sy dra babies. Na 'n paar maande besluit sy om eerder terug te trek en naby haar ma te gaan bly. Dis nog die tyd dat daar baie taxi probleme was.(so 25jaar gelede)

Weet julle daar is tog goed onder die mense, maar dinge het nou so verander daar, ek het laas gevoel ek hoort nie meer daar nie, 'n vreemdeling. Maar tog Afrika het diep spore getrap in ons harte, en wanneer ek so na YouTube kyk na wat daar aangaan, dan kry ek so 'n hartseer gevoel vir die wat agter gebly het.

Nou die post het sy eie gang geloop, glad nie soos ek vou nie, maar dis alraait so. My kleinseun kuier op die oomblik vir die 2 week skool vakansie. Ons het nou 'n routine eers moet die skape en hoenders kos kry, dan haal ons die honde se slaap jakkies af en gee hulle 'n bietjie droe kos. Dan maak ons ontbyt, vars eiers en roosterbrood. Dis net vrek koud hier, vandag het die son glad nie geskyn nie, 'n regte grys dag. Laat middag het ek vuur in die kaggel gemaak om die huis lekker warm te maak. Dan het ons nog die aftree plasie wat aandag soek .... more oggend vroeg opstaan vir werk.

Fluit fluit my storie is uit
Groete uit Australia
Rina

Very scary email ....

2010-06-27T17:14:00.000-07:00

I found this on a african forum and boy I do wonder what our country is coming to ... no regard for human life.

I received this email from my sister in SAfrica and have no clue if it is true or just a threat. It scares me because my sis and brother in law there, are elderly and my brother in law is in frailcare as he cannot walk. My hubby's parents are still in SAfrica too. They are also old. Then there's also all our good friends there. Whether it is true or not, you decide. I thought it best to let you all know what the content of the email was. http://censorbugbear-reports.blog...12-all-whites-will-be-killed.html On July 12 we will kill all the whites...' Afrikaners, black workers warned… 11 June 2010 - “Alex” writes: “My husband happened to be in one of the firearms shops at the East Rand, whose owner is a friend. While they were talking a black man walked into the shop and started blowing the vuvuzela really loudly. The shop owner told him to take the vuvuzela elsewhere or he'd stick it in a very uncomfortable place. "The black man then turned on my husband and the shop owner in a tirade, saying that 'you'd better enjoy your shop for a few days more, because that shop is going to belong to me after 12 July 2010 because I am going to come and take it.' "On July 12 we black people will be ready to mow down all you whites,' he reportedly said. This man ‘s identity is known to the gunshop-owner: he regularly purchases firearm for Winnie Mandela's security staff and had just ordered 400 bulletproof vests through them. “The man said that they were going to kill all 'your people's' children, women, old people and men, and that time they won't be fighting with knobkieries and pangas, they now are well-armed. We are going to come and fetch nice stuff from you whites,' he said. Alex: “The shocked shop-owner still tried to laugh it off but he must have seen the angry look on my husband's face. The black man threatened my husband with the words ‘I will see you on 12 July or even before depending on how Bafana-Bafana (the South Bfrican football team, the name translates to ‘boys-boys’) is faring.' The man also added that when ‘they were finished killing the whites they would turn on the Chinese”. He also mentioned a black tribal whose people would also be attacked and murdered but my husband couldn't recall the tribe’s name afterwards because he'd become so angered.' Alex: “The black man told my husband that he would 'shoot at people's legs'. My husband responded that he never did - he would shoot right between the eyes - and that he would not miss.’ “ After a sleepless night my husband went to visit his friend at the gunshop again. His friend confirmed that he’d asked a black woman who works there to find out more about this threat, and she confirmed that the black workers are constantly being told on the trains between home and work that ‘the workers will have to start helping to kill them on July 12 when they will start killing all the white people. And if the black workers didn't help they would be killed too. “ The shop owner said ‘the intelligence service was well-aware of the threats to start killing all the whites on July 12.”

So what do you do believe it or threat it just as another threat. I personally do believe there will be people acting upon it ....
So do what you have to and may God keep you safe.
Until nexttime
Rina

2010-06-20T02:55:00.000-07:00

Today Rickie gets to go home after having surgery to remove her Spleen, galbladder and half her pancreses. Tanya has gone to fetch her from hospital and might be staying over tonight. Her partner will take a few days off from work to look after her. Then his mum flies in from New Zealand to help them a bit. The tumour the surgeon removed was huge according to photo's they took.
More I can't share with you atm ...
Please say a little prayer for Riekie tonight.

2010-06-06T02:22:00.001-07:00

Recently one of my Daughter's friends Rickie found out she has Cancer. This is a young women, still planning her life with her partner. Recently they bought a home together .... How her life will change. I found this a few days ago.
IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - BY ERMA BOMBECK (written after she found out she was dying from cancer). I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day. I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have talked less and listened more. I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded. I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace. I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth. I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband. I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed. I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains. I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life. I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime. Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle. When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, 'Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.' There would have been more 'I love you's' More 'I'm sorrys.' But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute.look at it and really see it . . live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!! Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.
( orginally Posted by Dolores)

Sonday Morning ....

2010-06-05T20:26:00.001-07:00

This is what life should be about ... sitting on an jetty, basking in the morning sun, fishing.

The Stone Soup tales .... Poverty Soup Recipe

2010-06-02T05:36:00.000-07:00

I copy and pasted this post for you to enjoy reading .....

This is what we call it in our family.LOL! We tend to use it more often in lean times. 2 cups of red lentils1 onion chopped4 carrots chopped half a butternut squash chopped (leave out when they are too expensive!)half a swede (rutabaga) choppedhalf a head of celery chopped, including the leaves.4-5 potatoes (or equivalent amount of new pots, works best with new)Enough vegie stock to cover (I use Marigold stock)Throw all vegies in and enough hot stock to cover. Bring to boil. Leave to simmer for 20 -30 mins until vegies and lentils are soft. Adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary. I've tried adding various herbs and/or spices, but we prefer it like this. To vary it, sometimes I add a tin of chopped tomatoes and about a tablespoon of ground cumin. That's quite good too.I serve this with wholewheat cheese scones. Garlic bread goes well with it too. It's also nice with some grated cheddar dropped into the bowl before ladeling the soup over the top.This is one of those soups which is even better the next day.That amount serves 4 adults.ENJOY!

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LOL at the name...it's a great food...warm and tasty...reminded me though of a children's story called Stone Soup.A tramp knocks on the cottage door of an old lady and asks for food. She tells him she has none either so he suggests they make stone soup together. They boil up some water with the stone from his pocket and then go for a walk around her garden. (I can't even imagine having no food)He spots an onion and suggests that would be a lovely addition to the soup. They go back in and add it to "soup"Off around the garden again and they uncover several different vegies and add them one by one to the pot...thus ending up with a nutricious broth, not unlike your own

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The Stone Soup story I know is slightly different...a soldier returning from the war reaches a hostile village, so he sets up his cooking pot over a fire and puts in a stone and some water. When the villagers become curious and venture out of their shuttered houses, he is asked what he is cooking. "Stone soup". Then he says, "You know what would make this soup taste better - an onion." "I've got an onion," says one villager and goes and brings it. He suggests lots of other vegetables and finally there is enough soup for the whole village to share, but on their own they were starving, with nothing to give away and no sense of working together. It's my favourite "story my mother told me when I was a child".

Lessons on how to make Beef Jerky

2010-06-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

Tonight I have made the first batch of beef Jerky or biltong as we South Africans know it. I suggest if you want to try make it yourself then hop over to my other blog, under labels.

Now this reminds me of the time Maryanne and Pete from Wodonga came over to see how it's done. I got a fair sized piece of meat, sliced it up and all. We did the spice thing layered and spiced again. Kept it in the fridge overnight and finally it was ready.Pete and George had made a meatsafe just like mine only it had two shelves instead of three. now they were set to go and hang the meat which was the easy part.

A few days later they come visiting again, and I ask how the Jerky coming along, it should have been ready by now. Maryanne's face dropped and finally she comes out with the story. She had done washing and forgot to close the door after she finished hanging up the clothes outside. Their huge Rottie just could not help himself any longer somehow he got the meatsafe open and proceeded to have a feast. All she found was the little wire hooks and one very thirsty dog. He was lying outside in front of the waterbowl, drinking. Needless to say he never got any dinner that night.

We did give it another go at Jerky making Lol
It late so I better be off to bed
See ya soon
Rina

Jakkelsgif , 'geleende storie

2010-05-28T03:32:00.000-07:00

NÁ die seisoen van konfetti en trou-albums en katelbreektyd ontwaak 'n nuwe seisoen in die grootste gros huwelike. Dis die tyd wanneer kinders inbars en alles omgedolwe word. Geld, tyd en rus is min. Vurige twiste ennoord-suid-opinies is volop. Wat eens lekker geruik het, word 'n stank.Wat mooi was, word afskuwelik. Wat slim geklink het, wordbeterweterigheid. Soetlemoene verander in bitterappeltjies.Dan, so 20 of wat jaar ná die konfetti-dag, wanneer die kuikens hoendersword en in hul eie weiland begin skrop, daag 'n ander seisoen op. Jeuktyd,kraptyd, byttyd, skaaftyd. Dis dan wanneer die huweliksbed se voeë beginmeegee en die wiekelende konstellasie dreig om vloer toe te tuimel.Ná jare van geldstryd en kinders grootsukkel, sit die eens uitspattig-gelukkige huwelikspaar met mekaar opgeskeep. Bykans vreemdelinge. Ofvyande. Buitentoe lyk alles wel. Almal glo dit gaan góéd met ons. ("Ons"is 'n versamelnaam vir wie ook al aan die versameling wil behoort). Onshét alles en ons lag en kuier, sing kerkkoor, stap met die hond, houvakansie, koop saam-saam kruideniersware. Oënskynlik die perfekteverbintenis.Maar agter die voordeur waar niemand sien of hoor nie, staan die pitsweer'n goudgeel punt. Barstens gelade met sarkasme, sinisme, ondankbaarheid,erbarmloosheid, humorloosheid. Ons is áltyd gereed om te verskil en tebeskuldig; te pik en te amputeer. Ysstiltes en 'n vrot atmosfeer is aandie orde van die dag.En daar hang ons in die slagyster. Skei kan ons nie, want dis 'n geval vanmy kombers en jou matras en daar lê die ding. Na 'n huweliksberader wíl onsnie, want niemand het energie vir 'n ellelange dermuitrygery nie. Dan maardeurdruk, hoe gallerig ook al. Solank niemand ontdek wat agter diegordynvoerings aangaan nie. Om te kompenseer vir die yskaslewe, pak onsallerhande vernietigende handvuurtjies aan vir hitte. Affairs, drank,pille, pornografie, koopsiekte, vreetsiekte, verenigings,oorgodsdienstigheid, werkoholisme. En noem maar op.Ek en die ou gryse het al deur baie driwwe geswem. Enkeldiepte,borsdiepte, en soms watergetrap. Dat ons mekaar nie jakkalsgif ingegee hetnie, bly 'n mirakel. En toe, tydens een van ons doodbliksem-gevegte, komons op die kwessie sowel as die oplossing af. Ek sê nie dit sal vir almalwerk nie, maar vir ons het dit.Die kwessie: Spasie. In sy wese bly die mens 'n eenling. Hy wil 'n sirkelom hom kan trek; 'n spasie waaroor hy, en hy alleen, baasskap het. En diehuwelik het 'n rare manier om die mens sy eenlingskap te ontneem. Dis 'ncliché om te sê die huwelik is 'n eenwording van twee mense. Want tweemense kan nooit één word as elke eenling nie 'n heel mens op sy eie isnie. En as die mens van sy spasie beroof word, raak hy soos 'n hondsdolgedierte wat alles byt.Die oplossing: spasie. Só baklei ek en die ou gryskop doerie tyd amper totby die bottel jakkalsgif. Uit beboosdheid trek hy met klere, boeke,lessenaar en spanners na die spaarkamer op die boonste verdieping. En dáárbly hy vandag nog. Wat destyds 'n ek-bliksem-jou- sommer-dood-aksie was,het geblyk die antwoord te wees.Sy kamer is syne. My kamer is myne. Hy kan snork en televisie kykwanneer hy wil. Ek kan snags my bedliggie aansit en slaapkouse brei asiets my ry. Ek kan dwars oor die bed slaap, en hy kan besluit hoeveelkomberse hy oor hom wil hê. Niemand besweet niemand, en daar is nooit 'nnagtelike gestry nie. En dis salig om uitgerus wakker te word sonder 'nkierie teen jou rug. Of sonder 'n redeloos beneukte vrou langs jou. Diesaligste bly die op- en afsluipery met die trap. Soos outydse court.Sondagmiddag gaan lê ek in sy arm. Of ek skrik middelnag wakker as hyfluistervra of hy agter my rug kan lê, want hy verlang na my. Ek SMS boontoedat ek my man in my kooi soek, en ek dra sy brekfis trap-op en gaan sê hom hy's my koning.Nou se dae kan nie ek óf hy onthou waar ons die jakkalsgif gebêre het nie.Want ek het my kombers en hy het sy matras. En nêrens lê 'n ding nie.

Dit is geskryf deur Annelie Botes

I am not there ...

2010-05-26T15:21:00.000-07:00

Do not stand at my grave and weep; I am not there. I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glints on snow. I am the sunlight on ripened grain. I am the gentle autumn's rain. When you awaken in the morning's hush, I am the swift uplifting rush of quiet birds in circled flight. I am the soft stars that shine at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry; I am not there, I did not die.

The Power of Kindness

2010-05-19T16:53:00.000-07:00

I found this beautiful post at From Melanie's Home to Yours, do pop over and leave a comment for her.

The Power of Kindness

One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd." I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on. As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.

My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get a life." He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with me and my friends. He said yes. We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him. And my friends thought the same of him.Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Darn boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!" He just laughed and handed me half the books.

Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship. Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak. Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than me and all the girls loved him! Boy, sometimes I was jealous. Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said.

As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began."Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years - your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach... but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story." I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable." I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.

I saw his mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize its depth. Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life for better or for worse. God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way.

Posted by Melanie, Thanks for letting me post this here
Until nexttime
Rina

Memoirs of a Little Girl

2010-05-13T12:07:00.000-07:00

"Little girl"She grinned mischievously to herself as she thought how apt the intentionally demeaning label had been. Barely a meter and a half in height, many had mistaken her for one much below her number of years, but this did not hamper her feisty spirit one bit. Instead it served only to strengthen her resolve.

For Amanda, these last few years had been trying. Denial a few years previously dashed the hope of her and her family to begin their new life in Canada. After two years of waiting, it was heartbreaking to hear that things would not be as she had dreamed, as her family had dreamed.The restless current of the ocean caressed the African shores. It moved with her, consoling her injured soul. Time was needed to heal; time was granted. But the slumber could not last forever. It was once again time to rise to the challenge and fight towards the dream of a brighter future.

More than three years later, and finally things begin to fall into place. Last week Wednesday was one of those defining hurdles; the last of which needed crossing. The blood had been taken the previous week. It was not an enjoyable experience by a long shot. After moments of prodding the nurse declared, "I can't find a vein, let me see your other arm."Amanda complied with her wishes, laying her right arm across the table. More prodding ensued; a sigh from the nurse. Amanda was almost positive the thought playing through her head at that moment was, "These darn little people with their little veins!"Finally the needle was inserted. Fascinated, the little girl stared at the dark crimson liquid as it pulsated against the edge of the transparent vial. "That's pieces of me," she thought, "I'm being placed in a bottle." It was a disconcerting experience and not one she was eager to repeat.

The X-rays went off with little excitement. Fair enough, the block could not be lowered quiet as low as was needed to accommodate her diminutive figure, but that was hardly unexpected. And now she lay in the doctors office in just her underwear and a gown. She had already urinated into the bottle, always the highlight in the trip to the doctor. The doctor proceeded to poke and prod in what Amanda assumed would be strategic places. What he was looking for was beyond her; alien implants from a recent abduction?"Touch your toes"Amanda grimaced as she replied, "Not going to happen." As she bent forward in what she knew was a futile attempt, the doctor replied, "That as far as you go?""Yup, " she had never had the gift of flexibility."Don't worry, it won't fail you for Canada." Even though she doubted something as trivial as that would dash her hopes yet again, the humor was comforting.

The eye test was next, quick and easy. And then her height measured; the doctor was kind enough to give her an extra two centimeters she never knew she had, 1.52m... wow...And the doctors scale was without a doubt 2kg out! With the final hurdle out of the way, the wait is almost over. All that is left now is for the little girl to place her life into two suitcases; suitcases so large she can easily fit in one... and zip it closed.... --------------------
Anything I've ever done that was ultimately worthwhile initially scared me to death .... from the SACanada forum.

Roses ...

2010-05-13T11:42:00.000-07:00

Before marriage, a man declares that he would lay down his life to serve you; after marriage, he won't even lay down his newspaper to talk to you.
Helen Rowland

Ag die mooi laeveld dae ....

2010-05-12T13:18:00.000-07:00

Ek onthou nog die mooie Barberton daar in die laeveld, loop nog so af in die straat in my gedagtes. Oorkant die straat het Tannie Nel gebly, haar gesig kan ek nie meer so lekker onthou nie, want sien ek was nog nie eers skool toe nie toe ons daar gebly het. Maar ek onthou daar agter in haar Backyard was 'n groot moerbei boom met sukke groot vet swart vruggies. My ma het altyd geraas as ek moes en die goed op my klere kry. Ek het 'n boks gehad met sywurms en het altyd blare gepluk daar by Tannie Nel. Dan kyk ek hoe kneers hulle aan die blare en later spin hulle mooi huisies om in te kruip.

Oom Jock het verder af in die sraat gebly, die tannie het 'n mongoltjie dogter gehad en ek het baie by haar gespeel. Vandag word hulle beskou as Hemels kinders geleen van ons mooi Vader. Oom Jock en my Pa het belang gestel in "Radio Hams" is dit die regte woord daarvoor? Ag julle weet mos wat ek bedoel ... buite in hul tuin was die lang pal met baie drade styfgespan om die ding optehou. Terwyl my Ma by die Tannie kuier is die mans daar in die kamer besig met die Oom se Radio goed. Die tannie het altyd lekker soet koekies gebak.

Ons het so aan die voet van die berg gebly, die kable karretjies het so oor die huise gehang want sien hulle het iets gemyn daar in die berg, miskien was die asbestos of iets. Dan word dit in die karretjies gelaai en dan tot onder by die myn gebring. Ons groot bruin rifrig hond Oubaas was agter vasgemaak aan 'n lang kettang maar hy kon die hele agterplaas vol loop, dis nou as Pa by die werk was.

Toe ek so klein was het my ma hulle my vertel my boeties was daar op die berg hulle sterte was nog nie afgekap nie (dis nou die bobbejanntjies)... sien ek is die enigste kind. Ek raak so upset as hulle die grass brand daar op die berg. Die vuur brand dan die boobejaantjies. Ag ouers kan tog so baie jok vir mens .... Maar die mooi rooi vlamme so in 'n lang ry daar op die berg, kruip so stadig vorentoe en die ruik van die grass brande is vars ... vandag nog is ek mal oor vure, net ek maak hulle in 'n kagel of donga.

Ag ek wens ek het fotos gehad om julle te wys .....

Until nexttime
Rina

PS. Flat White het my bekommerd gemaak or the asbes en toe gaan Google ek gou, gelukkig was dit goud wat gemyn is.

Come meet Rhonda

2010-04-30T05:08:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce you to Rhonda Jean from Down to Earth. I know Rhonda for a few years now and she is one of the nicest ladies you will ever meet. So pop over to her blog for a visit, well worth the time. Then join our forum on Living Simply

Rhonda Jean asked What is your story?
I am pretty sure just about everyone knows my story but I'm interested in yours. Why did you decide to simplify? How far are you along in your journey? How did you start and what do you do everyday that affirms for you that this is the life for you?

Daisysmum ... My Grandmother was my teacher and role model, I spent holidays with her and we gardened, baked, crafted and even dressed chooks and made beef jerky together. She taught me to make butter, dry fruit on wire racks in the sun, She lived on a sheep farm her whole life and knew it all. That stayed with me and as I got older I practised what she taught me. Always gardened and crafted, cooked from scratch mostly. When we moved to OZ and finally bought a property and now renting a small holding as well, I have got chooks and sheep. I am glad to have this time to learn more and be able to help others, find their feet.Some friends/workmates/family do think we are a little excentric, and really I am not about to change for anybody. A few are slowly coming to think our lifestyle is a good choice. I sometimes wish my DH was a little more greener, but he has come along way already. My daughter has without realising it, "cause that how thing are done" been semi green for a long time.Even if I won lotto tomorrow, I still would live the way I am today. It is a sense of achivement to be able to do something for family and yourself.

Rhonda Jean asked What is complicating your life right now?
Are you trying to live more simply but something is stopping you? Is your work taking up too much time and energy? Are you living in the wrong area? Is your family dead against living simply? Are you still caught up with spending? Whatever it is, tell us what you're struggling with and how you intend to work through

Daisysmum ... In our case it would be not having enough super to cover us for a few years, and it does not help when you down an $20 000 with this economy thing. I know we don't need as much as they say cause we not planning on being extravigant. We still need to build a small home and put up a shed ... finally found myself a builder who does not mind reusing a few bits of recycled materials. Our land needs to be paid off and we can't do that without working.But all that does not stop me from living as best I can atm, keeping the chooks and sheep, it all a learning curve. I see it as a trail period.

Rhonda Jean how do you view your house work?
I wrote about slowing down and living life to the full on my blog today. There were many great comments but Amanda's struck me as a very practical way of looking at this way of living. She wrote:"thanks for the post, it was just what i needed on my fri morning. i agree that it is the mindfulness and purpose that makes a difference. i don't like doing dishes and can easily become resentful if i feel like i'm doing it more than my partner. but this morning i just reminded myself that i'm excited about my friend coming to stay for the long weekend and i want things to be neat for her."It's amazing how just looking at something in a different way can help re-adjust how we view what is happening in our lives. Have you changed the way you look at your work since you started to simplify?

Daisysmum ... Well now this is an interesting question, I mean the housework. I am not the best housewife and never will be. I blame my mother walking with the vacuum behind everyone, not giving you a chance to finish what you doing, without her starting the cleaning process again. I said I never want to be like that!We have had a much more relaxed way of living but atm it's far to relaxed. I would rather be outside digging holes amd mowing the lawns, feeding animals. Cleaning as required and it can't wait any longer.Flat out just doing the basic with very little help from 28yr old Dear Daughter and husband does his bit by feeding the dogs at night. The real problem is lack of time, we leave at 4.30 am and only get back after 6pm then it's feeding animals and dinner, checking clothes for tomorrow and dishes, no time for other stuff.

Gillie asked I have a question I've been pondering for some time- it's kind of related to the technology question above but I was really interested in whether people think television hinders simple living? I am in my 20's and grew up watching television as part of everyday life. Me and my OH have been moving towards a simpler and more frugal life for the past two years and I've recently realised that whatever i do, i seem to have the television on, whether I'm watching it or it's just on in the background. If I'm knitting, I'm watching television, Sewing- television, craft projects. However, my OH's Auntie and Gran do not have a television in their house at all and i LOVE going over there. I love sitting round chatting with a cup of tea or knitting together. I love the atmosphere of their houses and i always say i want our flat to be more like theirs in terms of atmosphere as it's always so relaxing and peaceful

Daisysmum ... Dear husband lovesssss his TV, rugby, wrestling, cowboy movies and more sport ... drives me nuts so I just spend my time in front of the computer, feeding animals, gardening or washing dishes. He knows my dislike but keeps watching, so be it.But when we at the farm, we have dinner outside under the pergola by citronella torches, with a chandlelier of stars lighting up the sky. Then the radio get turned on to rugbyTo much TV depends if your alone or have company, then it's off otherwise it's just plain rude leaving it on.

Gemmerbier en Oumas

2010-04-30T03:23:00.000-07:00

Kyk wie kon nou better Gemmerbier make as my Ouma, niks was fout met haar hande nie. Now die storie is oor Gemmer bier wat ons daar by Pelgrimsrus gekoop het in sukke mooi pottery bottels. Die kinder was nog baie klein toe, so dit is baie lank terug. Maar ek onthou dit was in die somer en ons het so lekker daar rondgeloop en alles bekyk. Gemmerbier gekoop en in die kar se boot gesit, hmmm die bier het warm geword en die proppe het begin skit ... watter gemors hoor.

Dit was wonderlik om so baie tyd saam met my Ouma en Oom Dan te kom spandeer, sommer maande op 'n slag. Oom Dan het aan bom skok gely en Ouma het vir haar broer gesorg. Saam het hulle meer as 'n akker groente en vrugte bome versorg, rye wit mielies jy kom wegkruipertjie speel. Sy was 'n regte boeretannie, so sterk soos 'n os met 'n hart van goud. Ouma het geglo 'n vrou se handed moet besig bly. Oupa hulle het vir jare met skape geboer daar anderkant Vryburg maar nadat hy oorlede is het Ouma koshuis moeder geword.

Later koop sy 'n huis met die groot erf in Paris. Dis nou Paris in die Vrystaat. Dis waar ons gebak en brou het , regte botter in die glas bottel gemaak het, hoenders gevoer en eiers gaan soek, gehelp verre pluk as sy hoenders slag. Skaap slag was geen problem en as alles verby is dan maak sy lekker kerrie afval. Sondag na kerk was daar skaap boud met vars aartapples van die tuin. In die kerk mos jy stil sit anders kry jy nie 'n pepermintjie wat sy in haar handsak gebere het nie. Ouma het self biltong gemaak strepsakke vol, dan bere sy dit daar onder in die kombuis kas langs die droe vrugte. Ouma het my geleer hekel, skeef en krom, maar vandag kan ek vir my kleinseuns hulle eie bersies maak. Daar in my kis is nog ouma se knie kombersie +- 50 jaar oud en 'n resepte book wat ek by my ma vasgele het (nadat sy begin resepte inplak)

Maar die memories is nog by my en ek weet Ouma glimlag van daarbo. Ek het altyd daar op haar bed gesit en my verkyk hou sy daardie lang swart/grys hare uitkam en dan vleg totdat dit dun raak. More word die hare in 'n bollatjie gemaak en sy trek een van baie voorskote aan, reg vir nog 'n dag. Ek was 13 jaar oud en haar enigste kleinkind toe Ouma rustig in haar slaap oorlede is.

Ek het soveel mooi memories van my Ouma Mimmie, dinge wat sy gedoen het, my geleer het en gewys het wat tot vandag toe by my is. Ek hoop om eendag die selfde vir my Kleinseuns te kan betekken wat Ouma vir my was. Miskien was daar iemand anders in julle lewe met die selfde invloed op jou. Kom vertel 'n bietjie.

Until Nexttime
Rina

2010-04-15T04:25:00.000-07:00

We heading up to "our slice of heaven" or more formally known as Lavender Hill for a few days. Could both do with a little break but there's a mountain of mowing, slashing and clearing to do. Might need a holiday after the "Holiday" lol.

Keep safe

until nexttime

Rina

Judging a book by it cover?

2010-04-09T16:41:00.000-07:00

What truly lies behind that book you judge so easily, same goes for anyone of us, why judge us before you even know who we are, what we want or for what reason we pass into "your space" Maybe we don't want anything from you. Block us out if you like but you might be the poorer for that.

I have been judged my whole life, just as you were, every time somebody serves us in a shop, everytime you meet another person, the only thing that does not judge us is man's best friend. No matter how shit you treat the dog, it comes back wagging it's tail looking with big eyes at you.

I made that mistake years ago, working in a pharmacy there in Sunnyside, Pretoria. This young girlie came in pushing a pram, asked for help buying cosmetics, I judged her ... yeh right as if you could afford that! She payed with a gold Amex card. Right maybe I was wrong?

There's that time when we stayed in Durban, my mom loved visiting this clothing store owned by some Jewish ladies, they fell over backward to help her as soon as they heard she's going overseas, then they were on first name bases? If I went in there alone they wouldn't even bother giving you a glass of water if I collasped in their doorway. It's not as if I never went there without my mom. Should I go on .......

Oh I forgot to tell you about this wonderful conversation I had a while back with the man from the sewing machine shop. He mentioned their new pastor was South African, just resently come over, so I get his Ph no and give them a call, Welcoming them to Kempsey and wanting to invite them around the next time they headed up the mountain where we got a small farm. Well That went well... Not. He was so rude and abrunt even considering his profession. Did not even invite me to go to his church. I put down the phone thinking did that just happen ... why bother.

Have you been treated like that before yeh I bet you have ... If you don't think so, well then you must be lying to yourself. You dress to inpress ... who? You put yourself in blogland ... but you don't want your space invaded ... then go private!

All I can say is Life is short. I do apologize for this rant, it's not like me at all.
Until nexttime
Rina

Sometimes I wonder........

2010-04-03T02:07:00.000-07:00

Family gene's are sometimes so strong, you watch those sad programs on TV where people try trace their biological mom or dad, or siblings. For years these people have tried and sometimes the parents are the one's who can't get over the sadness or regret, and go looking. They're left in limbo, to scared of the rejection and the hurt, wondering!

I am so greatful my story is nothing like that. I had two wonderful parents who most of the time loved me. Like most kids I had my moments of mischief, like the time Dad caught me smoking, gave me a whollipping I never forget. Then Mom found the packet of cigerettes, told dad and I got another whollipping. How dumb could you get!!Anyway most of the time I was good, never really got into any mischieve.

I remember people asking Mom "Is that your child? she looks nothing like you" well Mom said she got sick of the questioning, so told them what they wanted to hear "No she's adopted" that normally shut them up. Well a seed was planted in my small head, and until today I sometimes wonder ... I do look like my fatherside of the family, so just maybe there is a grain of truth there somewhere. Jokingly I mentioned this to my mother on the last visit to South Africa, when once again her neighbour uttered the same words, and she gave the same reply jokingly ... I asked are you sure my aunt is not really my mother.

Always had a special place in my heart for my aunt, a secret wonder if she is not my real mother. We had a little family gathering to catch up with my Dad's brother and sister, I hadn't seen them in 18 yrs, wow that's along time. Dad passed away in Sept 1999. We had a great time reminising. My Aunt dropped me off and while we were driving, we chatted away happily. I realised how very much alike we were, even looking alike. How strange is that! But When it came to saying goodbye, it felt like a little piece of my was torn apart, leaving a hole in my heart. Gave her such a big hug, poor woman proably had no idea why.

Oh how I wish I was brave enough to have asked that question, would I just have made a fool of myself. I am 50 something what does it matter anyway.

Until nexttime
Rina

Tea anyone?

2010-04-02T05:10:00.000-07:00

Your invited to check out what we doing this Easter long weekend, so hop on over to the other blog. It's going to be a 3 part session to please come back again.

Have a lovely peaceful Easter weekend.

Rina

Ons verk van die hitte, nou dans ek maar die "RainDance"

2010-03-20T02:45:00.000-07:00

Posted on Twisted Sisters 18 Dec2009.

En daar reen dit mos vanoggend, en dit drizzle nou nog saggies daar buite. Ek het geploeg en saad gegooi so in gister se hitte. Nou is Ek ook baie dankbaar vir die reen want daar sonder kon die fire manne nou nog gesukkel het om daardie groot vure dood te kry. Dit het gebrand so 40km hier vandan jy kon dit ruik.

Gister was dit oor die 42 buite, die catte het met oop bekkies gesit, vir die hoender het ek die grond in hul hokke natgespuit en gereelt water verander. Daisy het maar daar langs die volksie gele ... Almal het gevrek van die hitte.

Toe begin die weerlig en donderslaai, maar die reen nie hier in Mulgoa nie, verder af in die straat staan die polle water ...... Manlief kom huis toe so 3 uur, dis nou 'n wonderwerk dat hy die gemaak het, want hy het mos die pin no vergeet vir die petrol card vir diesel ingooi en het maar gebid hy maak die huis. (Ons haak maar die sleepwa met die kubbus tank vir water gaan haal daar by die villiage rural fire plek. En spuit maar met die tuinslang nat.)

Kyk ek gee op, wat gaan van my man word eendag. Vanmiddag gaan trek ek geld om die huur te betaal by die Nab en loop oor die straat en bank dit weer by die Common Wealth. Seg hy mos nou fill jy nie eers 'n vorm in nie?! Hy gee maar sy salaris elke week vir my dan moet ek maar doen wat nodig is.

Het ek julle al vertel van my volksie, ek werk mos daar by die servo, find mos uit van 'n wrecker wat volksies het, gaan kyk ook sommer. Daar staan sy met haar baby crap mostert sonder oe en haar binnegoed wil nie meer werk nie gesies, die kerel wil nog $400 vir haar he. Daar besluit ek sy's myne. Betaal hom ook sommer en reel vir 'n towtruck pannelbeater toe. Om 'n lang storie kort te maak Vandag sit sy in haar mooi cremesoda kleur daar onder die afdak met 'n bersie oor haar ronde rug en hou Daisy geselskaap. Julle sal maar vir my moet kans gee om oor haar te skryf as julle meer wil weet. (en my skoonpa se sondes), daar is nou 'n storie hoor.
see ya Rina_________________

My Volla storie en skoonpa

2010-03-19T03:00:00.000-07:00

Jare terug na my divorce, toe my seuns nog baie klein was (30yrs ago) vir Mr X nie onderhoud betaal nie maar net $40 elk 'n maand, suip dit eerder uit. Ek jag hom so dat hy maar uiteindelik vir my 'n ou volla gee, miskien die nuwe girlfriend se volla. Ek wat dit sommer en hy sign sommer die kinder af ook. so dis volla no 1. (ek is mal oor vollas)

Ek gaan kuier so bietjie by ou kerel (first love hoor)met 2 kleingoed en daar is hy so desperate vir 'n vrou, hy wat sommer my met 2 kleintjie en al. Skoonma is te bly want sy het geweet eendag is eendag.... Nou skoonpa is iets anders, nou praat ek sleg van die dood maar kan nie lieg nie, hy suip soos 'n vis en rook 2 pakkies 'n dag, behandel skoonma soos... nou het julle die prentjie.

ML en Ek besluit ons wil SWA toe vir werk by Tsumbe se myn, maar ons kan nie 2 karre wat nie, so ML reel by skoonouers dat volla daar onder die afdak staan vir 2 jr of tot ons dit in SWA kan kry. No problem seg hy. Na 'n paar maande kry ons 'n gelendheid om volla te vervoer, bel SOuers. Sorry boetie maar SP het dit verkoop vir spares en drank gekoop .... my hart wil gaan staan van kwaadword, speechless ek se jou. ML belowe om eendag weer vir my een te koop.

Ons trek Durban toe, en alles is reg, kinder geniet hulle skole en die lewe gaan maar aan. ML begin sy eie besigheid en doen so good hy koop vir my 'n rooi Merc met spoilers en wind dinges op die boot. Hy trade nogal my Toyota Cressida s/w in vir die Merc (alles vir 'n verrassing wanneer Ek, 3 kinders en my Ma terugkom van vakansie) Ek is glad nie happy nie!!! Hoe doen mens nou lift club met 'n Merc?

Toe kom ons OZ toe, koop sommer 'n ou Falcon S/W maar na 6 maande smash ek die ding. Nou trein ons dit maar, pla my net as ek groceries koop. Toe eendag sien ek 'n wit volla vir $2500 by die car yard, en ek koop haar. Ons ry die hele wereld vol, van Wagga Wagga toe Orange toe Barrington Tops en Dungog. Ek soek plaas en kyk waar ek wil koop eendag. Ons verken die plek behoorlik.

Ek praat met die manne daar bly die volla plek, hy sit 'n grooter engine vir my in en maak reg die vloerpanne.( Ons het die flintstone brieke begin gebruik met daardie gat in die vloer.) Ek ry van Hurstville na Dural 5 dae 'n week, my baas is so nice hy sit skoon vir my petrol in elke week.

Toe hoor ek mos van daardie babycrap volla daar by die wreckers, sonder oe en gesiesde engine. Ek kry haar so jammer en koop haar, laai haar op en vat haar panelebeaters toe. Hy probeer my druk vir so wynrooi kleur maar ek het cremesoda in my kop. Ek koop net karre boeke met buds in en sien 'n volla net soos ek myne wil he. Dis 'n lang projek die, hy probeer nog steeds sy wynrooi storie. Maar uitendelik is sy reg vir verf, en hulle sit alles mooi aanmekaar. Sy ry lekker op die towtruck na die volla winkel, daar maak hulle een volla van die twee, haal 'n paar goed af van die wit volla, sit haar engine in die ander .... Uit endelik is sy klaar met haar nuwe interior en sitplekke, mooi cremesoda geverf en nuwe exhaurst. Ek ry die hele wereld vol.

Ons word verplaas Albury-Wodonga toe en eendag ry ons nog so, toe kom so volla by ons verby en wragtig dis die volla in die tydskrif. Kan jy glo... dog eers iemand het my volla gesteel. Nou staan sy maar daar onder die afdak met 'n bersie oor haar rug sonder licence omdat ons 'n werks voertuig het en dan nog 'n ander kar. Daisy hou haar maar geselskaap as dit so warm word. Fluit fluit my storie is uit.

Until nexttime
Rina

Lui Huisvrou Storie

2010-02-26T02:10:00.000-08:00

Lui Huisvrou storie.Ok Betsy hier hy.... posted on Twisted Sister April 2009

Dis nou so 26 jaar gelede maar nog so vars soos gister. Manlief het begin werk by Tsumbe myn se smelter (Namibia) Ons kry "n myn huis so op "n hoek erf, net 'n kloesietjie gras hier en daar, anders net rooi grond. Oorkant bly Retha, manlief en 2 kleingoed. Langs ons is 'n Engelse paartjie nog vars uit Engeland. Albei is nice maar ek kuier by Retha, dis nou nie Retha van Canada nie, maar so blonde dingetjie.

Kyk sy was nou die beste voorbeeld vir enige vrou, moeder en partner. Baie dae het sy my so siek gehad van wonderlik wees ( was wasgoed , opgehang, was weer wasgoed, stoele word gepak op die tafel en was elke oggend die vloere ... Die sagte diertjies hang aan hulle ore op die wasgoed draad om droogte word, gewonder of die kinders ooit met hulle mag speel. Elke dag word daardie shoulderlength blonde hare gewas en in krullers gesit dan mooi gekam, gesig geplak so net voordat liefie huis toe kom. Kinder klaargeeet en gebad by 4 uur. (Myne hol nog vuil buite rond.)

My grootste vrees was Retha voor middag so oorkom, want sien ek was nou nie die beste huisvrou nie, het eerder tuin gemaak, gecraft of gelees. Een oggend klop sy mos voor 9am en dis mos die oggend wat ek op 'n half opgemaakte bed le en boek lees en wasbak propvol ontbyt skottelgoed is. Ek wens die aarde wil my insluk, net daar en dan besluit nooit weer lees ek boek toedat die huis skoon is nie. PS ek like nog steeds nie huiswerk nie

Maar Maureen die engelse nooitjie was die beste. Ken glad nie naartjies nie, wil ook nie probeer nie so ons eet lekker naartjie uit haar tuin. Manlief kom een aand van werk in met 'n bree smile op sy bek......se langsaan se kamer lig brand, gordyne oop en buurvroutjie spring daar rond topless met 'n blikkie gif spuitgoed agter vlie aan. Sies se ek hoekom het jy gekyk... wat anders moes ek doen se hy.

Jong ek het baie kopgeskud vir Maureen, gereeld hols wasgoed draad toe in haar onderklere. Enitlik het ons baie lekker gebly daar in SuidWes. Baie gaan vis vang by Henties en vars gerookte vis gewoonlik snoek of angelvis by Swakopmond gekoop. En Etosha panne was maar net 'n uur van ons. Te lekker.

Until next time
Groete Rina_________________

How to Preserve a Husband.

2010-02-24T12:04:00.000-08:00

It's taken from 'The Aunt Daisy Cookbook with household tips" and it's great :D ... Borrowed from Sue'blog so hop on over there and leave her a comment, thanks.

How to preserve a husband

Be careful in your selection. Do not choose too young.

When once selected, give your entire thoughts to preparation for domestic use.

Some insist on keeping them in a pickle, others are constantly getting them into hot water.This may make them sour, hard and sometimes bitter. Even poor varieties may be made sweet, tender and good by garnishing them with patience, well sweetened with love and seasoned with kisses.

Wrap them in a mantle of of charity. Keep warm with a steady fire of domestic devotion and serve with peaches and cream.Thus prepared, they will keep for year

2010-02-13T13:26:00.000-08:00

Suurdeeg beskuit

Hierdie is my ma se resep wat sy vir my oor die foon gegee het eendag. Nou sy maak gewoonlik haar besluit met die aartappel plantjie maar maak dit ook party keer met droe gis. Ek gebruik net die droe gis, he tnie tyd vir aartappelplantjie makery nie.

2.5kg koek meel (in Canada het ons net all-purpose flour)
8 afgeskutte teelepels droe gis op 250ml lou water
500ml suiker
3/4 pond botter
25ml of dan 2 eetlepels anys - as jy van anys in die beskuit hou
2 afgeskutte teelepels sout
750ml melk
4 eiers

Gooi die droe gis in die lou water. Laat dit staan. As die gis moet begin rys voordat jy dit gebruik. Hier in Canada het ek 2 soorte gis gesien: Fleischmann's Traditional active dry yeast en Fleischmann's Quick rise instant yeast. Ek koop die instant yeast, want die ander een staan te lank voordat dit begin. Boonop kan jy die instant yeast een aanmaak en amper onmiddelik ingooi sonder om regtig vir dit te wag. Ek laat dit net biejtie staan om seker te maak die gis werk nog.

Gooi die melk in 'n pot, gooi die suiker en botter daarin en laat smelt dit Wanneer klaar gesmelt, laat afkoel tot lou. Klits die eiers in die melk mengsel in. Gooi die suurdeeg in die melkmengsel nadat dit begin rys het. Meng die meel, sout en anys saam. Maak 'n gat in die middel en gooi die vloeistof daarin. Knie nou alles vir so plus-minus 10 minute. Die deeg moet glad en elasties wees. Jou deeg moet nog lou wees teen die tyd wat jy dit toemaak want anders het dit nie hitte om te help met die rys nie. Maak die skottel mooi toe sodat dit hitte kan hou. Omdat dit nie baie warm by my is nie, maak ek dit toe en sit dit in my spaarkamer met die deur toe en laat dit oornag staan.

So ek sal my beskuit deeg aanmaak in die aand. Dan knie ek dit die volgende oggend net so 'n bietjie . Ek smeer dan my panne met botter. Jy kan seker cook-'n-spray ook gebruik as jy wil Dan maak ek bolletjies. sit 'n biejtie botter tussen elke bolletjie. Oral waar die volgende bolletjie aan 'n ander bolletjie raak, kom so 'n klein bietjie botter. My ma het altyd 'n opgebondelde vadoek onder die agterste punt van die pan gesit sodat die pan skuins kan staan. ek neem aan dis sodat die bolletjies mooi teen mekaar insak. Ek maak ook maar so. As jy klaar is, dan klop jy 'n eier in bietjie melk en smeer die bolletjies aan die bokant daarmee met 'n kwas. Dis maar net dat die besluit daardie mooi bruin blink kop kan he agterna. Dan maak jy weer die beskuit toe en laat staan dit vir so 'n halfuur om weer te rys. Jy kan dit laat staan todat die bolletjies gerys het tot bo gelyk met die pan of jy kan jou oond op lou sit en dan die panne insit totdat die beskuit hoog genoeg gerys het en dan draai jy jou oond op na 180 grade celsius vir so 'n uur of tot mooi goud bruin bo op.

Laat afkoel en breek dan die bolleties uit mekaar. Hulle behoort mooi te deel daar waar jy die botter aangesmeer het. Jy kan die beskuit dan droog as jy wil. My man is mal oor nat beskuit. So ek sal genoeg vir een ontbyt sessie in plastiek sakkies pak en dit dan vries. Dan haal ek dit uit soos ons dit wil eet. Ek is te bang my beskuit muf, dis hoekom ek dit vries.

Baie Dankie Retha vir die recipe, ek soek nou al lank al vir die resep. En ek is seker daar nog Expats wat ook beskuit sal wil bak. Weer eers Dankie.

Until nexttime
Rina

Your invited to check out my other Blog

2010-02-12T14:05:00.000-08:00

You might have noticed this blog is my story blog, a place to remember events and even the little things that happens in our lives and then some more ..... but if you would like more, just hop over to Our Slice Of Heaven Here you can read more and there's a few nice recipes as well. So if ever your heading to Sydney, let us know by leaving a comment on any post here, love to meet up for some good old country cooking.

Look forward to seeing you there.

Until Nexttime

Rina

2010-01-31T00:01:00.000-08:00

Always remember you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. ~Harriet Tubman.

New ID Please

2010-01-29T16:23:00.000-08:00

Wat kan ek se ... Julle ken mos, jy wag en jy wag nog vir "The Department of Binnelandse sake" dis soos daardie tou waar jy staan om by die Dame uit te kom, dan moet jy nou weer in 'n ander tou gaan staan om te betaal. Jy staan voor en daar lui madame se selfoon, no problem, sy klets lekker eers voor sy jou help, terwyl jy wag. Nou jy will iets se maar hou jou maar in. Vandaar moet jy soos 'n krimeneel jou finger prints laat neem. Ek's op holidays, kuier by Ma, so ek het baie tyd, no problem. En hulle se dis reg 8 weke dan kan jy maar weer in die tou staan, of first phone this number. En ons maak so baie dankie. Ek hou maar lekker holidays vir 2 weeks en vang daardie direct flight back to Sydney.

8 weeks gaan verbly, Ma bel, no marrem, it's like this, here's one form jou never filled in, jou now have to come back and fill it in personally. But ... personally here in front of me ... Ma ry soontoe en vra waar's die vorm, kan sy sien en explain weer but she's in OZ. Personally ... sy draai haar rug en voorst gaps ma die vorm en uit by die deur. Ma pos die vorm na OZ, nou hoegemaak, miskien Camberra toe en teken dit voor hulle. So oulikke Dame help ons, vertel die storie, Dawn lag maar lekker en se she's never seen this form before. Let just apply from this side. en ons maak ook so. Apply sommer vir manlief se nuwe paasport.

Gister kom die groot koevert Registered Mail by die werk aan en raai wat my nuwe ID en die prentjie is nie te bad nie hoor al moet ek dit self se. Yahoo nou kan ek terug SA toe om daardie bank rekening te gaan oop maak. Ma worry haar vrek as iets gebeur met haar dan kry die goverment van die dag haar geld. Kyk sy sal regtig kom spook by hulle.

Until nexttime
Rina

The Mayonaise Jar

2010-01-28T22:26:00.001-08:00

Thanks Marna for sharing.

When things in your life seemAlmost too much to handle,When 24 Hours in a day is not enough,Remember the mayonnaise jar And 2 cups of coffee.
A professor stood before his philosophy class And had some items in front of him.When the class began, wordlessly, He picked up a very largeand empty mayonnaise jarAnd proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the studentsIf the jar was full.They agreed that it was.The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the openAreas between the golf balls. He then askedThe students againIf the jar was full..They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand And poured it into the jar.Of course, the sand filled up everything else.He asked once more if the jar was full.The students responded With an unanimous "yes." The professor then producedTwo cups of coffee from under the tableAnd poured the entire contents Into the jar, effectively Filling the Empty space between the sand. The students laughed."Now," said the professor,As the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize thatThis jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things - God, family, children, health,Friends, and Favorite passions -- Things that if everything else waslost And only they remained, Your life would still be full.The pebbles are the other things that matter Like your job, house, and car.The sand is everything else --The small stuff."If you put the sand into the jar first,"He continued,"there is no room forThe pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.If you spend all your timeAnd energy on the small stuff,You will never have room forThe things that areImportant to you. So...Pay attention to the thingsThat are critical to your happiness.Play With your children. Take time to get medical checkups.Take your partner out to dinner.Play another 18.

There will always be time To clean the houseAnd fix the disposal."Take care of the golf balls first --The things that really matter. Set your priorities.The rest is just sand."One of the students raised her handAnd inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked".It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,there's always room for A couple of cups of coffee with a friend."Please share this withSomeone you care about.I JUST DID.

45 Lessons life taught me

2010-01-24T10:48:00.000-08:00

This is something we should all read at least once a week!!!!!
Make sure you read to the end!!!!!! Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio
"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16.. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words : 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything.. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come...
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

" Its estimated 93% won't forward this. If you are one of the 7% who will, forward this with the title '7%'. I'm in the 7%. Friends are the family that we choose for ourselves.

I dream of living in a cottage.

2010-01-18T16:05:00.000-08:00

How would you describe living in the past in this lovely cottage, the roof has faded to a dusty pink. A garden full of beautiful flowers and railing out the front. Maybe a pretty pink banksia rose climbing over a hedge at the back. Somewhere inside the smell of homemade scones being servived with a little strawberry jam and cream. I know I fell in love with this painting and had to buy it. The artist is Mrs Carmel Busfield from Sydney.

To my great supprise I found an email from Mrs Carmel Busfield Wow can you believe that! Telling me she saw her painting on my blog. First thing I thought maybe she might not be so happy about that, but then it's so pretty. So I email her back and asking if that alright with her. I am still pinching myself, what are the chances of such a lovely artist reading my blog and finding her painting there. I hope we could maybe someday meet for cup of tea and maybe share that scones, jam and cream.

Until nexttime

Rina

2010-01-18T15:38:00.000-08:00

Three Yuletime Stories

2009-12-21T12:45:00.000-08:00

A gift of writing to share with my friends and family. No I am not the writer of these stories but please leave a comment for this talented writer. A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for everyone.

Mercian Muse Thank you for sharing Sarah.

Rosemary's Garden

2009-12-19T20:09:00.000-08:00

Good Friends are like Stars .....
You don't always see them,
but you know they are there .....

I remember the days when you used to show me around your garden, dig up a little bit of this and that to plant. Not one of those designer gardens with only 5 different varieties, Murrayas and more marrayas and lots of paving. No it was a surprise garden, you name it and you loved to plant it. Lots of bees and birds visited your bottlebrush trees in the driveway. The little green tree frogs lived just outside you dining room window in the golden cane palms next to the little pond. stepping stones around the side of the house inviting you to follow into a wonderland of plants. Old John was your righthand man, he stay at your Mom's Alice's house in his little room he made homely for himself. He was just about a member of the clan.

You would kick off you black bata's runners just outside your front door and we would have a cup of tea together, sometime Dawn would join us. The kids were all such good friends .....

Then thing changed, we moved away to another continent, we all experienced change of some kind but life goes on, and we learn to cope. We grow older and start having grandkids of our own, Little Nathan with his wide baby smile and Leigh who growing up faster than you would like. Each holding a very special place in your heart. You are one very special Lady My Friend Rosie. The bond of friendship between us stays strong, we will be friends forever.

Love ya
Rina

Rosie

2009-12-18T13:28:00.000-08:00

This message Was sent to me by my very special friend Rosie on Facebook, and before it disappears for ever I wanted a special place to remember it by. It's really just meant for me but I am not the special one. My friend Rosie is, she nursed her very sick husband Roy to the end, and you can tell it was true love, even now. Love ya my friend.

My Dear Dear Friend, I thank you again for opening you home to Roy, William an myself, when we were last in Aus........ So Long ago now...... But;, the way you opened your heart and home to us when we needed it most; will never ever be forgotten. I still remember you cooking all Roy's favourite foods and sneaking ou...t to buy groceries, so that I could not insist on paying for them!!! You; my girl are one amazing friend!!! I am so blessed to be able to call you my dear friend. A friendship like that is so hard to come by. I am indeed, so extremely fortunate to have you touch my life!!!! I wish all of your Family a really wonderful Xmas, But to you my dear darling friend; I wish I could give you all your heart desires, because when you were made, the mould was definately broken, you are truly a really "special person!!!!".....And, even though you are so far away, you are always in my mind and heart. Lots of Hugs, Love and Thoughts my Darling XXXXXXX

See now you made me cry ... Rosie you will always be my friend ... we live far away but your never far from our thoughts and prayers. Best Wishes and hugs for the Boys, their Families and a special hug for you too. love Ya Rina

From my Garden

2009-12-18T03:28:00.000-08:00

Could you have a better recycled flower pot than a old garbage can.

For all the cat lovers out there and holidays.

2009-12-16T14:26:00.000-08:00

I just been browsing this morning and found a wonderful writer, so please go visit her blog, if only I could be so creative as this Lady.

http://www.wethreecats.blogspot.com/

Kiti, this one is for you my friend.

Let me tell you when you have as many cat as we do, (don't tell the landlord please, they stay right next door, and still havent worked it out, touch wood), you realise cats are very special creatures. We lost old Chester a while back from old age, so our tally is 6 atm. Most are getting older now, so they will go to cat heaven soon. Sad but it part of life.

I will be away at the farm for a full 5 weeks leaving 26th Dec, taking Daisy the Goat and 11 ewes and lambs with me. Ever heard of sheep going on holidays! It's all that lovely green grass we got there. The heavens have been good to us ... lots of rain and lots of feed for my animals.

I will be trying to post on Our Slice of Heaven www.pumpkinpatchgarden.blogspot.com which is going to be hard as is, cause were we going there is no power, no phone reception except for G3 mobiles and I don't have one of those. But I will need to drive to town for supplies a few times then I could use the internet cafe.

So unless you hear from me before that. I wish you and your familie a lovely Christmas and am even better New Year.

Until nexttime
Rina

Christmas Quiz

2009-12-15T21:14:00.000-08:00

I borrowed this from another blogger

As you bask in the glow of your finely lit Christmas tree, gather the family for a bookish Christmas quiz. Each paragraph below is a quote from seven beloved Christmas books. Guess the title of the book that corresponds to the quote. Sounds easy peasey, right? Well, I'm not going to give you the titles that derive from contemporary, classic and children's books. Answers found at the link titled "Christmas Quiz Answers". May I suggest a plate of angel-shaped cookies and eggnog to accompany your brain activity?

A. "The Kranks are skipping Christmas! No party! No tree! Nothing but money in their pockets so they can blow it on a cruise.

"B. "I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.

"C. Chapter title "My Old Man And The Lascivious Special Award That Heralded The Birth Of Pop Art

"D. "Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas… perhaps… means a little bit more.

"E. "You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of underdone potato. There's more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!

"F. "The Herdmans were absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. They lied and stole and smoked cigars (even the girls) and talked dirty and hit little kids and cussed their teachers and took the name of the Lord in vain and set fire…

"G. "His eyes-how they twinkled! His dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

"H. "On Christmas Eve, many years ago, I lay quietly in my bed. I did not rustle the sheets. I was listening for a sound—a sound a friend had told me I'd never hear—the ringing bells of Santa's sleigh.

"I. "…the Man, the Connection, Santa Claus himself"

J. "More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, and he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"K. "God bless us every one!"

Christmas Quiz (copy)
http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2009/12/christmas-quiz-copy.html
at 9:18 AM
Tags: Booktalk

1 valued comments:

Sharon said...
A. Skipping Christmasb.
A Christmas Carolc. In god We Trust, All Others Pay Cashd.
How the Grinch Stole Christmase.
A Christmas Carolf.The Best Christmas Pageant Everg The Night Before christmash
The Polar Expressi.
In God We Trust, all others pay cashj.
The Night Before Christmask.
A Christmas CarolI think I got them all.
I read The Best Christmas Pageant ever last year. I watch A Christmas Story every year and have read the book once (In God We Trust...) this was fun!