So Close

We are going to be on TV again

Just a quickie to let you know that we are going to be on TV this Sunday 31st July at 5pm SABC3 on a program called "Hello Doctor" with Michael Moll. The show is on infertility.  

If I come across as a complete idiot, then please pretend you never saw the show.  It's bad enough hearing your voice on an answering machine - you can imagine how cringe worthy it is to see yourself on TV. 

I won!! New York, here I come!

Woo hoo!!  I won!  I won the RESOLVE Night of Hope Best Book award for 2011!! I am SO excited and so very honoured to have been recognized by my peers.  Thanks to all of you who voted for me, who have read my book and who have cared about my story.  (Hey, that sounds like an acceptance speech!)

I am determined to go to New York to attend the event. I know it is very far and very expensive but I so badly want to go!  I have never been to America before, can you believe it.  And going to New York is on my bucket list. I am hoping to get some sponsorship towards the flight or accommodation as I can't afford it without, but I am going to do my utmost to get there.

I am SO excited and also bloody terrified.  New York!!  I feel like a farm girl going to the big city.

So, I need advice - any suggestions as to where I should stay in New York?  I would prefer to stay close to the shops etc, but not right in the middle of all the night clubs and bars (FAR too old for that). I would like something affordable (ha!) yet not a dive.  Anyone got a spare apartment I could rent for a week?

I am ridiculously nervous about going to New York.  I am not sure why?  New York just seems fast and scary and exciting and wonderful and terrifying, all at the same time. 

The event is on Tuesday the 13th September at Guastavinos 409 East 59th Street, New York.  I will probably arrive on the Friday or Saturday before and leave on the Wed or Thursday afterwards.  

I would love to meet with anyone who lives close by enough to come for lunch / a drink

OMG! This is soooo exciting!  But first I need to get there.  Anyone who owns their own airline / hotel chain / apartment in New York, feel free to raise your hand now.

PS Cocktail attire!!  Will need to buy a frock as well! I have no frocks!!

PPS I am so excited. Can you tell?

A sad story about a spider

The children know that when I am in my study working, they are not to disturb me. The rules are no calling me, no talking to me*.  However, the rules do not mention anything about doing a pictorial.  

Kate came into my study this afternoon with a cross face, lips pressed tightly together (no talking remember!) gesticulating wildly at a piece of paper.  

Because the story wasn't immediately apparent, I asked her to explain:  

You'll notice a smiling Adam and a sad Kate with a crossed out heart between them. This is because Adam broke Kate's heart by letting her spider out the jar ON PURPOSE!  The spider then ran away and Kate was left without a spider.  The triangle was drawn in error and has no relation to the story. She circled the spider and the jar to indicate the how serious the infraction was.

After a few sympathetic words, I steered her out the door suggesting that she finds a replacement spider to make herself feel a bit better.  

Brothers can be very annoying.

*Please note that although the rules are clear and unequivocal, absolutely no one adheres to them.  

And the winner is......

We have a winner of the R5,000 on my reviews blog. So exciting to be part of this, yay! 

Fluffy

This is Fluffy, our rescue dog.  Named by Kate because she liked the name, not because of any fluffiness whatsoever.  One doesn't argue with Kate.

Fluffy is such a sweet dog.  Naughty as hell, but nothing other than typical puppy behaviour. She has chewed everything movable and immovable in the yard but that is par for the course with a puppy. 

Fluffy was rescued from a squatter camp as a puppy and she certainly has come a long way. She has a beautiful personality and is fantastic with the kids.  One thing she hasn't lost from her rough start to life is her attitude towards food - she treats every meal as though it might be her last. Poor Shelly* looks on in horror as Fluffy just about breathes in the food in her hurry to eat it all before someone else does.  

One of my favourite things to do is to try and guess what breeds Fluffy has in her lineage.  She has the colouring of a Rottweiler, the tail of a German Shepard, the face of a Staffie.  She has the body of a ............ (insert medium sized dog type here).  Not as stocky as a Staffie, but smaller than a Rottweiler.  Which is perfect because a medium sized dog is exactly what I wanted.  I also like that she isn't fluffy.  We already have one VERY fluffy dog whose long hair goes everywhere. 

Fluffy is perfect - she looks scary'ish (hence fulfilling one of the important requirements of her job as watch dog) but is really sweet and loving with the kids (which is the other requirement of her job - being a good companion).

*Shelly also named by Kate.  Kate names all the animals in our house. The chickens are called Dootch and Detch. No idea she got those names from. The bunny is Jackie and the chameleon is Wilbur.  Wilbur has long since climbed off into the wilderness but apparently we are still entitled to call him our pet.

I can't believe I just blogged about my dog. I think I am going to go do some work now to balance out the gratuitous arbitrary dog post. Bye.

 

Like mother like daughter

It is not always a pleasant experience to hear yourself in your children.  It is like having a mirror that reflects your most annoying habits.  Kate has mastered the art of sarkiness and I am afraid I only have myself to blame.

I am ashamed to say that I sometimes say not-very-proper-mommy things.  For example, when they have a hissy fit and want something that I clearly, logically can NOT give them this very minute (because it doesn't exist / isn't in the house / is finished etc), then I have been known to say things like "Where would you like me to get XYZ? Pull it out my bum??"  I heard Kate tell Adam the other day: Adam, where would you like mom to get that from?  Out her bum???"  Must try a more moderate approach. 

Combine this sarky attitude with the odd unplanned exposure to teen TV (why do they put teen TV in the middle of fine programming like Spongebob and The Might B??) and you get some some interesting Kate'isms.  I'll give you three recent examples:

1.  After making me really cross recently, I sent Kate to her room as punishment. I marched after her and went off on a long tirade of how disappointed I was in her behaviour and how cross she makes me when she is ugly to her brother etc and after eventually winding down to a close she nods her head and says: "and your point is.....?"  MY POINT IS THAT I AM GOING TO PUNISH YOU UNTIL NEXT YEAR IF YOU DO THIS AGAIN!!!!  I was both cross and laughing on the inside at the same time.  

2.  The second incident happened last night. We have a rule that they can play on their iPads for about 15 minutes after brushing their teeth and before lights out.  We then go in and kiss them goodnight and take their iPads away.  So last night I went in to say "Right, that was long enough, time for sleep".  Nooo, they moaned, that wasn't long!!  "Yes it WAS" I say.  Kate replies in a posh accent: "Mom, I believe the word you are looking for is WASN'T.  I believe the word I am looking for is GO TO SLEEP IMMEDIATELY.

3.  This morning Kate didn't want to eat breakfast and asked for a banana instead. I said fine. Half way through she changed her mind. I opened my mouth to have a moan at her and she holds up her hand and says dramatically:  "Wait, wait! I know what you are going to say:  'Blah blah wasting food blah blah'".

My family and friends will tell you that Kate is my just reward for everything that I am and was. She keeps me on my toes.

PS I know reading the above will make toes of strict parents all over the world curl in horror. I could try break her spirit down but I prefer to keep it intact and have her keep her character while remaining appropriately respectful. I think she knows enough to know when it is appropriate to be 'funny' (ie at home) and when it isn't (ie at school / in other people's company). So far so good.  

 

PPS Yes, I know that watching TV, playing on iPads before bedtime, eating bananas for breakfast, sending children to their rooms for punishment, sassiness and lying on tiled floors is terrible parenting and will cause my children to become dreadful delinquents. My poor children.  What a cursed life they have, we obviously need help.  Prayers and small cash donations are welcome.

Best friends

Kate's BFF came for a sleep over last night (for the first time).  They had a fantastic time and spent every second together, not letting even a minor inconvenience like a toilet break interrupt their bonding.