Eeeeee

Wandies

A quick lunch and sneaky view of the Sharkies before we head off to THE concert.

Tucked away in Soweto, it's not what I think of when I think Shebeen, but the wors rolls are meant to be great.

A perfect place to clear our heads and do a little warm up stretch.

A Teaser

2 sleeps left... let's get in the mood!

Here is Back Down South

I'm Excited!

Are you excited?
I'M SO EXCITED!

You all know the missions we have been through to try and see Kings Of Leon live. Big Missions!
And not just Frank and I, a whole bunch of us!

With only 3 sleeps left, I thought I'd share this, and let you get excited too!



p.s. did I mention that I'm excited?

Tuesday's Tip

Not really a tip, but this early, and pre-coffee, I couldn't think of a synonym for quote that started with a T.


Today's Tuesday Quote comes from this article that Elle did on Hanneke Schutte of Handsome Things. 


‘Who you are today and who you’ll be in five years depends on two things: the people you meet and the books you read.’ – Twyla Tharp


What am I reading:



Image from here                                                             and here

So I guess you'll have to hold 5 years to see how they shape me. :)

What are you reading?

Let it be

My first re-blog from Sunshine Children - the littlest Miss V.

Sent to you by Robyn via Google Reader:

Let it be

via look for the girl with the sun in her eyes by Seh on 10/24/11

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I'm A Fool In The Morning

Sooooo this morning I was late for work because, in typical Robyn style, I second guessed myself on my way out of Secunda. Panic panic.

Turned around. Cursed myself  for being silly. Turned around again. Still didn’t look right so turned around again. Turned on Garmy Garms who told me to make a U Turn, turned off Garmy Garms.

Phoned Frank with my tail between my legs- at this point there may or may not have been a frustrated sniffle.

Couldn’t explain where I was properly so sent a picture to Frank. Was going the right way all along.

Turned the corner and hey... I know where I am now.

So my bright red, embarrassed-for-being-such-a-fool face and I put foot and would have gotten to work on time had it not been for The Germiston Traffic which basically involves my Teal car looking like silverside beef in a truck sandwich. Not ideal. Neither was the enormous wee belly and burnt mouth I had from the amazing travel mug of hot hot hot coffee. 

Deep breath....

Ok Monday, give me your best shot. 

The Yardt at Trichardt

A little breakfast trip to The Yardt Tea Garden in Trichardt. Who says there's nothing to do in Secunda!

Filled with beautiful things, food and flowers. Now that's my kind of place! Like the waitress even needs to ask what I'm having... Blueberry pie, obviously!

Not a bad way to spend a Saturday morning!

Joburg Driving 101

Overall, I think I am a relatively calm driver.

I have accepted that in order to live and work in Joburg I will get stuck in traffic every now and then everyday, so I pack my little road snack and make sure I have music.

I have accepted that taxi's push in and if you don't let them go they will smash into you, and I have accepted that 99% of the time, trucks can't see my teal little Spark when they're changing lanes. It's ok.

I keep my safe following distance (which is abused by as many drivers who think they can fit into it) and always check my blind spots.

Now, I'm not claiming to be a professional driver, or even in the top 10 000 drivers on the Joburg roads, but when I was learning to drive, I was told that if I want to change lanes I should indicate.

However, it seems that my driving teacher, driving book and license examiner were all big fat liars because in Joburg, especially in peak hour traffic, indicating is optional!

Seriously... I am the ONLY fool doing it! All the cool kids just weave in and out flicker-less.

I found these pics:
 


But you know, they are from the Driving School of Ireland website under the Vehicle Safety sections, so perhaps they don't apply here.

Come on people! Indicate! Even if it's just to add some twinkles to the roads at night.

ok. rant over.

For Realsies?

Do you see that? Right there at the bottom... I WON SOMETHING! Possible only the second prize I have ever won! Wooo Hooo

Brandslut had a competition (the one where I spammed you all with emails about purdy makeup) and she picked me!
Will post picks when my prize arrives!!!

- = +

Last week Wednesday Gareth Cliff was talking about No Negativity Wednesday.
On this day you are allowed to delete negative people from FB, Twitter and your life in general. Well, you can do it any day but on Wednesday's especially!

So in keeping with my efforts to Be More Positive, which I decided to start last night, I am looking for all the silver linings, upsides, other hands and all round Better News I can find. Here's my list for today so far:

I overslept by 40 minutes this morning                I have a lovely warm bed and am now well rested
The traffic was redonkulous this morning            I had a handy coffee mug for the journey
Saw a knocked down man in a gutter                It was not me
JLo and Bradley Cooper are serious                  Ok, I have no plus for this.

But you get the picture. Hope you are all having a great No Negativity Wednesday!

How To Round Off The Work Day

Carrot cake, cuppa and a colleague tea party :)

Thanks T

I Wish I Could

Make pretty things like this:

New Jean Pant Sunday

I would usually say that jean shopping with a post-David Guetta concert hangover is a bad idea.
Normally I spend hours and hours trying on different shapes, colours, styles, sizes, and end up with an unswiped card and a serious case of jeanpression.

But on Sunday it turned out to be a very,very good idea.

I wandered into Woolies, picked up one pair of jeans, tried them on, paid and left. Done.
This has never happened to me. Ever.

It's either Woolies, David Guetta or a little left over Birthday magic... either way today I'm singing my version of Ri-Ri's "Cheers to the freaking weekend":
"I got my new jeans on and I'm feeling hella cool today"

p.s. Thanks Parentals :)

Johannesburg Motor Show

I have been asked to finish this sentence:
"Hey, it's a beautiful day in Joburg, let's go to the ... "

So in true Joburger style, I followed the masses of locals to the Johannesburg Motor Show to marvel at the brilliance of man and I've gotta tell ya, we're a pretty clever bunch!

I've set my Next Car Goal and added a few to the In My Dreams list.

The new Mercedes A Class (concept, beautiful concept) and F-Cell were especially cool but then again, what do I know about cars.

Happy Birthday Jae!

This week is FULL of Birthdays!

Today it's Jae Lake's turn. Remember the Jae Lake Rules For Life? Yip, that's her.

So since I am not in Munich to give her an actual gift, I will just share this incredibly appropriate geschenk.



What do you think Lakey? Mathematical enough for your actuarial brain?

Found here

Klever Klever Kendall!

Is this not the most special thing you have ever seen?

Thank you KPP! x

p.s. did I mention that I love birthdays?

From Me To You

Since Coldplay have already come, bounced and twinkled and razzled, and left... it's "on to the next one" we go.
So here's a little summin summin from me to you on this very lovely day. Enjoy!

It's My Birthday!!!

"But Robyn," you say, "if the Blackberry services are down how ever do you know?" Well, I've been celebrating on the same day for 23 years but mostly it's because of these which meandered into my room with my housemate this morning...

Have a cupcake for me, won't you?
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Bed Time

With the weekend looming, and my back getting tired of pumping up the very comfortable but very much on the floor mattress, I decided it was time to bit the bullet and go bed shopping.

I found a bed shop in Fourways, nice and close to home and hopped on over there after work.
Now, the thing about me is I LOVE SLEEPING. It is one of my favourite things to do. Also, I'm not very fussy when it comes to mattresses, as long as it's not too cardboard like.

So the first thing the very helpful Bed Seller and I did was measure my height in my Client Services Liaison shoes to be sure the bed would fit through the door. It will (Phew!).

And then came the hard part. Choosing.
I don't really like choosing, however, my indecisiveness seems to be being trumped by my hatred of waiting. This is becoming apparent in my New Purchase Behaviour patterns, mostly noticeable by the payment of a deposit and one months rent without actually seeing the flat/ apartment.
They have strips of material which they put down on the bed (apparently there are really grubby people trying out beds?) which I then had to lay down on to test out the bed.

Salesman: "Springs or full foam?"
R: "Huh? There's a difference?"
Salesman: "Yes maam" (Proceeds to demonstrate difference)
R: "Ummmm.... what would you choose?"
Salesman: "I have a full foam"
R: "Ok, done"

It seemed like every time I made up my mind some new option would come along, like a mattress that unzips in the middle to become two beds.

It was then that the Bed Seller told me that there was a special on the bed I was sitting on, and there was only one left in my size... Well... had he mentioned that before.
So I handed my card over, closed my eyes, and signed.

And there you have it... tomorrow morning I will be in possession of a bed.
Grown up or what?
Can't wait for my first afternoon nap :)

**Please note: I have exaggerated ridiculously, the whole process only took about 25 minutes**

Discoveries!

Hooray... it's Hump Day! That means there are only 3 sleeps left till COLDPLAY!

Have been practicing my singing because, well, I don't sing so well. So I've been doing voice warm ups and humming a LOT.

In my efforts to keep focused, and not daydream about the weekend ahead I have found these two blogs which I think are super cool:
First Tea With Me - possible kindred spirit!
And Dear Photograph, full of nostalgia and reminiscing... my favourite kinds of things.

Enjoy! x

Family Ties

Some families work, and some just don't. Mine does.

Sure, we get irritated with each other, and we are all very, very different, but when it's crunch time, we are there, by the dozens, and we rally.

The bond you have with a sister, cousin, aunt or grandparent is one that is so, so hard to explain. It just is, and it just will be. You don't have to explain yourself, because they've been there your whole life... they already know.

You never have to pass on news, because the family grapevine will do it for you, sometimes sending news halfway around the world before you've even had time to soak it in.

You never have to be asked to help.... you just go, you just pitch in, and you just do.

And no matter how far away you move, or how little you keep in touch, they will still be right there, waiting for your return.

I am realising, more and more, how important family is. Because sometimes, as much as I hate to admit it, while tea and a cupcake* might temporarily still your mind, it isn't going to get things done.

*Yes, I have just had tea and a cupcake at 9am. 

Look after those family ties.

The Wind and The Windows

The weekend is over.

Yes, that means that Moving Day has come and gone. The bags have been unpacked and the clothing has been  hung. The mattress bed has been made and... OF COURSE... the wine glasses have been cleaned and the cupcake crumbs picked up (I was celebrating OK!) I have a home!

The only thing that I am missing is curtains... the bedroom kind. My new room looks out onto the courtyard which means the courtyard looks in to me. And trust me when I say this: My morning face is not one anyone would WANT to see. So the voil curtains that are temporarily blurring this image are Desperately Seeking Company (one potential suitor arriving today).

The other problem with very thin, image blurring curtains is that on nights like Saturday, and Sunday, when the sky cracks open, and pours down with every drop it has, flashing and cracking and hailing, is that you can hear old Mother N quite clearly (especially the hail on the window) and see every flash of lightening that flicks across the sky. 

So the wind howled, and I snuggled further and further under my trusty old duvet -it's good to have it back, it's been a while- and from the limpness of the blow up mattress on Sunday morning it is clear that I tossed, and tossed, and flick-flacked and starfished, as only I can, in an attempt to block out the light. 

Here's hoping tonight will be darker, and calmer, so I can drift off to the sound of the water feature in the courtyard. That's if it doesn't make me need to pee!

Sweet Monday Dreams!