tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75914628195224906292012-01-11T05:08:58.975+02:00Lianenoreply@blogger.comBlogger1091100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-27489931851838154722008-05-20T22:50:00.004+02:002008-12-11T12:56:41.987+02:00

Shame, despair, fear, hate ....

Lianenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-25382109054414919402008-05-18T08:18:00.005+02:002008-12-11T12:56:42.368+02:00

... and I can't upload any pictures at all. As soon as I get it fixed, this blog will be back on track.In the meantime, I'll just say that this week, I've been so grateful to have a home which is still standing and kids who are alive and healthy....Burma cyclone, May 2008China Earthquake, May 2005

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-41388388543998253492008-05-07T14:10:00.002+02:002008-12-11T12:56:42.811+02:00

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-30504266236145430552008-05-06T21:33:00.004+02:002008-12-11T12:56:43.333+02:00

... and it was baaaaad! Winds at over 65km/hr (about 40 mph) rattled our windows, shook the roof and howled like a banshee all night long. At work this morning, we saw some of the damage:Fallen metal awnings ... ... and fallen pot plants (and those are heavy ceramic pots!)The wind is still blowing but without the scary ferocity of last night!

Lianenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-28653171560254036692008-05-05T21:46:00.004+02:002008-12-11T12:56:43.422+02:00

I've seen this cute little car around town before, but today was the first day I had my camera with me! I have no idea what make it is ...

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-19693990312113355572008-05-04T14:59:00.003+02:002008-12-11T12:56:43.640+02:00

My camera isn't good at these close up shots, but this is today's Sunday Times, which costs about R10.00. But if you were in Zimbabwe and wanted to buy it, it would cost you Zim$ 75 mill. It's true .... says so right there on the masthead.

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-87624811484422378692008-05-03T14:57:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:56:44.009+02:00

... and back on the computer. My darling boy hasn't changed a bit!!

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-31949490330389698882008-05-02T14:52:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:56:44.247+02:00

Overlooking the driveway into our flats, this bougainvilla is always a stunning mass of colour.

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-79646675131974602342008-04-29T14:48:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:56:44.403+02:00

I think I just liked the way these poles lined up or something ... apart from that, it's a pretty pointless picture ...

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-22331358858513198692008-04-28T14:46:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:56:44.574+02:00

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-38489687149290759202008-04-24T14:43:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:56:44.794+02:00

Another stunning moonrise tonight ...

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-27436550608990635752008-04-23T14:25:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:56:45.315+02:00

If you take the Strandfontein road, you'll find yourself travelling past Khayelitsha eventually. At first, the view is kinda pretty, what with the distant mountains and blue skies and all ...Then you look a little closer:And then you start seeing what's really there:Khayalitsha means 'new home' in Xhosa. This township houses between 500 000 and 1 million people and although all you see from the

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-10022973904030115632008-04-20T14:22:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:56:45.512+02:00

... is delicious!!!

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-30572959867881553102008-04-19T14:19:00.002+02:002008-12-11T12:56:45.745+02:00

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-19719943105183128752008-04-18T17:53:00.002+02:002008-12-11T12:56:45.871+02:00

At around 7.30 am today, from my front door ...

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-62725396625605311972008-04-18T16:45:00.004+02:002008-04-18T17:57:03.648+02:00

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-28399768800813891202008-04-16T16:57:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:56:45.994+02:00

My mom and her granddaughters ..

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-5162065452242095792008-04-14T18:32:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:56:46.210+02:00

This evening, I needed to work in a quiet spot - proofreading 300 pages. The sun room offered quiet, but with no blinds or curtains and a lot of bright light, I felt kind of exposed up there on the third floor. So, I found a couple of my son's rolled-up movie posters and hey presto! Instant, beautiful blinds!

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-91903434066126633092008-04-12T17:41:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:56:46.252+02:00

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-49265312153426359672008-04-11T17:33:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:56:46.916+02:00

My brother and his family have just moved back home. They spent five months in rented accommodation while their house was gutted and completely made over, inside and out. The results are SO worth it! :-) You rock, guys!

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-4758106684721351322008-04-10T17:44:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:56:47.256+02:00

So, I left for work ... really early. Kids were still fast asleep ....

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-22924332913071318312008-04-08T17:23:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:56:47.383+02:00

Sometimes, in a LTC facility, there are moments when the shrunken gums and the confusion and the mismatched clothes simply don't matter at all ...

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-48808113143246313062008-04-07T17:16:00.003+02:002008-12-11T12:56:47.833+02:00

After just over four years of relief and freelance work, I'm now a fulltime, permanent employee once again. This is the office in the LTC facility where I now spend 42 hours a week.

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-80562896781235250592008-04-06T16:46:00.003+02:002008-12-11T12:56:48.120+02:00

...to get this sucker up two flights of stairs, but it was worth it!

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-83303310377878750372008-04-05T17:08:00.003+02:002008-12-11T12:56:48.407+02:00

It's the 21st century and everything changes ...

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-1920556512226397312008-04-04T12:56:00.003+02:002008-12-11T12:56:48.582+02:00

In memory of Heath 4th April 1979 - 22nd January 2008

Lianenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-43717015196277507142008-04-04T11:32:00.002+02:002008-12-11T12:56:49.007+02:00

I love this stuff! Tomato, carrot and celery juice with spinach and a hint of chilli! Instant health boost! :-)

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-90350191148698734302008-04-03T11:59:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:56:49.223+02:00

Me and mine in '08 ...

Lianenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-36959793081457581232008-04-02T11:42:00.005+02:002008-12-11T12:56:49.693+02:00

The Good News: On Tuesday 1st April at 4pm we finally had DSTV installed ... after years of infrequent viewing of the sad, local programming that passes for South African television, we now have access to 35 international TV channels, about 50 international audio/radio channels as well as interactive games etc etc ... woo-hoo!!!The Bad News: That same evening, around 11.30 pm, our very very old

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-71011815758955447922008-04-01T09:24:00.005+02:002008-12-11T12:56:49.815+02:00

There's a group I belong to called Freecycle - where people offer any stuff they no longer want for free (and you can also ask for stuff) and its a great, great concept. So, one of the members posted the following to the Cape Town group in the early hours of this morning (around 12:40am) : OFFER: 42" Sony Bravia LCD TV. Brand new, 100% working condition, it just doesn't match my carpets.

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-7181608105919603672008-03-30T09:15:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:56:50.018+02:00

All hail Gary Larson, creator of the Far Side!

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-16224872701751412512008-03-29T09:09:00.002+02:002008-12-11T12:56:50.246+02:00

I don't really 'do' gardening ... so to have this beautiful bougainvillea hedge cascading across the garage roofs down below and knowing I can enjoy it without having to worry about it ... is my idea of paradise!

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-39601717476732612252008-03-28T18:39:00.003+02:002008-12-11T12:56:50.523+02:00

This is my new hairdrier, bought today even though the end of the month is still a few days away and I now have about three cents left in my purse. The old one died a rattly, smoky death this morning - what can I say? This snazzy piece of machinery comes with a handy booklet of instructions on how to blow hot air at my hair - maybe there are actually people who need this? Maybe it's in case they

Lianenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-7281570411344659042008-03-27T17:46:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:56:50.751+02:00

My daughter went to a sleepover last night and came home with a tattoo ...... it's just beautiful and I love it!I had to photograph it now 'cos these henna tattoos fade quickly ... ;-)

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-38582534418507411512008-03-26T17:42:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:56:50.981+02:00

Our new home again, but from the outside this time ...

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-30532771450048719372008-03-25T17:33:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:56:51.300+02:00

One of the things I inherited from my parents when they downsized was this HUGE old family Bible. It's Cassell's Illustrated Family Bible, published by Cassell, Petter and Galpin of London and New York, sometime in the mid-1800s. The part that always fascinated me is the family record pages, where the births, deaths and marriages of many of my great-great-great-greats are recorded. Makes for

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-60331038610188847652008-03-24T17:30:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:56:51.468+02:00

... and boredom has struck ....

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-39480058484376426092008-03-23T15:11:00.002+02:002008-12-11T12:56:51.684+02:00

Again, my inspiration was Kelly - this time her Instant Civil War post!

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-9310397554944357242008-03-22T19:08:00.003+02:002008-12-11T12:56:51.882+02:00

... with extra almonds and choc chips ....

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-13843269006868115132008-03-21T14:31:00.003+02:002008-12-11T12:56:54.338+02:00

... are in my living room.

Lianenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-11345526194108614962008-03-20T14:03:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:56:54.471+02:00

... that I love our new home. It's quite scary, in fact, to feel so happy about something as simple as what a room looks like in the early evening!

Lianenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-10791236109864216182008-03-19T14:00:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:56:54.709+02:00

It's a bit alarming how many of these 365 blog posts are to do with the weather! What can it mean?!?

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-39477133189117062222008-03-18T13:57:00.002+02:002008-12-11T12:56:54.897+02:00

I'm entranced by the continually changing views from my front window, especially now the season is changing from summer to autumn.

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-28121804901613935282008-03-16T12:42:00.005+02:002008-12-11T12:56:55.251+02:00

Inspired by Kel, these are two of my best buys ever!A Stephen Marks pure silk jacket in olive green for R5.00 at a secondhand storeA pair of unidentified but elegantly beautiful and comfortable shoes from another secondhand store, this time for R10.00

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-26050540192814856302008-03-14T21:40:00.002+02:002008-12-11T12:56:55.429+02:00

He's really independent now ....

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-1866811892225482512008-03-13T06:58:00.004+02:002008-12-11T12:56:55.550+02:00

After several days of sweltering late summer heat, last night the temperatures dropped and today, the rains came! :-)

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-49749335171153047382008-03-11T22:40:00.004+02:002008-12-11T12:56:55.684+02:00

Why would I rather still have chocolate when there is all this glorious late summer fruit available in the stores?

Lianenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-2420633707156391772008-03-09T13:25:00.002+02:002008-03-09T13:28:41.448+02:00

... is Blogger being so uncooperative? Last night, and again this morning? It just won't upload any images for me!! GRRRRR..........

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-16361146490055773982008-03-05T22:24:00.003+02:002008-12-11T12:56:56.035+02:00

The sun rose somewhere around 6.40am ......and set again about fourteen hours later. Both events were beautiful.

Lianenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-43777840909817819632008-03-04T06:58:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:56:56.245+02:00

All those damn computer cords lying all over the place were really getting to me yesterday, so I wrestled 'em into submission ...

Lianenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-34893067442334036952008-03-03T15:57:00.003+02:002008-12-11T12:56:56.501+02:00

We can see the sea from our new house. Really. It's right there .... under the misty bit ... a beautiful dark blue today. I think ... A different view of the same beach ... wish this was the one we could see ....

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-23272071161541293952008-02-27T21:54:00.005+02:002008-12-11T12:56:56.736+02:00

... all you can do is soak!1. After working like a navvy all day to clean out my old house, I started to replace two of light fittings in the lounge - the guy in the store assured me they were easy to install, and they were - except for the minor detail that there was this weird orange wire that connected the two of them! So when I pulled it free of the first one, the second light crashed to the

Lianenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-28812581709911642992008-02-25T20:38:00.004+02:002008-12-11T12:56:57.273+02:00

Our new home has produced some very welcome surprises. I have an actual 'study' to work and write in now, not just a carved out corner of the lounge.There's built-in bookshelf behind me ...... and my desk full of writing books in front of me ..... and the family computer off to the side, for the kids to use. It's so cool! I'm loving it!

Lianenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-44729969865473624232008-02-23T21:27:00.003+02:002008-12-11T12:56:58.021+02:00

First it all got dragged out ...and packed into a funny little local mover's van ....... then it got dragged up two flights of stairs and into our new home!Now the unpacking begins!

Lianenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-20171563906278663012008-02-22T06:44:00.004+02:002008-12-11T12:56:58.661+02:00

At the end of a final day of packing, there were boxes of every possible size and shape scattered throughout my house ...... so we added a couple more! :)

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-71354236919546769342008-02-20T22:26:00.002+02:002008-12-11T12:56:58.855+02:00

.... my writing books. Two boxes full, yikes!

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-67899507306222371872008-02-20T08:13:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:56:59.036+02:00

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-80503675379135488182008-02-17T21:14:00.003+02:002008-12-11T12:56:59.335+02:00

She is a Rudyard Kipling kind of cat and doesn't usually let herself be held like some ordinary, common-and-garden variety feline .... and she rules Rappy with a paw of iron, too!

Lianenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-37964687050699045502008-02-16T18:12:00.002+02:002008-12-11T12:57:00.034+02:00

The BEST thing about moving house is that you can clear all the old *&%^ out .... and flog it! Having said that, I've always loved visiting clearing out sales, you get the most amazing bargains! We did pretty good today! And it was fun!

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-1972041162448675632008-02-14T18:11:00.004+02:002008-12-11T12:57:00.238+02:00

Not the Jurassic Park kind though ... when we got him six years ago, one of my kids named him Raptor ... heavens knows why ... and ever since then, he's been Rappy - the names we inflict on our pets, LOL!!Like Andy, he also needs a new home. I'm still looking ...

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-7447315250723105162008-02-13T19:22:00.003+02:002008-12-11T12:57:00.362+02:00

Today's picture is specially for my dear friend Kel, who never seems to forget that even the darkest of clouds can have silver linings... so these 'for real' ones are my gift to you today.

Lianenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-13955123405222297882008-02-13T19:03:00.002+02:002008-12-11T12:57:00.493+02:00

The place we're moving too doesn't take animals, so we're having to say goodbye to our dog and two cats. Andy was the first to go - he's been adopted my one of my daughter's friends and will be living in the lap of doggy luxury by the sounds of things.And yes, we miss him already ... :-((

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-28845378157042596792008-02-11T23:03:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:01.941+02:00

Fifteen people arrived to spend family time together in a house by the ocean ....We slept late, laughed a lot, walked, talked and played ping pong, pool and French cricket ......Spent time on the beach .......ate far too much good food which one of the brothers, who is a master chef, prepared ....... and generally chilled out looking at ocean and mountain views ....It was far too short but very

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-22280748140913856702008-02-08T12:34:00.000+02:002008-02-08T12:39:10.325+02:00

We're away for three days ...

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-9234894096884158052008-02-07T21:31:00.000+02:002008-02-07T21:46:38.312+02:00

It's now 9.30 PM and the fire has now come over the top of the mountain.The entire ridge (seen in the first picture below) is ablaze, from one end to the other. We can see the flames from our house - and we're clear on the other side of the valley. The wind is still gusting strongly, the sirens are still going intermittently, I can see rescue vehicles light's flashing on the road beneath the

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-63462831212599984122008-02-07T18:42:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:03.535+02:00

Every year, January and February bring hot weather, strong winds -- and arsonists. This year is no exception. These shots were taken between 3pm and 6pm this afternoon.The first signs - smoke billowing up behind the hillThe choppers were soon flying past in droves ...The fire is not yet out, but the water drops result in a blanket of smoke over the valley and from my house, we can still hear

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-81185157871615878502008-02-07T13:31:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:03.703+02:00

Found at a friend's house yesterday ... little African men.(I missed posting yesterday thanks to forgetfulness ... )

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-46484555696633196402008-02-05T22:01:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:04.035+02:00

My friends Marc and Lorraine are both wildly creative people. This is their garden (which is awesome!) and it has a funky sign on the back wall which reads:"TWEEBUFFELSMETEENSKOOTMORSDOODGESKIETFONTEIN.It's a sign Marc designed for a TV shoot some time ago, and is based on the name of a real town in South Africa. The English translation of the name is:Two Buffalo Shot Completely Dead With One

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-60401891657150302702008-02-04T23:43:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:57:04.286+02:00

My daughter has taken over the cooking every night, which is really cool. She became vegetarian about six months ago, so we eat mainly veg dishes which we both love. Downside of this happy arrangement is I get to wash the dishes - every night. :-(

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-9285295711386834652008-02-03T21:27:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:57:04.508+02:00

Today, this little dog was brought in to visit one of our elderly residents, a man who is habitually dour and uncommunicative...

Lianenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-4439952820006135442008-02-02T17:14:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:04.778+02:00

Yesterday evening, before I could update this blog, we got hit by an eight-hour power outage ... the first day so far with no picture posted ....So today, just for a change, I played around with light and shade - this is a window in the clinic where I work.

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-45419715079513854122008-01-31T16:55:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:57:04.948+02:00

I have to get my house all fixed up before we rent it out. Today we came home and found that the toilet was going walkabout .... :-)

Lianenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-37321397986909524302008-01-30T18:56:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:05.559+02:00

While walking on the beach this afternoon, I saw the 'trek fishermen' at work hauling a huge catch of yellowtail from the ocean. I guess I'm more vegetarian than I thought because the sight of these beautiful creatures thrashing and gasping as they died was a bit too much for me ...

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-14393350015622104802008-01-29T20:30:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:57:05.667+02:00

These are the sports fields of my daughter's high school, with the red-roofed hall on the right. Now look to the left. See the tall-ish building? That's where we'll be living soon. Yay! No more early morning traffic hassles .....

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-84522374791254712992008-01-28T19:38:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:06.067+02:00

On Sunday morning, I woke up with a painful muscle in my right upper arm, and an unexplained bruise on my left forearm (see pic below.) My daughter hobbled around all day with a painful right leg muscle. But I quickly figured out what happened to us ......... we must have been abducted by aliens during the night, experimented on and then returned secretly to our beds ..... :-)

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-54195904075256264482008-01-27T23:23:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:06.390+02:00

The hillside behind our house today ... no more summer heatwave right now, just wind and cloud and cool mist.

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-14957722248335481302008-01-26T22:37:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:57:06.608+02:00

Big boys don't need their old toys ....

Lianenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-89155792244440142842008-01-25T21:37:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:06.681+02:00

And life goes on. My son packed up his room today - he's going to live with his dad for a year while he studies Art and Design at a college in the city. It seems like just the other day I held his hand and walked him into playschool ....

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-88909567653558053722008-01-24T23:30:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:57:06.922+02:00

Picture painted by my friend Renee Gordon"Belief in our mortality, the sense that we are eventually going to crack up and be extinguished like the flame of a candle, I say, is a gloriously fine thing. It makes us sober; it makes us a little sad; and many of us it makes poetic. But above all, it makes it possible for us to make up our mind and arrange to live sensibly, truthfully and always with a

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-3184475780810724072008-01-23T19:51:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:07.427+02:00

Even the skies were weeping today - taken in my garden late this afternoon ..."Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone.Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone.Silence the pianos and with muffled drum,Bring out the coffin... let the mourners come.Let aeroplanes circle, moaning overhead,Scribbling on the sky the message:He is Dead." W H

Lianenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-33267908505348570382008-01-22T13:37:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:57:07.614+02:00

Another hot day in CT. This was taken at about 8AM and the cloudless skies foretell the heat to come.

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-63327099814341077052008-01-21T19:05:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:57:07.776+02:00

My kids had a spat today. One of them got mad ..... I'm thankful that Weet-Bix doesn't bleed. Or scream and cry. Or fight back ....

Lianenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-29113052820292061942008-01-20T17:16:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:57:07.975+02:00

... and we celebrated with lunch for seven at Fraiche Ayres Restaurant

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-29761649592235051212008-01-19T18:00:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:08.522+02:00

On days like today, when the clinic is quiet ........there's time for reading, eating chocolate-covered raisins, drinking tea .......and fooling around with the camera .....

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-40304580499019163172008-01-19T00:01:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:57:08.665+02:00

This picture was done by a woman who is now in her 80s - she's one of my patients. She took black paper of some sort, lightly sketched the picture on it and then using a fine gramaphone needle, she painstakingly scratched out tiny tiny lines, thus creating the areas of light and shade that resulted in this picture. The model was a friend of hers called Lorna.I'm just in love with it.

Lianenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-14109332464693863912008-01-17T16:12:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:08.819+02:00

The car no longer squeals embarrassingly to a halt, but I paid dearly for the silence .... :-(

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-91171416068275102962008-01-16T10:53:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:57:09.280+02:00

I love books. This is my current pile.Replay by Ken Grimwood (1944-2003) won the World Fantasy Award and is the one I'm actually 'reading' right now. It is awesome! *Truth and Beauty by Ann PatchettDisgrace by JM CoetzeeThe Kite Runner by Khalid HosseiniThe God Theory by Bernard HaischA Year of Pleasures by Elizabeth Berg* Here's the blurb on Replay:Jeff Winston was forty-three and trapped in a

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-25036723969583412402008-01-15T22:10:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:09.595+02:00

The national electricity supplier, Eskom, euphemistically calls it 'load shedding'. Basically it means Eskom can't cope so just when you least expect it, the house is plunged into darkness. Tonight, I ended up doing my dishes by candlelight!

Lianenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-52965373940004170812008-01-15T06:35:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:09.700+02:00

Testing again

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-46888296923609458592008-01-14T20:16:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:09.956+02:00

When I took this shot at 1pm today, it was HOT! Not a cloud in the sky, not a breath of wind and inside my car, the temperature felt like it was somewhere around 40 C - you don't get aircon in small, cheap cars ... ETA: Max temp today was in fact 34 C in our area.

Lianenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-85015454989449601002008-01-13T15:57:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:10.109+02:00

Happy 16th birthday to my darling daughter whose been waiting for this DVD since forever .....

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-37986394906954217422008-01-13T13:04:00.000+02:002008-01-13T16:11:47.930+02:00

I finally got yesterday's picture uploaded using the other computer. Seems like it's my machine that is at fault which is disturbing and alarming. Tried all the tricks I know to no avail, including Restore System which, most alarmingly of all, wouldn't work. 'Unable to Restore System.'Ugh.Edited to add: Rebooted in Safe Mode, tried to restore, failed again ... but now I can upload pics again, so

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-37216793535724420952008-01-12T15:41:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:10.350+02:00

Most days along our main road you'll find posters tied to lamp poles promoting the latest edition of either a local paper, or more often, a dreadful tabloid called The Sun, which specializes in stories of ghoulish, bloodthirsty, inhumane behaviour - Man Eaten By Rabid Dog - and so on. But lately, somebody calling him/herself 'Bob Joplin' has been waging an anti-tabloid campaign of sorts. This is

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-75300467735968206812008-01-11T13:19:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:11.032+02:00

My kids have their birthdays exactly two weeks apart. Several years ago, to celebrate two-for-one, we went for breakfast at a local eatery called Francois. We've been back every year since and today was Francois Day. Except we got there a bit late so breakfast became delicious brunch ....

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-17615298590949019132008-01-10T22:19:00.003+02:002008-12-11T12:57:11.559+02:00

I hate making decisions and I have far too many of them facing me right now .... these are a few shots of a flat we looked at today.

Lianenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-86581293595802070072008-01-09T20:51:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:57:11.830+02:00

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-23982900879790863472008-01-08T15:02:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:12.325+02:00

... it seems as if all you do is get out of bed and just keep walking .....Early Morning Feet

Lianenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-90888057196959309972008-01-07T15:05:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:57:12.540+02:00

... twists and turns and swings low and high and has the most beautiful ocean views in all the world

Lianenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-86815062078362000882008-01-06T19:23:00.001+02:002008-12-11T12:57:12.676+02:00

Actually, there were about five of 'em and a baby perched up there, but the others scattered when I showed up with my camera. This guy obviously isn't fazed by paps ....

Lianenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7591462819522490629.post-47815545028180836342008-01-05T16:29:00.000+02:002008-12-11T12:57:12.855+02:00

I'm not much of a gardener but I've perfected the art of cultivating great weeds in between slabs of what would otherwise be dead boring concrete.

Lianenoreply@blogger.com2