Thursday, March 25, 2010

I've discovered a new veggie shop

Goodbye Fruit & Veg!

There's a tiny little place that has the most amazing quality fruits and veg not far from the school J&C attend. The first time I went I asked him if he ever got Chinese cabbage in. He had no idea what it was. Two weeks ago when I popped round for some fruit, he got all excited because he'd managed to find crispy fresh Chinese cabbage. Now who goes out of their way these days to get something for someone on the off chance they might buy it?

Kudos to Telkom

Normally, if this was a normal day, this post would be a rant at how pathetic Telkom's service is. Now we all know that because Telkom was once wholly state-owned and the only telephone company in the country, you had no choice but to use them. (It's still like that except they are no longer wholly state-owned.) And as a result of being a monopoly for years and years, their service, attitude and customer care was slightly lacking (probably the understatement of the year if hellopeter.com is to be believed). So you can all imagine my dread at having to call them to sort out a problem I had on Monday. I couldn't access the internet or download my email.

I had visions of me dying of old age, my corpse eventually turning to dust and blowing away before my internet access was restored.

Well, for once, Telkom's techies did a wonderful job and I was only offline for 2 days. I did have to call numerous times but with the wonderful call back feature, I spent very little time actually holding on listening to that dreadful tune they play.

So, thanks to Helen and eventually Chris at their technical support centre for ADSL users, and one small setting change on my router, I am able to keep the world updated about my life.

(Just don't ask why Himself, being an IT specialist, couldn't figure it out...)

Monday, March 22, 2010

When a lion attacks

We were attacked by a lion yesterday. A genuine, wild South African lion. I kid you not. Seriously.

First she curled up in the feeding pen.


Then she sneaked into the section under the floorboards of the viewing platform to check out what was on the menu for lunch. Then she sneakily jumped 3m (about 12 feet) into the air and bashed her head against the floorboards.



In disgust at her failure to capture lunch (and nursing a very sore head), she headed outside to her sister lion on the sunning platform.

Friday, March 19, 2010

It's a dog's life

Lightning has been growing so much I thought I'd better post some pics of the dog before no one recognises him anymore.

Taken this morning while he was trying to nap. He sleeps a lot!

Bonus pic - he fell asleep on my lap one morning....I didn't have the heart to disturb him.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Lucky 13

13 years. That's how long Himself and I have been married. Even scarier number - we've known each other for 22 years. If you count the 4 years we were in the same high school and vaguely recognised each other...that's 26 years. That's a long time to be together.

We got married on the 15th of March. Yes yes, I've heard all the jokes about the date but believe me, we're not the killing kind!

As we aren't romantically inclined to go out and buy each other whatever that anniversary is supposed to be, we went out for breakfast at the Mugg & Bean at Irene Village Mall instead yesterday morning.

For R99 (that's the equivalent of just over 13 US$), Himself and I had 2 cups of house blend coffee, two cups of Mocca Java coffee (which tasted better than the house blend), He had the Sausage and Egg sarmie and I had the Delite (eggs benedict without the hollandaise, the spinach, the muffin).

The service was excellent, for a restaurant that was already open at 7.30am on a Monday morning. The staff were friendly and wide awake (unlike the patrons, 1 of whom thought it great to start complaining for no reason) and the food arrived hot from the kitchen, always a good sign.

Friday, March 12, 2010

When family reconnects

A good few years ago, Himself's extended family was very close. So close that they hollidayed together, basically grew up in each other's back pockets.


Then the cousins grew up, got married, moved out of the country (some of them). We still saw them whenever they came back here to visit which was very often but as time passed so did contact and after a few years and a visit from us to them, we just never heard from them again.


Except for bumping into each other on home visits unexpectedly. It was always fascinating to see their reactions, how the first thing they said was I don't have time to chat, before actually saying hello.


This year it's as if they've finally realised that family is precious, they want to reconnect. They make the effort to contact us. Let's hope it's a lasting phase in their lives and not a fly by night visit.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Marmite vs (BLECH!) Vegemite

A conversation on Facebook is currently mired in the age old debate - Marmite or vegemite.

ME : In a war between Superior Marmite and lowly Vegemite, Marmite will win every time.

E : No way man!

M : NO freaking way man!!! *blows nose in the direction of marmite*

K : Marmite rules!

W : um...what about Bovril mmm?

ME : M, I fart in your general direction. W, my friend, please. Don't go there, there's no competition with Bovril. Which sucks.

ME : There are 310 pages for marmite on Facebook. 108 for Vegemite. WIN!!!

J : Vegemite rocks!

L : No no no, not marmite!! Vegemite all the way baby!!

ME : Someone mentioned that vegemite and cheese cannot be combined...marmite sells a successful marmite cheesespread, combined with the 202 MORE fan pages on Facebook, people you are losing!

L : Ahem, I beg to differ (and here this poor deluded Aussie tried to link me to a page with a poor representation of Vegemite's attempt released mid Jan 2010 at copying the far superior Marmite cheesespread.)

ME : Marmite's one's been around longer...and E says it isn't nice. I'll go with her opinion.

L : (I think sheepishly as she doesn't want anyone to know) Actually, I don't really like it either (hehehe) but I still love the original! (Obviously trying to salvage her dignity here at this confession.)

ME : See, see! Even you everloving vegemiters don't like it! Ha!

L : It kills me to admit it, but it's true..ack!!


And there you have it folks, if you are trying to decide which one is better, if an Aussie can admit Vegemite is not good, so can you! Buy your ultra large jar of Marmite today.

Monday, March 08, 2010

MS

My friend Wendy was diagnosed with MS a couple of years ago.

She wrote a poem that was published on the MS website.

If you don't support any charity, please condsider supporting them.