Conquering the mountain…

Last weekend on our Sunday walk Triston asked if we could climb to the top of the mountain, it was about 6 in the evening so I promised him that we would go this weekend… and a promise is a promise!

Waking up yesterday morning, I could see the excitement growing in his eyes… we were going to the top of the mountain! We went to the shops, got all we needed for a two man picnic, packed a bunch of toys (because he neeeeds them) and set off to the Wonderboom Nature Reserve.

Arriving at our destination we found a nice shady spot and started on our picnic, I explained to him what nature entails… you know, trees, grass, animals and bugs! He found the largest stick he could lay his hands on and started hunting buck, he even offered me the biltong stuck at the end of the stick (he has such a great imagination)

Then we set off on our great expedition! OK so it took me about 20 min to find out where the hiking trail was, and Triston seemed unimpressed with the actual Wonderboom.  We headed into the mountain and it was stunning, so green and alive! He stopped to poke at bugs and look at the different types of leaves, we looked inside hollowed out trees and saw beautiful spider webs and thankfully no huge spiders. We listened to the birds and stopped to look for nests up in the trees.

As we climbed higher and higher the green canopy gave way to the open air and the sun started beating down on us. But it didn’t bother us one little bit! I explained and showed Triston the different patterns water made on the stones and all the different shades and shapes the earth made on the rocks.

Every time we came to a split in the path I allowed Triston to choose our direction, and every time he chose the route taking us higher up. We climbed till my nerves couldn’t take it anymore. It’s amazing when you look out and feel the quiet and calm out there, then it hits you like a rock… it’s quiet and I’m on a mountain with my nearly 4 year old! So when I started feeling to worried we’d sit down have a chat and a drink and once my nerves where calm we’d head out again.

 We eventually headed down, and I must admit the trip down was allot more daunting than the trip up, but we made it with some giggles and sitting down every so often (we where bushed!) when we reached the bottom Triston looked at me with a silly grin of happiness and said “We can go home now Mommy” and that exactly what we did.

What a fantastic day!!

I hope you all have an awesome week!

Rochelle

If today was your last day…

This must be one of the most thought provoking song of our day…

If Today Was Your Last Day
Songwriters: Kroeger, Chad;
Sung by: Nickelback

 

My best friend gave me the best advice
He said each day’s a gift and not a given right
Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind
And try to take the path less traveled by
That first step you take is the longest stride

If today was your last day and tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last
Leave old pictures in the past?
Donate every dime you had, if today was your last day?
What if, what if, if today was your last day?

Against the grain should be a way of life
What’s worth the price is always worth the fight
Every second counts ’cause there’s no second try
So live like you’re never living twice
Don’t take the free ride in your own life

If today was your last day and tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past?
Donate every dime you had?

And would you call those friends you never see?
Reminisce old memories?
Would you forgive your enemies?
And would you find that one you’re dreaming of?
Swear up and down to God above
That you’d finally fall in love if today was your last day?

If today was your last day
Would you make your mark by mending a broken heart?
You know it’s never too late to shoot for the stars
Regardless of who you are

So do whatever it takes
‘Cause you can’t rewind a moment in this life
Let nothing stand in your way
‘Cause the hands of time are never on your side

If today was your last day and tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past?
Donate every dime you had?

And would you call those friends you never see?
Reminisce old memories?
Would you forgive your enemies?
And would you find that one you’re dreaming of
Swear up and down to God above
That you’d finally fall in love if today was your last day?

* you dont even need to hear the song to find it stunning!!

I feel old!!

This weekend we calibrated my cousins 21^st birthday… how is it possible?!? When I think of her she is a bratty teenager… a young girl with a lifetime of heartache on her shoulders! Now she is a woman, who has taken her unfortunate past and regardless of the fact has carved out a place for herself in this world.

She is what we as a family proudly say our Family child, we all helped raise her… her father had disappeared when he found out her mother was pregnant, so from the day she was born she was ours… the family child! Her mother raised her as best she could with help from the sisters whenever necessary (the sister as we call them is our mothers the 4 of them are the glue that holds this family together).  Just a note that she is the first grandchild and her mother was actually my real causin.

After her mother’s suicide the game was upped and though she was one damn difficult teen, that I personally wanted to throttle on more than one occasion, she got through it, with her head slightly in the clouds she stepped into the adult world around a table in my aunt’s house… where the whine was flowing way to freely! Around that table a year ago I started seeing the woman she would become.

Yesterday it was official she is now one of “us” an adult with all the joys and sorrows coming with it… but that was only the official date the fact is she has been one for a while now… she was forced to be one before she was really ready. But regardless of this fact, she has stepped up to the challenges of life, with a little push from behind every so often and allot of speed bumps along the way.

I’m proud of her, we are all proud of her…

And though she was an angel with a little devil sitting on her shoulder I am honoured that we have been able to walk part of the way with her.

Enough with being soppy… tomorrow it’s my turn… I really, really feel OLD!

Have fun all

Rochelle

Why Blog?

 

How often do you blog? With my first blog I blogged irregularly and only when things made me feel to the extreme…  extremely happy or extremely sad or extremely angry.

Then I met and fell in love with a fellow blogger… so I moved my domain and started a new blog, with a whole new set of readers thanks to the “friend” my postings became a daily thing. I think I might have missed 2 days at most consecutively. But I loved it in the beginning, I was in love and looking forward to life actually not trampling over me, I was positive and it showed… then love soured…

My blog started turning dark, the only light side I had on it was my Friday Joke post and even there I merely copy and pasted jokes sent to me… everything got me down… my ex husband, my by then ex … what the hell do you call him… lover, my son was constantly ill and I was working myself into an early grave.   

So I made a choice to choose me for my son’s sake… after my brother’s death I bid him my own silent farewell and closed my blog to public view. It’s still there as it should be because every now and again it does the soul good to go and reflect on what has been and what the past you had hoped for the present you and where you stand on those hopes and dreams so you can plan for the future you.

Then there are the readers… and you might differ from me on this, but your postings have a direct association with the amount of comments you get. When I moved to this blog I made an effort to blog often and in the beginning I still got a reasonable amount of comments, but as people realised it wasn’t all doom and gloom the readers started disappearing… and with little readership the need to blog and please the world goes out of you.  

So I don’t blog for the readers I blog for myself… for the joy of going back and remembering in my own words what happened on so and so date, or how I felt about someone or something at a point in my life… and laughing at how blind we sometimes can be.

So I know I still have the occasional reader and I would like you to comment and tell me why you blog…  or why you don’t blog?

Revenge… sweet revenge!

 

To the Guy Who Tried to Mug Me in Downtown Savannah night before last. 
Date: 05-27-09, 1:43 AM EST.

I was the guy wearing the black Burberry jacket that you demanded that I hand over, shortly after you pulled the knife on my girlfriend and me, threatening our lives.

You also asked for my girlfriend’s purse and earrings.

I can only hope that you somehow come across this rather important message.

First, I’d like to apologize for your embarrassment when I drew my pistol after you took my jacket. The evening was not that cold, and I was wearing the jacket for a reason.

My girlfriend had just bought me that Kimber Model 1911 .45 ACP pistol for my birthday, and we had picked up a shoulder holster for it that very evening.

Obviously, you agree that it is a very intimidating weapon when pointed at your head, wasn’t it?

I know it probably wasn’t fun walking back to wherever you’d come from bare footed since I made you leave your shoes, cell phone, and wallet with me. [That prevented you from calling or running to your buddies to come help mug us again].

After I called your mother, or “Momma” as you had her listed in your cell, I explained the entire episode of what you’d done. Then I went and filled up my gas tank as well as four other people’s in the gas station on your credit card. The guy with the big motor home took 150 gallons and was extremely grateful!

I gave your shoes to a homeless guy outside Vinnie Van Go Go’s, along with all the cash in your wallet. [That made his day!]

I then threw your wallet into the big pink “pimp mobile” that was parked at the curb … after I broke the windshield and side window and keyed the entire driver’s side of the car.

Later, I called a bunch of phone sex numbers from your cellphone. Ma Bell just now shut down the line, although I only used the phone for a little over a day now, so what’s going on with that?

Earlier, I managed to get in two threatening phone calls to the DA’s office and one to the FBI, while mentioning President Obama as my possible target. The FBI guy seemed really intense and we had a nice long chat (I guess while he traced your number, etc).

In a way, perhaps I should apologize for not killing you . . . but I feel this type of retribution is a far more appropriate punishment for your threatened crime. I wish you well as you try to sort through some of these rather immediate pressing issues, and can only hope that you have the opportunity to reflect upon, and perhaps reconsider the career path you’ve chosen to pursue in life.

Remember, next time you might not be so lucky.

Have a good day!

Thoughtfully yours,
Alex

P.S. Remember this motto. An armed society makes for a more civil society!

School concert…

I have been duly informed by Triston’s school that the school concert will be held on the 20th of November (for those who don’t know this is the my wedding as well as my divorce anniversary) All parents have been asked to please bring their children to school daily as if one is not there no one can practise… and so on and so forth… this will be Triston’s first school concert as he was to young to partake in last year’s.
I
’m excited, his excited everyone is excited… and they have undergone a verbal contract with my son to not sing his songs at home. No matter how many times i beg and plead he refuses and just tells me i can hear it at the big concert! He has over ever told me that his class is doing Heidi and Pieter and that he is Pieter… I can’t wait!

Concert clothes – R50
Bus for rehearsal – R15
Ticket – R60
DVD – R185
Photo’s – R40
My son’s first school concert – PRISELESS!!

Enjoy strolling with your angels…

Love Rochelle

Melting heart moments…

Every now and again a child will say or do something to shock you to the core, melt your heart or leave your jaw dropping!

This weekend while playing peacefully on the kitchen floor while my mom and I made flap-jacks, I asked Triston to take the butter to the table… He calmly looked me in the eye and said “Ag mom!” I stood there staring at my son… mouth hanging open as the teenage drama king words fall from his way to young lips! Needless to say at that moment his eyes opened wide, he saw my stare and realised he better move his ass or there will be hell to pay and took the butter where it belongs!

On Sunday while having a braai at my father’s place by the dam, now I think I might need to add that my father is not the physical contact type, nor is he one for cuddling… and this in no way means my father does not express love or affection its just in “his way”. We were all sitting around talking and Triston just got it in his mind to crawl onto my father’s lap and cuddle on to his round tummy… He looked at his grandfather from his perch there and said “Oupa your not fat you’re soft!” My father leaned down gave Triston a big bear hug and a kiss on the head… whispered into his ear “You have no idea how much I love you”

Yester day Triston and his friend where building garages for their cars out of block. When the time came for his friend to go home I told them to clean up first… there is usually no problem as its one of the house rules. But last night Triston refused! I calmly told him that if he does not help clean up the mess his friend will not be allowed to come and play again… his replay – “I don’t want him to play here!” erm, erm, erm now I do know his just saying it to get out of cleaning but it’s still not a nice thing to say… so I pick him up and deposited him in his room saying he can come out if he cleans up as I asked him to do… I sent his friend home (without cleaning up).

Not even 5 min later Triston comes sulking out of the room… I asked him if his going to clean up and he just looks at me sadly and nods (inside all I want to do is grab him and hug him and say it’s ok!), I incline my head and tell him to get to it! He cleaned up every piece of toy in the living-room… I thank him, gave him that hug and told him I love him… the rest of the night he was an angel. Taking his bath, getting dressed for bed, going to bed!

But when I went to bed at around 12 he came to me asking for a cold drink… this doesn’t bother me as he does wake up when he needs the loo, I gave him something to drink and he crawled into bed with me. After a couple of minutes he put his arms around my neck and in his sleep said “Can I hold you a bit Mommy” … I pulled him in and my heart gave a tremor… this was my baby boy en even half asleep he loved me… what more could I ask for in life!

Have a great day and week all… and remember as parent your walking the earth with an angel by your side!

Love Rochelle

Depression…

I’m heading towards the edge… I hate it when I drop… I think I might hate it more because I can feel it happening and can’t stop it…

I have suffered from depression since the age of about 5… been in and out every damn type of head doctors office since that time…

Most days are good, some days are great… but the last 5 days have been hell! I can’t explain it, I have nothing to be depressed about… I just am! I feel I need to be around people but the thought makes nauseous!

We have a busy weekend ahead of us… lots of people… a kids party… lets see maybe at the end of weekend I might be back to my old self… I hope!

Before I was a Mom…

 
I’m reminded daily of the awesome responsibility and gift it is to have my son in my life… Triston had left with my mother on a little holiday (I had to work) last Friday. For 6 days I had no clue what the hell to do with myself! How do you kook for only one… how do you enjoy a bath that you didn’t first need to clear of toys…how do you fall asleep in a bed that hasn’t been jumped on at some point in the afternoon… how do you sleep if you can’t hear your child breathing in the quite of the house!

They returned on Wednesday and within 15 min the place was covered in toys, the neighbours kids where running around and laughter yet again filled not only my heart but my home too… what the hell did I do before I was a mom!…

 

Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn’t worry whether or not
my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations…

Downright damn unfair!

The Caster story is hitting SA like a cold slap in the face, but is anybody thinking what it’s doing to Caster? She has lived as a woman all her life, does not come from a rich family and being as young as she is has most likely never been to a gynaecologist… how was she to know what’s inside her???

My heart truly goes out to her… to BE a woman all your live just to find out in the most public and humiliating way possible that you have testis where you should have your ovaries! It had to be a hell of a shock, now she stands the chance of never running again… what would she run as?? A woman…a man… she will be shunned in both worlds and not fit in anywhere!

This is not the first time gender confusion has hit the sporting arena… in the last couple of years 8 women have been thus accused and of the 8, 5 have been banned from the field!

“South African 400m sensation Caster Semenya could be ruled out of Wednesday night’s Women’s 800m final due to concerns about whether she is a man or a woman.