ALISHA & ZANDER NEL ... TOO CUTE FOR WORDS

- Sunday, 27 April 2008

We had such a relaxing Sunday lunch with Heidi (my sister's eldest daughter) and her husband, Bernhardt visiting with their most adorable two bambinos, Alisha and Zander.

Alisha more than 3 years ago ... the cute-factor is definitely still there!

I managed to get a few quick snapshots of them late afternoon. The cards was turned this time around. On my previous attempt (about 18 months ago) to take photos of these two, Zander was very patient with the photographer and Alisha was the one doing her best not to be photographed. But this time round, Alisha did the most adorable poses without any begging, but Zander definitely did not like having a camera shoved up has face.

I must say, our newly landscaped garden seems to be a flattering backdrop for portrait photography ... its just the first time round subjects that were not too cooperative.

The layouts I did, in 2006, of Alisha and Zander below gives one quite a good idea of how they have grown in just over 18 months time.

Here's wishing all you South Africans a joyful and relaxing loooong weekend ... don't over indulge too much hey!

- Bambino Fan Signing Off

GENERAL TIT BITS ON LIFE IN SA - Saturday, 26 April 2008

How do you test whether a light bulb works or not? Firstly, if you put the switch on and the bulb lights up, it works. Secondly, if you put the switch on and the light bulb does not light up, it does not work. Thirdly, if the light bulb did light up and it goes off, call Eskom and find out when load shedding will be over.

As all of us SA citizens know by now, having no electricity for 12 to 16 hours a week, has catastrophic impact on the productivity and economic well being of the country.

For instance, after just recently having had air conditioning installed in our main bedroom and study, the unit in our main bedroom is not cooling at all – just blows air and again we just had to accept that nothing works perfectly first time in SA. We reported the problem with the Air Conditioning Superstore and their team promptly arrived the next day to come and fix the problem, but their hands were tied with load shedding in action. I had to phone again to report the problem and request that the service team must please first phone before just pitching, to ensure that there is no load shedding. So what happens, they once again pitch without phoning first, and again load shedding is in action. So I have to phone again (for the third time) to request that they come and resolve the problem, but have to phone first. Just this small incident must have had a negative financial impact on this company, having sent out a 2-man team twice without having resolved the client’s problem. So just imagine how many times this happens daily in SA. All because Eskom could not plan a decade and more ahead and now are fighting fire with fire.

The odds are seriously stacking up against the ‘poor’ SA man in the street. Apart from load shedding, fuel prices are reaching new record highs nearly on a weekly basis, resulting in food prices going through the roof and the general standard of living plummeting fast ... and SA citizens becoming more and more frustrated. A good example of the frustration starting to surface is the recent incident Joost van der Westhuizen had at our neighbouring secure estate, Dainfern.

Joost has been a Dainfern resident in the past and upon revisiting Dainfern to bring his son to a soccer practice within the estate (ye, I know what you keen rugby fans are thinking ... a rugby hero’s son ... playing soccer?), the estate’s security asked for his driver’s licence which Joost did not have with him at the time. Instead Joost furnished his ID book and cell phone number should they need to contact him. But, as the by now ‘urban legend’ goes, the security insisted on viewing his driver’s licence. This was probably because Joost was driving a new Audi with no registration plates, but had the permit fixed in his back window. Joost got hot under the collar, alighted from his vehicle and ripped the boom off with his bare hands and drove through.

Joost’s argument, as surfaced during an interview Radio Jakaranda had with him on Friday morning (25 April 2008), was that his ID book should have been sufficient to give him security clearance (and the fact that the security most know who is by now) and all he could think was, is that it was a post-apartheid mentality where the security employees at all these secure estates was misusing their power. Joost was fined R15,000 for the damaged boom and said that he does not think that the boom is worth this amount and that the Dainfern probably grabbed the opportunity to obtain some finance to refurbish the estate’s entrance i.e. painting the roof of the entrance, etc.

With us choosing to live in a secure estate ourselves, our take on this is that our safety are totally in the hands of who the security personnel at the entrance gate lets in or not and are there to protect us from especially people like Joost van der Westhuizen himself. If everyone start taking law in their own hands ... just imagine what chaos there will then be in our beautiful country South Africa.

On a lighter note, Michelle, I made your lemon meringue pie for Conroy’s coaching meeting with a colleague here at our home this morning. The two men totally indulged themselves and could not believe I made it myself, but I did mention that it is your delicious recipe (your ears were probably burning) and Sheila your fruit squares has been baked again and is a hit every time. It is such an easy and quick recipe with and extremely delicious result.

Van Acht at last straightened the inside door handle of our new Van Acht front door and at last we can approach our front door without angling our heads. But, this also only happened after Van Acht’s third visit and it was not load shedding’s fault, but incompetency on their part ... another instance of poor SA productivity.

Otherwise life is generally peaceful and creative.

- Estate security supporter signing off.

OP ‘N TRAGIESE NOOT - Maandag, 21 April 2008 Dit was met groot leed dat ons Vrydag, 18 April 2008 verneem het dat Belinda Volschenk se vader, Gert Olivier, vroeër die oggend oorlede is.

Ons weet daar is min wat ons kan doen om julle te help om die pyn van jul verlies te dra, en so min wat ons kan sê om julle deur die dag te help. Ons will hê julle moet weet ons innige liefde en meegevoel is elke oomblik by julle.

Hier is ‘n foto wat ek Kersdag 2007 van Belinda saam met haar pa Gert en ma Margaretha geneem het. Dit mag wel die laaste foto wees van Belinda saam met haar geliefde vader. - Met innige simpatie

KINROSS LANDSCAPING PROJECT {The Album} - Monday, 21 April 2008

You’ve followed this project step-by-step during Feb/Mar’08 here on Doing Life. You’ve seen the photos … here’s the start of the scrapbooking Album, step-by-step.

These first four layouts will all be available in kit format at Doing Life’s Online Shoppe http://www.doinglife.co.za/. Some of them are already available. All these layouts each incorporates at least 12 photos and will definitely help you reduce the height of your photo stash that needs scrapping.

It is quite fun reliving the project from the start again, but without the dust factor. I cannot wait to do my first photo shoot in our indigenous haven. So watch this space … - Nature lover signing off

GUESS HOW MANY DOORS & WIN!

....A WORTHY WINNER

- Wednesday, 9 April 2008

Those of you who entered the above competition that was launched on 18 December 2007 here on Doing Life, probably wondered whether there was an actual winner and if so, what did she win.

The winner was announced at Doing Life's Scrapaganza on 19 January 2008 at Makaranga Garden Lodge in Kloof, Durban.

The question was 'How many doors does our new home in Fernridge Estate have?'. The answer was 21. Gladys Bevis was the first person whose guess was spot on. Gladys was not present at the Scrapaganza, but her daughter Cheryl accepted the prize on behalf of her Mom who was on holiday (probably in Namibia as usual). Cheryl emailed me this picture of her very excited Mom with the prize. The prize was a Creative Memories Gelatine and Geometric punch. Gladys, I trust that the prize has already come in handy during your scrapping.

As most of you are probably aware, Doing Life's next Scrapaganza at Makaranga Garden Lodge is on Saturday, 14 June 2008 and the winner of the next 'Online Competition' (soon to be launched here ... so keep your eyes peeled), will be announced on this day. A clue for the next competition: {don't go potty}.

“A man who does not plan long ahead will find trouble right at his door”

In the meantime, we have replaced our home's front door with a new door from Van Ach. As we have come accustomed to in SA, nothing ever runs smoothly in the building industry. We are very happy with our new front door. From the outside its perfect, but unfortunately the wooden custom designed fancy door handle on the inside is skew. Van Ach has already sent out two carpentry teams to come and investigate i.e. measure and measure and measure again, take photos from every angle and even tried to drill to get the handle off, but to date the handle is still skew. Apparently, Van Ach is attempting to track down the specific carpenter who constructed the door, to come and put things (the handle) straight. So, the waiting game is on.

Looking forward to seeing most of you Doing Lifers at Doing Life's Scrapaganza on 14 June 2008.

- Door to door signing off

A SCRAPBOOKING OLYMPIC MOM IN OUR MIDST

- Thursday, 3 April 2008

Most of my scrapbooking students know Sheila Corfe, whose daughter Melissa Corfe has been a SA Springbok in swimming for quite a few years. Well, Melissa has achieved the ultimate goal by being selected for the Beijing Olympics with a record breaking swim. Read all about it here:

http://www.witness.co.za/?showcontent&global%5b_id%5d=5853

http://www.dailynews.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=2953&fDate=2008-04-03&fEdition=1&fNewspapersectionId=1&fPageNumber=1

Congratulations to the Corfe family. SA are proud of you.

- Springbok Associate signing off

A UNIQUE INDIGENOUS GARDEN DESIGN : THE BIG REVEAL Tuesday, 1 April 2008

UPDATE no.10: This is no April's Fool Joke {“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson}

We had to add rocks to the gravel section due to bambinos enjoying the feeling of a bicycle ride on gravel.

The words of Emerson above are very apt for this mammoth detailed garden design. Leanne Cumberlege and yours truly definitely had to adapt to the pace of nature with Leanne sporting loads more patience than me ... always thought that I was the patient type, but was rudely surprised by this garden shaping which pushed the boundaries of patience way beyond its limit. Those who have been monitoring the progress of this design on Doing Life, will know what I am about. We must congratulate Leanne and her team (Leanne Cumberlege Landscapes cc) on truly accomplishing the brief she received from us for this garden design. The end result is exactly and even more than what we envisaged for our little piece of heaven around our new home. Leanne must also be commended for the calm, professional and friendly manner in which she went about managing and accomplishing this enormous project from ground zero right to a magnificent end result.

It is amazing how the pathway takes one on a meander of discovering various hidden corners in this relatively small bushveld garden. There are three major spots where one could sit down, take a few deep breaths, clear one’s thoughts and appreciate nature around you.

These three spots being the Orange Free State Sandstone table and benches from where one have a view over 70% of the garden. This is an ideal spot for that early morning cup of coffee to get the body warmed up for the day ahead. Then there is ‘the Rock’ (no reference to the movie) which is a mid-morning pick-me-up area on which an apple could be savoured to keep the blood sugar at a constant level or just for meditating.

Lastly, the gazebo with the swing bench which are snugly tucked away at the back of the house and have become the official sundowner venue.

Section at Dining Room Window

The hidden section at the side of the house beneath the dining room window has also turned out very interesting. It has become a succulent/cactus garden of sorts. One of the succulents has already sported beautiful flowers (see pic below). The nine pots incorporated in this section’s design aided in giving a more three dimensional feel to a rather uninteresting rectangle piece of ground.

The garden already survived its first onslaught of nature’s fury. A sudden hail storm struck the garden this past Saturday afternoon. The hail came down at an angle. Fortunately all the plants seemed hail resistant apart from the pink rock roses of which only a few was slightly damaged. So at least the garden does not have to fear hail storms … however, we will have to wait and see what the Gauteng winter frost has installed for it.

We just love our gardenscape and so does the birds. Yours truly cannot keep up the wild bird seed supply in the three bird feeders. It really feels like one is wandering in the bushveld and that a little buck of sorts could make an unexpected appearance … just imagine … wishful thinking hey … the closest thing to a buck sited so far, is the neighbours ever watchful cat on the prowl for a bird who has let its guard down. Mmm that ‘slingshot’ is slowly, but surely becoming a reality …

Also note, the swimming pool has miraculously survived the whole ordeal … miracles do happen. Me and Leanne’s patience was actually only really put to the test (my test failed dismally) by the Pole & Timber Centre sub-contractor who has given us shocking service. We just hope that this is not an example of the type of service that South Africans might have to become use too in the future. Watch this space for a possible report on this sub-contractor’s service. To this date, their installation has not been finalized … which says it all. I would like to thank all of you who have been tuning into Doing Life to read each update as it was published as well as all the emails I received complimenting us on the garden and begging for the next update … it all made this project worthwhile. Hope some of you could visit us in the near future to experience our bushveld garden in real life. - Bushveld inhabitant signing off with the following quote: “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” ~Lao Tzu