DOING LIFE

{Saturday, 13 June 2009}

I left Johannesburg from Oliver Tambo Airport, Thursday morning, in cold rainy weather and arrived in Durban stepping off the plane into summer weather, but thats Durbs for you. Doing Life's (DL) trustworthy Jack of all Trades duly collected me at the airport with her car already packed to the brim with DL boxes of supplies, leaving just enough space to fit my nearly 30kg suitcase onto the backseat.

No, its not a typo, my suitcase really weighed 29+ kgs and when putting the suitcase onto the scale at the check-in at OR Thambo, the attendant asked me to step of the scale and I responded by saying that I am off the scale. Her eyes stretched as she realised that the suitcase really weighed that much. She gave me a slip with the weight noted and said that I need to go to Kulula's sales counter after check-in to pay R200+ for being over 22kg.

At the check-in counter I duly informed the attendant that I am aware of my luggage overweight and will go and pay for it. No, he says, seeing that you don't have any hand luggage, i will quickly go and check with my manager whether its okay. So after a few minutes he returned and friendly stated that there's no need to pay for the excess weight. Well, needless to say, he nearly got a big hug from me. Now isn't that service for you. Well done Kalula and keep up your excellent client service and may you be a leading example to SAA!

Michelle dropped me and all the DL boxes of stock at the Inn Afrika B&B in Kloof and returned to AlexanderCox Attorneys to complete her afternoon shift. I settled into my room and lazed around for the rest of the afternoon just vegetating and completing a few Soduko puzzles (there's a real addiction here). Michelle and Dereck collected me just before 7pm for supper at Oscars in Hillcrest ... I can really recommend their starter Vegetarian Stack ... very yummy. After supper we went to watch a show at the Heritage Theatre just across the road from Oscars.

Got to bed just before 12 midnight just to get woken by my cell phone alarm at 5:30am on Friday morning. Had breakfast at 6:30am after which Michelle picked me up for our facials and peddis with a beauty salon at the Heritage Market in Hillcrest at 8am. Once again DL's boxes of stock was reloaded into the car. Must say that his was definitely the best facial and peddi I have ever had. The peddi was so relaxing sitting on a bed with a cup of tea in hand and a stunning view over a gorgeous valley through huge glass walls in front of you. So if you are a local resident in Kloof/Hillcrest, treat yourself to a couple of hours of relaxation and pampering at the Heritage Retreat. Thanks Michelle for schlepping me along, it was well worth it.

After our pamper session we set off for Makaranga Garden Lodge where the boxes were off-loaded at the conference venue and we started setting up just before 11am and only finished just after 8pm. Michelle took me back to Inn Afrika where we had a quick night cap in my room before she left for home. No time was wasted and I promptly got into bed for a good nights recharging and rose at 5:00am on Saturday (the big day). Had a cup of tea and yoghurt and Michelle's taxi service collected me at 6:30am.

Above, the prizes beautifully wrapped by a very talented Michelle.

Then there were of course the tradition of crowning a Speed Queen at each DL Scrapaganza which this year was the ever so speedy and elegant Tracey Meikle who won apart from a very painful tennis elbow. Congrats Tracey on being the 4th DL Speed Queen.

The grand prize was determined by guessing how many brads there were in a sealed bottle and the worthy winner who had the nearest guess was Linda Stuart. Linda I hope you enjoy creating with your new tool and all the brads.

Spot prizes were determined by balloons with messages inside containing smiley or frowning faces ... of course the smiley face meaning a prize is on the cards.

Then there was the Best Pink & Black Dresser of the day which was won by a very elegant, classy and chirpy Libby Houreau. I must say those, pink roses were to die for as the infamous David would discover during the course of the afternoon!

No comment on the above censored scenes. But hey thats just a natural reaction when there is only one available male amongste nearly 40 females!

At the conference venue we just got a few minor things in place. The first delegates pitched just before 7am, very excited, eager, dressed in pink and black and dashing to reserve the best seat, after which the Doing Life shop was frequented. As the girls arrived, slowly but surely the noise level rose as everyone was catching up with each other on all the happenings since they last saw each other six months ago at the previous DL Scrapaganza. A cup of coffee and a muffin was also enjoyed before the girls took their seats and waited for the excitement to start.

Yours truly started off the Scrapaganza with a few welcoming words and of course Michelle reading her Ode, which has also become one of the DL Scrapaganza traditions. I followed on with a few explanations on all the competions running throughout the day and then got everyone going with the first layout of the day which was the Destiny Layout.

The buffet lunch was once again seriously delicious. The food ranged from yummy vegetable soup to a seafood/cold meat/salad bar, to warm meats and healthy veggies. And last, but not least, the yummylicious dessert station. Once again my personal favourite, the lemon meringue pie was delicious as well as the black cherry trifle and apple crumble pie. Naturally the healthy fruit salad option did not get much support.

After a creatively productive day, the last delegate left at 5pm. Michelle and me then promptly started stock taking the shop's supplies, packed everything in boxes again, carried everything up a flight of steps and then finally loaded the remaining DL stock into Michelle's transport service. We then had a light dinner at Makaranga after which my personal taxi service dropped me at my B&B just before 10pm.

Michelle thank you for all your unselfish, friendly support ... without you a DL Scrapaganza will not be a reality. I also would like to take this opportunity to wish Michelle a happy birthday for Monday, 15 June and HUGE congratulaionts on her and Dereck's 25th Wedding Anniversary on Tuesday, 16 June. May the next 25 years be even more special than the first. Above is Shelley with the Anniversary cake she baked and decorated for Michelle. Below, of course is madam Michelle herself admiring her cake.

I spent Sunday vegetating again at the Inn Afrika B&B, but did get round to using their local computer station and internet to write this post. Michelle collected me just after 2pm for a quick visit with Shelley who was house sitting a friends home and then also collected her beautiful cake. I flew back on Monday and got home just before lunch, quite tired, but very relieved that the Scrapaganza ran smoothly. A huge thank you to all of you girls attending and helping to make it a funfilled day.

We are weighing in with the dietician tomorrow morning, after another month following our eating plan, its been three months now. So hold thumbs that I am at least a few grams lighter and not heavier. Conroy has been doing well with our eating plan and has lost 17kg since January 2008, so yours truly's cooking methods and ingredients are doing the trick.