Tussen êrens en Clarens

ek het my hart weer verloor
en is deur die Vrystaat se vlaktes bekoor
tussen êrens en Clarens
op die maat van Matthys
- langs jou my lief

ek het vergeet hoe dit voel
om God te hoor as Hy praat
en hoe dit voel
om oor te gee en te vergeet

maar ek het my hart gevind
in die stilte van die wind
net duskant Fouriesburg
voor die kaggelvuur
- langs jou my lief

 opgedra aan Jaco

Hallo World

I know I have been completely missing in action for the last few months.  But I have not given up blogging completely.

As soon as my life turns back to normal, I will start posting again.  Or as soon as I figure out how to blog in my not-so-normal-life :)

Here is a drawing (not my own unfortunately) to prove that I am indeed alive:

*Photo Source

In the mean time.  Here are a few thoughts to keep you going:

• Life is too important to take seriously. (Corky Siegel)

• The light at the end of the tunnel may be an oncoming dragon.

• You cannot successfully determine beforehand which side of the bread to butter.

• If you eat a live frog in the morning, nothing worse will happen to either of you for the rest of the day.

Happy Weekend

I don't know about you, but this really makes me feel better...

London Calling

I am going to London in exactly 2 weeks time (that is off course if my Visa Application is successful - I have this random fear that they are going to find out about criminal offences I haven't committed yet) and I am very excited.  Not only because I haven't had a break in 6 months, but also because I have never been to the United Kingdom and all this excitement of the Queen's Jubilee Celebrations are catching on...

Here are my list of things that I definitely want to do:

• Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum

• London Wetland Centre

• Big Ben (preferably at night time)

• Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum

• Abbey Road Studios

• The British Library

• Chinatown

• Piccadilly Circus

• Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

• London Eye (preferably at night time)

I can't wait :)  

Taal van my Hart

Net gou `n stukkie leesstof om te wys ek is nog 100% en o-so-suiwer Afrikaans...

Ek skryf in Engels, want meeste van my goeie en getroue volgelinge is Engels, maar ek wil dit duidelik maak en indien moontlik uitbasuin, dat ek `n Afrikaanse boeremeisie in murg en been is en dat die taal van my hart steeds suiwer Afrikaans bly.

Engels is maklik en gerieflik om te gebruik in hierdie veelsydige land van ons en ek dink Engels is `n baie mooi taal op sy manier. Maar daar is geen taal soos My Taal, geen taal wat woorde so beskrywend soos "kraakvars" en "opkikker" en so mooi soos "appelliefies" en "heimwee" het nie, geen taal wat my bekoor, oor en oor soos Afrikaans nie.  

Net vir ingeval jy my nie glo oor die wonder en die magie van My Taal nie, hier is `n paar gedigte en lirieke vir jou om deur te lees, toegewikkel onder `n warm kombers, met `n stomende koppie boeretroos in jou hand, weggevoer in `n oomblik van skoonheid, daardie oomblik waar alles sin maak, want jy het iets ontdek in die woorde van prosa en poësie wat jou verwonderd agterlaat...

Skink nog `n uur in jou glas my maat, huppel saam met die hoepelkinders en hoor die fluistering in die windstilte...

Nokturne 

Koos du Plessis

"En die nagwind sê volkome: 

elkeen droom sy volste drome — 

en bly alleen. 

En die vrese wieg soos bome

in die nagwind en die reën." 

Nagliedjie

NP van Wyk Louw

Vannag in hierdie helder stilte

dink ek net aan jou,

treur ek soos die wilger, oor die

waat're van my rou.

Jy is soos 'n ster vir my,

ver en stil en rein;

en my siel die donker water

waar jou beeld in skyn

Dagdroom
Elisabeth Eybers

Ek het jou brief gelees terwyl ek eet,

die woordesoet het oor my tong gesprei.

Verby die aardse brood het ek gestaar

dwarsdeur die bome in die raam,

dwarsdeur die grys wolkeplafon

tot in die paradys waar alles lig en helder is.

En net soos in die Bybel was ons naak

en het ek, aangekla, gou hom die skuld gegee

wat skemerig sis. . . toe ek opeens gewaar

dat ek my halfgerookte sigaret

aftik in my twee-derde koppie tee.

Hoe ek voel

Johannes Kerkorrel

As ek jou net kon vertel

as ek jou net kon laat sien

sou ek `n skilder opdrag gee

om `n prent vir jou te maak

en as hy eindelik klaarmaak

as hy sy meesterstuk voltooi

sou jy weet, jy sou weet

as jy teen die tyd nog vergeet

hoe ek voel, hoe ek voel

oor jou

As ek jou net kon laat sien

as ek jou net kon laat lees

sou ek `n faksmasjien gaan huur

en gedigte vir jou stuur

en as jy anderkant dit kry

as jy dit uithaal en jy kyk

sou jy weet, jy sou weet

as jy teen die tyd nog vergeet

hoe ek voel, hoe ek voel

oor jou

As ek jou net kon laat lees

as ek jou net kon laat hoor

sou ek `n koor na jou toe stuur

`n serenade in die laatnaguur

en as jy wakker word een aand

en jou vensters staan wyd oop

sou jy weet, jy sou weet

as jy teen die tyd nog vergeet

hoe ek voel, hoe ek voel

oor jou

Die Taal van my Hart is Suiwer Afrikaans...

Happy Weekend

Hope you get to spend it with someone you love ...

or can laugh with ...

or can dance with...

or can watch a movie with...

or can drink your sorrows away with...

or can play scrabble naked with...

Whatever rocks your boat :)

Have an awesome weekend...

I survived :)

I've been through quite a rough week or two.  Stress at work, friend problems and a whole lot of extra things just wanting to push me over the edge.

 But I survived :)

Here are a few things that kept me sane...

• The fact that I married my best friend 6 months ago

• A weekend away in the beautiful Dullstroom (filled with art, beautiful scenery and mampoer)

• My "I'm thinking about you" present 

• Amelie's beautiful soundtrack that seems to calm me down whenever I feel like I'm loosing my mind (which is a lot lately)

• The fact that I can drink coffee whenever I want

• The following quote

Quote of the Week

This is from one of my oldies...

"I think our brains are the manure to our hair... As you can see (pointing to his bald head), I don't have a lot of manure..."

Hope you've still got lots of manure :)

Like a Virgin

As I was a part of this very funny conversation, I decided to copy it just as it is from my special random friend's blog.  You can check out the original here.


After a waiter (who calls himself the wine specialist) explained the wine list, in great depth, to the table, he began to get annoyed when he realised the table was probably not going to order any wine. To ease the tension the following comments were made:

Diner 1: I'd like the 2003 virgin.

Diner 2: I think she is a little young.


 I will not confirm whether I was Diner 1 or Diner 2, but most people that know me will draw their own conclusions :)


Ps. Is this how a virgin is suppose to look like?

*Madonna from Like a Virgin

Happy Weekend

Since I already felt on Monday that it was suppose to be Friday, I can only say...

Black Comedy

Word of the Week

Shenanigans

Anything that is wild or over the top, something that is considered crazy.
It's also used to refer to shady dealings or actions that aren't necessarily above-board.

This is a pseudo-Irish word meaning tricky or underhanded behavior, mischief.
Mischief, pranks as at Halloween and at April Fool's Day.

Have you been up to any shenanigans lately?

Vintage Random

I am really following a wide variety of blogs these days.  From latest fashion, to beautiful photography and to just plain random.

I recently started following Letters of Note, an awesome blog that posts letters from novelists or singers or just about anyone that was discovered and that they feel needs recognition.  I absolutely love letters...and even though I love receiving emails and love my blackberry and the communication opportunities (or lack of communication as some people might feel) it gives me, there is absolutely nothing like the feeling of a handwritten letter coming from someone you love.  My grandmother and I used to exchange letters and when I was younger I used to have quite a few pen pals.  Sadly with technology growing, that is one of the things that is really becoming less used.  Why would you write a letter of you can send an email or instant message to someone in just seconds?

But after discovering this blog, I have made a decision to start writing letters again and also maybe to share a letter on my blog every now and then.  We will see how long this resolution lasts, but I've promised my grandmother that she will receive a thick, hand written letter from me soon and intend to keep my promise.

To start off this new feature, I will share a letter from Letters of Note.  This is the most random letter I have ever seen and I cannot believe it happened in the 1800's.

You can see the post for yourself at this link.


In March of 1861, renowned novelist Anthony Trollope sent the following letter to a Miss Dorothea Sankey. To this day, it's unknown whether he was joking.



Waltham House
Waltham Cross

March 24. 1861

My dearest Miss Dorothea Sankey

My affectionate & most excellent wife is as you are aware still living—and I am proud to say her health is good. Nevertheless it is always well to take time by the forelock and be prepared for all events. Should anything happen to her, will you supply her place,—as soon as the proper period for decent mourning is over.

Till then I am your devoted Servant

Anthony Trollope

Grateful

The other day one of our residents passed away.   As always this is tragic, not only to the family and to the people that work here, but also for his fellow residents in the ward.

I was talking to one of the residents outside the ward, when the "graveyard angels" (as I like to call them) came to fetch the body.  They are not very subtle in their job, as they throw this Royal Purple throw over the bodies as they wheel them out and man and mouse knows what's going on.  I tried to stand in front of Mr B, so that he wouldn't see what was happening, but unfortunately I misjudged the size of my body.

Mr B sounding a little bit distressed now:  "From which ward is that dead body?"
OT:  "From your ward, Mr B, I am so..."
Mr B: a big smile spreading over his face  "But I am busy talking to you, so that means...that is not me!"
OT:  "No, it's definitely not you, Mr B"
Another lady from the ward walking by...
Mr B: sounding extremely happy now  "It is not you either!"

I guess even in the gravest of situations, we can always find something to be grateful for...

Funny Book Titles

If you feeling down and in the dumps, maybe try out a few good books...

Here are some lovely options:

Have a lovely Tuesday and feel free to do a book review in the comments :) 

A Big Loss

One of my residents passed away a week or two back...She and her husband shared a room and looked after each other even though they struggled to look after themselves. 
I have been postponing a little to go visit the husband... I feel so sorry for him as I know how lost and alone he must be feeling.  So, I had to get myself together first.  On Tuesday I finally had the courage to go give him my condolences.

The following conversation took place:

OT:  "Hallo Mr G, how are you?"
Mr G:  "I'm terribly upset...just terribly upset"
OT:  "I know Mr G, I am so sorry about your loss"
Mr G:  "So, you've heard then.  Oh, what am I going to do, it's such a big loss"
OT:  "Mr G, I know it doesn't feel like it, but you will be okay..."
Mr G:  "How can you say that, I feel like a mole"
OT:  "Uhm.."
Mr G:  "Please help me look around"
OT:  now really confused:  "What are we looking for?"
Mr G:  "I've lost my glasses...Oh, it's such a terrible terrible loss"

In the end I comforted him about his glasses (which we did eventually find after a day or two), but I know I was comforting him about his wife too...

Inspirational Monday

Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add colour to my sunset sky.

Rabindranath Tagore

 
*Could this be true for me?  Guess we will have to wait and see...

New Word of the Week

Fruckles

Quote of the Week

This is from one of my students:

"I will stabilise her mood by talking quickly and slowly to her"

I still haven't quiet figured this one out...

Happy Weekend

What a week.. Had a bit of a rough time at work, but it's Friday and I am looking forward to the weekend for the following reasons:

1.  We have a kermis at our church this afternoon

* Not sure it's going to be quiet as exciting as in this picture...

2.  We are going to see The Artist (first major silent movie in 80 years) tonight with special friends

3.  Golf with the husband and best friends in the Bushveld...

*  Golf doesn't normally excite me, but it is the Bushveld and I was promised that I can race around on a golf cart... (it's been a while since my semi-speeding-golf-cart-accident a year and a half ago)

4.  Time spent with my wacky and random, but oh-so-special friends from the old Rustenburg Gang (even though it is most unfortunate that everybody cannot be there)

 *  To read more about our wacky and random times together see my friend's post on our crazy weekend at One Inappropriate Weekend.


Have a wonderful weekend ful of rest and a tad bit of wackiness when with good friends...

And always remember: 

"No matter how good you are at something, there's always about a million people better than you"
Homer Simpson

Same goes for when you are really bad at something I guess :)