My weekend in pics.

Today it’s raining, and the sea and sky are almost the same shade of drab grey. I thought I’d tell you this, as I don’t want you imagining that I spend all my days swinging in a hammock under blue skies. 🙂

You’ll be glad to know that I survived Cruel Niel’s shape class with only a few aches and pains and wobbly knees. I’d almost forgotten what a tyrant this athletic little devil in a red T-shirt can be. The music is of the kind which makes me turn tail outside such stores as ‘Hollister’ and ‘Abercrombie & Fitch’, even though I’m just longing to go in and try on a pair of their skinny jeans. Their choice of music should tell me that the clothes inside the store are meant for youngsters, rather than  this mature woman with sensitive ears. As we hapless victims bent, stretched, reached for the sky, touched toes, did countless push ups, tummy crunches, and weights, I could hear someone screaming out “Can you feel it, feel it, feel it, baby?” Of course I could feel it! 😯 Neil’s strident voice kept telling us to ‘Keep going, keep going. One more set…….five, four, three, two, one, relax.” Only for a split second though, and then we were on to the next tortuous exercise. This went on for a whole hour, and I kept looking at the clock, thinking. “WHAT am I doing here? Let me rather die NOW. ”  The last five minutes were spent rolling and stretching on the floor, whilst the tape played, “Voulez vous couchez avec moi ce soir?” I was ready to agree to anything, just to make the agony come to an end. 😉 The inevitable balancing stork-like on one leg and then the other, ended the class, and as I left, I remarked to Neil, “I’d forgotten just how cruel you can be,” and his retort was, “I was extra cruel today, just so that you’d remember faster.”  I’m a glutton for punishment though, and I guess I’ll be there again next Friday.

My piano playing went really well, and people smiled and waved at me, and an elderly couple had a bit of a dance to show their appreciation. One rather distinguished looking man came over and patted me on the back, which I thought was a bit of a liberty, but he obviously thought I was up for it. 🙂

Yesterday afternoon we went for a walk around our neighbourhood. I noticed that these security cameras have popped up at regular intervals along our road, and we have one inside our complex. In Florida, we have no need of high walls and electric fencing. Our gardens are just open to the street. It’s hardly surprising that we prefer living there, is it?

We saw these playful monkeys having fun on someone’s roof.

The daddy was standing guard and giving us the ‘hairy eyeball’, but uncooperatively closed his eyes for the photo.

The beach was almost deserted, which was surprising for a weekend. You can just see the Umhlanga lighthouse way in the distance.

Along the path We came upon this old dead tree trunk, and I immediately saw many weird and wonderful faces in it. Can you also see them, or is it just me? I can see at least ten, and one has whiskers, but I do see faces in almost everything.

This monstrosity of a house has been under construction for the last two years, and nothing seems to have changed whilst we were away.

Here is my favourite local seaside mansion, and I’d swap our townhouse for it in a heartbeat, although maybe not, as there’d be so much more housework to do. 😕

I’ve finished my spring clean downstairs today. I’m quite the fiend with the vacuum cleaner, and so many dead ants, spiders and dust bunnies have been sucked into oblivion. Tomorrow I’ll tackle the upstairs, but I’ve earned a rest, so let me have a nice cup of tea, and catch up with some of your blogs. 🙂

Of weekend, Skype family chats, and sister’s paintings.

Hi there, everyone. So far so good for the weekend. Lots of time spent on Skype today. First up was my sister who came through as soon as I opened my laptop. I had just got out of bed, but she insisted we switch on the video so that my mom could see my “little face.” Obviously I don’t look too scary before I’ve combed my hair and washed my face, because we chatted for almost an hour, and they didn’t laugh or run away.

Sister has sold another of her paintings.

 

 
She’s doing really well this year, and has also sold another hand embellished print at an upmarket game lodge, which displays the original in their foyer.

 

 

She and her husband are eager to buy a reed and thatch cottage on the beach in Mozambique. It’s three hours drive off the beaten track, has four bedrooms, but only one very basic bathroom, no glass in the windows, just insect screening, but worst of all, no electricity. She said that we must go and visit them, so I immediately asked, “Can I use my hair drier there?” The answer was in the negative, as the generator isn’t up to it. So now what do I do? I am a person who loves my creature comforts above everything.

Next up on Skype was my dear MiL, sounding really chipper and very cheerful. The weather wasn’t good enough for her to go out for her usual walk. You may have seen that England is rather chilly at the moment and snowing, and I don’t think that I would go walking around the local sports field either, especially at almost 99-years-old! She wisely decided to stay home and bake a cake instead.

Then it was my daughter’s turn, and we also got to speak to our two grandchildren, and admire their fancy new sneakers sent over via a friend by their uncle in New York. What amazing clothes there are available now for young teenagers. I remember that when I was their age, there was a choice between white plimsolls or black plimsolls. Now you can get ones with tigers, skulls and hearts on, in fact almost anything your heart desires.

 
I haven’t  been to the Superbowl dinner yet. It’s in a couple of hours, so I’ll report back sometime tomorrow. I suppose it is almost tomorrow in SA by now, and by the time you read this, I’ll be in bed. This seven hour time difference thing is very strange. Sleep well.

Hope you all had a superb weekend. Chat again soon.