She's here!!!

I am happy to report that the yorkie I have been waiting for is here!!! On the 27 Oct I was invited to go and pick a puppy so that I could decide on a name and then she could be registers. Well, after much consideration and a few strange suggestions I decided that a designer dog should have a designer name! So I would like you to meet Coco Chanel...

I get to pick her up on the 25 Nov, YAY!!!

Before I go I would like to apologize for not blogging as much these days and also ask that the person responsible for the Shakespearian-hate-mail please stop!!!

This Applies To You

A good woman is proud of herself.
She respects herself and others.
She is aware of who she is.
She neither seeks definition from the person she is with,

nor does she expect them to read her mind.
She is quite capable of articulating her needs.

A good woman is hopeful.
She is strong enough to make all her dreams come true.
She knows love, therefore she gives love.
She recognizes that her love has great value and must be reciprocated.
If her love is taken for granted,

it soon disappears.

A good woman has a dash of inspiration, a dabble of endurance.
She knows that she will, at times,

have to inspire others to reach the potential God gave them.
A good woman knows her past,

understands her present and moves toward the future.

A good woman knows God.
She knows that with God the world is her playground,

but without God she will just be played.
A good woman does not live in fear of the future because of her past.
Instead, she understands that her life experiences are merely lessons,

meant to bring her closer to self knowledge and unconditional self love.

An email from a friend.

...shoes

I’ve just recently re-done my room, and noticed that I have a LOT of shoes. So I thought that it’s probably time for a name change, I mean, this season is a bit of a lonely one and I think it has more to do with the shoes that I’m in (you’ll get it if you can read the deeper meaning)…It’s such a girl thing to do, comparing my life with shoes. But for those of you who get it, I’m not exactly in the high-heel of party seasons! I’m in more of the comfy slipper season, plus I think I’ve been spending to much time in my slippers.

My apologies for being such a bad blogger these days, I haven’t had much time to spend in front of the computer! …and if your wondering what have I been doing with my time seeing as don’t work or study …yet! I have been taking art lessons to help with my portfolio for Varsity next year. Please pray that they like it!!!

PS. The Springboks played a lovely game on Saturday, didn’t they?

Rabbits

Women's day

Africa

So, all you peeps out there that is not from Africa believe that we live with a pet lion at our front door and a giraffe in the garden trimming the trees, not to mention the fat hippo in the swimming pool. Well, have a look at these pics!

Nah, just kidding they were taken on Saturday at a nature reserve called Rhino and Lion. We went there as part of a surprise for Landis birthday. She loved it! While there, we got the chance to play with two lion cubs called Shakira and Nandi. Yes, that is correct the lion was named after me!!! My soon-to-be-brother-in-law was bitten on the hand and above the knee; guess they didn’t like him that much! But here most of the animals live together in harmony, you could see that when we went to see a snoozing baby rhino cause he had a goat standing on top of him… how funny is that…

It was a great day. We even got to see somebody’s tyre get ripped off because they got to close to the big lions (that’s what happens when you don’t sick to the rules) …

The new season

It's all done! I'm back in S.A. and loving it... I must say that I've heard some bad stuff about South Africa lately (back in London), but this is where my heart is and my home.

So, this new season has started and it's gonna be a great one! I haven't got my puppy yet (just incase you were wondering). But I have got my family and three other dogs (not mine) to look after. Plus I have forgotten how good it is to sleep in your own bed, cook in your own kitchen and have your bathroom to yourself!!! It's fantastic!!!

I've only been home for 5 days but there are some places that I miss, like the Dominion Theater, Starbucks on Putney High Street and No. 48 Evenwood Close... not to mention the people!

Life-changing friends

I'd like to show you my London family

Host team for the 6:45 service

Beautiful Hosts

Puntey Connect Group

Roehampton Connect Group

The group you can't forget!

Kelly-Anne & Violet

Which one should I choose?

Yorkshire Terrier

or

French Bulldog

Stick People

*Hillsong Woman's Day*

Thanks for your pics Rinne!

Revolting way to tan

On my walk back to South Ken from the Hillsong Woman’s day thingy I walked past the Westminster Cemetery and saw something very strange. There, ON THE GRAVES, were a few people lying around …TANNING!!! How nauseating! There are more than enough beautiful parks in London, how could anyone feel the need to lie down on grave?

After that shocker, I and Caroline went to see if there were any theatre shows we could go see that hasn’t already started, and the only one we could find was …

It was a bit foul, but funny.

The Bevere Weekend








This was one very amazing weekend with John and Lisa Bevere. We spent the whole Saturday with Lisa at the Hillsong Woman’s Day.

And something that she said has really stuck with me since Saturday.
This is what she said:

The Bible says:

Proverbs 30: 21-23

Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:

a servant who becomes king, a fool who is full of food,

an unloved woman who is married, and a maidservant who displaces her mistress.

And now have look at where the big earthquakes have been the last few years…

Makes you think bout what this world is coming to...

Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock...

Only 17 days left than I'll be back in Pretoria!!!

Just a Thought

Hebrews 13: 1-2

Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

THINGS A SISTA SHOULD NEVER APOLOGIZE FOR

I kinda have a problem with apologizing for everything. Whether I'm right or wrong, I'm always the one to say sorry... Guess thats why someone sent me this email.

1. Never apologize for pursuing what makes you happy. Even if you need to quit your job, transfer schools, or move across country, always do what you really want.

2. Never apologize for using proper English. Keeping it real doesn't mean speaking Ebonics.

3. Never apologize for giving your best in a relationship that just didn't work out.

4. Never apologize for being successful. Only haters want to keep you at their level.

5. Never apologize for crying. Wear waterproof mascara and express yourself.

6. Never apologize for ten pounds you need to lose. People who truly care about you will accept you as you are.

7. Never apologize for being frugal. Just because you save your money instead of blowing it on the latest fashion emergency doesn't mean you're cheap.

8. Don't apologize for being a single Mom. Babies are a blessing.

9. Never apologize for treating yourself to something special. Sometimes you have to show yourself some appreciation.

10. Never apologize for leaving an abusive relationship. Your safety should always be a priority.

11. Never apologize for setting high standards in a relationship. You know what you can tolerate and what simply gets on your nerves.

12. Never apologize for saying NO.

13. Never apologize to your new friends about old friends. There's a reason she's been your girl from day one.

14. Never apologize for ordering dessert or more than one dessert.

15. Never apologize for dating outside your race. Just because you found Mr. Right across the colour line doesn't mean you don't love your brothas.

16. Never apologize for demanding respect. You are to always be treated as a queen.

17. Never apologize for not knowing how to cook. Even if you can't burn like Grandma you know how to order good take out. (Right Girl!)

18. Never apologize for your taste in clothes. It's your style. 22. Never apologize for changing your mind, it is your prerogative.

19. Never apologize for making a decision from your heart, even if others don't agree. You have to live with the consequences not them.

20. Never apologize for being you!

KEEP YOUR HEAD UP AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT GOD LOVES YOU AND HE'S GOT YOUR BACK

Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock...

21 days to go!

The 4-Day-Weekend!!!

This is definitely the way forward!!! My weekend started on Friday with a 6am tube to Victoria Coach Station where I got on bus with my good friend (and ex-flat-mate) Leann. We were on our way to Cambridge. So, after a long 3 hours journey we finally arrived. And it is gorgeous!!!

After climbing the tower of a little church, we decided to go punting down the river. Being “ladies” and all we didn’t want to just go and muck around on the river, we wanted a proper “chauffeured-punting-experience”. It was GREAT! Just me, Lee, a couple of other tourists and our French chauffeur…

I don’t even want to talk about Saturday and Sunday. I had massive headache and I’m not sure whether it’s from sleeping on a blow-up mattress for a week or maybe just warning signs from dehydration.

Monday held a surprise when I decided to get my butt out of the house to go and see St Paul Cathedral. Got there all drenched from lovely London rain, just to walk in and find out there’s a service about to start. YAY!!! How many people get the chance to listen to a choir, in a beautiful cathedral, in central London on a rainy Monday?

Hey girls, look at this email I got today.

A POEM ABOUT OUR GIRLFRIENDS....

...Someone will always be prettier.

Some will always be smarter.

Some of their houses will be bigger.

Some will drive a better car.

Their children will do better in school.

And their husband will fix more things around the house.

So let it go,and love you and your circumstances.

Think about it!

The prettiest woman in the world can have hell in her heart.

And the most highly favoredwoman on your job may be unable to have children.

And the richest woman you know,she's got the car, the house, the clothes....might be lonely.

And the word says, "If I have not Love, I am nothing."

So, again, love you.Love who you are.

Look in the mirror in the morning and smile and say,

"I am too blessed to be stressed and too anointed, to be disappointed!"

"Winners make things happen--Losers let things happen."

Be "blessed" ladies..... and pass this on to encourage another woman.

So ugly they must be beautiful

Hey Guys, time is sure moving faster. I've only got 28 days left in London and still a lot to do. I'll be going to Cambridge tomorrow with one of my old flatties. It's going to be fun getting out of the big city for a bit!

I went with the girls last night to the cinema to see OVER THE HEDGE. It was fantastic, and it just reminded me about the love I have for animals and that I haven't had a pet in two years! That's quite a long time for me!

But the underlining excitement to going home is that I can get a puppy. I was thinking of getting a French bulldog, don't you think their just gorgeous! I'm open to any name suggestions if you know originally-cute names?

Moving on up!!!


So it all happened this weekend, “the beginning of the end”! I finally got through all the crap that I have accumulated in the last 21 months, boxed it up for shipping, and then had a very strong Joburg-boy come to pick it up. Only after I rolled it down three flights of stairs (hope it’s all still in one piece).

So, I’ve been up since 7am (waiting for the shipping-guy) trying to get everything ready for the last move I’ll ever make in London.

First the shipping-guy is late, and I am NOT happy, then I phone for a taxi so that I don’t have to drag my half-a-ton luggage all the way to South Ken. So, I get the good news that there will be no taxi’s available till after 5:30pm, because there is some big football match going on… just my day, it’s it?

By 6pm I finally got my taxi, stuffed it full with luggage, and there I was …on my way to zone 1 to spend my last 33 days in South Kensington.

What a day! I just glad it’s over…

Fun in the Sun!!!

I must admit that I'm always first to complain about the short English summers, but so far it's been great. We've actually had more than 5 days of sun and they say we can expect a sunny weekend!!! YIPEEEEEE!!! And we are truly using every single minute of it with long afternoon walks and picnics and even the odd exercise session...

I just hope and pray that it doesn't turn around all of a sudden, because I've just packed-up all my winter clothing and will be sending it off to South Africa on Saturday...

Lost...?


Every time I use the London Underground I get the urge to walk around and give people valuable travel information. Its probably all part of being a woman, this "need" to help people. I mean, I just hate seeing tourist looking all lost! But at the same time I know that London is most definitely NOT known for it's friendly people (but in their defense I would probably be the same if I was deprived of sunlight for most of my life).

I know that need should probably be redirected to Africa Orphans or something, but I'll do that when I go back to Africa. Right now there's a lot of lost tourist that need a smiley face!!!

Not my thing...

I never thought of myself as being someone that is good at writing, but I also didn't think I would be this bad at blogging. I mean this is only my third blog in how many weeks? I thought this stuff should be easy, because it could be just like keeping a journal. But I've got a surprise for you, IT'S NOT!!! It doesn't mean just because you have a lot of stories to tell that you have the rare ability to put it down on to paper in the perfect set of words.

Well, maybe I should just put down to the lack of Internet access at my flat, because I have in fact already written 8 blogs, but only published 2... mmm

Just the right one!

A colleague recently told me that she loved getting birthday cards more than presents because you can see the amount of time that person took to choose just the right one...
Well, I received a card yesterday from a friend in Oz. It wasn't for anything like a birthday or Christmas or any celebration-type-thing, it was just because she missed me...
...and the card shows it

You’re probably thinking, what does the card say?
On the front it says, "What could be more rewarding than the knowledge that the Carpenter from Nazareth has built mansions for us in heaven!”

...What does it say inside?
Well, that would just have to stay my secret...

As for the friend in Oz...
...Hope mine is next to yours!!!

All loved-up in London!!!

By reading my title some of you might think that this is a typical love story, so I challenge you to read on…

It all started about 14 months ago, I had just had my heart broken in a country that I don’t call home. When a girl I worked with invited to a concert at the Apollo Theater in Hammersmith, to see a band that I have never heard off. Wel, during this concert I remember thinking several times that this is not really my kind off music,… That was until I met the most amazing group of friends!!!

And now months later they have absolutely changed my life… This amazing group off friends has helped my out of bad living arrangement and financial situations. They went with me to conference’s and church on Sunday, they’ve invited me to brunches, lunches and dinners. We’ve shared birthday parties in clubs, pubs and spent summer day’s having picnics in every park in London. Some of us enjoyed the pain exercising together, but we all loved going ice-skating, bowling or just watching rugby together. We’ve had movie-nights, game-nights, girls- nights and loads of sleep over's. But best of all, we’ve had life together and I feel truly blessed to have met these people that come from all over the world.

But the time has come to leave London and my heart is braking. How do you say good-bye to what can only be called a God-given-family?