PURE UNBRIDLED AWESOMENESS...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SUPER-MO !!!!

So now thankfully, you've caught up with me in age. 39! I cannot think of anyone who has grown as much as you have over the past few years. It's as if you have just emerged from your cocoon and the result is a splendid admirable human being.


You are my polar opposite. I am only just starting to understand you. Because we are so completely different, I am able to learn and draw from your strengths.

Unlike me, you couldn't care less what people think about you (especially not negative people). You have never let others' opinions hold you back, which is why you have embarked upon so many projects and tried so many things about which others would perhaps think, but not have the guts to do. Even when your endeavours end in failure, you have the ability not to let that failure define or negatively affect you. Within no time, you are dusting yourself off and trying again. Nothing can hold you back.

As someone who is driven/ restricted/ crippled by other people's opinions, I admire your who-gives-a-crap attitude. Your courage makes you do things other men wouldn't (like wearing that pink shirt to work this morning - eish, that took guts).

A part of you to which I could never relate, was your positivity. As a glass-half-empty type of person, your optimism scared me. Until I started to understand it's value. How it causes you to soar. To do things others won't. To live without regret.

In our years together we have battled through what seemed like endless obstacles. I remember a time we didn't even have taxi fare for you to get to work. At times like those I'd become despondent. You, on the other hand, just forged ahead. Where one door would close, you'd bang down another.  I remember a friend of mine talking about someone having married money. I, on the other hand, knew that I had married potential. The faith I lacked in myself, I had in you. I always knew deep down that you were capable of awesomeness.

And awesome you have turned out to be. With a mixture of envy and admiration I watch how, when  presented with a challenge, you are able to - after careful analysis - emerge with a workable solution. You are the person to whom people turn in times of uncertainty. A natural born leader.

You cannot resist the urge to problem-solve. When someone found himself homeless, you gave him a place to stay. I remember one day before we were married, we had finally managed to secure some time together, when I noticed you were really edgy. Something was clearly bothering you. And when I looked around, I saw a guy struggling to change his tyre. You could not rest until you had helped him. [Didn't do much for my sense of self-worth though].  You were the guy who could not drive past anyone who was stuck alongside the road. You had to stop to assist. [I blame your time in the scouts for that].
Through you, so many people who had been unemployed with no future prospects, now have the skills with which to build a future. I'm talking about Witness, Elliot, Ronald, John, Hashim etc etc, all of whom came to you with no real employments prospects, but who now, thanks to your training, are able to go out into the world and forge lives for themselves with your blessing and encouragement.

Whoever said that only women have the ability to multi-task, clearly has not met you. You have your day job as a B.A. and your after-hours job as a panelbeater/spraypainter.

From what I've heard, you excel at both. I don't know much about your day job, but the oohing and aahing of your spraypainting clients are sufficient indication as to your talents in this area, (in which you are self-taught). I've witness you transforming rusty broken crappy vespas into this:

Just like last week, when you taught yourself how to do airbrushing using just the internet. You transformed drab old motorbike parts (of which I don't have the ''before'' pictures) and produced something amazing.

Here is the work-in-progress

THE END RESULT ( which one unfortunately cannot capture properly on camera, since it is difficult not to catch one's reflection in the shiny paintwork)

(Isn't that amazing? Did I mention that he's self-taught?)

I admire your abilities and respect your opinions (except when they clash with mine, in which case they're just stupid). You have the ability to simplify and shed light upon the most complex matters, making you the one to whom many turn with their problems.

One of the most valuable lessons I've gained from knowing you is to not let negative words about others pass one's lips. I have become aware of how easily - and often - people (no, not just women) pass negative comments behind each other's backs. It is second nature to many (including me). Yet, no matter how bizarre a person's actions may be, once that person leaves the company, you will usually be the only one who won't comment on the person's behaviour in his/her absence. You constantly warn us against being judgemental and acting morally superior, because gossiping about another person's flaws/sins is often as bad (or worse) than the deed/sin about which one is gossiping.

I appreciate how you are not afraid to show how you feel. You don't care about being macho (which brings me back to the pink shirt [kidding]). You are not afraid to tell people how important they are to you. Like this morning, when you said how happy you are to have me as a wife. To be on the receiving end of such validation, is priceless.

SO HERE'S TO YOU:

                B.A. BY DAY, SPRAYPAINTER BY NIGHT!!!!!

           HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SUPER-MO !!!

Fathers Day goes up in flames...almost

Do you know those Father's Day surprises arranged by the kids - the ones where the kids bring dad breakfast in bed, then wait with bated breath while he opens his present - all without setting your premises alight?


Well, that would be the exact OPPOSITE of the father's day surprise my kids planned for Mo. Shakeel (13) had a friend sleep over, which could account for him (as chief organiser and co-ordinator) being more daring and over-the-top than usual.

 
Like with Mother's Day, they set the breakfast table outside. Unlike Mother's Day, Fathers Day fell on a flippin freezing day. Anyway, a singular table was set in the backyard. Underneath the table, in stones, they spelled the word D A D, which I thought was really cool. What I didn't know was that Shakeel had made his way into Mo's workshop, acquired a bottle of thinners and carefully poured the highly flammable liquid onto the stones. While I was inside calling Mo out to his surprise breakfast, they set the word alight. Upon hearing the excited shrieks I looked through the window and witnessed the word D A D, ablaze in all it's glory. My horrified ear-piercing shriek got Mo running and by the time both of us had made it outside, the fire was starting to spread. Shakeel was standing with the hosepipe hosing down the flames. A few flames moved onto the stone pathway. In response to my shrieking, Shakeel, in his attempt to maintain some semblance of coolness in front of his friend, proceeded to extinguish it the cool way - by stepping on it. I could have throttled him there and then.


Anyway, to cut a long traumatic story short, the fire was doused. Although it hadn't grown beyond a few flames, I cannot stop thinking how close we came to disaster. What if it had spread uncontrollably?


Mo and I decided to leave 'the talk' with Shakeel until later. After thanking a despondent-looking Shakeel for his efforts, Mo moved the breakfast indoors.


I was really surprised at my son's lapse in judgement. We knew that he knew where the workshop key was, but didn't think he would do something like that. He is usually so sensible. It was just a reminder to us that he is just a child and we should take the same precautions with him that we do with his younger sisters. What an eye-opener!


Later the afternoon we headed out for a drive. Instead of heading for a pre-determined destination, one of Mo and my favourite things to do, is to drive to a neighbouring dorpie (town). Despite the fact that we usually do this on Sundays when everything is closed, this allows one to appreciate the town for its beauty without the distractions of large amounts of people.


Yesterday we headed off to Paarl. We drove up the Main Road admiring the beauty of this little town. Oh and how beautiful this place is! I wished I could stop to snap pictures of every beautiful sight and every historical landmark. But the kids would have none of it. They kept reminding me that it was Father's Day, not Mother's Day - implying that the day should not be spent doing what I want - but what they want instead.

Die Afrikaanse Taalmuseum

Up to the Paarl Mountain Reserve

After stopping off for lunch and exploring the sights, we ended up at a park where the kids played soccer and ran around to their hearts' content.

 

Mo's tendency to always be prepared came in handy - when Aisha's nappy failed to hold her pee, he had a 5 liter can of warm water ready to give her a quick wash.

When the older kids all complained about needing to pee before we left, we headed to McDonalds to buy ice-cream so that we could use their toilets.

On our way home driving down the N1, both Mo and I became a bit teary listening to the radio, thinking of our own fathers. Josh Groban's ''To where you are'' transported me right back to the intense grief I experienced immediately after my dad's death.

Those emotional few moments also made me realise how lucky my kids are to have such an amazing hands-on dad. He is so thoughtful, always anticipating and addressing the needs of each of his kids (even if it means working two jobs, which he does without complaining). His silly sense of humour and clever wit never fail to bring a smile to their faces. My kids truly are blessed to have Super-Mo for a dad.

Enjoying the calm - however short-lived it may be

Each morning Mo interrupts his pressurized work day to call home, checking if all is well - probaby ensuring that I had not succumbed to the temptation to flee to some faraway place, leaving Aisha (2) alone mid-tantrum; or checking if his princess was well and still uninjured (by her frustrated mother).

On Monday morning, instead of him being greeted by my usual frustrated/ annoyed/ irritated/ stressed out/ cautious/ anxious response (depending on Aisha's mood at the time of the call), I immediately answered his inquiry by providing him with an uncharacteristically animated account of what the budgie (our newest pet) had for breakfast, how much the guinea pigs had enjoyed the celery I'd picked for them from the garden and how Titan, our quaker parrot, was adjusting to sharing his turf (and our affections) with all our newly-acquired pets.

Only then did I realise that his question, ''So, how's everything at home?'' had been about Aisha. But he did not interrupt - probably so relieved at the pleasant voice on the other end of the line (for a change). He proceeded to ask questions and offer tips as to how to how to get the budgie to adapt more easily to its new environment.

But even in answering the question he had actually been asking, I was delighted to report that Aisha's usual morning tantrum had been averted when I'd taken her to hand-feed the guinea-pigs their celery. Within minutes she was giggling and shrieking with delight at the adorable happy sounds they were making.

It seems that having young dependent pets around is bringing out the caring, loving and nurturing side of my tantrum-throwing daughter. It seems to be diverting her focus from her own self-centredness (of which, I admit, I am the cause), to their needs. Let's hope the novelty doesn't wear off too soon.

My weekend scare

Friday evening

> enjoyed seafood braai (crayfish and prawns) with stir-fried veg, mealies and garlic bread
> Mo and I were treated to an entertaining play (comedy) performed by twelve year old Shakeel and his friend Caleb in the lounge. Very funny- those two are so talented. Mo and I were in stitches.

Saturday morning

> Watched in helpless horror as my hubby held his head in both hands with tears streaming down his face with pain
> Got the kids ready for karate. It was 'buddy day', so they were all allowed to bring with a buddy who does not belong to the club. Shakeel brought Caleb, Tharaa (10) and Nuha (7) took their two young cousins.
> Convinced Mo that he needed to see a doctor. Panicked silently, since he has recently been under tremendous stress at work and has also been diagnosed as suffering from high blood pressure. Had to stop myself from thinking the worst.
> On our way to drop the kids, Mo leaned out of the car- vomiting. Then I became really worried.
> After dropping kids at karate, we headed to the doctor. Mo lay in a bed in the back room as he was unable to sit in the waiting room.
> She checked his vitals- all seemed normal. Then he started to vomit profusely. She insisted that we go to the Emergency Room immediately.
> Dropped Mo off at the Emergency Room, then headed back home to fetch kids at karate.
> Received a call from Mo a few hours later- he'd been released. Arrived at the hospital to find him sitting outside on the pavement- in a hurry to get home.
> Kept kids quiet all afternoon as Mo slept off the effects of the pethidine.
> He woke up feeling okay- and then proceeded to prioritise his to-do list. I look on helplessly as my warnings of 'Take it easy- lie down and sleep' fell on deaf ears.
> Luckily the pethidine had not worn off completely- he then fell asleep again. Awoke feeling better. He's been told to visit a neurologist for further examination. Hopefully this was just a severe migraine (due to stress). But we'll find out more when he sees the neurologist.
> I accompany him to the office (because I know his mind is there, but I know that with us waiting in the car, he cannot stay inside and work for long)
> We come home and we get to bed at a reasonable time

He sleeps restlessly- I know he's thinking about work.

Sunday

> Mo leaves for the office just before 08:00 this morning. I'm left with kids, which normally wouldn't bother me (I'm used to him working ridiculous hours). Don't know why I'm feeling so down today.
> Prepare and serve lunch (lasagne)
>Help Tharaa with some Geography studying.
> Cut Nuha and Aisha (2)'s fringes (who said zig-zag fringes can't be cute?)

Now I'm waiting for my mom, brothers, sister-in-law and their kids to come for a visit.

Feeling too depressed to write full sentences.

But I know that this feeling will pass. It's probably being caused by the fact that I've been too busy to process the huge shock I had yesterday with Mo getting sick- and the realisation that I will be at a complete loss if something should happen to him. I hate this feeling of powerlessness.

I should feel better after I get some quiet time to myself- whenever that may be.

Edited post ( hours later)
So as it turns out, it wasn't quiet time to myself I needed to help ease my depression- it was a wonderful few hours with my family. Laughing. Talking utter nonsense. Eating chocolates and sipping tea.
Shakeel and Caleb treated us to another performance of their show- once again, they were hilarious. I couldn't believe how uninhibited and confident Shakeel was. This friend seems to have a really positive effect on him in that way.

We just returned from our Sunday evening prayer meeting, which was rather beautiful. My already-lifted spirits soared.

I shall be spending a quiet evening with Mo before he has to head back to work at 03:00 tomorrow morning. Although we both can't wait for this project on which he is working to end, we are both feeling less stressed and more peaceful right now.

Bigfoot in a sexy mini skirt

Finally, after weeks of trying to get it right, I think we finally have.

By 18:00 yesterday I was heading for the shower- all homework had been completed, books signed and dinner was on the table, ready to be served.

The answer had lain in the re-shuffling priorities. Immediately upon arriving back home at 15:10 yesterday, we all raced to the television to watch the last few minutes of the repeat of 7de Laan. My excuse (luckily backed up by Shakeel's Afrikaans teacher) is that watching this light-hearted Afrikaans soapie helps with the Afrikaans grammar and vocabulary. No really- watching this programme has done wonders for my Afrikaans vocabulary!

Immediately after this programme ended at 15:30, I sat down with 7 yr old Nuha's Grade 2 homework. This was a strategic move- she has the least homework, so getting her to finish first means that there is someone to play with 2 yr old Aisha, who would otherwise spend the entire afternoon disturbing the older two kids, demanding that they play with her.

Nuha receives a list of 15 words each Monday to be studied for the test on Friday. The maths for the test varies. This week they will be tested on "counting in two's" . Since the teacher was absent Monday and Tuesday, they only received the list yesterday. Despite that, we managed to finish studying the spelling list- and she was able to count in two's effortlessly. Thank goodness, because- as planned, she was able to start drawing with Aisha; enabling Shakeel (12) and Tharaa (10) to continue with their work unhindered.

Every day Tharaa is given a list of 5 English words and 5 Afrikaans words; which have to be used in sentences which show that the child grasps the meaning of each word. The Afrikaans sentences have proven to be a bit tricky, as none of my kids are able to master the word order in Afrikaans sentences and tend to translate directly from English; resulting in clumsy lopsided sentences. The problem is that they don't hear Afrikaans being spoken at home, or even by friends and family. (Illustrating once again, that I'm not being a bad mommy by letting my kids watch 7de Laan when they get home from school).

Shakeel finishes his homework in class, while the other kids are chatting away in their free time. Not because he is a goody two shoes, but because he is hoping against hope that this will prompt me to let him watch an episode or 2 (or 3 or 4) of Naruto, 'the coolest series ever!!'

But instead, I rewarded his dedication by requesting demanding that he brings home all his books- I'm determined to get a jump on preparations for the March/April formal assessments/exams. So yesterday we learned all about earthquakes. Pretty interesting stuff really- for me, at least. I animatedly demonstrated to Shakeel how the tectonic plates, which lie adjacent to each other, move about- by holding my hands palms-facing-downward and moving them about like a DJ scratching his vinyl (Am I cool or what!)

To help him remember the concept of the seismic waves I moved my arms about in undulating motions (I knew my bellydance lessons would come in handy some day). Then illustrating the varying speeds of seismic waves I proceeded to speed up my arm waves (probably looking like a demented breakdancer) - much to the embarrassment and horror of my poor son. But, as mortified as he was, the information had stuck. I tested him on the remainder of 'Earthquakes' and we also touched on 'Volcanoes'. We learned so much yesterday- I am confident that, come March/April, I will be able to tackle any question in the exam with ease.

After spending the afternoon filling my head with knowledge for which I would be unlikely to find absolutely any use in my life, I set the table and phoned Mo to find out when he'd be home for supper. I proudly told him all we had accomplished for the afternoon.

Now because of the scorching hot summer we've been experiencing, I've gotten into the habit of prancing about the house in the shortest skimpiest little dresses- not for the sake of being sexy (obviously), but because having clothes against my body was just unbearable.

Neither the kids, nor Mo had said anything about this all summer, so imagine my surprise when Mo ended the phone conversation with, "Um, er- could you perhaps shave your legs before I get home?",

Imagine that!  I was about to start yelling in protest, telling him that I had enough on my plate and, excuse me if I didn't still have time for vanity, when I happened to look down at my legs. Yikes, how had I missed this? I looked like Bigfoot in a very sexy shift dress.

So there I was at 18:00 yesterday- with homework completed, books signed and dinner on the table, ready to be served. On my way  to the bathroom- not for a relaxing rewarding shower, but to hack away at the jungle that had been flourishing on my limbs. Mildly concerned about depriving any wildlife of their home. Fully expecting angry bats to come flapping at me, furious at being evicted from the habitat in which they had thrived, undisturbed for the past 6 months.

I emerged a new woman, strutting down the passage all smooth and hairless in my sexy little dress- to clean up the puddle of Aisha's pee in Shakeel's room.

Fish and chips and sandcastles

On Monday we spent the first half of the day performing the uninspiring task of shopping for the older three kids' school supplies.


We had had no particular plans for the day, but since Mo's leave was coming to an end, he felt particularly restless- as if he wanted to cram as many activities as possible into his remaining time.


So off we headed to Hout Bay for a late lunch/early supper.


We took the Constantia Nek route, as we had preferred the serenity of the drive along that route to the busy (though equally scenic) Camps Bay-Llundudno route.


I love driving through Constantia toward Hout Bay. But just envisioning the plush mansions nestled discreetly behind the dense foliage which lines the road upon which we were driving- I'm ashamed to say- had me uncharacteristically green (probably allowing me to blend perfectly into my surroundings). I sat gawking at the beauty of the lush vegetation, particularly in awe of the magnificence of the vineyards covering the slopes of the Constantia valley.


I  tried to capture some of the beauty which I was beholding on camera, but for some strange reason all my pictures made it appear as if the day was misty, which it wasn't. Later Mo pointed out the reason- my lens was covered in fingerprints (probably mine).

Then in sharp contrast to the plush suburb of Constantia, we were provided with a stark reality check when we drove past the squatter camp at the entrance to Hout Bay- indicative of the unequal distribution of wealth still prevalent in South Africa almost 20 years after the end of apartheid.

  

Then onward to Hout Bay- toward the harbour where we were to buy our meals at one of the two places which are almost institutions in Cape Town; namely Snoekies and Fish on the Rocks. Our decision as to where to buy would depend on queues. Both places were packed to capacity.


We bought our food and then left the harbour area to have our meals in the car facing the ocean.

As soon as they were done, the kids leaped out of the car and proceeded to build sandcastles. I found it very amusing to watch Mo (who is a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to creating/ building/ restoring things), watch them build their lopsided castle  while trying not to intervene and show them the proper way to build a perfect castle.

Eventually he could no longer resist- and before you knew it, he had pretty much taken over. But the kids were not about to have their creativity stifled, so he was forced to step back as the castle was revamped to include a bridge leading to a castle restaurant.

Then came the best part for my destructive bunch- they thoroughly enjoy building their masterpiece completely and then at the count of 1-2-3, all of them will jump up and down on it until it has been completely flattened. This tradition originated from an incident which had taken place at Hermanus a few years ago. They had spent the entire afternoon building a very elaborate castle- when it was time to for them to leave a bunch of other kids simply moved in and were fortunate enough to enjoy the fruits of my not-so-generous kids' hard day's labour. That was when they decided that they would rather destroy their castles than suffer the invasion by a swarm of parasitic kids just waiting to move in. (They don't get that from me, I swear).

We took the Llundudno-Camps Bay route home. The moment that Llundudno comes into view is absolutely breathtaking. Although it was nearing sunset, one could not help but be impressed with the absolute magnificence of the views along that coastline. It truly is one of the most splendid sights to behold in this beautiful city of ours.

I once again realised that a trip to Hout Bay is about so much more than the destination. The entire journey is a an experience of exquisite scenery and natural wonders, which I am determined never to take for granted.