An Ode To Projects Completed

Guys, we finally finished painting our headboard, and by we, I mean Matt. I am so happy with how it turned out. Below is a photo of the finished product, which will only be hung once we move (as I don't want to have to re-paint an entire wall at this stage).

He did such a great job - thanks Matt!

I did eventually take a photo of that yummy chocolate pudding, which I enjoyed with a glass of red wine (thanks Amanda)

My sister-in-law Shekinah's music video was released on South African television and it is being played at least once an hour on 5FM and East Coast Radio. She has such an amazing voice and we are so incredibly proud of her!

To watch the video go here:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7xhaN_CPriw

Matt and I are joining Christoff and Marguerite (a couple from church) at their house once a week for Story Sessions.  It's been interesting so far, learning about each person's life story and their journey with Christ.  Plus the bacon and cheese muffins which Christoff made were delish!

Matt and I finally hiked the blue trail at Krantzkloof, which was about 2 hours long and relatively flat, so a great option for families with younger children.  It also ends with a waterfall (in the rainy season) which is an added bonus.

For anyone looking for free group exercise sessions in Durban, there's the Park Run (or walk) on the North Beach promenade on Saturdays at 8AM (but you have to register online first), as well as Club 117 which offers group training sessions in Bulwer park on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings. If you want more information visit their Facebook site.

And just because it's funny and I forgot to tell you all, the day my mom arrived from Taiwan was a doosy. We got home from the airport (a good 30-40 minute drive away) only to realise my mom had collected somebody else's suitcase. She called the airport helpdesk and they let her know that her suitcase was there and she could come to collect it. She was advised to contact the person whose luggage she had taken, and arrange directly with them to meet and hand their luggage over.

So my mom got back into the car to drive to the airport. When she got there she was told she couldn't collect her luggage until she handed over the other person's luggage (which was safely tucked away at my sister's house). After some negotiation, my mom was finally allowed to take her luggage home. My mom can be persuasive when she wants to be.

In the meantime, my sister and I managed to find a business card in one of the bag pockets which had a web address on it, which in turn lead to a mobile number. When we eventually managed to get hold of him, it turned out Mr Uwe Schmolke had already travelled to Margate (a good hour and a half away) and needed his diving equipment and wetsuit (which was in his suitcase) before sunrise the next morning, which was the first dive of his underwater photography trip. So off my mom went again, this time to the central bus terminal to buy a 'seat' for the suitcase to travel to Margate, where Mr Schmolke would eventually collect it.

It is never a dull day with my mom around!

So what I learnt from this experience is:
1) Always check that your luggage is indeed YOUR luggage
2) I think it's pretty amazing when people use their vacation time/travels and combine it with their passions, whether it's through a working holiday or volunteering
3) Mr Schmolke has some pretty cool underwater photographs which you can view here: http://www.underwaterphotography.com/photo-contest/default.aspx?MID=38368

Whatever you get up to this weekend, I hope you have an amazing time with your loved ones.

The Power of Putting Pen to Paper

I am a firm believer in the power of putting pen to paper. Whatever situation it is that you're struggling with: finding the right person to share your life with; the right job; home; sorting out a financial life plan; sticking to a diet or exercise plan etc. My husband thinks that makes me a bit loopy, but it works. There's something about seeing an idea/wish/goal in black and white that makes it achievable and helps keep you on track.

6 months before I met Matt I sat down and wrote out a list of qualities I wanted in the person I next dated. I didn't hold back and when the list was done I had 21 points in total. It was very specific, and though I knew the chances of meeting a guy with all 21 qualities was slim, I hoped anyway. I knew the list would keep me from dating someone whom I was horribly incompatible with (yet again) and also help me recognize Mr Right when he did come along.  More importantly, I knew that if I did meet this person we would value and want the same things in life.

My husband has 20 of those 21 qualities and I have never been happier or more loved. Matt is my best friend, and even in the toughest of times we still have fun together.

I pulled out the old journal again recently, went alone to my favourite happy place - Durban Botanical Gardens - and wrote out a list for my ideal job. I was as specific as possible, writing out what field of work I wanted to be in; what area of Durban I wanted to work in; my ideal hours; my starting salary; even going as far as to describe my ideal boss. A week later I had my job, after weeks of searching. It is exactly what I need at this point in my life. My boss makes me feel valued and appreciated, which is worth is worth it's weight in gold to me. My husband and I now get to travel to work together everyday, and I get home in time to make us both a decent dinner and still have energy left over to spend some quality time with Matt and indulge in my hobbies when the mood takes me.

On our fridge I have put up our financial plan for the near future. Seeing it everyday reminds us of what it is we're working towards, and nothing is more rewarding than ticking off each mini goal as it's accomplished. It reminds us that though some days may be hard, we are slowly making our way toward the life we have envisioned.

We will be moving soon and you can be sure that before we even start to look at potential properties that I will have our list ready. This will help me to know where we are willing to compromise and where we are not. It doesn't mean we will necessarily end up with our dream home, but that we will get the most for our money and end up with a home that makes us far happier than the place we are currently in (which I swear is getting busier and noisier by the day).

Please try it. I hope it works for you.