I had a great weekend. 

It as fantastic to see my sister again!!!  We spent the whole day Saturday together which was great!  I then “let” her spend Saturday evening with our brother, seeing as he is off on Honeymoon tomorrow so she will not really get to see much of him.  Mr OL and I went out for dinner with friends.  They said if we did not join them we could strike them off the baby sitting list and seeing as they are the only ones on it at the moment we thought we had better go.  Of course that was not the only reason, it was great to see them and they are a really nice couple. 

Sunday I went to the beach and watched the Ocean Racing Series.  It was funny not to be taking part, but I am chicken of swimming in the sea without my wetsuit. When I got down there I really wished I had entered. The sea was beautiful and not cold at all.  I would have managed just fine.  My sister enjoyed it and it was a just a little reminder of what she is missing living in London…. 

On the way home I got caught up in a whole group of motor bikes….  Luckily they were going the opposite direction so I just pulled over and watched.  It was the Toy Run, where the bikers collect toys and then give them to needy children.  I am not sure how many bikes there were but there were a lot!!!  I am not usually a fan of motorbikes but it was amazing to watch and hear.  Click HERE for photos’ of the Cape Town one.   And HERE for photos of the PE one.

After that I went to the Walmer Park Summer Food Festival – Yum!!!  It was pretty good. But then it involved food so…… Of course it was good.

Then of course it was “THE WEDDING”  I can’t believe my little (all 6foot3 of him) got married.  He and his friends scrubbed up pretty good. Who knew that those boys could look that smart.  His wife looked STUNNING but then I expected no different she really is beautiful.  The wedding was fantastic, very simple décor, white roses for flower, all very tasteful.  I will post photo’s as soon as I have had them developed (or stolen some from somebody else).  Yes, I said developed – I took them on my film camera (so retro I know) but I enjoy using it and sometimes think the photo’s come out better.  But then I do have a really crap digital camera. 

Well I guess that is all from me for now – except to say that I am going to head straight to bed when I get home.  Mr OL is very good about sharing although this time I wish he had been a bit more selfish – he seems t have given me his cold!!!

I have been a really bad blogger lately!  So here are just a few things that are going on.  You have my permission to skip reading this post and it is BORING! 

• My sister has arrived in Johannesburg and is showing no symptoms of Swine Flu.  She passed the “heat” test at the airport so hopefully she does not have it.  Her doctor said that if she was not showing symptoms by Friday (today) then she was in the clear.  YAY!!! This means I will go to the airport to see her after all.  She lands in PE at 12:00. 
• I have the afternoon off!
• I took some side on pictures, but then the battery died on my camera so I could not load them to my computer – NEXT WEEK I PROMISE.
• I chopped of my hair – well not all of it and not me.  So maybe I had best rephrase that.  I went to the hairdresser and had a hair cut.  I had just gotten it long again from the last time I had it all chopped off and then went and did it again……  I am quite happy with it.  I guess I might have to take updated photos so you can see it.  I think it will be better for summer – much cooler.
• My brother is getting married on Sunday!!!!! 
• Mr OL is sick in bed and has been there for 2 days.  At least he got sick before my sister arrived so I am not stressing that he has picked up Swine Flu!  He had best not give what ever he has to me!
• I am 27 now weeks pregnant – time is flying! 

I guess that is about it!! Have a great weekend!

Trust me to jinx myself by saying that I am having an easy pregnancy and enjoying it!!! 

The past few days have not been fun but at least nothing serious, just rather unpleasant. 

I woke up on Saturday morning at 3am with a pounding headache.  I was worried that perhaps I was just a bit dehydrated so drank lots of water.  After throwing up the first couple of Panado I managed to keep some down.  My problem was that it was my future Sister-in-law’s Kitchen Tea that afternoon and I had not even bought her a gift yet.  To bad – I stayed in bed, set my alarm and hoped for the best.  Eventually my mom phoned me.  I slept straight through the alarm and everything.  I asked my mom to buy me a gift on her way to pick me up. 

I am glad I made it, but it was straight back to bed with me afterwards.  I basically stayed there till Monday morning!  The one good thing is that I never noticed how hot the weekend was.  Here is a picture of my future sister in law and myself.  Unfortunately I am not facing side ways so still no bump! Believe me it is there, although in this photo you would not really say so.  Is my future sister-in-law not beautiful!!! 

Sisters in Law

I am still not feeling great – I did go and get my blood pressure tested and it is still low, so that is good.  If I don’t feel any better by tomorrow I am going to go to the doctor. 

In even more disappointing news, my sister’s flat mate seems to have had Swine Flu, so now we are waiting to see if my sister has it.  Obviously that will determine whether or not I get to see her on Friday!!  I have been so excited about seeing her and now this! SUCKS!!!!!

Till my sister gets here!! Can’t wait to see her.

I have however told her if she laughs at my tummy she can get straight back on that plane……..

I am very lucky – most of my direct family is great.  We get on very well and are pretty close.  

However, my parents moved here from Scotland just before I was born and besides my Granny (my mom’s mom) we have not seen much of the overseas relatives.  In fact I have only really met my mom’s side of the family. 

When I first went to the UK I thought I would contact some of the others – in particular my Dad’s mother.  She was… how shall I say this politely….. uhmmm not very receptive to my requests to meet.  In fact her words were that she was “too busy”.  Considering I had not given her a date to meet I took this as her way of saying she did not want to see me.  That was ok, it hurt a little but I could get over it.  In the entire 3 and half years I lived in the UK (one of those years in the same town as her) we met up once.  That was because my mom was over visiting and she arranged it.  

Earlier this year my sister, who is now living in the UK also tried to meet up with her.  Her response – she was too busy!  This from a 96 year old who last saw my sister when she was 6!!!  A bit upsetting but my sister got over it.  It was not like she had agreed to meet one of us and not the other. 

Then, I just heard today that my dad phoned his mom this week and said that he would like to fly over to Scotland to visit her.  He has not seen her in nearly 30 years, and considering her age he thought it was probably now or never.  Her response, well, she hopes he does not think he can come and stay with her, because he can’t….  NICE ONE GRAN!  Obviously he is not thinking of going any more.  How could anybody not want to see their own child?  It was not as if he has even done anything wrong.  They never had an argument and he was not disowned or anything like that.  It is just odd!  As I said, you can’t choose your family. 

It does explain my dad a bit more though.  He is also not the most “social” of people towards his kids. Whenever I try and arrange to meet up with him he is always “too busy”.  He refuses to see us on Christmas, Birthday’s or on Father’s Day always saying that he has other plans.  Any contact between us we usually have to initiate.  However, we have also realised that the best thing to do is just to drop on by, saying you were in the neighbourhood or passing or something.  He will usually say that we can’t stay for long, but then never wants us to leave.  But it is more understandable now.  If this is what he has learnt from, then he has come along way.

Today I am taking the easy way out.  I saw this on Jeanette’s blog and thought it a good idea. 

Here is a list of 50 things you should be able to do.  It is not comprehensive but – just for fun.  

I have highlighted the ones that I can do in bold.  

1. Build a Fire
2. Operate a Computer
3. Use Google Effectively
4. Perform CPR and the Heimlich maneuver
5. Drive a Manual Transmission Vehicle
6. Do Basic Cooking
7. Tell a Story that Captivates People’s Attention
8. Win or Avoid a Fistfight – I would like to think I could avoid one, seeing as I have never actually been in one.
9. Deliver Bad News.  This I suck at.
10. Change a Tyre
11. Handle a Job Interview (Iooks like I might be needing these skills sooner rather than later – SUCKS!!!!!)
12. Manage Time
13. Speed Read
14. Remember Names.  Uhmmmm, this I also suck at!
15. Relocate Living Spaces
16. Travel Light
17. Handle the Police – I suppose I can, I have only ever had one dealing with them and that ended pretty well.  They let us off with a warning and then stayed for a cup of tea…..(it was in England, tea is always served)
18. Give Driving Directions
19. Perform Basic First Aid
20. Swim – I learned to do this when I was 9 months old when crawled out of my depth in a baby pool  I have been a water baby ever since.
21. Parallel Park
22. Recognize Personal Alcohol Limits – uhhhh, this I have a slight problem with.  I seem to be an all or nothing girl.  Luckily in the past couple of years it has been more nothing than all.
23. Select Good Produce
24. Handle a Hammer, Axe or Handsaw
25. Make a Simple Budget
26. Speak at Least Two Common Languages
27. Do Push-Ups and Sit-Ups Properly – in theory I know how they should be done.  In reality I just can’t do them!
28. Give a Compliment
29. Negotiate
30. Listen Carefully to Others
31. Recite Basic Geography
32. Paint a Room
33. Make a Short, Informative Public Speech – I HATE talking in public unless it is spontaneous.  If I actually have to prepare and think about it I get nervous.  34. 34. Smile for the Camera
35. Flirt without Looking Ridiculous – I am a bit out of practice and even when I did flirt regularly it was usually alcohol fuelled so I probably did look ridiculous….
36. Take Useful Notes
37. Be a Respectful House Guest
38. Make a Good First Impression
39. Navigate with a Map and Compass
40. Sew a Button onto Clothing
41. Hook up a Basic Home Theater System
42. Type
43. Protect Personal Identity Information
44. Implement Basic Computer Security Best Practices
45. Detect a Lie
46. End a Date Politely Without Making Promises
47. Remove a Stain
48. Keep a Clean House
49. Hold a Baby (going to have to learn pretty rapidly)
50. Jump Start a Car

40 out of 50……  I thought it might be a bit better than that as I like to think I am rather practical.

This weekend I was pretty busy getting the baby’s room ready. 

A few weekends ago I made a slip cover for one of our chairs (that I got given in about 2004 and intended to cover then).  I finally took some photos of it and moved it into the nursery. 

I also bought a compactum and have decided that I am the Queen of Flat-packs!  I put it together while Mr OL was at the soccer.  I just need his help to hang the door as I could not hold it and put the screws in at the same time.  As soon as we have completed that I will post a picture. 

I also found a fantastic little box thing for the stuff that goes next to the changing mat.  I could not believe how fantastically well the colours went – so I closed my eyes and handed over my credit card….. Yip it was EXPENSIVE!  But for now I am saying so worth it! 

Here are some pics.  First before and after of the chair and then the little box thing.  I am still waiting for Mr OL to organize the skirting boards.  So picture the room with white skirtings.  I am sure it will look much better.

Before

After

Chair, in place.

A perfect match?

I know I don’t write much about being pregnant (except that I am) so thought it is about time. 

Truthfully I was dreading the thought of being pregnant.  It was not something I have ever wanted to do.  I know there are woman that dream of the day when they find out they are pregnant – I was not one of those girls.  The whole idea scared the crap out of me and the thought of something growing inside me like an alien was not an appealing.  I avoided pregnant woman and thought they looked uncomfortable and freakish.  I thought they must be embarrassed to look like that.  I mean first of all the only way to get in that state was to have had “gasp” SEX!!! and now the whole word knew that you “did it”.  Secondly you were well, pregnant!  I had decided very early on that if I was going to have children they were all going to be adopted (I think I first mentioned this to my mom when I was about 5).  There was no way I was going to risk loosing my boobs or my stretch-mark-free tummy.  I had seen what it (I) did to my mother! 

Then I met Mr OL – he really wanted kids and before we got married he said to me that I needed to decide.  Either we were having kids or we did not get married.  Well, by that stage I was 35 and it is true about that damn clock!  I began to worry that maybe I would actually be missing out on something.  Maybe having kids of my own might not be the worst thing in the world that happened to me (I just ignored the fact that I would actually need to be pregnant to get them) and I agreed. 

After getting married I could only put off the inevitable for so long.  Time was clashing by and I think Mr OL was beginning to think I might have changed my mind.  We had said we would wait a year but it was approaching two years…… 

I completed Ironman South Africa in April and decided then I would make a concerted effort.  I would watch the dates and visit my doctor for a check up just to make sure that there was nothing wrong – had been off birth control since our first wedding anniversary 9 months before so you never know.  As it turned out I never managed to get to go for those tests as we found out I was pregnant on the 16 June. 

So how did I feel?  Excited and nervous; I was pregnant for goodness sake?  Not a state I have thought I would ever want to be in.  I also knew that although Mr OL wanted children he felt the same about pregnant woman and their “appeal” as I did.  I was very worried that the next nine months were going to be terrible. 

So how do I feel now 6 months down the line???  I would have to say my biggest feeling would be surprise!  I am surprised at how much I am enjoying being pregnant.  Yes, I said ENJOYING being pregnant.  I have not had a single thought of “aliens” and I know I have been lucky so far in that it has been an easy pregnancy.  I was nauseous from weeks 7 – 14 and I have had a few migraines and bad headaches but nothing to serious.  I have had to go to the chiropractor twice because of server pains in by back and butt, but generally everything is fine.  I have not had heartburn (yet), I have not had much trouble sleeping, I don’t feel too uncomfortable most of the time or that this is dragging. Can you believe that I am about to enter my 3^rd trimester and that I only have 3 months left.  I have kept swimming and about 1.5km 3 times a week and have also started yoga for pregnant woman so am at least keeping active.  Everyone keeps asking how the pregnancy is going and all I can say is fine.  I don’t know how else to describe it.  It is going fine.  I have no complaints. 

And my body constantly amazes me.  I know I said this when I was training for IM but this is a different kind of amazement.  When you train you see the result of the work you put in.  You can go faster, go longer, see the change in shape but it is all a result of work you have done.  Now my body is changing shape and I am just a bystander.  It is doing it all by itself.  Who know that my body knew how to do all this…?  Pregnancy no longer freaks me out.  I am enjoying seeing the changes, feeling the kicks and knowing that a little person is growing inside. 

Who knows, I might even post a belly picture soon…..

We started with a talk at the SAMREC Centre to learn about about penguins and see a few that have been rescued and then headed down to the beach and rock pools. 

The day ended with games on the beach.  Luckily the weather held for most of it, but turned a bit chilly and windy towards the end.

Here are some photos  – none of me as I was the one holding the camera.

At the SAMREC Centre learning about penguins

Some of the rescue Penguins and Volunteers

Exploring

Sea Urchins

Cape Recife Lighthouse

Cape Recife Nature Reserve

I am off to the beach this afternoon – what a fantastic way to spend a Tuesday afternoon and considering it is “work” even better.

We are taking the kids from the children’s home for an outing to the rock pools.  It should be fun.  Well, sort of fun.  There is an organization called Jonginenge that teaches them about the rock pools and marine life so hopefully they enjoy it.  I am not sure how many of us from the office will actually be in the water with them. 

Here is my dilemma – 6 month pregnant tummy in a costume on the beach, looking very white surrounded by work colleagues that refuse to get in a costume at the best of times.  I might be the only adult that actually gets involved….. 

But then – it’s the BEACH!!!  And I love the beach!  Ok, I hate sand but I love the ocean and swimming and stuff!  So I might just say – stuff it and push the kids out the way and jump in the sea first!  Hmmm, maybe not jump, maybe more like a rather ungraceful entrance.  I did bring my goggles and flippers just incase… 

I will let you know tomorrow.