Pixie is slowly getting better each day, we notice new areas of weakness and we notice new areas of strength. She has finished her corticosteroids so I suspect she is a bit less mobile today as she seems a bit sad. She has the most emotion on her face of any dog I know.

I realized she is now about 6 yrs old so it is not surprising she is not as spry as she used to be.

But I feel the passing of years with my own body – at my age 6 years is a huge difference. I’m doing a bit more walking as they have moved our parking to the CTICC but I am not swimming as the weather had turned cold and wet, but today it was incredibly hot! Summer raised her beautiful head again.

I wish we had this weather on Friday evening. I rushed home from work to get ready for the reception put on by the British Consulate held on the HMS Portland which was docked at the V&A Waterfront.

The last time we went to one of these receptions was a very different vibe. On that night the sailors had not seen a woman in 3 months and had obviously been briefed by the captain ‘if anyone is seen on their own introduce yourself and be sociable’ as that was exactly what happened. Or maybe it was the former not seeing a woman thing….I didn’t notice them jumping to Norm’s attention with a tray of tidbits or a glass of vino. Now that I think back.

At this event the food was mostly scarfed by the hungry sailors. And the sailors mostly chatted up each other as there were loads of women sailors (umm sea women? sailoresses? Sailorettes? Dunno?!)

The captain was a woman which is fabulous. I loved it.

Nothing like a man in uniform.

There were some impressive war accoutrements on board.

A very cool helicopter and several gunboats. I didn’t want to take many pics as I might be arrested as a spy.

The food was sparse and the wine warm, so we showed our face and met some interesting people and then toddled off to Balducci’s. It used to be my fave venue in Cape Town but my horizons have expanded beyond the tourist traps so we seldom go. However we were parked at that same entrance so it was the perfect venue.

I had a glass of the Doolhoff unwooded Chardonnay, one of my fave wines. Norm and I both had the fillet special, it was covered in portobello mushrooms and Parmesan slivers but was a bit rich for me. I could only manage half of it but it was divine.

We had a lovely evening.

Last night Norm shopped and I cooked, I just grilled some chicken breasts and did a mushroom sauce with boiled baby potatoes and nice chunky veggies grilled in coconut oil. I was eating it and questioning was the chicken overlooked? Was there too much pepper? Norm just said, ‘it’s delicious, stop analyzing it, just relax and enjoy it.’

That is such a lesson for me in all areas of my life. As a Virgo I analyse every nuance of life. Sometimes this analysis takes the form of anxiety. Sometimes I just need to chill the hell out, relax and breathe it all in.

Stay still in the moment. That’s not easy for me. I’m trying.

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