In the last week I have certainly touched on all steps of the Circle of Life.
Last Sunday we had Chelsea and her husband Sheldon and their new baby Daniel over for lunch. Chelsea was one of Lily’s bridesmaids but they have not lived in the same area for a few years and this was the first time Lily got to meet baby Daniel. Sheldon has a new job so they have just moved down to the outskirts of Cape Town. We got all settled in outside.
And then the heavens opened and it poured with rain so we all had to move inside. We were so worried about how Finn might react to Daniel as he has never seen a tiny human. He was very curious and poked him a few times with his snout in order to get a really good sniff but he did not try to pick him up or paw him. At one point he was licking Daniel’s toes which made him wiggle. Finn did steal baby Daniel’s stuffed bunny but Finn loves stuffed toys and does not have the understanding that everything is not his. All in all I think Finn did a great job behaving himself.
Norm and I were of course besotted with gorgeous little Daniel. Not only is he a beautiful baby but he has such a sunny and happy nature.
Norm was his usual Baby Whisperer self. All babies love Papa Norm.
I had planned on cooking a gammon and sent Norm to the shop that morning but realised the error of my scheduling and at the last minute asked Norm to divert to buy some roasted chickens for us to just cut and serve as I did not have time (or energy) to cook a gammon. I made potato salad with crispy real bacon bits and a huge green salad and put out some snacks and crudités with fresh bread and the chicken. The rain stopped so we moved back outside to have our lunch. It was a lovely afternoon and it was so brilliant to have youthful energy in the house again.
Lily stayed on with us until Tuesday afternoon when Norm took her to the airport for her flight to the US to visit my Mom. She flew to London and had a 8 hour layover then flew onto Atlanta where she caught a shuttle bus up to Chattanooga. She arrived there on Thursday so both girls are now with my Mom and it makes me so happy for them. They all went off to get their hair cut yesterday and both look so beautiful.
The mobile groomer came on Thursday for the pup’s monthly wash. Norm went to pay respects at the memorial of a friend’s mom but I had meetings until 5pm and could not attend. Luckily the groomer is so at home she just wanders in and out while I am in my meetings and climbs under the desk to drag out the reluctant Miss Pixie. Meanwhile Finn is chomping at the bit to get in that van, he loves it!
I cooked a few meals this week. On Monday I cooked the gammon which did not make it to the table on Sunday. I baked potatoes and steamed broccoli and Lily grated a big pile of cheese to melt over both. It was so delicious I forgot to snap a pic.
I cooked some fresh Kingklip on Wednesday night as Norm stopped at the shop on his way back from the airport. I topped it with cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, olive oil and butter and grilled it for just under 15 minutes. I served the fish with sweet potato cubes cooked in the air fryer so they are cripsy outside and creamy inside. I poached the asparagus in some white wine, lemon and garlic and I steamed the baby broccoli.
On Thursday Norm stopped at the shop on his way home from the wake to buy some steaks and halloumi. We had some baby red cabbage and a few bits of salad so I prepared that and Norm cooked the steaks and halloumi and I popped a few preserved figs on as they go so beautifully with halloumi. It was so delicious and other than the figs is all low carb.
Last night we ordered from Nippon Sushi again. Last time I over ordered and this time I under ordered. I could have done with about 4 more pieces. Never mind, I will get it right at some point. It was all delicious. Norm ordered the daily special of chicken chow mein and was not overly enamored of it so it may need to just be for sushi. I was happy!
I ordered some crystals this week to add to my collection. I ordered a gift from Rockchic to give to the lady who collected my girls from the shuttle and I chose a few items for myself that spoke to me.
I chose an Apatite Egg purely because of the reference to connecting to our ancestors. Apatite clears and activates the lower chakras (root, sacral and solar plexus), to help us feel grounded and able to enthusiastically pursue our goals. Apatite has a very uplifting energy that has its energetic focus on clearing and stimulating the third eye chakra, stimulating inner vision and enhancing psychic ability. It can help one connect with spiritual guidance about how the information from other lives can best be used in this life.
I also chose a large Sodalite heart and a Sodalite wand with Chakra stones and Quartz Crystal ball decorations. Sodalite brings clarity and truth, increases spiritual awareness and deepens meditation. Sodalite helps one in being focused on the moment without being distracted by past or future concerns. It removes one from the pressures and worries of life and allows one to sink deeply into the subconscious and unconscious minds. It also reduces stress and anxiety by allowing one to see one’s reality from a higher, more serene perspective. It enhances self-esteem, self-acceptance and self-trust and I know I can always benefit from that!
Today I had an amazing morning. I had booked a session with Tass, an amazing shaman whom I met through the spiritual community. I just did an online course with her and the thing that came up was that some healing was needed of my ancestral lines. I do not want to write about it today as I need to sit with it for a bit to interpret the information so I will tell you all about it next week. It was all just awe-some and by that I mean the legitimate meaning of the word, it inspired awe. The connections that Tass has to the spirit world are so strong.
I feel very empowered in that I drove myself all the way around the peninsula and back, to a place I was not familiar and I did not panic or freak out or even get lost. It is a stunning part of the world.
I asked the ancestors to guide me and they did. On the way home I stopped off in Fish Hoek to cruise past the second hand shops as I am looking for a bistro table and chairs for the new patio Norm is building. I parked on one end of the village and walked all the way down to the other end. The wind was howling and it felt brilliant to stride along without the usual back pain that plagues me.
I hope you have a wonderful remainder of your weekend and that you stay safe and happy.
Until next time, Kisses from the Kitten xoxoxoxoxo
Kitten in the City 