As much as I love being back in my own home, I really miss waking up to little Millie’s gorgeous smile. It is impossible to be sad or unhappy with that little bundle grinning her cheeky toothless smile. She has this way of staring straight into your eyes with such intensity, it feels like she is trying to beam information into your brain. Or she just likes my spectacles. Could be either!
Ragnar was deliriously happy to see me last weekend and ran to bring me a present as he always does. He is the sweetest dog. Also probably the smelliest dog, but I live with a stinky pom so I felt right at home.
Last Saturday it was really hot and we decided to just relax at home. Trevor came to visit and I treated us all to a delivery of steaks from Hussar Grill.
We relaxed and chatted and played with little Millie until she headed off to bed. She was giggling when we took this pic but soon after she decided she had enough and off to bed she went for a cuddle and feed with mom.
*Note to self: never wear that bra again*
We made the most of our last full day together on Sunday. We got up and out relatively early considering we had a grumpy, chubby baby to get dressed (I mean me, but cheerful lil Millie also had to get dressed).
I had been asking the Universe to send my bunnies so that we could see them and know they were safe. When I was outside having my morning coffee, Lily came running downstairs to say she could see them over the fence. While we were watching them I spoke to them and thanked them for responding to my call and the one on the left stood up. #IfYouKnowYouKnow
It made me so happy to see Miss Bunny and the standing made me understand we were connected and communicating with each other.
We headed off to Victoria Bay as Trevor was there surfing and we walked along the path to the bottom and watched him.
It was so windy we had to wrap up to avoid our ears getting bombarded. Lily kept telling me I looked like I was on some sort of a religious retreat.
We stayed until Millie started to get a bit grumpy and then we walked back uphill to the car. We ran into some of Trevor’s friends and he introduced us. Trevor changed out of his wetsuit and we all headed off to Wilderness. We decided to eat at The Girls on the Square because they have a proper changing table and they had seats outside on the patio in the shade. The fact that the food is amazing sealed the deal. Later a guy came on to sing for us and Millie was fascinated by him.
Excuse my crazy windblown beach hair.
Trevor was ravenous from all of that exercise and he had one of their infamous beast of a chicken burgers. He had the panko crumbed chicken basted with homemade peri-peri sauce, cream cheese & tzatziki. He had wagered on the cream cheese and tzatziki balancing out the peri-peri and he said it was good but very spicy.
Lily and I felt like eating a few bits and pieces rather than having a heavy meal so we shared a few things. We each had a tapas portion of mussels in a white wine sauce which came with chips.
We also shared the 3Some Roses: Salmon roses topped with blanched prawns mixed with sushi mayo, spring onion, sesame seeds and a drizzle of teriyaki sauce.
We also had the chicken and bacon Caesar salad. It had parmesan shavings, crispy croutons and a gorgeous dressing.
We decided to also share a dessert and narrowed it down to the brownie or the malva pudding. We asked the server which she recommended and she said the brownie is her favourite so we chose the Salted Caramel Brownie. I can see why she loves it, it was gooey, moist and delicious.
After we finished eating we went for a walk. There is a boardwalk that runs along the Kaaimans River mouth.
The boardwalk goes under, over and around various trees and it was very hot!
We watched a guy on a paraglider flying back and forth.
When we got to the end of the first boardwalk we went out onto the road and carried on to go down to the next boardwalk and walked the length of that one too. Trevor carried the front of the stroller and Lily the back to get up and down the steps and ramps. I did well just getting myself up and down the bloody ramps. The walk sorted out my sacroiliac pain though!
There was a lovely little seated area for resting and viewing the river at the very end. Lily took Millie out of the pram because she loves watching her surroundings. I think she was trying to figure out what the tree sticking out of the water was because she was focused on it for ages.
It is so lovely to spend time with my kids, no matter how old they get they will always be my babies.
After we cooled off a bit we headed back to the cars and Trevor went home and us girls headed back to George. It was so hot and we were exhausted. It was a long day for little Millie and she was so calm and well behaved! As long as her nappy is dry and she can sit up and see her environment she is usually pretty content.
We had a quiet evening and headed off to bed early. I had to work on Monday and I had another appointment with my therapist from the NDC in the afternoon. We discussed my issues with food, anxiety, self medicating, and anger. She would like to have my actual prescribed anxiety medications reviewed so I have been referred to see a psychiatrist in the new year.
I flew home that afternoon. For those who have never flown on a tiny plane from a small town airport, we have to walk out onto the tarmac and over to the plane, then climb a ladder-like set of steps to get into the plane, ducking down to avoid knocking our head. (I still knock my head every damn time)
It was boiling hot and the wind was howling and I was wearing a dress. The air hostess had already had a laugh with me when I had climbed the stairs, desperately trying to hold onto my bags, the stair rail and simultaneously stop my dress from flying up over my head while my hair whipped madly across my eyes blinding me. I turned to her and said ‘probably not the best choice of attire on such a windy day’.
Once boarding was complete, the air hostess came to tell those of us near the doors what was expected of us in any disasters. She locked eyes on me as the other people were German and did not seem to be paying her any attention. I was listening to every word of her calm and elaborate tale which went a bit like “In the event of an emergency you are expected to calmly make your way over to this door (pointing) or this door (pointing the opposite way). To open the door you will lift up on the red handle and the door will open upwards. You will then slide down the (I was already in shock by this point and forgot what else she said). “Do you have any questions?“
I looked up at her with deer in a headlamp eyes and said ‘No questions, but I love this brave and competent imaginary me you have created in your head. Just so you know I am both a panicker and a screamer and I will be no help at all and may even be clinging to your ankles in desperation, preventing you from helping anyone else either.’
Then all of a sudden the Germans seemed to speak perfect English and started giggling.
Norm collected me and it was still so hot when I got off of the plane. I was a bit disappointed when I got home and saw that nothing had changed since I left. I had hoped a genie had cleaned the house since it was covered in renovation dust when I left. Our broken TV was also not replaced and watching it gave me a headache. Norm had not been feeling great as he had pulled his back moving things with the renovation and he had been having a cough and stomach issues for months and had finally gone for a scope last Monday. They confirmed he has silent reflux and he has a full gastroscopy booked on Monday. Keep him in your prayers please.
Norm did get a bit of the painting done around the new doors this week so that he can put back the security gates. It is so beautiful and open without them but we need them for our protection seeing as someone had put an axe through our previous wooden ones trying to gain entry before we had the gates installed.
This week I have gone to yoga on both Tuesday and Thursday evenings and it does so such good for my mental health! Our teacher had been ill and I finally realised that the lack of yoga for several weeks was part of my increased anxiety. I hate dripping with sweat and getting so hot, but afterwards I feel so proud of myself for managing the class and it also does such good for my body, strength and flexibility. At the end we lie and listen to music and chimes and this week the gong triggered something in me and almost made me cry. We had done heart opening movements that day and I was obviously feeling soft and vulnerable.
It was Pixie Pup’s 14th birthday this week. She is still a loving and happy little thing but she struggles a bit with arthritis sometimes. It is almost as if her legs pop out of joint. She hops along for a bit then they seem to be fine. Her cataracts limit her vision so she has to be carried up and down the steps. She is half deaf too. But we adore her.
Late last night our security group starting blowing up with posts about a house fire near us. The fire trucks and ambulances were called. Watching the messages in the chat group from the victims calling for help was heartbreaking. From what I can understand the elderly parents escaped but one of their daughter’s perished when she went back in to try and find her cat.
It was so close to us that we could smell the fire and our garden filled up with smoke. When we went out today we could still see it smoldering. I am so grateful that the fire was extinguished before any other houses were affected or before the trees caught alight. RIP to Carol.
Today Norm and I got up and out early as we drove about an hour away to the northern suburbs to collect some Sylvanian Family figures for Millie to play with when she is a bit older. In the US they are called Calico Critters.
It was a long trek out there and we did not have time for anything to eat beforehand so we googled nearby breakfast spots and were nearby to Yoco Eatery at the Rust-en-Vrede Art Gallery. We decided to give it a try. The restaurant has a lovely little park area on a lawn, a patio with tables, a veranda or tables inside. They were hosting a baby shower or some sort of event on the lawns. As it was such a lovely day we opted for a table in the shade on the patio.
We both ordered breakfast. I had the Yoco brekkie, a medium egg, 2 pieces of bacon and toasted ciabatta. Norm had the mushroom, bacon and cheddar omelette which also came with toasted ciabatta.
The food was okay, but we waited well over an hour for it to arrive. My egg was over cooked and Norm’s bacon was overcooked which made his omelet a bit chewy. But after so long we were starving and would have eaten a piece of the art exhibition. Their coffee was divine but the cups were tiny so we had 2 and a bottle of water while waiting.
Luckily there were places to have a wander around and lots of lovely art installations to explore while we were waiting.
My personal favourite artist in the exhibition was Sonja Kastner. Check her Instagram link, her art is just fabulous!!! I could have bought a room full of her stuff. This piece below was not in the display but if it was I definitely would have brought it home as it is meant for me! The rabbit and the balance comment? I am notoriously unbalanced in my physical body with my vertigo and sometimes unbalanced mentally, and sometimes I am both.
We each ordered a piece of cake as a take-away because we saw lots of people eating it but as we had been there so long we wanted to get back home to the pups and we were still an hour away. I love German Chocolate cake and was excited when I saw it on the menu as I have never seen it anywhere in SA. I just now opened the box and I am very disappointed. German chocolate cake has coconut pecan frosting and whatever I was given is just ordinary chocolate cake with a glaze. Meh. Never mind, it was a lovely day outside and in the gallery.
Tomorrow I have drumming which I am looking forward to. It is always good for my soul to sing in Native languages.
I hope you have all had a good weekend so far and until next time, Kisses from the Kitten xoxoxox
Kitten in the City 