The rain was constant last weekend. On Sunday morning I lay in bed listening to the pouring rain watching TikTok videos and laughing over posts on threads until after 11am. Norm brought me two rounds of cappuccinos in my favourite cup. Eventually I got up and showered and I packed my suitcase for my flight on Monday. I only forgot shoes so it was a pretty good first round attempt. Later it will be to my advantage that I decided to be prepared.

The wind was howling and it knocked over several of my items in the fairy garden. How rude Mother Nature! To be fair due to placement I suspect it was the cat.

Late afternoon it poured hard with rain, we heard thunder booming and the wind howled. The animals all snuggled up inside.

On Monday I had to work during the day. Lily brought the kids over to our house to let them nap as it is quieter than the house with the girls.

When I went to pack my laptop bag I found a banana and an apple that had been in there since end of February when I had meetings in the city. Thank goodness it did not become mush but rather dehydrated.

I was kept on a call by my project manager and when I finally got away I had 20 minutes to get myself dressed and into an uber. I was racing like mad and left with no makeup and uncombed hair. I looked at myself in the driver’s mirror and said ‘oh I look like a witch’ and the driver looked like I poked him with a hot iron. He said “no mama do not say thattttt!!!!!”. I forget that in many African cultures the idea of a witch is terrifying.

We had too many people and bags to fit in one car is the reason that I took an Uber and Norm drove Lily and the babies. We met up and checked in and for once we did not have to take a bus or climb a ladder, we boarded via a normal method. Lily and the kids were 2 rows ahead of me but the kids were really well behaved other than during the landing when Reuben cried a bit.

Josh picked us up and by the time we got home and had something to eat it was bedtime for the littles.

The weather has been very cold and work has been incredibly busy. I am only able to spend time with the kids a short time before and after work. Amelia goes to preschool until 3pm. She just loves her school. This week was earth day and Amelia dressed so cutely in an outfit made by her clever Mom. It had to be made purely from recyclable materials and this was all made from Checkers 360 paper bags.

I did not realise that next week is a 3 day week when I booked this trip down, it was a bit short sighted. Wes and Caitlin are driving down with little Bree on Sunday so we will all be in George for about 24 hours so I get to see the girls interacting which will be lovely since I missed it at Easter. I am very excited to see them.

Trevor came by on Thursday night for dinner. Lily cooked chicken schnitzel with mash and cheese sauce with veggies. It was delicious. We are all early to bed people either due to surfing, babies or old age.

Friday and today were both suddenly very hot. Last night we just had dinner at home then relaxed a bit before bed as we were up early this morning. I am just so glad to have 3 days off of work now.

This morning Lily, Amelia, Roo and I were up and out as Lily was meeting a friend at the market in Sedgefield. It is about a 40 minute drive and there is roadworks. It was a busy market full of hundreds of people, lot of heat and dust.

They had live music and they were quite pleasant.

We had an iced coffee and some crepes (the South African version of a pancake) and chatted to Lily’s friend and wandered the stalls a bit. I got the babies a cute little outfit each made out of old recycled and dyed flour bags, they are very sweet. Amelia was getting very grumpy from all of the walking and the heat (so was I truth be told) and so we decided to head back.

On the way back to George there is another little market area called Timberlake which has a ring of shops set up. There is a fairy shop and I bought 2 fairies, a fossil and a crystal Turtle. I will show you when I unwrap them at home, they are packaged for travel. I would have bought a pair of boots if I had space for them on the plane.

The lady in the shop and I were talking about crystals and animism. I asked her where the crystal turtle is from as it was calling to me. She said it was from Mauritius. I mentioned that in a past life I lived somewhere hot and I was very brown skinned and a slave and my daughter says ‘and that is something a normal person says’ and the shop lady said, “In the shop, yes it is!”

I can always find my people.

We then had to stop for a Roo nappy change in Wilderness. At least we could see the sea.

Little Reuben is the happiest, smiliest baby ever. He coos away at you and looks you deep in the eyes. I love that Amelia is so sweet with him and that he is so happy when he sees her.

They are now napping and I am writing. I will be sitting outside enjoying the beautiful view once I post.

I look forward to having all of my babies and grandbabies together on Sunday and Monday. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and week ahead.

Until next time, Kisses from the Kitten xoxoxoxo