The Power of Understanding

I've mentioned how happy Amelia gets when one of us understands what she is trying to say and I thought about that and realised that being understood is what many of us strive for in our lives, even once we are adults. Maybe that is why I relate to Amelia so, the lifelong misunderstanding of …

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Blind Trust

It is just unbelievable how much renovation disrupts your home, your routines and your mental state. My mental state is very much influenced by disorganisation. I know where everything is (usually in my desk) and not having things easily locatable was doing my head in. Norm put in the desk drawers on Sunday which certainly …

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Luminous ‘Lisi

While I was in George, I loved having my morning coffee outside watching the birds while Amelia pottered about. There were so many lovely birds we do not see in Cape Town. There was a rainbird aka a Burchell's Coucal, which makes the funniest sounds as a warning of rain. There was the black African …

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The Ladder to Success

Last Sunday Norm and I were up and off to the airport early as I had an 11am flight to the small seaside town of George. I have a lot of anxiety when flying, so I like to leave early and be settled at the gate in plenty of time. I sat there for an …

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Mermaid Ways

I keep seeing people posting threads about 'what weird thing did you do as a kid you thought was 'normal' but was absolutely due to neurodiversity'? So many things I have not thought about in years are bubbling up to the surface. I am trying to be like water and imagine my mermaid self , …

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I Just Kept Going

I discovered a tiny little caterpillar who is the culprit eating one of my plants. I picked the entire leaf off and put him with his leaf on the concrete on the other side of the fence by the rubbish bins. I do not want to kill him. Even slugs or snails are still Mother …

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Snips & Snails & Puppy Dog Tails

The bestest news ever was announced in our family this week. My youngest daughter Lily is due with her second child in January and she and Josh just discovered it is a boy! That gives them one of each gender and will be the first grandson to join the tribe. We are so excited. Last …

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The fishes and the deep blue sea

Children in Cape Town are so spoiled for activities to do. Some of them cost money, but many of them offer discounted days. Lily and I took Amelia to Two Oceans Aquarium on Saturday afternoon and we had hoped the beautiful weather would mean that it would be quiet, but it was rammed. There was …

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Stolen Peace

Many of you know about my dirty little not-so-secret addiction to reality TV and how a phrase often gets 'stuck'. This week the little phrase that kept echoing was about "not letting someone steal your peace". I heard it on "The Valley". Even for my low bar, this series is pretty bad. It is about …

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between the mountain and the ant

Do you ever have one of those days where it seems every thing is coming at you all at once and nothing goes smoothly? Monday before last, Norm had booked the plumber and the electrician to come and I had booked Chichi to come and clean and Kim to come and work in the garden. …

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