kinders in die see
speel almal mee
op en onder water
spoel soos jellievis
heen en wee
vroue in die see
skree oor golfie
oor hul toontjie
soos wit vlae
wapper in wind
manne in die see
speel ver
op en onder water
soos poue
wat wil pronk
As a kid my parents dragged us all over South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zambia. We camped everywhere. It taught us to be responsible for fire, dishes, cooking, safety, learn to plan itineraries and organize the packing up of a camp. It also encouraged us to learn about places (read maps), people and their cultures. It brought us closer as a family. I have so many stories to tell about funny things that happened on the road and I never want to stop having adventures because of that.
I think when you travel you expand your mind and see things differently. I want my kids to follow their hearts everywhere to collect passport stamps, make memories, have great big adventures and go beyond what I’ve been able to do. Travel is the best thing in the world you can give your kids next to a good education and love. Every day they do or see something new with you, you are helping them build memories that will warm their hearts even when you are gone.
We’re planning to take our 2 kids camping in the Kruger and our 2 year old has already spent a 9 day self-drive holiday on Reunion Island (with my parents in tow). I’m already planning where my 4 month old’s first passport stamp will come from!
It’s a magical world out there – and kids love magic.
I loved watching Sex and The city. Those girls were the epitome of what friendship should be. They were there for each other through the good, the bad and everything inbetween.
“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.”
Walter Winchell
Finally in adulthood I have 2 best friends. We don’t hang out every weekend but when we see each other we pick up where we left off. It’s the way we like it, it works for us.
Then I made some friends from work. Every couple of months we all just check in but if we see each other or not, it doesn’t matter. There are the exceptions that live very far now that I have seen since we all split especially my friend in UK whom I absolutely just adore.
At the last company I worked we got a new boss and obviously everyone was stalking her online and I took one look at the photo and I predicted exactly how her personality would affect us all. Every single thing I said reared its ugly head and was even worse than I predicted. This woman forced us to bond together to protect each other.
New friends… I’ve never really been a very social person and I find it hard to connect with “humans” because I judge people and put them in a box. I’ve rarely been wrong, but it also means that before you had a chance to show who you are I’ve tagged and flagged you.
So how do you know when your friendship is over?
Answer these questions and decide if the writing is on the wall:
- When last did you connect?
- Do you still share interests?
- Who do you share your good news with?
- Do you still have anything to talk about?
- Do you celebrate each other’s achievements?
- Do they make you feel bad about yourself?
- Are they taking advantage of you?
No one likes letting go of a friendship, but sometimes you just outgrow each other and then it is time to let go. It is better to realise that not all friendships are made to last.
The only things you should never skimp on is saving, education and travel. You can take that to the bank.
Run your finances like a business
Your salary gets sliced into so many pieces and before you know it most of it has evaporated and you are left wondering where it all went.
The simplest way to keep track of you income and expenses is to keep an eye on your bank statement, but if you have more than one account… you’ll need to put in a little more effort. Draw up a spreadsheet or do proper bookkeeping and see where you are wasting and can trim expenses. Make it a set task you do on a weekly basis.
Regularly go through your bank statements. You need to know what is happening. Cut what you don’t need.
Did you know that you should be getting insurance quotes on a yearly basis? Even if you don’t go with another insurer you can use comparative quotes to get a discount. I was with an insurance company for 12 years and eventually ended up paying almost R500 for household insurance a month – even with discounts. Finally last year I moved to Virseker and only pay R119… that is quite a saving!
When you start adding up all the little savings you’ll be surprised at just how much it is.
Save like there is a tomorrow
Your goal should be to pay off your credit card bills in full at the end of each month and set aside money toward your emergency savings.
Suze Orman
I save on a monthly basis. I have an retirement annuity, 7 and 32 day notice accounts that each get a set amount transferred into it. Also invested in property and pay extra towards the last few hundred thousands I still owe on the bonds.
Even more important than my own savings are our kids’ savings. Each kid gets a small amount from each of us into their own accounts.
Each month we also put a bit into a 32 day notice account for travels. This is our kitty for international travel so we can take the kids along without worrying about the extra costs.
However, spoil yourself sometimes. Go for that movie, eat out , buy that dress – but all in moderation.
Travel more often
The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.
Saint Augustine
Families that travel together stay together… You don’t have to go to international destinations to travel, you can also explore our beautiful country too!
I have so many fond memories from family holidays in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana with my parents and sister – and I want to continue the tradition.
The more you know the smarter you’ll be with your money
I cannot stress this enough, invest in yourself and your education. Without learning something new and growing your skills you might as well give up on your future (and travel).
You don’t have to do the most expensive courses either. You can choose online short courses that will add to your CV. You can even opt for free courses offered by Google (if that’s your industry).
Point is, never stop being a learner.
Shopping Tips
If you live in a big city like Joburg, Cape Town or Durban you sometimes get the chance to shop directly from big warehouse distributors for everything from make-up to clothes and everything inbetween. Just ask me, there is nothing better than using your favourite (very expensive) cream and not paying full-price.
Wait for the sales. There is nothing wrong with wearing your clothes for a couple of seasons (shock/horror) and there is nothing wrong with buying end of season clothes to update your cupboard. Just shop smart, look for the styles that are timeless.
Don’t buy it just because it is on sale. The rush of finding something that is just such a great bargain can sometimes cloud your judgement. Give yourself a 10 minute breather in the shop before rushing to pay for it.
I didn’t know about Burt’s Bees before attending the media launch. However, after trying out the Lip Shimmer… I am hooked and I can’t wait to try more from this range. I can’t spoil the surprise and tell you exactly what will be available in South Africa because I simply don’t know yet.
When you use a Burt’s Bees product you are supporting a company that believes in sustainability
At Burt’s Bees they have made it their mission to source ingredients responsibly. They are members of several global responsible sourcing organizations, including Sedex, AIM-Progress, Global Shea Alliance, and the Natural Resources Stewardship Circle. When Burt’s Bees chooses a supplier they look at:
Location
They investigate how far away the ingredient is, impacts to supplier community, and the nature of the local political climate.
Quality
They consider the quality of the ingredient and of our relationship with the supplier.
Availabilty
They factor in ingredient scarcity, grower capacity, whether they’re single-sourced, etc.
Environment
They evaluate potential environmental impacts including honeybee health.
Social
They engage with individuals and surrounding communities in the supply chain to understand potential social impacts.
At Burt’s Bees they’ve also committed to a policy of sending zero waste to landfill. Each month their employees diligently volunteer to check over 200 recycling, composting and waste to energy bins ensuring everything is sorted properly. They’ve also outfitted their facilities with energy-efficient lighting, resource management software and efficient production equipment.
The product I’ve tried and loved… Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer
I loved my lips after using my (gifted) lip colour. The shea butter mixed with antioxidant-rich fruit oils definitely moisturises, nourishes and softens lips. The lippie is quite soft and I unfortunately have a toddler who smushed it already… but I’m still using it.
The colour lasted for about an hour with drinking coffee and water – and even after that my lips still had a deeper stained colour.
#gift #notsponsored
gedroogte vrugte in die son
muggies wat daarom drom
skerp warm son
leeggedruk in ‘n drom
vra almal waarom
draai die muggies daar om
Who doesn’t love spoiling their kids with their favourite toys on their birthday and for Christmas – and buy it at ridiculously good sale prices? Me, me, me of course!
Hasbro is having an amazing sale in Johannesburg this April. They will have iconic brands such as NERF, MY LITTLE PONY, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH, MONOPOLY and premier partner brands such as DISNEY and MARVEL!
The trading times per event differs, so make sure you know
when and where to go. Please also note that the St Stithians Sports Festival
has a R40 entrance fee per person. Cash, Visa and Mastercards accepted. No
cheques, AMEX or Diners Club cards.
Saints Prep Festival:
- 11 April 12:00 – 17:00
- 12 April 08:00 – 17:00
- 13 April 08:00 – 17:00
Saints College Festival:
- 17 April 12:00 – 17:00
- 18 April 13:00 – 17:00
- 20 April 08:00 – 17:00
- 22 April 08:00 – 15:00
Northcliff High School:
- 26 April 14:00 – 18:00
- 27 April 09:00 – 17:00
Happy shopping my fellow savvy shoppers 🙂
My ouma-hulle het ‘n vyeboom gehad in hul groot plaastuin. Daar was niks lekkerder as om ‘n groen vy oop te ruk en die sagte pienk vleis te verorber. Dit was hemels.
Ek onthou nog toe die lae tak begin meegee onder al die baie kleinkinders. Daardie boom was ‘n groot bron van kattekwaad, plek vir niggies en nefies en die beste boom om te klim want hy was laag op die grond.
Somtyds wonder ek of die ou vyeboom nog staan…
Daar is soveel goed wat ek kan onthou van my kinderdae op die plaas wat ek wens my kinders ook sou kon ervaar. Die realiteit is my ouers gaan een of ander tyd aftree en dan is my laaste plaas-konneksie weg.
As ek die 10 top dinge kan lys wat ek onthou is dit:
- My ma se groot kombuis waar ons Oats-koekies bak
- My pa wat altyd glimlag as hy deur die lande loop
- My pa se Brahmane wat blink in die son
- My lang oupa wat ‘n waatlemoen oopsny met ‘n ry kleinkinders wat wag
- My ouma met haar rooi hare omring deur meesal brunet en blonde kinders om haar lang eetkamertafel wat seker 24 kon sit
- Om in die rivier te swem en rond te dryf op binnebande
- Die lang pad kerk toe op ‘n Sondag, die stop by die Griek se kafee en Kentucky
- Die lang rye tabak met groen blare wat later in die stoor lê en sweet
- Die aande wat my ma en pa die ratel uit die hoender- en ganshok jaag in die middle van die nag
- Die ou boom wat so skeef gegroei het dat hy amper op die grond kon lê – dis waar ek en my kat kon lê en en na die wolke kyk
Ek wens partykeer ek kon net eenkeer weer op Hartebeespoort of Spekulatie rondloop, maar dan onthou ek hoe hartseer ek was na ek my stad-ouma-en-oupa se ou huis besoek het.
Daardie vye op my grootouers se plaas is ‘n metafoor vir hoe ‘n mens moet lewe. Pluk dit terwyl jy kan. Eet dit terwyl dit lekker soet is. Wag vir die volgende seisoen.
Johannesburg Perfume Sale September 2019 INFORMATION
I get inboxed so many times about it that I’ve decided to put out the information I have…
- There will unfortunately not be a perfume sale this Easter in Marlboro.
- The September/October sale will be happening – I just don’t have exact dates yet.
There is however some really good news…
African Sales Company (the people that bring us our favourite fragrance sale in Johannesburg) is opening a store in Woodmead. I am on top of getting any opening specials they may have… so keep reading my blog ok?
When I was a kid we still had a “sentrale”. You phoned this central point and asked to be connected to a number if it wasn’t a local extension. Maybe this technology was around a little longer where we were than in the cities, I don’t know.
We had a black phone and our number was 303 – serious. There was nothing more satisfying than turning the dial and letting it click back to the beginning. We also had a (long range) radio unit that would let you talk to the neighbours for safety reasons. There were no voicemail services so if you weren’t next to the phone, you missed the call and just never knew about it.
Technology has forever changed the world we live in. We’re online, in one way or another, all day long. Our phones and computers have become reflections of our personalities, our interests, and our identities. They hold much that is important to us.
James Comey
When I was in high school that is when the first cell phones landed in South Africa. They were bricks. If you had enough of them you would probably be able to build a pretty decent house. Suddenly my parents could phone us wherever we were. There was no tracking apps back then, but still, they could check in on you.
I was 18 when I got my own cell phone. It was a blue and had huge buttons and a tiny monochrome screen with no camera. It was cutting edge.
My favourite phone of all time is the pink MotoRZR I had. That metal flip phone was the best thing since sliced bread with a camera and could even go on the internet! Then there was Blackberry with its free BBM – it was the beginning of live phone chats.
Now I’m on my “how many’th” iPhone. Cameras matter more than calling capabilities – and who still call anyways?
Some brands have disappeared off the market, some are barely hangining in, others are making strides and then there are the newbies on the block.
- iPhone and Samsung has more new launches than I ever thought possible;
- Nokia even brought a nostalgia version back of the their most popular phone plus they have partnered with Google to run Android;
- Blackberry reinvented themselves and now also runs Android. I still think the QWERTY keyboard was the best thing ever implemented by them (other than BBM);
- Huawei seems unstoppable with more affordable phones that still gives superior quality cameras;
- LG is still making phones and they even had a run at a foldable phone;
- Alcatel is still also making durable phones as always;
- Surprises are CAT and Land Rover Explore (listed on the Vodacom website);
- Honor is a new brand that launched this year. Their current phone has a Front Camera (24MP F/2.0 Aperture) and Rear Camera (13MP + 2MP, F/1.8 + F/2.4 Aperture. To me this looks like a great selfie taker;
Let me know what your favourite phone ever was.