Ten out of Ten!

Last night hubby and I went out on a long overdue “Date Night”!  It isn’t something we do often (enough) because, as social as I am, we are both home-bodies and now that the girls are getting older they usually tag along to most things we plan.  But like the importance of spending quality time with ourselves, and quality time with each of our children to nurture that individual relationship … nurturing that special relationship that hatched those kids, I feel … is even more pivotal! 

 

So hubby colluded a plan for him and I to go out on a Friday night - nog al!  Our child-minder safely installed at home, we could turn our attention to the evening and each other!  I think the movie of Iron Man 3 in 3D was meant to be the main attraction!  I mean seriously, what is not fantastic about Robert Downey Jr in a tight designer T … that’s yummie on a stick any day of the week and indeed the movie was F.A.N.T.A.S.T.I.C. but the prelude eclipsed the movie as the evening took a dip into tasty time travel!

 

So … many of you don’t know that my very very very first blog was on a food site, where I thought I would try my hand at covering all things food, restaurant and ambience (the last 2 need to be said in a thick French accent) … but I think only my mother, sister and husband read those - I digress … so here goes …        

 

So before we donned those sexy 3D glasses, we went for dinner at Joe's Easy Diner  in Canal Walk in Cape Town (my apologies to my international readers – this one is very lekker and local!). 

 

We were met at the door by a friendly waitress dressed in Red and Black and as we crossed over onto the black and white checker-board tiling on the floor, we were transported back into 1950’s America.  I smiled and thought … quaint.  It was clean (a huge plus for me), bright (I get the willies when eateries dim the lights, for me - it smacks of not creating the mood so much as hiding the plates) and new’ish!  We were shown to our red vinyl booth, with those classic paper napkin holders and those sugar containers with the diagonal spouts (clever branding – my mind was ticking over).  We were handed our slim A3 laminated menu with bold Red and Black typeface offering us Shakes, Hamburgers, Hotdogs, Smokey Joe’s and Desserts that would send Stacey right over the edge!  I had been warned, either come hungry or share.  The portions are stereotypically HUGE.  The milkshakes are DIVINE and the flavours traverse classics (Chocolate, Strawberry & Vanilla) to the adult exotics (Mocha, Dom Pedro’s & Oreo Cookies).   Paul and I shared a Mocha milkshake (and I will be doing the stairs A LOT this week) and we ordered a Hamburger each with a portion of chips to share between us (Paul ate most of them … honestly – NOT!).  I had something I had seen on the Food Network called a Smokey Joe Hamburger and Paul had a Red Hot Chilli Burger!  With our food ordered, I started looking around … taking in the ambience.  A smile curled my lips, as my ears came alive, because the time warp extended to the music from the 50’s – like sitting in a Diner in American Graffiti  (if you don’t get it – click on the link and Google it – OMH I feel old even having to explain that!).    It was wonderful!  Paul said the only thing missing, was the waiters were not on roller-skates (me thinks that is a job requirement too far).  There were snappy slogans on the walls that read stuff like “If you are smoking in here, you better be on fire!”  That one made me laugh, and “If you can find a better Diner to eat at, go eat there!”  Confident – I love it!  Our milkshakes arrived in a LARGE steel container and we both had a large glass of its DIVINE contents.  While we enjoyed our shakes, I turned to watch the theatre in the kitchen behind me.  I loved watching it and this kitchen spoke to my Foodie Soul.  There was a large open, well lit, transparent, silver kitchen that reminded me of one of those American airstream caravans!  Open for all of us to see and CLEAN!  Did I mention how this completely speaks to my OCD habit.  CLEAN people!  Clean!  I didn’t realize watching the kitchen was weird until our waitress headed over with concern etched across her face … “is everything ok?” she asked, “yes” I laughed … “I’m just watching the kitchen!”  She said “ok” hesitantly, bemused with “FREEK” etched across her face.  We laughed!

 

Our burgers arrived and god bless our cotton socks!  They were HUGE, and as is customary with Paul and I, we always give the other person a portion of our food … we call it Share Share … like we are 6-year olds!  Like I said … it works for us!  In some of the best restaurants in Cape Town, we have shared a coffee.  It's one of our things ...

 

With South Africa, and indeed the Worlds current “managing” the “meat crisis” I was so pleased to see a hand-made (not processed) meat burger patty.  I don’t care what it was … IT WAS DIVINE!  The food was fresh, the taste was fantastic, it was cooked fresh (and to perfection), right before my airstream eyes, the salad and garnish were fresh (and could actually be eaten), the place was clean, the taste was good and the service was excellent!  In a time where service wobbles between shocking and moderately tolerable … this place was knocking the rest out of the park!!!

 

You should know that I DO NOT DO CHAIN FOOD PLACES!  Like ever!  Ok like 99.987658797% of the time.  Many of my friends would say that I am a RAVING food snob, I prefer to think of myself as “particular about what I put in my mouth” (all the men reading this, stop giggling).  So, I highly recommend going to Joe’s Easy Diner in Canal Walk in Cape Town for a fully authentic, fantastic family evening out, where you will actually get good food, made right before your eyes and fantastic service!  And I don’t know about you?  But I don’t mind spending a bob or two more, when I know I am getting quality and in Joe’s case - quantity!

 

So, the next time you find yourself in Cape Town, give Joe’s Easy Diner a try … hopefully you will also enjoy a fantastic experience … and then you can always go to a movie afterwards too if you like … but the main attraction will be the ambience and the experience of Joe’s!

 

Enjoy!  This place got 10/10 from me and it made my Foodie OCD Soul Soar!  Well Done Joe’s!

 

Love you all madly!Warm regards …             

Collette in Cape Town

Song of the Post … Chantilly Lace By The Big Bopper

 

PS - again I apologize to my International Readers, but if you find yourself in Cape Town ... you know where to go ...

 

Here's to the Lover's!

Ok, so I might have to take it back!  I have come to see that I might actually be one of those strange people who kind of scarily watches people … because recently I have found myself inundated by Lovers.  Voyeuristically speaking of course!  Couples, couples - everywhere!  Everywhere I look, there they are … Lovers in the shopping centre, Lovers in a restaurant, Lovers holding hands in church, Lovers on TV, Lovers in the book I am reading, people trying not to be lovers, folks rekindling with their Lover, Lovers on the phone, Lovers trying so hard to keep their hands off each other in public (failing horribly), Lovers in the traffic on the way to work, people who want to be lovers, people who can’t and people who won’t.  I have secretly smiled recognizing the nuances that electrifies the interaction.  It’s a very specific sight … and when you have witnessed it … you know …

 

A couple of months back, sitting in a coffee shop, making sure my kids weren’t getting tomato sauce all over their cuffs, a couple caught my eye to the right across the restaurant … it was beautiful to see!  She had ordered 2 cups of tea and they were sharing a slice of something wicked.  She was lovingly looking into his eyes and putting milk and sugar into his tea cup.  What touched me was the fact that they must have been in their late 80’s.  He was ailing and much slower than her and she wasn’t fussing over him or belittling him or rolling her eyes, she was patiently waiting on him to park his zimmer, sit down and enjoy his cup of tea with his bit on the side.  I loved it!  It was beautiful to watch!  They were dancing in each other’s company, that dance that you can only do when you have loved someone for so long that you do not know how to be alone.  I looked on with great admiration, that I think my husband told me I was staring!

Then there were the lovers that couldn’t wait until they got home – restrain themselves they did, but we all knew that we were in the way.  And even we were keen to wrap up our interactions with them for fear of someone combusting spontaneously.  That one really made me … smile!

Then there was the time while trapped in the car by our children, road works and a long distance.  Our child that says 3 words a year (obviously not her mother’s child) exploded and got the last 12 years of 7000 unspoken-pent-up-words-per day all out in that one car trip.  As we listened to her regaling tweenage angst (that Shakespeare would have been proud of) I crossed the handbrake, touched my lovers leg, he looked from the road to me and without either of us saying a word our eyes silently (and ashamedly) beseeched for the story to end.  You would be proud of us, we lovingly let her ramble on, making the appropriate noises when required … but our eyes told a story that evening, of unspoken understanding.  No words were needed.

There is no denying it, everyone loves that hot and heavy phase in the beginning when you can’t keep your hands off each other … but there is something to be said for that unspoken silent understanding.  That instant understanding that something is wrong or that your partner is happy, hurt, upset, worried or horney.  That look!  It brings comfort to know that you share that bond, and that you know someone so well that words are superfluous.  I love that!

It’s that relationship where you can sit in silence and enjoy the nothingness together.  It’s that relationship where you can go to a dinner party and spend the entire evening just talking to each other, blocking the rest of the room out, as rude intruders.

So what have I learned … I’ve learned that it looks like I might actually be a people watcher after all!  I love watching that body language, where their face betrays their true feelings.  I love it!  I never thought I would say it, but sometimes words are superfluous to the story and sometimes it unfolds wordlessly.   I love it!  And I love knowing someone so well that the silence speaks a million unspoken words … and it’s ok! 

So cheers to the Lovers, may they long be unashamed of showing their fondness for another human being … after all, actions speak so much louder than words!  Be bold!  Be unashamed!  Be Loved!

Love you all madly!

Warm regards …             
Collette in Cape Town

Song of the Post … Close Your Eyes!  By Michael Buble’

Finish the Sentence Friday (+1) … One time when I was bored out of my mind, I …

So, this one time when I was really bored out of my mind, I asked myself … what on earth would I be doing right this very second - if money (and time) were no object??

!!TRAVEL!!

…  jumped loudly into my mind … and so the adventure began …

That yearning exploded in me again … I want to take my girls overseas, for a White Christmas!   Their first aeroplane … (OMH the girls can’t see how badly their mother fly’s - as horror grabbed me by the throat!)  Pulling myself free from that lovely thought, I took a few deep breaths and let my mind take flight …

So the time frame is obvious … December\January … December is my most favourite time of the year … the most magical!  Where would we go first … London … I want to take my girls shopping in London for Christmas and experience Hamleys Toy Store at Christmas time and show them Harrods (and buy some of my favourite perfume like last time) and take them on the Big Red London Tour bus and take Senior to Madame Tussauds and then take them off to the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels and look into their eyes, as they marvel at the opulence of it all.  Then of course we will have to drug hubby because he won’t go (willingly or lucid) on the London Eye any other way … but us girls will love it and I will take a million photo’s to post to FB afterwards and blog … of course to blog later … so exciting!!!

So how much are air-tickets in December … I dive onto the internet and find a travel agent that can book your whole trip with a few clicks of the mouse … so what else??

Let’s take in a show (or three) … we didn’t see The Lion King when it was in Cape Town … they would love that … Junior knows all of the words.    Another show?  Maybe some more shopping?  So exciting!  Show them some of London’s beautiful architecture and churches (although I don’t think it is at the top of the list for young children) … ah screw it – its culture!  Something for the parents!  So that’s about a week in London shopping and sight-seeing and I think we will stay at the Savoy, yes a family room for a week … how much can that be right … oh my!  That much?  Well, I’m just looking … right!

Then there would be a train trip up North to visit my family near Manchester, maybe stay in Manchester Central so we can go shopping in that big shopping centre that was bombed in the 80’s … what is it called now … anyway shopping - yes!  Spend some much overdue time with my family, visiting friends.  Sharing our roots with the girls, showing them where they come from and the warm rich people in our family tree.  Meet the new little people that have recently arrived.  Visit my cousin on his radio show and cook a Winter Christmas Dinner.  Loving this day-dream!

Should we quickly shoot up to Edinburgh and spend a few days up there … or will that be too cold for junior?  Well, if we don’t get a White Christmas in The Valley, then we can quickly scoot up on the train for a few days … let’s play that one by ear.

Then there is hubby’s family down south, so let’s book another train trip down south, to Brighton.  Let’s see, let’s book First Class it will be an awesome experience for the mother girls … a couple of days in Brighton.  Go visit the Summer Palace. 

Then for the European leg of our journey, we have friends who live in France, more trains (who can guess the mother hates flying??) or should we do a ferry to share that experience with the girls?  No!  Let’s do EuroStar (mmmm not sure about racing at breakneck speed under the English Channel – come on mother, screw up your courage) ok click!  4 x First Class tickets from Dover to Paris – Done!  Yes, this trip is looking really good … well on paper right, because it is all make believe.  A couple of days in Paris at the Ritz and of course the must do touristy things, the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, Montmartre, The Louvre, and the big thing for the kids a day pass into Euro Disney – they will LOVE that!   OOOO there’s a Hop On Hop Off bus for Paris now, that’s new since the last time we were there (note to self - must remember not to accidentally throw away the photo’s this time) … that will be a great way to get around with the kids! 

And then off to visit our friends in France … along the French\Geneva boarder, so that means the Alps right or is it Mont Blanc?  Who cares … it’s a mountain - that means in winter SNOW … maybe we can get skiing in with the kids.  Hubby and I have never done that before … a first for all of us!  Let’s book 3 or 4 days at the local ski resort … oooo that is chocolate box perfect … yes indeed … and then sadly return first class flights home.  Flying has got to be better First Class right?

Let’s calculate the damage … I can spend serious money if you give me time (love that South African colloquial) Damn!  It won’t give me a price until I put credit card details in … ok I will input the number, get the amount and then quickly cancel.  Ok, 2345 8765 3098 3287 4018 click … oh my word that is quite an amount you have spent Collette … ah well, let me cancel quickly …

… oh no … oh no … well, we will have a really nice holiday before the divorce comes through …

Love you all madly!

Warm regards …             
Collette in Cape Town

Song of the Post … Ka Ching!  By Shania Twain

Finish the Sentence Friday … I tried to Cook …

So I was a bit smug with myself when I took Home Economics (old english Cooking Class) Higher Grade in High School.  I don’t know what the American equivalent would be, but in the British Educational System it would be a bit like taking Home Economics to A Levels (I think!).  You know the class, you don’t only learn how to have a deep residing fear of choux pastry for the rest of your natural life but you also learn about the bugs that live in kitchen cloths, on chopping boards and that lovely bacterium that loiters on chicken skin … oh yes, I had mad skills and knowledge people!  It was one of those subjects that spoke to my ever increasing “Useless Shit File” and I thought it would transform me into a Domestic Goddess … um er … wrong … anyho!

So armed with my Higher Grade knowledge I headed off into life … smugly … but I lived at home didn’t I, and my mother who is a very good cook, would effortlessly produce an evening meal every day at precisely 6pm for her working family, didn’t she?

Then I went to live and work overseas, (by now I am 23 grand old years old) and soon enough we got a place of our own and we played house … which skidded to an abrupt halt the first evening I had to make dinner.  Didn’t it?  I remember it vividly.  I needed to make rice.  It sounds simple enough but I stood in my rented kitchen and panic bubbled up from my domestic bone (which I am still trying to find!) … HOW ON EARTH DO YOU MAKE RICE???  I revert in desperation to reading the instructions on the side of the plastic packet … nothing!  I knew academically how to make rice:  pot, water, rice, salt, heat … but how much water, how much rice, how long did I cook it for, is it rice in with cold water or add the rice when the water is boiling?  The absolute panic!  (Now remember, this was a time before the internet and Google and my trusty iPad – yes, there was such a time)  Oh BLEEP, I had to phone my mother!  Money was tight and phone calls from the UK to South Africa were reserved for Birthdays and bleeding from an artery and now how to cook rice!  Did my mother laugh!  I was horrified!  I took Home Economics Higher Grade for heaven’s sakes, how can this be happening to me!  I know the name of that bacterium that loiters on chicken skin!  Anyway, after a rough “How to make rice” lesson on the phone from 5000 miles away, I slowly headed back to the kitchen.  In the end it wasn’t so bad … but Paul tells the story slightly differently when he regales it (regularly) and says that I made enough rice for the whole neighbourhood.  It’s not funny!

But I do look back on that moment fondly … because it was the exact moment when I realized just how much my mother had done for me and how little I knew!

That night I tried to cook rice … I’m only ever so slightly better at it now (over 15 years later) … we go through a lot of rice people!

Love you all madly!

Warm regards …   

Collette in Cape Town

 

A re-post ... The Weekend of the Fans

I believe we are about to it a bit of a heat wave, which for Cape Town in March is overdue ... so I thought I would re-post this post ... it made me giggle ... we need more giggles ... Have a fabulous week you'all!

 

The Weekend of the Fans ... 

Day 1

So, I don’t know about you but I just don’t do heat!  I am literally not designed for hot weather (being of Celtic stock and all), I start wilting when it gets to about 28°C.  I am designed for the snow and driving rain and right this minute I am desperate for Autumn … but as it is the middle of January (then), that is not going to happen … so for Plan B!

Plan B+ would be air conditioning in every room, but not in this house … so time for Plan B- … root out and engage our fan on high 24/7.  When the hot weather started we pulled out our 3 year old fan and cranked it up on HIGH, ready to bask in its coolness ... when … not a whisper of wind was suggested by said fan.  We were perplexed, we had plugged it in, it was on, it was going round, it was on HIGH, we cleaned it, we took it apart (twice), 2 (semi)grown-ups glared at it in absolute consternation … still nothing!  We have limped along for 2 or 3 weekends praying for payday (funny how it feels sooooooooooo long in January hey) making all sorts of resolutions about payday … only for us to be bestowed with an unusual flush of finance.  Enter my Knight in sweaty armour!  Husband decides right after our weekend food shopping and before he dashes out of the house to his sport … NOW is the moment and he dashes off to get us a new fan.  [I do love that man!]  He comes back to the car heavy ladened with the sexiest of silver HIGH Velocity Fans I’ve ever seen … I am instantly in love (again) first with the fan and then with clever Husband (in that order).  The moment we got home the tool box appeared … a nut here, a screw there (do try to keep it clean) and my turbo HIGH Velocity fan gyrates into life … what happened next can only be described as this … the squall that comes from this fan on HIGH is second only to the South Easter in full tilt.  We could loan this fan to Audi if their aero-chamber breaks to wind test cars or better yet, we could loan it to NASA for zero gravity training.  It is fabulous! Finally I am cool, I look like the cutest basset with the gale flapping my ears … I’m in doggie heaven … until we try to sleep with our new fan on … we didn’t think that far, did we … because our high velocity fan sounds like a B52 is in our bedroom prepping for take-off … let’s just say sleep was difficult, but we were cool to endure the insomnia.

Day 2

With both of us having less than zero sleep and desperately trying not to be grumpy with each other, Sunday dawned.  His heart was so willing, but his head checked out … never in a million years did either of us think that a high velocity fan would make so much noise (and they still have the audacity to print on the box “Low Noise” epic fail), but of course now that we have lived through this lesson – it is so obvious!  So after breakfast Husband announces he is going back to the store to purchase another fan, something more appropriate for the bedroom and within healthy sound levels.  What felt like 2 hours later, Husband returned home … brace yourself … brace yourself … with a sweet neat white upstanding fan which has its own remote … I KID YOU NOT!  Just what our house needs another remote.  I couldn’t help but giggle.

So what have I learned … 1. Don’t send Techno Husband to go buy ANYTHING, unless you are fully expecting a remote to accompany it.  2. Not all fans are created equal.  3. Sometimes bigger is NOT better.  And 4. 110% for effort love … 

Love you all madly …    
Warm regards 
Collette in Cape Town

The Different Child!

I’m not one to go to coffee shops just so I can sit and watch people, there is just too much to do … personally I think it is a bit creepy and its reserved for stalkers and weird people. Having said that, at least once a week, due to the nature of the ritual and place, I am required (as are my children) to sit in silence and commune. I LOVE IT! The enforced silence calms my overstuffed mind and stills my weary spirit. I do however, enjoy watching the exchange of moments between people (I’ve mentioned this before in … Zenith - When are we enough?) reading body language and witnessing the most intimate of unspoken connections.

About 6 months ago I found myself at Children’s Mass one Sunday mid-morning, not a mass I usually attend for various reasons. The light however at this particular mass streams in beautifully across the pews as the sun hits the coloured glass window panes. Looking across I remember thinking how beautiful it was, when my eye was caught by a well-dressed suited women in her early 40’s (or was she) wrangling with a beautiful little girl about 2 years old on her lap. There was no dad (for whatever reason) and another little girl of about 8 years old next to her trying to distract the little one in her mother’s arms. It took me a moment, but then I realized that the 2 year old child was a child with special needs … a Different Child! I looked to the mothers face, she was bone weary, tired (it was 10am), she wasn’t losing her temper with the little girl, she was trying to manage the situation as quietly as possible with absolutely no opposition. The little girl was arching her back, moaning and pulling away from her mother and sister … even though I noticed how much the 8 year old was trying to sooth the little one … my heart sank!  When I looked up into the mother’s face she looked numb, absolute resignation, this was the situation and she was doing her absolute best to manage it but honestly she looked like she was a shell of a human being … doing what was required. I wanted to burst into tears … the look on her face has stayed with me since …

Then there is another family in our parish, this family have a child with Downs Syndrome. Just due to the nature of habit we regularly end up sitting behind them at mass. As I sit in the pew and repeatedly remind my children (like I do every week) to sit still, stop fidgeting, be quiet, stop fighting, keep their shoes on, stop picking their nails or nose, use a tissue, don’t set themselves on fire when they light candles, listen, whisper in my ear but actually don’t talk - I watch the family ahead of us. There is a dad, a mom, an older sister and then this Different Child. She is quite mature of age for a child with Downs, in her late 30’s. I watch the interactions between the older “normal” sister and the younger sister. It’s beautiful to see. Such patience, such gentleness and if you speak to the mum, she once told me that this Different Child taught them how to love with such purity. It regularly fills my eyes with tears watching them, as I look back at my absolutely BEAUTIFUL, HEALTHY, PERFECT GIRLS and I have such a short fuse with them … shame on me …

Our Youngest, absolutely completely beautiful and healthy beats to her very own vibrant drum, which I absolutely love love love!  She is our Different Child!  She doesn’t mean to be naughty (she is not malicious) but she just doesn’t always ever agree with what we need her to do.  Recently we have been at logger-heads with teachers and Intervention Specialists around the use of Ritalin with her. I am adamantly against it! I can not stress this enough!! We didn’t use Ritalin with our oldest (“they” said she needed it too) and she is doing so well at school now. But Junior does not fit into societies mould (which I absolutely love about her) but to be absolutely honest, she doesn’t really want to be in school. Too regimented, too many rules, too early … and she is learning too many consequences. She wants to be a care-free spirit that is in the garden with her Grandma watering and planting flowers or playing for hours with her My Little Pony’s or Barbie (don’t we all). But alas at some point we must all grow up …

So what have I learned … beats me … I thought I was better prepared for round two but I am at a complete loss! I believe we are firm but loving parents (but of course I would), my family believe we are too hard on the girls. But I believe in the realities of the harsh world out there, somehow melding that with allowing the girls to explore and development their uniqueness. I don’t want drones! I love the sassiness of Junior! I love that she wears 2 different shoes!  I love her individual’ness!  But\And how do I force understanding, ramifications and maturity on a 7 year old (which I don’t believe in) … were you or I forced to understand ramifications and consequences at 7 years old? Were you and I not taught (over time) to focus and concentrate, instead it being a MUST HAVE on Day 1 of Grade 0? And don’t give me that BS about it is a different world and time, it shouldn’t be! Children are like cooking the best results are from slow and steady constant preparation! Nothing tastes good from the Microwave!

One thing the fight for our older child taught me … someone has to be their advocate!  And for just a little longer I will stave off Ritalin and encourage Junior (and Senior) to live boldly, celebrate their uniqueness but somehow remind them regularly and kindly that they can live boldly but know when to conform to the rules.

Love you all madly!Warm regards …             

Collette in Cape Town

Song of the Post … Don't You Worry Child!  by Swedish House Mafia

Thank You’s & Gratitude!

So as we sprint out of January 2013 (can you believe it??) … we have a celebration!  Zenith is 2 Years in the blogging!   She was born in early January 2011!

Now, she has almost 6600 hits, though to be honest about 100 of those are probably me trying to fix things, learn and experiment, but this post is to the other 6500 fabulous people who clicked, subscribed, liked, e-mailed, Facebook’ed, shared, Tweeted, Re-Tweeted, read, commented, posted and stopped me in the passage to ask me where the next post is … Thank you!

Thank you to my family (all of you – in and out-laws, near and far), who supported me every step of the way! 

To my children, who have sparked many-a-post, thank you for holding a mirror up to your mother and gently reminding me that we are here to teach each other.  Much Love and Thank You!

To my Friends, who regularly provided me with flattering words, support and post material (I can not lie … its true) – Thank you!

To my encouragers, my ego is forever in your debt and every kind word, is forever etched on my soul.  Thank you!

To my support team … again my husband, sister and mother – thank you!  You all do so much for me and our family … nothing goes unnoticed.  Thank you!

To the new networking group of Bloppy Bloggers, this tight band of cohorts, who fiercely support all things blogging and all new bloggers – thank you for sharing this space with me and teaching me so much!

To my muses, some I could name but many I can’t (you know who you are) – thank you!

It’s been 2 years since Nicola R and my husband planted the seed, encouraged me and then stepped back – with much love and great gratitude – Thank you both!

So what have I learned … I’ve learned that a writers ego is very delicate (that is code for please comment more – don’t make me beg).  Zenith has taught me to grow a pair and toughen up (a little).  Zenith has taught me the importance of choosing every single word and finding the right one to convey the exact palpable moment.  Zenith has birthed my new love and is holding my hand as I embark on this exciting roller coaster.    

I feel I should end on a caution … this year Zenith enters her “Terrible Two’s” … just saying …

Love you all madly and Thank YOU!      

Warm regards …             

Collette in Cape Town

Song of the Post …  Thank You!  By Dido  (In collaboration with Big G Productions!)