Sunny Skies.

Woke up this morning to a wonderfully sunny day, for the first time in what feels like forever. A beautiful sunny day to me, is like a little peace of heaven on earth. It gives me the will to live again - the energy to go ahead and achieve that 'extra' little bit, and it puts me in the most wonderful mood. Think this is part of the reason I love to live in Africa so much, cannot stand the dreary gray days that so much of the 'western' world is subjected to... My mood is wonderful today, and I'm starting to feel alive and 'fitter' for not pumping my body so full of toxin all the time! Have not completely quit smoking yet, but it's getting there, and already has a positive effect on my wellbeing... (But, this will not be another post on my personal little struggle, as it seems it's all I can talk about at the moment...)

Thought I'd share a few more pictures from my 'travels' across East Africa. Above is a pic from a beach house in Diani on the South Coast. I can sit and watch the sea for hours on end - helps if you're surrounded by good friends and a ready supply of Pina Colada's (Made with fresh coconut milk straight from the tree/palm!)

This is called a 'Dawa' - swahili word for medicine. (Luckily, does not taste like cough medicine at all!)

Recipe is:

A double tot of Vodka in a short glass,

A big spoonful of honey,

Cut a few limes in in thirds, place in the glass and give it all a bit of a squeeze,

Top up with crushed ice, place a straw cut in half in the glass and serve.

Prepare to see your friends and family turn into fools in a REALLY short time! This stuff tastes wonderful, but it does have a bit of a kick!

Last one for today - time has caught up with me...

This is a baby elephant at the elephant sanctionary in Langata in Nairobi - precious little baby was taking a nap and was covered in a blanky! How utterly adorable, and to adopt one costs only Ksh4,000 per year - that is about US$60 per year! That feeds them and helps to rehabilitate the 'little' critter back into the wild. Don't know if I've mentioned this before, but of all the wild animals out there, Loxodanta Africana (African Elephant) is my favourite!

Well, that's all for now.

Hope y'all have a most wonderful day!

TTFN

Thanks...

A 'friend' sent me these...

Quite appropriate I thought!

Now, I hope y'all have a pretty day now!

TTFN

Ps: Going a lot better today, not so moody, starting to really dislike the 'taste' that the fag leaves in my mouth, and had my first siggie after 9 this morning - instead of first thing as I wake up...

Baby steps...

Smoking & my mood!

I know it's probably all in my head (as in phsycological you dirty bastards!) but I'm in a bit of a mood today! I've cut down to one every four hours or so, and in between I'm CRAVING a fag! (Well, that too, but this one comes with a Camel logo...) Oh, and it's payroll time - so sitting here checking spreadsheet upon spreadsheet of data to make sure we don't skip anybody at the end of the month. My desk is covered in a multitude of colourful files - red (temporary staff), orange (contract staff), blue (permanent employees - editorial), green - well, more turquoise really (permanent employees - advertising) etc etc etc.

So why am I quitting? Besides the obvious reason - it's not good for me, I actually have this all worked out in my mind - should make no sense to another human being, but these are my reasons...

1. I hate the smell of smoke on my clothes! (BTW - have never smoked in my own house or car - cannot stand the smell of it!)

2. Dawie and I are saving for a long, expensive holiday - We worked out that between the two of us, we spend nearly R1400 ($200) per month on smokes, and if we save this money, we can take a trip to a favourite holiday spot next year December. (Holidays are cheaper in SA) We've opened an additional savings account for this purpose, and will be depositing the money there every month. This is our incentive...

3. Smoking has become a hassle - no smoking areas, no smoking in public places... Now it's a 'schlep' to go for a siggie...

4. It controls my life, instead of me controlling it!

There is surely a lot more that I can say here, but these are the main reasons. I refuse to be controlled by a smelly, expensive addiction any longer. (Self talking to self!)

Now, y'all keep your fingers (and toes) crossed, cause this is going to be a battle - but it's still SO worth it!

TTFN

Weekend.

Just a quick little bitch -

What is it with 'blogger' at the mo - keeps taking my 'very precise and artistic spacing' out of my post, and makes me look like an illeterate fool. (OK, I am word-ly challenged, but do I need reminding from a machine?)

Planning to spend as little time as possible outdoors this weekend - still pretty miserable and cold (about 12C) outside, and in weather like this I become a bit of a hermit. Going to catch up on some of my recorded shows (have a few episodes of Desperate Housewives I need to watch), planning to cook a big pot of Butternut and Sweet Potato soup (With Orange, Ginger and Cinnamon), and then just try and relax a bit. Also bought a few new books last time I went trought 'duty free' and want to start reading...

Hubby took a long weekend in SA, and he is visiting friends in the Vaal Triangle at the moment. Really jelous, would have loved to see Mark and 'bruid' (Bride) again - not his real name... Such good people, lovely soft hearted couple that have also been together forever. Mark is such a teddy bear... This is a pic of him and my hubby a while ago when we were on holiday in Mapumalangha. Mark and I are both about the same lenght, so now you can see how 'tiny' my wonderful man is... (Or how bloody gigantic I am.)

So, here's to a wonderful, love filled and fruitful weekend to y'all!

TTFN

Woman's Day.

Today is Woman's day in South Africa - a public holiday there, and a celebration of events that took place on this day in 1956. On that day, 20,000 women marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria with a petition for the Prime Minister, and demanded the abolishment of the pass laws.

Pass law - for those not familiar with SA history, was a law whereby all black people had to carry a pass to enter 'white' areas, and if they did not have this pass, they would face arrest and imprisonment. What this basically meant, was that to work in the 'white' areas, you had to carry a silly little book with you giving you the right to be there...

Now that Apartheid has been abolished - thankfully, I would like to use this day to celebrate women in general.

So here's to you girls! All my dear female friends, and even the one's I don't know -

big shout out to you!

(But I still don't wanna sleep with you, sorry...) ;-)

On another note, a new (well sorta) club has opened in Nairobi, and finally gay folks have a place they can go to and be themselves. Apparently (Have not been there) people are quite open and actual PDA takes place!!! This is a big step folks - I've never been in such a closeted society in my life. But now some bigoted fool wants to go there and 'out' these people in the media.

Obviously the fellow has the mental capacity of a warthog dropping, but more importantly what happened to live and let live? In my youth, I fought very hard in SA for the abolishment of apartheid, walked in Pride Marches to get the message across that gay people are actually not directly descended from Lucifer himself, and fought very hard (In my own little way.) to have a constitution instituted in SA that gave freedom to ALL people, just to be faced with the same type of bigotry in a country that should be free.

Now I realize this is Africa, and I realize that religion still rules this world, but come on folks - get over your own little fears and obsessions - after all, every time I meet someone that protest so vehemently about something, my first thought is ' The lady doth protest too much!'

OMG - suddenly my very meek and mild little blog has become a soapbox - will be getting off now and getting back into my shell. Thank you for bearing with me, and 'listening' to my rant!

Hope y'all have a fruitful day - and give a woman a hug today!

TTFN

Terrible weather.

Today is a really gray, cold day in Nairobi. I've come to the conclution that the main reason the British decided to colonize Nairobi, was because the weather is exactly like that in London, and they felt at home...

I'm just taking a little stab - so don't take me too seriously, but the weather is really getting to me. At one stage in my life I was transferred to Cape Town (Picture above of Table Mountain from Bloubergstrand - taken in summer, so this is about 20H30 at night) by a company I used to work for. In the beginning, this was very exciting, new city, chance to make new friends, very active gay lifestyle etc etc, but then the first winter came along. I do not mind cold weather, but if this is accompanied by rain and sleet, and everything remains damp and mouldy, I get a little upset. In fact, at that stage I gave them an ultimatum that if they did not take me back to Johannesburg, I would resign... Obviously, the rip roaring laughter from the HR department could be heard by human and animal alike...

Cold gray weather is fine if I have a chance to stay indoors and don't have to drag (pun intended) myself to the office - dressed like an eskimo hell bent on not making a single piece of flesh show. Sniffling, dribbling, miserable 'not so little' me.

As you can see, did not really have much to say today, so decided to keep you busy with a whole load of 'bollocks'.

Hope y'all have a wonderful, fruitful day!

TTFN

Blessings...

Lewis commented yesterday, and made me think for a second or two - 'Count your blessings, not your lack of them.' How wonderful a outlook on life that is, that we can count the good things, and let the things that upset us 'slide'! Sometimes, I forget just how blessed I am. Sometimes I forget that - 'but for the grace of God, there go I'! (My mom used to say that when we saw somebody that was less previledged than we were.) I've always had a plate of food on my table, I've always had a warm place to sleep, friends to talk to, family to support me, and I'm not always truly thankfull about these blessings.

My life has not always been a bed of roses, but to be completely honest, the good times far exceed the bad memories, and bad memories have faded with time. The sadness has passed but the lessons remain. In fact, I bear no grudge towards another human being, and even thought some friendships have fallen by the wayside for whatever reason, I feel no ill will towards these people. I am truly blessed.

I hope your days will also be filled with good memories, smiles and laughter!

TTFN

Ps: Started quiting smoking this week and going a bit crazy at the moment! Went from a pack a day man to just 5 a day, and really battling at the moment... Keep your fingers crossed! Plan is to be on zero by the end of August!

Weekend's without my love...

Was the first weekend back in Nairobi for a while, and with no specific travel plans for the next bit, not sure when I'll be back in SA to see my hubby again. On the one side I'm glad to be 'home' for a bit, and able to catch up with my staff and work, but on the other side, it also means that my personal life gets 'left behind' a bit.

This weekend Estelle spent Friday and Saturday night at my place, and we watched a few movies, ate a bit (a lot, actually!) and just had a good time. Saturday afternoon Elize joined us, and had a 'girls' afternoon. This basically means, we put on face masks, did heat packs, cooling eye patches, pedicures, manicures, body exfoliations, etc etc. Really rediculous, but it was fun. Used every product in our arsenal, and also went out a bought a few extras... What is really fun about this is that we drink a few bottles of wine, and then follow this up with a meal. Saturday was Oso bucco made in red wine and tomato with steamed basmati rice. (It's still a little chilly here, so nice 'comfort' food is on the menu most of the time.)

Sunday I watched a movies called Gray Matters - a bit silly really, but a good 'coming out' story for our 'thesbian brotheren/sisteren'. I have a lot of really great gay female friends, and love spending time with them - so you gals go and rent this movie now, see!

Just read trought what I've written and it's a whole bunch of hog wash. Trying to write something inbetween all the work, emails, phone calls, instant messages etc etc. Not working really, so going to stop rampbling now. Need to do something here when I have more time to concentrate on what I'm doing. Maybe it's true what they say - a man cannot multi - task...

Hope y'all have a wonderful day, filled with love, hugs and kisses!

TTFN

Back in Nairobi.

Back from the holiday in SA, and feeling a lot more 'alive' - althought, think this will be very quickly dispatched with, as the work is a mountain ahead of me! My goodness, a mailbox can pile up when you don't attend to it's dirty little needs...

Will be posting more on our fantastic holiday, but for now, just a quick note to say I'm back in my little Kenyan world...

Keep well y'all!

TTFN

Ta ta for now...

Will be away for the next 12 days, and will have no access to the internet. (Will be on holiday with my hubby, so the internet will be the last thing on my mind really...)

Just to make everybody a bit yellow, here is a pic of a sunset over the Crocodile River in the Kruger National Park.

Hope y'all have a wonderful time, and think of me 'suffering' trought a few days of rest, relaxation and utter uselessness...

TTFN

Things I cannot live without...

Life in general gets so complicated as we 'grow younger' and I've realized that there are a few things that I just cannot live without. Things that, to somebody else, might not mean a hell of a lot, but to me, means the earth, and that will upset me to no end if they had to be ommited. I'm sure that each person has his or her own list, but this is mine. ( Top ten list - in no specific order, except for No1.)

1. My wonderful hubby. The best thing that has ever happended to me. My all...

2. Sunshine - really battle to go for a long period without seeing the sun. Not that I like sunbathing, but seeing the sun, and feeling the warmth on your skin is priceless.

3. A hot shower. Nothing better to get me going in the morning, or wind me down after a long day.

4. A toothbrush - is there anything nicer than having a clean, fresh smile?

5. Body Shop's Body Butter. (No further explanation needed!)

6. Silence - love the sound of silence, that wonderful fulfilling sound of a quite sunday morning in our garden.

7. Family and friends - Who have supported me in the rough times, laughed at me/with me during the silly times, love me for who I am and just in general have always been there for me.

8. Work - As much as I complain about being too busy/not being busy enough/ irritating people/ paperwork/ lack of paperwork etc etc, what would I do without this outlet in my life. Love what I do - end of story!

9. My parents - Which sounds a bit like a repeat of No 7, but they deserve a special mention. Despite our differences, they are my biggest support structure, and love me regardless. And the fact that they accept my partner, and have taken him in as part of their family, is something really special.

10. My children - a.k.a the doggelets, or the puppies or my nunu's etc etc. What joy they bring to our lives, always always there for you...

When I started typing this, I thought it would be things that I could not live without... (I don't really think about what I'm about to post, just start typing really - as you can see most of the time.) Wow, this was a eye opener to me too. Wonder what my therapist would say?

Hope y'all have a really pretty day now!

TTFN

Some more photo's

Thought today I'd share some unique 'Africa' photos. Things that make Kenya special, things that - after a few years here, you don't notice anymore, but that make Kenya a wonderfull place to be.

This is a war cemetary that we stumbled apon on the way back from Mount Kenya. Perfectly manicured lawns and well kept gardens and graves, and just outside the gate, poverty and scalour... Graves where of British, South African, Indian and Kenyan soldiers and officers that died during the second world war, in the battle for East Africa.

Taken during a dhow trip up the creek at Kilifi, on the North Coast of Kenya. This was the captain - life is just so much more calm here...

Taken in Dar-es-Salaam - once again, no rush in Africa.

Getting a lift from a truck up the hill. Trucks are generally overloaded, so they tend to move VERY slowly. Cyclist hold onto the back of the truck and then don't need to peddle up the hill. It also means they sit in the billowing fumes that the trucks spews out.

Sign at a pub in Mombasa. Note the 'cockage fee' - that tickled my warped sence of humour...

Now, I hope y'all have a fruitful day.

TTFN

Ps: Only three sleeps and I get to see my hubby! Jipeeeee!!!!!