Howdy Doodie

Okay so, I'm back. I've taken a slightly longer than anticipated sabbatical. I'm sorry. This was also probably due to the fact that I changed jobs – to a company with very VERY limited access to the outside world. And by that I mean the Internet. And everything the internet entails. Yes, I had e-mail, but on an Exchange server, which meant that the IT dept controlled everything. And, unfortunately for me, I wasn't IN that IT department. Not like at the last place I worked. Where I could do what I liked when I liked. So I couldn't even mail in my news.

 

On second thoughts, maybe I could've (but I only found that out shortly before my departure from said jail company) and then I was swamped with creating process documents on that which I actually did.

 

Anyhoodle, I am now working at a new place. Quite fantastic might I mention. I have free access to the internet, although I better be on my best behavior to not abuse that which has been given to me freely. They have someone who checks that…. Also, I'm again not in the IT department, but have rather been made a manager. Ooooh, can you believe it. I am the Customer Relations Manager. I just lurve the sound of that. Me, Boobah's Mom, a manager J
J

 

Speaking of which, Boobah is doing absolutely fantastically well. I will post more about him later though. I just wanted to pop in and say a quick HI. So there, I've said it. If you didn't get it, here it comes again:

 

HI!!!!!

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The amazingness of every First…

On Monday, I did my Bad Mommy Homework, and one of the questions I had to answer was "Something you are struggling with presently that I wish I could help you with:". This was my answer "Walking! I wish you would just walk now so you can go where you want to, when you want to, for however long you want to. I can't stand the frustration you have to endure because you can't manage on your own yet.". Then, not even TWO days later, my wish came true!!! Last night, at approximately 19:00 – 19:30, Boobah decides that this whole business of clinging in to the couches and/or tables whilst walking around the room is not for him, so he just… let go. Just like that! AND HE WALKED!!! BY HIMSELF! FOR THE FIRST TIME! And you know how all those books say that generally baby persons give one or two steps and then either sits down or tumbles over? Not my kid! He gave the 6 steps from The Dad to me, hugged me and then promptly turned around and walked back to The Dad. Just sommer so… I am currently the proudest mommy in the world. My kid is amazing! Also remember, this is a child who never crawled, as he refused to lie on his stomach for longer than 2 seconds at a time.

Boobah's age when this happened: 2 days shy of his 11 month Monthday!!!

I am posting videos of this happy event as soon as I convert them properly…

I tried to upload them here, but it doesn't seem to be working, so I am loading them to Google Videos. Here are the links for anyone wishing to see:

Boobah walking in circles

1 Step, 2 Step

Party Planning…2!

On Friday I decide that I really want to…no actually need to spend some money. Actually, this feeling occurred on Thursday, but the money transferred to Boobah's account had not been cleared yet, so had to wait. Which I did, but with a very heavy heart. Come Friday, I am absolutely itching to get to the shops! Once there, it was difficult to make up my mind on what unnecessary things to blow the cash on, but eventually I decide to be a good mommy and start buying things for Boobah's birthday party. It is now just over a month away and rather than having to buy everything at once, which will make a seriass dent in The Dad's pocket, I thought it better to spilt the costs over two months. Boy, am I glad I made that decision?! This weekend's party shopping alone cost me 700 Souf African Ronts already! And this is without the cake which will cost roughly 400 Souf African Ronts BY ITSELF! That is an expense for next month though…

 

So now, I can start ticking off some of the items on my list that I needed to get:

• Tablecloth – Cars
  
• Tablecloth – Plain Black
  
• Paper Plates – Kids
  
• Paper Plates – Adults
  
• Paper/Plastic Cups – Kids
  
• Paper/Plastic Cups – Adults
  
• Serviettes – Cars
  
• Serviettes – Black
  
• Balloons – Cars Foil
  
• Balloons – Red, Black, White
  
• Party Pack Lunch Boxes
  
• Invitations
  
• Envelopes
  
• Cake
  
• Happy Birthday Banner
  
• Plastic Spoons and Forks
  

That is just the accessories that I can remember off the top of my head. There is still a whole bunch of other stuff that we need, like the party box fillings and all the eateries for the day, kids-wise and for the parental units. And we DEFINITELY have to remember to get carrots from the Fruit&Veg the morning of the party so all the kidlets can feed the bunnies.

 

I'll keep this post updated as we go along!

My African Adventure…

Yesterday, I took Boobah to a casting agency in Melville. I think my boy is absolutely gorgeous, and I would be very selfish for keeping that all to myself. Because I don't know the area very well, and I tend to be very directionless, I asked The Dad to borrow his GPS Navigator. All went well, and we got there safely, even though I made a couple of wrong turns. The great thing about the GPS is that it automatically works out a new route for you on the fly, in case you are retarded like I am, and don't follow instructions very well. Like I said, we got there eventually. Now my adventure starts the moment we leave. The Dad asked if I wouldn't mind coming round his place of work, so he can show off his kid to everybody there. I have no qualms with that, nor any other places I need to be, so I agree. The Dad works in Alberton, I was in Melville. Logically, one would assume to get onto the M1, drive around Johannesburg to get to the N3 and then onto Alberton we go. And I would've, had I realized – in time - that the damn GPS was set to 'Avoid Highways'!!!!! But I didn't. So I went straight through THE FUCKING CENTER OF BLOODY JOHANNEBURG!!!
Here I am, a teeny tiny white girl in her pink little car with a little baby person in the back, being squished from all sides at the biggest damn Taxi Rank I have ever seen in my life, scared totally shitless, panicking so bad my Clutch-foot started wobbling uncontrollably feeling like I'm screaming EASY TARGET at the top of my lungs. I quickly take of all my jewelry and bling and shiny stuff, shove it in the side panel and hide my phone in the ashtray bowl and slide the GPS under my seat so as not to attract any more attention to us. It's sad how, in this beautiful country, life has taken so many turns and twists that one has to be scared to drive through one of the most beautiful areas in Gauteng – has anyone even bothered to take a look at how ornate the old buildings in JHB CBD actually are – and feel so paranoid and anxious about it. Remember what happened to Peas not so long ago? And in the same area. I am posting some pics of a map taken of Veza Route Planner. It's from a road in Melville, to Jules Street in Jeppestown. This is where I actually ended up at one stage. Luckily from here I had more or less an idea of how to get onto the M1, but by then the mental damage had already been done.

This is the way I should've gone:

And this is probably how I ended up going:

The green block is where I saw the biggest Taxi Rank I've ever seen in my life!

Needless to say, when I eventually got to The Dad's place of work, I gave him a piece of my mind, and told him exactly how lucky he is to not have me shove that damn GPS up his ass, and that I hadn't thrown it out the window. He apologized profusely and bought me lunch to calm me down. All the while, Boobah is sitting in the back of the car, playing with his Barney.

We are safe, and survived to tell the tale.

YAY!

Friday Disaster

So, as all Joburg residing readers might have heard, on Friday, the N3 South highway, experienced a horrific accident. That just so happens to be my way home. I suppose I could've taken a different route home, but a. that would have ended up taking me just as long to get home, because most other people would be taking alternate routes, and b. the voyeur in me compelled me to sit in the mostly-standing-still traffic so I could see what the fuss was all about.

My journey starts at 15:36. Rivonia road is relatively fast paced for a Friday afternoon. Quite surprising actually. Turn to get onto the highway a-a-a-a-a-n-d stop dead in my tracks. The beginning of a long journey home. After moving about 20 meters in only 10 minutes and passing FOUR cars standing next to the side of the road, I decide it's time to start snapping away and document any cars I see broken down on my way home. Maybe not the nicest thing to do, but I had nowhere to go slowly and I was bored and this made time pass seemingly quicker.

Without further ado, here are all the cars I managed to take a picture of. I even got one of a bike:

Sorry if any of these were any of you guys. Hope you didn't get home too late…

Don’t I just suck at keeping things updated here???

I have, very-proud-of-myself-ly, paid for all my BidOrBuy purchases today, totaling an amount of about R510.00. This includes postage and packaging. So within hopefully the next 4 business days I will start receiving little Post Office notices that I have packages waiting for me for collection! I am super excited and don't know how I will be able to contain my emotions when the first notice arrives… I can not wait. Here are some examples of what I bought:

This is a set of two Amethysts totaling a weight of 2.61ct

This is an 0.5ct Excellent Oval Peridot. Peridot just so happens to be my birthstone, which makes this even more alluring.

Another set of two. These are two Pink Tourmaline stones with a combined weight of 1.32ct.

All these stones are natural, not like those manufactured stones one can get these days, with a clarity of VS or more. That is pretty amazing! And the sets of two would make lovely earrings. I just have to get The Dad to have them set for me. Along with the Peridot in a pretty pretty ring which I can wear everyday.

In other news, Boobah had his very first Easter this year, and BOY! Did he enjoy the eggs I gave him. Nothing big or major, as this was his first experience to chocolate as well. So I tried to keep it limited to one hollow chocolate egg and one of those white coated chocolate eggs. Look at that sweet and innocent face:

Boobah has also learned the word CAT. Only, he says KA for the Afrikaans version KAT, but can't quite get the T out just yet. It's very cute asking him where the cat is, and he points to either his stuffed cat toy, or the cat at his Nannie's place. The only thing wrong with this picture? Any animal with four legs is now considered a cat…

Only 15 more work-sleeps until the last day of my job here! I can't wait! I have been dealing with Telkom for the past 5 days – AND THEY ARE BLOODY USELESS!!!! It's a pity that they are the only landline service provider in SA, because that makes them believe that they don't have to give the best of service, because they have no competition to lose out to! They suck chicken balls!!!

Anyhoo, don't foget to take a look at the Bad Mommy Blog homework for this week! It was my turn to set it, and I happen to think I came up with a fabulous idea! If you agree that this was a fabulous idea, don't hesitate to compliment me on my brilliance. If you disagree, then I don't want to know about it…. Ha ha ha, hee hee hee, he he

**cough cough** **splutter**

**SIGH**