It'll still take a while.

Coming back from a very pleasant holidaying, to the grey city is always difficult. This time I had added the blood-relative whom went with us and stayed a few more days. Many a time during this past weeks I was close to let fire and brimstone come out of my ears, only a few times I gave in to losing my calm. What I am proud of is that I am not allowing those opinions to rule my mind any more.

It will take me a day or so to copy the photo's to this computer, we have never taken so many, after that the three of us will sit for a 'movie' of our holiday. After that I will share some of the trip.

Sunday we are off on a 'homeschool camp' will see what that brings.

My plan is to use the few days we are there to sit or preferably lie down and rest. We tried to do so many things in the few days. Further south the sun sets much later, one think it is earlier than it is.

Rhino Calf

An old calf

Possession show off

I almost made it to have this post in the same month as the one where I said I'll show off our new possessions.

On Saturday it will be my mother's 70th birthday party. My eldest sister is arranging an extended family party, I do not know 95% of the people. I do not do vet well amongst strangers. Having so many of them together is not too a pleasant thing to look forward to. All I have done this past three weeks was to concentrate on doing what I was tasked with for this event.
I did not think it will be so time consuming!

At the same time I have been busy getting ourselves ready for our holiday, in 12 days time. Clothes, baking, menus and all the other things going with a vacation. These preparations are not at all difficult. My mother will come home with us after the her party, she is going with us on holiday. I catch myself scrubbing places twice or where one can not see because she is coming to my home. I have to tell myself audibly; my mother might see me as the dirty child. What is important is I must know who I am.

This post is actually to show you our chairs.
Many years ago Jason and I were on holiday and saw this Imbuai 8 seater table at a second hand shop. Seeing it was without chairs it was a huge bargain even after including the transport cost.
At another time we bought an Oak gate leg table. The story behind our oak table it this. While we were in the shop we heard the shop owners speaking about the table being so old- belonged to the one's grandmother. Seeing its condition we decided to buy it for the kitchen in our one-day-house. Again no chairs. This table stands half open in one room where I do my fiddling and fidgeting.

In the beginning of the year we decided the upholstered chairs we use with the Imbuia table in the dining room really needs to be replaced. We had a long search! One Saturday in October we walked into an antique shop just looking, as soon as a shop call them selves antique we can't afford the furniture. This time it was different. On walking in we both saw these oak chairs and like it. In stead of the imbuia we were looking for we bought the 6 oak chairs. The lady even gave us a discount, R70 on each chair. Apparently these chairs are 80 years old.

Ethan did not want these saying he does not like it, he want to keep the torn upholstered chairs.
WHAT! He then saw this Imbua chair and decided he want that instead. We got a R50 discount on this too. My husband likes to bargain.
The story behind this chair; the owner restored it for his mother. She used it till she passed on three months earlier.

We now have our first Imbuia chair. I have now decided I'll take what ever Imbuia chairs we can get as long as the hight is right. Maybe even prefer for it to be eight different style chairs. When this set is complete I sure hope we stay wher ethe oak table can be used, else I'll have many chairs standing around.

Another time away we bought this sideboard. A very long story short, afterwards we realised the shop owner 'did us in' in his own mind, we decided to not feel robbed because we like this cupboard. The decorations seems to have been cut by hand.

The above chair was deliver by the owner of the shop himself. When he stepped into our house he wanted to buy it! He had a long conversation saying how he can see how old it is. The 'hand carved decorations, the wooden wheels and the bevelled mirror. According to him this piece is worth many times more than what we bought it for. He is of the opinion that this piece of furniture is from the 1880's.

Lots of very little

My head feels empty and the PC is full.
I wanted to show off our newest possessions, the camera full. Download failed the PC told me its brain is full! Okay, okay, it is the photo's of the last 6 years. Apparently I have to make another set of back-up!?

Summer is here. We have had the first real thunderstorm (some time ago already) where the thunder and lightning chase through the sky. Marvellous!

A bad day for Ethan, almost like death in the house. Where he does horse riding is an 'abandoned' pony, whom he adopted. For the last at least two years he gave her attention, exercised her a bit and fussed over her. We now heard the owner sold her. Out of the blue. It is some shock to him, me too.

Desia, thank you for asking! My very short answer will have to be in more than one word.
Much better than I felt 6 months ago. But nothing like how I know I should feel and my body should behave.
Blood is not gushing when it should not be there. Huge lumps and very painful, at least a hot water bottle helps. But not when you scorch yourself. Much less often bloated.
I can now sleep with my rings on and still get it off in the morning. I sleep through the night and am rested on waking up.
My hair! There is less on the floor, the pillow, the tub, the basin, the car seat, the ...
My bones still pain - apparently I do not explain this well enough because I am told I can't feel that? I know what I feel; my bones are paining.
It is not painful to go on a journey any more.
I am still looking for a doctor who will do blood tests and try listen and hear me out. About 3 weeks ago the one I saw said no need for new tests. I want to see if there is any difference in my blood, seeing I see a difference in symptoms. Not interested.

One really good news for Ethan we found a place where he can play soccer without being a spectator. I do not know how this group started off. None of them are from the same school, a mix of ages, languages and cultures. They are playing soccer and nothing more. The coach has such a pleasant demeanour!

Have now decided to let the possessions wait till I eventually can take photo's again.

Winter at an end

The effects of the sun already visible by the time I open my eyes in the morning, is such a help to get out of bed. Movability is so much easier without that layer of jerseys and jackets, you snow people should not laugh we do feel cold. People sitting outside for lunch and tea, trees are showing life is on the way, the Magnolias are flowering and the Jacarandas are bare.
I do not sleep with layers of clothing any more, the bedding is also not such a weight on me. I know, there still has to be one more cold front in September, for me the winter is over.

Seasons are necessary! The bugs must die the rain should come when it must and all, I do not mind the different seasons. When the longer days are here I feel I can do things again, not sitting all huddled up with a frozen spine.

Always following the rest of the world swine flu is now the 'in-thing' to worry about. Maybe I am insensitive, to me it seems this all blown up much bigger than it should be.
Ethan is sick, past the turning point, my body makes afternoons unpleasant and the Pretoria show has started.

Ethan waits for this to sit the whole day through on that pavilion (grandstands) to watch every horse go by, every eye blink and every tail shwish. Seems by Monday we will be able to resume our yearly heating up the seats and shiver in the morning breeze.
Let me tell you these are much easier to endure than to answer all the questions and having to say no, no, no I did not see that horse, the sock, its gait, its all the whatever I have to see, remember and do not.

Do I seems to complain, sorry I am not actually.

I have a green living something that just came up in one of the pots and flowering profusely, during the whole of winter I had pink flowers.

No wheat flour, milk or sugar snack

Start of by mixing the dry ingredients.
Water and block ammonia.
I know it is a powder,
and I never took a photo of it in the pot on the stove.
Rather stay close to the stove
else you might have to heat a new quantity of ammonia.

Those seeds are still in here, just mixed.
The lumps there, are lumps - caught- I did not sieve it.
With the oil ready to be added.

Breadcrumb stage will look
something like this.

My gadget
I bought it in one of those small shops selling from a pin to an elephant.
Well, now a days probable not elephants.
I see the price has at least quadrupled.

This is not the real equipment for this snack.

Here it is. A picture from the recipe book.
I do not have such a something
prefer not to have either.
Seems on can walk around with a few blisters after using it.

Wonder, maybe one could use a metal colander and a spoon.
But I'll stick to my gadget.

The dough or is it batter
will be like this
or a slight bit softer.

Fry, fry.
It swells out right in front of your very eyes.

Cooked and waiting for that tea to be ready.

500g Chickpea flour
5ml Black pepper crushed (I leave it out)
15ml Block Ammonia
250ml Water
10ml Celery seeds
180 ml Oil
10ml Salt

In a saucepan heat ammonia very slowly on low heat. About 6 minutes,
when aroma arises add the water.
Bring to the boil. Boil till water is reduced to about 188ml.
Leave to cool completely.
Sift chickpea flour, celery seeds and pepper together.
Rub oil in till it resembles bread crumbs.
Use the ammonia water to make the batter.
Consistency of muffin dough.
Use a bit of extra oil and water to get the desired consistency.
Push through 'equipment' and fry in hot oil,
until crisp.

Enjoy on its own or have it with a cup of tea.
Oh, it has been named long ago
Ghantia/ganthia/gaanthia
depending where the recipe originates from it could even have another name.

Handwriting meme

Either my maternal grandmother and Desia's inherited from the same person or they went to the same school. They wrote so similar! Even when she was advanced in years she still had a beautiful handwriting.
My mother's writing is just as lovely, close to the handwriting of her mother.

My paternal grandmother, now there was someone who most likely stood in the corner the whole day and would have received detention all the time for her writing. Very ugly. I could never read what she wrote. My father was the only in the household who could decipher it. Maybe because his handwriting could stand next to hers.

It seems Desia is right, handwriting is inherited.

The opportunity to write does not present itself much further than lists; what to pack, what to cook, where to buy things, to do lists or groceries.
When I do get to write some longer list it seems my fingers do not get to hold the pen properly. I know! the age of the computer is to blame.

If I write letters I prefer to write by hand. I chose to take this picture of the recipe letter I had to do. This caused me to be more aware of how I write and noticed my lower case letters hang in the air. Hope that does not show I leave people hanging in the air.

If you would be interested to show your handwriting,

I am tagging you.

(Added. Oops a few spelling mistakes)