is that an iBook i see before me ?

We are keen to buy an iBook - hope to do it this weekend in Durban...it's gonna be big fun, I predict !

Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it

from the Edward Fitzgerald translation

I've picked up this book lately, and am again marvelling at the mastery of the man.....

This passage is the one Mom used to associate with the Rubaiyat, and it's the one that sticks out for me too....

Friends down under

Bram, Jacob and Hannah Renk-Kotzee, in Perth, with unnamed pet labrador...unfortunately, due to Dad's health, we won't be travelling there this xmas as planned. Another time, we hope.

Boys will be boys

TC is now the proud owner of a silver version of this machine, the 2005 A3 3.2 sportback quattro - a terrific vehicle to be sure....since he had not yet reached the 1000kay run in threshold, we were not yet able to test out it's true range, but this weekend should be another story ! Watch this space....

Enter the Python !

This past weekend, the era of The Python was born....when Adhil competed in the SA Open Grappling championships. For the record, he made it to the 4th round before being eliminated, beaten by the guys who finished 2nd and 3rd in his category.

Katrina makes waves

It's so hard to imagine that these pictures of nature's beauty could cause so much devastation....see here for some comparisons between the last major hurricanes in North America.

Must be tough times in New Orleans right now, and having Bush in the job can't be making things any easier.

Lil Berrisford-Patel @ 17 weeks !

I've been meaning to upload this scan for a while now, but haven't had the after hours energy...

It's SOOO exciting having Zsa & Stephen's lil un on the way - I hope to post some pix of Zsa soon; left my camera at Kumarin's place last month....maybe I can get him to download and mail me some of the photos !

We spent the weekend just chilling at home, including converting the pool from yukkie green to crystal sky blue, and closed the weekend with The Last Samurai.

Denzil & Nathi

Denzil & Nathi, also at Bulldogs, Rosebank (The Zone), just after I had gotten myself a wee haircut at around 7pm on a Sunday ! Jozi is cool !

Rieyaardt & Nicole

At Bulldogs, The Zone, Rosebank - It was great to finally meet Nicole, the flame of Rieyaardt's life for all these years. She is bubbly, and warm and very friendly - I hope they decide to make that eternal committment, and that we keep in touch...

Magic Nationals 2005 and more

Magic Nationals 05 happened a coupla weekends ago, and it was a chance for the brothas to meet up in Jozi for a bit of card shuffling again.

I managed a mediocre performance (again ?), with kleinboet not getting a sniff in, on account of his not qualifying !

What was great was seeing Dr Zee, who is well pregnant and verry excited about it too ! We joined Steve & Zee and Fiona & hubby at the Flamingo restaurant in a "less-salubrious" part of town, for a lovely informal dinner and catch-up session.

We also met up with Rieyaardt & Nicole, and Denzil & Nathi, who is also preggers (!) Estimations put it at about 10 years since we last saw these folk, and I am keen to not let another 10 go by without keeping in touch - they have grown into fine young men, and it would be awesome to continue our relationships.


Dillo and Shawn have cottoned-on to jujitsu, and are contesting the SA Open soon - seems like fun.....

Last month, I attended the Burnwood Secondary School Reunion - promises to be an annual event, and served to give TC & I a good hook into the networks required to set up our 20-year Matric class reunion next year (can anyone believe it's been TWENTY years ?!)

Young Adam has been walking for about 3 weeks now, and has started experimenting with running already ! He is now quite steady on his feet, having been cautiously testing this walking thing for a while now, and has loads of fun chasing his bigboet....He's still quite restless at night, but the days are quite nice now.
He is very comfy at creche, and has become an eating machine !

More munchies from Kauai

I had a Breakfast wrap for brekkies, after my early squash game - 6/10 (marked down since they didn't have avo !)

Also, had an Immunity Booster smoothie for lunch - 7/10

Am enjoying the renewed physical activity, and am looking forward to the benefits kicking in soon....

ICON 2005

ICON 2005 is on this coming weekend, up in Jozie - sadly, I wont be among the throngs....but, my spirit and my crewz will be there in effect !

Finding your balance

Visit these guys to check out the menu that I'll be sampling whenever I go to gym !

Chai Chiller - 6/10 - has sorbet, and is not creamy enough : a bit grainy....



Current music : Monkey Business - Black-Eyed Peas

Started Gym again !

Yip, finally managed to drag myself over to the gym this morning....great surprise to find a Kauai store has replaced the gym cafe....THIS should get me there more regularly ! Scoffed down a Chai Chiller for brekkies after a short workout....

Good new from Zsa yesterday that her lil un is developing very nicely, and news this morning is that Jeremy and Jean had baby Samuel come into their lives last night.

Adam went back to creche today, and Heidi was going to try to get to gym, with Aziz....more about that later....

Random notes from my filofax

Life is not measured by the moments in which we breath. Life is measured by the moments that take our breath away.

-Carlin

....a fading memory
evaporating as we speak
like frost off of a
defogging window

- Geordie Tait

The spirit leaves you like passengers
disembarking a rusted ancient locomotive
that finally reached it's last stop

- ?

I felt like I'd fallen over the rim of the universe
and into the fires of hell itself

- Stephen King


The doors of human perception swing wide,
and they admit a great many things
that are far better felt than spoken

- Geordie Tait

Genoeg is genoeg !

Adam, Xander and Zi, having a good ol' laugh at McDonalds....

At McDonalds, Richards Bay

Wow ! Look at me now !

Adam at Mickey Dees, with brother Aziz, and his friend, Xander.....

Adieu Tammy

We had to say goodbye to Tammy today, after a long stint at the vet to try to get her well again :

She had severe hip displaysia (HD) which is common in German Shepherds, but she also had some sort of internal infection, and ended up having kidney failure. Her last days were quite miserable and painful, and we didn't want that to continue any longer....

We will miss her terriby.

KZN Magic Regionals

I managed to qualify for Magic Nationals again this year, after scrubbing out in PMB, I achieved a 3rd place finish in Durban, albeit playing a good deck !

For the record, I played Juicy Fruit in PMB and Mono-Green Aggro in Durban - thanks to Keraan for "force-feeding"me the deck....

More beginnings

Young Adam started creche this month - slowly at first, just a few hours at a time, and a coupla days a week....he seems to be settling in, and is having very little trouble there....

This is going to start to give Heidi some free time in the mornings - she's looking forward to that !

Comrades day farewell

What a lovely surprise to receive Ma and Dad in Kwambo for the day !!! Even though the day was dedicated to the Comrades Marathon, we spent most of the time being entertained by the boys....

At the end of the day, when the grandparents were packing to return to Durban, Aziz promptly announced that he was going with Ma, and that I had to pack his clothes for him.....he left, saying that he would see us tomorrow ;)

It's hard to admit that he is so independant, and comfortable to spend so much time so far away from us....

Lois and Leia came into our lives

The two princesses came into our lives, not long after Tammy got ill, and went away to spend some time at the vet....

Sadly, Leia didn't last longer than the weekend, but Lois is getting bigger and stronger by the day !

(photos to follow soon....)

Sista Sue visits KZN !

When Sue travelled to the East Coast for a few days, just before her birthday, she made sure there was a party !
We all gathered at Mary-Ann's place for a braai and karaoke - using Adhil's playstation2, this was fabulous fun !

Zi loved the PS2 so much, he decided to stay overnight, playing games with Dillo all night !

In other news - I have been at the new job for just over a month now, and I am starting to get to grips with it, and even feeling like I am enjoying myself ;)

New beginnings

I started my new job today (waiting's over !) , and got to meet some of the new people I would be working with - a surprisingly fresh, young troupe.

It's going to be great !

It's all over !

Yip ! Heidi and Zi chucked the meds into the bin yesterday, and though we were too tired to celebrate properly, the feeling of relief was there....

It was also Heidi's birthday (still thirtysomething, for those who are wondering :) ), and we had a quiet candle-lit dinner after the boys got to bed....

We didn't have a cake, sadly, but I plan to rectify that tonight...there's still SO much to celebrate, and give thanks for.

Adam is MUCH more independant now that he is crawling and moving about in his walker - he can follow almost anywhere inside the house, and is happiest when chasing his brother...

Family Reunion 2005 !

We had a wonderful surprise visit from Ma and Dad for lunch on Saturday - the boys were in top form, with young Adam crawling all over the lawn....

Scheduling for Family Reunion 2005 was bandied around, and some conclusions were reached : Dad will travel to Australia in August, and we will all join the rest of the family, in Auckland for Xmas.

Detailed travel plans are yet to be firmed up, but this is good progress...

And for some inspiration, here are some of the lyrics from Jill Scott's "Family Reunion"....enjoy !

"Family Reunion" - Jill Scott - Beautifully Human - Sounds and Words Volume 2

We at the family reunion, tellin' jokes and playin' spades
Uncle Dave is on the barbeque grill
Grandma braggin 'bout the blanket she made
For the new baby on her way
Even though the daddy ain't really ready
This child is coming...anyway, yeah

Neicey made her famous potatoe salad, somehow it turns out green
Maybe its all the scalyums, could be the celery
But oh, Uncle Jerome loves it (Hmm)
Hey baby baby, here comes my favorite...my favorite cousin
He says he doing fine, takin'it one step a day but in my heart I know it ain't that way

[Chorus]
Whoa whoa-o-whoa whoa-o-whoa whoa-o-whoa
What can you say...its family
And whoa whoa-o-whoa whoa-o-whoa whoa-o-whoa
What can you say...its family

Check out the entire song at azlyrics....

My Waiting

This past three weeks I've been doing more than my fair share of waiting.
I have been wasting time, waiting.
People have been wasting their time, and mine, asking me about the reason for my waiting....

"Our patience will achieve more than our force."
Unknown

I am quite a patient soul, but my patience has worn thin,
So I search
And I read
And I write,
To fill the gaps between being busy
And being questioned,
About my Waiting


"The trick is to make sure you don't die waiting for prosperity to come. "
Lee Iacocca

"The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper. "
Eden Phillpotts

"Waiting and hoping are the whole of life, and as soon as a dream is realized it is destroyed. "
Gian Carlo Menotti

"Waiting is a trap. There will always be reasons to wait. The truth is, there are only two things in life, reasons and results, and reasons simply don't count. "
Robert Anthony

What a happy sight ! Aziz and Matthew just chilling at the pool

Fireman Zi !

Aziz out in the rain, in his Fireman's outfit, bought for the school play

Poolside with Adam

Heidi and Adam poolside at Rocklin and Claudia's new home

Comfy near Mommy...

Young Adam with short hair, enjoying being under mommy's "wing"

Happy Groundhog Day !

From Wikipedia :

Groundhog Day is a traditional festival celebrated in the USA and Canada on February 2.
In the U.S. the tradition derives from a Scottish couplet:
If Candlemas Day is bright and clear,
there'll be two winters in the year.
The tradition also stems from similar beliefs associated with Candlemas Day [1] (http://www.groundhog.org/history/tradition.shtml) and Hedgehog Day. Although the date is often referred to as one of the four quarter days of the year (the midpoints between the spring and fall equinoxes and the summer and winter solstice), it is in fact one of the cross-quarter days[2] (http://www.noblenet.org/year/groundhog.html).
The first Groundhog Day was observed in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on February 2, 1887.
Tradition states that one must observe a groundhog's burrow on this day. If the groundhog emerges and fails to see its shadow because the weather is cloudy, winter will soon end; however, if the groundhog sees its shadow because the weather is bright and clear, it will be frightened and run back into its hole, and the winter will continue for six more weeks. Certain small towns have well-known meteorological groundhogs, such as Punxsutawney Phil (made famous by the Groundhog Day movie) and Wiarton Willie. Recently Shubenacadie Sam was introduced in Nova Scotia. The official groundhog forecaster for New York City is Staten Island Chuck.
Indeed, bright clear weather in a North American winter is often associated with very cold temperatures.
Annual predictions
2004 - Phil, 6 more weeks; Willie, 6 more weeks; Sam, an early spring


And, for Supersuzy : check out this blog ~ it's filled with shopping tips for the sistas....!

We had a weekend away in Durban this last weekend, and I bought a copy of Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, on reccommendation from Craig....I have yet to start reading it, since I am currently reading Farenheit 9/11....

Heidi is reading Branson's biography, "Losing My Virginity", and she reports that it is an enthralling account of a life less ordinary !

I also gave blood yesterday, and this week is week two of playing squash twice a week in the morning before work - 3 sessions down, and 18 to go (21 times in succession, forms a habit, I am led to believe....)

Oh ! Dillo and Supersuzy are moving house today ! I wish them all the best, and a great house-warming at the end of it - Mamacita* is travelling to Cape Town for a conference, and will stop by to check out the new digs....

*credit due to scarbiedoll for this name - I hope I can use it too...

Phumba !

This weekend was quite special....

Sacha and Xavier and Keraan came up on Friday to visit and play some Magic, and they gave Kieran a lift up too.

Saturday was a celebration for reaching the halfway mark of Aziz's TB medication program (3 months down, another 3 to go :( ) - we had some people over for lunch/dinner, and we all had great fun !

On Sunday, we were joined by Ma and Dad and Craig who was in SA visiting his Dad who is ill - we're all hoping that his Dad gets a lot better soon.
Jacquie and Tony returned to Kwambo to make a potjiekos for us - Tony is a master, who used juicy venison meat to make his winning meal that was accompanied by roast leg of WARTHOG (aka Phumba) and a terrific prawns curry contribution from Ma Stoltenkamp.
Even Dad enjoyed the meal, and didn't even kick up a fuss when we revealed that the roast was not actually mutton, but warthog !

Heidi outdid herself again, baking more cakes and trifles than we knew what to do with....!

Clinton and Elaine Palmer joined us on both days, and we are hopeful of the start of a healthy "new" friendship with them. Their daughter, Dana, is sweet enough to substitute for dessert !

TC made the drive up, and we were glad to see him, as he is going through a difficult period - we will return the favour by driving down to Durban for his son's birthday party next weekend.

Ma Patel and Mary-Ann also made the trip, as did Sudah and her mom, Leilah - it was fantastic to see all of them.

Though it rained on and off on Sunday, it was not enough to dampen our spirits, and much talk ensued about the possible start of a social/dance club here in Zululand....

On Sunday Heidi and I went to bed exhausted, but happy, glad that the next day was Monday, and that we were travelling to Durban next Friday, for a "weekend off"...

The Good Ol' Days

I received this mail in my inbox from SistaSue today....makes for some seriously nostalgic reading - thanks girl !

I shared it with Sugan, while munching on a kebaab bunny chow, and his reaction and reminiscing resulted in me posting it here - I know some of my buddies prefer not to receive mass email in their inboxes, but I'm positive they would all (KayCee included) enjoy this....


"Just take a few minutes, sit back with the ole' days!!!

The good ole' days... I’m talking about the time of....Hide and Seek in the park...or the dark...or anywhere. The tearoom down the road, Marbles, Donkey, skipping and handstands, backyard cricket with a tomato box, house-house game, 5 stones, jumping the river, building a swing from a piece of rope tied to a tree, tennis on the street or swing ball in the backyard, Black Shoe black Shoe, Ing Ching China Mina, My name is Cane, Four Corners, Crocodile, Open Gates, Hoopoo, Gully Gundha, Mercy, Slides & climbing trees.

Remember when there was a season for everything, before play stations and cartoon networks, computers... The sound of the fish or fruit & veg vendor in his van. Wicks bubble gum for a cent! Chappies, Roller-skates, BMX, go carts

Wait, can you still remember...

Getting up at 3 in the morning, sitting under a blanket at the back of a bakkie to spend the day at Park renie, illovo beach or midmar dam?

When around the corner seemed far away and going into town seemed like going somewhere, and your ma made you "dress up" for the trip. Going to town to do Christmas shopping. Peeling skin in summer. Sticky fingers and sand in and on everything Marbles, yo-yo's, tops, kites...

Walking to school - no matter what the weather and too embarrassed to wear a raincoat. Walking home and spending the bus fare. Running till you were out of breath. Laughing so hard that your stomach hurt.

Jumping on the bed..... Pillow fights. Spinning around, getting dizzy and falling down. Being tired from playing... Remember that? The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team. Paper water bombs and Slingaberry cotters were the ultimate weapon. A piece of card in the spokes held by a clothes peg transformed any Bicycle into a motorcycle. I'm not finished just yet...... Can you still taste and smell... eating egg sweets and jellytots, Ice lollies made from cold drink in Tupperware holders in the freezer. Licking the spoon when cakes were baked.......... Camping in a tent (with no electricity) was not an option. Marshmallow fish and mice.

Remember when... There were two types of takkies - North Star and the canvas ones, and the only time you wore them at school, was for "PE" in your white shorts and ..... Startrek, A team, Airwolf, Knight Rider, Gummie Bears, The Lone Ranger, Bravestar... It wasn't odd to have two or three "best" friends, if you're a boy its ok for a girl to be your bestfriend and vice versa, you knew everyone in the road, even their cousins were your friends. Nobody owned a pedigree dog! 25 cents was decent pocket money. When nearly everyone's mom was at home when the kids got there, and you could get a hiding from any of them!

And you got another if you went crying to your mom!!! Remember how we used to catch tadpoles in the canal & not worry about the germs we might pick up? When it was considered a great privilege and very unusual to be taken out to dinner at a real restaurant or in a proper hotel.

Remember when it was an outing to go to Wimpy. (woooooooooowwwwwww)

When watching spaghetti westerns or karate movie in the art room on Friday afternoon was the highlight of the week? And trying the moves out when the movie was done!!! Or when on the rare occasion your father bought Kentucky?

Remember how we used to lie on the grass & eat mango and chilli powder or bhor and figs.

Remember when any parent could discipline any kid, or feed him or use him to carry groceries and nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it. When being sent to the head master's office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited a misbehaving student at home.

Basically, we were in fear for our lives but it wasn't because of muggings, drugs, gangs, etc... Our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat....and some of us are still afraid of them!!!

Didn't that feel good.....just to go back and say, Yeah, I remember that

Remember when.... Decisions were made by going "eeny-meeny-miney-mo."
Mistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming, "Nix!" A "race issue" meant arguing about who ran the fastest. Money was handled by whoever was the banker in "Monopoly". Having a weapon in school meant being caught with a BIC pen, pea shooter or a "kettie". Taking drugs meant orange-flavoured chewable vitamin C, Milk of Magnesia Or a spoonful of castor oil. Ice cream was considered a basic food group. Skills and courage were discovered because of a "dare". Older siblings were the worst tormentors, but also the fiercest Protectors

If you can remember most or all of these, then....

YOU HAVE LIVED!!!! "

New beginnings

What a great weekend that was : we spent loads of time at home, and hosted people for meals and chats on Saturday and Sunday - it was TERRIFIC !

Young Zi had friends to play with, and was such a good boy...

We want to do more of this; spending time with your friends is so important - we have missed this over the last few years...

The new beginning this week is Aziz starting at a new school on Wednesday : KPPS = Kwambonambi Pre-Primary School ~ lots of adjustments are in store for the whole family, but we're all looking forward to it. Aziz has been asking for friends all week, and he doesn't know what's coming :) I'd love to see his face on Wednesday ! Must remember to ask Heidi to take some photos....

Helping around the world

One good thing that has come out of the recent tsunami in SE Asia is the flood of efforts to try and assist our disaster-stricken brothers and sisters out there : from employee cash donations matched by big corporations, to secondhand clothing, to benefit concerts, we are seeing a tremendous drive by individuals and groups who may have no direct link to those folk out there many thousands of miles away, to try and improve their situation....makes me proud of the human race, again.

I urge everyone out there to try and get involved and make a difference, but also to make that a habit - make a difference EVERY DAY ! Raise awareness with your conversations, make a contribution with what you have materially available, do what you can !

I am so proud of my two nephews in Winnipeg, Canada: Leith and Jared are involved in seperate gigs this weekend that will benefit the tsunami relief efforts...

Check out their websites at :

http://theleeves.tripod.com/theleevesproject/ - Jared's project to assist the needy in SA

http://www.remixmedia.ca/events.html - Leith' music production, event co-ordination and urban artist promotion company website

These guys are awesome young men, who are going to continue to be awesome...check them out !