Tag Archives: parenting

If you are reading this after doing a search along the lines of “drone stuck in tree”  “how to get a drone down from a tree”  this is what worked for us.  I felt just a teeny bit smug, because when my engineer husband was stumped to find a solution I solved the problem. Last week was Fjord’s 10th birthday …

  Each year Acacia’s birthday is a time of celebration, edged with the depression of dark memories during her birth week.  Instead of cuddling and bonding with my newborn we were separated by the ICU crib while I gazed at her tiny body invaded by tubes and wires.  I sat helpless while she fought for her life against the ravages …

Leaving Maddy Magoos kids hair salon in Bedford Square, Acacia (6) exclaimed “This is the BEST DAY EVER!!”, it may have slipped her mind that 5 days prior she was at Disney on Ice.  Or maybe not.  Swishing her straightened hair she walked tall with a spring in her step. We were welcomed to Maddy Magoo by Pamela with a …

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTvqlUeAeae/?taken-by=sulaskimmingstones How strange that I closed the last page of The Deathly Hallows, the final Harry Potter book to see posts on Facebook and Twitter celebrating 20 years of Harry Potter.  Just over 20 years ago my older children wanted to enter the world of Harry Potter.  I was not sure if I should endorse this as many Christian friends …

On Friday Fjord was invested as a cub.  Invested is the most fitting term for this induction to the scouting life.  Being a cub scout is an investment which will pay life long dividends, its value immeasurable.  Today children grow up in a ME first world.  At cubs they learn team work and promise to do good for others.  Outward …

Five servings of fruit and veg a day is an ideal theory and one which I constantly strive to meet.  but it is near impossible to achieve.  Cereal is the children’s standard start to the day.  For lunch I’m doing well if cucumber or a fruit is on the plate.  Supper generally includes 2 veg but the tally remains below …

I don’t do instant!  Instant coffee blasphemes the bean.  Instant meals and cakes are unconscionable.  My grandfather and great grandfather were master bakers and owned Pockets Tea Room (Bakery) in Salisbury (now Harare).  Baking is a tactile passion for me.  I shudder at the thought of instant cake mix. At the SA Mom Blogs #JoziMeetUp my exciting goodie bag contained …

Arriving at a Lifelink benefit tea, the words “Pregnant and Alone” on the brochure jumped out and gut punched me. A kaleidoscope of memories whirled like leaves in a mental hurricane. I was 20 again. Telling my parents that I was pregnant. Telling the father from a phone-booth in Davenport centre and his echoing response “It’s your baby”. The horrible …

The ethereal calm of moonlight diffuses the sharp edges of the day.  On Sunday night Fjord (8) was plagued with insomnia, despite his bedtime rooibos and chamomile tea which usually does the trick.  I tried something different and it worked wonders.  I took him outside and we lay on a blanket together.  Clouds luminous with moonlight scudded across the starscape, …

On Saturday we had a play date.  I don’t have a lot of outdoor activites to entertain the children and decided to get them to do a craft activity.  Halloween is this week and seemed a good theme idea.  These painted candle jars decorated with bats worked very well. WHAT YOU NEED 1 glass jar 1 tea light candle (or …