parenting

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 …

School registrations in Gauteng for 2017 can be summed up with many choice words, “disaster” is probably the most family friendly to use in this instance.  Our government got clever, not really their strong suite.  They decided that in Gauteng only online school registrations will be accepted.  In theory this has potential.  In reality it falls way short of the …

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, …

What is childhood without a little magic.  In 2013 when Fjord was 6 he wanted to go to a magic show.  I bought tickets for an illusionist show over an hour’s drive from home.  I gave myself a great parenting pat on the back, but oh what an epic fail.  The show was fun for adults but not in the …

My daughter Domi and her now husband Duncan married at Providence in the Natal Midlands at the end of September.  While memories of the ‘big day’ have drifted to ground like confetti, a mental collage remains.  Images of precious moments which will endure . Many of the most special memories were formed in the preparation for the wedding at Providence.  Mum …

In March I attended a fantastic blogging event organised by SA Mom Blogs. Tanya and Zule from O-V Optics presented a dynamic talk on protecting our children’s eyes. They spoke with passion which comes from a source of deep conviction. You may have read the article which I posted at the time. My son Fjord aged 8 has a pair …

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 …

Ingredients for a happy wedding include, love, family, fun, joy, celebration, decoration, dress, weather, etc.  At my daughter Dominique’s wedding to Duncan, an unexpected ingredient elevated the day to perfection.  That element was healing.  Healing built bridges over family rifts.  Without grand gestures, in spontaneous smiles, in genuine joy to rediscover, the voluntary will to rise above petty pasts was effortless …

I don’t buy into woo woo theories about rocks holding spiritual benefits or healing properties.  Keeping a rose quartz at hand is not going to result in being lucky in love, I can give you a few pointers, but stones don’t feature in any of them.  Looking past the BS, I do however concede that the feel of a stone in my hand …