31 on the 31st!!!!!

Apparently this is called your Crown or your Golden birthday! Yay for being 31! Like one of my best friends said this morning, "it's like 110 in CF years". So yes I'm very lucky to officially be a 30-something year old now. Will be celebrating this weekend with some close friends. Got some amazing flowers and chocs from my in-laws as well on Friday, which was a great surprise.

This weekend in Dullstroom was pretty cool. Only sucky thing was that I forgot my sleeping pills at home, and it took me like six hours to finally fall asleep on the Friday night, and woke up again at 6am.  Luckily my parents only came through on the Sat, and could help me out. The weather has really been strangely prematurely warm these last 3 weeks, and spring is everywhere. Yay, not a fan of winter.

Chris is taking me out for supper tonight, and I only worked half-day today, so it's been a great day. Tomorrow evening we're having supper with my parents so I don't need to think about what make for supper, which is awesome as it will be the first day of month-end at work.

Argentina FOMO and countdown to birthday.

So the WTG 2015 started this week in Mar Del Plata. I've known realistically since the 2013 Games that I wouldn't be there. At the 2013 Games my lung function was 69%. I played squash and did the 3km race walk. The walk went fairly well, achieved my personal best time. The squash was harder though. Even though the altitude helped a lot, I struggled to keep up and would have probably had a better outcome if I were able to run more and had more energy. So now with lung function in the low 40's I know I wouldn't even be able to play for 15 mins without wanting to pass out and die. Being at a MUCH higher altitude in Joburg, I haven't actually even touched a squash racquet again since that day. I miss it.

We also would not have been able to do the Argentina trip AND the California trip, and I know we experienced much more in California and had way more fun, as well as a longer holiday. So the right choice was definitely made. But seeing the pics on Facebook does kind of make me sad, as I know that the next Games in 2017 will also be out of the question health-wise. We could maybe go and support and make it part of a holiday, but as far as competing goes it's highly doubtful. I've lost almost 30% lung function since the last games... and I know I have stabilised, but there is not much left for me to lose if I even just want to go as a supporter. So sadly I think my participating career is over. I might still take part in some less strenuous items at Nations next year (which will be in Joburg and that I will have to help to organise).

So this past weekend I did something that I've been procrastinating since 2009.... I mounted my medals in display boxes that I found at @Home. I think it looks pretty cool, and beats all the memories just rotting in a shoe box. Now I just need to get them up on the wall.

This weekend we're off to Dullstroom with the family (2 family trips in one month!!), and on Monday it's my birthday. Let's hope it's a good one. Have a good weekend

7 years 7 months and Inspirational Interiors!

It's the 22nd again! Another bonus month of life that I wouldn't have had if it wasn't for that wonderful lady :-) A month ago I was on the Golden Gate bridge... miss our holiday so much!!!! But now that I'm all rested and recovered from the jet-lag I'm enjoying being home again.

Medical updates: Saw gynae on Thurs, waiting to hear results. Filling in my tooth fell out yesterday so now I'm seeing dentist on Monday :-( Dermatologist will just have to wait. Bleh, hate dentist.

On a different note, my very close and long-time friend Andrew who is following his dreams started a blog a while ago.... Andrew Hector Interiors. Added it to my blog list so the link will always be there for you with the latest post. Also follow him on Facebook. I admire his courage to take up studying again after a few years of working as a Chartered Accountant (and while still doing so) and making the type of changes in his life that other people might frown upon, but he is moving towards doing what makes him happy. Maybe one day I'll figure myself out a bit better and do the same! I love having positive "go-getter" friends who make the best of life, it gives me energy and motivation. Andrew is just one of them but I believe the people you hang out with influence you much more than you realise and I'm proud of the people I call my friends.

So in a strange combo of the topic of "interiors", and being blessed with the breathers, and being recovered from our trip, below is our fridge..... I collect magnets (if that wasn't obvious from the pics) and our fridge is like a travel collage that makes me happy.

CF friends, plants and Jenna's award

Don't feel like I have much to say, but also been pretty busy. So excuse me if this post is very haphazard! Firstly, congrats to the Lowe family for the LeadSA award that Jenna won posthumously for the amount of people that she inspired to sign up as organ donors. Her legacy will hopefully save many lives in the future.

Last week feels like a blur, I did however get to see lung Dr, and all OK. He doesn't think there has been a real change in lung function since my previous visit on 4 June. Weight exactly the same. Bloods were fine and he didn't mention the x-ray so I assume there was nothing remarkable there. Going again on 30 Sept (tentatively I guess!) and the middle Nov to wrap up the year. On Thursday it's time for the gynae and have to make a plan to get to dermatologist as well soon.

This weekend we had such a cool transplant/CF friend get-together. We were 4 couples and had a great time playing Cards Against Humanity (that Anna introduced me to), and doing a little baby-shower thing for Shaun (who had a transplant)'s wife Alet who is expecting twins. It was very special and we had some great food as well. Pre-transplant CF people are not advised to hang out together, due to the risks of cross-infection.  So it's always so cool when you get to hug another CFer after knowing them for years but having always had to keep a distance when they've gotten their new lungs. It was the case with Fawn, and last week I finally got to hug Charlene for the first time. I'm NOT a soppy person, but I think it's so special to be able to be in close proximity to someone who knows exactly what you have been through, especially if you knew the pre-transplant and pretty much only kept in touch electronically or from a distance wearing a mask. Love these guys!

Yesterday I did a crap-load of gardening and garden-shopping with my sis. I re-potted all 4 my orchids (3 of which are going to flower again this year!), re-potted a whole munch of succulents, tried to clean up the flower-beds etc. lower back and hamstrings feeling it today. So exciting to see spring rearing it's head. Can't believe Aug is halfway and in 2 weeks' time it's my birthday!

Moonriver Bush Bungalows

This weekend at Moonriver Bush Bungalows was really relaxing. It's a stunning place and I really hope we can go back one day (when it's warm enough to swim!). Was sad to leave yesterday morning :-( Feeling more rested, except for the fact that I woke up at some early hour this morning again and didn't fall asleep until about 30 mins before the alarm went off.

Have a great week...