Birthday Month

It's August!!! July flew past, but not complaining! Really not much news here, hence the lack of blog posts. This month is a busy one though. It's Organ Donation Awareness month so have a lot of TELL interviews lined up. I turn 36 at the end of the month, yay! It would have also been my/our 10 year wedding anniversary this Friday, which is a difficult day for me. Just want it over and done with.

Adriaan is back in school, so I don't see him that often anymore. VERY happy for his sake that he can be with his friends again. He enjoys it so much. 

I've had some outside outings with Andrew, Brendan and Marius! It's been the highlight of those weeks! We're going to try and make it an "every Sunday" thing! And the weather is starting to warm up! Yay! 

I've also been spending time in the garden, and hanging newly framed pictures in my cottage. It's looking pretty perfect now! When I'm not working I have also rediscovered colouring in and building puzzles. It reminds me of both times when I was waiting for lungs, but it's quite soothing to do while watching Netflix. I've also finished a massive blanket I've been crocheting! It looks great on my bed and has been super handy during some cold fronts we've had!

Can't wait for spring to start showing. Joburg is looking really yellow and dead. A lot of my succulents have died with some bad frost we had. Some signs of hope and life in nature would be great right about now!

Another week done and dusted

Can't believe it's already Sunday evening again! Some weeks just run away with you! My sis is 36 weeks pregnant today!!! In a month's time the baby will be here!!!! SO EXCITING!! We went to Mall of Africa yesterday and she slept over by us as Pierre was away for work.

This past week I was really busy on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday... On Monday I went to the movies and lunch with a friend at Rosebank. Watched Manchester By Sea... Thought it was a really good movie. Rather sad but good. On Tuesday evening we went out to celebrate my dad's 60th birthday... Had Indian food at Taste Of Punjab. Was very nice. It was a surprise as he thought him and my mom were going out for supper alone. On Wednesday we were busy with Love Life; Gift Life stuff the whole day.

I probably overdid it, as by Thursday I was DEAD tired. Couldn't do much at bio, and just went home to crash in from of the TV. Friday was also just spent relaxing with the cats and recovering.

Coloured in a bit for a change. Tired of crocheting right now (although we're going away next weekend so will be doing some crocheting then). Have managed to read 4 books this year already and super impressed with myself about that. It's already 3 more than I did last year. I used to read a hell of a lot when I was in school. However the last few years I haven't had the time to read much, and when I did, I struggled to pay attention and there was too many distractions. The next challenge would be to play piano again but I'm DEFINITELY not ready for that challenge yet! 

Hoping this week goes by quickly as well, as we're going away for a long-weekend  on Friday to carry on celebrating my dad's 60th. Not going far, just to Magaliesburg which is roughly 90 mins away. Definitely need to take some boardgames with... one daughter will be super pregnant and the other daughter will be super unable to breathe well, so chilling out will be the nr one activity! On Monday I saw the below scratch out tourist map of New York on sale, and I HAD to buy it. Going to Ney York one day is on my bucket-list of things to do! I believe that one day I will be able to!

RIP Oom Tys

On Monday my dad's brother Tys passed away after battling cancer :-( My heart goes out to his wife Cheryl and son Adam. (Adam was here a while ago, he lives in New Zealand). I have fond memories about being on holiday with Oom Tys, especially at Mapungubwe. I also remember them visiting us in PE a few times, and always seeing him when we did our annual Pretoria visits growing up. One year in particular he helped me get a new nebuliser while we were up for a visit.

Him and Cheryl were also very kind to me when I first started working at the family business a few months after my transplant in 2008. The memorial service will take place on Tuesday. May he rest in peace now. The below pic was taken at my sister's wedding in 2012.

At the end of last week my long-time friend Jo-Mari who now teaches in Quatar was in Joburg for a quick visit. It was lovely seeing her again. Not much else has been happening... trying to stay strong for Anna's visit... less than 3 weeks to go now!!! I'm making sure I have enough meds, making shopping lists, list of things to pack, list of things in Jozi/Pretoria we need to do... exciting times!

July!!!!!

REALLY can't believe July is here! Five days in already! It's been pretty chilly so the kitties have been exceptionally cute and cuddly. Lungs had a great "feeling well" spurt on Thursday last week so I did some shopping. Was perfectly timed with the winter sales so I got some great buys and presents for upcoming birthdays etc. Thinking I should maybe go back and carry on where my energy ran out last time!

Had a quiet weekend, just chilled at home with Chris, and on Sunday my friend Brendan had us over for lunch to unveil his house after it has been renovated! We saw the pre-renovation house in Jan, and the results are SPECTACULAR.... Really brilliant. He turned a dump into a heritage gem. Had a really great time.

This week I've just been busy with admin.... submitted my tax return, Love Life; Gift Life stuff, cleaned our fridge PROPERLY, had bio today... very domestic. Want to try and do a little bit of gardening tomorrow if I can, garden has been SOOOOO neglected and winter not helping.

Happy birthday to my mom!

In less than an hour's time it's my wonderful mother's birthday! Baie geluk met mamma se verjaarsdag, ons is soooooo lief vir mamma en danksy mamma het ons OK uitgedraai :-) My mom is AMAZING, She has always been there for my sister and I (except when I get a tattoo but even that she forgives eventually). She raised us to be the best people we can possibly be, and I often catch myself saying something and totally hearing my mom's voice coming out of my mouth, but it makes me proud because if I turn out to be half the person she is it means I turn out pretty awesome.

I can't believe it's already a few days into June... time seems to disappear when you're in hospital. Winter is here. (I recently binge-watched Game of Thrones so now this sounds weird to say). Hoping to go home tomorrow, feeling way better than when I came in at least.

Finished another blanket and colouring in pic...

Not much other news, craving to get my hair cut when I get out of here, and be home with my hubby (who has been amazing once again while I've been in hosp) and the kitties (who are going to ignore me for a while). And sleep in my own bed with an electric blanket.

Oh and on a funny note, found THIS in the week and I think it's BRILLIANT!!!!

4 sleeps to go

On Monday I will be driving down to Stellenbosch/ Cape Town/ Porterville with my good friend Andrew to our long-time friend Ditha's wedding on the 21st. Super excited about it, they're an amazing couple and I'm so happy for them. We've been friends with Ditha for about 13 years now, so it's truly going to be a reunion and celebration of love. Sooooo excited! Wouldn't miss it for anything.

Lungs have been feeling up and down, some days better than others with no real pattern or predictability. Looking forward to being at sea level next week, should be needing less O2! Sunday was Mother's Day, we had a great lunch at my sister's house with the fam.

Other than that I've been busy with Love Life; Gift Life, coloured a (modern) pic of the Mona Lisa in for my gran, Finished a blanket (the wedding gift for above mentioned wedding!), and other domestic stuff.

Sadly the CF Bella that I previously blogged about, Levern, passed away on Saturday evening... It's very sad and my heart goes out to her young daughter and family :-( RIP Levern. CF is so cruel.

Prize from Rare Diseases SA and other stuff.

I got my prize for coming 3rd in the Rare Diseases SA competition today! Cool hamper!!! Need to paint something awesome with it.... Haven't really painted much before since being an adult, but hoping to be inspired. Also finished colouring the below pic this weekend.... Raphael Sanzo's The Sistene Madonna.

Also finished another girl baby blanket...

On Friday and Sat I was extremely tired, so spent most of the time in my pajamas. The weather was all stormy and rainy which didn't help! On Sunday however it cleared, and I felt more energetic as well. We went to a picnic at Delta Park for my aunt's birthday, and got to use the picnic basket Chris's mom gave us for Christmas! Definitely planning on using it a lot more! Very nice outing with a special freshness thanks to the rain.

Today I saw the biokeneticist (ass going to be stiff tomorrow I think) and had an exciting meeting with a friend and fellow lung patient... watch this space! Tomorrow I'm going away for a night with Fawn and the oxygen machine.... a little mid-week adventure! And the coming weekend is a long-weekend, yay... and after that Easter! Lots of excitement for the rest of March.

Crocheting, colouring and New Look for blog

After posting the pic of the baby blanket I did on Sunday I realised that I haven't posted any of the other blankets I have done. ALSO, I didn't mention that I won 3rd prize in tbe Rare Diseases SA's colouring in competition! Don't know what my prize is (will be colouring-in related!) yet but I think it's pretty cool. Also see pic of The Birth of Venus that I did yesterday.

So yeah.... these are my biggest hobbies right now!

As you can see I changed my blog's look a bit, think it looks nice and fresh... change is always good.

The other blankets....

Weekend of Celebrations

Firstly good gynae news: cervix is BEHAVING for first time in like years (or so it feels) and pap smear was normal. Thank goodness!!!

Coloured in Van Gogh's self-portrait, it's for my sister, think it came out really nicely! LOVE this, so addictive.

Also finished a baby blanket I was busy with, and have started on another one:

Yesterday was Fawny's 3 year lungaversary. It started in the afternoon and was spent chilling by a pool and relaxing with friends. Was very nice!!! Very different to her party last year! Last year we partied the night away, this year all civilised at a pool clubhouse! It's like everyone had a baby for Christmas :-p So many kids! Suited my lung-needs perfectly and was awesome to see Shaun and Alet and their twins again.

Tomorrow is my dad's birthday, so we had lunch with them today. Soooo tired today though after all yesterday's activities, been chilling on O2 most of the afternoon, working on my next picture and watching Greys Anatomy (Not sure why I still watch this.... show has gotten quite lame, even the soundtrack has gone backwards, but it's kind of addictive and can't stop watching it after all these years. I remember the music in the first 3 seasons was so funky and alternative,, I even bought the soundtracks, and now EVERY song is a cover of some other song. Annoys me. Who killed their music budget??? Same people who killed off McDreamy?? And the rest of the cast except for Alex and Meredith?) OK Grey's vent over.

Don't have much planned for the week yet, seeing bio again on Tuesday. Body feeling so much stronger since discharge, it's a good feeling. Strong body and weak lungs feel way better than weak body and weak lungs. Hopefully I sleep well tonight and will have more energy tomorrow to do some stuff in the garden with my portable O2.  Have a good week!