Hope your day....

..is as happy as this girl (and her camel).

 

Psalm 118:24 - "This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." 

A Weekend in Pictures...#3

This weekend....

...we are taking it easy!

For dinner, tonight...

If anything like reincarnation should exist, I am quite convinced that I was Indian in my previous life because I LOVE Indian food. I've never tried, but I am pretty sure that I could eat Indian food every day. Unfortunately most Indian dishes are a bit too heavy for South African summer days like we are currently having but luckily I have the perfect recipy to cure my curry cravings.

For a brief stint, in my university days, I worked at a lovely little restaurant called Cotage Fromage. There the chef taught me how to make Rooibos tea lattes and....drum roll please.....

curry mayonnaise.

It might sound a little odd at first but let me assure you, it is soooo good and it jazz up a plain old chicken salad like you wouldn't believe.

Oh, and the added advantage is that it is super easy to make.

All you need is:

2 tablespoons of good quality mayo

A tablespoon of chutney

A table spoon of milk (for a more runny consistency)

and

1 teaspoon of curry powder

Mix it well and pour over a chicken salad to turn it into an Eastern delight.

If you like Indian food, you will love this salad dressing.

Today I am thankful for...

Christmas came early for me this year. Lately I've been showered with gifts, ranging from Rooibos tea fresh from a friends farm, to a ceramic cross gifted by a student.

Today was extra special when, I not only received this beautiful bracelet...

...but also a letter from another friend in the mail.

It's always nice to receive a gift, especially during Chrismas and birthdays but the gifts I like to give and receive the most, are those small tokens of love given "just because".

I am left speechless...

...by the beauty of Japanese artist, Ikenaga Yasunari's work.

*swoon*

Today I am daydreaming about...

...painting my front door a shade of bright pink.

(www.pinterest.com)

(www.pinterest.com)

A Weekend in Pictures....#2

coffee in jam jars ♥ beach babies ♥ picnic with mommy ♥ boats ♥ lighthouse ♥ pretty shoes ♥ beach side coffee shop ♥ bandanna cat  ♥ wise words ♥ sister ♥ breakfast ♥ crossword puzzle ♥  happy ♥ toes with a view

30 Things before Thirty # 1: Marathon

I am a list-girl.
I love list.
Whether it is planning my wardrobe or a weekend away, a budget or grocery shopping, I simply LOVE making lists.
I have to confess though that I very seldom keep to these lists.
One list that I plan to keep to though, is my "30 things to do before I am Thirty" list.
Seeing that 30 is little less than 3 and a half years away, it is time to get started so here goes:

# 1: Taking part in a marathon

I am, by no means, a fitness freak but Ive been wanting to compete in a marathon for a while now. I could lie and say its all about the training and getting ready for that big run...but really, to me its all about the tag. I always wanted to wear one of those running tags with the numbers that looks all jogger-like.

Obviously, with a running tag as main motivation, a real, hardcore marathon was out of the question. Then the iThemba Walkathon came along and I jumped at the chance. Not only was it for a good deed that lies close to my heart, a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness, but it was only 5km...and I still got to wear that tag. So me and the girls from school decided that we will do our bit for breast cancer and walk the walk.

We tied ribbons in our hair,

dressed up in tutu's,

...and joined the other 12 000 people who came along to walk with us.

It was such fun!!!

The weather, however, turned out to be a real spoilsport.

 

But not even being drenched in rain could dampen our spirits.

Meet the latest member of my family.

His name is Dereck, and I adore him.

I saved him from a dusty storeroom in my school.

He is named after the principal who sweetly agreed that I can have him in exhange for a donation to the school's christmas charity fund.

A chair in exhange for a good deed?

Well, thats what I call a good deal!!

Viv seems to like Dereck too!

He still needs a little love and attention. He is missing a screw and needs a good cleaning but soon Dereck will join his new brothers and sisters...

..to form a family of vintage chairs, just like in this picture.

Pretty Print

I just LOVE this print!

That's all :-)

(by I Love Doodle on www.etsy.com)

I miss Kimchi

This morning I woke up with an intense craving for Kimchi!
If you told me two years ago, that I would miss fermented cabbage in a red pepper sauce I would've called you crazy, but sadly it is true.

Unfortunately for me, Kimchi is a rarity here in South-Africa, so I had to improvise with the only fermented cabbage I could find...

..Sauerkraut.

It's not Kimchi, but eating it with chopsticks did help a little to ease that hollow place that Korea left in my heart.

Today I am thankful for...

One of the most important lessons I've learned regarding friendship, is the importance of a standing date. So often our lives become busy and without realising, weeks (sometimes even months) can go bye without making time for a friend. The best way, I found, to combat that is to have a standing date. That way, the both of you know not to make any other plans on that specific day and quite frankly, any other appointments/dates/emergencies can wait.

In Korea, me and the J(G)ills made a habit of "Tea for Three" where we got together every Wednesday for some coffee, dinner and lots of girl chat. Bongi and I had a date for breakfast and now that we both returned to South Africa, we have a monthly Skype date which is so nice. 

This year, God blessed me with yet another amazing friend. A special girl who is strong and faithful, who loves God with her whole heart and even conquered cancer in her teens.

.....and we have now perfected the habit of reserving Mondays for some home cooked comfort food, loads of chatting, even some prayer....

...and on special summer nights like tonight, a bowl of sweet strawberries.

A weekend in pictures...