'What a match, they roared, then miaowed'

The title is the comment an English friend (Lions supporter) left me on my Facebook profile yesterday evening... and so true!

We were suitabley impressed by all the red supporters at Loftus Versveld (Pretoria stadium), the Safari/Rugby Tour packages are obviously doing very well at the moment!

I always chuckle at my husband - he gets so incredibly tense watching sport. He hurt his arm, wore out the carpet and nearly had a baby by the time this match was over!


Both sides played well, both side's had some thug players who didn't play fair - like Schalk sticking his fingers in the eyes of his opponent. He was given a yellow card and sent to the sin bin for ten minutes, and he was lucky to get only that! Very bad sportmanship!!!.

The SKY commentators got so cocky as the match went on, with good reason some of the time as they were playing hard, but twenty minutes before the game ended, with the Lions in the lead... they were going on (celebrating!) about the Lions victory!!??

A tad too soon methinks...

The springboks got a second wind from kicker Morne's appearance on the field. A crucial try was scored by the Boks, which gave them the lead! Followed by a penalty for the Lions which meant a draw.

Then, in the last minute, South Africa got that crucial kick that allowed them to be Match and Series Victors!

WORLD CHAMPIONS INDEED!


We then jumped into our car to go to a friend's home outside of London for a braai... which was now a celebratory braai of course, them being South African too.

On the way there we had a very sudden and short and hard thunderstorm... huge droplets of rain on the car... like a Joburg storm. We've never experienced this in England before.

The driver in the Jaguar cabriolet behind us quickly put his roof up, not before being drenched though!

As quickly as it came though, it went...

We then spent the rest of the evening in the company of friends and my sister, eating good food, watching some Michael Jackson videos (as the TV is plastered with it at the moment, understandably).

All in all, a lovely Saturday.

'One of the hardest email's I've ever had to write...'

'One of the hardest email's I've ever had to write...'

That's how the email started... a parent giving me notice this am... these children have been with me from the very start when I opened my childcare business 2 years ago. They are moving out of London, to the country, so a little bitty far to come to me. I love these kids dearly and get on so well with the folks, especially mum.

I have already filled their vacancies as I have been expecting this notice for a while now (they've been waiting to exchange and he needs to start school in September). But when you get the actual notice it still hits home in a big way.

Black and white.

This is the part of the job I hate the most. Saying goodbye.

Wimbledon Common

Wimbledon Common 31 May 2009, originally uploaded by Mrs Flower.

I live across the road from this glorious common... it's full of dogs, horses, squirrels, bunnies, birds etc. It has a few smaller ponds, and a couple large lakes, like this one.

It also has a big (original) wooden windmill, with a museum inside.. with loads of different windmills and the history of the common.

The wombles play their role here still of course, I am a huge fan of them!

We love to picnic, walk and cycle here, watch the people and the animals. Take in the rays.

We are most fortunate to have this on our doorstep.

Things I love...

• Africa
• Amarula Cream
• Antiques
• Art & crafts
• Beads
• Castles and ruins
• Children
• Detective programs
• Graphic design
• Handmade paper
• Helping others
• Integrity
• Jane Austen
• Laughter
• London
• Making jewellery
• Making paper & wire work
• MUM!
• My husband :)
• National Geographic
• Old churches & villages
• Painting (on canvas)
• Photography
• Reading
• Red wine
• Singing
• South Africa
• Theology
• Travel writing
• Wildlife
• Winding lanes

Chewy and her hamster ball

On the 25 April 2009, this cute little critter moved in at 7.5 weeks old. She lives in a 3-tiered hamster palace (as is seen in previous posts)... she has more floor space than us! She also has this little ball... in which she runs around, exploring and *sniff sniff* sniffing.

*sniff sniff*

*sniff sniff*

No, it isn't cruel. It gives her independence!

*sniff sniff*

Father's Day blues

Throughout my life, Father's Day has brought me nothing but hurt and confusion. Opened the wounds. Re-living the sought-after dream of a dad that would start caring... and loving his offspring.

My own father left me (and my 3 siblings) when we were very young... and we never had a relationship with him - his womanising, drinking and unsavoury friends always coming first.

Thankfully I have a Lord and Saviour who has been my spiritual daddy all my life. And I have a mum who is 'da bomb' as Randy Jackson would say! She is my rock.

An earthly dad would have been nice though.

Last July my father died in Johannesburg at the tender age of 62 due to his rotten lifestyle. Liver and lung disease - his smoking and drinking caught up with him.

Even though he was never there for me and was a stranger in every sense of the word... my heart still bleeds... for 2 reasons:

(1) Now that he is gone, there is absolutely no chance of any kind of reconciliation with us kids. He doesn't know his grandchildren, or even our spouses...

(2) Where is he? Oh Lord I pray he looked to you in his eleventh hour and submitted to your grace.

I can only hope.

But I'll never know.

I had a step-father briefly as a young teen, he was a man on his own mission and has been married 5 times... I have a FIL now, and he barely acknowledges my existance, bar to offer me a drink. So I have never had a 'father figure' I could respect and look up to.

If you have a proper dad in the true sense of the word, one who holds you close and loves you like a proper daddy should - please do give thanks for him. Every day.

English Lawn Tennis Club

English Lawn Tennis Club, originally uploaded by Mrs Flower.

The grand opening of the new retractable roof at Centre Court at Wimbledon took place on 17 May. Katherine Jenkins, Farah Smith and Blake (?) performed.

Much better to have the roof for everyone concerned! :)

The handsome one (my other half) measured how far we live from Centre Court at the English Lawn Tennis Club, where the Wimbledon Championships are held.. and it is 800 metres as the crow flies! I didn't realsie we were THAT close to the courts. Wish I was a crow so could watch all day every day :)

Loving to travel!

1. Kruger National Park, South Africa


2. Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa


3. Cape Town, South Africa


4. Johannesburg, South Africa


5. London, UK


6. Rome, Italy


7. Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa


8. Fish Hoek, South Africa


9. Stellenbosch, South Africa


10. Wilderness, South Africa


11. Simon's Town, South Africa


12. Bath, UK


13. Richmond, UK


14. Rye, UK


15. Tenterden, UK


16. Stratford-upon-Avon, UK


17. Interlaken, Switzerland


18. Chepstow, UK


19. Brecon Beacons National Park, UK

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California beckons!

After 5 weeks of battling with a heavy chest and bronchial infection, losing my voice and getting a sty on my eye... I am happy to say my voice came back this weekend, sty is all about gone, chest feels better, I feel stronger - breathing problems are so debilitating, it is amazing.

We have also (excitedly!) booked our holiday to California end August this year! We are flying from Heathrow to San Francisco, staying overnight at a Crown Plaza Hotel, to fly from San Francisco down to Lax, then onto Oxnard in the morning.

My dear friend Kat lives there... I haven't seen her since her last visit to London January 2008, so it's been a while!

We are splashing out a little and hiring a convertible for our stay in Hollywood Beach - it was only £40 more in total so is a good deal! It just cannot rain now whilst we are there...

We will spend three days with her and her hubby, staying in their beach condo (ooh la lah!), popping up to Santa Barbara, seeing other pals etc. I cannot wait to see her and have a good natter!

Then it's back to San Francisco where we are staying at a lovely little boutique hotel for a week, The Orchard Hotel. It's on a popular tram line, which will be good, I so love exploring cities... but don't do hills (errr we will be in SF...)... being asthmatic and overweight do not bode well for hills! But I will persevere!

We will visit Alcatraz, Sausalito and the Muir Woods with their huge redwood trees, do a wine tour, have tea at The Palace Hotel, Golden Gate Bridge with the lovely Japanese Garden close by, do a Hop on Hop off tour, visit the USS Pampanito (submarine), and the Balclutha (full rigged ship) at the Marina, and museums and art galleries. We'll check out Pier 45 and Fisherman's Wharf - well aware it's a bit of a tourist trap, but hey. Let's hope we aren't scared by the man that goes 'BOO'!

So, lots to see and do in San Francisco! I love the style of architecture and the *flavour* of this city... much like I loved the *flavour* of everything in Charleston too.

We are then off to Yosemite National Park for a couple of days, we are staying in the park itself at Yosemite Lodge. We are so looking forward to this too, we are nature lovers of note.

So, all in all, a holiday to look forward to!

Crocs

So, we finally succumbed and bought some crocs.

I have never been a huge fan of them, however I have to say - they are incredibly comfortable! We went for a long walk in the common yesterday (Wimbledon Common), and, apart from the odd little stone getting into them now and again, it felt like we were walking on air!

Can you guess who is who here?

Apologies

Apologies my blogging friends for not being around much of late - I have been quite poorly the last 5 weeks and haven't had the strength to spend time on the compy. Respiratory problems can be so debilitating... everything seems to happen in slow motion at times.

Anyway, I am feeling loads better and will be on fine form soon.

I hope you are all well x