The kids

The year has started off with a bit of a bump, in that two of the kids are leaving! Two daddy's have been headhunted (one in Johannesburg and the other in Singapore), and they are both going!

Blessed that I am, I have already filled those vacancies... but I'll miss those two very much. Their giggling, belly laughs and funny sayings... the hardest part of this job is saying goodbye to the lil ones.

Christmas 2009

This Christmas was amazing - we had my mum from Johannesburg, South Africa with us for a month... as well as my brother Shaun, his preggie wife Becks, and their two lil ones for nigh on a month too!

What a blessing to have one's family with one at Christmas ... this rarely happens with my immediate family living on 3 different continents.

It was snowing for much of the time... which lent a magical air... it was just splendid.

A great shame my brother Les and his wife and kids couldn't be with us too... there is always someone missing.

South Africa slide show

Watershed - Cloudy Day... love their music, and I discovered a school friend is married to the lead singer :)

India calling....

I am at my wits end... for the last 3 weeks or so I've had 3 (sometimes 4) calls from some company from India... and they ask for me by name and say they're doing a survey for electricty blah blah blah... I was polite at first and asked them not to call me, 'I am not interested', 'please take my number off the computer system', 'I am registered with TPS' (so they can be fined for calling me like they are)... NOTHING WORKS!!!!!!!!

My politeness has now left the building!

Hubby says when I hear the long delay (and so can assume it's them - apologies of it's any of my family overseas phoning! )... I should set off the little mobile squeeling alarm I carry with me... which I cannot do when the kids are here of course - would scare them half to death! Plus it's not pleasant for me either to have to always do this. It's an awful noise.

Today's three calls got no response at all, I picked the phone up and said nothing... they put the phone down on me. I just cannot carry on like this though... it happens at any time... and is often when I've just got the kids down to sleep or am in the middle of a pooey nappy or something.

We have two phones and neither have numbers that come up... and they're phone fax systems so would be very expensive to replace.

What can I do to get them to stop harrassing me???

HEEEELP!!!!

Our new home

Here are some photos of our new home. 3 bed, 2 bath, and a lovely size, even by South African standards.

A mini miracle!

Phew, what a week! After looking at 16 properties in all we got word
that the 1st property we had seen... was ours! The offer was accepted!

What a relief. A miraculous relief.

Thankyou to all who have been there for us this past week, for the
fervent prayer, encouragement and care. It means the world to us.

We learnt a hard lesson... and hopefully we won't have to go through
this property system again in the UK... where it is frowned upon, but
NOT illegal, to gazump. There is NO thought to the emotional,
financial and logistical ramifications of the selfishness of
gazumping. It is disgusting to do this to someone and yet it happens
all the time... simply amazing. What a sad and ugly society we live
in...

Having said that.. I retract that. There are far too many decent and
moral people out there to all be labelled so. It's the bad apple that
always ruins the rest.

So the great news is, we moved in two nights ago and our new home is
gorgeous... We are so blessed to have the opportunity of living in
such a lovely area of Greater London.

The kids love the garden and we have visited the local village
already, celebrating our first day in the new home with a picnic party!

So over the next couple of days I need to continue packing, and
cleaning clothes for our holiday next week... Yes, California here we
come! We are off to Hollywood Beach, San Fransisco and Yosemite
National Park. A much needed holiday after this house palava!

So, bye for now, will write here if possible whilst away but doubt Ill
get the chance to.

Hambagahle! x

Sent from my iPhone

The search is on!

The last 2 days have been a crazy blur. We've looked at 13 properties, put an offer (to rent) on one really nice one yesterday and will hear today if we get it - our problem is time, we are out of our current property next Tuesday so have 6 days to get into a new one!

We had put monies down on the house that fell through, so once we have moved into somewhere new we will then persevere to get that back.

USA holiday is definitely not a priority right now (even though 90% paid for eek!), home and business is.

My clients have been very understanding, they know this can (and does) happen. They are quite concerned though naturally. The kids are keeping me grounded... am so busy with them and cannot let them see my upset/worry. They can sense things are out of kilter though and I told them 'Jen Jen is feeling a little funny today, and needs lots of extra hugs and kisses'. they have been very obliging bless them.

We have a possible backup if this current one falls through... not nearly as nice (needs interior painted, bathroom redone etc..... which could feasibly be done whilst we are in the States for those 2 weeks, then be ready for when we return - not ideal, but doable). 3 more to look at tonight. Our problem is the urgency of it all.

Hard lesson learnt this week...

My family are praying, we haven't told many friends yet... Please continue to cross everything crossable and pray that we get this one today and that we can move in asap!

Gazumped!

We had a funny feeling it might happen and it did. We were moving into our new house on Saturday and now have no-where to go. Might have to cancel our US trip too in 2 weeks time as finding a home and moving is a priority.

In overdrive. Viewing 5 places tonight, got 8 lined up for tomorrow.

There are some really awful cr@ppy people in this world!!!

* 'Gazumping' means they take on another buyer/renter... they've done this to us to avoid agents fees.

UK property law needs changing!!!!!

Amazing Grace in Jerusalem

My sister's trip to Israel :)