The weekend in numbers

Number of pieces of sushi consumed on Friday night: about 20? Got spoiled with bubbly and sushi and chocolate spring rolls by Boyfriend, to celebrate my getting published.

Hours of series/movies watched: innumerable. We have become addicts. This may call for an intervention.

Percentage of TV screen visible from our table at Peddlar's while trying to watch rugby: about 15%. The only thing more boring than being made to watch a rugby match, is only being able to see the occasional foot whiz by while everybody else in the place cheers (or, as was the case on Saturday, groans). Was made up for with a lovely post-rugby double dinner date at Borusso's and then getting to laugh at people dancing on tables at Oblivion later.

Number of awesome roast chicken dinners cooked by Boyfriend for the family on Sunday night: 1. The boy can cook and therefore I might never let him go (so long as the chocolate pancakes I've been promised materialise sometime).

Number of extra hours sleep this morning: 1. It's nice to get to work at a reasonable time, feels like sleeping in. Big sigh of relief all round that Mad May is just about over.

Reasons to be happy today

1. It's Friday.
2. Boyfriend arrived home last night and is staying until neeeeext Sunday night.
3. We didn't die driving home from the airport in the storm (a highly likely possibility given my night driving skills and the fact I've lost my glasses).
4. After today we will have only one magazine left to get to print (that'll be nine down in three weeks).
5. My first published work is on magazine shelves all over the country.
   
6. I foresee a cup of tea in my near future.
7. I am wearing four layers to keep off the Cape Town chill and yet somehow have managed not to resemble a snowman (this is a feat indeed).
8. I will in all likelihood leave work early today.
9. The weird dreams I was having last night in which I fought with my best friend, was dating someone who wasn't Boyfriend and ran out of my Pill turned out to be just dreams.
10. It's only fifteen days to go until I get to sit in the freezing cold with thousands of other people and watch the French football team doing their thing against Uruguay. It's all very exciting. I am considering face paint.
    

The weekend in numbers

Number of haircuts: one. DON'T worry everyone, it's still long, just ... neater. There was a little Herzlia teenager getting her Brazilian blowdry rinsed while I was there. I've never seen such perfect, straight hair before. Starting to consider taking the plunge...

Number of weird things saw in the the traffic on the way to have my hair cut: one. A girl in the passenger seat of the car behind me was combing her eyebrows with a toothbrush. Laughed myself silly, and then it struck me that somebody watching me in the traffic might think that I was the weirdo for having a laughing fit while alone in my car.

Number of hours spent at the office on a beautiful Cape Town Saturday: four. Oh well. Girl's got to do, I guess...

Speaking of work, I finally finished up all my freelance commitments. And you can read my first published work here on page 57:



Number of cars looked at: zero. Was supposed to go and test drive what will possibly be My New Car yesterday, but the owner had to reschedule. On the bright side, this means I get to drag the all-knowing Boyfriend (who's here from Thursday) along to take a gander, kick its tyres, look at its engine and ask all the intimidating questions (whereas I would just look at the cute upholstery and nice shiny paintwork and ask when I could have the keys).

Up and at 'em kids

This week is going to be one of those manic work weeks where posting goes out the window, dinner is ordered-in sushi at the office and sleep is more important than, like, breathing.

Is it weird that I'm actually looking forward to it?

Maybe it's the sugar rush from the decadence of Princess Lara's Mad Hatter's tea party on Saturday. I don't think I've ever seen so much sugar come together and do a happy dance in the form of brightly decorated cupcakes and no less than three different other cakes. A diabetic might have died just standing outside her front door.

Was all loveliness...

Okay it's cold now.

Like, really cold.

I don't remember Cape Town in May ever being this freezing and wet and generally miserable.

It's the kind of cold that you can leave milk out of the fridge without the slightest worry it may go off.

Getting out of the shower after Pilates this morning was an exercise in masochism.

I want to curl up in a ball, stuff myself into Jemima (yes, I named our new tumble dryer), turn the dial to 'hot cycle' and just go round and round in a maelstrom of warm air and clean socks.

Is that weird?

The cold does strange things to my brain...

Monday mornings in Cape Town winter weather make me wish I was my dog. He's probably still curled up in his bed, snug and dreaming about giant legs of lamb or the Yorkie down the street – whatever it is dogs dream about.


My tummy is currently lodging a complaint about the massive amounts of food I asked it to digest yesterday. It's making its feelings known by contorting itself into knots, crossing its arms and glaring at me. Or at least that's what it feels like.

Watched Up in the Air last night. Interesting, quiet kind of movie. Anna Kendrick bursting into tears was classic, as was her list of attritbutes she's looking for in her future husband. ('I always imagined he’d have a single syllable name like Matt or John … Dave.'). Also quite liked Vera Farmiga succinctly describing what my brother and I like to call the female condition: 'We all fall for the prick. Pricks are spontaneous, they’re unpredictable and they’re fun. And then we’re surprised when they turn out to be pricks.'

Watched the end credits seriously thinking, is my backpack too full?

Forgot to mention I spent a very nice Saturday evening having dinner at the Sidewalk Cafe with That Ulanda Girl. If there's one reason (out of the many reasons) I love her it's because she and I are probably the only people who will drink a pot of tea anytime, anywhere, after any meal. I can always count on my tea girl.

Happy Monday all...

I have a food baby

Wow, high tea at the Mount Nelson does not disappoint.

Decided to pull out all the stops for my mother this year, as she's a bit picky at the best of times (she buys her own flowers on Mother's Day because my brother and I can never seem to buy the 'right' ones).

So off the family trouped in this grey Cape Town weather to eat ourselves silly at one of the most indulgent meals in Cape Town.

Even better? Jimmy Choo decided to throw in a display of their pre-fall line for our ogling pleasure. And free gifts for the moms (and me – not sure why. maybe was the pathetic lustful looks I was throwing the shoes).

Ate myself into cucumber sandwich, salmon choux pastry and teeny, tiny, heavenly cake oblivion.

And just look at the little shoes and miniature buckles some poor pastry chef probably spent the last few days slaving over (bet they're cursing the 'Choos ):






And no, those aren't all my plates...

Things I did today

1. Woke up completely confused. Like, literally. I did know what my phone was, why it was making a noise or what 6.55 meant.
   
2. Arrived at work in a London cab. Car is at the panelbeaters. This is getting expensive...
3. Buried myself in pretty layouts all morning for the wedding magzine.
4. Lusted after R450 decorative birdcages from Cecile & Boyd's. Very Breakfast at Tiffany's.
5. Interviewed the MD of a golf estate. Went well luckily. I barely had to say twenty words. I hate interviews usually. Especially because playing the dictaphone back to write them up makes me cringe – hate the sound of my own voice.
   
6. Stole tea biscuits from the bar upstairs (on our executive floor).
7. Debated stealing the Johhny Blue instead.
8. Was convinced into doing a free dive with sharks one day. Apparently it's zen.
9. Wrote a quick, lazy post to alleviate residual blog guilt from not having posted at all this week.