Sunday morning thoughts, in pictures

KOL

Sorry for those of you who weren't there, but Kings of Leon was awesome – the sound, the lights, the beer, the 18-odd girls walking around in mom shorts with terrible cameltoe who seemed to think they were the cutting edge of hipster cool...

No really, it was pretty fantastic, the second world-class stadium show I've been to in a month. Happiness.

One gripe I'd have is that, unlike the charismatic Chris Martin, the Followills didn't really interact with the crowd much, apart from a 'Hello Cape Town' here and there. Then again, perhaps that's just the nature of indie rock performances...

Oh and we came, we kind of conquered, but we couldn't see. Good thing the production was so first-rate, and Le Boyfriend managed to get me on to his shoulders for a bit. Thanks baby...

Road-tripping

This isn't my car, and this isn't me, but it's exactly what I feel like doing at the moment.

Editing a photo essay about the Garden Route, and something inside me went Ping! I feel like doing that.

Not the Garden Route necessarily, more the meandering drives, the staying over at various beautiful places, the living in shorts and tees, and the whole not worrying about my hair or deadlines or social engagements thing.

Over summer 2008/9 and 2009/10, Le Boyfriend and I and a handful of friends did epic cross-SADC road trips. Last year I waited patiently in Cape Town as he and the boys drove slowly down from Durban to Cape Town, learning to surf at J-Bay and chickening out of bungee-jumping along the way. (My excitement at the fact that once he was finally here, he wasn't leaving again, made it easier to stay behind and work and let them have their fun).

But now the furthest I've driven all year is Franschhoek, and I'm in the mood to hop in the front seat and get the hell out of dodge over December.

Some plans need to be made I think.

The super-busy weekend in numbers

Number of G&Ts on Friday night while camping over at The Impi Challenge course (which we were marshalling the next day): one too many methinks. Not clever Jade, not clever at all.

Number of Impi contestants who said 'Under?' after I'd told them 'Under the hurdles please' at our obstacle: too many to count. Did they really think they'd be able to step over them? Come on now guys...

Number of times I sneezed after Impi: too fucking many. Worst hayfever of my life I tell you. Not cool at all. Took the deadly Allergex again because I didn't have Texaten and I didn't want to sneeze over everyone's dinner at the hen party we were supposed to be going to at StarDust (that crazy restaurant where the staff get up on stage and perform musical numbers in between courses).

Number of crazy queer birthday parties happening at StarDust alongside our very-tame-in-comparison hen party: one. A 30th. With about 30 people. All dressed up in 80s drag. It was phenomenal. Phee-nom-anal. And so happy and festive. Especially when the 'I Will Survive' was performed. If I hadn't just about knocked myself out on Allergex, it would have been an awesome party.


Number of roses growing at Cellars Hohenort: gazillions. Le Boyfriend and I took a stroll through the gardens for charity yesterday, ooh and ahhing at all the pretty growing things and manicured hedges and whatnot like a couple of old ducks before having tea and scones on the terrace. Then, more to our style, we hit The Martini Bar for some real drinks.

Number of Maritnis consumed at The Martini Bar: one each. We'd been boldly choosing different Martinis off the menu for our second and third rounds, but came undone after just one. It'd been a long weekend okay?

Nostalgia

So, sometimes when I'm struggling to fall asleep, my mind does this weird thing I like to call my Nostalgia Track. It starts throwing up memories and random images from my 24-year history – some happy, some painful, some that make me go 'Wow, I can't believe I'd nearly forgotten about that...'

Hey, I never said I was normal...

Anyway, it used to bug me, and the first time it happened I remember crying and crying and missing the good old days and wishing I'd been less of a horrible teenager and regretting lots of stuff I'd done (or wanted to and hadn't). But eventually I got over all the angst, and have learnt to enjoy it.

It happened again last night – why is it that when I know I have to get up really early, I can never get to sleep? – and since I'm already in a Chrsitmas-y frame of mind (more on that later), it threw up lots of summer holiday kind of memories.

I started thinking how grand life was back in the day when I'd spend a chunk of the summer holidays lying on my futon (I had to share a room with my brother because my Nanny came to stay and slept in my room) reading piles of books and shovelling Mint Slice and TimTams into my face. And then I got to wondering if anybody else remembers playing in the hay at Uncle Willy's Christmas parties, and how the tractor ride from the car was one of life's biggest thrills back then. Did anyone else do Kumon? Can anyone else remember when chocolate came wrapped in foil, and the Cadbury wrapper was just a paper sheath around it?

Random I know. Hey, I never said I was normal...

Happy Friday!

Apologies for the gloom and doom post yesterday, but somehow I always feel better after having a little tantrum over here.

Feeling a lot more positive today. In fact...

Reasons why today is better than yesterday

1. It's Friday.
2. I machined through work yesterday afternoon and have officially completed a lot of the projects that have been stressing me out.
3. My ghd is fixed! And I also now have a ghd guy. As Paige Nick knows, everyone needs a guy for just about everything, and I'm slowly adding to my wonderful collection.
4. Went to the St Yves relaunch party last night with Le Boyfriend. Besides the lovely goodie bag, sitting sipping (free) mojitos watching the sun set over Camps Bay has made me very optimistic about the coming summer (even if it is still cold and cloudy and threatening to drizzle here in Cape Town).

Bah humbug

I should be excited right? It's Thursday (nearly Friday!), I finished off a big project yesterday that's been stressing me out for a while, and Le Boyfriend and I are going to a cocktail-fuelled launch party in Camps Bay tonight.

Lots of reasons to be chirpy this morning.

But I'm not.

Bleh. Here's why:

1. I woke up exhausted for some reason. Not cool.
2. I woke up 0.5 kg heavier than yesterday. Not cool either.
3. It's cloudy and cool again in Cape Town this morning. Huh? Yesterday was summer. What gives?
4. My ghd gave up the ghost last Friday, and the Cloud Nine one I'm borrowing from mum just doesn't seem to cut it. I hate having poofy hair. Not cool.
5. One project down, a million more to go before December. I wonder if I'll have the energy.
6. For some misguided reason I decided to wear jeans today. As overjoyed as I was a few weeks ago to finally find my perfect pair of Slight Curve Skinny Leg Levi's (so overjoyed, in fact, that I bought two pairs on the spot), I suspect I may be over them. This tiny waist only really feels comfortable when one is standing up. Hunched over my keyboard, as I am most days, I feel ... restrained. The button is making friends with belly ring in an uncomfortable way, and all my disgusting fat rolls I can ignore when wearing dresses/leggings/shorts are all too obvious.

So yeah. Bleh. Bah humbug. Let's get this day over with...

My four-day weekend: a brief summary

Coldplay was amazing. Sorry, you had to be there. Or though maybe it's better you weren't, as I cried my way right through The Scientist.

Being on leave is not as relaxing as all that when there's lots of admin and running around to do.

Rocking the Daisies 2011 was another 72 hours of awesomeness, despite losing my car keys (sense of humour failure) and OD'ing on allergy meds. When nobody looks at you funny for breaking out the gin and tonic at 10 am, you know you're having a good weekend.

Okay that's it for now. Need to catch up on everything I missed while I was taking a technology holiday for four days...