The First Roadtrip



Mr. Wonderful had planned a first little "getaway" to a favorite childhood resort called Die Oog. In English that is something like The Wook, which means hot springs or something.


Just thought I would stick a picture of our car here.
The driver is on the right and you drive on the left. Anyway, I would NEVER attempt this myself. Notice the Coke can. No Pepsi at all in South Africa!!



These little huts are called Rondovals, which I suppose means little round house. This roof is straw or thatch and this is the view from the inside.

This is the kitchen. This is a microwave/hotplate combo. To turn on electricity, you have to flip a switch above the plug-in place, which is a pretty good energy saving idea.

This is the bathtub and yes, Peeps, that is a LIZARD.
My first encounter with a South African animal.



At the end of the day we have the usual braai with friends. I loved the South African food!

This resort had a ginormous spring fed hot water pool that was fabulous. I didn't think you needed to see Beachy Mimi in a bathing suit.

You would thank me. Trust me.

On the road again tomorrow.












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The First Few Days



The first few days of South Africa were HOT. So many people. Everywhere. People coming up and wanting to sell you things and bumping into you, going through immigration, whew. That was a shocker for a little country girl.

The airport was beautiful (preparing for the World Cup that was coming in June) and everything was very clean.

We stayed with friends for a night at their home in Pretoria.

Their yard is so beautiful.



This was the room where we slept. Very comfortable.




This is part of the family that lives in the house. Most Afrikaners spend as much time as possible outside. The temperature is really nice (in the shade) so they eat, visit, braai (grill outside) ALL the time. Twelve months a year. This room is called the Stoop. Jackye is feeding her precious grandson a little snack.



Just another view of the stoop. Notice the burgler bars? That is a fact of life for everyone. They have gates going into the yard, on all the windows and doors, and even the back stoop. I wouldn't call it scary but just "aware of your surroundings" kind of lifestyle.



Last house picture. Notice the bars on the bedroom door? They have all learned to live with the precautions. I slept with my pointy tweezers. Believe me, they can do alot of damage.

More later. Our first road trip!!


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African Adventures


Don't let the face of this sweet little animal fool you.







Loves everyone and is so nice






Crawls on everyone and wants to cuddle.


It is a beer-swilling vicious little thing that hates blonde American women


This is not a dog.
This is not a kitty cat
IT IS A FREAKING AFRICAN MONKEY AND IT IS CLAMPING DOWN ON MY NOSE!

This is just the beginning of our adventure. I'll share a little more each day.
I didn't show the faces of the homeowners, they were so sweet but spoke very little English. Through transalation, they found out we love chicken thighs and they wanted to go RIGHT THEN to kill chickens and send thighs home with us.

Is that not the sweetest thing?

They can keep that darn monkey.



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Perspective

Hello, Peeps.

Or Peep. I think I have one reader left after all this time.

I've been busy.

I'm been taking a crash class in Marriage 101 to a South African. I have learned a lot.

I have now known Mr. Wonderful for one year. Our wedding anniversary is coming up in a few weeks. Unconventional, I admit, but a year of many blessings.

Mr. Wonderful traveled the world before coming to America 12 years ago. Since we married last September, we have traveled to 5 countries. Wow.

I have learned so much about other cultures, poverty, eating habits, blessings, and dare I say it...budget travel.

I have had some of the best times of my life.

Some observations.

Most people have either a fascination about America, or they could care less.

Where Americans are not well received, Mr. Wonderful speaks Afrikaans and I keep my mouth shut. When the person can't speak Afrikaans, they all switch to English and everyone is happy. I keep my mouth shut.

People are people everywhere. Mothers love their children and worry about them. Everyone is trying to make a living. People use what they have to make homes and clothing. Everyone needs clean drinking water.

Everywhere we traveled we ran into Christians. I just love that. God just places them in your path EVERYWHERE. That is so comforting.

I am not naive enough to think we are in the majority everywhere, but we were blessed to meet and speak to many wonderful believers.

I have been doing a lot of thinking about the travels and the people I have observed.

I met disabled people, poor people, wealthy people, sick people, farmers, businesspeople, professional people (can I say people one more time) goat herders,
ostrich farmers, and ladies that carry goods on their heads to sell their homemade wares. These people were HAPPY. POSITIVE. HOPEFUL. GIVING.

I hope I have become a better person from my association with these people.

I have a message to someone who is on the periphery of my life. You will recognize yourself.
Please knock that chip off your shoulder. The world is not against you. You are not more or less spiritual than anyone else. Jump off that pedestal you put yourself on and look around.

You are not always right. LEARN TO FORGIVE AND FORGET. Choose to be happy. Most of all, forgive yourself. Mistakes in the past are IN THE PAST. Don't lose relationships with your family members, children, and friends you keep pushing away.

Quit bad-mouthing your "enemies" to anyone who will listen and give you some fake sympathy. You might have to eat those words and they are not tasty.

GET A HAPPY LIFE.

Love you, my peep (s). Posting pictures when I figure out how.


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A Fun Weekend

We had a fabulous weekend, Peeps!

Saturday, Mr. Wonderful cooked a couple pots of soup and Beachy Mimi made a chocolate gooey cake.

Then...

All our children Peeps and my grandchild Peep came over to eat and play games.


We all squished around the table and got to know each other a little better.

Queen B brought some FABULOUS cupcakes from Bliss Cupcake Cafe blisscupcakecafe.com, on Center Street in Fayetteville. If you are in the area.

GO THERE. GO NOW. YOU WILL THANK ME LATER.

We played

Battle of the Sexes and of course the females won.

Question? Who knew a 2x4 was not really that size? Sounds like a male thing.

Also, the pitchers mound is 60'6" from Home Plate? Why now 60' or 61'? Only a guy would make things so difficult.

The men got questions like, "where do you wear a barrette?" duh...

We still beat them. Not that I'm gloating or anything...heh heh

Update on packing**** I know that no one cares, but the packing is comsuming what few brain cells I have left after getting my daily Olympic Fix.

Mr. Wonderful has decided that I should take the medium suitcase and he the large one so I will not overpack and we will have room to bring home loot.

When he suggested this option, I got dizzy and may or may not have fallen in a heap in the floor.

In my quest to take as little as possible, I gathered up all my pj's that were mostly black (for washing purposes) and put them aside to stick in (his) the suitcase. Now I can't find them. Anywhere. That is so frustrating.

Anyway, I told Mr. Wonderful since I had to take the smaller suitcase, he would have to pack my bras and bathing suit in HIS suitcase. It's the cups. They take up too much room. I got some t-shirt bras (wonderful purchase) but they don't fold up like my regulars.

Don't you think that is only fair?

I have bigger infrastructure requirements than a guy. He just has underwear...I have TWO pieces of underwear to deal with.

Guys can subsist on so little. He is taking shorts and t-shirts. I can't meet new people in shorts and a t-shirt. What about dinner? What about cute? What about
SHOES? He is taking flip flops.

I gotta go search for the pj's...Love ya, Peeps.


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Two Weeks And Counting...

...until we leave for South Africa.

When I was a little girl in Mission Friends or whatever it was called then, I always thought all missionaries went to Africa. NEVER did I think I would be going myself.

Mr. Wonderful says one bag. For three weeks. For three weeks.

DID YOU HEAR THAT? THREE WEEKS!!!

I do believe I will take black and tan (khaki) and mix and match. While I am gone I won't be able to post. When I get back...

I'll be keeping a journal and taking pictures (shock) of EVERTHING. And I do mean EVERYTHING.

The Queen B has a great giveaway going on at her place. I'm scanning all the comments for options for the airplane.

I don't think I should take Jason Elam's book, because the title contains the j.i.h.a.d but this series is just great.

My pajamas and underwear can take up a whole suitcase. Especially if I take t-shirt bras (which I now love) because they are hard to pack. Can't have the girls at HIGH BEAM in a foreign country.

March in South Africa is sort of like September here. Going into Fall.

Mr. Wonderful and I just finished a road trip to see the Parental Unit in Florida.

Thirteen hours in the car. I could barely walk. Our flight is 18 hours.

I think it was a test by Mr. Wonderful to see just how much whining he might have to listen to in the later hours of the trip.

I've got news for him. I LOVE FLYING. I have Flying Infrastructure I keep on hand.
It includes earphones, pillow, blanket, eye mask, food, games, cards ,reading material...you get the idea.

TERRIBLE TERRIBLE THOUGHT... I hope Mr. Wonderful is not including my Flying Infrastructure as part of my one suitcase.

Now I'm in a tizz so I've got to go call him and find out. This could be critical, Peeps.


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Name Changing Woes...

I whine alot.

Sorry, Peeps.

I recently married Mr. Wonderful and began the arduous process of changing my legal name.

Most of the items, driver's license, passport, social security, etc., were pretty straightforward.

Most other things...banks, credit cards... were a snap.

But Peeps, IF YOU MAKE CHANGES TO YOUR CABLE SERVICE...WATCH OUT!

First of all, it requires a personal appearance. That's not so unusual.
But when the change began...we have lost our phone, cable, internet...over and over for a week.

It still isn't fixed.

Everytime I call tech support they are very sweet and tell me it shouldn't be this difficult...duh? I know that.

My frustration level is in turbo drive.

Then, I had to call the travel people with questions about our tickets to South Africa. They took a message...never called me back. Go to their on-line site and you can get "live support". That is, until they are tired of talking to you and then they just turn you off and ignore you.

Very frustrated, I called the airline. Nope. No help there.

Finally, we just totally changed our flight plans to a more reliable and helpful airline.

Does customer support have to be so difficult? Is most of it from...overseas?
Heaven help you if you push the wrong button on your touch tone phone.

Sorry for venting. I feel much better.

Unplug this post for 15 minutes and perhaps it will reboot and give you a new one.

Good luck with that.


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