The next step...

On the Saturday, 27th April 2013 my daughter and her boyfriend of 3 years, Marco, became engaged.

 

 

 

Yes, I'm a mother-in-law to be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn't know a thing about it at the time. I hadn't been having a very good weekend because my boyfriend was away on a trip to the Cape for a week and I was feeling very sorry for myself.

 

I had arranged to attend a talk hosted by Robynne's church on the Sunday and was walking along on the Sunday morning in the direction of the venue, totally engrossed in my own thoughts when I heard "Come over here". I looked up, startled and there was Robynne standing along the route to the venue with her friend, Taryn. They were on duty as helpers and I hadn't even noticed my own daughter, being so engrossed in my own thoughts - a fact that she duly pointed out to me.

 

She mysteriously said to me that she had some news to tell me and then being unable to contain herself any longer, whipped up her left hand to reveal her sparkling new engagement ring. I was astonished and then very happy for my daughter.

 

She recounted the happy details of the situation leading up to the happy event. It seems that Marco had been trying for the greater part of the Saturday to get Robynne to go with him to her favourite dog-walking park and for once, she just wasn't in the mood. He eventually dragged her out into the garden of their own house and there, in front of their doggies, he went down on one knee and proposed to her. He had been storing the ring away for a whole month, planning when and where to pop the question and eventually all fell into place.

 

Robynne is now fully into the swing of wedding preparations, with a date for next year at around this time being identified. I went with the young couple this past Sunday to see a lovely wedding venue which will handle all the arrangements of decor, food, music, etc and has a chapel as well as a Bridal Suite and family rooms for out of town guests. A million details to be planned but every minute to be enjoyed.

 

So...the next step for my daughter and for her mom..

 

Congratulations Robynne and Marco and may God richly bless your life together.

 

love,

Momcat xxx

Happy 23rd Birthday, Dael!

My eldest son, Dael turned 23 years old today! I can't believe it has been 23 years already and early this morning, the thought crossed my mind that at that moment 23 years ago, I was awoken from a sound sleep with labour pains.

Dael was born at about 7.20am on a momentous day in April.

 

It hasn't always been easy but I have enjoyed and still enjoy and appreciate having my son in my life.

 

Dael has been living in Pinetown in my house since I moved to Johannesburg and works as a motorbike technician. He is doing so well and learning so much. He works hard, long hours and a lot of overtime and he is very reliable, even having been known to go to work when he was sick.

 

He loves motorbikes and I think to him it is fun as well as work.

He is also a good friend and I can rely on him to do the family thing, visiting my dad on special occasions and whenever he can. He stood next to me at mom's memorial service, greeting the mourners even though he didn't really know anyone there. He did his duty and he did it out of love and family feeling.

 

Happy Birthday, my son....a man now not just my baby anymore!

I love you and I am very proud of you...through thick and thin, I will always be there for you.

Your mom xx

Rainy Saturday.....Peace!

To me that means the freedom to sit at the computer with Kittykie on my lap.

Its cold this weekend. The unusually (for Jhb) heavy rains have ushered in the Winter cold. I've plugged in my oil heater for the first time this season.

My kitties have been in isolation, separated from me because of human and dog issues...

Today, although I had the choice to accompany my man and his son to the movies, I chose to spend the afternoon alone...with the computer, the tv, my music, my kitties or whatever I chose to do. 

My youngest son, Bradley spent the night here and I enjoyed him being close at hand, even though he spends most of the time with (my) earphones in his ears listening to music or chatting to friends. Nothing like having your offspring close at hand, for a mom.....

Today he was dropped at the local shopping centre to spend time with his friends and I went off to Robynne's house. She needed to buy cat food (for the cats at work) and dog food and that's all we did.

I helped her move some furniture and swept her floors and then came home again. HOME...what a wonderful word..the place where you can be yourself and do whatever you want to do. Never take that for granted!

I have the freedom and peace to decide to do just that...just take some me time. Wow!

I appreciate this blessing on me. My kitties and me have been blessed with a wonderful home...

In great appreciation,

Momcat xxx

Out in the wilds...

With the Big Move accomplished on the long Easter weekend, I was pottering around on the Easter Monday, slowly unpacking boxes and relaxing.

 

I was down the garden at the washing line, hanging up a load of washing, when I heard the dogs barking at something out of sight along the pathway to the back of the cottage. Now that is where the dog and cat house is situated and having been just introduced to each other at this stage, I thought that a kitty had got out into the garden and the dogs were barking at it.

 

I ventured toward where the dogs were but as I wandered down the path in the direction in which they were looking, they didn't follow me...

 

As I walked silently along, I heard a sound...a combination of a puff and a hiss.. I swung my head to the left and there I saw....a snake!

 

Immediately adrenalin rushed through my veins and my heart started pounding. I managed to continue walking normally away from the snake which was sliding along the outside wall of the cottage in the garden. It was going in the direction of the dog and cat house and I was petrified for the safety of the dogs and cats as well as myself.

 

Before I walked away I noticed that the beige coloured snake seemed huge and it had bright eyes. I hadn't seen a snake like this before but to me it seemed dangerous. It was very alert. This was about midday in the heat of the day.

 

I tried to call the dogs to me on the other side of the house but they wouldn't listen. Just then my man, who had been out at the shops, arrived home. I rushed to the gate hysterically to explain what I had just seen.

 

After he had put his parcels down and found a suitable stick to handle the snake, we couldn't find the snake. Luckily though it hadn't moved too far from its original position. The snake was pinned down by the stick and by its next action, it proved that it was a Rinkhals snake which feigns death when threatened. The snake pretended to be dead but when the stick was shifted to pin it by its head, it swung its head and tried to bite the stick. It is a poisonous snake and if threatened a Rinkhals will rear up and spit venom into the eyes of its potential enemy. It was decided that we would not be able to catch the snake and relocate it as we didn't have the correct equipment and we couldn't risk either one of us or the animals getting bitten or the snake getting under the animals hut.

 

I rushed to the neighbours to borrow a spade and cried heartbrokenly as the snake was dispatched. This snake had been going about its business and because it crossed the paths of humans and their pets, it met its end.

 

Hopefully our future wildlife stories will all have happier endings...

 

Momcat xx

 

As a P.S., the remains of the snake were thrown over the fence at the bottom of our fenced in section of the garden where it was consumed within two days by another predator. The food chain in action...!