Is this the start of the teenage thing?

The last few mornings has been a bit, well, how will I put it? Trying? Difficult? Maybe not more than the usual, it's just that the tone has gone up that one, two notches. The same girl that now prepares their lunchboxes every evening, helps out so much and in general is the sweetest child will explode into a raging animal for a few minutes, to switch back to the sweet cuddly girl we know within another 5 minutes.

It has only been a few times now - I can count them on my one hand - but the frequency is picking up. I know it's probably hormones that are at work in full force. It is also the end of a very long first term with some late nights for the ballet concert. She has been busy. But dressing takes soooo much longer these days - even for school.

I would love to have a great loving open relationship with her but I struggle with the animal that takes over once in a while. I want to shout and scream at that animal - the only problem being that while the animal is in place she hears nothing. And then the sweet girl returns and who wants to shout at her? But geez guys - I need some advice here from those who have the been there done that teen T shirt. Help!!!!

Dinsdag en tyd vir boeke - n lekker jeugboek vandag

If one good thing came out of my inactivity after my little accident, it is the reading. I have  read more books in the last 3 weeks than what I usually read in about 2 months. So I have lots to talk about on Tuesdays, but today I start with a wonderful Afrikaans youth book - so if you are looking for a great series of books to improve your daughters' Afrikaans from about 12 (even for second langauge ) - read on.

Meeste van ons boekwurms se kinder herinneringe sluit boeke in. Ai die lekkerte van Saartjie! Saartjie en Trompie was vroeë leesgenot - kortop gevolg deur die Uile en die Lennet reeks. Maasdorp was nooit my gunsteling reeks nie - seker omdat Kobie net eenvoudig nie my tipe meisie was nie - maar was Saartjie dan? Ek weet nie regtig nie - my gunstelinge was steeds die onnutsige maar goedhartige Uile van Kranskop - al was ek 'n meisie. Wat ek wel weet is dat ek elke liewe Maasdorp boek gelees het ten spyte daarvan dat ek nie regtig van Kobie gehou het nie Die aantrekkingskrag was natuurlik die koshuislewe so lekker uitgebeeld daarin. Almal wou koshuis toe - hoekom dan nie? Dit klink asof alles lekkerder en meer avontuurlik is in Maasdorp koshuis as by ons eie huise in voorstedelike Pretoria/Kaapstad of Johannesburg.

Ons wil almal ons lees passie en lekkerte met ons kinders deel en daarom het ek gretig vir A die eerste Saartjie omnibus gekoop - net om deur my boekwurm ingelig te word dat dit regtig nie lekker lees nie. So ook Trompie vir die seuns - dit lyk asof alhoewel vermoderniseer, die stories nie ons kinders aanstaan nie. Toe ek dus later hoor dat die Maasdorp boeke, hoewel nuut uitgegee, nie regtig geniet word nie (ons het een by die bib uitgeneem en ja, is nie eers halfpad gelees nie) het ek so half in my mou gehuil oor die lekkerte van koshuisboeke wat my kinders nou gaan mis. Tot my groot plesier ontdek ek toe die Gravitas reeks van Christien Neser. Ek het voorheen oor haar briljante "Amper Einstein" geskryf en Christien is beslis iemand wat 'n jeugverhaal kan skryf wat volwassenes net so geniet.

Heel gepas met 'n Cream Soda float in die hand gelees.

Die opgewondenheid van my 12 jarige meisiekind by die sien van "Pienk Bikini" moes voorspel het dat sy en ek die boek gaan geniet. Ons het amper loodjies getrek so groot was die afwagting maar ek het ingegee dat sy eers lees aangesien ek 'n stapeltjie het wat wag op my bedkassie.

Prinses A skryf oor die boek: Pienk Bikini is die storie van Elle na sy verkies word as die hoofmeisie van Gravitas skool. Elle is baie opgewonde maar ter selfde tyd baie onseker oor haar nuwe rol. Sy betwyfel heel tyd of sy dit verdien en goed genoeg kan doen. Dan is daar nog Shia en haar inmengerige ouers wat net wag dat Elle 'n fout maak sodat Shia kan oorneem as hoofmeisie.  Elle se werk met die kinderhuis se kleuters sorg vir 'n baie prettige maar op die ou end problematiese modderstoeigeveg. Ek het regtig lekker aan die boek gelees en was bly om al my gunsteling Gravitas karakters weer raak te loop in die boek - ek het reeds Koshuiskofiie en Blou Sjokolade gelees. Ek hou veral baie van Refilwe wat so 'n prettige vriendin is. Sy is altyd vrolik en sal jou nooit in die rug steek nie. Sy het ook vir my my nuwe gunsteling woord gegee - "gomverdorie" Hierdie was 'n heerlike boek!

My opinie: As volwasse leser het ek heerlik aan Pienk bikini gelees - dit is werklik een van daardie jeug boeke waarin die taal, storie en skryfstyl nie vir een oomblik sy jeugdige lesers en hulle ouers onderskat nie. Vir my was elke karakter en die hele Gravitas omgewing nuut en vars en n absolute lekkerte. Ek hou daarvan dat Elle effe onseker voorkom - dit is iets wat ek dink meeste meisies van die ouderdom mee sukkel - al mag hulle dit dalk self nie noem nie. Ek weet my dogter is soms onseker en ek dink dat Elle so suksesvol is ten spyte van dit is 'n heerlike aansporing vir die meisies. Dit is nie maklik om 'n tiener te wees nie en Elle en haar maats spreek daardie onsekerhede en angstigheid goed aan met 'n prettige ondertoon. Elle is beslis my tipe meisie en ek hou sommer baie van haar en haar vriende. Ek gaan beslis die ander Gravitas boeke in ons huis lees - en seker maak my Prinses A kry die res ook onder oë. Ek moet natuurlik ook soos sy Refilwe uitsonder as die aller lekkerste karakter. Sy is daardie een vriendin wat elke meisie of vrou nodig het - lojaal, prettig, positief en so effe astrant.

Die Gravitas of dan Elle reeks is ons keuse van geskenke vir die graad 6 meisies in ons "jaar van boeke as geskenke" Die boeke het als wat mens kan verwag van 'n goed gebalanseerde jeugreeks en elke meisie was tot dusver erg in haar noppies met haar geskenk.

Pienk Bikini kry van albei van ons af 'n vrolike pienk 9/10! Gomverdorie maar dit is 'n heerlike boek!

Five for Friday edition 28

So yes! It's Friday and the first one in a while that has a small semblance to the usual.

 1. The Friday morning coffee club met for the first time in 2017 in full numbers (we are only 3). Gosh the first term has flown past. We generally only have coffee but this morning turned into delicious breakfasts. It was such a great hour spent chatting and listening and eating at our little local coffee shop. There is something to say for one that opens before 7 am every day.

2. I got my stitches out yesterday and was promoted to one crutch and being able to drive a bit. I am so very very happy - am starting to feel relatively like myself again.

3. The rugby season started yesterday and the boys' team won their first match in a very convincing way. L made a huge tackle on a much bigger boy to his own great delight.

4. It was A's yearly ballet concert last night and the night before. It was once again spectacular and featured the most beautiful costumes. She also danced in a Spanish number for the first time. It was a lot of Saturdays and nights and extra hard work but so worth it.


5. It was world Monopoly day on Sunday and to celebrate Monopoly released the results of their Token Madness vote. I am glad to say that Scottie the dog lived to survive another round There is even a T Rex now! Tonight is Monopoly night in our home as we upgrade from the Junior version to the special edition token madness one.

So, any five for Friday from your side?

I had many plans for the next few week

I had a wonderful canine nurse at home - Ocean took such great care of me.

I was really excited to take photos for A's dance teachers of their concert. I was really excited to walk my first Parkrun and do so many things. There were two book launches I had my eyes on - and so much more. But one never knows what will happen the next moment - and an accident is the last thing on your mind.

On Friday the 24th of February I had a half written Five for Friday post open on my laptop as I rushed to take something for the performance arts teacher at school and then pick up A to take her to a camp a bit later the afternoon. Her classroom is behind the stage in the hall - with a small passage leading to the stage. She and the kids were not in her classroom and I heard A's voice on the stage - I peaked in and saw them busy with a drama performance. I turned around to wait in her class and as I put down my left foot I stepped on a round orange pencil - I can still see it in my mind - neatly marked and round. It caught in the groove of my tekkies and I slipped - hitting a wet spot on the floor. My foot just went and went - I could not control it for one minute. In slow motion I realized that I am falling- and falling hard.

To make a long story short it was off to hospital, extreme pain and xrays, MRI scans and sonars. The end result being operated on on the 6th of March to repair my hamstring - partially torn off at the origin and with about 5 tears in itself - one rather big one. The last two week was spent lying mostly (as due to the laparoscopy I have 3 holes right under my sitting bone) and a very sore leg, There has been physio and frustration. Work had to be taken care of by my wonderful peeps at the office who have been simply amazing and at home Hunter had to fill in - a lot! He was simply amazing - I can not even start to tell you how he seamlessly took over everything I do and I kept doing all his tastks You can do very little for yourself flat on your back and on two crutches. Luckily our wonderful au pair was there for afternoons and to get me to physio. Our Lucy took care of me during the day - making sure I had ice on my leg and something in my tummy.

One wonders why this had to happen - I was a tad  quite angry about this! Why do things ike this even happen? ( just goes to show to how very important a good medical aid is too). Myabe it was God's way to slow me down a bit. I was running life fast and furious - maybe I had to slow down for a few weeks. Who knows? I though I would blog a lot, I thought I would draw an bit but it transpires you can not work well lying down with a computer or draw for that matter. I did colour one picture and read quite a bit. But that is about it. There was however a bit of quality time with each kid as all of them at some stage cam to sit with me on the bed and play a game, or simply chat.

I have learned a lot these past few weeks - and will share some thoughts later Mostly we spoil out kids and they can do so much more than we think they can. And none of us is as irreplaceable as we think we are. 

There will still be  a road of rehab to follow and lots of hard work - I guess some pain too. But I am feeling a lot better today and stronger. Onwards - but maybe a bit slower than before.