Weekly Winners : 5 - 11 July

"Hello, it's me ... 'gain ....



"What dat" I asked my Gwanny ...

"A bird-feeder, she said, made by her friend, R ... nice, hey ?

"... and when I look through a circle, I can count "dee circles" !!!

"My Gwanny said that my cousin Erin came to play the other day but I went with my Mummy and Daddy ... and 'Bladely' to a 'nic nic' /concert so we didn't see her. My Gwanny took lots of photos of Erin ... here she is hugging her 'baby .... ahhh coot" ...

"... and here is Erin drawing with our chalks ... 'Bladely' and 'me' saw all her drawings when we went to Gwanny's house on Monday ...

"Lainey was teaching Erin how to twirl like a ballerina ....

" ... clever Erin ... pointing her toes too!

" Gwanny made lemon meringue pie for 'puddin' ... Gwanny gave some to 'Bladely' on Monday but he said it's 'not nice ... yuk' ! It was 'all gone' when I got to Gwanny's house so 'there was 'none left for me to try! - the grown-ups ate it all ... so maybe it's a grown-up pudding!

"My Gwanny's friend had her 50th birthday the other day ... this is the pretty present she gave her ... Gwanny added some roses (the last before she does the pruning)

"There were floating candles on the tables at the party ...

".... and the birthday cake was a pretty Barbie cake ... (Barbie's are miniature ladies ... with 'boobies' !!) (for those who haven't seen Jeanette's blog post on the picnic/Johnny Clegg concert at Emmarentia Dam .. that's where Connor met Barbie for the first time!!)

" This is Lainey and her two closest friends (R and C) ... they have been friends since they started high school ....

... and here are their mommies - M, S (the birthday girl!) and my Gwanny ...

Here is 'Bladely's' friend, S - they have also been friends since they were born!!! Lainey's friend C is little S's big sister!! (yes ... there is huge gap!)


"Gwanny just had to add this photo .... it's the birthday girl with her twin brother !

Twins turn 50!

"That's all folks ....

Lots of love .... Connor :) x x x mwah! mwah! mwah!

For more Weekly Winners go to Lotus' sarcasticmom.com

Skywatch Friday : Washday blues

After quite a few miserable cloudy and really really cold days ... the sky cleared and the sun came out .... still cold but there's nothing like sunshine to put a smile on your face !! (my grandson, Bradley!)

... and then, later, the moon came out ... round and bright ...

.. perfect for sitting down with a good red !!! ....

See the sky reflected in the bottle of Steenberg Merlot? (yummy, by the way, Daniella - many thanks!)

For more spectacular skies from around the world go to Skywatch

Counting clothes pegs .....

up to ten ... ended up with "lots pegs" !!

Space for one more here ....

...and another one here ...

All done!!

Wordless Wednesday : Oops!

For more contributions to Wordless Wednesday go HERE

Dancing with Lainey

Carl, Nicole and our little two year old granddaughter Erin, came for the day on Sunday. Because of their work commitments over weekends, we all have to find a mutual day when everyone can be together! It's not that easy and unfortunately (for us) Jeanette and family went to the Johnny Clegg picnic with friends.




Erin would have loved to have played with Bradley and Connor but she had fun anyway ... dancing with Lainey ....

Jumps in 1st position (note her little hands!) Isn't she just the cutest!!

.... and above ... twirling with Lainey!

Erin has always walked on her tippy toes ... a natural dancer/gymnast (added that for Mommy!) :) in the making?!

Erin is tall for her age. She's going to grow up into a beautiful, tall young lady ... .... am so proud to be her Granny!!

Weekly Winners : 28 June - 4 July

Brrrr ..... heavy frost on the ground ....



.. and sitting prettily on origanum

"Lemon tree, very pretty ....

and the lemon flower is sweet ...

But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat ... "

Playing with boxes ... and string ...

Look Granny ... I'm a tortoise ...

Now ... what would a Weekly Winners be without a 'Granny's Speciality' cake ...

Who could it be for .... I wonder ?

... and what does it say ?....

A belated Happy Birthday .. Jeanette !!!

I had the flu last weekend so a belated birthday cake to our '30 something' daughter !!! Hope it was enjoyed by all ... !!!

Now .. this is my latest fridge magnet ... oh sooooo true ... so true !! :)

For more Weekly Winners go to Lotus' awe inspiring photos as well as everyone else's who contribute - and happy 4th July to all my American blogger friends!

Skywatch Friday : Wishing I was there ...

Sunrise over the sea at Ballito, Kwa Zulu Natal.


We have, for the past 20 odd years, gone on holiday at this time of the year to Ballito. It's always so nice to get far from this icy cold Highveld winter for at least two weeks - warms up the bones in the body and gives one extra energy to face the rest of winter.

Hubby and I decided last year, to go to England ... summer there too .. so our bones were warmed by the English summer .. and we had glorious days whilst there with no rain at all!

This year, Elaine has started work (yay!) so we are not bound by school/varsity holidays anymore!! Something of a phenomenon ... amazing after more than 30 years of ALWAYS having to go on holiday with cars filled with parents, and sometimes grandparents squished between excited children whizzing along the highways. Stopping at our customery 'pit-stops' for a quick bite to eat and toilet stops before heading to our destination of warm sun, sand, sea and relaxation!

But this year, hubby and I are going to Ireland in late September .. no warm sun, sand and sea but a fascinating trip, I'm sure!!

Arrgghh! What makes us really mad is that we decided to make our bookings at that time because we were told that Elaine's graduation would be 'sometime in September'. A definite date STILL hasn't been finalised but are now told it may be in early October ... just when we are away!!! How could they do that! It's Elaine's graduation, for heaven's sake, and we needed to be here! She is graduating with cum laude for her Honours in Marketing!!! What an achievement ... and we may not even be here!! :( very sad mommy here!

Anyway - enjoy the sunrise over Ballito .. they really are spectacular. And for more spectacular skies around the world visit Skywatch