Today was another wintry, indoor day, so Grace and I set about making a tent using the dining room table and hosted a little tea party for some dolls, a monkey, a pink panther, and a Spice (that would be Spice the cat).  Spice is very privileged to be invited to hide in the cupboard each morning and was specifically requested for the tent/ tea party.  

Here are some photos from our little adventure:

Spice enjoying the tea party

Easter was a cold and wet day, so we dressed for extra warmth

Flying aeroplanes with dad

Grace has been going to Clamber Club since July last year and although we have had a few tears at the beginning of many of our classes this year, she usually gets into it after a few minutes and really enjoys herself.  It has been interesting to watch her over the course of the last 8 classes and see how she has really started participating more in the various activities and doing the actions to the songs. Although she engages in the clambering activities she has for the past month or so only really been interested in swinging.  Today however she enjoyed climbing ladders, walking up slides and sliding down, climbing up stairs and jumping into a pool of balls, walking on balance beams, jumping on a trampoline etc.

There are some quiet times during that day that I cherish. They are times when my mind is out of gear, free wheeling in neutral and ready to go wherever it may go. Sometimes I am just quiet and sometimes I may have some work or family thing bouncing around in my mind. It is a time to be creative and solve problems, or just a time to be quiet and peaceful. Some of the times I find I am like this are early in the morning while making breakfast and getting ready, while taking a bath, brushing my teeth, having an inspection walk in the garden at the end of the day and so on.

I have been really fortunate that Grace has gotten into a good morning routine where she pretty much entertains herself in the morning. I give her a few books, put on some music, maybe put out some toys and she potters around in her room for most of the breakfast preparation and morning routine time. It was one of the things that I struggled with a bit when she was younger and required more immediate attention, so I am very glad to have that time back to myself. I seem to gather strength and focus from the morning quiet time, so I sometimes found it quite draining when there was a constant demand on that time.

I recently got a new phone and have noticed something that I find interesting. It is a phone with nice access to all the social media and internet goodies (like Gmail, Facebook, and Twitter) and even though I would not normally access things like Facebook too often I have found myself checking things and playing with my phone (exploring some of the possibilities) in some of those quiet moments. One might perceive this as more efficient – I can check my personal email while brushing my teeth – but it is not more productive.

It is so easy to steal away the quiet moments, to lose out on those moments of clarity, and to fill it all up with busy-ness. But I am not going to. I am going to hold onto my quiet moments. I am going to make sure that I allow my mind time to be free, time to be untethered, time to be creative.

A smile would have been better, but jaw forward seems to be the way we roll at the moment…

I think one of the ways that I have failed myself is to let my internal critical voice be a bit too harsh, especially in terms of my work and the output I produce. It is something I have been working on this year – to think about what I create and achieve differently, and to appreciate all of the small successes more. I believe that a more positive perspective will impact on how I go about things, as well as my relationship with my clients.

It was so encouraging today to get a phone message from a client who is testing a product that we developed for him. He is testing in Namibia and phoned to let me know that we have absolutely nailed it. He is getting results which are “500% better” than the other people he is with. It is incredible to get that kind of feedback, as well as to know that the work I have produced has delighted someone so much. It was awesome to hear how he was blown away by the performance.

It is a blessing that it has worked out so well. Thank you Lord.

With regard to self-criticism I enjoyed this article, http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/04/turning-the-habit-of-self-criticism-upside-down.html

Grace takes a “drink” from the tap

Grace and I had a wonderful afternoon painting, cleaning up, playing “cricket” and then walking to the park with Duncan, and playing on the swings, merry-go-round, jungle gym and slide.  I really am enjoying the autumn weather, not too hot, not too cold, just right to be outside, go walking and playing at the park.

So by now you all know that the Cape Town Drennan’s love going out for coffee and that our local hangout is Vida at Willowbridge – mainly because its convenient and in the sun:)  Another firm favourite (which we don’t do nearly as much as we would like to) is going out for sushi.  There are a lot of great sushi restaurants in Cape Town and it is sad but true, that we haven’t been to any of them, but it is on our list of things to do, so hopefully soon.  Today rather at the last minute we decided to go for sushi so we headed to Willowbridge and ate sushi at our local sushi hangout – Woolworths – where once again everyone knows our daughter by name as well as our order – two sushi selections and one plate of prawn maki (for Grace).

Duncan and I used to share our sushi platter with her but when she started eating between 5 and 7 pieces I started to feel hard done by and decided that it was time to order her, her own plate.  Grace just LOVES sushi and today she ate 5 of her maki and 2 of our Californian rolls.  The waiters are amazed that she likes sushi and I think every time we have been there other people have commented that they can’t believe that she likes it.  I often think the people that are amazed are people who haven’t tried sushi or don’t like it.  For me I can’t understand why anyone wouldn’t like it 🙂  I know that her cousin who is a month younger than Grace appears to love sushi just as much as Grace and why not, its delicious and as a bonus healthy.  

After Grace had finished her sushi it was as if she was high on life, running around, laughing, sliding down the slide, swinging, riding her bike and just being super happy.      

Sushi noshing

Grace’s imagination continues to grow. She has been loving reading “Thomas goes to the doctor” and today Andrew (one of her dolls) went to the doctor. The check up seemed to go well, but he needed a lot of injections….a lot…more like acupuncture…or maybe Grace was just enjoying me going “Ow,” each time she gave Andrew an injection.

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Thea, the pied piper of Rondebosch (while visiting at Kim’s house)