Happy Sunday Beautiful People 🌞

The title of this blog post reminds me my dad. Whenever he did a roundup of something he would say “calling all cards, calling all cards”. He most frequently used it to round my siblings (Jason and André) and I up, to get something done – usually to get us up in the morning to go to school or church when we were little. The phrase comes from one of our favourite cartoons, but Dad killed it. Because he knew we loved the cartoon, he used it to wake us – but then the phrase became synonymous with something not too pleasant (i.e. waking up to go to school or church), but thinking back on it now it actually is kinda cool. Check the cartoon out if you have a chance

My reason for ‘calling all cards’ this morning is I need to do a consolidation – another one of my bullet point blog posts because again I got so caught up with Beautiful life that there’s too much to say 🙃🤪🤩🥳🤓🥰😍

• My nephew is growing beautifully. An apple of my eye. The love I have for him is like the love I have for my own children. I once heard someone say “Your sister’s child is like your own child”…. now I can confirm, my brother’s child is like my own child!
• Successfully completed the academic semester at work – my remote teaching strategy worked. #Relieved. But now the tough bit starts…. I’m teaching two modules this new semester (starts tomorrow). My usual stats module and then another module on Lean Six Sigma that I’m still busy developing. All fun and games. Because it’s new and because we’re still in lockdown, I’m going to be experimenting. I’ve a couple of ‘wild’ ideas …. so I might be called into the principal’s office AGAIN to explain my heretical antics 🙆🏾‍♀️
• I submitted two full papers (only author papers) for a virtual conference happening in November. And I was part of a team who is submitting another full paper for a journal today. Also submitted an abstract for another paper for a virtual conference in December yesterday. I honestly have no idea how that all came together. In fact, the November conference was cancelled when lockdown was first announced, but a few weeks later the organizers decided to have a virtual conference instead. I had set a goal for myself to publish two papers a year so I was super bummed when the conference was cancelled, but I really have started believing that when you don’t resist anything, just fully open-heartedly accept things and work with whatever you have as if you had chosen it, then things work out, which is exactly what happened. And even if they didn’t work out so well, by accepting the whatever fate as if I had chose it, gives me inner peace. I’m finding this is a good way for me to live. Work towards whatever I feel passionate about but Resist nothing. And don’t label anything as good or bad. Just accept it as it is.
• Happy to report my minions are doing fine, Josh preparing for matric exams in lockdown and Micaiah is coming out of her funky mood. The start of lockdown was tough for them especially Micaiah (teenage girl missing her friends) but somehow life just seems more pleasant now. We have a great new habit of always eating dinner at the dinner table and very often we end up sitting for up to two hours after dinner just chatting.
• We had cat drama. Not even our cat. There’s a stray cat who has been hanging around our house since he was a kitten for about 18 months now. I first saw him when he was about 3months I guess and wondered into my room. We started referring to him as Scout. We probably should not have started feeding him but we did. How do you say no to a hungry critter when you have spare food? Anyway he would come and go. But he was an unneutered tomcat and they are problematic because they fight and mark their territory. So three weeks ago he slipped into our house to have dinner while we were at the dining table having dinner. Micaiah suggested we trap him and I remembered we had a large recovery cage so we managed to do that with very little trouble. I called the AACL and they agreed to neuter him – all went well and four days later we let him go again. We’ve seen him twice since then, but whether he becomes our cat or not now is not important. At least Scout has a better chance of survival now
• Then, a note to anyone with a nose piercing, don’t remove your corkscrew nose ring unless you want to take it out uh. I did that and I had to go back to the piercer so that she could put it back in for me. I’m never taking it out again!
• Finally, I’ll end with some happy news. Our President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that our whole country is moving to Lockdown Level 2 on Tuesday 17 August 2020, 145 days since the start of lockdown. Suddenly the air feels even lighter, the birds are singing a slightly happier tune today and the sun seems brighter. Yes there is very good reason to smile in SA today

So those are some my random cards ♥️♣️♦️♠️ – things I wanted to note on my blog for the sake of continuity.

But the most important thing I want to say today is …. Can you feel it?.….🦋🦄🐝🌈🌈🌈🍄🌹🌷💐

Yes, it’s me…. sending you all my love today ❤️

Lockdown Day 108 🔐

For my non-SA friends, our president just announced that the sale of alcohol is once again banned in SA.

With the last prohibition something that became wildly popular was homemade pineapple brew. I didn’t make any myself the last time, however one of my close friends did and was rather tasty. This time round I’m gonna give it a try myself…..

https://www.instructables.com/id/Lets-Make-Some-Pineapple-Beer/ 🍍🍻🍍🍻🍍🍻😁

Day 103 Lockdown 🔐

My Lockdown blossom. Empirical evidence that despite Lockdown being absolutely 💩, there is beauty ❤️… even in Lockdown.

Hey now, …… you’re an All Star 💫 , get your game on. Go play!

Hey now, you’re a Rock Star, get the show on. Get paid!!💸

You’ll never know if you don’t go…. You’ll never shine if you don’t glow 💡

Day 66 Lockdown 🔐

A hearty Welcome to Level 3 of Lockdown in South Africa and the wonderful new exciting world of remote teaching everyone! Let this dog and pony show begin 😁💥🐕🐴🎉🎊🚀

So like, from my contextual perspective the Comrades Marathon is the ultimate ‘marathon of marathons’. If you grew up in South Africa, I would call you a liar if you denied ever hearing about the Comrades Marathon (and Bruce Fordyce).

Be that as it may, as undeniably prestigious (and popular) as the Comrades Marathon is, it’s a 89km (translates to a whole day) marathon. A whole flippin day of just running! Seriously…. Oh goodness no…. I can just just barely manage 2 hours of running. Not for a damn second did I think I could manage 10 hours – never-mind the commitment and training beforehand to actually finish!

So as devastated (I’m not kidding – that was BAD), as I was when I heard that the Two Oceans half marathon in South Africa was cancelled due to COVID19, so elated I was when I heard that the king of Marathons in South Africa (Comrades) decided to have a 21km virtual marathon option (as opposed to their standard exclusive 89km 😖 😰 event)!!!!!!!!!

Hip hip hurrah hooray. Whoop whoop 🙌🏾💃🏽💃🏽💥👏🏾🙌🏾🤸🏾‍♀️🌸💥💥💥💥💥💥💥

Entered!!! I’ve entered a Comrades event! 🙌🏾I almost can’t believe it! As heartbroken 💔 as I was when I heard Oceans was cancelled, so exited I am about this event! Loving the universe. Simply loving it. Sending loving vibes to all. Namaste 🙏🏾🕉❤️❤️❤️❤️

My much loved iconic pink Garmin.

 

A birthday gift from Robin in 2014 and well known to all my friends as I have often sent them pictures of some of my best running times by taking a pic of the face of the watch, like the one featured below.

On my social media too, there are a few pics of me taken by others of me running where I am wearing it. Captured some of my overseas runs too, so naturally I was really so very sad when the strap broke two weeks ago.

It’s just such a cool watch, so I tried getting a replacement strap but a pink replacement strap would have cost a third of the price of a new watch! And so I started (online) shopping for a new one and I found a new one. Still an entry level Garmin, but an upgrade 😁

Garmin no longer makes iconic pink ones, but I’m ok with the new slate grey one that I got. It pairs to my iPhone so I can see text messages and it tells me my heart rate – I’m so stoked! No matter your age, getting a new toy always rocks!! 🤸🏾‍♀️💥💥💥💕❤️💙🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️. Cheers to many happy runs with my new Garmin 🥂⏱

Day 50 Lockdown 🔐

….because on Day 50 in South Africa everyone has done, or is doing something illegal!

My favourite things

As ominous as the title of this blog sounds, it is not at all dark. Tonight I’m feeling hopeful and light, I’m feeling a deep seated happiness from somewhere in my tummy, because I’ve come through the Dark Night of my Soul.

In the past few weeks, I’ve found the teaching of Eckhart Tolle and Kim Eng to be so incredibly inspiring and uplifting. It’s so strange, I’d heard some of it before – but even if you hear, the penny only drops when something in you is ready for it to come home. And that I did, I came home. I found home 🙏🏾

Some readings on Dark Night of the Soul: https://www.eckharttolle.com/eckhart-on-the-dark-night-of-the-soul/ As well as: https://lonerwolf.com/the-dark-night-of-the-soul/

It’s like an awakening. I’ve been here all along but suddenly I’m seeing things that were around me in a way that I’d never seen it before. I’m feeling a deep and rich sense of gratitude for everything, for life. These days my smile is genuine, my laugh comes from the pit of my tummy and I really couldn’t give a rat’s hoohar about anything around me that is none of my business. It’s like I found the kingdom of heaven, and it’s been inside me all along.

But moving on, …..work was fun and hilarious today. It started with some collaborative discussions with a university in Scotland. #WatchThisSpace in the next few months. This was followed by some avo, tomato and feta on toast for brunch.

Then I attended our first online Faculty Board meeting with a bunch of learned academics who struggled with technology – simple stuff like muting the mic. Someone else kept grabbing the chairperson’s screen and it took them 20 minutes to figure out what was happening. This was followed by some homemade chocolate brownie and ice-cream for lunch.

And then I spend some time looking at pictures of my adorable little nephew. Gosh he is so flipping cute 😍😍😍. I can’t wait to hold him once Lockdown is over.

Then I finished another task on my to-do list and engaged in some cool conversation with colleagues, and my children as well as some light hearted fun banter with friends about life, the universe and bullshit! Decided not to cook dinner and opted for an extra large bowl of popcorn in bed instead!

Today was a good day. Today I spoke my mind, I did what I needed to do, and I indulged in simple pleasures. I didn’t think too much. I was just ‘present’. Life is kind.

I wish everyone the Dark Night of your Soul. May it also give you that gift that no money can buy!