Even Social Butterflies need a Cocoon....

source

I have been on leave since Friday and I have been busy with a whirlwind of activities.

As busy as I am... 1 side of me is loving it with a passion, and the other side of me is... lonely.

My social life has always been busy, but when QT & I started dating in Feb, I started enjoying the quieter side of having someone to snuggle with instead of always being out on the town.

I did get a little bored and wanted a bit of excitement - now I have it and I am lonely - whatever happened to a Happy Medium?

What has Flirty been doing (& plans to do) with her time?

• Friday 10 Dec: Got my 1st Christmas present (handmade by a lady I work with) & put up a Christmas tree at T & G's place. As a reward for my help, I was treated to champagne, dinner and dessert and delicious coffee.

•  Sat 11 Dec: Went to visit QT, went to a Baby Shower hosted by my friend and very talented (part time) business event planner partner AC, and ...

  

        

Favours





Flowers





Table decor

...attended our annual Christmas Party, alas nobody stole anyone's presents - always good for some laughs

All the presents opened

Mine - All mine!

•  Sun 12 Dec: Went to watch Rock On Beethoven at The Barnyard Theatre at Cresta. I love these shows as they usually have really good performers who sing all the hits and by the end of the show you are up and clapping with the rest of them. Clint outdid himself with the variety of food on offer - Camembert & blueberries, Kiri Cream cheese & Italian salami, Blue Cheese (yuck) and Nougat. Teamed with a Nederberg Rose, my taste buds were in heaven! And I got to drive his Volvo C30, aka The Twilight Car. I LOVE that car!

• Mon 13 Dec: Begin the Xmas shopping & have breakfast with QT and....

Update: Yes I have seen him. He told me the other day that the real reason he ended it was because I told him I needed to talk. He thought I was going to break up with him so he ended it first to avoid being hurt. 
I was stunned and even more disappointed. Again he shows that he would rather give up what we had than risk being hurt.
I suppose I shouldn't judge him for his immaturity - I knew his youth and naivete would factor into our relationship sooner or later. 
We had agreed to be friends (we were for a while before we began dating) and it has been ok for me. I didn't know if I wanted to remain friends and gave us space for a few weeks. I made the contact and I enjoy that we still have such an easy rapport.
The mistake was that we shared such a "normal" day, he called me "babe" by mistake and I caught him giving me the adoring looks. Later when I left, I felt like I was going through the break up all over again and cried all the way home.
He left to go to Ballito today, which will give me time out. He only returns in January.
Would we ever get back together? I am not sure - he "broke" us, I am not sure it can be fixed.
Never say never and all that... time will give us the answer.

...had dinner with Bebe at Melrose Arch - the decorations are in full force and it is breathtakingly beautiful.

We went for a milkshake after dinner at the Protea Fire & Ice. If you haven't yet experienced it, you have to go! Milkshake choices range from Lindt chocolate, Oreo cookies, Tutti Fruiti etc etc etc (the list is huge!) If you are not ravenous, make sure you order the half pint, or else you end up with a fishbowl full of milkshake!

The restaurant is Hollywood Vintage - I am aching to have a dress up cocktail party at this venue.
Black and white photos of the stars, mirrors and chandeliers everywhere - the perfect venue for my dream photo shoot.

• Tues, 13 Dec: Met AC for a divine lunch at YuMe - a new Japanese restaurant at Monte Casino (Thanks SwissMiss for this referral)

I was blown away by the huge choice of food on the menu - most of all their sushi.
Ordinary to the extra-ordinary. I ate Springbok Carpaccio California rolls filled with Cream Cheese and Parmesan, Prawn, Shrimp, Chives and Cream Cheese Dim Sum and some tempura prawns ended off with some Salmon Strawberry and Cream Cheese california rolls YUM - MEEEE!
The sushi is fresh and the staff and management are friendly, but non-intrusive. I guarantee you will struggle to find better sushi/dim sum etc here.
Don't eat sushi/Dim Sum? Create your own noodle dish - choose your noodles, ingredient and sauce - what is not to like?
CTFM - eat your heart out (while we eat at the competition)

I spent the rest of the day Christmas shopping. This year I am cutting costs (I love Christmas so much but tend to go overboard spoiling my loved ones) only shopping for my parents and my brother and my nephew (arriving in March)
In my Santa's bag are:

1. Bright pink Shox speaker for mom to connect to her Blackberry and use it as a car radio
2. Donna Mia (replica of Bachio and 3 times cheaper) bead - purple and pink butterfly - mom
3. Dad got an MP3 player (R199 at Clicks) with a silver Shox speaker. He travels to Cape Town and Durban on a regular basis and needs some music to keep him company - also no car radio
4. Meal voucher for my brother and his girlfriend - they could do with a night out and all their money is being spent on the baby room etc. A pram costs R3000 (I could get 2 or 3 Guess handbags for that amount!) and I bought a pewter baby frame for Babba's 1st picture.
5. Little jeans, a Tigger top and cute bibs (each 1 has a cute phrase) for Noah
   
   
   

.... I was supposed to meet Hot Rod for dinner but then he decided to change it to an early drink because he had other plans. I cancelled.
If you make dinner plans with me, don't cut them short because you have now made other business plans. Not on.
Instead I have spent a very enjoyable evening catching up on my regular blog fix, with a Woolies mushroom and cheese burger, a cup of hot coffee and a warm, fluffy purring cat on my lap. Pure.Bliss.

• Wed 15 Dec: Housework and car cleaning - could it get any worse?

Actually lets be more specific about the car cleaning, I actually cleaned and waxed the car - What. Was. I. Thinking? Think Wax on. Wax Off - wax off... again. This was a mission and a half! At lest now I have a streaky clean car
I also took my shoes in to have heel rubbers replaced and dropped a stack of books at the 2nd hand bookstore.
I finally removed all 5 license disks and replaced them with the current one. The only thing I didn't do, was to get my tyre fixed. A random puncture has me driving on my spare tyre again.
Tee finally left asshole and moved out completely. I am so proud of her. After threatening the end of our friendship I think she got the picture.
We went out to celebrate last night & had cocktails and curry at Kai Thai. There is a new book store in Monte Casino called Skoobs. Awesome shop!
They have fishtanks and a lift with gorgeous High (high!)back chairs to sit and read.
My favourite? They serve Starbucks coffee which you can enjoy as you watch the people walking by, and they have a wall where you can write anything you like and peg it to the line.
My contribution: Don't mess with a Princess

G5 phoned Tee the entire night and eventually I was so angry I took the phone and told him that she has left him, he is no longer a part of her life and he must get his own. He started shouting at me, I told him Get a Life and put the phone down.
I am really getting tired of this harrassment and frankly, plain pathetic behaviour from him.Tee needs him to sign papers releasing her from her bond payments, and I think we need to start getting tough and get a lawyer to help him along - unless any of you know a good Bouncer?

• Thurs 16 Dec: It's raining today - I plan to stay in bed and read - I chose this over housework. Yes, I am a terrible housewife!
• Upcoming:
• Fri 17 Dec: Meet my friend T (not to be confused with Tee) for breakfast and show her how Blackberry and Facebook work.

Visit RaceCar at Dialysis - this was a regular Sat occurrence until he changed his hospital. Seeing as I am off I have time to drive there.
Take my parents out for dinner to thank them in advance for housing myself and Shez when she comes to stay next week.

• Sat 18 Dec: Spend the entire day watching Harry Potter from the beginning & playing games. Spending the night to give us more time!
• Sun 19 Dec: Spending the day with M, he is housesitting and car watching for his friend - not any car, a Porsche! So we are going joyriding - where can we go? I suggested driving to Durban (only a 6 hour drive) ha ha ha - I wish! Still have to come up with a destination. Dullstroom maybe? Can stop for pancakes and get some cure Christmas ornaments at the Christmas shop... mmmh - that could be a plan. will keep you posted
• Mon 20 Dec: A whole lot of nothing (I hope) Although we all know I can't resist spending time with my friends if the opportunity presents itself.
• Tues 21 Dec: Catching up with Links and drinking wine in her heated pool.
• Wed 22 Dec: Shez arrives and the madness begins!

So much for resting this holiday, I guess it stops me from thinking about QT and being single.

An Update...

It's been a month since QT and I split up. Some days are really hard in that I miss him.
I was going through my FB messages to clear my inbox out and I found our messages where we first started our flirtation. 11 Dec is a year ago.
I also funnily enough found a message where I told him that I have only 1 New Years resolution - to find a decent boyfriend with the following qualities:

Wicked sense of humour like me, not childish
Intelligent
Loves animals
Willing to watch the occassional girly movie with me. 
Someone who is affectionate with me and understands my quirkiness.

Scary how I pretty much described QT to a tee. Makes me sad when I read our old messages. Sad that good things end.
I know it was the right thing to do and in the end we never did want the same things, which we both knew.

I have been keeping busy: M - he and I dated for a few months in highchool and remained friends. I have pretty much avoided his calls these last few years because I did not want him to see how much weight I have put on since then.
I saw him again a few weeks ago. I remembered why we got along so well. He is fun and easy to talk to and he reminded me of who I was in highschool. Carefree and fun to be with because I didn't have responsibilities hanging over my head.
I am seeing him again for a movie, he makes me smile and that is always a good thing ;-)

Clint is another blast from my past. I dated him for a few months after meeting him on an internet dating site. He fell in love with me and I didn't feel the same way. I loved being with him though, he is a copy writer in advertising and has a few awards under his belt (including a Loerie)
He is super intelligent and sensitive and a great story teller. When he got too intense, I had to end it.

A year later we got in touch again and I saw him for dinner. Again, I had fun catching up and having some interesting dinner conversation.

If you haven't noticed this about me, I thrive on GREAT conversation. I love getting to know a person and listening to their views on life.
Nothing like intelligence and wit to have my rapt attention for hours.

My friend Shez is arriving from Australia on 22 December. I met her on Contiki in 2005 and she is finally coming to SA for a visit.

I am really excited to show her parts of SA, I really wish we had more time (and an unlimited credit card)
I am planning to take her to the Monte Casino Bird Gardens and perhaps catch the latest Pantomime at the Jhb Civic Theatre.
I have booked ourself a Canopy Tour in the Magaliesberg. I have always wanted to do this and Tee will be joining us. You sail on safety lines over the trees and rocks from 1 platform to another. I cannot wait!
We will go to my parents for Christmas and then travel to Parys to have lunch in Rubys - the little restaurant I have spoken of before where the decor is a decadent mix of Marilyn Monroe, Venetian masks and feather boas etc.
Gold Reef City is a theme park based on the mining industry that was so big in Jhb in years gone by, with fun rides such as Miner's Revenge, Tower of Terrot, The Jozi Express and the Anaconda.
We will also probably visit the Apartheid Museum which I believe is very interesting.

We have a busy schedule ahead and I am looking forward to it.

Boomie is still gone :-( My heart breaks for him. He was my big baby boy and I have so many happy memories with him. My whole morning routine is different without him and Squeaky's whole life is different too. I just can't imagine where he is and I really hope he is with a family who love him - the alternatives are too scary to contemplate.

Christmas shopping is on my to do list, I adore being able to spoil the ones I love and even though I am keeping it very small this year, I still cant wait to buy something for my mom and Dad, brother and close friends.

Career life has been busy.
We recently had our year end function - A Night at the Oscars and it was an absolute hit with the staff. I received lots of compliments. We handed out little gold Oscars to the winners who were anonymously voted for by their peers and I even put together a little music video complete with songs for each nominee.
We had a lovely venue in Morningside on a deck in the open. Our live band were illuminated by the moon behind them and it was such a stunning setting to eat and dance under the moonlight (thanks to the perfect Jhb weather that night)

Miss J is our new PA and even though she only started on 1 December, I just know she is going to crack it. She fits in really well with the ladies in the office and she has what it takes to deal with my boss.
I am finally able to concentrate on the million tasks that I have been given, but done nothing about. What I love about marketing is that it is more a creative job, not totally admin orientated and this is what I do best - creativity.

I go on leave in 1 week, and I am super excited. I need time to find myself. I need time to relax and stop stressing, as this stress is going to kill me (as I suspect it might have killed my mind already)

I hope in the new year that my salary will be looked at and my increase will be effected. I am still in the dark as to how much increase I will get.
Seeing as I will be homeless at the end of Feb, I also need to start looking for a new place to stay.