How to eliminate your entire wardrobe in just 1 stupid moment

5 years ago Alex bought me 1 of the nicest, most thoughtful gifts I have ever received for my birthday: A burgundy cashmere pashmina.

Firstly, it was the 1^st 100% cashmere item I had ever owned – luxuriously soft and so pretty and 2ndly, he ordered it overseas and had a pilot friend collect it and bring it back to SA with him.

Christina travels well because she is lightweight, but warm and she folds up small, which makes her easy to travel with.

On my recent trip to Japan, I took Christina for a chilly day. I also packed the only 6 outfits I have that actually still fit me.

In the middle of the week we stayed at a traditional Japanese hotel, requiring only an overnight bag.

I was running late the next morning and somehow left Christina behind at the hotel – 3 hours away from Tokyo.

I thought she was lost to me forever.

The hotel very lovingly wrapped her in bubble wrap and couriered her to me and she was back around my neck the next day.

Upon my return from Japan I literally just tipped my whole bag into the washing machine and pushed Start. I never took into account that the default setting on my new front loader is not the same as my old top-loader (cold wash)

My clothes were all burgundy! I shrugged and thought, ‘oh well, now everything matches’

I wasn’t going to be that lucky… the dye was not consistent!

But that wasn’t the worst of it… Poor Christina was a ratty, squashed string of her former self. The victim of a 2 hour; 60⁰C hot wash.

Now I have no more Christina and no more clothes that fit.

I guess that was the excuse I needed to go shopping…. And shopping I have!

Domestic Goddesses

Book club has evolved and is now Bookless Club since we all stopped reading a while back.
The get-togethers with champers and themes have continued and the girls have been stepping up their game!

The last theme at Tee's house was Domestic Goddesses. All good and well for them - they bake and cook all the time! I... do not.
We baked our own pizza with our favourite toppings Tee (vegetarian) even let me add a liiiitle bit of bacon to hers!!

For dessert we go to decorate cupcakes. I have never operated a piping bag before. But boy was I having fun once I got the hang of it!

What a fun day!

My Crown Jewels

Hanging out with Gerard Butler

This past week has been an absolute mind-blowing time for me.

I entered 2 competitions on Twitter because I was bored and Social Media was not entertaining me.
Both were for tickets to movie premieres. I won both competitions!
I took Grant to watch the Premiere of GI Joe 2: Retribution. (Hint: if you like Channing Tatum, enjoy him on the screen while you can)
Then 2 days later I took my friend Li to watch The Host with me.

I have entered a competition to win an Audi A3 Sportback, so if you see my tweets on Twitter - please RT! They go to the city that has the most tweets and then pick the winner from there.
I figured 3rd time lucky? And I do need a new car after all!

But the absolute best part of the story was going to the Olympus Has Fallen movie premiere and seeing Gerard Butler in real life!

Of all the older actors, he is my No 1 favourite!

There we all are, dressed up all fancy and waiting for Gerard Butler & Aaron Eckhart to come to the stage where we are waiting to catch our first real-life glimpse of them.
I was impatient and getting hot,so I decided to go looking for him.

There I see the back of his head just above the security crew and I could feel the adrenaline kick in.
It is still a blur of how everything happened, but I slipped past everyone and slid my hand along his back, whispered in his ear: Please could I have a photo?
He turns around, says "Sure, where is the camera?" and with my hand I guide him around to where the camera is waiting.
Click!

He smiles as I say thanks, turns as someone else demands his attention, but can't walk forward. We realise my wrap is somehow in my hand, pulled across him and in the hand of a woman standing on the other side. (you can see it in the photo) How? I don't know!

He lifts it up and kind of gently strokes it, probably saying in his head, "ooohhhh, soft!" (I do that alot!)
I pull it out her hand to let him walk, when in reality I should have wrapped it around him and dragged him off to my bedroom.

I was shaking with excitement and went back to show the girls! I couldn't concentrate for the first part of the movie because every time he spoke, I kept thinking, 'Wow, I have a photo with him!'

All Dressed Up with somewhere to go!

And to make the evening perfect - check out my video:

He's Just Not That Into Me?

I've recently met somebody.  And I really like him. Except it's been so long since I dated that: 

1: I'm hopelessly out of touch
2: I'm not sure how to approach the whole "wait 1 day to contact him / name your children etc etc "

I've been single for 2.5 years and I'm ready to begin dating.  Especially when I meet a cute,  intelligent,  decent guy.

I don't want to let the opportunity pass me by with him thinking I'm not interested.  But at the same time I can't be too eager. 
I'm naturally a talkative person and I love Whatsapp but I find that I need to curb my natural reflex to contact him when I'm thinking about him (which I find myself doing alot lately )

We've been out alone together twice, and we have a great time together,  talking into the early hours of the morning.  We have great chemistry and I am ridiculously comfortable with him.  And my cat loves him-  all good signs.  BUT....  He seems to be content to "let things happen at a leisurely pace" and it's beginning to frustrate me.  I'm more of a "let's make this happen" type of person.
I don't want to get pushy and potentially ruin this,  but I just wish I knew how he felt about me! 

He's only been single for 6 months (3 year relationship ) so I guess I should give him time? 
But what if I give him time and it turns out that He's just not that into me? 

I wish I could just touch a piece of litmus paper to his skin and it would turn red to show he likes me or blue to show he doesn't .

Give me strength..  I despise all this second- guessing and wondering. 

Home Sweet Home

1 very stressful, tearful Easter weekend later - I am settled into my new home.

My parents helped me with the move and I will never be able to put into words the gratitude I feel.

My dad has recently been diagnosed with diabetes and I cannot believe the toll it has taken on him. He can hardly walk or stand and gets dizzy at the drop of a hat. He has lost 15kgs.
He is on medication and being monitored, but it sneaks up out of the blue.
Mom had flu and yet they both still insisted on climbing up all 3 flights of stairs carrying my boxes.

My legs are only recovering now, but everything has it's place and even kitty cat is settling into his new home very nicely.

You have shared my journey with me while I agonised over furnishings and everything in between and here is the (almost) finished product. Wooden flooring gets done at the end of the month when I am back from Japan.

I am loving my very own house & I even entertained my very first guest yesterday....

Dining Room

Lounge - Loft

Kitchen