Friday, 29 April 2011

Weekend Reviews

I haven’t done a review of movies that we have watched in a while. Seeing that we have yet another long weekend coming up I thought it would be a good time for some recommendations.
Here are a few quick reviews for you.

I finally got to see Due Date over the Easter Weekend. As recommended to me it is definitely not for kids. I felt it was a little slow to start, although the slow start puts you in the picture. Robert Downey Junior really deserves more recognition for his acting ability. He always puts his all into his characters and does a great job in this film.
The story follows two complete opposites travel cross country to be in time for the birth of a child.
Due Date is a good movie to watch when the kids are in bed and you need a few good laughs.

helen-mirren-red

We also hired RED with Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, and Morgan Freeman.
Bruce Willis is a retired black-ops agent, whose peaceful life is threatened by an assassin. He finds fellow retirees who are also at risk to fight back.
The action starts within the first few minutes of the movie. I didn’t feel as if it was a “mid-life-crisis” action movie. It was clever and had a touch of good humour. Helen Mirren is brilliant as usual as is Morgan Freeman.

This was most definitely action movie weekend.

Faster-Dwayne-Johnson-as-Driver-21-11-10-kc

If you love action thrillers you have to hire FASTER with Dwayne Johnson. This one kept me on the edge of my seat. It is about a guy, found guilty for his brother’s murder. He completes his time in jail and finds the people who were involved with his brother’s death.
It has some interesting twists which keep you focused on the action throughout.

unstoppable-denzel

If it’s on-the-edge-of-your-seat action you love Unstoppable is another one for you. If I say Denzel Washington you know very well that you are going to get a classy, action film. This one will most probably tweak the interest of those of you who train-spot.
It’s about a “coaster”, a train running on the track, minus conductor or driver, and how the train is brought to a stop. Just like Faster, it has twists that keep your attention from beginning to end.

The last action thriller we hired was Death Race 2. We were very sceptical about this one and I don’t blame you. The characters differ from the first movie and you doubt that it will have the same effect.
It wasn’t as good as the other action movies in this post, BUT if you watched Death Race, you should enjoy this one too. The story is about how Frankenstein and The Death Races started.
I for one didn’t enjoy Batman Begins – the whole going back to the beginning thing. I honestly thought it was a waste of time. This movie however explains things very well, and gets you thinking too. We watched Death Race afterwards and all the blanks were filled.

Then there’s The Switch. I thought it would be funnier. It ended up being quite the emotional drama. The little boy’s character was so sweet, and he will definitely pull at your heartstrings if you have ‘family issues’.
I thought it was too drawn out and I was waiting for the story line to climax. I was disappointed. It did have a few funny moments but it’s not anywhere near the top of my recommendations list.

If you have Mnet Blindside is on this Sunday. It is so worth watching. Sandra Bullock is an amazing actress and she does a wonderful job of portraying this real life story. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It did bring on a few tears for me so keep your tissues handy. I am in awe of what these people did. The world needs more of them.

Thursday, 28 April 2011

My Kids Bedroom Dilemma

011 messTo me my kids are constant entertainment. They do and say so many things that on some days you just can’t keep up.
My son is the “helper”. He is eager to make dinner, or to generally help around the house. He really gets stuck in. There are days when he’s just not interested but on most days he is very good. He has even gone as far as asking a friend of mine if he could clean the leaves out of her pool while we were visiting her one day. On the other hand he despises cleaning his room.
If you send him to clean up his mess he would rather hide under the bed and make a track for his cars or read a book. I just can’t understand it. When push comes to shove, I’ll find that he has found every possible space including his hiding place with all of the toys and washing that was once scattered across the floor. He’s a lot like me when I was a kid… - hmm – now that I think of it he is far more like my mom.
I always heard the story from my Gran about when she sent my mom to clean her room. According to her, on this particular day you couldn’t see the floor. *sounds like my boy*.
After a while she went to check on my mom’s progress with her cleaning project. My Gran explained her surprise at how neat and tidy the room seemed to be, in my imagination I saw the room sparkling with cleanliness. She explained further that she thought the cupboard interior would match the near perfection of the bedroom. To her disappointment when she opened the cupboard doors a wave of my mom’s once compacted belongings fell out on to her head. *oh yes – definitely a carbon copy of my child* 009 Mess
My daughter usually keeps her room pretty tidy. She is not one who enjoys general cleaning so I think she keeps her room tidy so that she doesn’t have to be too bothered with day to day tidying.
Tonight was one of those nights where Fairy’s inner drama-queen came out to play. Oh when she doesn’t want to do something she will do just about anything to get out of it. The things that she thinks of to get out of doing her chores are actually quite funny. I sent both children to pack their toys away this evening and I kind of expected some tricks because the two have been very argumentative all day.
I went to check on the book worm and moaned a sentence or two through the door. I walked up the passage and lo and behold the Fairy had tried her first trick. She had shut the door and told me that her toys were neatly packed away. *sometimes I wonder if they think I am a complete fool* I sent her straight back into the room to pick up the toys that had been dumped on the floor.
I then left the two for a bit while I loaded the washing machine, hoping they understood I meant business.
When I glanced up the passage the Fairy’s light was off and the floor appeared to be clean from that distance. On closer inspection I saw that she had now cleared a pathway at her door, so that it could be left ajar and it would look as though she had made the effort required.
It ended up being third time lucky for her. I am yet to discover where the bookworm has hidden his stash.
IMG_2843I wasn’t the best at keeping my room tidy as a kid either. I used to use hiding places too. I was not as bad as my mom but I definitely had my moments. My turn around came one day when I had left a large amount of junk underneath my bed. One night I heard scratching and rattling and ended up sleeping in the lounge because I had visions of a large rat making a nest under my bed. In the morning when I returned to tidy up a quivering Rocky *my brothers dog* was hiding there. He would hide under our beds for days if he was scared. I was relieved but I have never left junk under my bed again!
I wonder if my cats would do me a favour and scare the heck out of my kids pretending to be a rat in their mess.

Tuesday, 26 April 2011

Miss You Much…

005 I'm SleepingAll my pre Easter blog posts typed up and ready for posting, and not even thinking of writing another but then tonight I’m feeling rather inspired so I’m going with it.
Someone asked this week about what happened to our third cat Nermal. I haven’t really been able to speak about him because I am still hurting very much. I find that I am still putting up my brick wall and not showing my feelings. I am therefore being completely misconstrued as being heartless when I am far from it.
Nermal came to us when my husband rescued him from a haggard, despicable human being. He was a tiny kitten, only about 4 weeks old. You couldn’t see what colour he was because of the vast amount of tick and flea poop. Yes poop. I have watched enough vetenary programmes to know what it was. He was infested with these bloodsucking creatures. His ears were so dirty inside, He was so badly taken care of. He was so hungry. Just thinking of his condition makes me want to cry all over again.
I bathed him and picked off ticks from his little body. He was exhausted. The following day I bathed him a second time and counted over 50 ticks as I once again removed them from his skin and fur
. 006 Eyes Close up
He slept the entire day cuddled up in a blanket. He shivered and he was terribly afraid.
Over the weeks his weight increased and he became more and more beautiful. He grew very much attached to my daughter. She fell in love with him too. He would look for her while she was at school and waited at the door when I left to fetch her.
012 NermalHe cried like a baby when I went to the shops. He cheeked me when he was naughty and left demolished (new) toilet rolls all over the house. They were his nemesis. He was lovely.
He had just got enough confidence to dash outside in the morning for a quick play in the sun. He was back inside quicker than you would expect too. He was very dependent on my daughter and I for love and play. He never really warmed up to males.
Then he went missing….
My daughter cried so much, which makes his disappearance even worse. He would never have gone far from home. He was so scared of people that he would have run home at lightning speed if someone had approached his royal cuteness.

I made several calls to animal shelters; I visited and left massages at Vet’s in the area. I have looked in every possible place where he could have ended up. Until today I have still not been able to trace him or come to terms with his disappearance. I keep my strong exterior to dry my daughter’s tears and tell her that he must be an angel watching over her now.
003 Nermal's Doe doe
In my heart I hope that where ever he is he is happy. I will probably blame myself for a time to come, but at least I have been able to express a little of what I am feeling.
Nermal is one of my reasons behind my Facebook Page. My dream is to see every pet happy in a loving home. I hope that you never have to lose a pet in this way. It kills you inside not knowing where your pet is and what kinds of danger he could possibly be in.
Don't judge someone when a pet goes missing. Believe me - they are doing enough of that themselves.
Where ever you are Nermie. Fairy and I still love you lots…

Thursday, 21 April 2011

Happy Birthday

Today is the day to celebrate the person who is my aunt.
019 SunriseSitting down and writing a piece for her birthday I am struggling to find the right words that could explain exactly what she means to me.
In the reel of my first memories there are always frames that contain my aunt.
There are Saturday shopping adventures, rides to school, advice and lessons that have been proven invaluable. Remember the master card adverts? Well these memories are of the “priceless” variety.

She has an amazing presence. I know those gene’s run through my children’s veins and are straight from my Grandparents gene pool. They have this charisma, sweetness, kindness… there is something in their eyes that makes everyone love them.
It’s a special quality that very few people possess.

I have been blessed to have her in my life; my children have certainly witnessed this blessing too.
019 ScottburghOn your birthday I wish you double the blessing you’ve given to us.
I hope your special day is filled with beautiful memories.

Remember that we are thinking of you and keeping our once-in-a-lifetime moments with you in our hearts. Some people are lucky to have met you, we are lucky to have gotten to know you.

Wednesday, 20 April 2011

Mom’s Mac n Cheese Is Always Best

I had weird tastes as a kid. I will explain more when I write a tribute to my Gramps on his Birthday in May.

018 South Coast weekendI love cheese, as a kid I was introduced to “smelly sock cheese”, which I have grown to love even more as I’ve got older.
On Twitter you could call me a #cheeseslut.

Recently I’ve seen so many yummy cheese recipes on Foodies Blog’s like this Cheesy Spinach Gnudi on The Creative Pot Blog. If you watch Pasella on SABC 2 you would have seen Marisa strutting-her-stuff on the show.
Also on the show you would have seen Thuli, who writes the Mzansi Style Cuisine Blog. She made a Umxhaxha / Mealie and Pumpkin Dish. I love mealies too. My mom always said that while she was pregnant with me, she craved them; so that kind of makes sense to me.

Monday nights at our house is “macaroni cheese night”. It’s the perfect way to start the week. I make variations of the dish, so on nights that I’m busy, or my son makes dinner we have the easier version. (My son has told me that he cant wait to kick me out the kitchen – chef to be perhaps?)
I don’t make a regular mac-n-cheese although it has similar qualities to my grans original recipe. It’s one of the recipes that I have been perfecting since a teenager. It has manifested from a plain dish with the usual macaroni, cheese, and tomato to my latest variations.

The full recipe is as follows.

Ingredients:

1 packet of Macaroni / pasta shells
Cheddar Cheese (my mom always used Gouda or sweetmilk in hers)
1 pack of streaky Bacon (chopped)(for my Jewish family who don’t eat bacon I’d use a cold meat or salami – I have also left this out and made a vegetarian dish)
1 tin of Onion and Tomato mix (the flavour of the tomatoes is far better in a tin)
1 tin of cream style sweetcorn.
5 /6 large leaves Spinach (chopped)

White sauce

Margerine (about 2 tblsp)
Flour (I put in enough flour to soak up the marg)
1 cup milk
Cheddar Cheese.
dried sweet basil

Method:

1. Cook the macaroni in the usual way by boiling the water with a little salt.

2. Grate the cheese.(this is my daughters job)

3. In a separate greased pan fry the bacon and tin of tomato and onion and set it aside

White Sauce:

4. Melt the margarine;

5. add enough flour to the margarine so that the mixture resembles biscuit dough.

6. Add the milk while stirring continuously,

7. Add about ½ to 1 cup of cheese, and continue to stir until the cheese is melted. The mixture should now have a thick saucy consistency.

8. You can now add some of your favourite Italian herbs. I use Sweet basil for this particular dish.

Layering:

9. I layer my macaroni in a large oven dish.

fried tomato mixture,

strained macaroni

sweetcorn

strips of spinach

Pour white sauce

Cheese.

(I manage to fit two of each layer in my dish.)

10. Bake for about 15 minutes. Until the cheese is golden brown.

enjoy.

Tuesday, 19 April 2011

Break out a Smile

These are from my mom – yes my mom!
4 pillars of wisdom to remember
*1. Money can’t buy happiness but...
**somehow, it’s more comfortable to cry in a BMW than on a bicycle…
2. Forgive your enemy, but
**remember the motherf&¥$er’s name.
3. Help a man when he is in trouble & he will remember you
when he is in trouble again.
4. Many people are alive only because
**it’s illegal to shoot them.

funny-pictures-the-dog-started-it

Defence Attorney: Will you please state your age?

Little Old Lady: I am 86 years old.

Defence Attorney: Will you tell us, in your own words, what happened the night of April 1st?

Little Old Lady: There I was, sitting there in my swing on my front porch on a warm spring evening, when a young man comes creeping up on the porch and sat down beside me.

Defence Attorney: Did you know him?

Little Old Lady: No, but he sure was friendly.

Defence Attorney: What happened after he sat down?

Little Old Lady: He started to rub my thigh.

Defence Attorney: Did you stop him?

Little Old Lady: No, I didn't stop him.

Defence Attorney: Why not?

Little Old Lady: It felt good. Nobody had done that since my Albert died some 30 years ago.

Defence Attorney: What happened next?

Little Old Lady: He began to rub my breasts.

Defence Attorney: Did you stop him then?

Little Old Lady: No, I did not stop him.

Defence Attorney: Why not?

Little Old Lady: His rubbing made me feel all alive and excited. I haven't felt that good in years!

Defence Attorney: What happened next?

Little Old Lady: Well, by then, I was feeling so "spicy" that I just laid down and told him "Take me, young man. Take me now!"

Defence Attorney: Did he take you?

Little Old Lady: Hell, no! He just yelled, "April Fool!" And that's when I shot him, the little bastard.

27100d1259817466-few-funnies-funny-dog-pictures-new-black-cat-rug

‎​​Only an Indian man can love like this....

Uncle Farooq was involved in a car accident. At the hospital, when he woke, he called for the nurse to tell him what had happened.

I'm very sorry, sir, but you were involved in a very bad car crash".
"Car crash! My BMW! My BM! Is my car all right?" he asked hysterically.
"Sir, your car was destroyed, but that is the least of your worries, you lost your left arm in the crash, and we were unable to save it." she said apologetically
"I lost my arm? oh My Rolex! My Rolex!"
"Sir, please calm down. That is the least of your worries. You are in a very critical condition, but all your family is here to see you".
"My family? My family? Is my whole family here?" "Rehana, are you here?"
"I am here my husband, and I will never leave you".
"Ridwaan, are you here?"
"I am here daddy, and I will never leave you".
"Rubina, are you here?"
"I am here daddy, and I will never leave you."
"Ismail, my child, are you here?"
"I am here daddy, and I will never leave you."
"Well! If all of you are here,
then, WHO THE HELL IS IN THE SHOP??!!"


funny-pictures-cat-is-lazy

He's 80, she's 20.
It was the stir of the town when an 80 year old man married a 20 year old girl.After a year of marriage she went into the hospital to give birth.
The nurse came out to congratulate the fellow saying:"This is amazing. How do you do it at your age?"
He answered, "You've got to keep the old motor running."
The following year the young bride gave birth again.
The same nurse said: "You're amazing! How do you do it?"
He again said: "You've got to keep the old motor running."
The same thing happened the next year.
The nurse then said: "Well, well, well!!! You certainly are quite a man!"
He responded again, "You've got to keep that old motor running."
The nurse said: "Well, you better change the oil, this one's black!!

FAIL!! And these two are going to raise a child…

happy-family-funny












If you have a funny that you would like to share send it to stuffdidoodles@gmail.com
If you like what you see and would like to share it with someone else…. hit one of the share buttons…
These may have only been email and BBM jokes but I took them from MY email to share with you.
Have a Terrific Tuesday!

Monday, 18 April 2011

A Tribute To Romeo

I was very sad on Friday when I heard that my Twitter friends puppy was killed.

IMG_0517

Today I continue the tribute to him. This is a blog post by his Human Granny. She explains in her blog exactly how wonderful this little guy was and his last happy moments with her.
A Tribute to Romeo by his Human Granny
Romeo’s death now has a new meaning due to Linda’s new initiative called Romeo’s wish.
Romeo's Wish
Please consider donating to this wonderful cause.

untitled

R.I.P. Romeo your life has not gone by un-noticed. Because of you many lives will be saved, and Hearts have and will be touched.
The pictures I have used are of Romeo from his Mommy and Granny’s blogs. You will see them there too.

Friday, 15 April 2011

A Week In Di’s World

white eye1I have been thinking all week about what to do on today’s post. I have decided that I will update you with some news and hopefully you’ll learn a little more about me as well as receiving a little pet education.
The early weekdays saw me really angry at humans AGAIN!
I hunted for a dog for someone to adopt. This person seemed really keen on adopting so as usual I put all my effort into saving another life.
I found gorgeous adoptees at the SPCA. When you adopt a pet there they ensure you leave with a pet that is inoculated, wormed and sterilized. I read that this adoptee would also be micro chipped, which is vital today with pets being stolen to be used as bait dogs or fighters in one of the cruellest forms of gambling.
Unfortunately the pathetic human, found the adoption price “too expensive” and ended up buying a pet from a shop. This is what really angered me.
Firstly, if he had taken a minute and added up what the cost of sterilization, worming, jabs and a microchip would cost on top of the price he paid at the pet shop, he would have realised that adopting was still the cheaper option. He could have saved two lives at that price!
Secondly, some pet shops are a turf for illegal breeders and puppy mills. I will probably write a blog about this in the near future! They are another two sick human practices!
I wonder if he would have been a good pet owner in the first place!
Wednesday was a turnaround for me. I witnessed humans on the other side of the scale. A family member in need received a much needed gift from people who have the heart and means to give. I listened to the radio with tears in my eyes. I imagine that if there were more people like this in the world that maybe there would be peace.
Unfortunately there are way too many people in this world who are so revolved around their own lives, ego’s, jobs and projects that the word “helping” doesn’t enter their vocabulary. It’s too difficult for them to do the simplest of things, for instance click on a button to share a pet’s plea for a home. Clicking a button takes less than a minute to do.
I have invested a lot of time to share other’s stories, listened to their rants, and helped a smile return to people’s faces. From now on I will be focusing my time on issues that matter, and people who are grateful, kind, beautiful souls. (This does not include the people who help to boost their own egos – however it does include - the ones who like to see the smile at the end of helping.)
IMG00162-20110415-0747This brings me to today.
A little white eye – a bird – flew into my open window today. The lovely little creature could unfortunately not find his way out and was fluttering around nervously.
I sent my daughter – who is home sick – to get a large net that we have. I waited until the little guy was in a place that was low enough for me to make a move, and caught him in the net. We quickly snapped a photo and set him free.
What an awesome feeling it was! I am an avid watcher of Wild Life Aid and like programmes and learned my catching skills from them! They always say how wonderful it is to see an animal go back into the wild. Now I know that what they say is true! I am more inspired than ever to help animals. They are the ones who deserve my time. (As well as the select few humans who fit the above category of beautiful creations)
I know that this post is really long but I have one more thing to say.
Those of you who follow me on twitter and my facebook friends should remember a post I shared a little while back about Romeo, a gorgeous pet of one of the amazing people I tweet. It makes me very sad to tell you that this lovely lady lost Romeo this week. He crossed the rainbow bridge after being hit by a car. Romeo must have been such a special creation because his mommy always had such good things to say about him. R.I.P. Romeo and make sure to brush your new angel wings against your heart broken mommy’s cheeks so she knows you’re still around to dry away her tears.

Thursday, 14 April 2011

Children can benefit from having a pet in your home!

This is an article I received from the Johannesburg SPCA. I hope that you will be encouraged to choose a pet for your family.
Please remember that by adopting a pet you are saving a life, but by buying one you are most probably supporting a puppy mill or illegal breeder.
008 Stig Doe Doe007 Stig006 Big yawn007 Erin's Birthday
CHILDREN CAN BENEFIT FROM HAVING A PET IN YOUR HOME!
Whilst having a pet in your home is a very big responsibility for you and your child, bringing an animal into your life can have enormous benefits. Those who truly love and care for their pet can reap the rewards of a loving, trusting and faithful companion as well as numerous health benefits.
Besides a very close bond that builds up between pet and child, pets have been known to decrease high blood pressure, assist in the prevention of heart disease and most certainly combat depression. Whilst parents enjoy these benefits, animals are able to teach children a couple of lessons in life.
Whilst responsible pet ownership can assist children to develop their independence, it can also set them on the path to becoming mature and dependable adults. Owning a pet can teach children numerous skills and have other benefits, including:
1. Responsibility
Children can learn the importance of responsibility at an early age, by becoming a pet’s primary caregiver. Pets that require more attention, like a cat or dog, can present an opportunity for a parent and child to bond with each other, whilst enjoying the company of their pet. Teaching children how important it is to become responsible for an animal’s life can help them to understand the qualities of discipline, patience, kindness and attentiveness.
2. Discipline
Walking the dog, feeding the guinea pig and talking to the parrot can serve as a fun replacement for television programmes, Play Stations, movies and videos. These pet-related activities help children to remain focused on the task at hand. Enhanced concentration enables them to then cut out distractions, allowing focused time for homework and chores.
3. Life skills
Bringing a pet into the home as a part of your family can be an effective way of preparing your children for real life situations. For example, pets are able to ease the tension of sudden change for a child. When mom and dad bring home their new bundle of joy, the older child will still have a great deal of undivided attention from the family pet. Taking proper care of your pet can also help children to learn how to deal with medical issues and illnesses, when they are exposed to routine veterinarian check-ups or when your pet is hurt or ill.
4. Allergies and illnesses
If your child misses a lot of school due to illness, maybe you should get a cat. Research has shown that children who own pets attend school up to nine more days a year than their non pet-owning classmates. The immune function of pet owners is more stable, making them better able to fend off illness. Cat hair is thought to be a common source of irritation to the immune system. However, a leading theory still currently under investigation by asthma researchers suggests that the presence of pets in the home, from an early age, may adapt the immune system so it is less sensitive to allergens later in life. Always consult your doctor.
5. Unconditional love
Children who live with pets show more empathy for others and help others more. This may be related to other findings that children who are raised with pets have a higher self-esteem. This is thought to result from the pet’s unconditional love. No matter what's going on at school, or with friends, pets always treat children the same way.
Pets play an important role in many children's lives as they often talk to them and regard them as friends and confidantes. A five-year study of 600 children aged between 3 and 18-years-old showed that pet-owning children, who have challenges such as being slow learners or having divorced parents, cope better with life than those who don't have a pet.
Having a pet that shows unconditional love, regardless of what is happening in the home, can cushion other difficulties in a child’s life.
For more information please don’t hesitate to contact the Johannesburg SPCA on:
Tel: (011) 681 3600 Fax: (011) 681 3660 Email: jhbspca@jhbspca.co.za Website: www.jhbspca.co.za

Wednesday, 13 April 2011

Baking Blunder

clip_image002I’m a blonde brunette on most days, sometimes to my own advantage sometimes not.
I’m from a family who love to bake, this stemmed directly from my Gran who would always have something yummy to treat her guests or grandchildren. She had collections of recipes and was always trying something new.
My other teacher was my aunt. We still discuss food, recipes, healthy options and snacks.
Then there’s my mom. Besides making delicious cakes she has a knack for fail proof icing she has never had a cake stick in a pan either.
This is a lot to live up to, especially when you love to bake yourself.
Crunchies were my speciality as a teenager. On some days I ended up having two trays in the oven. One tray would never last longer than an hour; the crumbs would even be devoured.
I would also make swiss rolls, muffins, scones and cakes. As a teenager my mom would get me to practice my Home Economics cooking and baking recipes before I would have to make them in class.
On one occasion my Gran bought packets of baking ingredients that were cheaper than her usual grocery store. The problem was that none of these packets had labels. She lost her patience having to open and test packets of castor sugar, salt, and other similar coloured ingredients before using them. So I ended up with these label-less packets to use in my experiments.
When I arrived home I set out on baking a chocolate cake.
clip_image004It was silly of me but I never marked the packets after figuring out what they were.
I continued with my fail-proof recipe and was amazed at the beauty and perfection of the final product.
Excited to get a taste test from my over eager family; I sliced my creation and began to distribute the chocolate triangles.
Before I could return to complete my distributions to the entire family I heard some unexpected sounds of revolt from the lounge.
Horror of horrors… No-one would eat my cake. My brother had attempted to feed his slice to my Doberman waiting patiently for a snack. She wouldn’t even eat it! They then handed me the bad news. Instead of adding a cup of castor sugar to the ingredients I added a cup of salt!
I am still embarrassingly reminded of my blunder, although have never made the same mistake a second time!

Tuesday, 12 April 2011

Umgeni Bird Park visit.

017 Kookooburra
This past Saturday I visited the Umgeni Bird Park with my family. You all know by now that I am very passionate when it comes to animals so I thoroughly enjoyed the visit.
My previous visit was prior to their closing and although it was a lovely outing, as always, it was sad as most of the cages were empty and there was a sense of sadness in the Park.
It was wonderful to be able to see enclosures being cleaned and revamped. I was thrilled to see the birds from before looking preened and beautiful.
We were lucky to be in time to witness the antics of the birds in the show. A duck and some pigeons decided to crash the show. Gus the Hornbill did his own thing and his sister found a crab as prey and paraded up and down in front of the audience. The lady conducting the show explained that it was their natural behaviour to do this. It was pretty amazing to see.

027 hornbill 030 Vulture 039 BP

The last “act” in the show was the vulture. She came to the park after being found poisoned. She doesn’t walk like a vulture should because of the damage to her brain and will not be able to hunt on her own. She therefore can never return to the wild.
After the show I found out that Casper the white owl had found a girlfriend in one of the rescues.

011 Toucan 019 Kingfishers

The flamingos put on a show in their enclosure. They turned their heads from side to side and squawked. This little act is quite funny. It didn’t seem as though they were doing it before we walked passed. I suppose it was our own private show.
All in all it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.
The park is the perfect place to visit for photography and as an outing for the whole family. The entrance prices are extremely reasonable too.

Monday, 11 April 2011

In laws!

 

Here’s some In-law jokes as promised.
Some people are blessed with the most amazing in-laws  - Some of us aren’t!

Its always best to see the humour in it or in-law dearest may just get a boot where the sun don’t shine!Angry old lady

‎​​A married couple was in a terrible accident where the man's face was severely burned. The doctor told the husband that they couldn't graft any skin from his body because he was too skinny.
So the wife offered to donate some of her own skin. However, the only skin on her body that the doctor felt was suitable would have to come from her buttocks. The husband and wife agreed that they would tell no one about
where the skin came from, and they requested that the doctor also honour their secret.
After all, this was a very delicate matter.
After the surgery was completed, everyone was astounded at the man's new
face. He looked more handsome than he ever had before! All his friends and
relatives just went on and on about his youthful beauty!
One day, he was alone with his wife, and he was overcome with emotion at her sacrifice. He said, "Dear, I just want to thank you for everything you did for me. How can I possibly repay you?"
"My darling," she replied,
"I get all the thanks I need every time I see your mother kiss my ass."Winking smile

 

Dear Mother-in-Law
Please don't try to tell me how to raise my kids - I'm married to one of yours and believe me there's room for improvement!
Sincerely
Your Daughter-in-Law

 

motherinlaw

Who ever put these jokes must have had one hell of a mother-in-law!

- Some daughters in law are well trained n well mannered. They don't come to change family, they r there to join the family.
A new wife was being welcomed at the husbands home in a traditional manner.
she gave a speech: "My dear family, I thank u for welcoming me in my new home and family," she said "Firstly, my being here does not mean that I would want to change ur way of life, or routine. No. I will never do that in a million yrs."
Father in law: What do u mean child?
Girl: What I mean is, those who used to do the dishes must carry on washing them
those who did the laundry must continue doing it.
Those who cook shouldn't stop at my account,
and those who clean must carry on cleaning.
Mother in law: Then what r u here for???
Girl: oh for me, my job is to entertain your son! ;)

Daughter-in-laws Rock !!!!

Friday, 08 April 2011

Beauty in the “Beast”

Each of the pets I’ve ever had has their own story.

In this post my aim is to try and dispel some myths and try to turn you over to adopting a pet rather than buying one. To me preventing an animal from ending up in a shelter in the first place is a route that people wanting pets should also think about.

Never just decide that because you’ve heard that a certain breed of dog is dangerous that they actually are.
“So-called” dangerous dogs can come from the worst conditions and still end up being the most loving family pets with a little bit of love.

Our family were blessed to witness a truly beautiful transformation.
rottiesWe brought a Rottie home that had been used in the concrete dam fighting rings. What these dogs endure in their short lives is nothing short of horrific.

To make this gentle soul more vicious and angry, these ‘morons’ would burn him behind the ears with cigarettes and cut his hind legs and testicles with razor blades.

It was hard to look at this poor Rottie and imagine the torture he went through with every fight. His paw pads were raw from having to fight on the rough concrete floor, so walking was difficult. His body was sore from the cutting and completely inhumane ways of the world of dog fighting. Then he had his battle wounds and scars.
We literally rescued him from the euthanasia needle. It was believed that he would be too vicious to be adopted.

We brought him home, nursed his wounds and gave him the love he deserved. Instead of being the monster he was thought to be he became our protector and play mate.

rottie1He would bounce up and down in a playful way, he loved fetching tennis balls, and ensured you were soaked with a good shake after a bath.

My brother was only two when we rescued Turbo. One day while my mom was in the kitchen washing dishes she saw my brother’s head pass the kitchen window. She darted outside when she realised that he was still too short for her to see any part of him through the high window. To her surprise Turbo had decided that he was a good horse.

During his remaining years he became husband to my Dobermann Racy. He also became a father when we rescued his white son, Rocky (a Samoyed).

Turbo lived on to the ripe old age of 12.

I strongly believe that any animal - no matter how abusive their back ground was - will thrive in a loving, affectionate environment.

If you are thinking of adopting, don’t turn away an entire breed, you may be losing out on very special moments…

Thursday, 07 April 2011

Quickie’s

These are a few quick funnies I received by email an BBM and had a giggle at.

imageAn adorable little girl walks into a pet shop and asks in the sweetest little lisp:
“Excuthe me mithter, do you keep widdle wabbits?
the shop keepers heart melts and as he points at a glass case, “Do you want a widdle white wabby or a thoft fuwwy bwack wabby?”
The little girl rocks on her heels, puts her hands on her knees, leans forward and says in a quiet voice, “ I dont fink my pyfon weally gives a phuck!”
BunnyBunnyBunny
BBM’s

Laughing out loudDis oorlog en n man en sy vrou hardloop uit die huis. Sy vrou skreeu: “My vals tande is nog daar binne!”
haar man se “vergeet die tande, hulle gooi bomme, nie toebroodjies nie!”

Angry smilehaveyoueverhadtositanddecipheralongmessagelikethisonewonderingwhyonearththepersoncouldntusepunctuationonlytogettotheendandfindtheresnoanswerandyouarefuming

Eye rolling smilevoel sleg om te vra maarek kan op you staat maak. Gaan sleg finansieel en ons sukkel erg. Bietjie petrol geld nodig. ons moes van dag kar bottel stoor toe stoot!

Sick smileHUSBAND: When I get mad at you you never fight back. How do you control your anger?
WIFE: I clean the toilet
HUSBAND; How does that help?
WIFE; I use your toothbrush!

Laughing out loudCan you believe the things that happen nowadays?
I was sitting in church and this guy lit a cigarette.
I was so shocked I nearly dropped my beer!

why cats hate kids

It began with a little girl and it ends with one…

A fire-fighter was working on the engine outside the Station, when he noticed a
little girl nearby in a little red wagon with little ladders hung off the sides and
a garden hose tightly coiled in the middle.
The girl was wearing a fire-fighter's helmet.
The wagon was being pulled by her dog and her cat.
The fire-fighter walked over to take a closer look.
'That sure is a nice fire truck,' the fire-fighter said with admiration.
'Thanks,' the girl replied. The fire-fighter looked a little closer.  The girl had
tied the wagon to her dog's collar and to the cat's testicles.
'Little partner,' the fire-fighter said, 'I don't want to tell you how to run your
rig, but if you were to tie that rope around the cat's collar, I think you could go
faster. '
The little girl replied thoughtfully, 'You're probably right, but
then I wouldn't have a siren.'

Parents… Think of this before you’re too hard on your kids… Rolling on the floor laughing

Be nice to your kids – they’ll choose your nursing home.

P.S. If you're not up to leaving a comment or you just have nothing to say, please click on one of the reaction boxes :)

In my next funnies post I have some mother-in-law jokes for you...

and please dont steal thats not cool.

Wednesday, 06 April 2011

My Simba Chip Factory Complex.

After reading a post on another blog this week it got me thinking… It was kind of a project to write down exactly what was going through your mind at a given time.

It’s crazy! Do you realise how many thoughts go through my mind at any given moment.
Hell, I can swop from worrying about my kids’ performance at school to what I’m going to be making for dinner. Men would pipe up now “that's a woman for you”.

When I reposted the blog to my pages I typed something about how I was no writer but writing has been healing for me. This got me thinking on a deeper level. Since I was a kid I would write about what was going on - my news - and it brought about my own sense of calm. I wrote letters.

simba_chipsI always wanted to be a pen-pal, but until today I’ve been shamefully teased about “belonging to the Simba Chip Factory”.
I was about nine at the time. No nine year old is going to have a perfect vocabulary. They are still learning, having a 7 and 10 year old of my own, I realise that now. I still won’t profess to be a marvellous writer or any kind of writer at all. I write for me.
Writing is immensely healing for me. I tend to see the bigger picture after writing a long newsy letter to a faithful replier. Technology has been upgraded for my pen pal and me over the past year or so, from hand written letter, to BBM and email. You know what’s strange it works the same. It reaches the recipient faster and you get a reply faster but to me it’s still my own form of healing.
How cool is that? Well I think so.

Just the writing in its own makes me think of new ways of dealing with an issue, my anger or sadness dissipates, and I’m a happier person for it. Then you get an answer from said trusted recipient and it helps you further on your road to recovery… or greatness
Since realising that by writing bits and pieces of my past not only helped me heal, but could possibly also help someone else’s healing I decided to start my own piece of online real-estate.
So here I am rambling on again, some of such ramblings reach an audience greater than one.
I still get nervous before posting and think “am I going to be ripped apart again for belonging to the Simba Chip Factory”, and then I take a deep breath and hit post.

P.S. If you're not up to leaving a comment or you just have nothing to say, please click on one of the reaction boxes :) and please dont steal thats not cool.

clip_image001
Found this while I was browsing.
Couldn't stop myself from sharing.