It's my blog's first Christmas!

I don't do presents at Christmas so a lot of people assume that means I'm a bit of a Scrooge about the whole season.

But they couldn't be more wrong.

Christmas for me is all about time spent with family and friends I love to pieces. I've been feeling pretty nostalgic this December and put my tree up on the 1^st when usually I put it up when I finish teaching round about the 18^th or 19^th.

My lovely friend Chantal and I had a mini tree decorating party. Just her and me. The festivities involved:

good food
Christmasish music
quite a bit of mulled wine
and the inevitable set of lights which didn't work,

The result was this shining example of a Christmas tree you see before you.

It's always a fake tree because being South African I don't know any other kind.

My strongest childhood memories are of lengthy journeys in our Hillman (later a bright yellow VW Beetle) to friends and family on Christmas Day. Until we moved into our house in Fleurhof when I was about 12, we lived in a tiny one bedroom council flat so Christmas never came to us. We always went to it.

The 2 or 3 days before would see my mother preparing an assortment of goodies. She always said that at Christmas and on birthdays one was allowed all their favourite foods so that was what she cooked. This made for an eclectic Christmas table as the dishes ranged from things like Koeksisters to Prawn curry.

My father served as entertainment on the journey to where ever it was we were spending Christmas that year. This was for two reasons:

he had an exceptional singing voice
for many years the cars we owned did not have radios.

The journey gave my mother and I the opportunity to put in a musical request list: anything by Elvis, Johnny Mathis – A Child is Born, Tom Jones – The Green Green Grass of Home, and many many more.

Some journeys lasted 2 hours so that involved a bit of Padkos along the way too. That was mum's job but it was important not to fill us up before the main Christmas fill up began when we got to our destination. So we had mini meatballs or a Vetkoek with some mince. For longer journeys she broke out the Samosas and chicken drumsticks.

And when we got to our destination there was the joy of hugging friends or family, talking over each other, table setting, laughter, music, eating, getting my first taste of Amarula, playing card games or Scrabble, dancing Langarm if there was enough room and so much more.

Finally, around 11pm we would start packing the car for the return journey. Our hostess would hand over the obligatory Padkos even though we were filled to the brim. Mum and dad would chat about the day and things that had made us laugh or cry. I would fall asleep on the back seat with a multitude of delicious food smells emanating from the foil wrapped leftovers.

I'm sure some of these Christmases also had their fair share of family conflict as often comes with the festive season. But I cannot remember any of this.

And that is testament to the effort made by my parents I'm sure.

Neither one of them is with me in body any more but the Christmas spirit they instilled in me is still going strong.

So to all my followers:

MAY THIS CHRISTMAS BE FULL OF JOY, LOVE, LAUGHTER AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.

Faetaera: A Triumvirate

A Triumvirate Brairton’s minions slipped through a barely noticeable fissure. The tear would close shortly. Despite the increase in their regularity the breaches rarely stayed open very long. To the three insidious spies, the stink of the new world was almost unbearable. But in time the triumvirate would each become so used to it they would scarcely notice it at all. That it poisoned them they did not know. Brairton was not in the habit of informing his operatives of fatal consequences. Their programming precluded any thought beyond the mission they must complete. In this Brairton had been exact and had performed the necessary rituals himself. Each had their mission branded into their being. They would travel together for some time but then slip off to their secret destinations one by one, never to see each other again. The threesome latched on to their individual targets and began their particular brand of individual mis...

#Review: A Storm of Swords II

A Storm of Swords II by George R R Martin After starting on the set in September last year, I’m getting through the Game of Thrones series at quite a clip now. This is no doubt due to their intriguing nature and Martin’s writing style which makes reading this collection of books so easy. So far, my favourite character in every one of the books in this series is Tyrion Lannister. I find myself rooting for him at every step on his life journey. He works so hard to be a better man despite people’s preconceptions. When he was made The Hand in the previous book I was not at all surprised that he did a good job of it. Tyrion reminds me of some of the talented yet underrated children I’ve taught in the past. Once they were given a task which excited and involved them they relished the challenge and surpassed all expectations. Unlike my students though, Tyrion receives no praise for his efforts and achievements. Perhaps I like him so much because he almost always has his now...

Faetaera: Through The Rabbit Hole

Larell’s heart was full to the brim. His audience with Aurelia had been unexpected and full of wonder. He was not surprised she was aware of his plans to send a force through to the other side. Aurelia always knew everything going on in her world. At times he thought he saw the weight of it bearing down upon her. Then he wished to take her in his arms and carry her as well as the burdens she bore. But of course he would never do this, merely imagine it. It made him love her all the more. She thought he did not know how she came by her information and he planned on keeping it that way. It was the only way he knew to express his love for her without feeling foolish. In the crystal lined chamber he felt her load more palpably than usual. He knew it was simply his foolish love-sickness for his Queen but he let the feeling soak through him regardless. Aurelia's lips twitched briefly as though she was...

Rae of Light

Search This Blog