So February saw us all trooping out to Beluga, a lovely restaurant in the heart of Greenpoint. This is Jacky's stomping ground and her choice of venue.


Once again not in the mood for writing, I am cribbing Sandy's notes for our blogsite.

A large portion of our discussions centred once again around our year end trip. Charmaine began telling us a story that may or may not have been about Montague, but we lost track.

Sandy suggested a visit to banana country, Tash wanted to go skiiing in Tiffendal (costs girls?), Jayni suggested a holiday house belonging to a client of hers, in Plett/Knysna. Sounds great but we need more than a weekend for something like that.

It was at this point that Jayni turned bossy and started shouting at us to keep quiet, jeepers, things began to become stressful.


She then suggested 7 days on horseback to Hermanus. Good grief, can you imagine?

Kerry murmured something about Avalon???





















I would have loved to go hot air ballooning, but this is very costly, and as an alternative suggested a weekend stint on the river, like the guys did last year.

Jo just wants to go back on board, on the Simphonia - maybe not quite yet?

At this point Sandy goes off track in her notes as she notices the size of our waiter's hands and feet. We must find a gorgeous man not requiring socially adequate manners from the women he is ....with, for her, before things turn ugly.



Jo then suggested Sun City again - we would all love to go there. As it is at least two of us are going at the end of the year anyway.

Safari on horse-back was shot down again, what a pity, I mean how badly can Jax hurt herself falling off a horse?

She wanted to know if we can't do the safari in a van, like normal people - LOKL!

Charms suggested that she would rather ride Dumbo the elephant through the wild, than be lion meat - hehe - what is she smoking one wonders?

And so went another bookless book club meeting, what can I say, never a dull moment.

meeting adjourned 22h05.

Moya on The Bay, Jan 2010

Our Jan meeting was a bit late in the month due to many being unable to attend on the usual date. Charmaine chose the beautiful ethnic Moyo, based at Eden on the Bay in Big Bay. It is a stunning setting on the beachfront, with a large patio encompassing a long pool in which tables and benches are set. People can dangle their feet in the water while sipping on cocktails and watching the sun go down in typical Cape Town style.

Once we had all been seated we welcomed our honorary guest for the month, Andrew, all the way from the UK. He was reasonably quiet and, I think, possibly a little overwhelmed by being faced with 8 women (Jax was unfortunately not there) all trying to speak at once.

The following notes were made by Sandy, as I decided I was on strike that particular evening. I think we all had a good laugh, and so I decided to put them on the blog as is. Here goes...

Book Club will be the first Thursday ON or AFTER the 25th of each month - NO EXCUSES.

20h30 - Charmaine veers way off the topic before we've even started with book club discussions.....

Lisa's been told by Timmy that she has all of 15 cents to spend on her book club trip this year, so we are not sure where she will be going??.......;-) Seems here chances of joining us all in a trans-Atlantic crossing is out. LOL!

20h40 - Charmaine i soff on a different tangent to the rest of us again. Apparently here family doesn't appreciate her cooking skills.... So she's decided she's on strike and is refusing to cook another meal.

(Where is the darn food! The wine is going down far too well! :-)

Rules:

What goes on tour/stays on tour.

You require the "appletizer" can in order to speak/hold the soapbox position.

Ideas for year end trip: (by our next meeting all bookies are to come with their ideas and pricing... or else be subjected to a big forfeit)

Tash: Tiffendell skiiing trip

Joanita: Mozambique? and local "trip-pi" (ie small trip) mid-year

Jayni: R22mil house in Knysna

Other: Bucket list - start with list and plan a trip around each item on the list

Sandy: 3 day Durban trip: 1 day U'Shaka & beach, followed by clubbing at night, 1 day trip to game farm, followed by clubbing at night (chauffered by cute guide)...

Other items discussed

Illegal fundraising for trip

Start a cc/company and fundraise legally

Beg on the street with tins - Charmaine's idea (no-one else was really keen on this one...)

Take kids out one weekend for lunch/picnic and let them know that they have been officially invited/included by book club, but that no quad biking will take place (as much as they'd all love that!)

21h45-ish...the food finally arrives! thank goodness I had a HUGE lunch or else my fellow bookies woulda been in danger! ; -)

Observations in Observatory

For the month of October the Princesses decided to venture into the Southern Suburbs and ended up in Observatory eating at a quaint little restaurant called Panchos. It is very popular and full to capacity most evenings.

I can see why! The food was outstanding, not to mention the lively atmosphere and interesting decor.

I was the first to arrive and was shown my way to a table set up against the windows looking out onto the very busy Lower Main Rd.


Being as observant as I am, I was most startled when hand grabbed me by my shoulder from behind as I sat day-dreaming, waiting for my lost bookmates. It was Jax, out on the pavement, clearly excited for the festivities to begin.

(Jacky and I have decided that city life is a thing of the past and are most keen to venture into pig farming as a source of income, but that's another story, and perhaps another life time.)


And so my mates began arriving. Designated-driver Sands arrived looking cool, calm and collected with her charges all looking slightly bemused. (I hear Sandy has a rather heavy foot?)

Of course Jo was true to form and made a grand entrance 40 minutes or so later than the rest of us. But she assured us that this time she knew exactly what she wanted. Phew, her orders can be alarming at the best of times!

Somebody suggested that we order a jug of Margeurita, just to get started.

Well, the stuff tastes like cooldrink, let me tell you, it seemed like such a good idea at the time. Funny how these good ideas look so different the next morning. Again, another story for another time. Jayni elected to drink hers through three straws, feeling that this would somehow lower the alcohol intake of the beverage. Still trying to figure that one out!

So we got stuck in. Our excitement levels have now reached fever pitch as this is our last meeting before we embark on our quad bike trip.

We have decided that we require a pre-weekend away meeting to discuss important things like what to wear, drink and take with to eat. I believe Woolies will be sponsoring some of our meatier snacks?

At various stages of the evening a number of glasses of Marguerita were knocked over, and I think the wheels started to come off when it was suggested that we take false teeth along on our trip, in order to scare the living daylights out of our guides when it gets dark. I am not sure who is meant to be scaring whom, but some of the booklets started making little yelpy noises about the dark etc, etc. We discussed the possibility of hillbillies who eat each other living in the vicinity, the yelping got louder and the subject was changed. We also wondered if there were proper toilets or pits, like in the real wild. I suggested that we nominate toilet buddies, so as to protect each other while in our most vulnerable moments. This is still to be discussed.

Kerry, please remember to find out about the other guests expected at Houw Hoek that Saturday evening, ie age, marital status and shoe size! (Jokes hey, for the hubbies possibly reading this.)

Ladies Bite at Col Cacchio

September 28, 19h00, place, Col Cacchio Big Bay. Ladies Bite, little surprise parcels wrapped in gauze and tied with pink ribbon. Facials and manicures, cute waiters, Amarula and sparkling wine. These are some of the items making up our ladies night out on a balmy Monday evening.

Big on the agenda now is our pending trip to ..., well who knows, all I know is we get there via quad bike. Are there showers? Who is going to carry our luggage? Snakes...??? I have prepped my camera in anticipation of some wonderful photo ops that are sure to present themselves.

A night to remember

A while ago I mentioned that my 40th birthday was looming and I had planned a birthday bash worthy of a 40th. It was my intention to make it a night to remember, as there is little chance of my having another party like that. Well, it appears that hubby and the other 8 princesses had something similar in mind.
The venue looked lovely. Fairy lights were dotted around the inside of what were once stables housing horses,turning the lovely rustic area into a fairy tale wonderland. The tables looked beautiful and the sherry fountain made a welcoming entry aperatif.

Imagine my surprise when the projector came out and photographs of my life over the past years were splashed larger than life onto a wall for all to see. Apparently this afforded much amusement, from the giggles and laughter coming forth from my friends. Then there was a presentation, during which hubby decided to enlighten these people as to what I got up to in my youth, including a highly embaressing modelling career. Suffice it to say that I am now known as Miss PE.

I had been placed on a chair in the middle of the room right at the front to watch the presentation. I was then told that the princesses had something to say.

Funny enough I had wondered momentarily right at the start of the evening how it was that they all dressed so similarily, but I was easily distracted, understandably, and did not give it much thought.

Then I heard it, the music that sounded so familiar. Imagine my surprise and amazement as my 8 friends danced onto centre stage (OK, floor) and began performing an entire sonnet written by the princesses themselves, and performed to Abba's Mama Mia. They had all draped themselves in white feather boas, and were the ultimate professionals. Apparently they had been practising for 6 weeks already prior to the party, and had managed to keep it a secret all that time.

It is not often that I am speechless, but this was one occasion where words are not enough. How incredibly blessed am I to have friends like these. They were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, and guess what, my 40th birthday party was a night I will never forget.

To all of you, and my dear hubby, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you. xxx

Bookies in their 40s

It was with trepidation that I approached book club this week. But before I go there I must mention that I am reaching my 40th birthday milestone this weekend. Much preparation has gone into organising a bash to be held at a lovely venue called Mountain View Farm. The venue was originally used as stables and these have been converted into a lovely bar and dance area.

I have mixed feelings about turning 40. On one side I know that I have acquired a confidence and "don't care much what you think of me" attitude that is scarce in younger people. I am reasonably financially stable and have achieved most of what I wanted to by this stage of my life. On the other hand this is pretty much half way, is it all downhill from here?

Somehow I don't think so. I sat observing my beautiful friends at book club, a number of whom have already passed this esteemed landmark, and I see a group of women who know who they are, what they want and how to get it. I think it is a good place to be.

But I digress, we had an agenda last night. One of our close male friends has a girlfriend, Arlene. They have been seeing each other for some time now and it is becoming awkward that she is not in our little book club.

I need to explain at this point, for those who have not already picked it up, we are not really a book club. No, really, you can stop laughing now. I mean, some of us read for sure, (no, really, stop laughing!!) but what we are is more of a "support from your friends and having a good time while doing it" club. We have known each other for a long time. We confide in each other, we lean on each other and we know that we can trust each other.

We all like what we know of Arlene, but nobody has really gotten to know her very well, so what will a new addition to the club do to the dynamics of what is a very special and rare friendship among 9 women? Sure, we would have an even number. Also we would not have to feel awkward at braais when we want to talk about book club.

It was suggested that we initiate her by stringing her up by her ankles and then each take a turn to slap her on the backside as we walk past her in turn. But we soon realized that a case of abuse lodged against the book club may not do much for our image, so we decide against that.

We agreed that Arlene should join us on our November quad bike trip, and take it from there. Unusually for us we were unable to come to agreement about pretty much anything, however for once the bill worked out perfectly. Go figure!

We ate at Primi Wharf at the V&A Waterfront, a popular and trendy spot it seems, albeit a little noisy for a discussion as delicate as the one on our agenda. Once again we tried to formulate a few rules to guide us in situations that require serious debate, and came up with the following:

1. What happens at book club stays at book club (excludes Blog of course)
2. We watch each others backs ie, we can rag each other but we must pound anyone saying anything negative about any one of us.
3. Be honest, even if it is difficult
4. Be free to discuss anything within the group, safe in the knowledge that it will never get out

Not too bad for starters. We are all very protective and possessive over what we have, and I think knowing I have this support I can face my 40th birthday with absolute calm and even excitement.

Thank you ladies - can't wait for Saturday.

Tong Lok, Parklands

Bookclub ran late for the month of June, and we only got together on 1 July. We met up at Tong Lok in Parklands, our second venture there for some of us, to make the most of their Sushi half price Wednesday special.

To be honest I went there feeling quite miserable and convinced that the whole world is out to get me. On arrival I was asked if I was joining “Kelly table” – I must have looked confused until somebody else clarified, er, Kerry. Ah, Inge aka Pam, yes, that was the one.

I thought that our reputation had preceded us, as I was led to the back of the restaurant away from the other diners into a private room. How exciting, we had a whole room filled with Chinese porcelain treasures all to ourselves. We could do whatever we liked without the customary dirty looks to which we have become accustomed. Turns out our esteemed chair lady organised the room for us on arrival when she realized where we were sitting. Well done Mel!

Our poor waiter spent the next hour trying to urge us to order something to eat other than our liquid refreshments. How are 9 women supposed to make decisions under circumstances like this? As it is Sandy and Jax did not arrive, causing much consternation as we had all arrived with birthday gifts and clothes to donate to the needy. We must have all looked like we were all leaving home.
Eventually we ordered and received our Sushi starters, a new experience for some. At one stage Jo became so excited her nose started running, she was so embarrassed to be trying to blow her nose in front of everyone, and got up to do so quietly in the corner, as you will see by the relating pic of her leaning over the very expensive Ming vase. Hope she enjoyed her Nigiri snot ball!


As so very often happens the conversation steered all over the place, including our loving children and their very honest observations of our ageing process. (I have been seriously contemplating banning all mirrors in our household for some time now, the only deterrent being how to apply mascara without stabbing yourself in the eye.)

Jayni’s son very kindly pointed out that she is beginning to cultivate something resembling a moustache. As it turns out most of us have secretly been waxing for some time now. This of course led to a debate of whether to wax or shave. I won’t go any further because this could become graphic. I will just say that Jo needs to report back on how it works out with the cookie cutter. Charms, how is it going with Fagena?

We discussed Michael Jackson, Joost and Hansie – pretty much coming to the conclusion that where there is smoke, there’s fire.

My foul mood dissipated fast. What with Ke confusing the fish tank with a karaoke machine (no, I have still not figured that one out), Tashie helping me out with the strange looking food on the menu, Jayni’s special beef with lettuce leaf we laughed and laughed, again. I think a book or two were actually mentioned this time too, I’m proud of you girls.

Lastly, the good news is that we have finally planned our weekend away for this year. We are going for an overnight quad biking trip in Grabouw, followed by dinner and some relaxation at the Houw Hoek Inn. I believe that some of the more disgruntled hubbies are worried about our being led astray by errant, muscle-bound tour guides - (we should be so lucky?).

Till next time – love you lots.