PROJECT 365: Part 5

This is going to be a short post.  Dangrdafne asked for a week of daily photos from my everyday life, work, home, grocery store... So that's what I'm working on this week.  I gotta warn you though, my life is not exciting....

Anywhoodle on with the show.

Day 31: Museum Workers on Strike

Yep, we're a rowdy bunch.  Well actually I wasn't striking.  The union members who were striking were upset about management restructuring the organisation without proper consultation with staff members.  I'm not sure I agree with them, but whatever rocks their socks, right?  This photo was taken from just outside the museum where I work.  The building which they are striking in front of is out head office and is known as GaMohle (Gha Moh Tle), or 'the beautiful place'.  It used to be a pass office, that is, this is where the dreaded passes were issued and where folk without passes were held.  There are jail cells in the back...

Day 32: Wakita Spur

So my friend Lori has got me on a quesadilla mission. Y'all from the USA are privileged I tell you! Do you know how hard it is to find a place that sells quesidillas over here? Well, it's pretty difficult, let me tell you.  Spur, which is a chain of restaurants over here, is one of the few places where I could find any hint of Mexican food.  Spur is a steak house.  They make the best cheddamelt steaks (steak topped with cheese and a mushroom sauce) and Goodie Burgers (a topped with pineapple, cheese and mushroom sauce).  They also make quesadillas.  And turns out, I quite like quesadillas!

Day 33: Lusito Land 

The 27th of April is a national holiday over here.  27 April 1994 was the day when the first free, democratic elections were held in South Africa, so in my opinion it's a pretty big deal.  My sister and her fiance decided to take me to Lusito Land this year.  Lusito Land is a Portuguese cultural festival, with food, drink and many other stalls.  You can find out more about it here.  There were SO MANY PEOPLE!  On Friday and Saturday night there was live music, so when we left at about 6pm, there were even more people queueing for entrance than when we arrived.  It was hectic.  But I had espetadas for the first time, bought a cool shirt, and a hypnotic device to hang over my bed.

Day 33: Turns out Shilo is solar powered.

Every now and again Shilo goes missing.  Well not really, but generally wherever I am the 2 dogs are.  And every now and again I notice Shilo isn't.  Chances are when this happens, he's lying in the front courtyard catching rays.  See, he's smiling!

Day 34: Laundry Day

Fun times...

So next time I will hopefully have some 'week in the life of Nikki' photos.  Find me on Facebook, I've already posted the first one ;-)

PROJECT 365: Part 4

It's getting chilly this side of the globe.  Snuggly pics including cloudy days, slippers, comfort food and snuggle buddies....

Day 22: Looky, looky! I got Kindle

So my Kindle arrived a lot quicker than I anticipated.  I already have over 30 books on it!  Also, I didn't realise what a crap photo this was until I opened Facebook on my extra large office PC monitor today...

Day 23: Hello there, Kitty

A few years ago, I may have mentioned to my sister that Hello Kitty was cute.  Since then I have been inundated with Hello Kitty products of all kinds!  I'm not gonna complain, but you can almost guarantee there will be more Hello Kitty themed photos this year.

Day 24: True Love

I apologise for the many pet pictures that already are, and will be, featured during this year.  I just think my furbabies are so damn cute!

Day 25: There's a storm brewing

It was a bit disappointing.  But it did rain, and also since then the weather has been extremely snoozy. Grey, drizzly duvet weather, perfect for Kindles, furbabies and hot creamy drinks.

Day 26: Fizzy red juice

I love this stuff.  Over here, it's called Sparberry and is a raspberry flavoured drink.  I think I still love cream soda more but this is really good.  Give me a brightly coloured fizzy drink and I'm happy.  Which reminds me, we seem to be lacking a photo of the bright green cream soda...

Day27: Bonsai

This is my Ficus bonsai, which I got as a birthday present last year from my best friend from school.  I haven't killed it yet, which is amazing.

Day 28: First attempt at traditional mac and cheese

See, in our family 'macaroni cheese' is my mom's personally invented dish and has nothing to do with white sauce.  It seems somewhere in the distant past, my mom and dad were subjected to my Gran's mac and cheese one too many times and they swore off of it.  So my mom came up with her own dish which is delicious.  It's basically layers of macaroni, strong cheddar and blanched, sliced tomatoes with salt, pepper, paprika and herbs.  Everything bakes together to a cheesy mess.  I'll take a photo next time I make that dish ;D  THIS, was my first try at making a saucy mac and cheese.  You know, no microwave meals.  It wasn't bad.




Day 29: The view from mah pillow

Fairy lights and all.  I cannot have a bed with no fairy lights,

Day30: Cloudy day in the city

Seems the weather is settling in for a while. Isn't it interesting how in a built up city you can still find so many colours and textures.

That's it folks.  Lets see what this week brings.

I'm hiding in Facebook so come find me.

PROJECT 365: Part 3

And we continue...

Day 13: Happy Parev Birthday!

It was my sister's birthday on the 7th of April, and this year her birthday fell smack dab in the middle of easter. Or passover. SisHaw has got herself  jewish fiance, and insisted that he be able to eat her birthday cake.  Oh the things I am learning about Judaism.  For example, there is a special kind of kosher for passover.  Apprently that's what the 'parev' is about.  So I made a cake with just eggs and chocolate.  And whippy cream.  It wasn't perfect, but for a first try it sure wasn't bad.  Everyone had 2 slices and it was finished before the evening was out.  It was such a success, I have a feeling this is what SisHaw is making me for my birthday in two weeks time...

Day 14: Purple Pedicure

After a day of birthday festivities, what could be better than a pedicure and movie day?

Day 15: Beautiful skies

Not an unknown phenomenon in sunny South Africa, but the last few weeks have given us deep, crisp blue skies with really pretty, white clouds.

Day 16: Place of work.

Yep, this is where I work.  The home of the president of the old Transvaal Republic, Paul Kruger.  It's a really modest house for a really modest man.  Currently, the exterior of the house is being restored.  If you're interested, go here to find out more.

Day 17: Friendship takes time

In this case, about a year.  This awesome watch was given to me by my friend Lori Otto!  She also sent me an awesome little Fossil bag and a Fossil notebook.  According to the beautiful card she sent along with my presents, they are a thank you for pre-reading her book and generally stalking the shit out of her.  What she doesn't realise is that I LOVE reading her work and it's a priviledge for me to be able to do so.  I also love our nonsense twitter and email convos.  Lori has definitely enriched my life, and as a result I've added Texas to my list of places to visit! Lov ya, Lori! 

Go here to read Lori's blog, or just click on the link on the left. And be sure to listen to the playlist for Lori's first series of books, which can be found on the right!  Can anyone guess why Lori chose THIS watch?

Day 18: Birthday Puppy

On the 12th of April this year, Penny turned one.  I'm very lucky to know the exact birthdates of both my doggies!  I even got to hold Shilo the day he was born (and practically every day after that).  I don't know the cat's birthday's so we celebrate their "gotting-you-day", that is, the day I got them.  I can't believe Penny is only a year old.  It feels like I've had her and been licked by her and had my head stood on by her FOREVER!  But she's a love, and I'm very glad I decided to get her for Shilo ;D

Day 19: Hunger Games Day!

FINALLY! The Hunger Games was only released in South Africa on the 13th! And I made sure my sister and her fiance took me that very day. Loved it!  And I am really enjoying the soundtrack too.

Day 20: iPod update

I have been very remiss in updating my dear, dear iPod.  I keep buying music and meaning to add it but I just never seem to get around to it.  Hence the 6 cd's, 5 digital albums, several singles and one half of an audio book that needed to be added to my iTunes library.  And with the terminal slowness of my laptop this is an arduous task.  BUT I have some great new music, including Brothers by The Black Keys, the latest Man Man album (thanks Jenny Jerkface), and the Hunger Games soundtrack and score.  I still have more albums to download but I'll do that at work where I don't have to pay for the internet.  That's why we have jobs, right?  I may have to do a post on the awesomeness of these albums.

Funny thing, when I posted this photo, Facebook wanted me to tag the faces on the cd's with a 'tag your friends' instruction.  That's right Facebook.  I'm real good friends with Glen Miller, Shirley Bassey, Florence Welch and Bryan Ferry...




Day 21: Evening Highway

Driving home with my Dad.  Highways always look so pretty at night with all the lights.


Another week done.  Find me on Facebook if you can.  I dare ya!

365 Photo Project: part 2

Here's the next installment of photos.  Not terribly exciting as there's not much new stuff to see when you're on sick leave.  Still, I managed to take a photo everyday.

Day 4: Backyard

My backyard at sunset. I'm lucky to live outside the city.

Day 5: Nightlight

My ceramic bedside light

Day 6: After the storm.

We've had a lot of storms which makes the mornings so fresh!

Day 7: Bathtime.

No explanation necessary, right?

Day 8: Tracker Jacker

The drama of the week.  I got stung by one of these!

Day 9: One route home

I have two or three main ways that I drive home from work. This is the one with the waterfall.

Day 10: Tracker Jacker Welts

Twas sore!

Day 11: Sam

Meet Sam, the head of the herd. She's a bitch but I love her.

Day 12: Baking

Made a flourless cake... it should taste okay.....

And that's it for this week! You can see the daily updates on my Facebook page. Go look for me, I'm easy to find ;D