Positive Parenting: Saying Yes!

Since having my two boys, I have found myself becoming an advocate (in my own home and Social Media pages at least) of 'Positive Parenting'. Being that style of parenting that tries to focus on gentle guidance rather than punishment and critique.

Easy it certainly is not, but then no parenting - whatever your style, is. I've decided that my blog is another place, aside from my own home, that I can increase my advocacy so here's a light little starter post.

South African Ways: Things That Will Never Leave Me

I lived in South Africa for almost seven years and it probably wouldn't surprise you to know that it has kind of rubbed off on me.

Which makes it sound like a hairy dog that just brushed passed my leg and coated me with dog hairs, but the 'rub off' is actually a whole lot more pleasant than that.

Here, in no particular order, are a list of things that South Africa has given me that I will never lose. No matter where I am or what I am doing, I cannot see any of these not being a part of my life forever more.

Falling in Love Again: Happy Valentines

I’ve just fallen in love. Really hard and so deeply and truly, it takes my breath away.

Settling In

Howzit all! (Like I have so many readers ...).

Another quick post done on my phone, to let you know that we are settling in nicely in the U.K. Actually been here one month today, which has flown by.

Yes, it's a bit colder than Africa but you know what? We've had blue sky and sun for over a week now so I have high hopes for Summer. Even unpacked my flip-flops, oh yes.

We Made It!

Guess what, guess what? We have made it to the U.K. guys! And yes, It's frikkin freezing. Which I've written and told people so often, my phone now pre-empts 'frikkin freezing' when I type.

We have lots to organise, not least schools, jobs and home, but once we're settled properly I shall be blogging properly again. Woo hoo!

Back soon! xx

Interesting Facts: Well I Never No. 9

Three Cool, Useful or Otherwise Interesting Things I Didn't Know a Month (or so ...) Ago.

Look what I learnt recently!

1. We Go Wrinkly When We're Wet for a Reason

Via: www.gettyimages.com

You know you've been in the bath too long when your fingers start pruning, but it's not just a sign that it's time to get out. Back in our more hunter gatherer days, we were barefoot and we had many a terrain and weather condition to contend with in our nearly 100% outdoor lives. Now imagine it's peeing it down and you're trying to scale a rock face to get a clearer view of that wildebeest you intend on having for dinner. Or you're walking through wetlands, foraging and trying to pick up wet things. As we get wetter, our wrinkly fingers and feet work like tyre tread to give us better grip in wet conditions. Why haven't we evolved this away? Because we're generally a quite clean species, and we like like to get wet on a regular basis. Our bodies don't know that we're just having a shower, and not trying to scale a waterfall.

Spring is Coming!

My favourite time of year, my favourite time of year … doo doo doo, tra la la, Spring is coming guys.

WARNING: Fully expect now a cheesy post about Spring. Those of you about to enter Autumn, I apologise in advance because ... SPRING IS COMING!!!

The coming of Spring in South Africa is so frikkin tangible, I can feel it with all of my senses. And today is September the 1st, considered here the first day of Spring.

Winter is dry, dry, dry. Everywhere you look outside, you can see

yellow and brown. Even the trees with some green left on them have a yellowed tinge to them and the ground is dusty and cracking.

Dear Readers (dramatic pause) I AM BACK!

Hello! *waves frantically* Anyone there? Gee, there's cobwebs everywhere and look at the dust...

Not as Excited as Me. *

I've been without a computer (other than my teeny, but awesome phone) since February and you won't believe how excited I am to be sitting in front of my (secondhand) new one now, typing with all of my fingers on an actual real keyboard!! Which makes me sound a bit archaic, I know - I should be blogging from my tab, no? But then I don't have one of those either so you can see why ANYTHING other than typing with my thumbs while squinting at a teeny tiny screen would be welcome.

Who knew I would miss the blogging world so much? Oh ... okay, I knew. Anyone that knows me could have figured it out too but yoh, it feels good to be back!

And after months away, you'd think I'd be bursting with post ideas, have notebooks full of notes and drafts huh? But it surprised me how much it effected me, knowing that I couldn't actually POST anything. I stopped wanting to write anything, went into a writing lull if you will. In fact, when I first sat down this morning I couldn't think what to say at all!

WeezaFish 2013: A Photo Review

Guys, I swear to you I have been sat here for the last hour deliberating over this post. Okay, to be fair I 'killed time' in between deliberating by catching up on some blog reading and Twittering a bit also. BUT STILL!

Isn't it the done thing? Doesn't EVERY SINGLE BLOGGER IN THE WORLD write a end of year review post? No?

I'm such a stubborn so-and-so. As soon as I felt I really should write a '2013 in Review' blog post, I of course didn't want to.

I convinced myself that I hadn't done enough post writing to MAKE a year review. Can you imagine? "So january we, er ... didn't seem to do that much ... MARCH there was a Birthday! April, May ...no, June the dog got sick"

But guess what? I almost managed to post once every month last year so that excuse wasn't going to work.

I sat down and imagined pretended that by saying 'NO!' to the Review Post I would be released instead to write other posts. Of great interest, importance and OMG-this-girl's-so-funny humour.

Then I chastised myself for acting like a kid with three hours Maths homework to do and came up with this brilliant (and very lazy) idea to use photo's. Please understand, the time I have just saved myself (and you dear readers) will allow us ALL to do much, much, MUCH more exciting and valid things.

Ta-ta, Tata Mandela

('Ta-ta' in some dialects of English is an informal and friendly 'Goodbye'. 'Tata' is the isiXhosa word for 'Father')

You've heard, right?

One of my heroes passed away just recently. He was, of course, many MANY people's hero so at least I need never feel alone in my sadness.

South Africa, for the last week or so has been an understandably emotional place to be. There's been moments of great celebration and moments of great sadness. And the warmth and love of all the other people around the world who are sharing South Africa's sense of loss is tangible and comforting.

And for the most part, South Africans are united in their sadness at Madibas passing and keen to continue in his stead and with his example as their guide. The Head of opposition party the Democratic Alliance put it so simply:

“He has handed the baton to us and we dare not drop it"