I love playing boardgames. I love the whole group gaming experience thing, despite being useless at strategy. As a child, I played Monopoly and Cluedo till even I was bored by them. As an adult, I've found it's rare to find a game that I really love - either they're too complicated, or too infantile, or just too embarrassing (and here I'm thinking of any game hat requires me to draw or act!).
And there's Catan. Aaaahhh!! What a brilliant game.
It requires a little bit of strategy, but because randomness is built into the game, even someone like me has a chance against those who have far greater skill (and here I'm thinking of those who like to play Age of Empires, or D&D, or the like, where strategy is EVERYTHING). The best part about it though, is that you can play an entire game in an hour. Perfect! Time is a precious commodity, and when you only get to start playing after the kids are in bed, and if you want to go to bed at a reasonable hour yourself (because you know those little mites will be up before the crack of dawn), then this is just what you need.
Last night, though, we were introduced to an extension game for Catan - Seafarers. Just when I thought Catan was perfect, I discover there's something even better! I've heard (from others) that some of the other extension packs aren't great - that they make the game long-winded - which is why I have avoided them. Then a friend raved about Seafarers, so we thought we'd give it a go. I'm so glad we did!
So - if you're looking for a good game for the holidays, that the whole family can play, that doesn't go on forever (like most), and that isn't one-sided (as only Monopoly can be!), then do yourself a favour and buy Catan. Learn it, and then buy the Seafarers extension pack! It will be the best value for money you've had in ages!
Friday, June 29, 2012
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Freak out
On Friday we had a rare night out sans kids, with a regte, egte babysitter. We went dancing! The fact that it happened to be a matrix dance it's besides the point, really. And what a blast we had!!!! It was the perfect way to end off the term and let our hair down. I think we both needed the relaxation and destressing. Although me feet took a hammering, my soul was energised and my spirits lifted.
However, at one point, I did kind of have a bit if a freak out. I was during watching these matric girls, dressed to kill with cleavage and bare backs all on display, flirting with their partners, and to some extent with each other, relatively (but not completely) unaware of just what message they were giving off.
Then it hit me: in a few short years, that will be my little girl, flashing her gorgeous body around for all the boys to see, behaving coquettishly, yada yada. I nearly ran home there and then to put a lock on her door.
She will go to a school that one of us works at so that we can attend her dance to ensure she behaves herself, and there will be no after party. Her dress will be designed by moi, and there will be no display of flesh, anywhere. She will never date, and her brother will be her partner for the night. Any boy showing any interest in her will be shot. She will never be allowed out of the house....
*DEEP breath*
Ok, maybe that's an over-reaction, but I did totally freak out, just for a few minutes. I was suddenly acutely aware of the dangers that lie ahead for her, particularly because she isn't fully aware of just how gorgeous she is.
But, I guess that's why it's a good thing we get to watch her grow up slowly, and grow with her. Hopefully, by then, she will have a mature spirit, one that is sensible, responsible, and trusting of her parents' guidance and wisdom. I know I can't protect her forever, and that the best protection I can give her us to teach her how to behave and care for herself, and then to entrust her into God's care.
Sjoe!!! This parenting thing is hectic!!!
Saturday, June 23, 2012
9 little monkeys, jumping on the bed...
#2 turned 3 two weeks ago, but we only had his party with school friends today. He asked for a Curious George theme.
Apart from making their own "George" masks (with prizes awarded for best mask), we acted out the monkey song, with 9 little monkeys jumping on the 'bed', while Mommy ran around and caught one of the monkeys in lieu of them 'falling off', and then they yelled the last line: "NO MORE MONKEYS JUMPING ON THE BED". Great fun!
Of course, no impromptu game is without its mishaps. Ours included monkeys crawling off the 'bed' by themselves, monkeys crawling back onto the 'bed' by themselves, and ... HORRORS! ... the dog leaving a fresh present for us, that the 2 of the monkeys then walked through and carried back onto the 'bed' with them. YUCK! A quick bit of hosepipe action called for, on shoes and trampoline alike, while the monkeys were quickly hoisted to safety and the distraction of pass-the-parcel and cake!
This was my first EVER attempt at working with sugar paste/ gum paste/ sugar dough. Lessons learnt, definitely, but I'm pretty chuffed, actually, at how it turned out. I had to settle for something less fancy than I wanted, but I still think it's a cute cake.
#1 was upset that we didn't get to play the last game of 'pin the yellow hat onto George", because the monkeys got distracted by riding of scooters/ bikes on the driveway after cake. So, after everyone else left, we got to play a little game on our own - still lots of fun! PLUS, this is one game we can keep on playing for a while now, as we've got the poster and yellow hat all set up. Bonus!
As usual, Monkey was spoilt rotten and got lots of FABULOUS presents! I don't think there was a single present this year that I felt was either inappropriate. I just know he's going to love playing with them all. He got a scooter, several items of clothing (his current favourite of which is a blue zip-up hoodie with pockets), a rocket, a soccer ball and goals, LOTS of car/ truck items (one including a felt town background to drive them around on), several Lego "sets"/ items, a dinosaur set (with a Triassic era background to place them on), books, playdough, a hockey stick and ball, and lots of sweets! (And I'm sure I've forgotten something....) He is thoroughly spoilt, and we are so grateful to everyone for their gifts, which have (and will continue to) enrich his life over the coming months.
All round, a very successful afternoon, and well worth the hours and hours of effort to get everything set up for it.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
My father's (grand)child
OK, from my last post, you know how much I adore my father, and how amazing he is. Well, blow me down with a feather if my daughter didn't prove that his blood flows in her veins tonight!
Chatting over supper, #1 informs us that the toilet broke again this afternoon. It's been doing that for a while now. It really needs a new flushing mechanism, but we just keep fixing it with various bits of McGyvering (I am my father's child, after all, and one of the lessons I've learnt well is that "... 'n boer maak 'n plan"). Why spend money when you don't need to, right?
Anyway, #1 then proceeds to tell us that SHE FIXED THE TOILET!
After we picked our jaws up off the table, we asked her how. Oh, says she, all so blithely, I took the lid off the toilet, and I saw the white thingy wasn't attached to the black thingy anymore, so I twisted it around a bit until I could push the black thingy [we clearly need to work on her vocabulary] back through the white thingy. I put the lid back on and then it flushed again.
Now I swear I haven't shown her how to do that, nor has DH. So she figured this out all by herself.
She definitely has my father's blood in her veins. My McGyvering daughter! Who would have thought?! I am one pretty proud mama right now!
Chatting over supper, #1 informs us that the toilet broke again this afternoon. It's been doing that for a while now. It really needs a new flushing mechanism, but we just keep fixing it with various bits of McGyvering (I am my father's child, after all, and one of the lessons I've learnt well is that "... 'n boer maak 'n plan"). Why spend money when you don't need to, right?
Anyway, #1 then proceeds to tell us that SHE FIXED THE TOILET!
After we picked our jaws up off the table, we asked her how. Oh, says she, all so blithely, I took the lid off the toilet, and I saw the white thingy wasn't attached to the black thingy anymore, so I twisted it around a bit until I could push the black thingy [we clearly need to work on her vocabulary] back through the white thingy. I put the lid back on and then it flushed again.
Now I swear I haven't shown her how to do that, nor has DH. So she figured this out all by herself.
She definitely has my father's blood in her veins. My McGyvering daughter! Who would have thought?! I am one pretty proud mama right now!
Sunday, June 17, 2012
A man for all seasons
June is definitely a month of remembrances for me! A week ago it was my son's birthday. This week it is my father's, and in between is Father's Day.
I know that all (okay, maybe not all, but let's go with the generalisation anyway) little girls think their dad is the best, but mine really is. The longer I'm a parent, the more I appreciate what an incredible father my own dad is. I know he would disagree. He often thinks he was/ is a failure as a parent. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's just that his standards for parenting are utter perfection - and if that were the standard, then no-one would ever make it.
My dad can make ANYTHING from ANYTHING. He's a real, living, breathing McGyver, except 100x better. He loves science, and particularly astronomy. He is brilliant at maths (especially calculus, which I abhor - AND he can work out logs in his head!). He enjoys soccer, cricket and rugby, but not half as much as he does athletics and gymnastics. (He was nearly a Springbok gymnast in his day.) He ran goodness knows how many Comrades and Two Oceans. He sails. He loves the rain, and a damp, lush garden. He loves jazz. He could spend days reading (science fiction or mysteries) if there weren't so many things to do around the house, or if there wasn't work to do. His general knowledge is phenomenal. The only things he can't do, are cook and sew.
My dad has a capacity for love that continues to astound me. He has learnt that people are more important than things, and over the years, "things" have lost their value for him. (Not to say that he doesn't appreciate the finer things in life, just that they're not as important to him as they were 3 decades ago.) He adores his kids, including his adopted ones, and he adores his grandchildren.
But to me, the most important thing about my dad, is that he never, ever gives up. Ever. He has faced life threatening situations in more ways than I care to remember - whether physically threatening, or financially, or emotionally. Yet, every time (after a period of deep sadness and maybe depression), he eventually picks himself up and carries on. He finds a way to go on living. He makes a plan. He's like a cat with 9 lives. Just when you're sure that this must be the end, he re-invents himself, re-imagines his life, and finds a new direction for himself.
If I was ever in a tight spot, he's the man I want in my corner. He believes in me, and supports me, and cheers me on. Everyone needs someone like that, fighting on their side. My dad's one of those I know I can rely on, no matter what. Even when I have stuffed up completely, he's there for me. Always.
Just by being who he is, my dad has taught me so much. He's taught me that:
I love you, Dad. You are awesome. Never under-estimate how incredible you are. I hope and pray that we have many more years together, so that my children can get to know the amazing man you are, and love you as much as I do, so that your legacy of wisdom and hope and love can continue for generations yet to come. Happy Father's Day, and happy birthday!
I know that all (okay, maybe not all, but let's go with the generalisation anyway) little girls think their dad is the best, but mine really is. The longer I'm a parent, the more I appreciate what an incredible father my own dad is. I know he would disagree. He often thinks he was/ is a failure as a parent. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's just that his standards for parenting are utter perfection - and if that were the standard, then no-one would ever make it.
My dad can make ANYTHING from ANYTHING. He's a real, living, breathing McGyver, except 100x better. He loves science, and particularly astronomy. He is brilliant at maths (especially calculus, which I abhor - AND he can work out logs in his head!). He enjoys soccer, cricket and rugby, but not half as much as he does athletics and gymnastics. (He was nearly a Springbok gymnast in his day.) He ran goodness knows how many Comrades and Two Oceans. He sails. He loves the rain, and a damp, lush garden. He loves jazz. He could spend days reading (science fiction or mysteries) if there weren't so many things to do around the house, or if there wasn't work to do. His general knowledge is phenomenal. The only things he can't do, are cook and sew.
My dad has a capacity for love that continues to astound me. He has learnt that people are more important than things, and over the years, "things" have lost their value for him. (Not to say that he doesn't appreciate the finer things in life, just that they're not as important to him as they were 3 decades ago.) He adores his kids, including his adopted ones, and he adores his grandchildren.
But to me, the most important thing about my dad, is that he never, ever gives up. Ever. He has faced life threatening situations in more ways than I care to remember - whether physically threatening, or financially, or emotionally. Yet, every time (after a period of deep sadness and maybe depression), he eventually picks himself up and carries on. He finds a way to go on living. He makes a plan. He's like a cat with 9 lives. Just when you're sure that this must be the end, he re-invents himself, re-imagines his life, and finds a new direction for himself.
If I was ever in a tight spot, he's the man I want in my corner. He believes in me, and supports me, and cheers me on. Everyone needs someone like that, fighting on their side. My dad's one of those I know I can rely on, no matter what. Even when I have stuffed up completely, he's there for me. Always.
Just by being who he is, my dad has taught me so much. He's taught me that:
- it's not what you know (and this coming from the man who still knows SO MUCH MORE than I do) that counts, but who;
- it's not what you do that matters, but how;
- it's not how many friends you have, but the quality of those friends that counts;
- it's not how much stuff you have, but whether you have the love of your family;
- it's not about what sort of work you do, but about whether your work enables you to provide the necessities for your family;
- it's not about what political values or opinions you have, but about whether are true to yourself and to God.
I love you, Dad. You are awesome. Never under-estimate how incredible you are. I hope and pray that we have many more years together, so that my children can get to know the amazing man you are, and love you as much as I do, so that your legacy of wisdom and hope and love can continue for generations yet to come. Happy Father's Day, and happy birthday!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
And down they all go...
We are currently living in a house of invalids. Again. Sigh.
So I have really bad sinustis (homeopathic stuff didn't clear it; neither 1st nor 2nd lot of antibiotics have cleared it... looks like a 3rd dose is forthcoming, followed by ENT visit to determine whether operation is necessary). Yay.
Nathan has tonsillitis - 2nd bout in as many weeks. Oh yay. (In other news, his grommets have fallen out and his eardrums are fully healed; that's good, right? Yes, but only if the tonsillitis doesn't mean he needs to have another op to put another set in. Sigh. Yet another waiting game we will have to play.)
Nellie has a sore tummy and is coughing. Joy.
And Graeme... well, he keeps threatening to get sick, and I just keep threatening him back. ;) So far my tactic seems to be working. But no doubt, no sooner are the kids better and me mostly better, than he'll succumb.
WE NEED A HOLIDAY!
So I have really bad sinustis (homeopathic stuff didn't clear it; neither 1st nor 2nd lot of antibiotics have cleared it... looks like a 3rd dose is forthcoming, followed by ENT visit to determine whether operation is necessary). Yay.
Nathan has tonsillitis - 2nd bout in as many weeks. Oh yay. (In other news, his grommets have fallen out and his eardrums are fully healed; that's good, right? Yes, but only if the tonsillitis doesn't mean he needs to have another op to put another set in. Sigh. Yet another waiting game we will have to play.)
Nellie has a sore tummy and is coughing. Joy.
And Graeme... well, he keeps threatening to get sick, and I just keep threatening him back. ;) So far my tactic seems to be working. But no doubt, no sooner are the kids better and me mostly better, than he'll succumb.
WE NEED A HOLIDAY!
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
YUCK!
So it seems that my sinuses are still infected. Another dose of antibiotics, with a good measure of cortisone, and sinus douching (YUCK!!). If that doesn't sort me out, the doc wants to refer me to the ENT and investigate having an op. Oh joy!
While I really don't like the thought of having this op, I have to say that the thought of putting up with yet more antibiotics, or pain, doesn't thrill me either. The amount of pain yesterday was unlike anything I've ever experienced. It felt like a migraine, but without the vision impairment. Eventually it was so bad that I threw up! I mean - seriously?!?! I've heard of people doing that before, but experiencing it myself was something else completely.
So - we wait now to see how this dose of drugs works. Not fun. Especially not the douching. YUCK! YUCK! YUCK! Hold thumbs for me, and cross everything that can be, and pray, pray, pray. I really don't want an op...
While I really don't like the thought of having this op, I have to say that the thought of putting up with yet more antibiotics, or pain, doesn't thrill me either. The amount of pain yesterday was unlike anything I've ever experienced. It felt like a migraine, but without the vision impairment. Eventually it was so bad that I threw up! I mean - seriously?!?! I've heard of people doing that before, but experiencing it myself was something else completely.
So - we wait now to see how this dose of drugs works. Not fun. Especially not the douching. YUCK! YUCK! YUCK! Hold thumbs for me, and cross everything that can be, and pray, pray, pray. I really don't want an op...
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