Snow on Table Mountain

It finally happenend! After much anticipation and waiting - its nowed again on Table Mountain! Not a big thing for many - but for us in sunny South Africa its HUGE! The last time it snowed here was 2years ago! As we now say: No wonder its so cold!   :-)

Pics courtesy of tablemountain.net

Scale Model Table Mountain also covered in snow

 

Proteas covered by the white dust

 

I just love this pic!

 

WHAT a Saturday!

Yes, what a Saturday! Didn't go as planned (as always) and it turned out better than planned... had some unexpected visitors from a few friends... this after I got a nice car craving, as I'm missing my project ride... something that sucks away much needed funds... and I'm still smiling as its all good - its my 1971 Datsun 1600! You have to be a car freak to understand...

I got my DATSUN fix! :-)

Clive 'n Jonathan

Clive's Baby - Datsun P510

Clive's P510 Engine Bay *drool*

FEED ME! One day (perhaps)... on my ride....

Jonathan's 1400... Where's the 1200?

To explain: The reason women buy shoes and boots by the box full... its the SAME motivation why men buy car parts & tools as if their life depended on it!

Here's looking towards tomorrow... another day away from work! :-) BUT, one day closer to getting my ride back...

National Women's Day

National Women's Day is an Annual Public Holiday in South Africa on 9 August.This commemorates the National March of Women on this day in 1956 to petition against legislation that required African persons to carry the "pass", special identification documents which curtailed an African's freedom of movement during the apartheid era.

On 9 August 1956, more than 50,000 women staged a march on the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against the proposed amendments to the Urban Areas Act (commonly known as the pass laws) of 1950.

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What a day! Today, on South Africa's National Women's Day, I got time to spend some quality time with my mom, Dolly, and my two princesses, Jodie (aged 6) and Jordan (aged 2). It was such a joy to see my kids having a blast... it also hit me that its been a while since I've just spend time with my mother for no apparent reason to be close to her! Here's hoping there'll be more time granted to me in future! #LoveYouMom!

So where's the wifey you ask? My wife - Rene - was invited by our sister-in-law to a High Tea! I used these few hours to spend with my girls and mother. Obviously I had to try and make some time for my wife, which came in an invite by my brother-in-law for a family get together over some potjiekos and even cray fish! That was truly enjoyable!

Now I'm focusing on what to do with the rest of my weekend! Today truly felt like a Saturday. And even for a winter day, Cape Town truly granted us all an awesome Winters Day with a lovely sunny day! Here's looking at the next year's Women's Day, God willing!

If you haven't had the time to spend some time with some the special women in your life - I do hope you'll take a day and make the most of their company! 

Yet another - Fuel price hike

The petrol price increased (yet again) last night by 32c a litre to R13-18 for unleaded petrol... R13-18! What is the world coming to? Where is it all going to end? Its not funny anymore!!! Gone are the days that we joked that the price of petrol will one day go above R10 per litre. Some of us are wishing it could return to those figures...

On the 2nd of January 2013 the price of petrol was R11-51. During the last couple of months that price was updated monthly and we are experiencing most of the losses. Check it again, since the beginning of the year the petrol price increased by R1-67. This might not seem much, but we are paying more for 1 litre of petrol than it cost for a 2 litre COKE!

If you normally threw in R250-00 at a time, it would mean the following:
   - Now, you'd get 18.968 litres
   - In January, it was 21-720 litres

Most of us estimate to run at least 10km/litre (car dependant), so we're doing about 30kms less! That's a trip to the beach, meeting up with a few friends, taking the wifey somewhere special... And we have to make up for it somehow...

But wait, its not just us... Taxi's, Busses, Shops - ALL feel the burden... and sooner or later the increase in petrol creeps into our daily lives with food prices and public transport fees following...

Now think on this:
The Minister of Finance announced on 26 February 2013 that the Fuel Levy and the Road Accident Fund on petrol will increase by 15.0 c/l on 03 April 2013. The Fuel Levy on petrol will amount to 212.0 c/l. The Road Accident Fund on petrol will amount to 96.0 c/l with effect from 3 April 2013.

Worst is that fuel levies never decrease if and when the petrol price decreases (if that ever happens). Meaning we'll never return to the low petrol prices of old... 

All we can do is hope and pray that we can adjust as quickly as possible - cause not matter what - we need to buy petrol to fuel our rides. Catch22, hmmm?


Quick history lesson:
The first four-wheeled electric car was built by the German engineer Andreas Flocken in 1888.

Family values

Trying to find myself made me realise that I need my family and friends in my life to guide me... But more than anything, I need my kids. I've tried to connect to all three (3) my kids over the weekend... Revano, Jodie and Jordan. What I found is that things were not going to be easy... But as I needed them, nothing will stand in my way to reconnect to my kids.... Or my wife, Rene.

I thank God for the opportunity to adjust my lifestyle, my routines... And getting the most out of my life!

Finding myself...

Recently I've had some major ups and downs in my life! I wasn't sure what exactly I had to do to get out of the rut. Needless to say things got out of hand quickly, starting in my family environment - something I vowed would never happen. But as they say: Never is a long, long time.

I had to make a decision, and quickly. So my option was... instead of taking things out on my family, friends and colleagues at work, I'd take a break away from it all (called my manager and asked for 2 days off) and rather reflect inwards - and find myself! Yes, find myself.

I took the opportunity to reflect on what makes me tick... if all this was perhaps not just me being upset for not achieving specific goals, or being stuck in routine, or not being there for my family and friends. Anything was possible. And I noted that once I started making small changes in my life, I noticed changes in others.

Question is, WHY?  Because the way I started treating people surrounding me different, they started treating me different. And it all started with me!

Have you taken the time to invest in yourself? Especially as of late? I hope you find the time too! And you'll notice that even the slightest change in oneself can make a big difference around you. Every bit helps!