Crunch, munch, munch, munch

Wide open

We got these proteas on the weekend. They are in the kitchen, and while we drink our morning tea we watch as the sun bursts in the window and splashes them with light.
They love the sunshine - look how they have stretched themselves to gather the warmth.

Men in their amazing flying machines

Many, many years ago when we visited an airshow there was a crash and it just left the most unpleasant memories. Not just the horror of the crash but how it changed the mood of every spectator, how we all just wanted to leave, to escape what we had witnessed and how it took hours to get out of the resulting traffic chaos. When they showed it on the News that evening you realised that it's not just information that you can accept was an event of the day.

So, every year since I want to go to the airshows but don't. However, I love planes, I enjoy flying. I imagine how incredible the feeling must be to race through the sky, to go in this direction and that, to try to touch the moon and then plunge to earth but knowing at which second to turn the plane away from gravity. 

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that we went to the Rand Airshow on Sunday.
At the entrance we used they had the field they were using for the helicopter flips. Why would we not. I have flown in helicopters before, to art direct photographic shoots and had enjoyed it.
This was a 2 minute flip to the farthest edge of Germiston Lake and back. Wonderful, until we hovered in one spot for a moment and then made a sharp, I mean sharp, turn right to return. I was wearing a seat belt but I still put my hand out against the door to steady myself, to prevent myself from falling in the pilot's lap, and to settle the contents in my stomach. I think I might even have started a prayer. Ha ha, wow, yes. Of course, once my feet were firmly on the ground again I could say it was a wonderful experience.

A thousand kiosks selling food, drink, hats, bags, biltong, shirts and slushy and at the end of these an exhibit of some planes. The Harvard was my favourite.

Then the show started. The planes went up, up, up, up, they came down, upside down. They flew in formation and at one another, on their sides, they did all sorts of incredible things and made it look effortless. The crowd gasped and was in awe. Cameras and cellphones pointing skywards to capture the wonderful displays. I took 397 photographs and won't be sharing them all here. Thankfully, I hear you say.

Some like it hot

Starting the weekend

Last Friday we started the weekend with an evening braai, as we say in South Africa: tjop en dop. Lovely to sit outdoors and chill.

Mall of Africa

I am not someone who enjoys going to malls, but curiosity eventually got the better of me and so we went to the Mall of Africa last Sunday to see what is was all about.

My advise would be go early, you'll enjoy it then. Then there is time and space then to appreciate everything. Of course we tried the Krispy Kreme's, the children bought something at Hamely's but we refused to queue for a coffee at Starbucks.

I liked the outside area, the park, that extends beyond the restaurants outside, the most. You can see from the layout that there is a lot more development to come.

It's really convenient to get to from my house and we might return to go to the cinemas there, and perhaps a meal at Kream.

Gold! It's the Olympics.

I bought this book on Wednesday at one of those bargain book places. It’s not second-hand but it was cheap. I even got a further discount because (apparently) it looked as though I was having a bad day. Listen, lady, just take my money and give me the book.

On Thursday I started the book during my lunch hour, while drinking a cappuccino at the Norscot Secret Garden, got to page 40 before I had to return to work. It happens to be about Olympic athletes, and with the Olympics in Rio right now...

When I got up on Saturday I thought I would read a few pages as I lay in the bath. I topped up with hot water 3 times before I got out and returned to bed. Then I continued reading outside, sitting in the sun. I had many mugs of tea and had nachos with peanut butter for lunch because there was nothing else. I kid you not. Okay I did make 2 pancakes for breakfast, with sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice.
Eventually it was too hot outside and I finished the book on the couch.

What a great Saturday. I never left the house, I loved the book and enjoyed being the sloth. LOL!

‘She tried to smile back. The smile came out like a newborn foal - it’s legs buckled immediately.’ 
© Gold. Chris Cleave. 2012.