The brain

A few nights ago, Jo, Phoebe , Noah and I were sitting at the dining room table chatting and grazing on some dinner.  I looked up at Noah who had his eyes rolled up towards his eye lids. And then he dropped his head in his hands and looked somewhat aghast. My first thought? Oh boy, another twitch, but I decided to investigate further first.

Noah, my boy.

Yes Mom?

What are you doing?

I just saw a little bit of my brain.

Really?

Yes.

I look over at Phoebe and Jo, who have their eyes rolled up to their eye lids trying very hard to check out a little bit of their brains too.

Did you just try?

I told Brod, gasping for breath between bouts of laughter. His reaction?

'Didn't you try to do that as a kid?'

Well no. Not ever. I just tried now while writing this blog post. First time. Ever.

2012 ran away, and since we have been unable to locate its whereabouts we have decided to embrace 2013. With all its new quirks and hangups. A new year for the Von Brughans. We begin our 3rd year of Home School and living on the edge of Society.  

Our holiday in the Cape at the end of 2012 and beginnings of 2013 provided a great back drop to our new hopes for this new year.  It has been exciting and we have already had some exciting adventures - which keeps us on our toes.

The photos are totally random - and all over the place. I have uploaded so many pics to FB and left some out - so they appear in no particular order below. 

On an arvie drive after Brod supped Kommetjie

Kalk Bay harbour

Scarborough Beach

Roadtripping

Our favourite frozen yoghurt stop - Marcels

Mom's birthday - with the Constantia Alphen Spar's amazing Cheesecake

Singing Christmas carols on Christmas Eve

Phoebe and Sophie are thrilled to start their voice training and music classes, sewing lessons and tutoring with their sweet English and Maths Tutor Nicole. Their books are freshly wrapped, new bags hanging on the banister, and they are currently pondering their daily routine from next week.

Noah and Jo are pretty thrilled just to have a place to hang out and pass their days. Somewhere to destroy the environment, mess up the lounge as they whirl through the rooms during a hectic wrestling match...a bedroom to use as a drop off point for the many outfits they pass through in a day. A garden to accommodate the many Star Wars battles with their light sabres, and guest loo to work on their aim. Which is often pretty off and does require some effort. Oh perhaps they will do some spelling here, bonds there - maybe give the handwriting lessons a go. But generally...school is life for them. 

And amongst all the noise and chaos that is them - Brod and I will continue to try work, paint, deal with clients and hope that no one heard the hollow sound echoing through the office of a perfect hit in the centre of the loo that seems to last for ever...masterfully accomplished only when one of us is on the phone!

If you know what I mean. Wink.

Just do

I am noticing that all writers give the same advice...just write, every day.

All artists give the same advice...just paint, every day.

And I reckon that it's the same in all areas, if you want to improve or achieve, just do it, every day.

That is very good advice.

And I am learning to take it.

Ever heard of Julia Cameron?

Julia Cameron writes amazing books about being creative. I am reading one of them, "The Artist's Way". A course on discovering and recovering your Creative self. It is perfect for me right now. I have taken to writing my Morning Papers each morning - 3 full scap pages about anything and everything. I just write, write and write some more. It is doing wonders for my cluttered head.  I have found as I have gone about the business of everyday life, I often stop and think of something I'd like to write about - and then carry on with the task at hand.  So the idea I had, never materialised, or was not recorded.  And it got me down.  I feel slightly freed from that through spending 1/2 an hour a day writing my random thoughts down.  

While I sift through one of her books, Brod's glued to about 3 of them. No one likes an over-achiever;>).

I met up with a guy on the weekend, John, and before we parted ways he ended our conversation with these words, "You need to tithe yourself everyday. Do something with the 10% of your day to 'feed' yourself & do something just for you." It does feel for me that my art & my creative writing is just that.

So I shall continue.

Brod did the ultimate this month - he finally got his long awaited SUP. Stand Up Paddle board. Good for the inner core and all. That board is fantastic and I cannot wait to get up on it myself - but have been told that my first time will involve a wetsuit and a ride on my friend Sammy's dam:) Hahaha. Love that guy. 

But here he is on the day we fetched it.  The weather was rotten. Might I add that Durban looked pretty rotten too after days of rain. Reminder to self: don't drive through Durban CBD after or during a few days of rain - it looks miserable, and all the people there are miserable too!

The kids and I watched him from Moyo on the Pier - that place was MIGHTILY miserable - yoh! And he did very well in horrid conditions with his loving children cheering him on.  I was trying to maintain my awesome image for all the inhabitants of Moyo...totally played it cool.  

He has since ridden a few times - and loves it. He has big plans for Cape Town at year end - but I keep seeing those jaws of the great whites in my head...so um, no, I do not believe I will be joining him in the Atlantic Ocean.  No, indeed!

The kids are happy as larks.  They have an easy life, and full their lives with adventure and happy moments.  I am pleased and grateful for this.  

Our love to you all.

x

M

Jonah is 6!

I like this photo.

It is all blurry - but that's Jo. The first pic I took of him was very posed and clear - as he opened a gift that was not what he was expecting. He had a stoic smile and his cute voice thanking me for it - but his heart was not in it. And then he opened the long thin pressie - wow did he move after that!  Every shot is blurred.  It's pretty hard to take a photo of Jo when he's stoked.

And stoked he was.

Yes the Darth Maul Light Sabre is 1.5 meters long, taller than him. Yes, he packs a punch when he wants to - so whoever is on the receiving end may hurt...alot. And yes, the light sabre is ridiculously priced - and not the bicycle I had wanted to buy him. But so what.

Sometimes, we have to say that to ourselves in the store - after a whole hour of staring at it - 'So what!'. Then pick it up and pay.

This year - Jo wanted an ice cream cake packed with sweets. So we made it together the night before - it was a sweet experience:) And he loved it. That's what it's all about.

We are all well - kids are schooling, I am painting and Brod is working....and we're all doing this a lot.

Love to all.

M