A Beautiful Life

Today, out of nowhere a thought popped into my mind - to go and check if one of our old blogs are still active and up for viewing. I happened across this blog and although I had forgotten about it I remembered it all the moment I started reading. I really loved posting here & although I'm the type of girl who loves a clean slate to start with I find myself nostalgically attached to the past posts here. Silly, I know! 

I suppose blogging has died in the age of Instagram - posting a single image is such an easy way to visually document your life so it's really no surprise that blogging has died down. But it is very sad. When I logged on here I also ventured to the 'blogs you follow' tab and it saddened me to see people who had been such regular posters just fall away. Perhaps one of the reasons I stopped was because of the fear of losing these virtual friends who just decided to stop one day. If I didn't check in here anymore I wouldn't know that our virtual connection was broken. The last post from anyone I follow was in 2017 - how disparaging :( So instead of sitting here and mourning over the fact that no one wants to pour out their lives into blogposts anymore, I am writing one instead.

If I'm honest my true reason for stopping is because I felt that there were people out there in my readership that didn't wish me happiness (there's something about a bitter ex-boyfriend that can put a girl off blogging like nobody's business!) and I didn't want to be so publicly vulnerable. This combined with a growing desire for intense privacy after a very public childhood, teenage years & early adulthood have been the two largest contributing factors as to why I stopped writing here regularly.


I'd like to mention another thought about a blog past - when I was 18 I started a blog called 'simply wends'. I can still recall the pink and green design (what was I thinking???) & how popular it was to post on your blog at the time (2008) and to follow your friends in turn! 11 years on I am very upset that I deleted the whole thing on a whim after a breakup. Can you imagine how comedic it would be to look back on those posts now!? I certainly have done some growing up since then, but the biggest change would be how much I have been able to travel since then and how I have eventually started to find who I really am. But still - I'd love to look back on those photos, memories and thoughts. 

I don't know if anyone will see this (If no one is posting then perhaps no one is reading either?), but if you are reading this, I challenge you to write a blogpost today. Even if it is just a few lines. Perhaps one day you will look back as I do today and feel gratitude that you shared something today.

Wx

Life is a strange thing. When you start living it, all of a sudden there is no more time for things like taking enough pictures, writing blog posts and eating 5 meals a day.

I really used to love writing on our blog and it's not that I don't enjoy writing on it anymore, its just that other things, more important things demand my time.

In the past few months we have done so many new things. We've moved to a new home, we got a puppy (although it may be more appropriate to say the puppy got us!) and we've just both decided to change and to be happier and to start living how we never knew it was possible to live before.

It feels strange writing something a bit more openhearted on our blog. I find that I have been so cautious to not divulge too much on this blog for so long because there were these prying eyes that were reading my posts to hear the next little tit-bit instead of actually having a vested interest in our life. To those people, read on. I forgive you for being so engrossed in hoping for my downfall and not sharing in my happiness.

That said, don't worry too much! We don't have that many fans ;)

Now I know you're just dying to see a picture of our little monster, Mishmish. He is the naughtiest, most mischievous and energetic dog I have ever met, but he also gives the best cuddles and snuggles his face into my neck when I get home every night. He's pretty much the best thing ever :) 

Till later!
wx

Hello Strangers!

It has been a while indeed! In the past few months so much has happened, yet not enough to justify how quickly the time goes.

Lee and I started this year off I didn't think for one moment that things would be the way they are now, but nonetheless that is the unpredictability that comes with living!

I feel as if this year has been one for introspection and growing up. I left home 6 years ago this year, my gran has been gone from this world for almost 12 years...time has just flown unbelievably quickly. Other than personal topics that have been food for thought, weave had to make big decisions in the past few months and even though many of them seemed so daunting, we are lucky enough to have made the right choices and to be at a good place in our lives.

Some may think that what I'd like to share next is nothing to commemorate, but it was a huge step indeed for us! We got a puppy. After months of begging Lee, months and years of him saying no, he finally let up when I went on a two week rant about how much I want a dog.

Normal people deliberate about moving in together and falling pregnant. Not us.

So it suffices to say that after a 2-hour drive to Klerksdorp, we became animal baby parents and to make the deal even sweeter, Lee's parents adopted the little brother to our baby Pekingese.

What I have learnt about dog ownership:

1. Your dog is the only one who doesn't judge you when you're scoffing food sneakily from the fridge late at night & really just wants to join in on the fun.
2. Puppies are pretty much as much work as a human baby. Eat, play, poop, sleep.
3. When you've had a terrible day artwork or you're feeling sick, there is nothing like the wagging tail, excited licks and playful barks to cheer you up.
4. Put newspaper down. EVERYWHERE!

Shame, he's actually quite sweet. Naughty, very loving, friendly and sweet.

I'll try to be a little less rare on the blog going forward, in the meantime...enjoy this photo of the little tyke, Mishmish.

wx

Hello Friends!

It's been quite a while hasn't it?
I believe this will be my first post for 2014 & strangely enough this year when I was contemplating some goals that I'd like to achieve I didn't include blogging more. I guess priorities change!

Anyhow...so many things have happened in the past month and a bit since I last blogged. We moved...(FINALLY!) and Lee's parents came back from their 5 week holiday in the USA. I have changed jobs and I am loving my new position as it allows me to be challenged every day and to grow more. All round, a lot has been happening!

I feel like in addition to not blogging as much as I should, I've also been slacking on my photo taking,but that is something that I really want to work on in the coming year!

Here are some photos that I feel really proud of that I've taken throughout the past few weeks.
Enjoy!

Hello There!

It's time for our monthly collage. It feels as if November just dashed past without any pause. So many things have happened and I am so happy that December down time is approaching!

1. Cocoa did a lot of lazing around in the sun this month! 2. Lee's sister, Danielle celebrated her 21st birthday a month earlier with her friends as people are usually on holiday by the time it's her birthday. 3. Lee's parents finished building yet another beautiful home and I got to photograph it for their company. 4. We socialized unusually much considering how busy we were this past month. 5. I got to photograph Eli & Dodge (The sweetest Great Dane on earth!). 6. Highveld Summers living up to their reputation of very hot days and very rainy afternoons. 7. This little one had his Brit Milah (Bris) at 8 days old - precious and such a special event. 8. I ate the best lasagna I have ever tasted in my life at a very posh restaurant hidden away in a conservation area. 9. We met our little god-daughter called Blossom. She is twenty times more cute in person as she looks in this photo!