Long Street Party

Here are a few pics from the party on Long Street on Friday night.

It was unbelievable how many people were on the streets,

especially as for the actual World Cup there will be way more people descending on Cape Town.

Luckily we were invited to a private function on Long Street so had some space within the cafe, as you could not move on the street.

World Cup Draw in Cape Town tonight

The streets of Cape Town are going to be coming to a halt this afternoon as Long street is closing for a party and festival starting at noon. Tonight the final draw to select which teams will be playing each other in next years World Cup will be held in Cape Town this evening. Mike and I will be on Long Street partying and watching the draw.

Mike & Jason explain on their football tv show how the draw will work, as it is not as simple as pulling any balls from the buckets.

http://www.free-kick.tv/special-edition-fifa-world-cup-2010-draw-free-kick-tv/

WWC Christmas Party

This Saturday was our staff chirstmas party, one of our clients rents out luxury holiday villas and kindly let us have one for the day. It was a perfect summers day in Cape Town, so we all lounged around the pool over looking the Camps Bay beach with lots of drinks and plenty of food. We finished the evening with a game of Poker (my first time playing), with just a R20 buy in as half of us were newbies, and Mike won.

We have another busy weekend this week, starting on Friday with the World Cup draw which is happening in Cape Town. The whole of Long Street is closed to traffic and there is going to be a BIG party. Mike and I have been invited to one of the bars by a client to watch the draw. Mike is very excited and today he is doing a mock draw with Jason on their football tv blog.

oops I missed the Saturday as promised.

We did happen to go to the coffee shop, both on Saturday morning and Sunday Morning.

Warren is now at home up the coast, we had a great time whist he was here.
Lots of going out to eat. There is a great deal on at the moment with the cinema where 2 people can go out for a meal for R70 and it includes your cinema ticket (R35 each for meal & ticket - about £3!).

Has a busy weekend, but managed to relax and go to the gym and do my cooking for the week & mike got a surf on Sunday Morning. Mike is off to Jo'burg tomorrow, which I am really jealous about because he is going to stay with Sean & Lynda and the kiddies. But will get to see them over Christmas hopefully.

Looking forward to a sunny week (after a wintery spell last week).

xxx

Thank you to All

Sorry for the late response, thank-you to all for my birthday money which I have put towards my Sony Reader, I was supposed to wait until after christmas to buy it, but Mike surprised me with it last week when Warren arrived from the UK with it.

I have read one book already, and I am on to my second and enjoying it so very much. It is the best present ever.

I decided at the weekend, I should post more regularly, so I will get up every Saturday early and take my computer to the Greek coffee shop that has free internet and blog. Especially as it is getting into summer and there is always so much that we do. (May have to re-arrange this schedule if Mike surfs).

Had a busy week sofar as Warren has been down, but if I say it all now I will not have anything to say on Saturday.

xxxx

Lovely end to a busy week

Ed was away last night and Nya stayed the night and slept in Opa's bed. (took the photo with my phone). Slept all night till 7.30. She woke up said 'Hullo Oma', got out of bed, got a book then cuddled up to me for a story.
Then we went downstairs for tea and a koekje before breakfast and bath. It was a glorious day so we played in the garden then we both 'worked' for a bit in the office. At about 11.30 Traer and Avie arrived and we took Nya swimming. Or rather Traer went into the pool with Nya while I looked after Avie. Afterwards had a bite to eat in the cafe at the Stour Centre before heading home.
Terry joined us all for supper. I was able to take my first photo's of Avie with her eyes open. So have included some below.

Avie & her family

Long overdue posting of some pics of Avie

First story time at 18 hours old


Avie's first bath at one and a half days old

Bathed with Nya who just played happily with her toys and toothbrush


Avie and her daddy


Thank goodness for Snapper (20/10/09)

Avie Leone Perk

We are all delighted with the arrival of Nya's little sister.

Avie was born today 22/09/09 at 3 a.m. and weighed 9 lbs. 5 oz.

Eddie has a new baby too!

Lions Tour South Africa

Mike, Harri & I met up with Phil & Alun & Co to watch the rugby at The Waterfront at the weekend.

Land uncleared

I was supposed to put these up 4 weeks ago - but I forgot - sorry.

Mike and I got a letter to say we need to clear our plot of land, so we tied it in with a trip for work. (We did not clear it though, probably one too many snakes for me).

Here are the pics before:
Our plot is in front of the white house at the back, to the road at the front.

Land is to the right, looking down towards the beach road:
Land opposite our plot:

Looking back to the plot from the beach road (Plot on the left, just past the house).

The Beach:
We are heading up to Wilderness next weekend, so will take some pics of the land all cleared. We are off on a little surf road trip. Harri & Matt are staying at U.Petes & A.Mims, and we have rented a place in the village for us, Shaun, Stephen, Paul & Bianca. We are all taking Friday off and then will head back on Sunday.

Family Tuscan holiday

Had a wonderful week in Italy in May. Fantastic to have all the children and granddaughter with us. Been madly busy and back to Italy for racing at Monza since then so have compiled a SmileBox slide show (with apologies to those in SA with slow and very expensive internet).

Make a Smilebox slideshow

WWC Team Building

Last weekend got off to a World Wide Creative weekend start with leaving drinks for Rowan, who has left us to run his own venture in Mossel Bay. We all spent the evening at Quay 4 at The Waterfront, and watched the final day of the cricket.

Saturday we all met at a culinary school in Cape Town to learn to cook a three course meal, all members of staff & partners and wives came along and we had to split into groups of three. It was great fun with flowing wine and finally the chance to sample our efforts at the end.

We made Spinach & Feta Filo parcels, Portuguese Lamb with mash and baby marrows, followed by Tiramisu. It was all very delicious. More photos can be seen here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldwidecreative/

Easter in Bilsington

Had a wonderful Easter. Nya was with us on Good Friday while her mama and daddy went to Rye for lunch and a wander around the town. Nya went to church with Lucia and I in the afternoon. She is so good and does not even talk much just whispers to Oma or Cia.
Saturday morning was beautiful so Ed and I decided to go for a walk through the woods before breakfast. They are so beautiful at the moment, just bursting into life.
Traer, Terry & Nya came late afternoon and stayed until Monday evening so we had a great weekend.

Some pics of our weekend and Nya's egg hunt.How many eggs have I got?

La Gomera

The first week of March, Ed & I spent the week on La Gomera, one of the Canary Islands, where John the Martian lives and works. What an wonderful, peaceful place. The flora of the island is amazing. The hills have been eroded over the years but are covered in such varied vegetation. it just depends which side of the small island you are on. Every coastal area has to be approached by first driving to the central summit then descending in the direction one needs to go. The summit is most often covered in cloud so there is a rain forest - oh so beautiful. It really has to be seen to be appreciated. It is a hiker's paradise and would definitely rate 10 out of 10 for Warren & Pete. One can fly into a stunning modern small airport but most tourists fly to the south of Teneriffe and take a taxi to Los Christianos port where they catch a ferry to San Sebastian on La Gomera. We were met at San Sebastian by John and then drove to Val Gran Rey where we stayed.
Below just a few pics from our holiday.

Looking down to Valle Gran Rey


John's sculpture in a hillside garden


Sunset at the harbour


Lunch at a cafe

Reading on the balcony

Back to Sea Point

Oops I keep forgetting to write. So I will think of things that have happened while I wait for Mike to finish off at work - I do not remember the last time we left the office before 6pm!

Since I last spoke:

- we moved back to Sea Point, so have been doing may miles walking up and down the sea front
- I got a new computer (as the laptop screen fell off my old one)
- I learnt how to chip at Golf - so no more long putts
- Bridget (my first friend to have a baby) found out she is having a little boy - due 3rd Aug
- it is even sooner before we head home, even though only for 4 days :-(
- Caught up with Uncle Pete, Aunty Mim, Warren & Sandy before Warren left back for the UK. (Ate out 4 days in a row, and found the best calamari ever in Hout Bay).

Mike is finally ready to go

xxxxxx

Where have we been?

As we have been away from this blog for a while I guess it is only right that I fill you all in on why we have not written.

Holidays:
My Dad & Simone came over for 2.5 weeks, Mike and I flew up and met them in JHB before driving north to the Kruger National Park. We stayed in an amazing Guest House in Hazyview, definitely the place to stay for a few days in the Kruger it was stunning & luxurious with a great friendly husband & wife running it.
Arriving in Johannesburg early Wednesday morning, we only had a 20min wait until dad and Simone arrived in from London. Picked up our hire car and set off for the 4 hour trip to Hazyview. Stopping half way for lunch a lovely trout fishing place with a restaurant and shop, probably the best place to stop for lunch on the road which was lucky for us as the car battery died and had to wait around for 2 hours for a replacement car. Arrived at the sanctury of the Blue Jay Lodge for the night before heading early to the Kruger park on Thursday morning. After a good day of game watching, Thursday night was spent in a rest camp, we had the opportunity to go on a night drive, hoping to see leopard we were unlucky and did not spot anything other than a type of monkey and lots of Antelope eyes that sparkle like city lights. Friday was again a day of game driving towards the exit gate, and heading back to our Guest House. Saturday we visited the few waterfalls in the Blyde River Canyon area. Sunday we drove back to Johannesburg for an evening flight and dropped dad & Simone at the train station, as they were spending the next 24 hours on the luxury train down to cape town. It was great having them with us for 2 weeks in Cape Town, we played lots of putt putt and ate out lots, along with a few tourist things. We also went on a Cape Malay cooking course - which was amazing we made malay chicken curry, rotis & Samosas.
House:
We have found a new place to live in Sea Point, moving from a one bed to a small 2 bed. The complex is on the beach road, and we are looking forward to our evening walks along the main sea point promenade. We move on the 11th March, as the new apartment is furnished, we have sold all our furniture and are at present without furnishings or fridge for the next 11 days. So it feels as if we are camping.

Work:
We have had some great websites go live recently, and some very high profile ones so hoping these will bring in lots more work. You can view some of these here http://www.worldwidecreative.co.za/work although just noticed some are very old on there, but the top 3 are new new.

May:
We are in the UK for a couple of days before and after we go to Italy, looking forward to a week of doing nothing other than reading my book and walking down to the village to buy meat,bread & cheese for breakfast, lunch & dinner. (We are also in the Chianti region so i guess wine as well - maybe not for breakfast though).

Mike & Nic ( I thought I would attach a photo as you all have not seen us for awhile)