Something About Scales and Libra

When I write this blog I keep finding myself trying to find a balance between letting you know what’s going on in my life and telling the random stories I would tell you if I could tell you in person. I’ve decided that for this posting I’m going to let you know what I’ve been up to lately to compliment the random stories I’ve been focusing on because...it’s all about balance.

The weekend before last I went to the Wacky Wine Weekend in Robertson with my supervisor’s sons and some of their friends. Robertson is a small town Northeast-ish of where I’m staying. Friday night we hung out at my supervisor’s eldest son’s house, hung out and had a braai. Then we stayed at a friend’s farm just outside of Robertson on Saturday night and braaied some more ‘cause that’s what South Africans do :-)

I am now going to list off vineyards that we went to even though you probably won’t know them, but this is really just so I will remember in the future. So, we went to Bon Courage Estate, De Wetshof Estate, Excelsior Estate, Graham Beck Wines, Montagne Cheese & Wine Shop, Rietvallei Wine Estate, Rooiberg, and Van Loveren. All of those and we didn’t even cover a quarter of the vineyards participating.

I came home with 4 bottles of wine…one of which I invented with new BFF. At Excelsior Estate you have the opportunity to blend, bottle and label your own wine. They had barrels of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz and let you test out different combinations of them to come up with your very own blend…Wow! Ours was 60% Merlot, 40% Shiraz and 100% Delicious. It was really interesting to see how they cork and package the wine. However, I was most excited to do the Cabernet Wine Dive at Roodezandt Wines & Vineyards. Unfortunately, you can only go swimming in red wine for diamonds on Saturday, which we didn’t realize until Sunday morning.

Then last weekend I went rock climbing with guy-who-flipped-me-upside-down-at-sokkie (from now on known as SG unless I come up with something better) and some of his friends in Montagu (near Robertson). I had my first rock climbing experience on Saturday when I climbed up a route that was 15 (i.e. not very) in difficulty if that means anything to you. It was really fun…especially when I got to go down and jump against the rock. I don’t know if I’ll take it up permanently, but I would call my first attempt a success! I attempted to do another route on Sunday, but I didn’t make it very far before falling off. My excuse is that I wasn’t feeling motivated enough; I didn’t have the desire for the top so much as the desire for a nap.

Me and the Mystery of the Illegal Harvesting

I finally hiked up Stellenbosch Mountain yesterday. When I say hiked up, I mean walked around. I started out and as I got closer to the mountain I noticed that it was not one, but in fact three peaks. Obviously I wanted to climb the highest one because...well what would be the point otherwise. Of course, the highest one is also the furthest away, so I start walking around the base to get to a trail leading up to my desired peak. However, the walking around was significantly less exciting than hiking up, but there was still no trail. After a couple attempts and bushwacking and getting driven back by poke-y bushes, I gave up and started telling myself stories to keep it interesting.

When I was a kid I was really into Nancy Drew books and other mysteries. This, combined with the active imagination of my youth, resulted in a lot of my time spent observing things and creating mysteries out of them. An example one of my best friends back home might remember, is when we were sleeping out in my bowler trailer and observed my neighbours preparing to get drunk and murder someone with a baseball bat. Now there was probably a more reasonable explanation to them walking into the house with a cooler and baseball bat, but there definitely wasn't a more interesting one.

Along a similar trend I decided to create a mystery for my little hiking adventure. As I was walking I heard a chainsaw and saw some people cutting down trees in a nearby stand. Being both a forester and detective at heart, I decided this must be investigated. This intestigation involved me sneaking up on them in the bushes and talking to myself. Then running away in mock terror when they happened to walk my way. I figure if I keep doing stuff like this randomly, I'm going to go down in history as a local hero.

A Loving Memory

I made a new friend last night
In a rather unorthodox way
He snuck up behind me on the couch
And happily made my day

We spent the night dancing
Bad music on the radio
My moves may have scared him
But he barely let it show

I just love everything he does
The way he blinks his eyes closed
To his honey-eating face
And ticklish little toes

But there comes a time
For each loving parent
When baby has to leave
Go pay his own rent

That day came too quickly
On my hand he lay curled
Left the warmth of my hand
Victim to the cold dark world

It was nice while it lasted
Not sure if I was ready
Please come back and visit
I miss you, Freddy <3

Bun there

I started apartment hunting Monday as I'm getting kicked out of residence at the end of June. Compared to when I first got here and was looking for a place, there were so many nice places. However, based on my two requirements of "in town" and "sane roommate", I've found a really nice place! It's a little two bedroom right next to main campus. My seemingly sane roommate will be a nice second year Afrikaans boy. More to come on him once I actually know his quirks :)

I've just learned that in order to take the medal test necessary to compete in ballroom dancing I'll need to put my hair in a bun. Those of you who know me (which I'm assuming is all of you), know that I don't like putting my hair up at all let alone in a way that makes it look neat. This was one of the reasons I quit ballet at the age of 5. I'm afraid this is a pretty big deterant of my future dancing career. I feel I've reached a crucial crossroads in my life...should I take the road less travelled? Should I, God forbid, wear my hair in a *shudder* bun?

Oh and remember when I told you my arm hurt was beginning to hurt less?...I fell down the stairs again. Now I have a range of motion equivalent to that of Barbie. Hopefully this will expand my career possibilities...seems to work for her!

Wha Bam Bam

You know when you go to a party and while trying to find the washroom, you instead find some random dude sitting in a room by himself? Yea, I’m that guy. I’m sure it doesn’t help that I’m folding laundry while watching Big Bang Theory.

Now, I have been told I am neglecting you people and that this makes me sound as if I am not having fun in SA. I hope to remedy that with this update.

I fell down the stairs the other day and now my elbow hurts. But it hurts less than yesterday, so I’m not complaining...despite appearances (this is a bad start in the remedy-ing department).

Last week my boss was away on vacation. This resulted in a less than optimum quantity of work being completed. On a happier note, this week has been shockingly efficient and I hope to finish the week on the same trend.

Another highlight of this week was new BFF teaching me how to play a game called Bao. I have been informed that this is akin to African chess, and I suppose this is valid as it requires thinking ahead many moves to anticipate those of your opponent. My brother, assuming he actually reads this, will know this game as the game you use to gain intelligence points at the training village in the not-so-popular-outside-of-my-house “Quest for Glory”.

I must now go socialize as my flat has become infested with people I don’t know...more on this week a bit later.