E - Vida

All talk and no action? Yes, I missed the 'Friday' blog entry and I've only just remembered! Sorry! It was a full week past as I filled in at Bonny Babies for Bonny, herself! Rob and Dom were a part of the 'super-sub' team as well, and also Gran Jean, Aunty Evelyn and Aunty Betty on alternating days! Mom attended a block week at college and 4 children were left in our care. This work is not for the weak and I take my hat off to child-care workers around the globe! By last night, I had just enough energy to 'make my bed and lay in it', as they say. Hence, the missed blog entry. Batteries were recharged by 07h00, just when Pops sounded the breakfast call and we all assembled around the kitchen counter. Sadly, we later discovered that our car had been broken into - losing our frontloader and PSP in the process :( Fortunately, there was no damage to the car, and many other valuable items were not taken! As it happens, this will probably be our last 'camp o...

Just to make it easy to remember, I declare Friday to be ' du Plessis blog day.' While I wait for my pc to return from the service shop, I am buying time wherever I can. and this could just help us to stay organized. After last weekend's stay in Newmans Avenue including a picnic in Somerset West (and our first glimpse of the ocean in 3 months) and the opening of the much anticipated SWC, we have made it through a shorter and warmer week. Jorja didn't take long to settle in Buenos Aires and she has picked up just where she left off here in Cape Town, too! Regardless of P-J's work schedule, she attends daycare everyday - and thoroughly enjoys it. Class Photo Story Time On Wednesday, 16 June 2010, we celebrated Youth Day in South Africa. Jorja attended a birthday party of a Bonny Babies 'past pupil' with her Yaya and in the two hours that she was away, P-J and I attempted to catch up on the walks that we'd grown accustomed to in Buenos Aires. We really do ...

"It is here!" It's the line that we've been hearing all week long... You can definitely feel the excitement and sense the pride-vibe in this city - and it's evident in the flags on the cars and in the doorways, wrapped around the side mirrors of the cars, pasted across the news headlines and bellowing out of the many, many Vuvuzelas! The fever has hit close to home too, as children from the Bonny Babies Daycare decorated their own SWC picture 'tickets'and baked (delicious) 'World Cup Cakes'today. And Jorja's shown us that she can blow a Vuvuzela too! But instead of heading straight to daycare today, I decided to introduce Jorja to the gym pool. It was such a pleasure to have a large, heated pool all to ourselves! Jorja thoroughly enjoyed the time in the water, splashing and kicking merrily. P-J has been away in Johannesburg since yesterday, preparing food for just a few - of the many - tourists that have set up camp in 'Soccer City...

We returned to South Africa just in time for Jorja's 1st birthday. What a special occasion! We invited just a few close friends and family to celebrate with us since Jorja was still getting used to the bigger, livelier groups of people and surroundings. Aunty Dom organized a super venue at her church in Constantia and even the sun came out to play for the day! Settling back into this city - the colder, wetter weather, a different living space, different foods, travelling in our car again and seeing many more people than just us...has been an interesting ride for Jorja. She travelled very well on the 11 hour trip back home. We had Argentina's ' Barmy Army ' on the flight with us - entertaining us right through the night! Back in Cape Town we were welcomed with open arms...and it felt good! Patiently waiting while Jorja settles into all of this has been quite tiring, but we press on. At our 12 month check up at the clinic today, Jorja weighed in at 12.1kg and is standing ...

It's hard to believe that the time has come for us to return to Cape Town, RSA. For the sake of packing up, this will be the last entry and internet contact that we'll have until we're home. Time to close the Google Translate , switch off the Skype and shut down this pc and give it a well-deserved break. What will we miss about Buenos Aires? Walking! Sunday Markets! Our own space! This great apartment! The smell of a Parilla underway, everyday! Puerto Madero parks! Facturas !...And many more things! What are we looking forward to? Being home! Our 11 week getaway to the Argentine capital has been an unforgettable experience and we look forward to telling Jorja about this time, when she's older. The photos, videos and souvenirs will serve as special memories of this season but the best part about it all was the time that the three-of-us could spend together: learning, growing and loving! Thank you for taking the trip with us, P-J, Ashleigh and Jorja xxx

It was a busy day in the du Plessis household, today! Adding to that was the fact that it poured with rain, non-stop - so we were forced to get things done around the house even if we wanted to go out! It started with breakfast... When Jorja dozed off, we got to work. I did the sorting while P-J did the scrubbing. Not a bad deal - but a raw deal for an off day, don't you think? Shame. We made such good progress, that by lunch time we could reward ourselves with roast beef and vegetables! Yum! Eventually it was time to do some actual packing...Here Jorja and P-J are debating whether to wear it or pack it in! And then, it was time for a break. Sjoe! Well at least this time we were packing before sunset - that seems more organized, right?

Our last Friday in Buenos Aires was spent indoors...Until about 17h00! By this time, we were already climbing the walls with cabin fever, so we went for a walk around San Telmo. P-J was held up at work, creating a Dim Sum dish for Charles, and Lydia contacted me after lunch to cancel the play-date. It's a pity that Jorja and Sinden didn't get to play in the park one last time... We made it back to the apartment just before it got (really) dark (really) quickly. It seems to be doing that a lot earlier these days - although it wasn't cold today. P-J arrived around 19h00 and said it was a lovely evening out in Puerto Madero, but I wasn't taking any chances in the dark. Tomorrow we are (all) looking forward to a relaxing Saturday - but also cleaning and sorting...and packing! On Sunday morning the owner will come and 'investigate' the state of the apartment - so we'd best stay out with Jorja for as long as possible. Little Miss Jorja, child of Peter-John Played...