Wakaberry Comes to Benoni

It's the fro yo (frozen yoghurt) that has taken South Africa by storm - Wakaberry.

The newest branch in Gauteng opened on Saturday 14 September at the Oakfields Shopping Centre in Northmead, amidst much fanfare. The queue was out the store and down the corridor with customers eagerly wanting to try out the latest culinary craze.

Having sampled a Wakaberry or two previously at Bedford Centre (and absolutely loving it), I decided to wate for the hype to die down and rather go during the week when it would be quieter. So I rounded Linsey up, and this morning we went to get our Wakaberry fix.

What's so nice about the Wakaberry concept is VARIETY. There are so many flavours to choose from:- vanilla, condensed milk, mixed berry, strawberry, creme soda and peanut butter (just to mention a few) and that was only the frozen yoghurt. Toppings are a whole different ball game. One can choose from crushed Oreos, fruit, nuts, sours jelly sweets, smarties, Tumbles, jelly beans and much much more. Top it off with some extra sauce (chocolate, honey or Milky Bar) and you have a winner.

 

                         

The people of Benoni and the surrounds thank you for coming to our neck of the woods, Wakaberry, although our diets may not. Just playing. 

But on a serious note, why no Nutella fro yo flavour?

Being an Only Child

This is a very hotly contested subject, and below is my perspective on the matter.

Technically I am an only child. I have two half sisters (and no, two halves don't make a whole sister) from my dad's first marriage - Janine and Caroline, who are eight and four years my senior respectively. My half siblings grew up with their mom in Rynfield. My parents only had me, hence the "technical" lone child connotation. Out of my friends and acquaintances, Linsey and I are the only ones that grew up as only kids.

Here are some of my responses to the commonly asked questions:

1) Only kids are spoilt:- No, I personally was not. This all depends on how the parents raise the child. If the parents indulge the kids unnecessarily then they are likely to produce a brat. My mom made sure I had everything I needed and a bit extra, but she by no means spoiled me. The fact of the matter is, parents can give one child more than they can give two. Granted, every family's financial status differs. I like to think I didn't turn out to be a brat but please correct me if I'm wrong.

2) Only kids grow up lonely:-Never! If anything, being an only child improved my social skills and I made lots of friends in my childhood and adult life. It forces you to get out there, instead of tagging along with your older sibling and their friends. My friends are like my family and I value them beyond measure. Besides - how many people grow up loving their sibling? Be honest now. Do you remember having fights (that sometimes turned physical) and personality clashes growing up? Some of my friends have admitted that they seriously disliked their siblings when they were younger and only once they got older and maturity set in did they start to enjoy their sibling relationship.

3) Only kids don't know how to share:- Well this one just about makes me want to laugh out loud. Some people that grew up with siblings STILL do't know how to share in adulthood, and I'll say it again - it's all determined in the manner parents raise their kids. Constantly having friends over meant I shared my toys and clothes with them.

I've asked my mom why she and my dad only had one child between them and her very honest answer was she couldn't love two children equally. This brings us to favourtism. Very touchy subject but unfortunately it does happen. One (or both) parents will favour one child over the other/s, and this creates resentment on the other kid/s part. Parents also measure their kids up against the other. This is wrong. We are all individuals and deserve to be treated as such.  So what if one sibling is academic and the other sporty? Each have their strengths and weaknesses and no child needs that pressure in addition to all the other challenges they face in life. 

So, that's my view on the matter. Hopefully I haven't stepped on too many toes or offended anybody. Naturally, I can't understand a person that has siblings' point of view, and the opposite is true of them. We only know our own circumstances. Be content with that.

I Just Don't Want to

Have you ever been invited to an event/party/concert/movie/festival that you really really have no interest in? And instead of being honest and saying "Nah, that's not really my scene", you come up with an excuse. A lame one.

Like...

"My dog is going through a rough phase right now and I need to spend quality time with him/her." Or "I've already committed myself to going curtain shopping with my mom."

Why do we behave like this in this day and age? Why do we need to lie to cover up our true feelings of just not wanting to attend the event in questions? The answer is we don't. We're all adults and if your friend/sibling/coworker is offended by your honest reply of "I just don't want to", then he/she is not very considerate of you. 

Too bad, so sad. They'll get over it. Remember, what goes around comes around and that person will probably experience something similar in the near future, and then he/she will understand.

So, be honest. If it's not your thing - say so. Life is too short to do things they don't want to. 

A 30th and Some Child's Play

On Saturday we attended Bill's friend Caro's 30th birthday party. It was a "kids" themed party, centred around minions - you know those banana characters in the Despicable Me films.

What is a party without dressing according to the theme? I wore a Hello Kitty t-shirt, black tutu, tights and pink takkies. Bill opted for the Batman shirt.

                                        

Here is a pic of the birthday girl:

Caro and her husband, Jon, went all out. There was a boxing ring jumping castle, complete with oversized boxing gloves, party packs, a pinata, pens to draw on people's faces, stick on tattoos and sparklers. Bill and Robyn even got into a competition: who could blow the biggest bubble with ten Chappies!

  

                       
                                  

Thank you Caro & Jon for a fun filled afternoon where we were able to relive our childhoods!

Lean on Me

                       

It's the Small Things

So often we get caught up in the pursuit of the marriage/house/kids paradigm (as a friend aptly referred to it), we forget to appreciate the small things in life.

Simple things like admiring that sunflower growing on the side of the N12, taking some time out to read a magazine, enjoy a piece of confectionery, or watching a bird bathing itself in a puddle. We are so concerned about earning the money needed to survive in this competition called life we cannot comprehend wasting our time on anything as trivial as the above.

It's OK to lose sight of the bigger picture for a little while. Stop. Look outside. Take it in.

More often than not it will be a welcome break from that household chore or writing that report. Life is to be lived, not looked back on with the thought of "I would have rather done things differently". There is more to life than being a serious no-room-to-move person.

Have fun. Make mistakes. Laugh at yourself (or someone else for that matter). Help others. Make the best of what you have. And most importantly, be the best version of yourself as possible.

Literary Review: Bared to You, author Sylvia Day

Surely you've heard of the "Crossfire" series? The next big (read erotic) trilogy since 50 Shades of Grey last year. Yes, this series (published June 2012) reads like a soft porno and will have a few conservative readers blushing at intervals.

But is it good?

Naturally a story line around such purely sexual behaviour can only be so dramatic, needless to say if you are after an insightful or thought provoking novel, this one is NOT for you.

One can't help but notice the similarities between the two series, almost to the point where the reader wonders if Sylvia Day copied EL James' scripts and changed some of the details? As the 50 Shades series was published first (May 2011) it is assumed to be the original. I'm not pointing fingers but rather making an observation.

Here are some of the keynote points:

Similarities

• Both Christian Grey (50 Shades) and Gideon Cross (Crossfire) are hugely successful corporate billionaires, that seem to possess the business acumen of Donald Trump and Richard Branson combined. They are both under 30 years of age and have troubled backgrounds.
• Ana (50 Shades) and Eva (Crossfire) have similar sounding names. Both women have recently finished varsity and are entering the working world in a city far from what the call home. The female and male lead characters are introduced at (wait for it)...their places of work. Ana and Eva's parents have both separated, and both women feel a strong connection to their fathers as their mothers have moved on and remarried. The two women strongly rely on their roommates for emotional support.
• The plot: girl meets boy. Girl likes boy, but feels inadequate/unequal/undeserving of him. Boy likes girl too. Boy fears his tortured past may ruin their relationship. Enough said?

Differences

• Gideon is not as experienced as Christian in the S&M field, and the bondage/dominant/submissive bit is downplayed largely until the last few chapters of the book.
• Eva is more street wise than Ana. Being older than Ana (24 vs 21), she isn't a virgin but has her fair share of demons.
• Gideon doesn't propose marriage to Eva (a la Christian) when he fears he may lose her.
• Gideon and Eva are turning out to be the more mature couple for their willingness to attend both individual and couples counselling.

Read the book, and let's compare our thoughts. Until then, I'll continue with book two in the series "Reflected in You"

Happy reading!

Surprising Angie on her Birthday

Yesterday, the 2nd of September, one of my nearest and dearest friends celebrated her 29th birthday.

Roger (Angie's fiancee) and Jackie (Angie's sister) organised for Angie to go sky diving on Sunday for her birthday, but unfortunately I was unable to watch her jump (too much of a wuss to go skydiving myself) due to other commitments.

So, Jackie and I hashed a plan together that involved me meeting them for lunch at the restaurant in the business park complex. Jackie told Ange the two of them would go for a quick lunch to celebrate her birthday, and then she'd walk in and see me sitting at a table. This plan worked in theory, but not in practice as Ange didn't even see me in the restaurant (even though I had helium filled balloons tied to her chair and a bunch of flowers on the table) and proceeded to sit down at some random empty table, much to Jackie's and my amusement. After sitting down at the right table, Ange asked me "What are you doing here?" to which I responded "I've come to have lunch with you on your birthday!"

We had a lovely afternoon, and thanks to our very accommodating waitress, everything ran smoothly and Angie and Jackie were back at their office at 2pm. I found a singing birthday candle at Cardies and improvised with a choc chip muffin for the "cake".

Happy birthday Ange, last one as a Miss and next year is the big 3-0!

The Weekend that was 30 Aug - 1 Sep

Happy Spring to all those in the Southern Hemisphere! I know I am sure glad to see the back of winter although, as some have said "we haven't really had a winter". Hello??! Did you not feel how cold it was those nights in July? Pfft. Crazy people.

The weekend got off to a good start when GWM Fourways kindly returned Black Betty to me in working order. Friday evening was ladies night out at Movida. So, Colleen, Candice, Carey-Anne and myself got all dolled up and off we went. There were a whole lot of exhibitors including hair stylists, lingerie boutiques, false eyelashes, a gym, and a confectionery stand amongst others. Ladies watched demos of products, and were even treated to a live show by a hip hop dance troupe. There were also loads of prizes and each of us won something with the exception of Carey-Anne, which is quite unfair seeing as though she extended the invite to all of us. Here are some pics from the evening.

Our group of ladies

Colleen and I before we headed out

Saturday was quiet, what with William going to the local casualty unit to have a football injury he incurred on Tuesday checked out. The doctor ordered x-rays of his knee but thankfully nothing was broken or dislocated, but rather the ligaments were damaged and there was fluid on the kneecap. He was treated with anti-inflammatories and sent home with a knee brace.

Sunday was Spring Day, and our local community forum Atlasville Organisation organised a walk around the suburb. With a turnout of approximately 50 adults, childrens and even babies in prams, we walked the 5km route and enjoyed the lovely weather. It had been rather chilly on Friday night and Saturday so we were stressing about Sunday's weather, but for once Murphy stayed away.

After the walk, we went for a late lunch at Tashas Bedfordview with Linsey and her mom Karen. It was my our first time dining there and we loved it. The menu caters to all tastes and appetites, and the cakes were far too good to pass up. Linsey and I shared a slice of the bar one cheesecake - absolutely delicious! 

So how was your weekend? What did you get up to?

The Bucket List

Ah yes. We all have one of these. A list of things we aim to see and do before we pass onto the next realm. Items range from the adventurous to something as simple as trying a certain foodstuff. Here is an excerpt from my bucket list, in no particular order:

• Go white water rafting
• View the "Northern Lights"
• Attend a Holi-One festical
• Learn to play a musical instrument
• Take a scuba diving course
• Visit Egypt and view the pyramids and Valley of the Kings
• Fly an aircraft
• Be in two countries at once
• Learn to speak another language
• Start my own blog
• View the lava fields in Hawaii
• Take an advanced drivers course
• Learn to surf
• Have a session with John Edward/Theresa (The Long Island Medium)
• Ride in a hot air balloon
• Wear a pair of leather pants

It's not a complete list, just some of the main things I can think of whilst writing this post. As you can see from the above, I have managed to tick some of these items off and below are some photographs.

White water rafting

My former boss believed the best teambuilding is done whilst staring death in the face. So in August of 2009, he took our audit department to the Elephant Hills Hotel for two nights and on day two we did a half day's white water rafting on the Zambezi. We were divided into two "teams" and four people rode in the raft steered by a guide. All they had to do was hold on and have fun. The rest of us got the raft where we had to paddle and don't be conned into thinking it is an easy job. With eight people in the raft (excluding the guide) we STILL battled to propel it forward. After some practice time we hit the rapids. This was easily one of the best experiences of my life. The rapids ranged from manageable to "holy crap, the raft nearly tipped over". There were quieter parts of the river where we were able to get off the raft and swim or float, which was a good idea until a colleague spotted a baby crocodile sunning himself on a rock. As they say, where there's a baby there's a mommy... And that ended the swimming portion of the afternoon. The course went far too quickly and before we knew it we had to get out and start the monumental hike up the gorge to catch the bus. Man alive was I unprepared for that! The terrain ranged from a gentle gradient to climbing a sheer rock face. Although it may have only been 1.5km long, it felt like a lifetime and a heap of drained accountants could barely life their feet to climb onto the bus. It was a fantastic day, one I'll never forget for the rest of my life. Unfortunately we were not able to bring any photographs or videos of the rafting home as the company experienced a technological glitch and all the footage from our trip was lost. However, here are some pics I took in Zimbabwe.

View from our hotel 

Sunset cruise on the Zambezi

Vic Falls from the bus 

Sunset 

MWRK Audit team

Learn to play a musical instrument

I have always wanted to play the violin. Think Vanessa Mae firing off one of her electrically charged melodies, or even an Irish folk song. Nothing beats that signature sound of a violin. After threatening to go for lessons and buying my own instrument (Bill warned me to never practice when he was home because he didn't want to hear a cat being skinned alive) I thought I'd see if I had any musical talent whatsoever by trying a piano lesson first. One of my friends, Taryn, is an accomplished drummer and pianist, and she offered to give me lessons. I have only been once but I thoroughly enjoyed it and apparently I wasn't the worst student she'd ever had, so that gave me hope. I have my next lesson next week. I take it you are wondering why I have half crossed off this item? My reasoning is I have started the learning process but will only tick it off properly once I can do a full song with both hands at the same time, not this awkward one finger one finger one finger movement I currently have going on. Photograph to follow from next week's lesson.

Start my own blog

Well the very fact that you are reading this validates this statement. Soleil Femme was born on 27 August 2013, after much debate. With myself. So far I am loving it, and hope you are enjoying reading my posts. I love interacting with people so leave a comment at the end and let me know what you thought.

Hot air balloon flight

This was a gift I gave to myself for my 25th birthday two years ago. I have always wanted to go on a flight, and when a special came up on Groupon (at half the usual price mind you) I took it as a sign from the universe and started making the arrangements. Our flight was over the beautiful Magaliesberg region, and after a rather early start at 4:30am, William and I arrived at the departure site rather bleary eyed but excited. Our pilot was a veteran and had previously operated balloon flights over the Masai Mara, witnessing the great migration on several occasions. The flight was approximately two hours, and we shared a basket with approximately 18 other people, of which was a bachelorette party. Our landing site was a field of beautiful horses, a magical end to a once in a lifetime experience.

The leather pants

So another one of absolute have to's in life is to own (and wear) a pair/s of leather pants. Yes, I realise I am channeling my inner rock star at this point, but to me the leather pants are the epitome of self confidence and acceptance of our bodies. Let's face it, those leathers are not the most flattering, yet once you have them on you feel empowered, and ready to tackle anything. I wore them for the first time at my 27th birthday party just over a week ago, and now I cant wait to wear them - even to do grocery shopping! No, not quite, but you know what I mean.

I shall update my bucket list as I tick off more items, but in the meantime, why not share your bucket list?

My Blog Diary

I took the decision to start blogging less than two weeks ago. I've read friends blogs (Benoni Goose and Berry Diaries) and marveled at these ladies' literary prowess, and admired them for sharing so much of their personal lives with the world, and let's be honest, a host of strangers.

How much should I share? What is considered over sharing? These boundaries whirled through my min for most of last week. Not wanting to over think the situation I decided to go for it. What was the worst that could happen? So maybe I wouldn't gain millions of subscribers, but in my personal opinion (and those more experienced at this than I are welcome to correct me if I am wrong), that should not be the main aim in blogging.

After posting a status on Facebook my friends encouraged me to start my own blog and on 27 August 2013 (one day after my 27th birthday) my first post went live. Read it here.

Kelly, a friend of mine, had seen my Facebook status and so kindly bought me a diary/notebook with a pen to record my blog thoughts. Thank you so much for this very thoughtful gift my friend. It has already come in so handy, but I still need you to sign the first page :)

The post that started it all

Kelly and I at her 30th birthday party

The diary

Have a fantastic weekend everybody!