FAMILY ALBUM

My cousins Shannon and Samantha. Shannon is an agent for Lego, Sam is a published children's author and much loved primary school teacher.

Samantha and Shepherd.

Michael, Shannon and their son Matthew, who reminds me A LOT of me.

The girls...Shannon, Sam, Chloe and Paddy.

Chloe.

Memories of Home

These are pictures from the house and garden where I grew up.

Leonie Elizabeth Goddard - 1947 - 1989

February 3rd 2008 would have been my mom's 61st birthday. She died in 1989 at the age of 42 when I was 17 years old. This tribute to her is an extract from a recent email I received from Debbie Smith (ne Reilly), my cousin, and her niece.

Yes your mom and dad's wedding was quite an affair. I remember all the prep for me to have my little fu-fu dress made by a lady in Jhb, then I remember the night before the wedding and your dad visiting at granny's house, before your mom had to go to bed early because all us "gals" had to be at the hairdresser early in the morning. I remember seeing your mom outside the church in her gorgeous dress, I don't remember much of the ceremony but I remember the hotel where the reception was and having to take baskets around at the end with wedding cake in to hand to all the guests.
Your mother sure was a very special human being. I think she was very misunderstood. I know she wanted everything perfect for her children and her home. I think every detail she wanted just right.

I have lots of other memories. She called me shortly before her passing, about a month before, to chat, and I could not figure out where she was in her mind and I didn't know how to help her. I was not very experienced at that time. I felt I needed to go to Bloem and visit with her, which is what I would have done today. But then I was selfish and immature. I have some regret in that regard. I struggle to understand why it all happened and I miss her terribly as I am sure we all do.

Yes I see her as a Princess Diana figure as well. I am constantly pointing out movie personalities and people on tv that look like her, they come along once in a blue moon, and I say to Geoff how Leonie looked a little like that.

NVDL: Thinking of you mom, today, and missing you as always.

E is for Argus

My starting time is at 7am, and I'm in Group E. Last year I was in Group C, and I have to admit, they were too strong for me. I'm very happy with E, although I have some work to do still to earn that place. Several visits to Northcliff are definitely on the cards.

I was very aware that spending 5 days in Botswana was not going to help my training (for the Ironman and the Argus), particularly the beer swilling and constant braaiing and biltong gnawing. So I was surprised after my 2km swim last night to find my weight still below 85kg.

I went to gym first thing this morning with Alex. It was quite funny. We started with 10 pullups, I did my usual 10, buit he could barely manage 4 or 6. But he got me back. We did dips in the very last exercise, and he did 6 or 8. Don't think I could manage 1.

Candice (PHOTOGRAPHY)

Long, Dull, Boring, Whacko, Wake Up Weekend

What not to do and what to do to make the most of your holiday break

The good thing about having wasted so much time this weekend is the dissatisfaction serves as a reminder for what not to do when I go on holiday (quite soon). Hence here are the rules:
1) No computer games
2) No sleeping late
3) No promises to go to gym - just go
4) Forget trying to get the pool clean - go and swim somewhere else (it's too late now)
5) Make sure you've made plans with people beforehand. 5 minutes is not sufficient lead up to do a weekend trip
6) Effort - not laziness - will be rewarded
7) No DVD's

And to do:

1) Read
2) Spend time with friends and family
3) Get outside, into a new environment
4) Catch a tan - sunshine is happiness
5) Be active, and put it in an effort. Help out around the house
6) Explore
7) Experience and enjoy (absorb)

Views Of A Home (Photography)

Candice: Getting High (PICTURES)

VDL's WIN

On Wednesday my dad's 'Bobbejaan' video scooped second prize in the KYKNET competition, today it turns out my sister's first story on Reporter (OPen Letter To Virgin Mobile) reached a credible 6th (in Top 10 stories for the week). My brother has also arranged his first exhibition in Bloem - a landmark event since the oke has been painting, exhibitionless since he was a boytjie. And guess who is doing the catering for the show? FN herself. And while all this has been going on, what have a achieved? Give me a moment to think about that...

This Space 1, 2 and 3 years ago

October 4, 2006:

yet not
on the outside of it
the underside
the right side
the wrong side
never the inside
never knowing where is the glue
or a tall glass
or socks
or something warm
just comfortable
in passing
to some home away from home

in some other street
in some world beyond your street
beyond four square walls
and three square meals
and portraits by uncles and brothers
and of a dead mother

there is some appreciation
at last
of what it takes
to have a home
much less
to run one
to run one's family in one
in a box that you've made for your family

so what if you're not one
for living in a box
not even a cardboard box
that means
whereever I am
I'm home
alone

yet not
on the outside of it
the underside
the right side
the wrong side
never the inside
never knowing where is the glue
or a tall glass
or socks
or something warm
just comfortable
in passing
to some home away from home

Perhaps...
not yet
Not Yet
image courtesy topleftpixel.com

October 4 2005



Woke up feeling very good this morning, and the cool, sunny day made me want to be out exercising. I even felt tempted to extend my stay in Korea. But my first class reminded me that there are other factors at play, and by halfway I was feeling feverish and very tired. One thing I've had enough of this weekend is sleep, so something is up if after so much sleep I still feel drained.

Went running anyway, in the park, with Corneli. Was very nice, as we jumped 'onto the bus' with a few groups chugging past, some at a nice pace. When I slotted in behind one group I elevated my heart rate to 170, and we were just trotting. That is a sign that I have some bug that is effecting my heart. So took it easy after that:

Run: 8.5km (rough esitmate, we ran a sort of figure of eight loop, so not exactly certain about the distance)
Time: 58:30
Hr: 149 avg/ 170 max
Kcal: 1070
Temperature: 26 C (That can't be right, was more like 17 C)

Pilates: 5 minutes

Core felt very tired, probably from a combination of recent rollerbalding and the 10 pullups on Sunday where I took so much strain. Also did some stretching.
Pullups today felt a lot easier. The pullups on Sunday may have felt harder because I did them with rollerblade pads on, and I'd had a fairly big dinner with a lot of water earlier in the evening.

I've registered for a marathon in November, so want to do a few runs before then.
Feeling pretty drained now.

For more on this date, click here.

This is not quite 3 years ago as this blog started October 29, 2004:


This is Amanda Beard. She is an excellent breastroke swimmer and as far as I know, Ryk Neethling's girlfriend. I swam with Ryk, or more accurately, we swam with the same squad, and under the same swim coach, some years ago. I emailed him before the men's relay and he emailed me back, telling me when the race was. It was pretty amazing because they got a world record, and beat the Americans (including Phelps). The email was amazing too because Ryk got something like 1500 emails around the time of the Olympics.

When I first saw this picture, and I think I found it on the New York Times website, I felt claustrophia. It was weird to feel this terrible sense of breathlessness just from looking at a picture. It's because you can't tell where she needs to swim to get air. I stared at this picture late at night and I couldn't breathe. I'd like to know whether anyone else gets a similar impulse.

It's also kind've mournful, and Big Blue-ish, which I think makes it quietly beautiful.

When I Was Litte...

The 3 Stooges*

 *

Stooge:

1. The partner in a comedy team who feeds lines to the other comedian; a straight man.
2. One who allows oneself to be used for another's profit or advantage; a puppet.
3. Slang A stool pigeon.
intr.v. stooged, stoog·ing, stoog·es
To be a stooge or behave like one.

When We Were Young

My Sister's Big Fat Greek Holiday