It is ....

..... a howler !!!!!
Every now and then something grabs my funny bone and gives it a jolly good shake! This is one of those. Let me make you laugh, a good belly laugh, like those of babies!

Seniors are Not Senile

An old white haired man walked into a jewelry store one Friday evening with a beautiful young girl at his side. He told the jeweler he was looking for a special ring for his girlfriend. The jeweler looked through his stock and brought out a $5,000 ring.
The old man said, 'No, I'd like to see something more special.' At that statement, the jeweler went to his special stock and brought another ring over. 'Here's a stunning ring at only $40,000' the jeweler said. The young lady's eyes sparkled and her whole body trembled with excitement. The old man seeing this said, 'We'll take it. The jeweler asked how payment would be made and the old man stated, 'By cheque. I know you need to make sure my cheque is good, so I'll write it now and you can call the bank Monday to verify the funds and I'll pick the ring up Monday afternoon,' he said. Monday morning, the jeweler phoned the old man. 'There's no money in that account. ''I know,' said the old man, 'But let me tell you about my weekend!'

Crafty old man but wait, the tables will turn!
Hugs to all and thank you for taking the time to stop by and leaving a comment!
Denise
oxoxox

I have

… been rummaging in Granny’s goodie tin again (anything to keep warm) and have found these.
Now, the story with this torn photo, as told to me by my Granny was, ‘Well, when someone in the photo had been nasty, horrible, had done something ugly, they were torn out!’ That’s that! No chance to talk and sort the problem out! Heaven forbid that, that was the ultimate punishment for a misdeed!!! By the looks of this photo, there were two ‘bad’ people. The one on the right looks as though he could have been a teenager?!?!? Maybe he hid Granny's bed-pan in the cupboard, or he put his pet bull frog in there (for safe keeping) just assuming :)The backing on this photo is headed The Windsor Magazine. If you can’t make out what it says, e-mail me and I’ll let you know about the Inns of Quay on 13 January 1883, such as it was LOL headless bits and all!! (It was stuck upside down on the newspaper)

This couple also falls under Unknown Ancestors. You are welcome to use this image and the others that I have posted previously but please don’t reproduce to sell as part of a collage or anything similar. They are for your personal use only.

What a handsome couple!

Enjoy and have a giggle at the possible stories behind these photos!

Love and warm hugs to you all and thank you so much for your comments.

You know I appreciate them.

Denise

oxoxox

Had giggles

...... when I came across these postcards my cousins sent to my grandparents in the 1960's

Oooooh to have that hour glass figure again! Maybe in my next life!?!?!?!

Have fun and enjoy
Use them the best way you know how!
Hugs and love
Denise

I've been ....

tagged by Annette aka Voodoo Vixen!!!









I need to answer the following questions and then tag 5 or 6 fellow bloggers by visiting their blogs and inviting them over to mine so that they can see what the requirements are!

Ten years ago:- DS was writing exams for his final school year! I was tearing my hair out! He was also planning and organising his departure from SA to work at a kibbutz the following year. You know the story, taking a gap year (which turned into 5yrs) I was working at a local high school on the Admin side (Accounts) Suited me fine as I had afternoons off from 2pm and school holidays. I could do all the Mommy things like take DD to ballet, tap dancing etc.,

Five things in today’s ‘to do’ list:- LOL it’s Saturday! Nothing at all! except made lunch for DH when he came home from work. DS’s lady friend is cooking dinner for us tonight!

Snacks I enjoy:- Oooh anything salty and savoury! Cashews, peanuts, crisps, mini pizza, salty crax with pate. Cheese doesn't really count because I don't stop until it's all gone! I am not a chocolate lover, at all!!



Things I would do if I was a millionaire:- I would most certainly travel!! I’d follow the SUN! and I would visit every scrapping book shop I could ;) DH wouldn’t have to work. He could spend his time travelling with me and on the odd occasion we’re home he would spend it tinkering in his workshop.

Places I have lived:- Boring !!!! Same area, just four different towns – Boksburg, Germiston, Kempton Park and Benoni.

So, I would like to tag

Jessie
Rose
Jaqi
Jackie
Chriss


(Apologies if you have already been tagged)



Warm hugs to all



Denise
oxoxox

Elizabeth and Cookie

need our help! Please visit Cookie's blog http://www.cookiesunshine.blogspot.com to read the full story.
Please, Girls, let's unite and do what we can. Every post and every e-mail will make a difference.
As always, huge warm hugs to all and thank you to all who help and assist in whatever way you know how!
Denise
oxoxox

I need ...

... to feed Jaqi's habit! (thank goodness it's only vintage pictures) wink, wink, nudge, nudge!
Another Unknown Ancestor. Uhmm hand on hip? Maybe don't mess with me! I have both feet firmly on the ground! So, what do you think of my new outfit? Is this going to take long? Does someone want to sit on this bench with me? I have new specs, do I look 'clever'?
There is no time limit. Just use this image the best way you know how and most of all have fun and imagine the stories behind this photo. Yip, if only we knew!
Let your imagination run riot (you are allowed) When you have a moment let me know what you have done with this image and the others I have posted. So I am curious (I am allowed)
Have a glorious, warm week and spare a thought for those of us who are soooo freeeezing!
Warm hugs
Denise
oxoxox

Oh so

dapper! For all you 'vintage' lovers out there, this is my late grandfather.
Gosh, didn't he strike an elegant pose. His Mom was probably standing close by with another cane! It's difficult marrying the 1931 diamond digging photo with this one. Chances are both were taken before WW1. There was no date on this one.
To my friends, use this one with elegance and creativity in mind and enjoy!
Warm hugs to all from a bitterly cold South Africa (I can't even feel my thoughts)
Denise
oxoxox

OK, soooo ……

bad, bad, bad, blogger, but I do have a reason – NO not an excuse! Aunty decided that NOW is the time to move! Her flat has been ‘sort of’ ready for a few days. The garden is still a bit like a concrete jungle! builders rubble, etc, etc.
On Sunday, last week, she made the decisive decision that the time has come! She contacted the movers on Monday and organised them for today, Friday. Who ever thought the thought of TGIF needs a fat smack. In all honesty, not serious at all! They arrived at Aunty’s previous residence at 7:45 and were here at 9:30 with the first ‘fragile’ load. Aunty was installed, lock, stock and barrel by 13:30. They had put all her furniture exactly the way she wanted. All the boxes (meticulously) marked were in the appropriate rooms (damn she’s sooo organized) Aunty even managed an afternoon snooze! Well she is going 77 years old, so I think she is allowed.

OK soooo … ‘cause I’ve been bad, slow, not around, freezing my buns off, I thought I would like to share this photo with you! As regular followers of Dottie are aware, we took her on a whistle stop tour of South Africa. One area we did not manage to fit in was Lydenburg. My grandfather was a diamond digger and this is a photo taken around 1931 of him (enjoying a cup of tea, I would like to think, actually I don't think they could afford anything else) and his team.
My late Granny said, 'If I knew then, what I know now about diamonds ......' the rest is up to your imagination. I think in those times, they sold the diamonds they found to buy food, or the ingredients to make a meal. I seriously doubt whether sliced bread and canned foods were the order of the day.
Enjoy and warm hugs to all
Denise
oxoxox

Oh gosh..

... Jaqi and Chris 'bestowed' upon me with this award.

thanks so much.

The rules for this award:
1. The winner can put the logo on her blog.
2. Link the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of the girls you've nominated.

I'd like to pass this award onto (in no particular order)
Bonnie
Lani
Cookie
Tina
Gillian
Louly
Jackie
because each one of you is special and you have shared your gifts and talents with so many.
(Their links are in/on my sidebar)

And this award is from Chriss.
Thanks so much. You are such a honey!

Hugs
Denise
oxoxox

Thank you ..

... to all you lovely ladies out there who have read my blog, left such kind comments and to top that, bestowed two awards upon this humble head.
It really is appreciate and so ....

have a fantastic, creative and wonderful week!
Hugs
Denise
oxoxo

oh shoot

we had a power failure and my entry was rudely interupted and nearly re-arranged

Our final day..

We spent today at the Kruger National Park. On our way there Dottie was full of questions. So here we go with the answers:- The Park covers an area of 19 485sq km. To give her some sort of an idea of how big that is, it’s larger than the state of Israel, about the same size as Wales and about two-thirds the size of Belgium. There are at least 147 species of mammal, 507 birds, 114 reptiles, 33 amphibians and 49 freshwater fish. It is one of only 14 national parks in the world more than 15 000sq km. It borders on Zimbabwe (north) and Mozambique (east) and the Park stretches 320km from north to south and 65km from east to west at its widest section. No, there was no guarantee that we were going to see ‘everything’ but we would be travelling through areas where we were bound to see a fair amount.

We entered the Park at the Paul Kruger Gate and this is a granite statue of him. 'Gosh,' said Dottie, 'he really looks grumpy' LOL at this lass!
The Park has approx 110 000 Impala, so we came across them always at every turn.

These Wildebeest (12 500) were having a bit of a 'discussion' We're not sure whether it was about who was on whose turf or perhaps it was about a lady?!?!

A lonely vervet monkey looking for Mommy! We roll up windows very quickly when we see these little fellows because they are known to grab whatever they can through open windows - camera, binoculars, food, anything. We also don't stop for monkeys or baboons because they climb all over the car and break radio aerials and windscreen wipers clean off!! Little blitters!

Oh, oh, a white rhino(2 000) and her baby! So cute but so dangerous! Never get between any mother and her baby, especially a rhino or an elephant. You are likely to come off second best.

The giraffe (5000) is so stately and 'elegant' piped up Dottie who had to stretch her neck to see this fellow. He was not really interested in these strange looking things staring at him. He was probably looking for the rest of his mates!

What is it with males? These two buffalo (1 600) were also having a serious discussion. The more dominant male pointed his snout to the ground as if to say, 'you are sooo pushing your luck young man. Back off now or be sorry!'

'Ah, they are so cute! and they are having such fun playing in the soft sand' oooh and then we noticed Mommy elephant (8 000) standing rather close by and we decided to move along, as they say!

Dottie just collapsed laughing when we were looking at the zebra (25 000) and said, 'If I just saw the photo, I would swear they were paid to pose like that' I absolutely agree! It was almost like, 'OK fellas, on three, heads down and drink!!

The lilac breasted roller became a firm favourite with Dottie. She just couldn't get over the stunning and striking colours of this bird.

This male kudu (4 000) was just so majestic. We could have watched him for hours but he got bored with us and decided to move on.

OMG, words cannot describe what was waiting for us just a bit further down the road! We had missed a cheetah killing an impala (Dottie, was horrified) by maybe 6 or 7 minutes. This is such a rare sight and people who have witnessed an actual kill, talk about it for years. The photo is not too clear but I think two can be seen feeding!

Oh lordy, then one lifted his head! Dottie nearly freaked out! All she said was, 'Oh how gross!'

Oh dear then we came across this martial eagle having a meal! It was almost too much for poor Dottie! But I think she is beginning to understand the way of the wild when we explained that animals only kill when they are hungry. Predators may go days without eating!

We hadn't seen anything for quite some time and were beginning to think, 'Oh dear, dry patch'

A little info - in the park you are more likely to hear something before you see it and this is exactly what happened. We heard a rustle in the bushes and just waited to see what it was.

It was lionesses and their babies! What a fantastic sight! We didn't linger too long because they were very aware of us! POWER FAILURE, PLEASE SEE NEXT POST!

Typical male! At this stage we needed to leave the park because we still had quite a journey home and THIS guy decided that he was going to take an afternoon stroll! Dottie's suggestion, 'Well, be polite, tap him on the shoulder and ask him to move over.' ROFL He did eventual move over onto the side so that we could get past!

Well, we are home and Dottie is just having a quick cuppa (her favourite mug and new outfit) before I take her down the road to Jessie.

We're on our way!

Hugs and love to all

D & D

oxoxo

A bit of heaven...

.... this area, Mpumalanga, is my family’s most favourite part of the country and we wanted to show Dottie are much as we could.
These are called Mac Mac Falls -
Originally it was a single drop waterfall but when gold was discovered 1873, within a year 1000 diggers descended on the farm and concentrated their efforts in the stream on top of the falls, thus splitting it in two. There are a few versions on how the name was acquired – One is that when President Burghers, on a visit to the area, saw the list of the names of the diggers, most hailed from Scotland! The other version is that the area was named for the MacClaughton brothers who were the first diggers to arrive.
Dottie much preferred the first version!

There was much gasping for air and panting by the time we reached the top!

But it was so worth the effort. This is a view from God’s Window. Dottie’s comment, ‘Oh this is just so spectacular! I can see for miles! It’s awesome’ (I think she was quite impressed ;) ) She didn’t want to leave but I think (secretly) she didn’t relish the thought of all those steps to get down! (for UK readers, a bit like those at Tintagel) Well, what goes up has to come down!

Oh wow, when Dottie saw these, she was at a loss for words (I think she’s used them all)

Bourke’s Luck Potholes are magnificent cylindrical potholes that were formed by the grinding action of boulders and pebbles caught in the swirling water of the Blyde and the Treur rivers. This site was named after Tom Bourke who never had any luck finding gold. The gold bearing reef was further south! Dottie thought to bungy jump from the bridge may be an idea! I agreed but the rest of the family nearly ran a mile! scraredy cats!

Dottie thought this little village called Pilgrim’s Rest was the quaintest ever!

We went to a little tea room and when the owners realized Dottie was a visitor, the stories began. Firstly how the town got its name. Apparently a miner called Alec ‘Wheelbarrow’ Patterson left the Mac Mac diggings because it was getting too crowded. He was called ‘Wheelbarrow’ because he used a wheelbarrow to carry his worldly possessions, ‘cause its cheaper than a horse and it won’t die of horse-sickness!’ He was known to welcome each new digger with ‘here comes another pilgrim to his rest’. Others say that it was William Trafford, who, when he saw the incredible riches in his pan, said, ‘the pilgrim is at rest.’ Whatever the true story is, we’ll never know, but Pilgrim’s Rest was declared a public diggings in 1875 and the camp had its own newspaper called Gold News, 21 shops, 18 bars, 3 bakeries and 2 banks! Not bad for a tent camp! The shops, I mean ;)

Not everybody who came to seek riches were successful and therefore turned to providing the community with what was necessary, like this baker …

and this wagon builder’s shop!

And, yes they had their bad boys too!

A man was caught robbing someone’s tent. He was duly shot and buried, BUT at right angles to the other graves!!! There was only one Robber’s Grave in the cemetery!! ummm, I guess they didn't take nonsense from anybody in those days?!?!

Yes, I think it’s time to make a move to our next destination!
Hugs and love to all
D & D

oxoxo
P.S. Dottie says she’s had such a ‘lekker’ day today!

On the road again...

We travelled up country today. The Knysna Forests are just so beautiful with towering forest giants such as yellowwood, stinkwood, red and white alders, and ironwood - draped with lichens, monkey ropes and colourful mosses. The glades of ferns and tranquil streams created the perfect place for us to just take a moment and appreciate nature's wonder.



The only sounds we heard were the wonderful songs of the Knysna Lourie. Dottie said it was a bit like a fairy-tale and made her want to look for fairies and elves that may be playing under the tree ferns.

Our next port of call was Port Elizabeth. Sir Rufane Donkin was the Acting Governor of the Cape at that time the 1820 British Settlers arrived and his name pops up everywhere. Some of the historical buildings are the row of double-storey terraced house in Donkin Street which were built between 1860 and 1880

and the Pyramid in the Donkin Reserve which is dedicated Elizabeth Donkin.

This building is the Public Library and was built around 1848. We laughed when Dottie said, ‘These buildings look very similar to the ones back home!’ and then she collapsed laughing when she saw the statue of Queen Victoria (hiding behind the tree) No she wasn’t laughing AT the statue. She hadn’t realised these were built by the British.

We just had to stop in Grahamstown where DD attends university. Dottie wanted to see DD residence but the famous Grahamstown Arts Festival was in full swing and the university hires out the rooms and there were just too many people. We decided to beat a hasty retreat as we still had some distance to travel.

This is what greeted us as we arrived in Durban, KwaZulu Natal.

We thought Dottie was going to have a heart attack. She got such a fright but soon calmed down when we explained to her that they were rickshawmen. They take customers for a ride in their highly decorative rickshaws. It’s quite an experience! It feels like being on a see-saw. The more flamboyant they dress, the greater the chance of attracting customers. Dottie then saw all the different coloured beads on their costumes and headdress and decided she wanted some too!!

Doesn’t she look lovely!

And now it’s time to ‘parade’ this young lady to bed!
Hugs to all
D & D
oxoxox

Oh what a day!

We travelled down to Cape Town this morning. It was a stunning day, in fact, perfect weather wise. The city centre lies cradled in a vast blue-grey amphitheatre formed by Table Mountain, Lion’s Head and Devil’s Peak. Dottie had drop jaw (again) when she saw this beautiful city and of course wanted to do all the ‘touristy’ things.

This is the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden which covers about 528 ha of natural and landscaped gardens and has over 4500 plant species. Some of the attractions are the Fragrance Garden, Cycad Amphitheatre and the Dell, with its massive tree ferns. A very popular event during summer is the Summer Sunset Concerts. Our timing was a season or so out but at least Dottie got to see and smell the beautiful flowers. If she could have gathered a bunch to take home, she would have. She said she is most definitely going to the Chelsea Flower Show next year!

Dottie wanted to go UP THERE in one of those! (cable cars)
And so did every other visitor to Cape Town. But it wasn’t long before we were on our way up!

This photo was taken while we were in the cable car. There was quite a stiff breeze and the cable car was swaying a bit. Dottie was a little perturbed but the lovely view soon put those scary thoughts out of her head. And was oohing and aahing with the rest of us.

What a spectacular a view from the top! The sea looked so inviting but was actually freezing. No swimming today. Not for us sane people anyway ;)

These little fluffy furry sweeties are called Dassies and Dottie just wanted to bring one home LOL. But I agree they are too cute for words. They are perched on a rock ledge basking in the wintery sun. (We decided we would rather bask in the sun on something a little bigger than a ledge)

Next on our list to see was the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. A shopper’s dream and has a huge variety of attractions, activities, specialty shops and restaurants and Dottie was in and out of just about every single shop. We all got the giggles when she went into a spice stall and had a fit of the sneezes. We then just had to take time out for a bite to eat and rest our sore feet.

We boarded the Spirit of Victoria for a trip around Seal Island.

The photo is not too clear as we couldn't get any closer because of the rocks. You can just see the seals soaking up the sun on the rocks. This island is home to about 2000 seals. Dottie’s comment, ‘Phoooie, what a smell!’ She was so right!

A trip to Cape Town is not complete unless you visit Robben Island and this is the fast cruiser that we boarded called the Makana.

Dottie was spellbound as she listened to the guide who explained that the island from around 1488 was used as a pantry to feed sailors on passing ships, as a postbox for their letters and occasionally as a prison for mischief makers. During the Dutch rule at the Cape, 1652 -1806 the island was still used as a panty but it was being used more and more as a prison. In 1846, the prison was closed and converted into a hospital called the General Infirmary. It was divided into three sections, ‘chronic sick’, ‘lunatics’ and ‘lepers’ (Dottie had another fit of the giggles at the termonology) The hospital closed in 1931 and stood empty until the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. Troops were sent there to guard the entrance to Table Bay. From 1961 to 1991 the island had once again become a maximum security prison for political prisoners, one being our ex-president, Nelson Mandela.

The buildings are now a museum and this was his cell where he spent 27 years of his life!

When we got back to the V and A, we were all exhausted and decided to head back to the hotel!
Tomorrow is another day!
Hugs to all
D & D
oxoxox