In my constant carrying on about my cats, I might just overlook my Albie (which means ‘my darling’ in Lebanese). I’ve spent the weekend trying to relax and it’s not going so well, but then I walk past the cage and she say, “What?” like she really wants me to sit down and tell her all that’s going on in my life. Not that I’m going to waste my time because the next thing this cute little girl does is laugh at everything you say … and then sneeze!

I’m a mommy of three!

If you ask anyone, they’ll tell you that I’m too neurotic to have children, so my cats will do just fine. If I had chosen to have any other kinds of cats except for my gorgeous Persians, I wouldn’t be such a strict cat mom.

Funny how everyone scares me that people steal cats like this and then complains when I get completely over protective. So it took me months to allow the cats outside without my supervision. Eventually we all settled into the sliding door being open all day and them coming back inside just before sunset.

The other two, Saphirah and Roran, are quite happy to potter around the garden, take in the fresh air, chase a bug and come back inside when mom calls. Okay, the come in when I shake the food tin and aren’t actually returning for me. Eragon, my prince, has had other plans from day one. The more I’ve tried to explain to him that he chose the life of a prince and can’t wander the streets, the more he seems to have plans to get over the wall. I had settled myself into comfort that he wouldn’t make it over the wall, but today I was in for a shocking mommy surprise.

Holy cow, Pat looked out the window and Eragon was strolling onto of the wall. That’s it … he was banished inside and not to go outside until the branch (of a dead tree) he jumped on is cut down and we put mesh up along the bars on the gate that he slips through. Poor kid hated me today and he sat by the door crying to go out. Greggie rolled his eyes that I’m so neurotic and that he’ll come back but no part of me can dare take that risk. He also rolled his eyes when I had this long conversation with my son and tried to explain to him why he had to spend the day inside.

Neurotic? Maybe …
But I got these precious kids of kitty shelters and they’ve already been abandoned once, so I’m that over protective mom whose cats would say it’s safer I don’t have children … for their sake

I would have called this post, ‘you’ll find them at the food table at funerals’. One of them thought it was fab and the other thought it a little inappropriate, but the fact remains, the two men in my life have healthy appetites … anywhere!

Years ago, when my friends and I were very young and hadn’t been faced with death yet, a friend of our tragically passed away. We all gathered at his house, in a corner, and tried to keep the conversation quiet and somber. There’s no place to laugh when someone has died, was the belief that all of us. Then someone did something … I can’t remember what it was, but we all started to giggled and then tried to ‘shhhh’.
Then an elderly family friend came over, pulled up a chair and told us a story. She told of the day that Jesus was on the cross and while Mary was sitting at his feet crying, a tortoise strolled past with a bandanna on his head. I doubt that story is going to be in the bible and to this day I don’t know if she just made it up on the spot, but something changed in all of us. She taught us that laughter is there to ease the pain and from that day I’ve always been so aware of the ‘tortoise’ that crosses our path in tragic times.

Today, my best friend and my fiance where the reason that Hustler Girl, who buried her boyfriend’s mom today, and I had a reason to giggle.
Greggie just loves food (good food) and Pat isn’t allowed to eat Piggie in our house because we live with my mom and it’s a Jewish thing. On top of that, the food after the service was delicious … so my men tucked in!  I nibbled on my cheese sandwich and spoke to a friend outside, while they hovered around the table and … tucked in! It was the sparkle in their eyes that had my dear friend and I giggling away and I watched her mood lighten and her heart smile.

I’m not one for ‘the right thing to do’ and watched a friend dare not crack a smile on far too many occasions. I’ve watched another salivate over something yummy, but dare not take another helping. But then I’ve watched a friend bury someone she loves and realise that life’s to short to not have that laugh or another stroll around the buffet table.

I’m starving! I’m also too tired to cook! I’m certainly not complaining!

So while I wait for my brother to visit with take aways, here’s my story on a day that filled my diary for the next few months, boosted my self esteem and will go down in the books as a day where I can say, ‘you did it kiddo!’

It didn’t start off like that. It started off at 3:45am with my wide awake and trying to have a rational conversation with my mind. It was stressed out and nervous for day to break, but that other part of me (the conscious part) was going through a long list of things to be grateful for. Amazingly, there has been a big shift in events over the past few days and I have so much less to be concerned about. Yes, I’m talking mainly finance, because we know how that can keep a person awake at night. But the pitches are flowing, the events are generating money and our financial support has told us to calm down and just continue to make things happen. So I’ve decided that I simply wake up in the middle of the night on autopilot that calls for distressing thoughts (something to work on in the hours ahead of me).

My day always begins with kitty cuddles (after man cuddles that is), coffee made by the best fiance I could ask for and then a stroll through my diary.

Wow, it’s full!!!

Amazingly, all I am is excited.

Okay, that’s half a lie … because I can’t lie that I’m a little nervous too.

I’m not kidding that the diary is full and the events just keep finding a new date to fill up. That’s not with one client that we’ve secured yet and I know life has the amazing sense of humour to throw a major one in when the mayhem hits. Today I shared this with a friend and inspiration of mine, Melanie Minnaar who is the founder of the Twitter Blanket Drive. She reminded me that on my 500th day of blogging, I didn’t have the exposure, following, or any plans to this extend … but I’m still SO NOT complaining.

I can’t believe I’m at the point where I need a to-do list for every event … and then the general one. Between our first #FollowSA event in Durban, a #FollowSA event to collect blankets for #TBDZA (and committees hosting events in Cape Town & Durban), Melanie asking me to be an official host for the main collection day (or did I volunteer??)  AND a charity singathon for Nkosi’s Haven … this all before the 3rd of June … let’s say I’m getting what I asked for.

I can feel the smile growing, my esteem lifting and my heart lightening with every word I type, because I did ask for this and we always get what we ask for … even if we wish we didn’t!!
Before, I would have been in a state and doubting that I could cope at all, but then I look beside me and I’m surrounded by countless people who believe in me and will stand by my side to make sure anything I dream of comes true.

Of all the events, clients or followers I manifest, nothing will compare to my realisation that staying within my integrity, living my truth, empathising with those who don’t get me and thanking those who do, has laid the foundation to all I am today.

Um … I think I need a bigger diary though … because this is just the beginning!!