“Each friend represents a world in us, a world not possibly born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” – Anaïs Nin
Photo Blog Challenge – Love
This weeks blog challenge from Laura is Love. I was going to post a delightful picture of Aaron and Paul but in light of my brothers accident Im posting this one…
Thankful
I am immensely thankful that my brother is alive!
Banged up and broken but alive!
On Wednesday night I was messing around on the computer when the house phone rang, I grabbed it because Paul and Aaron were asleep and I didnt want them woken up.
It was my mom, she sounded calm when she told me that Cliff had had an accident and they were in the ambulance on the way to the ER.
I asked if she wanted me to come and she said yes, so I got dressed, woke Paul to tell him and rushed out to the hospital.
They had arrived there just before me and had put him into one of the trauma rooms.
He had blood all over his face and one arm, other than that he looked ok.
Turns out all that blood was from a head wound, his arm was fine.
It also turned out after he complained about a sore knee and we went for a few x-rays and a CT scan that his knee was fractured.
It took 4 hours for the ER doc to stitch his head and only when they moved his pants to splint his leg did they notice the huge gash under his knee. We were not impressed.
What was impressive and amazing were Cliffs two friends, Timor and Mark. They were fist on the scene, they stayed with him until he was moved into a ward, they cleaned him up and held his hand, they didnt even smack him when he swore at them and they didnt laugh too much when his concussion caused him to ask the same few questions over and over and over again.
Speaking of, the first thing my brother asked when we told him he had been in an accident was if anyone else had been hurt and made us promise that the other woman involved was ok (she was uninjured), the fact that his first thought was for other people just shows his character.
Once he had been moved to a ward (5 and a half hours after we had arrived) I took my mom home and then went home to sleep.
On Thursday they operated on his knee, he had a fracture in the knee cap, his tibia had split vertically down a few inches and he had almost severed the tendon. They did a bone graft, put in two pins to hold the tibia together and stitched the tendon back together.
He will have to be in a cast for 3 months!
Then will come hours and hours of rehab, physio and hard work.
I am so so so thankful he is alive!!!
Changes
We have been having a difficult adjustment period with Aaron.
Read all about here and please do comment, we need all the help we can get!
Anniversary/Valentines
So, I won a night away at The Westcliff for this weekend past, it was a amazing timing cause not only was it for Valentines day but our 4th anniversary was on friday 12th!
We were so spoilt. When we arrived we found out we had been upgraded from a luxury room to a loft suite. Wow! So much of luxury and spoiling. The bathroom alone was bigger than Aaron’s room. We had a balcony with the most amazing view and a sitting area that played host to a bottle of champagne and six chocolate covered strawberries on our arrival.
We were treated to a romantic turn down service which consisted of long stemmed red roses, white rose petals on the bath matt and beside our bed, candles ready for our bath and our bath robes laid out and ready for us.
Dinner was a five course wonder. We each had a different menu, great for sharing over romantic candle light on the restaurant balcony. We started with sushi followed by lobster and langoustine ravioli. Next was a palette cleansing sorbet. The main course of lamb, potato and veggies was next. We both had lamb but each was prepared differently. This was followed by deep fried camembert and cranberries for Paul and haloumi cheese for me, we swapped that course around. Dessert was a chocolate brownie with ice-cream for Paul and a cheese cake and strawberry compote for me.
We literally rolled into bed.
Breakfast was amazing, a full continental breakfast as well as poached eggs for me and an english breakfast for Paul.
Throughout our stay the staff were amazing, always smiling and ready to help in any way. Definitely five star service!
We were very sad to leave after breakfast but what a treasured memory. If only we could spend every anniversary/Valentines in such opulent surroundings…
*All images thanks to Paul
First days
As most of you know, Aaron started school this week.
I spent just over an hour with him on Monday, getting to know the teacher and the teaching aids, meeting all the kids, the 3 dogs, 1 cat, 1 bird and 2 tortoises that make up the play school staff.
Aaron was mostly ok and by the time they went outside to play he was absolutely fine to let me go. I came back an hour later to fetch him. Poor kid was so tired he could barely talk.
This morning was great, we arrived, went to say hello to Elvis and Presley, the tortoises and then when we came inside Teacher J took his hand and said goodbye mommy. Aaron said bye bye, gave me a big kiss and after buzzing me out the door spent a good three hours playing and learning with only a few minor wobblies.
I am so proud of my baby!
Nothing says ‘Awwwww’ quite like a new puppy…
My grandfathers new puppy. His name is Motti, it means friend in hebrew.
A trip down memory lane
I scanned in some old photos last night. Here are a few of my faves!
She made handbags
Yesterday my mom, grandfather and I spent some time going through my grans clothes, sorting out what will go to Hospice to be sold and what will go to other people, like all her bowls clothes will be given to underprivileged players.
While we were going through her hand bags my mom mentioned that granny used to make them. I never knew that about her.
It makes me wonder what else there was about her that as her granddaughter I didn’t know. It makes me realise that as her granddaughter I only knew her as my grandmother, not as a wife, a mother, a friend. The same goes for my mom, my dad, my grandfather, my uncles. How many different facets we all have.
I hope to learn more about my grandmother as a women, a mother, a friend, a wife…
Goodbye
A few days ago I posted this, I need to add a line at the end:
77 – How old she was when she died
My Granny Fanyse passed away yesterday. She went peacefully.
What an amazing lady she was.
She was an avid bowls player and played at provincial and national level. She was also a provincial, national and Maccabi selector.
She collected fridge magnets, both the fridge and the freezer were covered in them, she only packed them away a few years ago when she bought a new fridge and freezer.
She collected the most beautiful brass, ceramic and glass figurines.
She was fastidious in keeping her home neat and tidy and was ready for guests at the drop of a hat.
She could spot a bargain a mile away, tell her you wanted a pink skirt with yellow polka dots on one side and green stripes on the other and not only would she find it but she would bargain it down too!
She loved reading, murder mysteries were her favourite.
In my teenage years she was always there to listen, she treated me like an adult and I could discuss anything with her.
She had pictures of all her children, grandchildren and great grandson and constantly added to her collection.
She made friends with everyone and always had a kind word to say.
She loved her family so fiercely and we loved her back as much.
She leaves behind a void that can never be filled!
I love you Granny Fan, always!
