Yesterday we went to the air show at Waterkloof Airbase - AAD2012 as it's officially known. Tribeca has done all the PR for the event, and I worked there during this week, so I was excited to take Brett and the boys to show them what all the fuss was about.
Great morning out, phenomenawesome aerial displays, cool planes on show - all the boys got Gripen pins when they went into the Gripen enclosure, and the boys were so excited to be able to climb on and in real tanks that were parked to one side of the runway.
Which is where we lost Matthew.
He was on top of a tank, and asked a soldier to help him inside. He was going to be fine in there, wasn't he - a tank is a pretty closed thing, and there were children crawling everywhere! Brett was watching Daniel on another tank, and I went around the side to see where Matthew would come out. But he didn't. This was literally a space of less than five minutes - because we're both paranoid about our boys in crowds.
I called and called his name, I climbed on top of the tank, shouting out for him. Brett was calling him, Daniel was calling him, I ran off the tank and asked soldiers standing by to help us. Only the fourth one had a cellphone, and the fifth one, a major, called his guys to help look for Matthew.
By this stage I was near hysterical. I got back into the tank and saw a back exit that I hadn't noticed before - he'd probably got in through the hatch, and gotten out through the back.
And then where had he gone?
I think there was a guardian angel out and about at the air show yesterday, because as we went in, there was a guy with a black marker writing parents' phone numbers on their children's arms. We've never done this before, but we did it then - and thank goodness and the Universe for that.
I checked my phone - and I'd missed a call. I only got through to the nice lady on the fourth try, and she told me she and a colleague had' found him and taken him to the Broadcast Centre - which was probably at least half a kilometer away, if not more. Airbases are big places. But, she and her colleague said, they'd call and get her colleagues to bring him back. And then they couldn't get hold of the colleagues. Apparently there's bad cellphone signal on airbases too.
So I ran to the Broadcast Centre to fetch him, imagining my hysterical child, and bordering on hysteria myself. I get to the Broadcast Centre, and nobody's heard of my child.
I call the original soldier - who asks me to go back to him. By this stage, I'm convinced I'm being given the runaround while someone evil spirits my child away. But what could I do? So I start heading back, swearing to go back to gym so that I can actually run if it's necessary.
Halfway there, he calls back to say that Matthew's been taken to the Medic Centre, next to Hall 5. OK, another half a km of running, at least. I get to Hall 5, and can't see any Medic Centre. Run through Hall 5. Run back. Phone in a panic. Which is when another soldier sees me, having obviously been sent to look out for me, and she shows me where the Medic Centre is. One white tent and a few brown vehicles. For 40 000 people. Nothing much medic-y there, but anyway.
And there was my child. Twenty five minutes of hell.
I am so grateful to the guy at the gate who wrote my number on Matthew's arm. Daniel knows my number, but Matthew's still too little.
I am so grateful to the woman who was comforting him when I got to him, and I am grateful to the soldier who made phone call after phone all to try and track my child down.
But my question is this:
WHY ON EARTH did they take him away from where they found him? Why not stand with him there and phone the number on his arm? Standing there with him would have meant that we would have seen him when we were running around the area in an absolute state. At least 10 people would have been saved the trouble and stress of the day - not least my child - if he hadn't been spirited away across the air base to the Medic Centre, which, in spite of absolutely no branding at all, was also the Lost and Found Centre.
I was told that it's policy to take all lost children to the Centre. But how in any way does it make any sense to take a lost child so very far away from where he's found - when his parents would no doubt be hunting for him where he was lost?
And, how does it make any sense to send a frantic parent from pillar to post around an air force base, because nobody knows of this policy, or how to give specific instructions on where to find the Medic Centre?
My lessons from this awful experience:
- Never go to ANY crowded public place without writing my number on my child.
- Brief my kids every time we go somewhere on what to do if they can't find us.
- Make sure that they never can't find us (without literally sitting on top of them).
I have at least 40 more grey hairs. And they're too grey to pass for highlights.
Monday, 24 September 2012
Monday, 17 September 2012
A food experiment - savoury flapjacks
So, last week I found out my body has a bit of an aversion to gluten. I'm not missing bread at all, I must be honest, although I have only cut out gluten products since last Wednesday. Not sure how strong my will power is going to be next time I walk past a croissant or a fine piece of confectionery, but let's leave it at "going well" for now.
Saturday night saw me feeling experimental in the context of all this - so the recipe below is what emerged. I'm no nutritionist, but I reckon it would tick the boxes of: vegetarian, gluten-free, high-protein, and most importantly, easy.
I served them as savoury flapjacks, topped with onion marmalade, tomato sauce or mayonnaise (depending on age and preference), but the dearly beloved (who had chilli with his) pointed out that they'd be a great bread-free alternative to topping and tailing a burger. Or as being a base for an open sarmie. Up to you really...
So ...here you go:
Savoury flapjacks
2 cans of beans, drained (I used one each of red kidney beans and cannelini beans)
1 onion
A handful of coriander
1 egg
2 teaspoons of baking powder
3/4 cup pea flour (I think chick pea flour would work well too)
Seasoning
A food processor
Butter to grease the pan
A non-stick frying pan with a lid
Peel the onion, and whizz it in the food processor till finely chopped.
Add the other ingredients, and let the food processor whizz away until everything looks smoothly blended.
Heat up the pan and grease it with the butter.
Ladle spoonsful of the batter - any size you want, according to what you're going to use the flapjacks for afterwards.
Cover with a lid (the contained heat helps them cook more evenly).
Flip when browned on one side, to brown on the other - and then serve.
Regretfully, I don't have any pics. They didn't last long enough to photograph - even my boys polished them off!
Saturday night saw me feeling experimental in the context of all this - so the recipe below is what emerged. I'm no nutritionist, but I reckon it would tick the boxes of: vegetarian, gluten-free, high-protein, and most importantly, easy.
I served them as savoury flapjacks, topped with onion marmalade, tomato sauce or mayonnaise (depending on age and preference), but the dearly beloved (who had chilli with his) pointed out that they'd be a great bread-free alternative to topping and tailing a burger. Or as being a base for an open sarmie. Up to you really...
So ...here you go:
Savoury flapjacks
2 cans of beans, drained (I used one each of red kidney beans and cannelini beans)
1 onion
A handful of coriander
1 egg
2 teaspoons of baking powder
3/4 cup pea flour (I think chick pea flour would work well too)
Seasoning
A food processor
Butter to grease the pan
A non-stick frying pan with a lid
Peel the onion, and whizz it in the food processor till finely chopped.
Add the other ingredients, and let the food processor whizz away until everything looks smoothly blended.
Heat up the pan and grease it with the butter.
Ladle spoonsful of the batter - any size you want, according to what you're going to use the flapjacks for afterwards.
Cover with a lid (the contained heat helps them cook more evenly).
Flip when browned on one side, to brown on the other - and then serve.
Regretfully, I don't have any pics. They didn't last long enough to photograph - even my boys polished them off!
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
Taking stock
I'm not one to socialmedia-ise about my medical issues or bodily functions, but I thought this worth a post.
I haven't mentioned it much, but I've been coughing since June.
It's always a tight cough, and some days I just cough a bit, and other days I cough till my whole body is sore.
I've been through three courses of antibiotics, some cortizone, and enough bottles of cough mixture to make a bergie happy.
Today I went to see a homeopath - two friends suggested that I do this, and the gentleman I saw was recommended by one of them. I have never been to a homeopath before, having always trusted in conventional medicine, but even the lovely Dr Setzer has given up on trying to fix what's up with me and it was time for a different tactic.
He hooked me up to a gizmo - kinda like being in an electric chair, but way more comfortable and I lived to tell the tale. It analyses 14 000 different things about your body, and then yields results. It's his job to interpret the results, and suggest a plan of action.
The results?
The biggest, loudest, shoutiest thing was that I am exhausted. Totally. When he told me that (because it's what I have known for ages but haven't given it the seriousness of a Diagnosis), I burst into tears. A lack of sleep also means you have low levels of seratonin and dopamine, which are your happy hormones, from what I gather. (Refer back to crying). But when you're not in control of how much you sleep - how do you get that magical, mythical eight hours? Between two children, a husband, (all of whom I love more than I could possibly describe) four dogs, burglar alarms going off and cats (not ours) in the garden - how is it possible to be in control of not being awake? He gave me a stern talking to: change the way things work in your routine, and get more sleep, or my health will continue to suffer, or worsen. He even chucked in the C word.
The next thing:
I show high allergic reactions to almonds (no more macarons then. Well, not to eat, anyway), corn, gluten and feathers. I'm willing to cut those out of my diet (I don't eat feathers though), and will have to remove my down duvet and pillows. Apparently feathers are threefold bitches: you can be allergic ot the feathers, to the dust that they gather, or to the mould that grows on them. Yuck, right? Totally. Time to go shopping for new bedding.
And.
When it comes to organs etc, my stomach and spleen are out of whack. Two things here: my food isn't being digested properly before it's absorbed into my body - which in turn leads to allergies developing. And, those parts are in control of the fluids in your body - and if they're not sorted, then stuff goes out of balance. Like an endless post nasal drip (check) and lots of irrational crying (check). So he's given me a tonic to sort that out.
Then.
This device also measures other things, like hormones, minerals, vitamins etc (all of which are normal). It also picks up emotions. And here's where I'm going to have to start working on deeper stuff on myself, because the things that came tumbling out here were guilt and self-repression and a few other words that made me cry some more, because they struck home so much.
So.
I'm happier with this process than with conventional medicine because it tackles causes rather than chucking drugs at symptoms. (An aside: cortizone suppresses your body's ability to fight off germs. Hmmm). What he said makes so much sense on so many levels.
He's given me a range of pillules, drops and a tonic, and I see him again in three weeks, when I hope I shall be more healthy, and a lot more together than I was today.
I haven't mentioned it much, but I've been coughing since June.
It's always a tight cough, and some days I just cough a bit, and other days I cough till my whole body is sore.
I've been through three courses of antibiotics, some cortizone, and enough bottles of cough mixture to make a bergie happy.
Today I went to see a homeopath - two friends suggested that I do this, and the gentleman I saw was recommended by one of them. I have never been to a homeopath before, having always trusted in conventional medicine, but even the lovely Dr Setzer has given up on trying to fix what's up with me and it was time for a different tactic.
He hooked me up to a gizmo - kinda like being in an electric chair, but way more comfortable and I lived to tell the tale. It analyses 14 000 different things about your body, and then yields results. It's his job to interpret the results, and suggest a plan of action.
The results?
The biggest, loudest, shoutiest thing was that I am exhausted. Totally. When he told me that (because it's what I have known for ages but haven't given it the seriousness of a Diagnosis), I burst into tears. A lack of sleep also means you have low levels of seratonin and dopamine, which are your happy hormones, from what I gather. (Refer back to crying). But when you're not in control of how much you sleep - how do you get that magical, mythical eight hours? Between two children, a husband, (all of whom I love more than I could possibly describe) four dogs, burglar alarms going off and cats (not ours) in the garden - how is it possible to be in control of not being awake? He gave me a stern talking to: change the way things work in your routine, and get more sleep, or my health will continue to suffer, or worsen. He even chucked in the C word.
The next thing:
I show high allergic reactions to almonds (no more macarons then. Well, not to eat, anyway), corn, gluten and feathers. I'm willing to cut those out of my diet (I don't eat feathers though), and will have to remove my down duvet and pillows. Apparently feathers are threefold bitches: you can be allergic ot the feathers, to the dust that they gather, or to the mould that grows on them. Yuck, right? Totally. Time to go shopping for new bedding.
And.
When it comes to organs etc, my stomach and spleen are out of whack. Two things here: my food isn't being digested properly before it's absorbed into my body - which in turn leads to allergies developing. And, those parts are in control of the fluids in your body - and if they're not sorted, then stuff goes out of balance. Like an endless post nasal drip (check) and lots of irrational crying (check). So he's given me a tonic to sort that out.
Then.
This device also measures other things, like hormones, minerals, vitamins etc (all of which are normal). It also picks up emotions. And here's where I'm going to have to start working on deeper stuff on myself, because the things that came tumbling out here were guilt and self-repression and a few other words that made me cry some more, because they struck home so much.
So.
I'm happier with this process than with conventional medicine because it tackles causes rather than chucking drugs at symptoms. (An aside: cortizone suppresses your body's ability to fight off germs. Hmmm). What he said makes so much sense on so many levels.
He's given me a range of pillules, drops and a tonic, and I see him again in three weeks, when I hope I shall be more healthy, and a lot more together than I was today.
Thursday, 6 September 2012
Some randomness for a Thursday
On storms in teacups
Some days I really do wonder WTF about South Africans. There's so much out there to think about, talk about, and celebrate, and yet, some random guy choses a Saturday to create a PR stink for Woolworths. Please don't misunderstand me here - I've had my fair go at Woolies about their quality and service from time to time. But they're expected to follow the law of the land just like all other companies. And picking a fight with them over something that's out of their control is petty, stupid and ridiculous. What's even worse is all the ou toppies that have climbed on the bandwagon in 'boycotting' the outlet. All they've actually done is reveal - or highlight - their racism, more than Woolies ever could have done.
On Marikana
Oh. My. Word. So much sadness, so distraught, so upset. This is not the country that the struggle fought for, these are not the people of Madiba's rainbow nation - not the violent miners, the police or Lonmin management. Stop messing with my country's future, yoh!
On picking battles
I've learned to do this. I've gone from drawing a line in the sand and refusing to keep quiet, to picking battles. It's meant I've self-censored a lot of tweets, a lot of Facebook posts - because, yes, I probably wouldn't have said those things to the person's face - so why be a coward and put them up on a computer?
On private school holidays
Ah, you say. #FirstWorldProblems. But really? Five and a half weeks of little (and big) boys sitting at home? My boys may go to a private school, but I work a full day job to help make that happen, so I depend on my housekeeper and my mom to entertain them. Such a long time off school is surely not constructive - boys are bored, silly, crotchety, and all they can talk about is the in-console world - even though their screen time is limited. Seriously, private schools? Seriously?
On baking
Hmmm. I've found a new recipe for macarons, and it seems to be a winner. First time round was pink macarons with fresh strawberry crush frosting, with a secret bomb of strawberry jam. I've also made a divine-looking date-meringue thing for bookclub tonight... hoping that the extra half hour in the oven didn't do too much damage...
On wise words from children
Matthew (4), said that I should have known that he wanted a Nintendo 3DS for his birthday. How should I have known, I asked? You didn't tell me? Mom, he says. You should have used your imagination. Your imagination knows everything.
Never a truer thought, actually...
Some days I really do wonder WTF about South Africans. There's so much out there to think about, talk about, and celebrate, and yet, some random guy choses a Saturday to create a PR stink for Woolworths. Please don't misunderstand me here - I've had my fair go at Woolies about their quality and service from time to time. But they're expected to follow the law of the land just like all other companies. And picking a fight with them over something that's out of their control is petty, stupid and ridiculous. What's even worse is all the ou toppies that have climbed on the bandwagon in 'boycotting' the outlet. All they've actually done is reveal - or highlight - their racism, more than Woolies ever could have done.
On Marikana
Oh. My. Word. So much sadness, so distraught, so upset. This is not the country that the struggle fought for, these are not the people of Madiba's rainbow nation - not the violent miners, the police or Lonmin management. Stop messing with my country's future, yoh!
On picking battles
I've learned to do this. I've gone from drawing a line in the sand and refusing to keep quiet, to picking battles. It's meant I've self-censored a lot of tweets, a lot of Facebook posts - because, yes, I probably wouldn't have said those things to the person's face - so why be a coward and put them up on a computer?
On private school holidays
Ah, you say. #FirstWorldProblems. But really? Five and a half weeks of little (and big) boys sitting at home? My boys may go to a private school, but I work a full day job to help make that happen, so I depend on my housekeeper and my mom to entertain them. Such a long time off school is surely not constructive - boys are bored, silly, crotchety, and all they can talk about is the in-console world - even though their screen time is limited. Seriously, private schools? Seriously?
On baking
Hmmm. I've found a new recipe for macarons, and it seems to be a winner. First time round was pink macarons with fresh strawberry crush frosting, with a secret bomb of strawberry jam. I've also made a divine-looking date-meringue thing for bookclub tonight... hoping that the extra half hour in the oven didn't do too much damage...
On wise words from children
Matthew (4), said that I should have known that he wanted a Nintendo 3DS for his birthday. How should I have known, I asked? You didn't tell me? Mom, he says. You should have used your imagination. Your imagination knows everything.
Never a truer thought, actually...
Monday, 3 September 2012
And the winner is...
Last week I was lucky enough to run a competition for a reader on this blog to win a two-night getaway at a Tsogo Sun resort of their choice.
After a highly complex process of writing all the entrants' names on pieces of paper, folding them all to the same size, shaking them around a lot, and asking the lovely Karli (who sits next to me at work) to pick one...
The winner is...
@MissStaceyVee!
Stacey, please send your contact details to the lovely Kirsty Sharman on kirsty at retroviral dot co dot za, and she'll put you in touch with the lovely people at Tsogo Sun to book your break.
I have to say though, that if I hadn't left finding a winner completely up to fate, there is no way I would have known how to choose one on merit.
Every single entry deserved to win - folks out there are having a tough year of it. Here's hoping the year only gets better, and that everyone else gets to have a holiday treat before the end of the year!
After a highly complex process of writing all the entrants' names on pieces of paper, folding them all to the same size, shaking them around a lot, and asking the lovely Karli (who sits next to me at work) to pick one...
The winner is...
@MissStaceyVee!
Stacey, please send your contact details to the lovely Kirsty Sharman on kirsty at retroviral dot co dot za, and she'll put you in touch with the lovely people at Tsogo Sun to book your break.
I have to say though, that if I hadn't left finding a winner completely up to fate, there is no way I would have known how to choose one on merit.
Every single entry deserved to win - folks out there are having a tough year of it. Here's hoping the year only gets better, and that everyone else gets to have a holiday treat before the end of the year!
Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Are we nearly there yet?
I don't know about you... but although it's only August, I'm about ready to head off for the December holidays right now. It's been a big year for the Haggards - lots of busy times, a bunch of awesome times, but some pretty stressful times too.
And I get the feeling that that's true for pretty much everyone out there?
The time has clearly come to take a break... we won't talk too much about the dash to the coast over the Women's Day weekend that was pretty scuppered by snow and ice on the roads on the way there, bronchitis while I was there, and then the Traffic Police from Stupidity Hell who decided to put up a roadblock on the Sunday of a long weekend, undoing any good that the break had done in the three hour queue...
Just in time to avert the panic about everything that still has to be done by the end of the year, a little birdie told me about the sale that Tsogo Sun is running, starting today. It seems that the folks at Tsogo Sun have got their finger on the pulse of stressed families, and they're making it easier for us all to have a decent holiday at the end of the year.
How easy? Tsogo Sun launches their summer sale this morning, 29 August 2012, and you can get up to 30% off rates at a wide range of hotels in Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal and the Western Cape (because, yes, people do come to Jozi on holiday too...), for the time period we need it most: December 2012 and January 2013.
But get clicking on that link fast ... bookings opened at 6am this morning, and close tomorrow, 30 August 2012, at 20h00.
One of the things I've always loved about Tsogo Sun is that two kids get to stay and eat breakfast for free when they're staying with two adults. See what I mean about the group keeping their finger on the pulse of what families need?
So... what next?
Apart from the great discounted offers, Tsogo Sun is offering one of this blog's readers a weekend away at a Tsogo Sun hotel. All you need to do is tell me in the comments below why you deserve a weekend away with Tsogo Sun... and then tweet it with the hashtag #TsogoSale. Transport's not included, but with so many hotels to choose from, I'm sure you'll find one that works for you!
Entries close on Sunday 2 September 2012, I'll announce the winner next week!
And I get the feeling that that's true for pretty much everyone out there?
The time has clearly come to take a break... we won't talk too much about the dash to the coast over the Women's Day weekend that was pretty scuppered by snow and ice on the roads on the way there, bronchitis while I was there, and then the Traffic Police from Stupidity Hell who decided to put up a roadblock on the Sunday of a long weekend, undoing any good that the break had done in the three hour queue...
Just in time to avert the panic about everything that still has to be done by the end of the year, a little birdie told me about the sale that Tsogo Sun is running, starting today. It seems that the folks at Tsogo Sun have got their finger on the pulse of stressed families, and they're making it easier for us all to have a decent holiday at the end of the year.
How easy? Tsogo Sun launches their summer sale this morning, 29 August 2012, and you can get up to 30% off rates at a wide range of hotels in Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal and the Western Cape (because, yes, people do come to Jozi on holiday too...), for the time period we need it most: December 2012 and January 2013.
But get clicking on that link fast ... bookings opened at 6am this morning, and close tomorrow, 30 August 2012, at 20h00.
One of the things I've always loved about Tsogo Sun is that two kids get to stay and eat breakfast for free when they're staying with two adults. See what I mean about the group keeping their finger on the pulse of what families need?
So... what next?
Apart from the great discounted offers, Tsogo Sun is offering one of this blog's readers a weekend away at a Tsogo Sun hotel. All you need to do is tell me in the comments below why you deserve a weekend away with Tsogo Sun... and then tweet it with the hashtag #TsogoSale. Transport's not included, but with so many hotels to choose from, I'm sure you'll find one that works for you!
Entries close on Sunday 2 September 2012, I'll announce the winner next week!
Tuesday, 3 July 2012
20 thoughts on turning 40
Yup. Who would have thunk it - I'm knock-knock-knocking on 40's door... I have a few thoughts to put down on the screen, but they're pretty random. So here goes.
- I am incredibly blessed to have the most wonderful husband whom I love so much, the most incredible sons, a loving and supportive mother and mother in law, a comfortable home and a good job that I enjoy.
- I've learned that you're never too old to make new friends. And I am lucky to have some really great 'old' friends.
- My boys teach me something new every day. Sometimes small lessons, often really big ones.
- While I'm done with suffering BS, there are times when it's less stressful and more peaceful to just smile and wave.
- I have had a bit of a hiatus from cooking and baking lately, but every now and then inspiration strikes. Sometimes it strikes in a double-whammy - today's inspiration is all about lemon macarons and strawberry smoothie cupcakes. Separately, not together.
- While I'm fiercely independent and somewhat of a control freak, there's a little girl inside me that wants other people to take charge and make things happen. Thank you to two special ladies who did this for me on Saturday night.
- I have this deep creative urge inside me that I don't know what to do with. I can't draw a stick person, or paint a splatter painting, but I feel this need to make something beautiful.
- That same creative urge is desperate for me to write a book (ja, me and about 40 million other people, I guess.) I have two book-kernels in mind. But oh, where to start, where to take the storylines, and the Fear of wondering if anyone will be interested in them when they're done.
- I want a covered patio that can house a big comfy daybed, that will capture the afternoon sun but be sheltered from the rain.
- I've got grand plans for rebuilding/renovating our kitchen, but am terrified of the expense only a little more than I'm terrified of the mess.
- I am so immensely proud of being South African. But also immensely sad at how many things this country constantly screws up.
- One day when I grow up, I'd love to make a difference in education. I have a couple of ideas brewing, but need to find time/support/knowledge/money/technology to make those happen.
- I'm a sucker for puppy breath. That is how we land up expecting dogs number 3 and 4 to arrive on Friday. Texas and Dakota, the daschund cross Foxy pups will be joining Phoebe the Rottweiler and Sebastian the Daschund.
- I'm breaking from the norm this birthday. I usually ask for practical, sensible birthday presents. This year, I've asked for 'envelopes', and I'm going to use the proceeds to buy something completely useless but incredibly beautiful. I don't know what it is yet, but the search is underway.
- I don't get Car Envy any more. I do however get Shoe Envy, and Wardrobe Envy. And occasionally Perfect Hair and MakeUp Envy.
- I would dearly like to have a dressing table. Not with film star lights though.
- I really enjoy my job, but would love to get to the position where I could work a 3/4 day, to be able to spend the afternoons with my boys, either helping with homework or supporting them when they play sport.
- This is the year I want to sort our garden out. We need to put decent lawn in the front, and I really want to get my veggie garden producing enough for us to actually use. It's been great, but more of a "look how easy it is to grow stuff" project than a "we don't need to buy vegetables any more" project.
- I need to stop looking for the negatives in situations and people, and focus on the positives.
- The only way I'm going to get into the kind of shape I'd like to be is if I do what's necessary to get there. Doh! Obvious, right? I need to get stronger with myself, and with setting aside the time and care it's going to need for me to get there.
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