Thursday 26 April 2012

After the rain, comes the sunshine...

Life has a funny way of taking away with one hand, and giving back with the other. After the recent losses in our small family, this week is one of poignant joy. Tomorrow my eldest niece Nikki is getting married to her best friend and soul mate Gareth. 

Since they arrived from Singapore, Nikki has been subjected to some traditional bride-to-be experiences by Bailey, her sister and maid of honour. Pictures are worth a 1000 words so here are some from the kitchen tea and bachelorette party:

Mad Hatters Kitchen Tea Party:

The white rabbit to greet us as we arrived

The lovely bride to be, my eldest niece Nikki

The table in the garden

From left to right: Bride to be Nikki, Iona (Mom of bride & my sister), ME (with my mad hatter hat that sang songs and clapped its ears!!); Nana of bride (Mom) and Maid of honour, (Sister of bride & my niece Bailey)

The bride to be (Nikki, right) and
her sister & maid of honour (Bailey, left)
 Bachelorette at Madam Zingara's at Montecasino in Johannesburg: (great on ambience but not so great for photos, many of my photos didn't come out):
Madam Zingara's artistes arrive

From left to right: friend Margie, my Mom (Nana of bride to be)
and Nikki (bride to be) holding her groom

Front Left: my niece Nikki. Front Right: my niece Bailey,
between them their friends (who are the bridesmaids)


My mad Mother, using her glowing lit up finger rings to identify what we were about to eat!
This is a wonderful time of happiness and joy, but we cannot forget those who are with us only in spirit, my Dad and Gareth's Mom.

Today (the day before my niece's wedding) is two months exactly since my Dad passed on. As I left my Mom's house this morning, on the outside wall by the door we use to come in and out of, was this:
Is it a moth? Is it an angel? Or is it my Dad showing us that he is with us in spirit and in love during this special time when his darling granddaughter "Springkaan" marries the man of her dreams:
Congratulations Nikki andGareth 
on your wedding on 27 April 2012.!
 May…
…your love mature like good red wine .
…your love for each other last an eternity.
…God keep you wrapped in His embrace.
 With much love from all of us xxxxx 

Friday 13 April 2012

Celebrating H.R.H Theodorable


Arrived home from a lovely two days away to find my adorable Theodora in distress. 

Husband, who was away, had seen her last night, and she’d eaten well, but he hadn’t seen her this morning. 

As Mom & I arrived home from Askari Lodge in Magliesberg, HRH keeled over.  I rushed her to the vet, but she died in Mom’s arms on the way there. 

The vet says he’s almost certain she had a heart attack, but could only say for sure if he did an autopsy, which I didn’t want. 

She was nearly 17, which is a good age for a cat, and since my Dad died she hasn’t been looking good – very frail and grumpy and keeping away from us. 

Except, on Monday night (the night before we went to the Lodge) she spent the whole night next to me for the first time in ages.  I’m so saddened by her loss, as she was a sweet and gentle giant – but I’m grateful for all the love she’s given us over so many years, especially how she comforted me through the recent loss of my Dad and 3 years ago, the loss of my other baby, Josephina.

I’m feeling savaged by this loss so soon after my darling Dad died, so if I'm quiet on social media, please understand .




R.I.P. Adorable Theodorable xoxox

My niece Nikki sent me this poem by Constance Jenkins on hearing about the passing of Theodorable:

Weep not for me though I am gone into that gentle night.
Grieve if you will, but not for long upon my soul's sweet flight.
I am at peace, my soul's at rest
There is no need for tears. 
For with your love I was so blessed.
For all those many years.
There is no pain, I suffer not,
The fear now all is gone.
Put now these things out of your thoughts,
In your memory I live on.
Remember not my fight for breath
Remember not the strife.
Please do not dwell upon my death,
But celebrate my life.                                   Copyright 1992 Constance Jenkins


Friday 6 April 2012

The Final Dance


Much as I love Wenkidu's original artwork "Man and the World of Stars", and as much as I love the first cover created using this artwork, the multi-talented Michelle Davidson Argyle has surpassed her first cover with a second offering that took my breath away:


This is the second sample cover for DANCING IN THE SHADOWS OF LOVE – it’s a more  commercial, but it's still different and, in a way, reflects my writing style better.

The first cover is bold, striking, exotic and stunning, while this cover is also different, unusual and striking, but in a more subtle, intriguing, gentle and ethereal way. 

I also love the veiled mirror reflection of the woman, suggesting “two faces”  (two sides) to everything.  As each of the characters in the story have to find the real person behind the masks they wear, this watersplashes mask on the woman's face  and the veiled reflection hint at the story.

The more I looked at this cover sample, the more it talked to me – thinking of the reviews to date of my book, my writing comes across as lyrical, mystical and gentle rather than big and bold. The soft and mysterious watersplash mask cover definitely taps into that energy.

So...this is it! The final cover for DANCING IN THE SHADOWS OF LOVE. I'm so relieved, because, while I have no expectations that the cover will suddenly turn the book into an overnight best seller, I can now put the book to rest knowing that it has the perfect cover.