a Jo'burg reality

I woke up to the sound of a police chopper yesterday. It was really close and was circling my area for quite some time.

Before knowing what was really going on in the outside world, (being the suburb of Fairland) countless images race through my imagination. With good reason too, could it be some big shoot out between the cops and the baddies? Or perhaps (living up to the African stereotype here) a group of elephants had escaped from the zoo and now they're going shoot them with tranquilizer guns. Well it was the first, luckily uhm unluckily??!

Now we (we Saffa's/Jo'burgers) hate crime, we can spend hours and hours talking, complaining, sighing about it. It's our thing, in a scary way a part of our identity, sadly. Spend enough time on News24.com and you're instantly carried away in a vision of landing in perfect Perth.

I know my American man often worries at the integrity of my affections towards him knowing that he's a key factor in obtaining that sought after 'green card'. No no darling, it's not like I want to move the US anyway, like whatever, US is stupid... with their at times crime free charming towns where kids still play in yards without fences and...

Moving on,

because I actually have a point to make.

There was an epic commotion going on yesterday morning, something about an armed house robbery in the early hours of the morning, which eventually led to a helicopter waking up all the Fairland late sleepers (by late I mean 07:30am). As well as some blocked off streets and neighbours that hardly say hello asking you and other neighbours for more detail, nothing like the scary things to bring people together right?

Good news, no great news is that they caught all 4 of the baddies, those super cool crime-fighter heroes , and I think that is freaking wonderful. So there is my point. I just want to point out the positive for a change. So forget Perth and Green cards for a while.

Good thing I never went into news journalism judging by these last two paragraphs.

I don't want to get all happy thoughts and rainbows on you I just thought a job well done by the crime-fighting heroes deserved a mention. Keep it up.

a Barks and Trees therapy theory and something about liking Emmerentia

On a personal note...

Things have not been moving along as swiftly as I had imagined months back, staring out over Hanoi rooftops I had pictured my life back in South Africa and had images of "own place", "awesome job", "weekend breakaways", "a Jack Russel puppy".

Now a solid 3 months on we're still living with my parents, the job market might as well be another fantastical country for which we don't have the right visa and everyday seems like a day closer to the end for my 'sort of a type of a kinda jack russel' dog. Sad face.

But this blog is about the joys of being back so moving on then.

A major joy of going through all these character building challenges is that it forces one to find delight somewhere else. Not selling a house today, sucks. Painting a picture of blue trees, rocks.
No reply from sent out CV's, sucks. Running 3km, rocks.
No control of dstv remote control, sucks. Dog watching (more like stalking) at Emmerentia, rocks.
Delighted face.

I have found three major delights in the last while, them being: Running, painting and the wonder that is the botanical gardens Emmerentia. For today let's focus on the escape that is Emmerentia Botanical Gardens. Why more Northern Jo'burgers don't make more use of this wonderful place escapes me. Going there really helps with those moving to Cape Town fantasies, kicking the electrical fence walls around my parents house in rage cravings and the unhealthy obsessive desire for puppies. Jack Russel for me and a Ridgeback for the man.We especially love the dog walk (more like run free as the wind) section of the park. If you see the only sad couple walking around without a dog that would be us, staring at other dogs like a fat teenage girl on a diet at a cupcake.

We've even taken to borrowing my sister's dog just not to look so suspicious. Also test out how it would feel to take our own dogs there one day when we're grown ups. Like babysitting to check out the whole parenthood vibe.Dogs aside it's honestly one of my favourite places in Jo'burg hands down. I could go there everyday, I almost do. And with all this time that we have at the moment we are taking every opportunity to appreciate the park instead of worrying ourselves into a frenzy.Seems to me that a certain amount of blossoms (and barks) can cancel out certain amount of stress. (I'm still working on the scientific proof on this one) But go test it out for yourself if you're around, try go before the blossoms in the rose garden fade.

Green and Gold... so hot right now

I consider myself a sort of a stylish gal at times, I'm no slave to fashion, who can afford that anyway, but I do like to stay on top of things.

You'd imagine my disappointment in Marie Claire this month, as I discovered how wrong they have been. Almost the equivalent of discovering that your own mother doesn't eat her vegetables kind of disappointment.
Tsk Tsk dear MC this seasons must have item is not the romantic floral jumpsuit as you declare but rather the 'supporter' look, as in green and gold daahling.
(Because it's the rugby world cup this month which is way cooler than the soccer world cup because we're actually good at rugby...usually)

so hot right now


it's cute but does it say "go bokke go"... didn't think so

The worst part is that I don't own any type supporter rugby shirt. It's embarrassing really, I should be right there along with 75% of Jo'burgers in their gear, especially on match days. Especially because it's so easy to get too. If you're not South African then think 'drive through' but better.


Intersection vendors

That's right, in a matter of yellow to red to green you too can be the proud owner of a bok jersey. Add a springbok flag, and a cellphone cover and a car charger if you're feeling it.

Despite shamefully not walking around in the national colours myself I do love seeing the rest of the city in it. All races, all classes, all sexes, never mind Julius Malema's comments of declaring war on white criminal imperialist something something blah blah blah.

Thankfully the Bokke did win on Sunday (nail-biter right!?) otherwise I'd be surfing copy cat blogs of 1001 things to do with my springbok rugby jersey, like that one guy's blog about 1001 things to do with my ex wife's wedding dress.
Let's hope not.

For now I'll just grace public with my 'of-course-I-have-a-bok-jersey-it's-just-in-the-wash-so-that-I-can-wear-it-again-tomorrow' face. Which I think is way more convincing than my 'I-totally-love-rugby-and-understand-what-off-side-means-face'.
Well that is until I my next red light and the vendor has my size... (for the shirt, not for the actual love of rugby)

Another Spring Fling

Being the self confessed weather brat that I am I find it quite obvious that this next post is yet another burstful babble of springin' Spring.

I suppose that the biggest reason for my deep love and giggling outbursts are due to the fact that I returned to Jo'burg mid dreary winter, so every week passing by is like Jo'burg blowing gentle kisses my way in the form of new greens and warm breezes. Thanks for that Jozi xxx.

Below is from my " Capture the warm Jo'burg changing weather on my crappy{not as good as Belinda's} phone from the comfort of my bed" collection.




Speaking of September delights;

I'm really looking forward to driving past the cemetery!

Let me explain so that, if possible, you can go look for yourself.

Ever since my first year (just the other day...2004) I fell in love with driving past the Wespark cemetery during the month of September, because of the gorgeous blossoms that line that part of Beyers Naude Drive.
Dark pink, light pink, white.
I love it, I look forward to it, I drive super slow around that long bend and I'll probably try to take pictures of it for "my collection" this year. Yes so look forward to yet another future springy post... maybe.

Keep on skipping along.

Some like it hot...

I'm a brat... and if you live within in 50km radius of me then I know you are one too.

We Jo'burgers, we're so fickle apart from our hard coreness (as in ooo look at me I live in one of the most dangerous cities in the world and I rock it hard core kinda way). So rush hour and high jacking aside it seems that we have little left in our heart to deal with bad weather. See we're all weather brats, badly!

I know this because I'm so connected see. Thanks Facebook and the likes. Have one cold day when things are supposed to be heating up end of terrible winter, and the the twitter sphere freezes over with icy comments about how unbearable it all is.

Have one real summers day (like today 24C) and all is well with the world again. It's as if people are step away of skipping along and giving out high fives to strangers. I know that's what I feel like doing.

So high five Jo'burg, summer is coming to a lapa, patio, pool, park, air-con less car near you! Snaps for summer.

xoxo blossom brat

Jokes for change at the intersection

Now see, there is nothing fun about poverty.
Nothing amusing about being at the point where you need to beg for bread.
Nothing funny about unemployment.

And I don't want to make lite of these depressing subjects either. But happily some people do, and the local intersection is just the place.

Other than the weird to pointless gadgets and what-nots that may be purchased at intersections one mostly run into sad signs like these:


Or the heartbreaking guys that beg around the Cresta shopping center in rags, literally going down on their knees for your extra brown cents. They don't even have a sign. I would feel like a real asshole taking pictures of them just for the purpose of a blog, so nothing to insert here.

So, unemployment, poverty and hardships being what they are in this country it's rather refreshing to find someone in that position with a sense of humour. Check out this guy I found on the way to Fourways on Saturday:



I love that the Ninja's are American.
I love that he adds a website (which if you're bored enough to check it out is mostly about teeth by the way).
And just in case you don't get that the sign is supposed to be funny he adds "sense of humour", good job.

Then coming back from where ever I was going on Saturday I found this guy at another intersection:
It's a bit of an action shot, but basically he's like those human statues that will move if you tip them. A rather complicated matter seeing as the man needs to move (or in his case dance) on over before collecting the spare change, all before the light turns green again. But hey he's at least trying to entertain. Give him that.

Introducing...

I have this problem.

I’m not the only one I’m sure.

But it’s getting to me.

My problem is, is that I think Jo’burg is boring and I need to leave as soon as I can. The fact that I’ve lived in crazy cool Hanoi for the past year and a half has only reinforced this longing.

Where I used to be able to walk out into my alley and take half a dozen ‘cool’ pictures of ‘what-it’s-like-living-here-cause-it’s-so-super-different’ I walk out not into my drive way and I’m I don’t feel like it’s a good idea to walk beyond the electric fence with my nice camera.


Right outside my alley in Hanoi



Right outside my house now, in jolly Jo'burg


I’ll stop there because the above paragraph is exactly the opposite of what I hope to accomplish with this new blog.

So here is my purpose:

Find the joy in Jo’burg.

My tainted and ‘everythings-beter-somewhere-else’ eyes are not trained to spot this again.

I realize that satisfaction and joy and good things in life is a heart thing, not a location thing. So in a way it’s more than just being back in Jo’burg and making it work, it’s about finding the cool in the mundane, the beauty in the face brick apartment complexes and the freedom beyond the security fences.



And here with the first offering:


surprise baby at the Jo'burg zoo