A Casino Concert

hhhmmm, so my friend received some complimentary tickets last night to see Gladys Knight at the Grand West Casino. Watched a little of an ice skating class before the concert.

Outside the Window

I took some photographs around where I am for individual therapy. The house at #36 is one I took from the car window as I drove from the school. The other two are photographs from the windows of the office and therapy room in the youth center in Lavender Hill.

This is my last week at my internship and I am starting to feel the toll of saying goodbyes and transitioning back to the States.

My car is up for sale and just as I feel we are connecting. Someone made the comment that the petrol here is low quality - quite dirty and it suddenly clicked. Now I have been pouring carb cleaner and fuel cleaner into it and although it will die sometimes on idling, it doesn't jerk and doesn't die as I am breaking.

The saga of paperwork continues. Currently, I am still attempting to register as an intern. Today is finding out if my second application has even been received first. If not, then I have to wait until I return home to get more certified copies of my degrees (I've used up the notarized copies I brought).

My house continues to be fun chaos with three dogs and summer is arriving as I am getting ready to return to winter.

Rugby World Cup Champions

Just over a week ago, South Africa won the Rugby World Cup. They played England, the reigning champions. The Roses and Springboks also played in the qualifying round at the beginning of the tournament.

I watched the game at my church. The two people in the foreground are in my cell group. What craziness afterwards as well. Yesterday, the Springboks toured through Cape Town, ending at the rugby stadium. I didn't go, but I certainly heard people outside.

Not Worth Note in My House

Notes on these pictures are listed below. :)

Traumas and the Therapy of Massages

Clare trying to decide amongst the many drink selections at Asoka's
Clare and Don, my regular Tuesday night partners
And per everyone's request, a picture of me

Came to the Coffee Bean tonight to hang out on the internet and found it was music night, so also listening to some acoustic guitar music.

The Coffee Bean has become and favorite hang out. The local coffee shop with free internet. Pretty much unheard of around Cape Town.

People have been requesting photos of me this week. I am going to try to work on that, but since I am the one with the camera it is a bit difficult.

Lots to catch up on...The Trauma Centre contract with the city of Cape Town to provide disaster relief management and my team was oncall last week. On Sunday we were called because there was an electrical fire at an electrical substation. Five men were injured with one dying later that day. My 2 coworkers and I went to the different hospitals to spend time with the families. On Monday I went to the electrical station to help debrief the employees. It was certainly a draining experience, but certainly appreciate that I am able to sit with people in their grief.

Two friends and I have started a Tuesday night tradition, it started a couple months ago, with a couple gathering and now we are all able to go regularly. It involved dinner and listening to jazz at Asoka's, a little trendy bar that makes very good mixed drinks. This past Tuesday we opted for buying sushi instead of making it. The restaurant we found down the street from Asoka's fortuitously has sushi for 30% off on Tuesdays. Yum!

My visa expired on Monday, and I went to the Home Affairs office and received a stamp good until April, 2008 (if only money grew on trees...)

The other night I turned the furniture in the lounge backwards, after a day and a half of no comments by my two housemates (one is in India for a conference), I silently returned all to their former state.

Grenadillas and Red Gardenias

Finally, a picture of the house I moved to in July. Vuyo is sitting on the steps, if you can see him.
The front garden.
And the two puppy dogs taking a nap on Sunday.



Three more weeks left at my internship. I drive around and am still amazed that I have lived overseas - and in Cape Town. And what timing, South Africa is on the cusp of winning the rugby World Cup. The final is next Saturday against England. They were both in the same group and South Africa beat them then and England is the reigning champions. Excitement.





The other week at my house we had a bit of a battle. I told Cat that she couldn't take a shower because there was a crack in the pipes and she asked about a bath and I told her that the stopper had been lost, maybe a dog had carried it off. She went to the kitchen sink where we have 5 or 6 stoppers and started throwing them at me and trying to throw them in my coffee.





Jules came home and we ambushed him, Fritz just focused on washing dishes. So some pandemonium as we threw stoppers at each other. When I returned to my coffee, I found a sponge sitting in it - Fritz did not remain a passive observer.

I had my first taste of a grenadilla yesterday. Slimy yellow goodness.

For the Inquisitive

Decided to change the template of my blog. It is like rearranging the furniture, needs to be done every few months. I did rearrange my bedroom a couple weeks ago.

For the previous post - my church is Christ's Church http://www.christ-church.org.za and is part of the Anglican church. It is quite big. This Sunday, the evening service will be held a earlier to allow for watching the South Africa Springboks play Argentina Pumas in the semifinals for rugby.

Tea - A person must be prepared to serve tea in their home. I asked my coworkers what would happen if someone asked for tea and the host said they didn't have any, they said it would be a sign that the guest was not invited to linger. :)
I drink tea or coffee almost every day and every home I have been to has an electric tea kettle. There are two choices for tea: rooibos or normal (black). Such a comfort, I am glad I brought my two favorite coffee cups with me.

Here hits the contemplative mood for which the Sierra's (mom's family) are known. Wednesday night at my cell group, we were asked to tell "our story" and than Thursday's are the day I have individual therapy with five children. We create stories, some of them completely true stories and some of them stories so that we can touch on the truth. This week I find myself holding a lot of stories, my own and others.

Yesterday, I was thinking about how easy it is to find something in the States. Some of it might just be my knowledge of places here, but there is no 24 hour Wal-Mart, a 24-hour Petrol station opened up down the street last month with a Woolworth's food stop, that was very exciting. Our telephone cord was chewed through and I am at a bit of a loss as to where to replace it. Now the question I am looking at is whether having so many things available is the way to go. But is that phrased well? I think most people would look at that and say, of course being able to find what you want quickly and easily is good. Guess maybe I am wondering about the materialism of it all. I'm glad it is the weekend, my brain needs to stop.

My car is back on the road (and seems to be doing great; no charges from the mechanic) and I am starting to go running, basically just around a large block this week.

Sunday Evenings in communion

This is where I go to church.

Dassies

Watching the USA Eagles play the South Africa Springboks in the rugby World Cup. Of course, the USA lost. :( But they looked good and the Boks are looking quite good to win it all in just over one week. A view from my front door.

Uuumm, so our house is a little dog crazy. We have added another puppy a few days ago, that I will take back to the states with me for a friend. Luke is a Tervuren just like Vuyo. So now we have three puppies in the house, it is fun and chaotic, but after all their playing they nap. :)

I am definitely experiencing a small part of what it is like to have children, fortunately here I can just put the dog somewhere and go out.

I have been trying to post something since the last post, but computers always have some problem or another to make it difficult. So updates on life...

Looks like I have sorted things out well enough to at least stay in Cape Town until November 20. Won't actually have the date posted in my passport until the current one expires October 22. I also found out that the board exam is the first Wednesday in February, not April so that changes things a bit as well.

Wondering whether I should make any plans for life anymore because each week there is new information that alters the projections.

My car is at the mechanic again, haven't heard from him, don't know what is wrong. As soon as I know it is running well...I am selling it.

And schnikeys, Sunday was one of the coldest days I have seen here. People are hoping it is the last storm before spring - hail was seen.

Oh, and the title...dassies are an animal on table mountain: google it, people say Luke looks just like a dassie.