pieces of ria

I found this song yesterday and it did something for my soul.  I thought I'd share it. It's called This Moment by Nic Chagall Feat Jonathan Mendelsohn Listen to it here And I wanted to say that it's been one of {those} weeks. {thinking.too.much.all.the.time.analysing.overcomplicating.planning.but.waiting.thinking.contemplating.wishing.thinking.considering.evaluating.expecting.anticipating.conceiving.projecting.analysing.} (And all of that takes time and a lot of energy, and I have no idea why I do it. Someone once told me it's called intellectualisation - maybe he was right, maybe not ;) But, today is Friday . And I have a weekend to myself . So, let's see what happens ...  

Oh, if I could be here   for a few days, with him   I would be really happy. {a girl can dream, right?}

This week, image: scatterheart I am going to { DO MORE } image: milajessica and  { THINK LESS } .

image credit: margeauxklein So today is Monday and I have a sudden urge to change something.  I want it to be different from the past few Mondays I've experienced.  I want this week to be different from the past few weeks I've experienced.  What shall I do? Change my routine?  (Ha, what routine.  I don't exactly have one at the moment!) Maybe change my hair colour.  It's about time. I'm going to put up a Christmas tree and decorate the house.  That will be a nice change! {I'll post a picture when I'm done :)}  

image credit: skylighters We spent some time at the Spier Cheetah Outreach over the weekend and I had the privilege to touch a cheetah!  I love cats and it has always been a dream to have an encounter with a really big cat.   The cheetah I met was male and around eight years old. Joseph was born at the Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre on 30 May, 2002 and hand-reared. He came to Cheetah Outreach with his brothers Kaya and Bryon at 3 1/2 months of age. Since then he has been an essential part of the awareness programme, greeting visitors both at the facility and at venues throughout Cape Town. Joseph is owned by Wild Wild Wild in Africa. image credit: http://www.cheetah.co.za/   (pictures of me and Joseph to follow soon!)

image credit:  andreaferrari  image credit:  flickr { Beautiful .}

image credit: imstillgonnashine   I spend too much time wondering. Wondering and thinking, about life, about people, about situations, about what has happened, about what is happening, about what might happen. Instead of just living in the moment, I'm mostly in another time frame - in the past, in the future. I intellectualise. I analyse. I project and plan and evaluate. All the time. I spend too much thinking that I end up doing less. Does that ever happen to you?    

I recently dove into my picture archives (I keep folders filled with inspiring pictures found on the Internet) and found the following (sources unknown, unfortunately) : My idea(s) of the near-perfect writing room:  Aren't they great?  I can picture myself in any and all of them.  Imagine having a room dedicated to your writing (if you have one, I'm jealous).  A room filled with all things inspiring.  Bookcases filled with your special collection of favourite books, dictionaries in every language your heart desires, artworks which gives you goosebumps every single time you lay eyes on it. Walls painted in any colour you want, be it a deep, reading room red or a deep olive green.  Maybe the room has a window or two, overlooking a lush garden - or better yet, overlooking the ocean.  Imagine that!  Imagine being able to hear waves crashing on rocks or the wind move through a forest, right below your window. A place where you can let your mind ...

It only happens once, not twice the moments vanishing like mice scurrying past, life is much too fast And only for the very brave, the strong , the true And when the moment’s come for you Don't let it pass you by, for in the twinkling of an  eye the love is gone, the moment’s dead an empty ringing in your head Your heart will know when fate has whispered in your ear Oh never fear!beloved friend, for in the end its worth the price, the fee, the cost When all is lost and love is won When true love comes , there is but One. - Danielle Steel

We have two fantastic cats.    I have written about Basil and Chilli before.   Sadly Basil dissappeared a few months ago, but we were lucky enough to get a new kitten.  I called her Butternut. She is fat, plump, round. Call it what you will.  But she is also the most lovable cat I've ever met. She talks to me and follows me around in the house. I'm never alone.  She's like a baby and I { lovelovelove } her.

image credit: zachee image credit:  doreese   image credit:  debbiegardner This week I will have enough time to do the following: Finish up my terminology list, at my leisure ( it's only due on Friday ) Read a book ( any book, because I want to, not because I have to ) Get a grip on our house ( think: rearranging cupboards, cleaning, maybe moving a few things around ) Exercise  Reconnect with a few friends ( even if it is over email ) Plan my outfit for the Halloween party ( on Saturday) Think about things ( this I do anyway, most of the time ) Maybe finishing up our wedding album Spend quality time with my mom and sister and brother Spend quality time with my husband { love }

I only have two days of classes left. And a terminology list to compile. Then my year as a postgraduate student is over. {Can it be?}

I have a thing for clouds. These pictures were taken last night just before my plane landed. Up there you feel closer to God, no matter how you look at it. Clouds are ever-changing; one moment here, one moment gone. Their colours are amazing. I wish I had wings to fly up and spend more time { close } to them.

When I saw this picture, I couldn't stop staring. I can see myself spending hours in that bed.   I will surround it with books, enjoying the light it's flooded in.   I can imagine smelling the scent of sweet jasmine drifting in through the glass doors which opens onto the big, lush garden. And when night falls, I would open the doors even further and listen to the sound of crickets and the people I love having a conversation outside in the cool evening air. I'd slowly fall asleep and dream of fireflies, cherry trees and a never-ending happy, dreamy summer. {IwishIwasstillalittlegirl}

  {yes a change is as good as a holiday!}

  image credit:  weheartit See that lost little speck of a person, yes right there, in the middle of a big, scary ocean? That's me. Right there.   {ThisishowIfeeltoday}

image credit:  weheartit

image credig: weheartit I want to write about how much I love what I do.  Let me start at the beginning. I took a big risk at the beginning of 2010.   After much thought and deliberation I quit my job ( which I really didn't like - it was the last of a string of not-so-great jobs I've taken which were leading nowhere ) and slid back into the world of being a full-time student.   Yes, a full-time student.   How great is that? And this at 30! I still feel very lucky to have been able to make this decision.  My career was going nowhere and I felt it was time ( at last ) to further develop the skills and talents I was given. It was time to do what I actually want to, to do what I was good at. So I enrolled for the Postgraduate Diploma in Translation course at Stellenbosch University. I passed the entry exams and before I knew it I was sitting in a class filled with like-minded people with a passion for words. It was nerve-wrecking at first an...

We've been married for six months today. It keeps on getting better . The love keeps growing stronger . My smile keeps shining brighter . {I'm a lucky girl.}

image credit:  lovelyclusters I {love} yellow. Every single shade. I would paint a few rooms in my house yellow, if I could.   I once had a pumpkin yellow bedroom and it was one of my favourite memories of that room, ever. And there were many memories.

image credit: weheartit I'm going to try & change this...

Sunshine, warmer weather, the scent of flowers blooming, new leaves on trees, later sunsets, sandals, salads, walks on the beach, children playing outside, more energy, sleeping with open windows, fruit, the sound of crickets at night and birds in the morning... image credit: stolenimages image credit: acidd-queen image credit: weheartit {It makes me feel great and I love that.)

Sometimes I'm a few different people all at the same time. {Ilikethat.}

credit: top5photos credit: louiselegresley credit: pxleyes credit: umich I actually have a winter soul. But spring is SO welcome this year. More sunshine, more flowers , more green and other colours. Welcome spring, I've been waiting...

all images - credit:  elisabeth toll {LOVE.}