Brandon Huntleys refugee status - by Saint

Hey all!  I'm just stopping by to wish you all the best for 2009.  I hope the year brings all you need and want and that you all grow and enjoy the fruits of the year, yourselves and each other.

I definitely plan to make more money this year than I did last year but my main goal is peace of mind and enjoyment of life, which, as we all know, is very short.

Luvvies to all. 

Just popping by to say to all of my US and MySpace blog friends:  Have a Merry Christmas and a Blessed, Peaceful and Happy New Year.

I believe you okes are freezing your collective arse off in the ole USA, how wonderful to have a cosy snowy chilly Christmas, suppose it does not feel WONDERFUL to you guys though. Here we are boiling, it is humid and sticky in general although today it it is a bit chilly though nothing like what you okes are going through of course.

I hope tomorrow brings joy, happiness and peace to you all. And please, spare a thought for the lonely, the lost, the sad, the desperate and try to bring a little blessing into their lives.

Today is my last day at work until the 2nd January, wahoo!!  I'll catch you all online!

This blog has been going round on News24 so I am exporting it here to share with you all.  Hope you are well.  News on Ant is MOnday he is going to Neuro in Jhannesburg and after that we will know more.  You can catch up with him at his blog www.antony.co.za if you like

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The one ingredient you always hear about, but have never used.
Jerusalem Artichoke (they look a we bit scary really)

Name 3 herbs & spices starting with the letter C (try and name a different one than ones you have seen on a challenge)
Cumin, Coriander and Chives

Name your favourite recipe that has eggs in it.
Not into eggs really but if pressed I can eat them poached.

The Last dish you ordered at a restaurant.
Calamari and vegetables (was AWFUL!!!).

Name the first wine that pops into your head and why
Kupfeberger Auslese, cos my sister used to like it when she was engaged to George and I liked the sound of the name

Name your essential ingredient when cooking Thai
There are a few essentials really:  coconut milk; lime leaves and red/green curry paste, or if making your own galangal, lemon grass, ginger, chilli, amongst other things

Your favourite mealtime of the day
Lunch I think

Name your "always a winner" rugby snack (obviously in honor of the Bokke for the game this last weekend)
Liquid snack:  beer

When was the last time you had a boerewors roll?
Hell!  Dunno. I don't really like boerie rolls!.

Have you ever eaten chicken feet?
U must be mad!

Name your favourite grape varietal
Ja right - can someone try English please?

Name 10 things you can do with dates. .
breads, stews, puddings (I am 77 short!!)

Name and shame the worst meal you had.
Me grandma Ramsden's vegetable soup (vomit!!!)

Mr Williams though now evidently obsessed with aliens instead of with me, still makes me laugh out loud with appreciation!

.."http://www.youtube.com/v/htLCDPVFWrI&hl=en&fs=1"> name="allowFullScreen" value="true">http://www.youtube.com/v/htLCDPVFWrI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowScriptAccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344">..

 I'd like to thank all of you for your help and support which has come pouring in.  It's been a very hard week for all of us but I'd like to proceed as normal now, as far as is possible, with my blog and in general.  Please feel free to drop me a line about Ant, or drop him one, or send any info etc, all will be welcomed.  I'd like to thank my news 24 friends, such as Cathryn for putting up a blog about Antony and for helping via her mom with more info and such as well as Granny who has given some insights as well.  This is starting to sound like a fucking Oscar speech.  Where's my hanky?

Humour has always been the harbour my family has sailed into in times of trouble, and it never fails us.  So it was that Ant last nite on the way to Grahamstown said laconically, "It's time someone started laying down odds on whether I'll survive for the next two years or not. Packet could be made."  Of course this runs so close to the bone it may be hard for some to appreciate his humour but if you know Antony you will know his humour has always been dry, sharp and somewhat black and hits on the target every time.  Here is a link to ant's blog which gives information and shows the MRI scans as well

Obviously since times are so rough it is hard to find much to laugh about and what with my mother lurking around corners in the hospital and spying on the nurses so she can see where they stash the keys so she can escape to save people in the nearby location and climbing out of windows in the dead of night to pursue this line of action, and Antony with this cataclysmic intruder, and Jess now laid low with diarrhoea, period pains and loneliness; tears, frustration and anger are never far away. (mom was diagnosed with early onset dementia about a week before all this with Ant and part of her symptoms include hearing people calling on her for help which is why she feels compelled to escape to go to the nearby black settlement to help the people whom she imagines are in pain).

But.  We choose to go on as normal.  Chin up.  Soldier on.  That's the only thing we can do.

Oh, and a large FUCK YOU to this tumour. If you think we're just going to roll over and die you've got the wrong family!!

On Thursday my 23 year old son Antony had a fit for the first time ever.  Rushed to the hospital, tests the next day revealed a brain tumor, the size of an egg.  I'm keeping this short because I simply cannot get my head around the idea, hurting terribly, all for him.  Seems so unfair.  Not sure which way forward but here is update as of today of what is really going on, from my brother in law Craig who is his adoptive father:

Hi All.
Rather than calling you each, here's an update:
A close friend of Erica's is the head of the Wits school of public – Professor Sharon Fonn.
Sharon spoke to the Neurosurgeon who saw Antony over the weekend and has shed some light on Antony's condition.
Here's the long/short of it (in layman's terms):
·         Antony has a brain tumour in the left part of his brain.  The left part of the brain is the most used and important.
·         The tumour is 6.5 x 4.5x3.5cm and is located deep in the brain matter.
·         The tumour has been with Antony for some time as there's no evidence of the tumour displacing the brain or blood on the brain
·         Based on cancer markers from blood tests, the tumour is benign.
·         The neurosurgeon is busy making a "proper diagnosis" and is consulting with a colleague in Cape Town.  Given that the tumour is so large and is located deep within the most important part of his brain, they need to be 100% sure of the diagnosing before they say what the course of action is.
·         If possible to get to that part of the brain with surgery, the tumour must come out via surgery.
·         Antony's only symptom has been the epileptic fit and seizure (stiffening of the body) he had on Thursday last week.  The Neurosurgeon has presecribed epileptic medicine to make sure he doesn't have another seizure.
·         The neurosurgeon says that we have "time on our side".

I will arrange for Antony to visit the most respected neurosurgeon practice and get a second opinion.
 

This was written in response to a challenge we have on the News24 blogs where my other blog lives the challenge was to do with Mist or Fog.  Would like to see how you guys intepret the theme

Here's mine:

The surf crashed relentlessly on the rocks as I walked along the wide empty beach.  Although the day was chilly the dense sea fog that surrounded me provided a kind of insulation so that after a period I began to sweat.  I'd come to find some kind of release from the emotional turmoil my wife had thrown me into, after saying she wanted to be away from me. Not for a day. Not for a week. Forever. 

I stopped and looked out to the grey green seas and thought about forever.  Forever was as long as these waves were crashing onto this beach.  Forever was as long as they would still crash onto it when I was dead and gone.  Forever was no more walks on this beach. No more making love in our cave.  No more sunday breakfasts in the shining sun.

The magnitude of the thing was such that I could simply not cope. I decided to walk into the sea and the devil take me where he would.  I took off every stitch of clothing I had, ceremoniously, weeping silently. 

I waded in.  I felt the cold as the punishment I wanted.  When I got to chest level I would not allow myself to gasp.  I waded on, now bobbing over waves, hearing them rattling the shingle on the beach behind me. 

Then I lifted my feet off the sand and let the current take me.  Out to sea I drifted. Face wet from weeping and from sea I looked into the grey mists and wondered how long it would take.

Ages seemed to pass. I felt myself drowning, finally and was pulled under.  All was warm.

Suddenly I saw a silvery flash and felt myself lifted up towards the surface. Soft breasts pushed against my back.  I turned to look and saw a mermaid holding me. Saving me. I struggled so she kissed me. The erotic shock of her mouth was too much considering I was trying to drown myself and I tried to wrench myself out of her grasp. She would not let me and swam with me to a deep pool in a nearby cove.

There she lay me on top of her whole length. Slippery silver tail and warm human breasts. Sweet soft murmurs and strong hands stroking.  A wave of electric desire pulled at me.  I began to kiss back. 
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(this has somehow become the beginning of a short erotic story I wrote many years ago featuring mermaids and a man, sirens too.  I think I may work on it a little more, all very unformed... i'll see what comes of it...)

I've just killed a nasty looking creature... would not know what it is... long body, curved hook like tail that looks like it can sting something terrible.....  very small. I apologised before sending it to insect heaven.  Came crawling under my arm as I am sitting here minding my own business.  I flicked at it and it raised its sting tail thingie.. *shudder* 

That's when I decided bumping it off was the only way forward.... to think of me lying innocently in bed to have something like THAT creeping over me!  *shrieks*

Have I ever introduced you people to the South African Parktown Prawn (mole cricket)? Looking for pic now.. hang on a minnit...

This one has passed over (as that charlaten Edwards says)  but make no mistake it could revive itself @ any minute and leap for your face.  horrific creatures (very difficult to kill)

There are certain things one must never contemplate - such as what falls into one's mouth as one sleeps or what the people in the reaturant kitchen really do with your food. Other day I saw someone washing beer glassses in the most filthy water you can imagine and then add ten!  Horrors!  Drink out of bottles, people!

My childhood friend Louise's mom used to tell us an horrific tale of how she once watched some women making a fruit salad. ... if I tell you you will be forever put off even CONTEMPLATING a fruit salad and that story is to this day why I NEVER and I mean NEVER!!!! order a fruit salad in a restaurant, and will not eat it other than if I made it myself.  And I am not the squeamish type. 

In the interest of keeping people's fruit intake to the desirable levels I will close the book on this sordid tale.

I must tell you, diverting from the main point now, how I notice the change in interest levels when I put up a sexy avatar, from when I have an ordinary one.

Just today I had a man from Dubai punting his sexy 6ft height and wanting to play on Skype. If only he knew I am rather podge..  makes me laugh actually - how predictable some men are. Don't they know they are rather transparent?

So now in SA we have a lot of uncertainty.  Mbeki fired from his position as President, now the shocking news that the much-admired Trevor Manuel has resigned as our Finance Minister. 

Tomorrow is Heritage Day (and also Braai Day) so in the face of all this nonsense on the political front, we will have to have a braai and GET DRONK~!

We are a country without a leader, not that the whisky swilling pipe smoking womaniser Mbeki was much of a leader...

....uncertain times ahead.

I'm having a few bevvies to ward off any other serious thoughts. Will you join me?  I could chuck in a tequila or five..

In other news I HAVE FOUND A PLACE TO STAY and my husband and daughter will be joining me soon!

Feels like a Friday cos tomorrow is a pubic errr I mean public holiday as I said...

Join me in my mini Friday !

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Must say I feel rather alienated from MySpace land, it's funny the way the internet works, if you do not maintain your presence you start to sort of feel like a ghost in your own virtual life, if I can put it that way,hauntng your old hangouts and trying to renew your friendships which have now deteriorated into a kind of nodding acquaintance....  dunno how to put it....

Anyway thanks to all who still visit my blog, and for your nice comments about my last blog...

HUGE news in South Africa!! Thabo Mbeki has been recalled/impeached/asked to step down (breaking news as at 13h24 today!!)  by the ANC. I am not a political animal so I do not understand it or what it means but I do know the eyes of the world are on us and EVERYONE in SA is hanging onto the news services for updates which are coming in.  Blogs are abuzz with discussions and people are sort of reeling.  Read more here:  http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/Politics/0,,2-7-12_2396783,00.html

In other news Nigella Lawson irritates the bloody tits off me. I usually love the plummy English accent that denotes the well-bred toff (the kind who go to Oxford or Cambridge, the moneyed aristocrats and landed gentry) but on her it grates.  I turn the TV off when her show comes on because there is something about her that no only irritates but also revolts me. I cannot understand any man thinking her desirable or sexy - the way she flirts with the camera frankly sickens me.

[Wonder what she did to her husband that he died.]

Her children are monstrous little brats of the kind only the indulgent landed gentry types produce, reeking of wealth, pampering and privilege and behaving like low bred yobs with no attempt made by her to impose any order on them.  Nasty pieces of work.  No! Let me get off the subject!  She's terrible. 

Here's an example of the simpering kind of coyness she embodies which makes me want to strangle her.

In other news, still...my latest crush is on Mr David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, I've suddenly and  belatedly woken up to the fact that he is VERY YUMMY and WAS EVEN MORE YUMMY in his youth....

I've always been a sucker for the name DAVID, and that combined with the way he thinks, the lyrics he writes and the way he performs - wowzer!!

There's something very erotic about his face... something very passionate in the way he performs:

He's also got a gentle, quite beautiful, smile which one does not see often (though you see this same smile in the PULSE concert DVD, a couple of times - I love those moments..)

And now we can play out with Take it Back, which is fast becoming a song I truly LOVE: