I heart Fashion

Autumn into Winter ... I love this time of year purely for the fashion. Jackets, jeans, jerseys, shirts, boots, ankle boots, ballet pumps and most importantly ... accessories. I love chunky jewellery, hats, beanies, berets, scarves and even short square, dark nails ... *happy sigh*

In other news ... I've been in hospital again. Don't ask ... long story. Not fun. Drained and I just want to get to the bottom of this. So far I've had several specialists who are just as baffled as I am. Xrays say one thing and then when they go inside, it's suddenly not there.

I have become a medical mystery. I think I am an alien.

Anyone have House's number on speed dial??

Brrrr....

Freedom Day has left me cooped up indoors and taken hostage by my blanket, fluffy slippers and home made vegetable soup.

This weather had better just be a cold front and not be showcasing what is to come.

I know we've just entered Autumn and we're no where close to winter. Well, you could have fooled me.

OMG.

It's ice cold, I have steam coming from my lips as I talk and it hasn't stopped raining. Since when do we get rain at this time of the year? We certainly do not have rain during winter - we gratefully leave that for the Capetonians.

It seems Mother Nature just isn't happy - earthquakes, volcanic erruptions... Global Warming anyone?

2012 just doesn't seem so Hollywood movie-like anymore. Perhaps this Mayan Calendar should be studied a little more closely.

In other news, I have become quite the domesticated little you know what... Today, I made European Boy a hot breakfast and then I decided that I hadn't dirtied enough dishes so I made a fresh vegetable soup and when I eyed out the last clean dishes, I figured they wouldn't want to be left out, so I baked...chocolate chip cookies.

This weather is a problem. It makes me H.U.N.G.R.Y and while I know European Boy isn't complaining one bit...I know this because he has a stupid grin on his face and the biscuit crumbs are intwined in the blanket he keeps hogging ;) ... I on the other hand, look guiltily at my gym clothes that seem to be going deeper and deeper into my cupboard and veer towards the fridge and pantry that seem to have mystical powers over me.

I know I eventually have to leave the house, well... either my boss will fire me if I just don't pitch for work tomorrow or my stomach will start talking to me like it's possessed.

I am psyching myself up for work tomorrow. I am giving myself pep talks. I have to...I have an "itsy bitsy" GIGANTIC problem.

My Winter clothes, you know the ones that keep you warm and have fabric that cover the arms, well those are in storage at my parents.

"Hey mom!'

"Blogshell, how freezing is it? I can't do this weather."

"You're telling me? That's actually why I'm calling. You have all my winter things in boxes in the garage. I'm starting to resemble Smurfette, which was possibly cool in the 80's but not so much for me now."

"Shit."

"What do you mean 'shit'?"

"Well your father has been cleaning the garage to make space. You know I'm renovating my studio and so I've been putting all the things from those rooms into the garage. You can't actually get a person into the garage, let alone a car. I don't have any idea where your winter boxes are. I hope your dad didn't chuck them out."

"Super. Just super. Will you visit me when I'm dying from pneumonia?"

"Oh, don't be so dramatic."

"Will you check on me every few days to make sure that I have frozen stiff in my apartment?"

"Alright drama queen, I'll come and visit you and bring you one of my jackets. Put the kettle on for tea. See you now."

The bitter sweet news is that I am a little warmer when I do have to leave the house. I have one of my mother's jackets... with shoulder pads...that's in right? Right?

PS. Happy Freedom Day.

Changes ...

Can you smell it? Can you feel it?

Ok maybe not entirely, but you know that Spring is just around the corner. Alright, to be perfectly honest all I can really feel is how dry and frizzy my hair is, how those static shocks hurt and how dry my skin is that I look half woman-half reptile.

I have noticed how some trees are starting to blossom and how the weather is shyly warming up. I had 2 braai's this weekend and I didn't have to pull on a jersey once.

There are two things that I always freak out about though.

a) I am so lily white that I may blind anyone who isn't wearing sunglasses.

b) those layers of clothes come off to expose the layer of "blubber" I fondly called my layer of warmth.

There would actually normally be 3 things ... the third would have been that I would need an industrial strength razor to deforest my legs because *again* I fondly called them my "layer of warmth home grown stockings."

My legs have been silky smooth all.winter.long. Thanks to my relationship with European Boy. 'Nuff said.

OK no wait. They haven't been silky smooth all.winter.long. They have been silky smooth all for a few hours after I've shaved them (I'm not a fan of waxing. My legs, that is. Go figure) until I got cold, got goosebumps and then instantly had chicken flesh legs. God it pisses me off.

I have a LOT of changes coming up. All happening ON Spring Day.

I am moving into my fabulous, tiny bachelorette pad that has a little garden. I love gardens and while this may be tiny, I can't wait to sit on the patio in the sunshine and watch the birds.

Good grief. I sound like I'm 80. LOL

I can't wait to decorate and just have MY OWN space. I adore my family and I'm so grateful that I was able to move back 8 months ago after the breakup, but I really do need my independance and after running my own household for 4 years (my way) it has been difficult going back to living under "mom and dad's house rules."

An element of my job is also changing on the 01 September which is bitter sweet. It is exciting and sad at the same time. It's going to be quite an adjustment.

These are a few things that I'm looking forward to about summer:

Ice tea's and cocktail sundowners with my girlfriends.

Picnics.

Watermelon.

Salads and fruit salads.

Ice cream.

Pool Parties.

Summer dresses and slops.

Bronzed skin.

Cabriolets.

Sunsets.

Leaving my hair to dry naturally because this time the haridryer will be too hot, instead of welcoming! LOL.

A green city again. I'm over the drab brown.

The smell of suntan lotion.

I can't wait.

Girls Only.

I am bloated, super sensitive, having a fat ugly day, a bad hair day, I feel like I've re-entered puberty as far as the pimple zone goes and all of this because I'm PMSing.
Seriously. It's days like this that I let down the female team by saying: I hate being a woman. Sometimes.

Why do us woman have to go through so much shit. Periods, period cramps, giving birth, getting fat from that (I think guys should go through all the sympathy pains...their stomachs should swell-no the beer belly doesn't count, they should go through the pain etc...) we're more prone to bladder infections, we go through menopause etc...etc...etc....
It's rubbish. Absolute rubbish.
I feel like having a feet stomping temper tantrum, screaming into a pillow, having a good cry and then stuffing myself with chocolate.

Can you tell I'm in a bad mood?

In other news, I did go on a major shopping spree (OK, I do love being a woman.) It was a necessity because I needed new winter clothes. I don't know what happened to my winter things...did they get lost when I moved out of the ex? Are they stuck (by mistake) in storage with my kettle and cutlery?
I literally had a few coats and that was it. I got long sleeve shirts and tops, black pants, a fluffy robe and pair of slippers that I live in now. I don't actually want to leave the house and I find myself forcing myself to accept social invitations just in case I become one of those woman who never gets out of her pajamas and becomes severly obese.

I got 2 pairs of gorgeous black stilettos. 1 pair that has a pointed toe and 1 pair that has a rounded toe. Essential I tell you. OK, I told myself that, when I handed over my debit card for the hundredth time. I was surprised I didn't have blisters on my fingers from the number of times I had to punch in my PIN code.
Pay day (25th of each month) is a beautiful thing on the actual day and for the next 5 or 6 days. By the time the 1st of each month roles round I am broke again. Not entirely, but you get the idea.
However, I am still going to stand by the point that that shopping excursion was absolutely necessary. I can't be catching a cold now so that I wouldn't be able to work for the next salary. I needed those winter clothes...shoes, robes and slippers included. In my industry it's no work; no pay, so you see? Thank you Miss Excuses. You're much nicer than Mr. Murphy.

PS> I am starting to get alarmingly obsessed with vanilla tea. I use the word "alarmingly" because I find myself getting upset when restaurants don't serve vanilla tea. That isn't normal. I'm putting it down to the PMS week and will have to monitor myself closely the week after that. I'll keep you posted....or just keep checking the headlines for Crazy Girl arrested for assaulting Restaurant manager for not stocking Vanilla Tea.

Fat and Lazy weekend

I feel like a beached whale at the moment. I'm sure it's all in my head, but seriously. I feel fat.
I haven't set foot in the gym in over 3 weeks. I went to Knysna and obviously the cute idea that I had of running on the beach every morning was laughable. Then I returned back to Joburg in a mini skirt and slops...that was like landing in the Antarctic dressed for Mauritius. It resulted in a change of weather cold that came to bite me in the nasal passages last week, so no gym for me either. This week I still haven't felt hundreds and have had early meetings every morning which has messed up any routine Sugar and I enjoyed. The worrying factor is that the longer you stay away from gym; the easier it is to get into that routine. Oh no. Having a new man is motivation actually. No one wants to see jiggly bits or dimples in the wrong places.
Seriously. Monday morning is going to be my new start... I'm going to get focused and sweat my ass/tummy off. Literally.
Oh and the colder it gets, the further away I am from choosing a salad for lunch. Bring me hot chocolate, warm stews and warm comfort food. This is really not helping.

It's the weekend and I have no plans. It's weird actually. I know what I'm doing on Sunday morning...I'm working. I know that tomorrow I am going to visit Blondie 2...she went in for an operation so I'm going to bring her flowers and sit with her while the painkillers set in.
Poor thing.
Other than that, however, I have nothing on. It's really nice actually.

I hope you have a brilliant weekend.
xx

Don't talk to me...talk to my lawyer!

I am suing Veet Hair Removal. I can't really, but I followed every instruction. I bought that cream you can use in the shower. I even did the bloody test patch...who actually does that?
I do. Nothing happened. I then applied it all over my legs and waited to see if I could feel any tingling. Nothing. I blissfully shower away and after 6 minutes I started washing it off.
I have had such an allergic reaction to this stuff, my legs look as if I've been stung by a million bees. It is so sore that I can't even put pants on, so unfortunately I am wearing a dress today and having to show off my red rash.
Fuckers.
So that's the thing...I can't sue them even though I followed the instructions. How would I prove that?
Fuckers.
God it's sore!

On a lighter less painful note, I am really enjoying the sunshine we're experiencing in Joburg. It's beautiful. My right arm is actually a little tanned from all the driving I've been doing.
Hooray. I am done with winter. I've had it. If I get one more static shock I'm going to lose it. I am practically bathing in body butter yet I am so dry it is disgusting. Nice and flaky. I have had enough of drowning my lips in Elizabeth Arden's 8 hour cream and still having unkissable dry, chapped lips. Enough now! *Sorry Elizabeth Arden....*
However, when winter does eventually end I'm going to have to reveal my white-see-through skin and those comfortable clothing layers will disappear. Hmmm...although, for the first time in um, well, 25 years I've been sticking to this health regime so hopefully I'll be bikini ready. Hopefully.

I was really good. I didn't devour prawns and took a note out of your book. Clearly most of you are health bunnies! Share your secrets!! How do you do it?
I ate grilled lemon and black pepper chicken with gem squash and peas. How good am I?
*Blogshell pats herself on the back.*
This week alone I have been to boxing 3 times, tomorrow will make it 4 times.

It's the weekend peeps! I am celebrating my heritage today and I'm very excited about it! Big celebrations.
I am also really excited about this weekend...have big parties ahead and it should be scandalous and fabulous!
ENJOY!!

2nd blog of the day -aren't you lucky? Ha!

Well, it seems I am having MORE blonde moments than ever before. Is that possible? A-ha! I have just uncovered a conspiracy theory. It's the BRUNETTES who are actually the ones palming off their silliness on blondes. I'm onto you!
Seriously, is it possible?
The funny thing is that mentally I am still blonde, right, so there I am doing silly things and shouting out: "Oh well, I'm blonde!"
People who haven't known me before look at me like I'm a little strange...or colour blind.
Odd.

I finished work this morning and went up to visit the gals in marketing. They're brilliant, fun, quirky and a bag of laughs! I have great relationships with them and we all speak to each other fabulously, like: "What's happenin' sexy biatches?"
As you do.

I eventually got out of work and went home. As I got home my phone rang and it stated that it was Private Number (I never answer these, well, hardly ever.)
BB:"Blogshell hello?"
Redd: "Hi Blogshell, it's Redd!"
BB: "Hey you sexy lady!"
Silence.
BB: "What's up biatch?"
Silence.
BB: "Hello?"
Redd: "I think you have the wrong person. This is Redd....your boss."
They share the same bloody name and I had Redd from marketing on the brain.
I wanted to die. I wanted to cancel the call and hope like hell Groundhogs day actually exists.

I'm back at work now and have a birthday party to go to tonight. I can't drink though because I'm back at work tomorrow at 04h30.
I cannot tell you how fun that is in winter!

A random post...

Thanks for your advice on FB - greatly appreciate it :-)

There is something magical about being at home in the evenings, snuggled on the couch with a warm blanket and hearing a thunderstorm boom outside. It is weird to hear in winter, especially in Johannesburg. It hardly ever rains.

I love cold days for completely shallow reasons. It's for the fashion. I love scarves, hats, warm jackets and stylish boots.

Oh and another one bites the dust. One of my friends, Skinny girl has got engaged. We're all a little shocked but happy (don't get me wrong) for her. She's known this dude for 2 months and broke up with her last boyfriend of 2 years in February.
I am now officially the last girl in my group of friends to not have a sparkly piece of bling on my finger.
Am I upset? Nope. I know my time will come when the timing is right and I'm very content in that.

However, the thing with society that annoys the crap out of me is that when you're in a serious relationship the standard question is: "So, when are you two getting married?"
When you eventually do get married, your honeymoon isn't even a distant memory and people start asking: "So, when are you going to have babies?"
Your first born will still be a little bundle and people will ask: "So, when are you going to have the second one?"
Good grief.
Does it ever end?

The other thing I have decided I am going to start doing, or stop doing, is this: "We must get together..."
I have a tendency to bump into people I haven't seen in a while and at the end of the conversation I always say: "Great to see you again, we really must get together!"
I have the best intentions, but let's be honest, we both know it probably wont happen.
I'm going to stop putting myself in those pressurised situations so that when I bump into that person again and we haven't got together, it's ok.
So there, I've decided to do that.

I've been given extra work to do, which is great. Very glad about that. Yes, it sounds a little ridiculous, but I am happy. More work = more pay!
Woohoo.

Oh and I love it when it's someones birthday in the office, especially in winter. It means cake and cupcakes and getting to really enjoy it because I can just hide that "moment on the lips; forever on the hips" under a big warm, large jacket.
Bonus.

These are a few of my favourite things...

I have always been a summer person, but everytime winter comes around I get excited tingles. I have realised that I actually quite adore winter.

I decided to make a list of things I love about winter.

Snuggling. Hot chocolate. Dipping a Flake into hot chocolate. Cosy blankets. Delicious home made vegetable soup and yummy stews. Winter boots. Hot jackets. Being able to cover the lumps and bumps with warm, cute clothing. Gluhwein. Scarves. Knitwear. Log fires. Did I mention snuggling?

I wish we got snow though. My winter list would increase to: bobsledding, snowball fights, skiing, building snowmen, ice skating etc...

I am actually quite excited about winter. Sure, I don't like being cold, but nothing some warm fashionable layers can't solve.

Oh and I have decided to put this out onto the universe: I would like to be invited onto the Oprah show. No. Let me rephrase. I would like to be invited onto the Oprah's Favourite Things show! Oh. My. God!!!!

Yes please!!!!