Pic of the day

Another Sunday

Well, another week passes by. This has been a particularly frustrating week work wise with very little forward movement in what we are trying to do here in Malaysia. Frankly it is annoying.
The only consolation is that I will be back in South Africa this time next week for my birthday and I cannot wait to see you all when I get there.
Mummy and I have all our fingers and toes crossed and double crossed that everything will now go smoothly for the move to England.
I am sorry that I have not updated for 2 whole weeks. Have not really had too much to say.

Sunday Sunday.......

I wonder how you all are?
The last two times that we have spoken, you have all been very distracted. So distracted in fact that I have not really felt that we had a conversation. It has been hard to catch up with you properly.
Mummy seems to think that I am being a "drama queen" about it, which is a bit unfair. By now I would have thought that we all understand how difficult it is that I am so far away, and that we should be compensating for it somehow.
I hear that you are all very excited (perhaps over excited) to get to the UK and also now very disappointed that the sale of the house seems to be dragging on forever.
Unfortunately that is the nature of house buying and selling. It takes time and effort and above all patience.
Sooner or later you will all be in the UK.
Try not to rush through your last days in South Africa. Regardless of how good or bad you think South Africa is, please try to enjoy your last days there.
Megan, you have lived there since you were 4, and Jesse, you have lived there since you were not even 2 years old.....
Jake and Wendy - you were both BORN there.
I was born there, and I am South African before I am anything else. Even before I am a drama queen!
When you are all older, the fact that you lived there and 2 of you were born there will mean more to you than it does right now. It really will.
So please try to be patient and above all help Mummy and nana Yia Yia as this is a very hard time for them, as all they want is for you all to be settled safe and sound in England as soon as possible. You will be.
It will happen when it is meant to happen.
Love you all.

The sky above the South China Sea

In the wilds.... of Borneo...

.... I came across this young man.
"Orang Utang" means "man of the forest" - he is about 4 years old and an orphan, as a result of deforestation in Malaysia and on the island of Borneo specifically....
He is looked after by some absolutely amazing people who, in time, will rehabilitate him to the wild.
Normally a baby Orang Utang would stay with its parents until around 7 or 8 years old, which I suppose is about the same as people being 16, 17 or 18 by the time parents may think their children might just survive on their own...

The most amazing thing about today was this: just as the group was about to set off up the mountain, an old man joined us. he must have been about 70, and very frail - he was walking with a zimmer frame that had little wheels on it. Shuffling really - not walking. I thought to myself that he would potter around the nature reservation garden as there would be no way that he would make it up the hill, on what turned out to be a very steep jungle trail going up about 50 metres from the start point to where the viewing platform was for the young orphaned Orang Utangs.

About 10 minutes after I got to the viewing platform, the old man was there. He had been carried up on the back of one of the game rangers!! CARRIED. And then he was carried down. 35 degree heat - 80% humidity. CARRIED.

I said to the ranger that he had done an amazing thing and he said simply, "It is my job sir."

There are some amazing people in this world. It is good to find them and remind oneself that there are these amazing people going about their daily business.

Wonderful.

Gezellig

“Gezellig” is a fantastic word.
It is a Dutch word that cannot really be translated….
It means togetherness, coziness, fun, satisfaction, love and warmth - all rolled in to one.
It is a feeling more than a meaning, or a meaning with feeling.
“Gezellig” is about people.
“Gezellig” can happen over a cup of coffee, it can be over dinner, it can be around a camp fire, a Christmas tree, in a car or at a bar.
It can be a group of people laughing and chatting on a train, it can be a couple walking in the rain.
It is a feeling to be looked forward to, a feeling that you will know when you experience it. And you will miss when not experiencing it.
It is a good feeling, a comfortable feeling, a warm cozy and loving feeling. A trusting feeling, a place in your heart reserved for family and special friends of whom you are a part.

Pic of the week

Gone again

My gorgeous children..... Well those nine days together seemed to fly like none other before them. I hate it when I have to leave and I know that you do not want me to leave when I do. Nevermind, I will see you all soon enough. I will not be away as long as the last time which was over two months. I hope that school is OK now that you are back. Please try to stay focussed on your studies even if it seems hard to do knowing that you are going to England soon.
I love you all very very much.

Home again

You guys have NO idea how good it is to see you and how happy you make me. Sadly the time will fly that we are able to see eachother, but every second will be worth it and every second I will cherish until I next see you.

Picture of the week

Shanghai, China - 2 April 2006

18 months of work come together in a spectacular 1st and 2nd place at the final race of the season in Shanghai. I cannot tell you how happy I am for the team.......

Shanghai, China

Gosh - it has been nearly a week since I updated you..... I am now in China. In a city called Shanghai, right over on the eastern seaboard of the Chinese mainland. It is a massive city - 20 million people - that is nearly half the population of the whole of South Africa. Very interesting place to be. It is the first place in the world I have been to where I cannot read simple street signs because they are in Chinese and the Chinese alphabet is so different to the Roman alphabet which is what we use.
It is the last race weekend which is sad on the one hand but also quite a relief for most of the guys as the travelling schedule has been punishing.
It also means that I will be home in the not too distant future - as you well know. Not many sleeps to go now.
I will try to update you again during the course of the weekend.
I love you , miss you and am now very very desperate to see you.
I think yesterday was your last day of term. I hope you have a good holiday and don't forget to plan some stuff that we can do together.
xxxx

Check it out Jake....

Jake - this is the new Playstation 3 - Looks cool doesn't it....

I love these pictures

Thought you might like them too Meggie. Hope you guys are having a nice weekend.... Looking forward to chatting to you later.

Healthier Friday

Good morning may babbas!!
How are you? For the last three days my bathrrom scales have said that I weigh 95kg. That is the lightest I have been in 5 or 6 years and I feel great for it. Truly great. (Dr Shalala will be pleased!)
Only 16 more sleeps until I am home. This last trip will have been 2 and a half months by then which is better than the 5 months we had to endure before Christmas, but still a very long time to be away from you. I cannot wait to see you.
I hope you have a good weekend and I will keep my fingers crossed for you for the house "show day" on Sunday.
Please just rememeber that houses are a question of personal taste and someone will walk in one day and not even have to look in to every nook and cranny to make their decision, just as we did way back in June 1998. Megan was 5, Jesse was 2 and a half and Jake was only 3 months old!! Goodness me. Anyway......
The house will sell when IT meets the right people and then your next great adventure can begin. And what fun it will be.
Love you all - thinking of you all and hugging you all.

Picture of the day

Thunderstorms

Every afternoon for the past month at around this time - 16h00 onwards - a big thunderstorm has rolled in to Kuala Lumpur. And every afternoon as I sit doing my work, the storms make me think of Johannesburg, home and you guys. You have had a bit of a funny week this week with two days off at the beginning of it, haven't you? I hope you were able to settle in to the school routine after that. So, any other thoughts for what we can do when I am back? Let me know..... love you.

F1 in Malaysia

Yesterday was a long day at Sentul International Circuit watching the F1 race there. Malaysians are very proud to be a host nation of the Formula 1 series and there were at least 100,000 people at the race yesterday. I spent the day chatting to various people that we now know very well through what we are doing with A1 and unfortunately managed to get my head quite sunburned. Never have been able to find a decent cap and it was not really approriate for me to wear my South African bandana like I did on holiday. Would not have gone own too well.
I hope you all have a good week at school - not long now before your Easter holidays. I used to love the last couple of weeks of term before a good holiday break. Teachers always seemed to be in a better mood too!!

Jesse's back tooth

Well done Jesse.... mmmmm. Growing up now eh? Thanks for letting me now about your tooth my angel.

Your comments!!!

Megan and Jesse - my gorgeous girls........thank you for commenting on my last entry earlier today. Ice skating no problem - Sun City may be a little more difficult, but I am sure that we will find some interesting stuff to all do together.
Now that you have registered your own blogspots - you should try to keep them updated occassionally. Whatever you put there we will then use in www.leed-family.com when I get that up and running nicely.
Love you both very very much!! Please give my love and hugs to Jake and Wendy.