Monday 30 March 2009

Sweet Surprise

You sometimes put something away and forget all about it, like a few dollars in the secret compartment of your wallet/purse or whatever you call it. Sometimes you wonder if the bulbs that come out of the pots that you are clearing away for the winter will come up the following year and put them away. 

So, while I was looking for something the other day I found some dahlia bulbs that I left in a pot over the winter. I brought it into the house and left it by the back door where all my houseplants reside for the winter, and while giving my babies a drink I just gave the dahlia pot a touch of water too. Well, what do you know, I walk over to say good morning to my flora this morning and lo and behold, my dahlias are coming up! I so love these little surprises, so much better than diamonds or pearls.

Thursday 26 March 2009

Violets

My African violets. These are two of my favourites. I discovered my green thumb when I attempted to propagate a deep purple violet. I was very excited that I was actually able to grow new plants, so excited that I ended up with dozens of new plants, which I then started to give away for lack of space in the then tiny apartment. It felt good to be giving away plants, especially to veteran gardenerrs.

Then I looked around one day and saw that I had very few plants left and what I had were doing badly. My deep purple one was completely gone, not one left. I lost the pink one too. I love the white one, and I was really upset to see it doing badly. I took a leaf cutting and hoped it would grow new plants. Six months later it had three baby plants, which now sit in three pots, all with flowers. The white with purple borders was a gift, also one that I had and lost altogether. So once again happy to have that. My pink double petal one has a bud on it. I am waiting for it to blossom. Never fancied myself a gardener one, but I guess I am, at some level.

And outside the house my daffodils are making an appearance, bringing hope of warmer days and letting me know that I am their gardener.

Thursday 19 March 2009

And so I 'weight'

For the longest time I weighed no more than 51 kilos. The most I had weighed was 52 kilos. But growing a baby goes hand in hand with gaining weight. I wondered if I would because, there was a time when, no matter how much I ate, I simply could not gain weight. I always ate what I wanted and stayed the same weight, so much so that I had a pair of jeans from my high school days that fit me perfectly until I got pregnant (it is in tatters). But, I did gain weight and now weigh over 65 kilos!!!

I was surprised at how steadily I gained weight, and unlike before when the weight was distributed to regions not easily noticed by anyone but me, now it is all over. I shed my baby around three months ago, but the "baby weight" is still sticking around. Nursing my little man means I can't go on a diet, but simply cannot imagine doing that either, because I have never ever been on a diet. 

Anyhow, wondering how you go about shedding all this extra weight while eating sensibly, etc., has helped me better understand my friends who struggle with weight issues. It isn't easy, especially when people visit you with chocolate fudge cake, which, hubby can't eat because he is on a diet and can stay on it. And you simply cannot let a good cake go to waste, so...I managed to get a picture of thew last piece of the cake before devouring it. Ah well, as I always say, life is short, so...

Monday 16 March 2009

Dare

The arrival of our offspring has forced me to take driving lessons. Most places that babies have to be taken to seem to have no access to public transport and hence the need to drive legally.

My instructor is a retired pilot who served in the Royal Airforce. We still haven't got to interesting stories about World Wars, etc., but I am sure, the rate at which I am going, we will. I am not sure whether it is his military experience, absolute confidence in himself or his students or sheer madness, but he teaches without brakes on the passenger side of the car. To most instructors their lives depend on that brake!

My independence and day trips for my baby depends on these lessons. Here's hoping both teacher and I come out unscathed, with that damned licence.