Where did 2016 go?

My last post was September 2016 and so much happened from that date that it seems a blur.  My son's 40th birthday was on the 29th September so a big family get together happened.  My daughter's birthday was on the 9th October so another celebration at her home in Kloof took place. her baby was due on the 21st October but the little parcel arrived on the night of the 14th October no tassle attached!!!

Anna Lyn weighed in at 2.7 kgs and they say dynamite comes in small packages.   It is now January and we are just coming up for air!!!   My daughter and I did not know what hit us.   I had forgotten how much work babies are and she had had no clue!

In our day we had time to prepare for babies as we did not have demanding careers.   These days the young women are expected to do it all.   They are expected to know it all and they expect a lot from themselves as they are all well educated and something like motherhood should just come naturally.
Ha! Ha!
That is an Urban Legend if ever there was one.

Needless to say we muddled on together and three months down the line Anna is in a fairly good routine and has doubled her weight plus so we are all breathing a sigh of relief!!!

I launched my first novel on the 10th of December surrounded by my family and friends and it was a great success.   My youngest son, a lecturer at Vega College in Durban, designed my book cover and made the speech at the launch.   He spoke on how it takes courage to 'put yourself out there', to open yourself up to criticism and sarcasm when you write.   What he forgot to say was that it also takes lots of self dicipline to sit down and put pen to paper.

'Twisted Blood Vines' was a story in the making for nearly 30 years and eventually got written only because of an article in the woman & home magazine on 'How to write a novel.' some seven years ago.   Since then I have moved house twice and project managed a new build which was very exciting but quite challenging and it took up all my creativity!   Therefore the book took longer to write than I thought.

Then came Christmas and New Year with all their fun and  excitment!!!!

It has taken me nearly two weeks to get my mojo back and to think about starting writing again!!!   Hopefully I will fill these pages with delicious short stories and articles.   Maybe even poetry - who knows?