Showing posts with label journal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label journal. Show all posts

Sunday 28 July 2019

#CampNaNoWriMoWinner, tiny blog tweets, and a free book

Life can be tough in the boat of contemplation. It is where I am right now, after finishing Camp NaNo that is. The book, The Last Gryphon, still has 4 pages left to edit, but that is on my schedule for this coming week. After many years of attempting to revise (or edit) during a pressure month like Camp NaNo, I finally managed it. Rather proud of myself, I have to say.

Text of Twitter posts, #TheTinyBroom tweets, tiny blog posts

In a recent newsletter from Buffer (a social media scheduler that I use) they mention tiny blog posts now trending on Twitter. I am not sure about the trending part, but decided to give it a go. So be on the lookout for #TheTinyBroom tweeting twice a week @LinzeBrandon.
The Big Broom (this blog 😉) with continue the good work as per usual, so no need to replace the old broom in the closet. At least not yet.

The Last Gryphon is scheduled for publication in September, but if you want a taste in the meantime, Part 1 of the story, Galen's Hope, is already available in the Journey anthologyJourney is still free until the 31st, so grab yourself a copy and get to know Galen and Richard on the start of their quest to fulfil their queen's final wish.

Until next time!
💜 Linzé


Sunday 9 June 2019

A bright star at a dreary book fair

We had another book fair yesterday, this time at a large mall to celebrate the opening of a library in the mall. Although the event for me was a letdown in terms of book sales, I did have the privilege to meet and chat to the other authors, some new and some old acquaintances which made the day seem less grey.
Linzé's table at the book fair - 8 June 2019
One particular highlight was chatting to the mother of a young writer. The girl, now fifteen, published her first book at age eleven under the guidance of her mother, who is not a writer herself.
What was of particular interest to me was the reason for that first book: bullying. The girl's mother discovered by accident that her daughter was being bullied at school. This had been unknown to her until she read the girl's journal. After taking steps to rectify the bullying, the mother then encouraged the young girl to write a book about bullying. This was the first step, and her third book is presently being edited for publication.
When the young lady joined our conversation, it became clear that this aspiring engineer had big dreams in those shiny brown eyes. While chatting about her history and future plans, I was reminded once again why I love being an indie author - the sharing and support. Usually, this happens in the form of support of a fellow author struggling with some kind of issue. This time, however, it was pure pleasure to dole out advice and support to a young author who knew what she wanted for herself.
As an engineer, writing to me started as an escape from a particularly stressful job, and yet I can no longer see myself not doing it. Twenty-five books later and the bug still bites daily.
Like many other authors in the world, writing is not my primary source of income, and I am perfectly happy with that. I also told this to the young author and her mother - writing does not have to be a job, but our stories are still something that we can share with the world purely because of our love of the written word.
If you too want to discover the powerful impact of journal writing, my latest book Reflect. Grow. Become. is available this month at 75% off. The offer is only available to the first 20 purchases.
Until next time...
💜 Linzé
  

Thursday 11 April 2019

A-to-Z Blog Challenge: J is for...journaling

Writing can be an intimidating activity, especially if the words end up in the public domain such as a blog post, or a published book. Many people want to write a book, few sit down to do so, and even less gather the courage to take it to its conclusion: publication.
But there is one type of writing where there are no boundaries, no editors, no critics, no readers. Journal writing. Even if you are not a writer, and have no desire to be a writer, published or not, keeping a journal can also be for you.
Journaling has many benefits, including things that have nothing to do with words. Some kinds of journals don't even use words, and yet the practice seems to be foreign to many. As a journal writer of many years experience, I have experimented with these styles - words and no words - and decided to write a book about it.
It is available as an ebook, and by subscribing to my newsletter in April, you stand a chance of winning a copy of the ebook. The winners will be announced in the May newsletter. Read a sample here if you cannot wait that long.

Sunday 7 April 2019

Another month, another week...

With the A-to-Z blog challenge now firmly underway, life carries on with the usual things and responsibilities. But it is what we make of it and working to make the best of it, takes time and effort.

So here is the A-to-Z schedule for the week ahead:

Have you signed up for my newsletter yet? You should, there is a chance for a free ebook coming your way.

Until tomorrow!
💜 Linzé


Sunday 3 February 2019

My theory of wasted time, proven true

time, tracking time, running against time, clock, running woman
How much time do you think you spend doing things? I have a theory that we overestimate how much time we spend doing something, and then when it comes down to actual measuring it, it is not as much as we think. My theory is purely based on personal perception, and I think I have proven it - at least to myself.
For the past month or so I have been using an App to track my time with minimum interference from me. This means that it asks me what I am doing now, and unless I am lying (to myself, because the App doesn't care) it is accurate. The surprising thing (and the reason for my theory) is that I wasted a lot more of my time than what I thought I was. While I think I am doing something (even if it is reading a book) I am wasting more time doing nothing, than doing something useful or enjoyable, like reading.
While you might think that I am obsessed with time (and perhaps you are correct) my biggest issue is that life is too short to waste the time we have on useless activities. Meaning that if I am taking a break when I need to, the break should not become two hours of watching TV, or surfing on social media.
Time away from a computer is a good thing, so I realised that whatever time I am spending not working, or writing (or whatever other activity I want or should do) is not spent as effectively as I thought it was. Yes, the word is procrastination.
Since I am self-employed again, the saying that time is money is more accurate than what it was when I worked for a salary. I am not going to get paid for two hours wasted on the Internet, that's for sure, but working for a salary meant that I wasn't getting paid by the hour either.
The App allows me to draw a report of the time per activity/task that I am tracking, and the results confirmed what I suspected, I am a time waster. Not what I wanted to see, that's for sure. But all is not lost.
What it helps me to do is to find out which tasks take longer than planned. This is a good thing since planning is essential, I can now see where I need to allow for more time for a specific type of task. When some things take less time to complete, I can then plan for a shorter period to finish the job in future, or I can add a task in that same time slot. A task that I probably would have scheduled later because I wouldn't have the time to do it on that day.
It all sounds complicated, but in actual fact, it is more simple than it looks. What I also like about this, is that I can now plan for time to do things that I want, like reading or drawing. Whereas in the past, I had to hope for some free time that will allow me a few hours to enjoy myself.
My 30 days of free usage of the App expires tomorrow, but I have already decided to pay the license fee as the benefits I have already received, definitely outweigh the cost of its continuous use.
A last word
There are a number of these applications for both Windows and iOS operating systems, phones and computers, available in your favourite online store. If you need to track your time for either invoicing or purely to find out where you are wasting it, I can recommend exploring the various options available to see which of these apps will work for you.
I am using dailytimetracking.com on a Macbook if you want to check it out.
Until next time!
💜Linzé
  

Sunday 6 January 2019

Seven ways to a new beginning

drawing of words, new beginnings, 2019, hand drawing
Recently I wondered why people perceive time to go by faster. I mean clocks do not tick more swiftly, and the International standard for time, the second, is still the same. As an engineer, this puzzled me, and the answer I found is not a good one. It all has to do with our brains and the way we learn and challenge ourselves.
You can read more about that here, but this concerned me a bit when I sat down to figure out how I was going to structure my 'new life' after working for a boss for ten (plus) years.
Sure, I had been down this road before, but in my thirties. Now I am a decade older, and keeping the grey matter healthy is not just about time flying past anymore. I need to be on top of my game, and I want to be there for a long time to come.
So here are 7 things I found that are going to help me and my brain:
1. Set up a routine for more than work. People who are self-employed, especially at the start of their new venture into the business world, often overlook one crucial detail, their own wellbeing. Yes, the new business will take a considerable chunk out of your day, your week, and your life, but if you do not look out for number one, that business is going to become your nightmare, instead of the dream you wanted.
2. Put non-work reminders in your calendar too. The life of self-employment allows for one significant aspect of your life that other people don't have: control of your time. While many would argue that time is not within our control (if it was we would all schedule at least another two days every week), but what we do with our 24 hours is within our control. So schedule your kids' activities into your calendar, book that appointment for that back massage you desperately need and do that coffee with the friend you haven't seen in months. These non-work things will not only contribute to your own wellbeing, but they will make a difference in your relationships too.
3. Schedule alone time at least once a week. Looking at the world around us, one can safely assume that people are afraid of being on their own. The noise that bombards not only our ears every day, is frightening. Everywhere you go people have their eyes on their phones or tablets, and for those of us who don't, it is an obstacle course navigating the pavements or malls to avoid those people. So why alone time? Give your mind some rest too, will you? Give yourself a moment, or six, to just be a human being for a change instead of a social-media-selfie-addict-with-narcissistic-bluescreen-radiation-wave-patterns all over your face. You might actually meet someone interesting when your mind has a chance to reflect on itself.
4. Make an appointment with your future self. Business is built on risk-taking, but it is not a hit-and-miss situation. Companies plan for the future. They consider changes in the market, the expectations of their customers, and how they can stay ahead of the competition. It is called survival. Without future planning, a company is doomed to failure. The same goes for your life and your goals. While your dreams may change as you grow older, or you start to tick them off your bucket list, you need to spend some time to assess where your life is going. Is bungee jumping off that high bridge in a foreign country still something you want to do? People often regret the things they haven't done, but I think many people also regret the things they had continued to do because they let time go by. It is not just about big things like career changes, or relationships. Sometimes you only need to take a small step to put your goals back on track.
5. Don't put off your dreams to some future date. It will never happen! The oldest excuse if ever there was one: one day I am going to... All I can say, yeah right. Unless you are doing it right now, only you will believe that fairy tale. Make time to pursue that dream: write a book, take an art class, or learn the guitar. Life is too short to put things off until later.
6. Challenge your brain, learn something new. That time flying past thing mentioned earlier can only be counteracted if your brain is learning, and being challenged. Do not confuse learning with academic studies. Learn to play chess, or paint portraits, or do Sudoku puzzle competitions. Challenge those brain cells and time will no longer be a waste of days flying past without notice.
7. Be kind to yourself. While time is not going to wait for anyone, sometimes we need to give ourselves a bit more. Todo lists are notorious things. They are often the fabric of nightmares because you have the habit of making a long list, and at the end of the day nothing got done. It can be demotivating, to say the least. As a species, we tend to be overly optimistic and then have the habit of kicking our own selves because of it. So, pick one, maybe two things for your todo list today. And when you made them happen, pat yourself on the back. If not, take a moment to reflect why not. Procrastination is often the actual reason, but if it is not, then relax. You probably did two other things.

hand lettering, todo list words, colour drawing with brush pens
Self-employed people are often seen as living the dream, although it is not an easy life. But if the effort you put in, does not forsake the important things in life, then your life will be one of fulfilment, satisfaction, and contentment.
Sounds about perfect to me, and I will be working hard to get my own routine adjusted to suit my new beginnings.
Until next time!

💟 Linzé

Sunday 23 December 2018

My non-successes of 2018, and the lessons I learned (I hope)

Photo by Luke Porter on Unsplash
This year has been eventful that is for sure, and as these things go, not everything works out as planned. Although I am disappointed in myself on not achieving the exercise and the weight-loss goals I set for myself, it has not been without some success on both counts.
I did exercise more than what I have done in recent years, but my goal remains to have my GP tell me that my blood pressure medication is no longer required. There has been a significant improvement already, but I am still expected to take the meds. Continuous improvement is now the target for 2019.
Losing weight was not one of my primary goals, but I still had some lost kilos in mind. Again that didn't happen as planned, and that too will be on the continuous improvement path for 2019.
So what did I learn from these two non-successes?
I wish I could tell you that I found the answer and it will be an easy path from now on. I can, however, not say that. Being overweight (health is my first concern, not how much I weigh) is a difficult thing to manage when some factors are working against me. These factors are not outside of my control, so the lack of goal achievement cannot be blamed on anyone except yours truly.
So here is what I learned:
1. Having a work environment that is not good for one's mental well-being is not conducive for other aspects of one's wellbeing either. It took me a while to realise this, and mostly because the effects were more subconscious than I thought. This is mostly a problem that manifests itself in my eating habits, and not good habits either!
2. Not all exercise is right for you. For many months I religiously followed a program with a personal training company, but eventually, I stopped going. I have a back problem and living with more pain with the exercise sessions than without it, made no sense to me. Yes, exercise is good for me, and there were some benefits, but I don't like living with pain if I can avoid it.
What I am doing for my new plan of continuous improvement on these aspects:
1. I have resigned from the job in that unhealthy environment and decided to go back to self-employment. It is hard work, I know, but even now I am, and as a result, my mental well-being is already improving. This week I am stuck at home because we are having work done at our house, and I find the constraint on my ability to come and go as I please frustrating. The frustration is temporary, and even with the limitation on my movements, I find that I can still do more and be more creative than what I have been in months. I think it is too soon to say what effect it will have on my eating habits, but now I am more hopeful that things are working better already.
2. It is the time of year that makes changes difficult because Francois will also be home and we have family obligations that make my decisions on how I want to spend my time more challenging. I am working on finding a way to incorporate exercise into my daily routine that will not put so much strain on my back. Tai chi does the trick for my back problem, so now I need to get the routine going once more...after the holidays I think it would present a better chance for success. But I am not waiting until then, but it will remain a struggle until the New Year.
The next year will bring its own challenges for me, but I have faith that these will be stimulating, exciting, and above all things that will work toward my primary goal in life: become the best version of me.
So now all that remains, before I sign off for 2018, is to wish you an indescribably blessed and peaceful Christmas, and a New Year filled with fulfilled dreams, and immeasurable successes.
Until 2019, be kind to yourself!
💜Linzé

Sunday 9 December 2018

Ends, beginnings, and some crazy mixed in-between!

You know when you tell people that life is crazy busy and then deep inside you wished it was because you were busy doing something significant, and then wasn't? Well, I am going to tell you that my life was crazy busy the weeks since I last talked to you. Here is how things went and then you can decide if I was just making excuses, or doing something worthwhile:
  • I challenged NaNoWriMo - and won again. You might think that I usually do, and you would be right. Except at 8 days in, I heard about a course I wanted to do, and it started on the 25th of November. Suddenly my NaNoWriMo had shortened to 50k in 24 days! It wasn't easy, but I managed.


  • Come the 25th, the course - Modern Stoicism - kicked-off and now I had new things to learn, different meditations to do, and a daily self-assessment to do on top of that! It is now the start of week 3, and I think that NaNoWriMo was easier. I do hope, however, that as an aspirant Stoic, the choice had been a good one and I will benefit from the course's teachings.
  • While I usually post on Sundays, I missed last weekend because my gorgeous husband of almost 25 years, thought it best to surprise me with a weekend away for my birthday. The 'official' celebration of my birthday is 1 December, but this year I feel like it has been my birthday for months! Francois has been spoiling me with all kinds of lovely things, and last weekend being the cherry on the cake. I hate surprises, and he knows that, so I wasn't quite ready to be happy about it. Until it happened. It was really something special to celebrate my 50th birthday in Dullstroom and with two friends too. Only three days ago did I find out this 'surprise weekend' had been in the making for almost 6 months - Francois showed me the Whatsapp group that plotted my surprise. Thanks, love, it was an absolute weekend to remember!

Francois and me (photo taken by Phenice Rothman)
  • And no, it doesn't end there. I handed in my resignation this past Tuesday. On the day I had lunch with a few colleagues and other friends, for another celebration of my birthday. (One only gets to be 50 once after all!) If you had been following the news, you would know that several State Owned Enterprises in this country have severe financial difficulties for various reasons, including corruption. I work for one of those companies and have been for a bit over 10 years. Your first thought might be that it is the state of the company that made me hand in my notice, but to be honest, it was merely the last straw. I was self-employed before joining the company, and it had always been my plan to go back to working for myself. While it hadn't been my plan to wait 10 years (time does fly, doesn't it?), I do believe that God had a better plan for me, and in August I knew it was time to get ready to make the change. If I hadn't been such a coward (fear is a horrible thing, but I have to tell you it is still there despite my faith in my new future), I wouldn't have waited four months. But now it is the future that matters, not the past.
For my lovely readers: yes, I will continue to write. In fact, my next book is due out in January, so watch this space.
For my colleagues, past and present: I am back in the engineering game and looking forward to working with you once again.
Crazy life? I am looking forward to all what the future holds for me!
Until next time!
💜 Linzé

Sunday 28 October 2018

The Life of a Writer, and Blogger

www.NaNoWriMo.org
November is almost upon us, and in that month I hide in my writing cave, aka my study, to take part in the writing challenge more affectionately know as NaNoWriMo.
Tomorrow there is a book feature post, if you crave the adrenalin rush of being scared (horror fiction), and be sure to get a copy. These authors don't pull any punches, guaranteed!

If horror is not your thing, so much, you can read a few short stories I wrote in the Writers Write 12 Short Stories Challenge so far this year. Varied prompts, varied story lengths and a mix of genres. I took the challenge to stretch my creative wings in this challenge. I hope you will find something you will like too.


If you prefer something a bit more real, my other blog might interest you. Why not have a look?

Enjoy the break, and if you are writing along with the rest of 300 000+ Wrimos in November, all the best to you.

Until December!
💜✒️🙋‍♀️ Linzé

Sunday 21 October 2018

It's purple people, everywhere you look!

Drawing of Jacaranda tree with dog, copyright protected
Art by Linzé
Yes, October is the month for exams, the start of our rainy season, and the blooming Jacaranda trees. Last week I talked about all the trees we saw driving around our city (shopping for a couch, not to look at trees) but this week the scenery is a little different. It rained the past two days, hard, and the result is that those purple flowers now adorn the sidewalks and roads. There is still an abundance of flowers on the trees, but the purple carpets now extend the sheer volume of purple to double of what it was last week. Gorgeous!
Speaking of exams, I handed in my last assignment on my Training and Development Management short course this past week. After three months of studying and doing homework assignments, I suddenly felt at a loss of what to do with my time! A really odd sensation for me. But after two days of procrastinating (writing projects), reading a bit, and editing a lot, I finally got stuck in on finishing a craft project and doing the drawing of a Jacaranda tree.
With my artistic self-satisfied for a bit, the coming week will be spent on doing some research for my next non-fiction book.
I emailed the journal book manuscript, Take your Journal to the Next Level, to my editor on Friday. If everything works out (still not sure on what I want to do for the cover design), it will be ready for publication in January 2019. Watch this space if you are a journal writer, or are interested in starting the practice.
Since purple is the colour of creativity (and one of my favourites), I already feel inspired to tackle this week.
May yours be purple too!
💜 Linzé


Sunday 14 October 2018

Living in the Jacaranda City

Today we went to breakfast in the Brooklyn Mall, then we we drove to a place in East Lynne (they were closed), then via Queenswood and Colbyn onto the N4 highway to a camping and outdoor store. After a bit of shopping we followed Lynnwood Road to Lynnwood Bridge Mall for a coffee stop over before heading home again. Quite a roundtrip through our beautiful city.
Lots of blooming Jacarandas - all over the city!
(pictures taken with Linzé's iPhone)

Although Pretoria is known as the Jacaranda city, it is a fact that Johannesburg has more Jacaranda trees. But in my (not so) humble opinion, our city is prettier especially in October with all the splashes of purple to brighten up the rainy day.

Speaking of purple, our mulberry tree is bursting with berries since the rain started. And I am off to gather some more fruit for the freezer to do some delicious things when I will have a little more time in December.

Until next time!
💜💜💜Linzé

Sunday 7 October 2018

I found a tree!

  Well, technically the tree has been in our garden since we moved in thirteen years ago, but it has never produced any fruit until this year.
photograph, white mulberries, morus alba tree
White Mulberries in my garden
  I found the evidence as purple bird droppings on our driveway, but the origin of the evidence baffled me until yesterday. I found the tree. It has been years, literally since I have had the pleasure of eating mulberries. Well, eating would be an understatement. We gulped them down by the handfuls when we were kids, my brother and I, and then had to spend hours trying to get the purple washed from our hands and faces.
  This particular tree, I think, is a white mulberry but it can also be a bastardised black mulberry. I am no expert however.
  I love the smell of the tree when I stand under it. Then again the close proximity of the yesterday, today and tomorrow bush could definitely have an influence on my olfactory experience.
Mulberries
  But I do know, the fruits are lovely and sweet. I already picked several handfuls today. Some I kept for my lunchbox tomorrow, and the rest went into the freezer after a thorough rinse.
I plan to use the frozen berries to make smoothies, ice cream, and sauces for ice creams and other desserts. I can hardly wait to gather some more tomorrow, even though I can only reach about 10% of the crop because of the size of the tree.
  Oh well, the birds do seem to enjoy the delicious berries almost as much as I do.

Next time I will tell you about my new writing buddy, Jack.
Until then, take care!

💜💜 Linzé


Sunday 30 September 2018

Two months to go...

This is my year of becoming 50 years of age. In two months I will achieve that milestone, if milestone is in fact the correct word.
As I ponder this year so far, I also like to think about what I have achieved thus far. Overall, I have to say it has been a busy year. Busyness is however not an indication of any success, I am sure you agree. On that point I like to track my progress of my goals, and aside from a record, these graphs also serve as motivation for me to keep going.
Linzé's Word Count Target for 2018
This past week I also managed to finish the first draft of my book, Take Your Journal to the Next Level. I am editing it this coming week. If you are following my blog you will know that editing is an activity that I don't particularly like, but I have to say that it is much less of a chore when it comes to non-fiction books.
Tracking my exercise goals in 2018
I have also received the Adobe InDesign file of my first non-fiction book, Negotiating the Maze - from self-published writer to successful authorpreneur, from the publisher of the print book. I now have to fix a few things in the file (I still have to learn how to do that) to prepare it for ebook publication with PublishDrive. I am looking forward to have it available again in ebook format.
With my course's assignment done, I now have a day to relax before I have to tackle the coursework of Module 8. It will be a challenge since Stoic Week also starts tomorrow. Challenging times indeed, but I look forward to every moment.
Until next time! Keep one eye on your goals, but focus on the present to do what you need to do to get there.
💜 Linzé

Monday 17 September 2018

Keeping up...with me

Photo Hannah Olinger on Unsplash
How hard can it be to be an adult? Apparently harder than I sometimes tell myself. Read about that life lesson here.

Writing, studying, working, exercising, and a change of diet all together tends to keep me pretty busy. I took a leaf out of my current writing project, Take Your Journal to the Next Level, and restarted using a Bullet Journal. I have used it before, but I made a simple mistake which I now fixed: I am using a separate notebook.

In the past I used my normal journal to add the bujo activities, but it wasn't effective. Two weeks ago I dug out a blank journal out of my cupboard and have been using it with much greater success. I changed the format slightly to suit me, but that is just one of the benefits of the simple planner style-it is adaptable.

All the things I need to do are now in one place, and I can better see what I will have time for - yes, priorities. It helps to prioritise my study hours for the week, and when to work on my assignments so I can hand in early, leaving me more time to work on the book mentioned above. With better planning, I can make better progress, while studying. As it stands the first draft is now 75% complete, and I am back on schedule.
Go bujo!
If you are a journal writer stuck in a rut, or want to start a keeping journal, or just want to experiment with different styles of journal writing, then I want your input.
If you live in Pretoria, South Africa, and would like to learn more about journal writing, contact me to get your name on a mailing list for a course that will start in October.
If you are not living in my home city and still want to learn more about journal writing, you too can pop me an email to be a beta reader for Take Your Journal to the Next Level.

And since I have now committed myself to finishing the book by October, I better get back to it.

Wishing you a terrific week!
💜 Linzé

Sunday 2 September 2018

Coursework, writing, blogging and life

Photo by Emily Rudolph on Unsplash
I was a bit quiet this week, and not entirely of my own doing. I am doing an online course in Training and Development Management and the homework this past week was a bit more challenging and required more of my time. It is one of those things that you cannot just email the lecturer and tell him: "Sorry, I need more time because my blogs required my attention."
But I have a sneak preview of a new book for you on Tuesday, an interview with author and playwright Dan Weatherer where he reveals the story behind his upcoming book, The Dead Stage.
If you are an author or working on your first book, make sure you bookmark the post, because I will give you a pre-order link very soon.
Speaking of books, I have not only been studying, and the first draft of my next book, Take Your Journal to the Next Level is now at 69% complete. If you are a journal writer, and you live in Pretoria keep a lookout for the Facebook invitation to take part in a special project involving this book. But I am not going to reveal all the details yet.
Another exciting thing that is in the making is the republication of Negotiating the Maze - from self-published writer to successful authorpreneur. The ebook was withdrawn after Pronoun went under, but I have found a new publisher and hope to tell you the good news on where to find the ebook again very soon.
The paperback book is still available for South Africans if you want a signed copy.
The library indie book fair will take place again in November, and my place is secured. But more on that closer to the date.
Enough of all the exciting things going on right now. I have a book to write and more coursework coming in the week ahead.
Until next time!

Linzé
PS: I have another blog about life, wellness and life coaching. Take a look here.

Sunday 26 August 2018

Books, and all things life...of sorts

I had a run in with my garage door opener on Friday. It wasn't pretty. When I was ready to go to work, the door didn't open. Stuck, I decided to take leave for the day and do other stuff. Several hours later, I got that incredibly jittery feeling of being trapped. Not literally, but not being able to just get in the car and go somewhere, makes me feel that way.
So there I was trying to figure out how to do this. Of course, I knew what to do, but the problem was getting it done. Disengaging the motor drive was a challenge (because I refuse to get on a ladder) but I finally managed to stretch at just the right angle to reach it.
Here comes the not so pretty part. I had to lift the wooden door by hand. Given the angle and space, I had to work with, I was glad I was alone in that garage. I managed to lift it just enough so I could go outside (via Francois' garage door), stick my fingers underneath and then haul that load up.
The door is still damn heavy, but I was sure grateful for all those weights my personal trainer had me lifting these past eight months.
Door open I had now to try and get it closed again; otherwise I couldn't leave. Back to the same problem, the car was now outside, but the door now had to be closed again. But luckily the empty space was sufficient to get the door in the right position. I tried again to engage the motor drive, and thank goodness it locked the gear and closed by itself.
If any of my neighbours saw my efforts, they would probably have been laughing their butts off or popped over in a second to come and help. Since I managed, I went off to refuel the car and get a few things for home.
And the new book, Take Your Journal to the Next Level, is making good progress too. According to my project plan, the first draft is now 64% complete.
Something that makes me motivated to keep going, that's for sure.

Until next time!
💜  Linzé
PS: There are more book features coming soon!

Monday 13 August 2018

Follow Me: A long weekend - Part 2

Friday, 10 August 2018

The fog was the consistency of milk soup this morning. I would say denser than yesterday's even.
Driving in the fog
We went to the Wheelbarrow for breakfast this morning. Amazingly enough, I remembered this place from way before. It has a lovely nursery, and the gardens give you a tropical forest feel when you walk through the gardens. They have all these nooks and crannies which are lovely, and secretive(?), to explore.
Do you know what these blue flowers are called? Please leave your answer in the comments, since I have never seen anything like it before and am curious to know.
At least the waiter knew what an Americano was. If memory serves, we still had to explain that style of coffee the last time we were here. But the breakfast was nice, and the coffee good too.
Now we are off to our next adventure, and I am grateful that the sun came out to burn away the fog. We saw too many drivers being irresponsible in the almost zero visibility conditions on the road.
It is 12h27, and we are having lunch at the Eatery in Haenertsburg.
After breakfast, we went into the forest looking for old trees. As in more 100 years old, but we didn't find them. Somewhat tricky to spot very tall trees amongst a lot of other tall trees. Maybe next time.
The entrance to the
"secret nook"
@ The Wheelbarrow
We did see lots of pine trees, masses of them. Okay, they were planted for their wood, so the truck filled with huge logs that drove past should have been my cue. And we also saw blue gum trees. They were huge. When I stood next to one looking up and up towards its crown, I felt slightly sick when I did. Motion sickness kicking in perhaps?
All the off-road driving brought some beautiful scenery too, and real motion sickness for me. That was rather yuck. I told Francois to stop so I could get out and interact with the ground on my own feet. While I sipped a little water, he turned the car around, and by then I felt marginally better.
Spotting the time, we went food hunting in some other parts of the forest area. A wedding venue looked promising, but they only provided the venue for day visitors for picnics and such, so no food in sight.
The "secret nook" @ The Wheelbarrow
Then we went back to the access road to the organic cheese farm we saw on the way in. Missing the turn-off, we went down the access road for busses. Which was funny. To accommodate a bus the road didn't have sharp turns and was a bit longer, but we reasoned that it was going to get us there. It did, right behind the butt of a big bus. My first thought, how on earth? Francois' reply: he is going to get out using the same struggle to get in.
The funny part? The bus access road ran past the homes of the staff working on the farm. There were these small steel rods planted across the road (Francois almost didn't see them in time) with string spun between them. It was a holding pin, if you want, to keep the pigs and a shed full of piglets from running all over I suppose. One of the men saw us, removed a pin for us to cross, and then he chased the pigs. The adults walked off by themselves, but the babies probably thought it was a game and came running towards the car. The man chased them again and boy can they run! If was funny to see those short legs move those round little bodies out of our way.
Amazing blue flowers
@ The Wheelbarrow
Then we got to the parking space and the bus mentioned above. Off to the bathroom it was for me while Francois walked around to spot a picture or two.
Side note: I have been to facilities on this trip that will give most people nightmares. And that is all I am going to say on that subject.
The cheese farm was a short visit. Their food offering looked uninteresting, and their set up not really geared for casual visitors. So we decided to go back to Haenertsburg. And here we are at the Eatery.
The food was delicious, and I liked the interior of the place too. The staff was lovely and knowledgeable about the food on the menu (dairy allergies can make for an exciting test of the waitress' knowledge).
We are now back at the cottage taking stock of the morning's excursions and thinking about what we are going to do after we finish our coffee.
17h19 settled in to wait for our dinner (pizza on both counts) to be served.
After we finished our coffee, we went damming. First off the Ebenezer Dam. To get there, we had to drive on what is known as Blue Gum Lane. It is not the official name of the road (gravel again, but not as bad as this morning's) because of the giant blue gum trees that line it on both sides. I collected a few blue gum leaves from the ground and took a few more pictures. I don't know if you have ever been close to such big trees, not only tall mind you, but they do give one a sense of timelessness. I also felt in awe that such living entities exist and are not cut down when the pine forest is harvested. The people of this country are not known for their environmental awareness, so seeing these beautiful big trees, almost made me cry.
Yes, we have all those national parks, but their existence is no longer because people feel the need for preservation of our fauna and flora, it is money that ensures their survival. These trees, however, have no monetary value, and yet there they stand. Doesn't say a lot about the new South Africa, does it?
Magoebaskloof Dam, photographer taking a picture, Limpopo province
Francois taking a photograph of Magoebaskloof Dam
Our next stop, down the mountain, was the Magoebaskloof Dam. Neither of us had been there, and it is a sight for sure. Especially with all those trees on the opposite shore. The water was mirror calm, and I am sure Francois' photographs (I will steal one with his permission) will tell the story. The angle of the sun made mobile phone pictures challenging, that is why I want one of is.
Back up the mountain, the sun is about to leave us for the day, and we are awaiting our pizzas with hungry anticipation.
Tomorrow morning we take the road back home to Pretoria. One the one hand the break was nice, but I like being home too. Since it is a long weekend, there is still a weekend ahead for doing things like drawing and shopping for supplies for next week. I have laundry to do, and the rest of the house to clean. Long weekends also go by faster than we want them to, don't they?
So this has been a short Follow Me, but I trust that you enjoyed my stories and our pictures documenting yet another beautiful part of my country, South Africa.

Until next time!

💜 Linzé

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