Children’s Book, Hearts on Boerie rolls, and Book Lovers at Harties…

WORKING
Am thrilled to pieces cos our children’s book Green & Blue / Groen & Blou is slowly starting to piece its way together. Take a look at the first illustration that my friend Charlie has done for it. The characters are loosely based on my kids as well as their friends. Ben’s teacher read it to his class the other day and when I came to fetch him after school I got such a great response from all the children. Asjas’ daughter, Jean-Mari, is in the book and she was so proud …she has never felt so famous!! For more info on the book please go to Natasha’s Books.

FEELING
Tis the season of LOOOOVVVE! So love yourself into a bit of pampering at Placecol and DNB stores and reconnect with your ‘fabulousness’ !!!  I do love the slogan on their Feb campaign cos your Passion IS contagious! Also good to know that these proudly South African brands are Beauty without Cruelty!

KNOWING
My business partner and best friend, Asjas (and yes that IS her soap opera name!!) baked up a storm the other day. There was literally a tornado of flour, butter and sugar in her teacup! She was making goodies for a stall at a flea market to raise money for the SPCA. SUCH a headgirl! Anyway I went to represent! (And to grab a few of her chocolate cupcakes!) The boys had fun playing with the other kids, and a big biker dude with tattoos all over his arms brought me a boerie roll with a heart in tomato sauce on it, cos he thought I was pretty. Nice Hey!?  Anyway I learnt an important thing …. and my lesson is, that milktarts are not as popular as appletarts … sjoe! Heavy stuff!

DOING
We went to a talk at a ‘Litcafe’ get together in Hartebeespoort House of Coffees the other day. It is such a great club.  I was asked lots of questions about Bittersweet / Bittersoet and thoroughly enjoyed the company …  questions about my bed (or lack thereof), whether I think men are weaker than women and what is the name of the sex shop I talk about in the chapter On SEX AND LAP DANCING. GO HARTIES!!!! A guy there thanked me for my chapter on SELF PITY cos he said that too many women feel sorry for themselves … when the talk was finished about 5 women jumped on his head when he came out of the toilets!!

HEARING
‘Slumdog Millionaire Soundtrack.’ Ben and I are especially keen on track 3.He finds the whole drum thing very empowering and always wants me to play it so he can either drum along OR dance up a storm! I also feel invigorated listening to the CD and am especially fond of it cos the movie is definitely on my Top 10 list! Incidentally the soundtrack won Best original Score and Best Song – Jai Ho at 2009 Academy Awards.

TASTING (and seeing)
Wilds potjie at the Rosendal Valentine’s Weekend! Delicious! Took the boys to this beautiful Free State town and had a ball! My friend Michelle Nigrini opened her latest art exhibition there (that's the 'seeing' part, beautiful works by her and Dhala Hulme) and we all took part in the evening Valentine’s parade where people wore strange white hats, Mari Antoinette wigs or Diek Grobler costume creations! It was so great!. A cool chick gave Ben and Seb her ‘Heart banner’, and the boys were very proud carrying it into the sunset! A LUVVERLY weekend!

READING
I have just finished reading The Red Tent by Anita Diamant and The Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez.

The Red Tent was a book my sister (in pic) told me to read when she was out here from Scotland. She was listening to Asjas and I talking about all the amazing women we have been meeting on our talks and how enriched we feel by seeing the power of women in action, and so she suggested we read it. It is an exquisitely written story talking about the life of Dina, Jacob’s only daughter and Joseph’s sister.

The Kabul Beauty School is not such a great literary accomplishment. But this true story is a brave and courageous one. An American woman goes to war- torn Kabul in 2002, to try and open a beauty school in an effort to empower Afghanistan women and raise morale ...  The author falls in love with the people and their culture and it explores so many aspects of the bond of sistahood …which I, of course, absolutely love.

Keep well …and enjoy the last few days of SUMMER!

Much Love
Natasha (aka Roxy)