HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRANCES

Today is Frannie's birthday (we won't say how old), so instead of having a party she decided to have a kiddies party at the Safe House. Well we all arrived, destroyed and then left [hee hee], well not really, but there were loads of us and loads of kids there to create a large amount of noise.

Here is a video of the type of thing our boys got up to, take special note of the pink bicycle Chris is riding ? . . .



This morning around 2am I was woken up by James standing next to my bed saying he couldn't sleep, so I told him to jump in next to me. Of course Chris, who has been so sick, was already in the bed, so I got sandwiched between the two of them and needless to say they did not leave me a lot of space to sleep, so between fighting for my patch on the bed and Mickey the cat trying to find her spot as well, not a lot of sleep achieved. Never mind, its holidays so we should be able to catch up on some sleep (wishful thinking). I am so pleased that Chris is finally getting better and for the 1st time today since Monday morning actually got out of bed, its probably the worst I have ever seen one our kids sick.

This afternoon we had our local community newspaper, the Constantiaberg Bulletin, come and do an article on the safe house, with a heavy slant on the fact that we need to find them new accommodation ASAP. The reported seemed to be quite impressed, but we will see what she publishes. The kids all had an absolute ball charging around and the sugar rush they got from the 'junk' food helped all that along.

The kids dressed up and Sarah wore her beautiful outfit she got in Disney World. She looked like a real princess.

Poor Rob is stuck in Nigeria, there was also a moment of panic in that he thought he might miss his flight due to the terrible weather they are having over there, but he has manged to get to the airport, so we should see him tomorrow morning. YAY!!!

I am soooooooooooooo pleased its holidays, not more fighting with kids to do homework or study for exams. We are waiting for the reports to come, but James has gotten some results back from his exams and has done really well, if only I could get him to realise that the hard work is what resulted in those marks, not just luck. I think all moms deserve a medal for managing to get their kids through exams, especially boys, there is just no sense of urgency to study.

Right off to dinner at a wonderful restuarant called Manuka in Steenberg Village for Frannie's birthday, quite sad really all us single women and kids, no men around.

Indoor Heated SCHOOL Swimming Pool

Today we got a notice from the school from a swimming school that are using the school's pool and charging us the parents if we want our kids to swim there. Well that was just the red flag to a bull for me today. I have had an awful day and this was just the cherry on top of Eskom increasing electricity costs by 31%, forgetting to give James lunch for school, my maid only arriving at 09h30 due to trains being late and a lot of work to do at the office.

Probably the worst possibly day I could have received this letter from the school, but why should we the parents pay for someone else's business?

Unfortunately I can't scan their document, but my email below will give you the jist of it.

EMAIL SENT

Hi Trevor

Sorry to dump this on you, but not quite sure how I should take this further.

I have a serious problem with the notice received from Splash swimming offering SVPS parents a 10% discount for our children to swim in the pool that we as parents raised funds for. In Splash's own words "you and your family will be able to attend . . . IN YOUR VERY OWN, VERY IMPRESSIVE INDOOR HEATED SCHOOL POOL."

Surely there is some kind of mistake? We as parents have raised the funds to enclose the pool and then we have to pay some strangers to swim in it? I know there are a couple of parents and teachers that have volunteered to coach the children for free during the winter months, why is there the need to pay someone now?

I am so incredibly insulted that the school can even think to ask us to pay for using a school facility that we paid for!

If I wanted my child to do professional/club swimming, I would pay for this, no problem, BUT NOT when the school has the facility. IF the intention was to bank roll someone else's business then it should have been made clear from the start. Alternatively, that money could have been put to better use for the benefit of the whole school e.g. build squash courts or a better computer lab or something like that.

Surely if Sweet Valley only offer swimming as a summer sport (free of charge at the moment???) then we should just have stuck to an outdoor pool and used the funds for other improvements to the school.

I really feel very strongly about this and have chatted to a few other parents who agree with me. There are a lot of children that would benefit from swimming in a 25m school pool, who are currently paying for private tuition, when their school should be offering it as an extra mural FOR FREE!

Please advise what possible explanation there could be for this arrangement?

Regards
Jeanette

Sick kids and Revolting weather

The weather in Cape Town has been terrible, we were hit with 2 sever storms one day after the next. Fortunately the house is still standing, but can't say the same for one of the sliding doors in the pool room that landed up on the ground. As a result of the wind coming through, the front door then slammed and shattered the door again. Thank goodness for insurance.


It has been sooooooooooooo cold here [not much above 14 degrees] for the last couple of days, you can just imagine how cold its been at night. Thank goodness for electric blankets, down duvets and gas heaters. The cats and dogs have also all taken to sleeping in the TV room with us to keep warm. Mickey, true to form then climbs under the duvet with us as soon as we go to bed.

Poor Chris has been as sick as a dog, with a temperate over 39.6 for 3 days, raging headache that he can't even walk around and a sore throat that when he talks you can just hear is sore. He has spent 4 days in bed and today is the first day that he hasn't had a temperate, so hopefully he has broken the back of it now. Sweet little Mickey, its like she knew he was sick and lay on top of him.
Rob, whose in Nigeria, has also been very sick. Thank goodness he travels with his own 1st aid kit, but must be pretty awful to be sick so far away from home. He is only home on Saturday . . .

Tomorrow is France's birthday (keyte@telkomsa.net) and we are going to have a ' cake and jelly joll ' at the safe house with all the kids. Should be a bit of fun. We also have our local community newspaper coming to the safe house tomorrow to do a story on them. Right off to fight with our kids school . . . look out for my next post.

If You Love Something, Set it Free . .

If you love something, set it free, if it comes back to you, its yours for keeps. Well we let Geraldine go and SHE'S BACK!!!!

Everyone is so happy, Little Geraldine is back with Elsie for the moment. When she was initially delivered to the social worker to be returned to her mother, it was under the instruction from the social worker that said that Elsie had to bring her back as she was going back to her mother (whom she had not seen for 2 years).

Strange as that seemed to Elsie, she obeyed the law, only to find out 10 days later that there was never any legal court documentation to this effect and that Geraldine is in fact still [according the courts] in her care, meaning that if anything happens to her, she is responsible.

On confirming this this morning, Frances, Elsie, Nadine (Elsie's daughter) and myself drove off to Villiersdorp to fetch her. We called the social worker to advise her we were on our way and she said she would in the meantime go and fetch Geraldine.

When we eventually got there, they were not back from the farm, so we waited [trying to remain calm and patient], then the rains started and suddenly the car pulled up and there was this little thing in blue lying on the social workers lap.

Elsie ran up to the car to greet her and the rest of us stood back just waving at her. You could see the initial look of confusion on her face and then that smile and her little arms went up and she jumped into Elsie's arms.

Of course, much tears and hugging and kissing later, she did the rounds and when she got to me, said 'ek wil swem' 'I want to swim' which is what she loves to do at our house. She then asked me 'waar's Chris' 'where is Chris'.

The poor little mite was very quite, as though her spirit had been squashed, when I said to her What's you name, she replied 'sussie', it took about 3 tries of reminding her to say Geraldine and you could see the light come on in her eyes as though to say 'oh yes, I remember saying that' and then came the smile and the talking.

She fell fast asleep on the way back in the car, but not before we had stopped off at PEP stores to buy her new clothes and we changed her there and then in the car, fed her some lunch and she fell fast asleep in Elsie's arms.

She has been gone 10 days, but in those 10 days, the clothes she went with have holes in them, she arrived with the shoes I had bought her on, but adult socks (she is 2 and half), which were wet. Her pyjama top was under her clothes and when we took off her wet socks and shoes, her feet were filthy, as in at least 2 days of dirt, which makes you wonder since it has been freezing for the last couple of days. I mean seriously cold, today was a mere 11 degrees.

James is so excited that she is back and already wants her here for the weekend, but it looks as though Ingrid might be the one to foster her. Ingrid seems quite keen on the idea and her friends are already saying they will help her financially, which is wonderful, Geraldine just deserves so much more in life.

Hopefully she is too young to have been scarred by all this backwards and forwards, she apparently got home to the safe house and was thrilled to see the other kids and then went for a bath. Elsie had to keep topping the bath up with hot water, she was so excited to be in the bath and didn't want to get out.

All in all she looks to be alright, just a little bit of a crushed spirit, but a few days back with her "sisters" and "brothers" and she will be back to all her nonsense and causing trouble.

Its amazing how many people want to help. One of my clients mothers was there when we arrived back and heard about the story, well she opened her purse and gave us R100 towards new clothes for Geraldine, some of Ingrid's and my client's have donated clothes, toys etc etc towards the safe house, they just have to stay in our area, there is so much goodness we can give them.

Now all we need is the house . . .

FATHERS DAY

Well our Daddy had to fly to Nigeria at 9am, after coming in from patrolling at 2.30am. But we still managed to give him his gift, even though he was half asleep.

Once Rob had left, I went through to feed the cats and there was the most awful smell coming from the laundry room. There were his shoes . . . and then it dawned on me.

Our esteemed Mr Muller who had been out patrolling the night before, had regaled us with his tales of assisting with arrests and climbing under fences and through fields near a local squatter camp. Well clearly he brought home more than memories of that night, cause what was on the bottom of his shoe, was not from an animal [ eeuuuuwww]

But on a less smelly note, we took my dad out for tea at Ingrid's house. As soon as he got there, he saw the cakes for tea and tucked in whilst sitting around the divine fire. He has a bit of an infection that has come out through his cheek, so has this big bulky plaster on.What was really nice is my mother [who is currently in the UK] phoned and spoke to my father, who proceeded to tell her about some guy in khaki sitting in the corner and about toothpaste. One good thing, was he compared his home to a 3 or 4 star hotel.

Speaking to my mother was really nice, she seems to be having a ball with her friends, and its a well deserved break for her.

Can't wait for this week to be over, then its school holidays. James is busy with his Exams, although if you ask him, there is nothing to worry about, he feels he knows all the work. NOT!!!!!!! So needless to say we have huge arguments each night about going to study.

Shame, both the boys are sick as well. James has the most awful cough, but [sorry for you James] he has to go to school for the exams.

Chris on the other hand is man down. Fortunately he has finished his exams, but last night about 3am he woke up with the most excruciating headache which he has been fending off all day with adult pain killers. Just one of those things he is going to have to work through, but I know he's really sick as he slept the entire day today, no TV.

Right, updates done, off to do my other job Miracle Kids www.miraclekids.blogspot.com where we are desperate trying to secure them a provincial government house, but all that for another post.

The saga of Geraldine

Have just had a phone call from Frances informing me of the latest saga regarding our darling little Geraldine.

Those of you that know her and the story behind her, you will know that she was, under instruction of the courts returned to the social workers in Grabouw. Briefly, Geraldine was found along the N2 Freeway in Grabouw when she was one and half, abandoned, as her mother was too drunk to know she was missing. She has since then lived in safe care and had absolutely no contact with her mother, yet she was instructed by the courts to be returned to her mother, who she did not know from a bar of soap - what kind of system is that and how traumatic is that for a small child?

Today we find out that the social worker in Grabouw, with whom she was dropped off with (A) took Geraldine that same Friday afternoon to another social worker (B) in Villiersdorp and told her that some women she didn't know had arrived on her 'stoep' and just dumped Geraldine there. Social Worker B having no choice but to take the child, had to lock up her office and drive to the farm 'xxxxx' to locate Geraldine's mother and hand her over. Before she left, she called the farm manager who had no knowledge of the mother and claimed he did not know if she worked there. Social Worker B then drove out to the farm and eventually found a relation who turns out to be receiving a disability benefit and caring for 2 kids, one of which was Geraldine's sister. When asked where the mother was, was told she is out working. Social Worker B then left Geraldine with the Aunt and went in search of the mother. When she found her and told her she was here to hand over her child, the mother asked 'which one' she apparently has a further 2 babies also in Foster care, both younger than Geraldine, who is only 3 in October . . .

Apparently the mother, when told it was Geraldine, then said she would have to stay with the Aunt till she was finished working . . . . . . Clearly proving that the mother had no knowledge Geraldine was coming - makes you wonder how the Social Worker A did her home visits to check the mother had a job and place for her to stay, if she didn't know she was coming.

According to Social Worker B, she was wondering why Geraldine had been brought back to her mother, she could see she was well cared for, had good manners, toothbrush, cream and decent clothes. Since the Social Worker couldn't initially find the mother, she even considered taking Geraldine home to her house for safe keeping. How I ask you can the system screw up so royally, potentially taking her from one place of safety to another?

It breaks my heart, a couple of us have been waking up during the night thinking about her, I just hope and pray that she is OK and that the farm community are accepting her and not treating her as a kid who thinks she is above her station in life.

Frances plans to get onto the welfare department tomorrow to follow this up as we NEED to know what is going on.

There is that saying, if you love something, set it free, if it comes back to you it is yours for keeps. Geraldine really has touched so many of our hearts and she belongs in our community, not picking apples and drinking wine.

Long Day

Wow its been a long and busy day today, we started off getting Chris to rugby (fortunately at school) so its was only 5 minutes to get there, but he had to be there at 07h30, to play at 08h30, but by 09h00 the other team had not yet arrived, so we all stood around freezing our butts off, only to have them arrive, with only 4 players.

Now the problem with this was that they are a team that have only recently been allowed back into the rugby circuit as 2 years ago one of their kids stabbed someone on the field - delightful!! Anyways the coach realised they only had 4 under 14's and that they were planning to make up the rest of the team with 16 yearolds, and he therefore told them we would not be playing [huge sigh of relief from me].

Straight from there, Chris went with Gill, who came to watch him play, to town to watch her play her hockey match and Rob and I raced off to the office to attend the SAPS reservistsrecruitment day presentation.

Before I got to rugby this morning, I had to drop James at Frances who was going to the annual Polar Bear Dip at Clifton Beach, where bunch oflooneys (normally the entire Muller Family are there, but not this year), go on the Saturday closest to the winter solstice and run into the ocean. For our efforts we get to buy a souvenir, this year its a nice red t-shirt, but only James gets it this year.

Well Rob has now officially signed up to become a South African Police Reservist so that when he goes on patrol, he has official arrest powers. He had to have his finger prints taken as well.

When I got home earlier he was lying on the couch, feeling very ill with the onset of flu and dreading the thought of having to fly to Nigeria tomorrow, but he got one phone call from Tony to go out patrolling in a police car and he was right as rain. He just sms'd me to say they have already made one drug arrest and they've only been out for about an hour.




After the open day, James and I went to the Fashion Show put on by his school. it was simply wonderful, where the children from all the grades paraded their sponsored clothes, but what was so nice, is it was kids of all shapes and sizes, walking to funky music. Some of the teachers also did a little show that had the crowds in stitches.


Frances's daughter Sarah was in the fashion show and looked absolutely beautiful, she definitely seems to have found her niche, up on stage. Unfortunately the hall was big and dark and I couldn't get her on stage, so had her 'stage' her shot afterwards instead.


When we got there, James and I were roped into helping sell the tuckshop items. James had so much fun, he then went back for the evening show and dragged Chris and Gill with him, so I was left at home alone with my book and the heater. I just wish I could have jumped into a nice hot bath and read my book, but didn't know what time the kids would phone to be collected, so instead here I am updating my blog . . . waiting for my husband to return from his jaunts around the neighbourhood, however, last time he came in at 4am, so maybe I'll just go to be instead.

Here are James and Michelle selling sweets at the tuckshop, with a little modeling of their own inbetween.

PHOTO'S

Now my family moan and groan about the number of photo's I take, but they are the 1st ones to tell me to update the blogsite when something happens.

Well tonight I was playing with the heading and tried to find a nice family photo of the four of us and sadly realised WE DON'T HAVE ONE!!

We are going to have to rectify this and fast . . .

But never fear, my PC is full of pics as you can see from the new heading, just started running out of space when it came to which photo's to include, will have to work on a revised collage of all the family to include those in England, J-Bay, Gauteng etc etc.

A nice Short Week

What a please when your week starts on a "Monday", next day is "Wednesday" and then its "Friday" whoooo hooooo!!. We only had a 3 day working week this week and I don't swim on Fridays during winter, so it was in fact only 2 days. But what a busy 2 days.
Chris has now finally finished his exams and now James starts on Monday. Thank goodness Chris has been quite good about studying for his exams and only had to revise last night, because we had a bit a drama.

Ingrid and I were swimming and she happened to get out the pool during a break and answer her phone (something she doesn't normally do) and it was the alarm company letting her know that 5 of her zones were going off, then the neighbour phoned to say they had seen someone jump over the wall into her property. So off she raced with kids in tow, armed with my neighbourhood watch radio and stun gun to catch themselves some baddies (they wish - they were loooooooooooong gone). Fortunately they didn't get away with much, other than a 19" computer monitor and a broken Ipod.

We had another lovely evening at our friends Hilary and Tony and played some poker. Other friends also joined us and here is a picture of the winner, Hilton, who literally wiped the table with us all. Poor Lynn who was with us, was in so much pain with her back, she has been seeing doctors etc but to no avail and i have just heard now that she might have to have an operation as she seems to have broken 2 vertebrae. Before anyone knew this though there were all sorts of attempts to ease her pain with electronic impulse etc. Here is everyone having their say about her back.

Tomorrow is quite a big day for old Bob, he is after watching Christopher's rugby match going to join me at our offices and sign up to become a police reservist - always did like a man in uniform, preferred the navy whites to the SAPS blues though!

With my mom being away we are trying where we can to take my Dad for drives. On the public holiday I went to pick him up to take him for a drive and some 'slap chips' which are his all time favourite. Well we got into the car and he was chatting away in his usual confused state and then suddenly piped up, "so are we going to get some slap chips". Off we went got them and he couldn't wait till we got home, so started tucking into them in the car. Here he is eating his chips.

We also fed him a chocolate muffin that he boys decided to make. It was quite sweet really, our two boys working together, or course, Chris was in charge of the chocolate chips that went in, needless to say it was missing a few by the time it reached the mixture, our choco-holic child.

Right well tomorrow should be good, and when Bob gets his uniform you can image that it will be perfect photo opps.

Sunday we all celebrate Fathers Day, so best I get the boys getting a card together.

Eye Opening Drug Talk

This evening Rob, Chris, Gill, Michelle and I went to a drug talk put on by our local police station, where they gave us a drug awareness talk. Well I sat there most of the 2 hours with my jaw on the floor.

Did you know that Cape Town is the drug capital of the world!!! We have over 250 000 containers moving in and out of our docks every WEEK. As was pointed out tonight, in the good old days, you could not enter the docks without being practically strip searched, now anyone can float in and out whenever they please.

The bit that freaked me out the most was hearing that the best heroine addicts inject a tiny needle full of heroin into their eyes [ aaaaaaaaaaaggggggghhhhhhhhh], they usually carry the eye drops with the needle to clear the slightly red eyes.

The costs of the drugs are unreal, I can understand why so many people sell drugs, excellent mark-up for e.g. a drug that costs 9c to make is sold for R25.

The kids, although they have had these talks at school found it quite informative and asked some really interesting questions.

SAPS even have a huge catalogue of all the different pictures of the drug E. What was so interesting was getting see the actual samples of the drugs. Below is a sample of the drug E that the night clubs feed to their patrons for free so that they will but the drinks to quench their thirst induced by their high energy levels and excessive dancing.



The Methamphetamine (aka Tik) was an eye opener as well.

Facts

• after 5 uses you are addicted and cannot get off it without help
• only called TIK in South Africa (simple language for a 3rd world country)
• reason its called TIK is because when the 'bulb' is heated up the gases from the drug make a tik, tik, tik sound.
• The user will normally use a 'blow torch' type lighter to light their pipe because it burn hotter and does not make the glass black. This way they can see how much of the drug they have smoked
• they normally buy it in straws, which are easily hidden in lighters, wallets etc.

Below is a picture of a TIK pipe that has been smoked as you can see the residue on the pipe.



One night whilst on patrol (Rob patrols for our local neighbourhood watch www.bkmwatch.org.za) he and one of his patrol buddies stopped some 'gentlemen' and found them in possession of a digital scale, but nothing else. Well after tonight's presentation, he now knows what he's looking for and knows to call the police to come and search the vehicle as they are guaranteed to have drugs somewhere for e.g. behind the hooter, in cut cut in the fabric of the seat that they slide it into etc etc.

It is such a sheltered world we live in, hearing what goes on out there, with 11 year old girls acting as the runners between the buyers and merchants and for that running this little girl is paid R250 per day (3 years ago - imagine what they are getting now!)

I just hope and pray to the good Lord above that our boys are able to make the right choices in their lives and never cross the lines into the world of drugs. We can give them all the rules and regulations, but at the end of the day it is all about choices and more particularly they choices they make.

Geraldine aka Appel Trapper

Darling Little Geraldine (2 and half years old)

Geraldine is a child that basically grew up in a Safe House in Diep River and Strand. She was found along the N2 freeway in Grabow when she was a year and a half old. From where she was placed into safe care and has never had contact with her parents, who made no attempt to find or get hold of her.

She somehow slipped through the cracks of the system and only recently has her case come alive again. She has now been removed from the safe house (as there was no-one who could foster her) and given back to her mother who works on a farm. The mother has one other child that lives with her, Geraldine (who is 3 in October) and a further 2 babies that don’t live with her, but are in foster care (go figure, how can our society not sterilise a person like this?)

Geraldine is such a special little character – she touched the hearts of everyone she met and hopefully she will be happy with her mom, but as that saying goes, if you love someone set them free, if they come back to you its for keeps – lets see what happens in her life, maybe there is someone here in our part of the world that can foster her after all, its all about timing . . .

God Bless you Little Geraldine, we love you! Jeanette, James and Chris

Our Baby is 11

Our baby is now 11, can't believe James is getting that old. Unfortunately Rob was in Kenya for his birthday, so we had a quiet little opening ceremony in the morning. You can see him here opening his presents (in my bed!!) He was very chuffed with his Ipod, and I managed to find the game boggle, which we used to play as kids, but I have not been able to find - should help him with his spelling. Even Mickey had to get in on the action.

On his birthday we had to take Gran and Nana to the airport, both of them flew out to England and from there went their separate ways. We all went with and Gran kindly treated us to dinner at the airport. So in one day, my major support system flew out the window [or should I say to England].

Rob and Chris spent one weekend building a kite, it was a technology project for Chris, so off they went to the hardware store to get what they needed and voila, a kite from some dial sticks and a shower curtain. Chris had to take it to school and test it to see if it flew, but the weather has been so wet and cold they have not yet done it.


Life has been incredibly hectic with Rob away, my jobs and the kids and just life in general. I mean here we are on the downhill slide to Christmas again. Before I know it, its going to be Christopher's birthday and Rob going overseas with his dad (lucky sod!) Yes I know, kids and I get to stay home, but its OK, will cash in some other time.

Our new office has been set up in Tokai, so every morning is rushing off there to do work, which I love, but leaves no time for other personal stuff, so as a result normally land up shopping at 6.30pm at convenience stores that charge twice as much as a normal store, kind of starting to wonder if its a bit of false economy me working?

The kids are as always great, the step up to the plate to help me where they can and have matured so much.

Both a busy studying for exams, Chris finishes this week and James only starts after that. Chris looks at what James has to learn and can't believe its soooooooooooo easy, if only he thought that when he was in grade 5.

The kids get their pocket money and James has been saving his and finally went out and bought himself some lego of which he is very proud.


I had to include this photo, one of my mad friends Lynn, has build her dogs a kennel, but its an exact replica of her house FOR THE DOGS!!! Granted she does have 7 dogs and no kids.