Seven questions with my pen-pal

I told my Pen-Pal (yeah, I have a Pen-Pal) that I've hit a mental wall in terms of stuff to blog. I kinda feel like, "Got up, went to work, ate some cereal, did some work, went home, watched some Seinfeld, had a bath, washed the dishes" just isn't the sort of salacious material you guys are after on Gloss! How the FRAK do other bloggers continually come up with so much interesting stuff? So I mailed le pen-pal and asked him to send me some questions.  He kept them surprisingly tame!

1)  First memory.  The very first memory you are aware of remembering.  How old?  And what do you remember?

I'm not sure how old I was but I remember collecting hail in my bucket and thinking it was the most magical stuff. There's a pic I must scan from my mom.

2)  Favorite non immediate family member & why.

Ha. I don't really know my non-immediate family all that well - everyone is scattered around the world. I have fun memories of going to the funfair with my Uncle Rodney who is mega sweet and full of kind advice. I also get on well with my aunt in Ireland. She's an artist who works in a converted barn overlooking a field of sheep. Completely epic.

3)  If you could sit down & spend an evening chatting with one famous person (living), who would that be? 

It would have to be someone super smart who wouldn't mind me asking a million questions about life, history, the universe and the human brain. Can anyone suggest someone? (Pen-pal, can you?) Would be fun to crack open a bottle of wine and discuss all the big questions. (Luckily, I do know someone super smart who indulges my frequent questioning...)

I also wouldn't mind a cheeky chinwag with Javier Bardem. Ha.

4)  You have the money to do whatever you want, whenever you want.  What're you doing?  Long term/short term?

This is all planned out already! Short term - I am driving straight to Cotton On to purchase the entire store. Then I would buy camera gear, a new guitar, get a back massage and mapp a curry with my mom. I'd then fly all my friends to London so we could visit the second hand stores, go jolling in Camden and picnic in the parks. Then I would build a cute little cottage in Hillcrest with an accompanying photography studio. I'd get a fluffy golden lab and treat myself to a month of decorating and nesting. Then I would invite my favourite people round for a fun night of jolling and braaing! Oh, I would also go on a cute, tree-house getaway.

5)  You can start any career today.  What is it?  

Well (pen-pal, you know this), I'd become a photographer. 

6)  What career are you best suited for, do you think?  (May not be the same career as above... or it may!)

Heeee, I think I would be suited for photography because I am constantly looking around, wherever I am, and framing shots in my mind. I see pictures everywhere! I love colour. I love nature. I love celebrating the simple, special things like autumn leaves and curious goats. Fact - curious goats are both simple and special. I love the challenge of capturing a mood and a a story. I love it when someone loves a picture I've taken of them...I love that they feel good about themselves...and I love that they'll have a memory to cherish in the form of a pic. I'm quite sentimental, so all in all, I think photography suits me well.

Alternatively, I think I would make a good dog walker. I like dogs.

7)  You're about to be stranded on an island, indefinitely.  You can take 3 items of "necessity" & 1 item of "luxury".  (No living beings!) 

Rats - no people! Or dogs. I know the perfect person to ask in terms of the survival stuff...so three items of necessity? Would it be disgusting if I said a year's supply of tampons? HAHA. Um...I suppose I would need matches to light a fire as I'd probably be useless rubbing two sticks together. I think I would want a toothbrush too. In terms of luxury...I would want to take a photo album of all my loved ones so I could remember their beautiful faces. Please let me never become stranded. I do not want to give my self a root canal ala Castaway. I would start befriending basketballs in no time.

Snuggle Bugs

Nikki and I took the kiddies for a picnic the other day. 

They were being their usual adorable selves!
Happy birthday to little Hunter who turned five today!

Sarah the fairy bride

My friend Sarah got married the other day and she looked like a fairy princess. After she got back from honeymoon, she kindly hopped back into her dress so I could snap her! This was my first bash at bridal photography, and it was a lot of fun! I have HEAPS more to edit and experiment with when I get a spare mo.  Other friends who are keen to bridal up again - let the panda know. x

 

Life lately through my phone...

Got my grandpa's Tiddely Winks - I grew up snapping these suckers! / Friday afternoon called for emergency fairy cakes / Jennakins hard at work / Crunched through the leaves on the last weekend of autumn / Watched the sun go down with Tots and the Tall One. / The Tall One is also very good at making fires. / And convincing me to wear flowers in my hair / Jenna decided it was wine 'o clock / Kristy and I went on one crazy bender for her birthday - Hello, Winston randoms at 3am! / Our office: treat central / A cheeky selfie before heading off to the market. / Mapping strawberries in the park / Took a million mental Instagrams with brother bear / The most amazing toasted zarm I've ever had - Cath made 'em on my gran's old snackwich machine - must try every combo of egg, chutney, cheese, hot sauce... / Tucking into some vino / Jenna chucks lols on our to-do lists - hehe. 

Winter Sun

A few more happy snaps from the weekend. We had a picnic in the park for Father's Day. We're not usually a family who erm, picnics. In fact, I think that could be our first ever picnic? But it was rather pleasant! Brother bear and I went to visit the ducks after mapping an epic lunch of flapjacks, chicken pitas and chocolate-dipped strawberries. Props Mama bear! I loooove this time of year. x

You came in with the breeze on Sunday morning...

9am in my little kitchen x

PS: Sorry if photos on the site are down for a day or two - all will be restored soon!

Market Day!

I got Nikki's household up at the crack of dawn so that we could head to the market. Everyone despised me I'm sure as the girls had been jolling till 4am. I however, had tucked myself into bed just after midnight like a good little Panda. Once we arrived, little Hunter skipped from stall to stall, finding me things to shoot! Is there anything better than big buckets of country flowers? Yes. There is. My year was pretty much made when I got to hold and snuggle a baby goat! After the market, we drove around Hillcrest in search of cows and ponies. I do have some snaps of us which I'll get around to editing soon. PS: It is the day of Fathers here in SA. Have a good one dad. See you later.

If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try

Unless it involves heights, sharks or snakes. In my case, anyway.