Tiah Beautement's Blog, page 128

Tell me that someday I'll look back at this and laugh

Publishing world is a tough place and it doesn't matter where you are in the pecking order, few are spared a knock or two (or sixty). Things change quickly and dramatically. Sometimes you win, other times you have a private cry. Nowhere was this demonstrated better than last week in the textbook industry as people found out if their books made it to the next round or not. I have heard so many stories both from people I know in the flesh, to those on FB, and the reasons given for those that didn't make the cut leave the mind...

Plant Murderer

As you may have noticed, there is a new category on the sidebar - Garden & Co. I thought for half a moment to start a new blog re: the garden*, and then realised that the only time I'll probably be mentioning the garden is when a chicken (which we do not own yet) bites me or I make a royal f--k up. And yes, funnily enough, I have made a royal f--k up, which some of you FB'ers are already well aware of. Ahem. There was this plant: The above plant sheds its leaves in winter (and flowers) and...

The Edge of Things launch write up

Book LIVE (formally BookSA) has posted a report on the Cape Town launch of The Edge of Things. (Yes, click there for the article.) If you would like to see the entire photo gallery which includes pics of yours truly trying to keep her eyes open, click here. (No, they don't put names with captions. I *think* it is for legal reasons.)

Look, I tried

So I am not grading on Friday. Perhaps my joke to sensei that I would simply embroider white-belt-for-life on my belt is not such a joke anymore. But bloody hell, people - this had become ridiculous. Funnily enough, my being in shape, or not, was far from the point. Husband's schedule is NUTS! And Thing 2 is still not herself. We suspect there is more to it than 'not adjusting' ie sick. (Yes, I kept her home from school today.) But truly the final straw was discovering that grading was not from 5pm to 7/8ish, but till midnight. Right. Not...

3 years on

Three years ago we arrived in Cape Town international utterly exhausted. How fitting. I am still utterly exhausted. But there we are, three years. And how has this year changed us? Hmm... well, let me tell you a story. I promise you, it is short. Monday morning my extremely jet lagged son was dropped off at school a wee bit late. He went to his classroom and began to unpack his bag just outside the door. A classmate spotted him. '[Thing 2] is back!' The classroom emptied and my son was engulfed with hugs. Telling us this story that evening...

If I snored, I don't remember it

Book launch? Oh yes, I did go to that. Sorry, we have been undergoing 'operation keep children quiet during the middle of day while daddy sleeps' and consequently I have hardly had time to use the computer. But we are now entering the easier stretch. Well for me. Husband still has a slog, but at least it is at a more socially acceptable half of the day, which is known, funnily enough, as the 12 hour day shift. One more week, and it should be over. Back to book launch. Thing 2 was still strugling with the concept of 'sleep...

Hello & Goodbye

I'm back. So many things I could tell you about my time in the USofA, but it will have to wait because I am far too jet legged. The way back was not as elegant as the way there. The 8ish hour drive to my sister's house from my parents took about 12. This is for many reasons, including a child getting carsick. Fun times. Then the next day the 50miles from my sister's house to the airport took 2.5 hours. Nice. Then the airport where we discovered our baggage allowance was LESS this direction than the way there. The...

Chatting up Seattle

I went to Seattle. It was lovely. And tricky. Had a plan. Husband and I would get up at the butt crack of dawn and get on the road in order to spend time with lovely relatives I have not seen in ages. (Not an overexageration, I'm afraid.) Didn't work out like that. Had to have lunch in hometown with some people I've never met before. To be fair, lunch was a surprisingly enjoyable affair and I'm not just talking about the food. Not known for my conversational skills, I actually smiled, asked questions, attempted to reply in full sentences...

Happy 4th of July

Went to the 4th of July parade. Thing 1 had been in a parade a long time ago in England. But he doesn't remember. Nor was it done quite the same way as in America. So Thing 1 and Thing 2 were given a pep talk: See you wave at people as they pass by, maybe even toss out a smile and then the people will throw candy at you. They were unconvinced. People don't just throw you candy. But they gave it a shot and - bam - candy was being tossed out of a window. Thing 1 whipped...

10 years and still together

Today is my anniversary of 10 years of Holy Matrimony. What is truly wonderful about today is that we are going to be together to celebrate. Imigration sent husband to the 'room' at San Francisco airport. Not that anybody was going to tell me this. Just as I was paging an all call in baggage a stewardess found me and informed me that he had been hauled off. Stewardess did not work on the airline we flew in. She had simply popped in the room to ask a question and Husband asked her to pass on a message. In short,...