Catch Up

Well, tomorrow is my dad's birthday... so HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!!! :) I hope you have a fantastic day! :)

Today I had ballroom... it was my third class. We have class on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and I love it! Seriously, it's so much fun :) I've always loved ballroom dancing, and this is with the university, which is much cheaper than anywhere else! (About R350 for the year). I have been meeting so many people, and having so much fun. It's great, because we're all just there to have fun.

Maths is going pretty well, although today's tut was pretty difficult. I think that my tut group ( we have to work in groups of 5 or 6 people) thought that I was a little rude though, because at first I was participating with the group, but then they were talking about who knows what, and I just wanted to get as much done as possible, so that I could have less to do at home... which meant that I was just working on my own, trying to get the exercise done. Sigh, I struggle with getting to know new people in that kind of setting, because they invariably want to chat while I just want to get everything done so that I can relax... Well, I guess it's just something that I have to work on!

English is pretty cool, although I was falling asleep in today's lecture - literally! I'm about half way through my first novel... well it's actually an autobiography, called "Down Second Avenue". I'm really enjoying it. I'll see how my seminars go though. I start my first one tomorrow! It's poetry, which is generally not my strength, but I'll see how it goes.

I already have two assignments for linguistics, although they are both due in mid-March. That's just as well, since I haven't even had a chance to look at them yet! It's still interesting though, and I enjoy it :)

Yesterday I started with singing lessons again, with JoMari Thorne. She's been my singing teacher since the end of grade 11. I love her! She's managed to bring my voice to life in a way that I never thought possible. She also leads the SACM Choir, of which I am a member. I really enjoy singing with them, which happens every Monday afternoon (an hour after my singing lesson) and then whenever we have concerts. Last year's recital was amazing! Ask my mom, we out-did ourselves! Seriously, we all had so much fun, and we managed to make a great name for ourselves (as well as earning a good little bit of money!).

Anyway, it's way past my bed-time! Goodnight all!

xx

Varsity 2011

Today was my second day of varsity... it was a little scary yesterday, because I didn't know what to expect. I started with maths this year, and most people fail the course I'm doing - not a pleasant thought, since I last did maths a year and a half ago! My lecturer is very nice though! She is a Bulgarian woman, with a thick accent, and a very kind countenance - very approachable, and very understanding. I really like her! ... Despite the fact that I don't know her name yet! Something beginning with "m". It's like playing eye spy, but without knowing the answer to your own question!

I was able to go and buy all of my textbooks for English yesterday. There are so many that I thought I would die in the Jammie on my way down to choir. The bag of books was so heavy, and I had my normal bag on my shoulder... and to top it all off, I had this humongous calculus book in my hand. But it's been a great experience so far!

My courses for this year are:

English - South African literature (first semester)

English - Romance to Realism (second semester)

Linguistics 2 A and B (first and second semesters)

Maths - MAM1000W - the widely acknowledged "most difficult course at UCT" (whole year)

You may think that this is very little for me to be doing in a whole year, but I assure you that it isn't!

• First of all, I have a lot of work for maths, if I want to pass with a first (which I am determined to do with all of my courses this year! Last year I managed getting firsts for German and Linguistics, and lower seconds for Media and English... but no more of that! Firsts all around!)
• I take singing lessons once a week with Jomari Thorne
• I am a member of the South African College of Music (SACM) Choir
• I've just started with the Ballroom and Latin Dancing Society at UCT, which meets every Tuesday and Thursday
• I attend institute on Tuesday nights
• I am the first counselor in the ward Primary presidency
• I teach extra maths and extra accounting to a boy from another ward (and will probably teach maths to another girl from my ward soon, as well)
• I started a vegetable garden for my dad's birthday, which I am determined to keep going
• AND I have some sort of social life to keep healthy! :P

So as you can see, my life is pretty hectic... but I enjoy being busy! Anyway, I have another early morning tomorrow for my third day of varsity - as well as a maths test tomorrow evening! Eek!

So, good night my fair friends! I'll try to keep up with my blog :)

xx

Happy birthday, Mom!!

Dear Mom

I would just like to take this opportunity to say happy birthday. I hope that this has been a wonderful day, since you're a wonderful person. The past few nights I've been reminded of just how true that is. Since I've been sick, I've called you out of bed in the middle of the night twice. You fed me when I couldn't move, you gave me medicine, and you sat with me when I couldn't sleep. You are so caring and wonderful, and you show that to me every day. That is why I want you to know that I love you. You are the most amazing woman I know, and I am honoured to have you as a mother.

So, with all of my love and gratitude, I wish you a very happy birthday.

Love, your daughter

Cindy

Jane Austen

This is just a quick note to say that Jane Austen is awesome! I love her writing so much, and I love to spend hours finding myself in a different era... she can do that, you know. She captivates the reader, and makes them imagine a romantic time, where gentlemen ride horses, and women carry parasols; where balls and picnics are the primary social engagements, and cards the entertainment; and of course, one cannot forget the charm of knowing exactly when a man is in love with you, because he will kiss your hand when he greets you. How often I have found myself wondering if a guy I like may or may not return the regard! How much simpler it would be if he could simply raise my hand to his lips, and inform me of his regard in that way! It would certainly do away with many hours of questioning, and things would be able to move along so much more quickly. But that is of no consequence, I suppose. We live in the time that we do, and we are forced to live by the accepted standards of today's world.

Anyway, I must now really get to bed. I start varsity again in a couple of weeks, and I need to start regulating my sleep a little more effectively! Good night, all.

xxx

My hectic day - part 2: Parties

After I had done all things Primary, I had to rush over to Uncle Ron's house for a birthday party. It's Uncle Ron's birthday today (Happy birthday, Uncle Ron!!!) and my mom's birthday on Friday, so we just had a party for the two of them at the same time. There was swimming, eating and pool... a great time :)

Then, Andrew P. and I had to rush off to get to Candice's house for her birthday party. Her birthday is tomorrow, and we were having a bit of a pre-birthday celebration. We started playing French cricket, and then came inside once the fire was ready to start braaing. It was great seeing everybody again, and I also got to meet one of Candice's accounts friends.

Courtney and me

Andrew

Kelsey and Chelsea

French cricket

Candice doing the braaing!!!

The speech... it consisted of "Thank you everybody for coming tonight" ;)

Andrew and Claudia

The cake: sparklers and all

Blowing out the candles

Unfortunately, I was so tired that I had to leave a little after 10, or I wouldn't have been able to drive home. I've been sleeping badly for the past month, so I get tired really early. My mom gave me a sleeping tablet though, and for the first time in ages I was able to sleep again! It was amazing :)

My hectic day - part 1: Primary

Recently, I was called as the first counselor in the Primary presidency in our ward. I have been

really enjoying it! I learn from all of the children.

One of the things that I've been doing this month is teaching singing time. I'm not actually singing leader, but I was doing it for a bit of a change. So, I woke up at 6:30 yesterday morning to start my day... First thing on the agenda was making song posters for the new song that they've been learning: If I Listen With My Heart. It's a lovely song :)

Next, I had to go to the Primary Quarterly Activity. For their birthdays this year, we decided that we would give them a gift from which they could learn a principle. So, after much thought, we decided that we would buy a bunch of flower pots, and give them to the kids for their birthdays, along with a bag of soil, a seed and a message about faith. So, for the quarterly activity which we had, we decided to let them decorate the pots that they would get for their birthdays. Afterwards, we gave them fruit kebabs for lunch. We had set up the tables outside the kitchen, so that we could keep an eye on them while we were cutting up the fruit. Man, they loved those kebabs!! Definitely a great idea for summer :)

After the activity, I went home and iced the cake for the birthday party we were holding for my mom and my uncle that evening. Literally as soon as I had done icing it, though, I found myself rushing back for Stake Primary Leadership training. It was a great meeting, but it would have been great if it wasn't on the same day as everything else!

My trip to Joburg

From the 3rd to the 8th of January, I was privileged to go to the Temple with Colleen, Rohan, Ryan and Carina. We all drove up together in Ryan's dad's car, and it was a great deal of fun! I took quite a number of pictures on the way up, but I didn't take very many while I was actually in Joburg, except for the new shoes that I bought.

The sunrise

Once we were in Joburg, we went to Spur on the Monday night (none of us felt like cooking!) and then we went back to the Temple Boarding, where we were staying. Ryan was staying with another family that was close to Westgate Mall, so we went there again the next morning, which is when I bought my new shoes...

A random beaded bird in the gardens of the Temple boarding. I thought it was pretty cool :)

Carina: "It's raining inside!"

While I was there, I was privileged enough to do 3 baptism sessions, which were amazing! I also got to see my aunt, my cousin and my granny. AND I got to go out with all of my friends!! I played Adventure Golf with Sidz, Ayanda and Sheldon, I went rock climbing with Patrick, I went to a YSA get together with Christine, and I tried Thai food for the first time with Fairley! Oh, and I also did missionary experiences at the MTC, which was really fun. And in between all of this, I managed to read Wodehouse's "Thank You, Jeeves" and Georgette Heyer's "Why Shoot a Butler?" which are both very good reads. It was a lot of fun (despite the fact that I was a single amongst two couples ;) ) and I would do it again any day!!