January Favorites

Many of my more regular readers' will know that about four months ago I went through a pretty nasty break-up. Almost together for two years - ring shopping, marriage talk, baby banter, living together, getting pets together... no one thought it would come to an end. 

When it did though and the time came for me to leave the cottage, pack up my life as I knew it and start afresh - I felt pretty raw. 

I remember driving around one afternoon listening to the radio when a song came on and literally every single line felt like it was meant for me in that moment, (don't worry - it's not Taylor Swift...) 

Pink - Try.

That song has really helped me to see the positive side of things. It reminds me that I need to get up and try. It reminds me that just because the burn hurts, it doesn't mean I'm going to die. The lyrics may be simple but all in all the combination of the melody, the words, the piano... it all equals up to exactly the message I was needing from it.

If you are busy going through a break-up then give this a listen. I hope it helps you the way it helped me.

These are some of the other things that I got up to this month:

I found a really great new foundation from The Body Shop. My usual Woolworths Foundation ran dry and they didn't have my colour in stock when I went to buy a new tube so I went on a bit of a hunt.
This is the first time that I have tried The Body Shop's Foundation and I'm so impressed with it - think I may have converted!

Along my hunt for new base I also decided to visit the sale trays and pick up a cheap mascara. This was only R15.00 from Foushini and to me it really does the job just as well (or perhaps even better,)  as some of my previous mascara's that cost + R150.00

I started to learn a card game called Kings and Assholes. 

How you play Kings & Assholes:

Divide the pack of cards between your players (works really well with 3-4 people)
The person who gets a Three of Diamonds starts, placing that card down on the table facing upwards. Working clockwise, the next person can play a single card on top of that three as long as it is a higher number. (Suits do not matter).
You cannot play another three on top of a three however, it has got to be higher.
In this game, two is the highest card and can close the round off. If someone places a two on top of the pile then you turn those cards over and start again.
The first person who finishes the game with no cards left in his / her hands wins and therefore becomes the King.
From there, the remaining players battle it out. The person who finishes with the most cards left becomes the asshole.
This means that on the next round, the asshole must give the King his / her highest card and the King gives the asshole the card that he or she doesn't want.

After the first round you can start playing doubles, triples etc (if you have two or more cards with the same number,) this helps you get rid of your cards faster.
If you cannot play when it is your turn then you can choose to skip your turn.

I find this game really fun and addictive. Give it a try!

I took Kyle's Jeep for a bit of a spin... it was awesome!!! This day was just magical. We'd gone to a family gathering entailing cocktails and a fully clothed swim in the lagoon. Thereafter I begged just a little to drive his car, (which I am hopelessly in love with to say the least!) I may even be coming around to the idea of automatic vehicles...

Chantelle used to be featured in my blog back in 2010 when I first started it, in posts such as:

http://bohemianmuses.blogspot.com/2010/06/and-so-ends-very-interesting-month.html

http://bohemianmuses.blogspot.com/2010/07/1-german-1-brit-and-2-south-african.html

and

http://bohemianmuses.blogspot.com/2010/07/more-pointless-ramblings-of-no-body.html

which, looking back at those few posts makes me feel like quite the alcoholic! Just to clarify that this is not the case, I am not that bad anymore, (I say confidently while you stare at a picture of us depleting a jug of strawberry daiquiri.....)

We've had a few pretty great night's out this month and reconnecting with her has been lovely.

From the left: Shaun, my ex. Me and Lucien. 

This was the first day in roughly three months that my ex and I were able to be around each other without any awkwardness. Although we have broken up, we'd still like to develop some sort of a friendship. It has been really difficult to be around each other and mainly things end up in heated arguements and one of us has to leave but I am hopeful that we'll be friends one day.
We have a close friendship group and in a small town like Knysna it is impossible to not bump into each other when we go out so I think we're doing as best we can to make it work somehow.

If I could choose somewhere else in the Garden Route to live - Plettenberg Bay would be right up there. The entire atmosphere is so different - I feel like I've just stepped into the OC every time I go there.
Amie, Alle and I found a little wooden bar right on the beach after our hike at Robberg and enjoyed a drink or two in the gorgeous Summer sun.  

 

 The hike to Robberg was amazing. It always is. I cannot even count how many time I have done it - complete hiking addict!

 Spent some time at Pili Pili beach bar for the first time in over a year, caught up with old friends, made new friends and just let my hair get salty, my feet get sandy and my life get happy again. 
Very therapeutic for the soul.

These were some of my favorite ensembles of the month. Almost everything I am wearing from these shots is Mr. Price clothing.
The lace white dress was just R99.00 which I bought over a year ago and the floral summer dress was R69.00 which I bought this month.
Then there's me in a plain black tee, with holes in the shoulders. This wasn't expensive at all and I bought it a few days ago along with those gorgeous blue heels for R169.00. The skirt is from Edgars and is already about four years old.
My most expensive outfit of the month was my pink look for a dinner date at Emily Moon. See the previous post for info about this outfit!

This is a photograph of my brother and I underneath the gazebo at my new house. My folks and I moved in on the 25th January. It is but a 30 second walk from the beautiful ocean and it is just perfect. I finally got my white-picket fencing :)

I've been in hibernation mode recently as well. I haven't really gone out and seen my friends, joined in on barbeques or movie nights. For the first time, I've been comfortable with just having time to myself and enjoying my own company... and my cats.
Great - now I just sound like a crazy cat person. Which I probably am...

Anyway, I learnt how to make chocolate face masks and I woke up to the smoothest skin!
This is the recipe I used:

• Half a cup of cocoa powder
• Half a cup of honey
• Two tablespoons of besan (besan works better for oily skin. I'm a combination but as its summer I chose besan over oatmeal, which is better for those with dry skin).
• Three tablespoons of curd (also advisable for oily skin, whereas for dry you could use cream).

You mix these ingredients together in a blender until it forms a thick chocolatey batter then leave it to set for five minutes. Apply to the face and leave on for 15-20 minutes, the normal amount of time for most face masks. Wash off with lukewarm water and pat skin dry with a towel (this was the messy bit for me!).

Cons of a chocolate face mask:

• It smells absolutely divine and you'll be craving chocolate like mad!!!

Benefits of a chocolate face mask:

• Skin becomes glowing, soft, firm and smooth

Last night, to finish the month of January off, I invited my oldest friend in Knysna over for a farewell dinner. This is us looking rather haggard and make-up-less in our pjs for our night in.
This was both a highlight and a big lowlight in January.
Saying goodbye is never, ever easy but she is moving on to bigger and better things and I wish her all the best for her exciting future in the big concrete jungle better known as Johannesburg.

Here's my blog post written a few months back, based on how to handle saying goodbye to someone close to you:

http://bohemianmuses.blogspot.com/2012/03/saying-goodbye.html

It truly has been a fantastic month and some really special memories have been made.
The first month of the year and already I can tell that this year is kicking 2012 into the past and helping me move on to better and more exciting things.

Over the next eleven monthly favourites posts that I will be doing there will be many containing travel pictures from all over... I plan on doing my infamous Euro tour and perhaps see a bit more of Africa too such as Mozambique.
I have great plans for 2013 so keep updated and travel with me through this amazing journey called life.

Wishing you all a glorious February.

J