Thursday's Trio of Blessings

Blessing One:

 My debut novel entitled Walk With Me is now complete, edited, polished, printed and ready for sale! It is the most fulfilling feeling I have ever experienced. 

To be dead honest with you, I feel like I now just need let the book go. Kick it out of its proverbial nest and let it build its wings on the way down.
I've been writing furiously away at my second novel which, to me, is far better. 

Walk With Me was written at the tender age of 19 and has been coming into fruition ever since. 

I can pick up on how my writing has matured and my story-telling grown as I flip through the pages of my first bound copy of Walk With Me. No amount of editing and polishing can change that and I am completely torn about what to do about it. 

 In one way, I feel I should be proud at what I wrote in my 19th year of life... in another way I feel like the book doesn't portray my writing to its full potential. 

I guess that's the thing about debut novels though isn't it? They are a learning curve and it can only get better from there. 

So... If you are in the process of writing your first novel I urge you to complete it, as long as it takes! Once it's done - edit and complete and then let it go! Start the second. Never give up.

Blessing Two:

I'm not sure if this one is a blessing or a curse.. but my good friend RichO has arrived safely back in South Africa after working on the rigs in Vietnam.

He's only back for the weekend and has planned a second birthday bash for me.... last time he was here was when THIS happened:

CRAZY APRIL PARTY.....

He is back with a vengeance!!!
When they work on the rigs they aren't able to drink - so it has been about 6weeks now.
Save me.

I've only just recovered from the last party with him!!

Let's go for round two.... oh dear Lord.

Blessing Three:

This morning I woke up with some of the blankets still covering me!

I don't know how she does it, but somehow my cat, India, tends to find a way to ensure that she hogs every last inch of warmth in my bed! It is winter. It is cold. Yet this morning I was so cozy - it was hard to get up! I adore my snuggles with my little Indie though - so she gets away with it.

How was your beautiful Thursday? 

Have a happy weekend, folks!

Mountain Biking

I think I have discovered a new hobbie... 

This past weekend my good blogging friend Ricardo over at The Wine Oak (link below) came to visit:

http://www.thewineoak.com/ 

After demolishing three bottles of wine off on the first night and a pint of a bright blue cocktail concoction the next.. on Sunday we decided to give our bodies a health kick to even it out. SO... we rented mountain bikes! 

The trail we went on is at the Farleigh Nature Reserve - it was actually supposed to be closed to the public due to logging taking place but we decided to hell with it and started the cycle anyway. 

There was only one big tree that had fallen across our path but we managed to get through it and push on with the ride. 

I swear..... I thought that I was going to die at one stage. No exaggeration. 

15ks uphill is not for sissies!! Especially not when it is a blistering 31 degrees and all you have on is a bikini top and some yoga pants. 

It got the the point where we drank the water from puddles in the ground that was trickling down the mountains from the waterfalls. It was so cold and refreshing... I am all for living off of the earth and using plants instead of the crap we buy from chemists or cosmetic companies. At first though, I must admit that I had been slightly skeptical to drink the water from the ground. In a huge way this adventure completely opened me up to even more than before and just reminded me just how special and important nature is.

At first I absolutely hated the downhills and preferred the uphills, which soon changed let me tell you!! 

When there were downhills I really did think my life was going to end at first.. especially when I crashed into a ditch and my back wheel lifted up and chucked me over the handle-bars! But it was such good fun regardless and I absolutely loved it... 

The smell of the forest.. the creaking of the trees.. the sound of the waterfalls in the distance.. views of the greenest hills spanning out for miles on end... it was breathtaking. 

It was one of the best Sunday's that I have ever had. 

I had never mountain biked before.. so I did it and concurred it.. and will definitely be doing it again! 

Think it's time to invest in a bike!