November Favorites

 Another month gone. 

November was very different from the rest of this year and I think it's a combination of good and bad. 

At the end of October I injured my back pretty badly. After a trip to the hospital, I was bed bound for practically seventeen days.

My two beautiful kittens and three loving dogs kept me company as I lounged around painting, finishing off my novel and watching a new found tv show that has become a fast favorite, Modern Family.

It was only by the end of November when things started to get really interesting. An old family friend invited us up to Paarl for her wedding so I took a road-trip that took nine hours with my parents, two people who I have discovered to be the most unpleasant companions to be trapped in a car with for such a large amount of time. 

The constant bickering, the smokey atmosphere and the unadventurous attitudes were but some of the disheartening features of this trip. 

Once we had settled in however, after dad nearly writing the car off over a speed bump (karma's a bitch! I happened to do the same thing a few years ago and he did not believe that it was possible!!) and getting hopelessly lost, things started to get slightly better. 

I managed to drag them from our rented semi-built house for the weekend and we ended up traveling to Franshhoek for breakfast. 

We were recommended to a spot called The Salmon Bar and throughout a whole street as long as Bangla Road in Phuket adorned with bistro after bistro... we had to find the one spot that had fried eggs that could have concussed someone if you'd thrown it at a head. 

We made the most of it though and went to some spectacular view points of the abundant supply of vineyards in the area:

 That night I pulled on a red dress that had taken me all of five minutes to hunt down in Foschini and went off to watch a girl I had known since birth get married.

She made an absolutely stunning bride and the evening was breathtaking. 

It was the first time I'd gone to a wedding without a date so I was pretty lonesome when the romantic music started to play and all the couples got up to dance. I must have been one of the only people without a partner. 

That's when some guy called Ryan from Mauritius knelt down at my table and asked me to dance.

We had fun twirling around the dance floor and made a great night of it. Things only got better when I caught the bouquet in between the sea of hungry, marriage-craving females around me!

It wasn't nice having everyone tell me, "You're Next..." though, because I am freshly single. I have barely been able to find my feet since my breakup and now I'm supposed to be getting married!? Slow down!! Let me find the guy first!!! 

What to do with a bouquet if you catch it:

I hung the bouquet upside down on my wall at home to preserve the colors and the memory. It is still there, drying out today.

Once back in good old Knysna, I decided to go clubbing after a Blues Music Festival at Mo's on Rex. I hadn't really been clubbing in 2012 at all so it was a nice change to get out and break it down on the dance floor where I was reunited with two old friends.

 

 I did another modeling shoot with the talented Eon Coetzee too, link to his website below:

http://www.eonphotography.co.za/

He in honestly such a professional, fun, easy-going and cheerful guy to work with. 

He makes it easy to loosen up and not be shy while still keeping it professional at all times. 

He's an absolute pleasure to work with and his work is outstanding!

I also visited Baby Oaks where I hosted a Salvage sale. 

While all the women raided through my black bags for bargains, I played with all of the kiddies! This little ginger ninja was such a funny character and helping her take some of her first steps was overwhelmingly heartwarming. 

Sometimes you just need to hang out with a child to remember the real beauty in this world.... 

Wishing you all an absolutely amazing December! 

Keep reading & supporting.

Jade