Lazy (but productive) Sunday

Happy Sunday to ya! I was in Joburg for my cousin's awesome game this weekend. It was even better than last weekend- super intense. We wined and dined in the players box..I think I prefer the stands though...more rowdy fun there! After, I met up with MY MOM!!! We chatted and caught up but I wasn't able to stay long since they were planning to leave for their roadtrip across the country at 4am Sunday morning. I had another surreal grown up moment this morning..like I was a real person. Woke up early- 7:30am- out the door to Wimpy's (which is kind of like a South African Perkins) for breakfast and a much needed cappuccino (there is a SEVERE lack of coffee shops here..Starbucks I'm talking to you- and to add on to my coffee woes, the coffee shop I went in to earlier this week had a broken espresso machine so they only had hot chocolate..not cool- ok enough ranting), had a lovely breakfast watching an Arsenal game (Dad and Mike-ouch on the Man Utd loss), stumbled upon an open air market where there were lots of neat things including these!





They are all handmade with beads and wire. Pretty sweet huh? I wanted a giraffe but they didn't have one..fate I guess. After, I picked up some groceries, was called "Mami" on the street by a "gentleman," cleaned the house and was able to lay out for a bit. The work week is short for me because I will be taking in these views:





FROM CAPE TOWN with my mom and her side of the fam!! We are also going to a wine festival (www.spier.co.za) where you can actually stomp grapes!! Exciting! That's about it for me. I leave you with some South African talent..check out their 'staches. Hilarious, boys.

It's My Burrrdaayy!

Here are the long awaited pictures (I stole them-thanks Ashleigh!!) from my 23rd. It was an A and C theme, aka I made everyone dress up in something that began with an A or C. They have been censored due to my audience :)



The Cavewoman Birthday girl!



Candice and Ashleigh (Cat and Angel)



Greg the Chicken



My 23rd Bday Cake..made by my Aunt Gwen..so pretty and SO good!



Midnight..with lots of embarrassment



Stac the Army girl gettin down



Uncle Moss and Mel (A Catholic Priest & A Cleaner)

RUGBY!

Here are some pics from my cousin's rugby game against the Cape Town Stormers. It was so much fun! We're going again this week!


I forgot to switch it around. Turn your head, its part of the excitement! You can totally spot my cousin..the huge, tall blonde KILLING MACHINE!












Horribly unflattering picture of Elaine and me (I went brown!..Thoughts?)



This guy was a bit strange but when in Rome ya know?

For the Record

I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS SHOW.


Granted I still only have 4 tv channels (don't ask), but this little lady manages to take away the cable pain for an hour a night..well Monday through Wednesday.

Other News in Ashton's South African World:

1. My cousin has his first rugby game of the season and Im SUPER STOKED to go see him dominate on those little chumps. Literally.

2. My new roomie moves in on Sunday! Yay Mandatory Friend!

3. My mom is coming over for close to a month and she arrives so soon! I'm headed to Cape Town to meet up with everyone two weeks from now. So excited! I've missed her and her foodie ways..who else can I talk food with for HOURS!?!?

4. The rats were racing around at night this week. I thought they were going to drop out of the ceiling and crawl into bed with me. Luckily, they (yes, THEY!) are being taken care of today and guess what? There's a poison that makes them solidify. I just keep imagining a thousand rat statues in my attic.

That's all the exciting (or not so exciting) things I can think of right now. Have a good weekend! I'll take pics -I found my camera cord- this weekend!

PS - Dad & Mom - I'm having a s(c)hwarma for lunch! Jealous?!?

How About A Little Jam?

A new jam for all you peeps! It's Friday tomorrow...yay! Not too much going on this weekend..I still have a rat in my house. I walked 3 blocks to the store by myself..I was a little nervous but Im pretty sure if anything had happened, I would have taken off and screamed my lungs out. It was a little hectic (see the usage!). Anywho, the lotto is at R70 million..and you know Im getting in on that. I can buy my own house or GIRAFFE!

A New Kind of Roomie

So last week, I woke up in the middle of the night to a weird, scratching noise. It sounded like a little animal taking its creepy claws and scratching on wood. I thought maybe it was the girl that was staying with me last week (she was a temp just doing some consulting for the week- the new one comes at the end of feb) but neigh my friends. That noise woke me up again last night at 3:48am and there's no denying it. I think its a rat. I am FREAKING out. That pest is getting taken care of THIS WEEK! Ew. On a side note, the bday party was a hit. Lots of angels, cowboys, a chicken, catholic priest, cleaner, army girl...it was quite a sight. Pics to come. I have also been missing American food lately...and reminiscing on this with another American intern and his wife. Here's the list so far:

1. Mac and Cheese - they dont have it here! I've never appreciated Velveeta more than I do right now.
2. Corn Dogs - There are at least 100 different kinds of sausage in this country but no corn dogs.
3. Gatorade- specifically Lemon Lime - The closest thing we have here is "Energade" and it is NOT the same!
4. Goat Cheese - If you know me, you know I have a huge crush on goat cheese and although they have it here, its not the same and not very popular here.
5. Pizza Hut...well American pizza in general..the pizza here is so behind the times.
6. Baked Goods. You know how Publix has an aisle just for cake and muffin mixes..they have one section of a shelf..it's ridic. And they just recently got frosting in a can...isnt that crazy??


That's it for now. That list makes me sound like diabetes is coming at me in no time. I blame it on the rat. And on another side note if you want to be cool here, you have to say "hectic." Like if something was wild/crazy, it was hectic. I like it- Im adding it to my verbage. Assimilatin' baby.