My handsome godchild

Three weeks ago my best friends Rachel and Nestor Martinez from Canada made my dream come true by bringing their son, my godchild Delwyn, to South Africa to meet me. This first pic is how he looked when he got off the plane. And the second one is how he looked three weeks later.



Is it just me or did he suddenly grow up from a little baby into a big boy in the space of 3 weeks?!
The best part of our holiday (apart from catching up and spending quality time together) was getting to see my country through the eyes of 2 foreigners. They had a good chuckle over a few things. We call traffic lights "robots". The Hyper By The Sea conjured up images of some kid going mad on the beach. Car guards...
When will I see them again?
Another 2 or 3 years from now?
I wonder what my godchild will be like when I meet him again.
In the meantime I made a little recording of the song that he played over and over on his baby laptop, so that I'll have something real to remember him by... Until we meet again.

You've guided me home, Umhlanga lighthouse!

If you're wondering where I been, fellow bloggers, let me just tell you that my life has been a whirlwind of change and adventure. I've done it! I've FINALLY done it.
Carmen Gabriel has finally bought her first home. A snazzy little 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment in Durban's Umhlanga Rocks. Ninety seven square meters of concrete, glass and wood that belongs to me... Finally.
It's been a long journey getting here. More than 6 years of dreaming and hoping, not to mention the frantic search since the beginning of this year, when my landlords announced that they'd be selling.
Nothing went as smoothly as I thought it would:
- I sold my stove and wardrobes too soon, leaving me with tv dinners and clothing on the floor for 2 months
- Everything cost way more money than I'd budgeted on... maybe I just can't count good, doh!
- I STILL have boxes to unpack after 2 whole months of being in my new place
Argh...
But I wouldn't change it for the world!
It's a great feeling knowing I've accomplished this thing that I've worked so hard for. Sure, the bank owns me for the next couple of decades, but who cares?! This is what happiness feels like!