#365grateful Post 90

Today’s little slice of “happitude” is...

Having survived a reptile invasion from this feisty little mother faffer. It’s a jungle out there!

I found what I thought was a harmless little gecko in my kitchen but I soon found out that this little fellow had a fiery spirit and he had no intention of being shooed out of the house without a fight. After a few squeaks from him and having him try to take a run at me a few times, I managed to gently sweep him outside and get on with the evening.

I feel like quite the survivor, indeed. It’s the little things, eh?

Image property of Candice Curtis

#365grateful Post 89

Today’s little slice of “happitude” is...

Steers dinner time spoils, deep meaningful conversations, good laughs, and some TV time.

A relaxing afternoon at John’s house was a wonderful way to spend my Sunday. It wasn’t a particularly fancy afternoon. We wore comfy, loafing clothes and kept warm and snug under blankets on the couch. We talked and laughed and watched TV and after popping out to get Steers for dinner, we watched some more TV. He seemed to dote on me a bit, constantly offering me tea and snacks and checking that I was warm and comfortable.

It felt like a typical lazy Sunday, nothing too fancy. But I savoured every second because I knew that this little glimpse into a normal lazy day with him would be one of the very few days I would ever get with him before he moved away.

When it started getting late and I mentioned that I ought to head home, he smiled at me and said, “Okay, you have my permission to go home, but not my blessing.”

Later, I found out that what he was really saying was, “I know you need to head home, but I don’t want you to go.”

I drove home, wishing the entire time that I had stayed.

Image property of Candice Curtis

#365grateful Post 88

Today’s little slice of “happitude” is...

Having my bestest home safe and sound in time for Tarryn’s birthday celebrations.

After another trip to Cape Town for her course, Kirsty arrived back in Joburg in time to celebrate Tarryn’s birthday with all of us. A few drinks and plenty of laughs and catching up with everyone was good for the soul!

#365grateful Post 87

Today’s little slice of “happitude” is...

Fridays which begin with French toast and end with adventure.

Every once in a while our team at work has a catch-up breakfast where we discuss work issues and personal highs and lows and just spend some time together outside of the office. I decided to treat myself to some French toast as opposed to my usual breakfast of a banana and a small yogurt.

Later that day I had a date with a bloke who I’d met through a friend. You’re probably wondering why other dates are on the cards what with my hopeless friendship with John on the go? I suppose I haven’t lost faith that I might find a game-changer who isn’t planning to leave the country in the next few months. And I’m still trying to maintain a “Yes Man” attitude, so if seemingly nice blokes ask me on dates, I say yes. Anyway, I digress...

We began the evening with a game of Adventure Golf. I was absolute rubbish at that but at least I was able to provide a bit of entertainment with my poor hand-eye co-ordination! After a good laugh at Adventure Golf, we went for a really tasty dinner and enjoyed the rest of the evening together.

It was quite a treat to focus my attention on someone for the evening and get out of my own head for a bit.

Image property of Candice Curtis

#365grateful Post 86

Today’s little slice of “happitude” is...

Sylvia. And that I’m not the only one.

The more I thought about it and every day that I spoke more and more with John made me realise that holding onto pieces of my odd little friendship with him would inevitably destroy me. I was beginning to feel like a bit of a smitten teenager but not so much for the superficial things like his dreamy smile or his dark chocolate eyes. It was for "grown-up" reasons like the fact that I felt more challenged by him than I had felt by anyone else in just the longest time. He seemed to tick all the boxes for me. He made me see things and think of things, including myself, so differently. He was helping me to realise things about myself and to question things about life that I had never even thought of questioning before. He was changing me a little bit more every day.

That change, that growth, that feeling, was what I had been craving and the mere thought that it would disappear one of these days gave me a lump in my throat. But I still craved it. I decided that instead of being upset that I would eventually miss all these things when he left, I would soak up every last drop of them while he was still here.