#365grateful Post 11

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

A gorgeous day at the Bastille concert... Blue skies, festival shoes, a quick thunderstorm, an unforgettable show and an incredible sunset to top it all off!

I fell in love with Bastille the first time I heard Pompeii on 5fm while I was making the long trek home to Pretoria (when that was still home) last year. When I found out they were playing in Joburg I was thrilled. I was short on cash but I vowed that I would save up every penny I could and buy myself a ticket as soon as possible. Luckily for me, the fabulous Ruby and Jackson were a step ahead of me and sponsored half my ticket cost as a birthday present. So Ruby, Jackson, the Greek and I managed to snatch up tickets before they sold out and the countdown to the show began.

When the day finally arrived it was an absolute scorcher! But there was rain forecast as well so we really had to be prepared for all the seasons in one day. We missioned over to Emmerentia Dam and set up our picnic spot for the afternoon. Though generous amounts of sunblock were applied, we still got horrid short-tans on our legs and strap-tans on our shoulders but awesome opening acts, including the amazing Beatenberg, had us boogying and helped us ignore the heat.

About an hour before Bastille was meant to start their show, we got absolutely drenched with rain. We went from boiling hot to freezing in just a few minutes and our raincoats were no match for the rain that came bucketing down with a vengeance. The final opening act had to stop their set and get their instruments off the stage and out of the rain and the DJ took it upon himself to entertain the crowd with classics ranging from The Beatles to The Jackson Five to the Spice Girls to Outkast to Eminem, and we loved every second of it!

After about half an hour the rain stopped and the sun came out as bright as it had been just in time to welcome Bastille on stage.

They were FANTASTIC! That is all I can say because words simply cannot do their performance justice.

I am so blessed to have been able to experience one of the best shows of my adult life and I’m so #grateful to Ruby, Jackson and the Greek for sharing in the awesome day with me.

Image property of Candice Curtis

#365grateful Post 10

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

A spot of pampering thanks to my sister and brother-in-law...

If ever you are unsure of what to get me for my birthday or Christmas, look no further than your nearest Sorbet. A Sorbet gift card is always a winner! So my dear sister and brother-in-law sure knew what they were doing when they gave me my personal “Pampers for Free” card for my last birthday.

A few months later I’m in desperate need of some “me” time and that gift card is nothing short of a blessing; #grateful for days!

Image property of Candice Curtis

#365grateful Post 09

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

My beautiful Mommy...

My Mom is always ready to shower me with love and support no matter how big or small the situation is. She always goes out of her way to help me and make my life a little easier. She understands when I need to be left alone and she hears my little cries for help even when I’m silent.

She is not just my mother; she is also my dear friend, and I am #grateful for her and for all the little things she does today and every day!

Image property of Candice Curtis

#365grateful Post 08

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

Gorgeous sunsets, cutsie tuk-tuks and yummy ice-cream cones with my bestie...

Sunsets are pretty magical things. That great big yellow ball sinking down into the horizon encircled by that final burst of red and orange mixed in with the turquoise and dark blue that signals the end of another day never ceases to stir something inside of me.

What else stirs something inside of me? Tuk-tuks! I’m sure we’ve all seen one of those adorable little three-wheeled vehicles that seem to be fighting with all their might to keep up with the regular cars on the road...? My friend Ruby and I have a very special connection with tuk-tuks since my visit to Cape Town in January of last year. We had spent the day at wine and champagne tastings and by the time we stumbled to Gino’s for lunch we were completely sozzled. It was at this point that we decided it would be a fantastic idea to climb onto the back of the Gino’s tuk-tuk truck and take a series of photos of us damn-near wetting ourselves laughing. After that, neither of us can see a tuk-tuk without laughing all over again and taking a picture to send to the other person.

Image property of Candice Curtis and captured by Nicolas Koutsouvelis

Finally, who is not grateful for ice-cream cones? Other than our lactose intolerant friends of course... Sorry for you!

Kiera, another beloved friend of mine, popped over for dinner and for dessert we tucked in to some yummy ice-cream cones. It was absolute bliss! There’s some kind of childlike excitement that fills me up whenever I eat and ice-cream cone; almost like a reassurance that whatever should happen to me, it’ll all be okay because how can things not be okay when you’re eating an ice-cream cone? And truth be told, how can things not be okay when you’re eating an ice-cream cone with your bestest pal?

Three wonderful things to be very #grateful for if you ask me!

Image property of Candice Curtis

#365grateful Post 07

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

My Daddy... not just today, but every day.

After a long day at work I got a call from my Dad. He’s not a man of many words but I love him to bits because he gets me and he is always loving and supportive no matter what the situation.

Phone calls with my Dad are usually much the same every time. He calls me on his way home from work to find out how I’m doing. We chat about the day or pressing issues that need sorting out and then when he arrives home he signs off with:

“Okay bud. Well I’ll chat to you later in the week. Have a good night. Chat to you later. Love you millions. Bye.”

I realise that he’s just said he’ll chat to me later in the week and then followed up by saying he’ll chat to me later that same day... But that’s just my Dad and I’ve become accustomed to this kind of “Daddyism” over the years.

This evening’s phone call ended a little differently though... My Dad was really tired so his signing off line went a little something like this:

“Okay bud. Well I’ll chat to you later in the week. Have a good night. Love you later. Bye. Hmm... well I love you now too *chuckles*. Love you millions. Bye.”

That little chuckle made my whole day and for that I am truly #grateful!

Image property of Candice Curtis