Picture the scene ... I'm sitting in a gorgeous beach house with a cup of tea made my dear friend Irvin. Greggie is semi-passed out on the couch and blaming the sea air when in actual fact a combination of a fully tummy and few to many bubbly sips. The frogs are croaking, the ocean is crashing in the frenzy of a very gusty coastal breeze and the two doggies (who I intend to take gorgeous pictures with) are lazing outside in the cool air.
Boy, does my body need this holiday and I'm very conscious of how fragile everything is.
The morning began with Saphirah, the new kitty of the family, deciding that she was more like the bat out of hell than a cat. Her unexpected playful surge of energy at about 2am didn't end until 5:30am. Already fragile from a slight lack of sleep, I had to get all packed and ready to get to Greggie by 11am.
I'm usually a lot more organised but a good part of 'project me' has taught me to go with the flow of life. What's the worst that can happen, right? Anything I forget I can buy here and if not, I'll make it a week without it. Well, I wouldn't survive without a few essentials that were pre-packed (of course). It was tough packing and I felt for my brother who grinned and folded the underwear neatly into the suitcase.
Can you believe the nerve of the pharmacist? I dashed past to ask for something for my very ouchie eye and he grinned at me and told me to live with the pain. I think the thought I was a bit of a naffy girl, can't lie! I, on the other hand, think it's very dramatic that my eye is so sore from my little tussle with the fancy duvet at the fancy hotel.
I'm an okay flyer. I don't mind it too much and only have one rule. I don't like using the airplane toilets and if I can get past that I'm pretty set to go. Seeing as though I was a little distracted by the herd of golfing boys who were catching the same flight, I let Greggie choose the seats. I didn't think it appropriate to shout 'no' when the air hostess asked our row if we were happy to assist other passengers in-case of an?emergency. I can't carry my laptop bag and now I am responsible for a 20kg airplane emergency door. Eeeeekk!
As I said, I'm not a horrific flyer but I did have one moment where the illusion on the airplane over clouds made it seem as though the plane was at a standstill. Yes, there was one wave on nausea but a bout of 'don't be so daft' statements to myself settled it all.
Thank you Irvie for the gorgeous pressies, I can't wait to build sand castles
Ah, Irvie spoilt ?us with the cutest presents because he knows our love for building sand castles. It's actually Greggie's tradition and he is never short of elaborate ideas and over the top castles that usually put the other kid's on the beach to shame. As long as we have a day a little less windy than this, there will be pics of sand castles pretty soon.
Did I mention that this is a private beach. I mean, there was no one on it today. Okay, one lost little soul but he was so far away we couldn't even get his attention. Trust me, both boys tried!
'Project me' is a lot about having fun and it's not always that easy, even when it's' holiday time. I'm very impressed that I was able to switch off so quickly and let everything back home fall by the wayside. There's Jewish guilt inbred and it used to take me ages to relax about being on holiday and what if my family needs me?
Instead, I'm already in my quiet holiday space. I lose a few of my?extremely?large quoter of words when I chill out and the energy is focused on relaxation and good food.
We got that so right with one of the most exquisite meals I have had in a very long time. Al Pescatore is an Italian Seafood restaurant in Ballito and the owner, Trevor, captivated our attention with his hospitality and?tantalising description of his food.
Seafood paella with garlic, basil and freaking hot chilli
I haven't had seafood (not fishies but prawns and stuff) since before I got sick. That's months and months ago. I have also been carrying on about cheesecake and I checked the menu for desserts first. The second I spotted the cheesecake I decided to go for something simply seafood so that I had place in my tummy. Trevor sure knows how to describe a dish and he had us in such a frenzy with options that he had to repeat himself every time he passed the table and ended up personally taking the order. Damn, there went the simple dinner because the paella sounded unmissable. It was.
I'm on holiday. I fret about my body for most of the year and am conscious about what I eat for the rest of it, but I know when I'm on holiday. We don't go to restaurants that are back home and we do our best to find the best view. Al Pescatore has everything that makes for a perfect holiday experience, even though you can see the locals chatting away to Trevor. We all 'wowed' at our food even though I had to do a little fishing for the chillies. That's what I love about perception and the passion of a masterful creator of a fine dish. They always state that there is only a hint of chilli. Granted, I'm a naff when it comes to it, but I should have seen the hotness in the bright red slithers.
Heavenly bar one cheesecake that I was happy to share with Irvie. Which says just how much I love him
Before I go any further, a lot of this holiday is going to be about food for me. You have been warned.
A picture paints a thousand words ... I grew up with my mother being a bit of a cheesecake-a-holic. Yes, you get those. We spent a lot of our childhood scouting for the best cheesecake in town and on many occasions there was bitter disappointment. Not tonight. Most incredible meals make me miss my dad and tonight I know that we would have had a field day together. If he wasn't with me, I would have made a special call just to tell him amazing it all was. I missed that call ... I always will.
For the next week, 'project me' is about a different kind of need for me. It's about letting it all go and allowing myself to relax and let my body enjoy the nothingness of time. I know how much I need it.
