I have a fever

"Cabin fever: A type of hysteria brought on by spending too much time indoors." - Urban Dictionary 


Cabin fever has struck. Being car-less and cash-less has left me with little option but to stay at home and behave. And my God, I swear it could kill you. OK, I agree that some time spent at home is a good thing, as with spending time with yourself. Getting stuff done. Being alone, but not lonely and all that. Time out from the world is good for you, blah blah ....Yes, but only for a while. A very short while! I know everything is for a reason, but there is only so much wiring of plugs and reading I can do. When you start asking your dogs if they would like a cup of tea with their biscuit then you know it is time to get out and about. What's even scarier is that I have even started washing the dishes on a regular basis. Eeeeek! Somebody come take me out to the pub, pleaaaaaaaaaaaase!!!

The good side of all this is that I have found my inner interior designer and have been doing all sorts of creative things in my new home. Like putting lights into a bowl creating a pretty bowl full of light. Sticking with the lights theme I have also put lights on the Frangipani tree which took great skill and patience. Skill to climb up on chairs to get to the end of branches and patience to find the faulty bulb which caused a section to be unlit. Naturally it was the last bulb I checked out of about 30. And then ... to top it all, I put up the chilli lights in the kitchen. Cool huh! So now I have enough light effects to hold an epic housewarming party, which must happen soon. I have managed to put everything away in the cupboards and can finally see my dining room table. Great, now I can have epic dinner parties (with 3 chairs). I have been able to take a nap every day, along with reading a chapter of my latest Margie Orford book. I am feeling more well read and rested and my skin looks fabulous. My dogs have been taken on walks every day which has been a wonderful way to get some exercise and discover our new hood. Thanks to being so busy titivating and playing house with not much time found for eating and drinking (nor the money to buy booze and fast food treats) I have lost 4kgs. Over the festive season??! Whooooot!!! So all in all, not bad. Quite blissful I suppose. Sounds idyllic to friends with children! And I shouldn't complain as I love my new home, but dammit, I need to get out!!

But, I shouldn't really be whining so much. Lucky for me, I did manage to get two fab outings over the past few days. I popped out on Sunday to Mom Friend's house where I loafed about drinking Savanna and scoffing home-made pizza. Her hubbie is quite the chef and making a name for himself too. He even blogs for TASTE magazine! Smart stuffs huh? You bet ... read The Weekend Wizard's blogs and get some yummy recipes here. I was also treated to some "tea" (aka splash pool water) in the most delightful little Snow White teacup and saucer by their gorgeous cherub of a daughter. Actually she wasn't being so gorgeous to her parents that day and there was much mention of "thank goodness creche starts tomorrow" and "she is so out of her routine thanks to the holidays". This of course just further proves that having children should not be taken lightly and those who continue to do so after watching the demise of their parent friends are just plain crazy. But singleton here had a wonderful time and got very spoilt as I always do when I go there. Then with a full tummy and pizza takeaways (and teabags, yes, it's THAT bad) I ambled home to have a nap. Which you can't do if you have children...

Last night I went to a braai at Monster's house. A braai on a school night! Wahoo! I love my friends. I managed to get a lift with Rockstar Friend and scraped up the last of my pennies to buy a piece of steak (no braai is complete without a piece of steak). Armed with potatoes (no braai is complete without a potato salad), a piece of cow and a coca cola (sad, I know) I arrived in the gale-force wind at his house in Salt River to find him watering his tomato plants and sweeping the braai area. I was shown the new patch of lawn and I witnessed him SOAK the braai grids. My dear Monster has seemingly gone from rock god to a male version of Martha Stewart (he says it himself). Whilst the guitars and other band apparel (including framed groupie underwear) is still there, I fear it is being overshadowed by trays of herb seedlings, compost and a weed-eater. Any minute now he will start a new blog called A Guide to Homemaking and Gardening for the Modern Man. I can't wait!

Seemingly he is not the only one in this bunch of once-debaucherous group of friends (I have heard tales of kettles up arses and seen some interesting photos) who has started growing up. One of the most illustrious members of this group has recently become a dad (to twins at that) and he was all excited about his six-pack of beer shandy that only had 0.9% alcohol. Aah, how times have changed - bet he never thought he would be drinking low-alcohol beer shandy whilst chugging down his tenth pint of Napier beer a few years ago! Madcap Menno and Barmy Bernie were there having returned from a fabulous roadtrip in Mozambique where one has to take photos of your food at night so you can see what you are eating because there is no electricity. Filmaker Friend, who is now embarking on creating a TV series, was there with his chick, The Madonna with the Big Boobies. Rose Thorn told me all about her midlife crisis (at 33) and at some point suggested we become lesbians. And she was sober. Yikes. For the record, no thanks. Gay Street or no Gay Street. TDB and The Swift also arrived and I was relieved to hear that The Swift has also blown a car engine and also never listens to anyone's advice when it comes to cars. And last, but not least, I got to spend some time with Monster's new girlfriend, The Young One. Lovely girl - very willing and helpful, eager to please and good at taking instructions (which of course is why men like them young). She's quite pretty too. She also apparently makes an awesome blue cheese and onion braaibroodtjie. I wouldn't know as they were so popular that I never got one. Probably because I was too busy getting stuck into the wine (I soon ditched the soft drinks in favour of alcohol). After a fabulous evening catching up with everyone, drinking copious amounts wine and scoffing dead animals I got a lift home with TDB and The Swift and fell into my bed feeling half smashed and deliriously happy.

Tonight is a home night and I have an assignment to finish. Must go and check with IT how my loan laptop is coming along. I made "use of modern device history" the other day when I completed an assignment on my Blackberry and emailed it to myself. Savvy yes, but not inclined to do it again! Tomorrow night is also a home night. So is Friday. And Saturday. And Sunday.

O.M.G...