Most people look at me as if I’m a little cooked when I say that this is my favourite Van Gogh painting. Well, to be fair, people look at me as if I’m cooked most of the time…

But back to the point. I’ve always had this affinity for black bird – crows and ravens – there’s just something about them that… I don’t know… I’m being very wishy washy right now. But you know what they say, art isn’t intellectual, it’s about what you feel when you see it.

Wheat Field with Crows was one of Van Gogh’s very last paintings, possibly even the last piece of canvas touched by his brushes. He completed it in July 1890, just days before he killed himself. It’s weird to think that he painted something that is so light – birds taking flight – at the same time as being in a state of mind that leads to suicide.

*Image sourced here and info from here

My brother gave me a skull for a present, I call him Bob (the skull, not my brother)

This may seem totally girly and completely vapid to have a post dedicated to a pair of shoes, but hey, sometimes it’s gotta happen

Have you ever had one of those moments where you feel “hey, I actually am a bit different and an individual”? That’s what these shoes did for me.

I was at HQ (the big one in Queenspark, the one that’s just a enormous room of shoes) when I spotted a pair of cute court shoes – pointy toes, low heel, pretty fabric. They were black and white and the pattern looked like they were covered in flowers.

Now, I’m quite girly (squeal at bugs, wear make up, etc etc), but I like to think I’m a little hardcore and have a bit of an alternative edge. So when I realised that the “flowers” were actually skulls… I jumped up and down and clapped my hands with glee just a little.

I was looking for my size when I got distracted by something hot pink (it happens more than you’d think to me, hot pink, purple or sparkly things are a bit of a weakness). There, standing on a pedastal next to the boxes holding the black and white shoes was a hot pink version of the shoe!

*cue ray on sunshine hitting the shoe and choir of angels singing*

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing… To me these shoes represent that idea of girly with an alternative edge, as well as being an individual because I love them and don’t care if you hate them.

Sometimes it really is the small things in life... And sometimes it's the hot pink things

Meet my family’s two old kitties. They’re like night and day, you’d never say they were brother and sister. Their looks and personalities made them seem like complete opposites.

Toots and George

They were both rescue cats, and quite shy around the house. Actually, most people had no idea George was even our cat because he basically live outside. Toots was pretty happy in the house, but does not like being laughed at. She got stuck in a plastic packet (the handle hooked round her neck) and it chased her round the house… We laughed, she sulked.

Now they’re getting on a bit and, well, they’ve gone a bit (read completely) senile

Poor old George has suddenly become a house cat who not just wants attention, he demands it like I’ve never seen a cat do before. And sweet little Toots has decided that she wants to be fed human food when my mom cooks supper. She also goes completely nuts when we put fresh water in her bowl (every couple of hours) – you’d think we were giving her the best tuna available ever.

They’re such big personalities, they’ve really become so funny around the house

Honestly, I don’t know who this kid is or where the photo was taken, but I just love it! There’s something about it that’s just quintessentially South African. Or more specifically, quintessentially South African rugby fan.

If anyone knows more about this picture, I’d love to hear about it

Last year I made some goals for running which I didn’t come close to achieving… I won’t say I’m proud of myself. But with my job, plays and pretending to have a social life, I just got a little side tracked.

So this year I want things to be different. I’ve taken a bit of a break from doing plays so that I can focus on me a bit. I’ve entered some races already and I bought a new toy to help motivate me

I’ve also decided that it’s time I get a little more serious about running.

In the next 2 years, I’m going to run a marathon. It’s about time I do.