Jun

Socca Feva

Hi everyone!

Well it’s here! Soccer fever has gripped the nation, and I’m loving it. As you must all know by now, the first Soccer World Cup ever to be hosted on African soil, and South Africa for that matter, kicked off to an amazing game on Friday afternoon. Mom, Dad and I were glued to the screen as we watched South Africa and Mexico draw one all. It was gripping stuff. We also watched the opening ceremony just prior to the game and were most impressed. Apparently, the concert the night before was also stunning, featuring Black Eyed Peas, Alicia Keys and lastly Shakira singing the World Cup Anthem, Waka Waka. Unfortunately it was very late in the evening, so I didn’t get to watch that.

But let me not get ahead of myself so I’ll start chatting about the beginning of my week.

On Monday I had physio on the agenda, which went as planned. I moved quite rapidly around the obstacle course that Di set up for me, and had lots of giggles doing it. Mom and I didn’t do too much else during the day. Dad came home mid afternoon to take care of me, as Mom had to go to Pretoria in the evening to do her last lecture. Because she couldn’t lecture last Saturday, as I had my teeth done, she arranged with her students and the business school to conduct the lecture on the Monday evening. Everyone was very accommodating, so Dad and I had some “boy time” for the evening.

Tuesday I had Occupational therapy which went well, and Lauren allowed me to do lots of swinging and tumbling in the hammock. I had such a good time. I also got a new CD to listen to. Later in the morning Mom had an appointment with the oral hygenist, so I was left in Granny’s care during that time.

Music on Wednesday was great fun, but also sad, as it was the last lesson for the term. Because South Africa is the World Cup host, all schools are closed for holidays from mid-June to mid-July, which includes my music school.

Mom and I stayed in bed late on Thursday, just because we could, and the weather was a little chilly. This basically set the course for the rest of the day, and we had a really lazy together.

Friday was the big day! Kick-off day! Dad had an early morning appointment in Sandton where after Mom and I met him in Sandton City for breakfast. It was such fun participating in a European sport, namely poking fun at tourists. We giggled as we watched tourists of many nationalities wondering around in awe of what South Africa actually has. At this point I must share one of the funniest tourist comments overheard in Sandton City, which even made the airwaves on the local radio stations; two Americans were wandering around Sandton City when the one said to the other, “They built all of this for the World Cup?”.

Dad was already seated at Walnut Grove when Mom and I arrived. I was fully kitted out (see pics below); I had a mini-vuvuzela around my neck, my South African and German flag badges, a massive soccer ball hat on my head and my soccer pattern backpack on. I was quite the sight, and lots of people stopped to ogle over me. I was loving the attention! Breakfast was awesome, and our chatting was regularly interrupted by blasts of vuvuzelas from the shopping centre aisles. The spirit was amazing. Out on the road there were police escort cavalcades of teams going to stadiums and training grounds. The atmosphere was electric. Needless to say, traffic was disrupted in every direction, and I was envious of Dad on his bike, who was simply allowed to join in the cavalcades. Viva motorbikes! Of course every bike I saw I thought was Dad so Mom had to point out that Dad’s was a different colour or speed or type.

At home after my snooze, we all settled down to start watching; first the opening ceremony and then the opening game. It was amazing. I felt incredible to witness this, and to think the game was literally being played less than 50km’s away from where we live. As mentioned already, the game ended in a draw, with South Africa and Mexico only getting one goal each. I decided I could get used to this; fully kitted out in sports attire and paraphernalia, and surrounded by snacks and drinks, all within arms’ reach. And then there is the atmosphere – excitement, tension, anticipation, jubilation and despair, all within a 90 minute time span. Wow.

Sadly I had to retire to bed before the second game kicked-off, this time in Cape Town, where France and Uruguay played to a goalless draw.

On Saturday morning we decided to take advantage of the amazing winter warmth and we headed out to the Brightwater Commons. I had a stunning time on the carousel, and then later I played on the inflated castles and slides. There we met Fanie and Sandy and we all had a great time together. After playing on the slides and jumping castles I spotted a push car that I decided I had to have. Needless to say it wasn’t ours, and some other couple had hired it out for their little girl for the morning. I wouldn’t have any of that, so I ‘hijacked’ the vehicle and used it for about 15 minutes. The couple said it wasn’t a problem so Fanie pushed me around the fare in my push car. I was thrilled! Sadly, I had to return the car, and it was time to leave.

In the afternoon, after a much needed snooze, we did some shopping at the hardware store. Subsequently Dad did some DIY at home in the afternoon, and I helped as best I could.

Duck feeding was the order of the day on Sunday, but not before we got some take-away cappuccinos. I even got a grande baby-chino. At Emmarentia dam we played and ran around, and also fed the ducks. Afterward I had a brief snooze, and then it was off to Croc City for Kyle’s birthday party. It was stunning. There were camps of dozens of live crocodiles, of all ages and sizes. We even watched the crocodile feeding. A little later a Burmese-Python called Roxy was brought out for us to touch and hold. Well, I couldn’t hold it on my own, as the 4 metre long constrictor weighed almost 30 kgs! The snake handler therefore wrapped the snake around me and my Dad, with me in Dad’s arms. I was thrilled. I stroked Roxy’s head and found her scales very interesting. Her split tongue sniffed at both Dad and I, but she seemed pretty comfortable with us. A baby crocodile (5 months old), was also produced, but I couldn’t hold that, as it’s bite could do major damage to my little fingers. Dad got to hold the baby crocodile for really long time, and we all learnt an incredible amount about these intriguing reptiles. Last, but not least, I got to hold a Milk Snake all on my own. Admittedly it was only about 30 cm long and weighed a few hundred grams, but all the same, I held it all by myself. Kyle really knows how to throw a good two year old birthday party. The rest of the party was spent on the crocodile shaped jumping castle and the trampoline.

Well, that’s it for this exciting week. Please keep your fingers crossed for my team this evening, Germany, as they meet Australia in the second of the Group D matches; the first one being Serbia vs. Ghana.

Lots of love and soccer hugs and kisses,

Jay-Bee