Teresa Schultz

My 2011 Surfers Marathon Experience

2011-02-13T23:14:00.004+02:00

My 14th Surfers Marathon saw me finishing in my worst time ever. Even if the 2011 Surfers Marathon did not have the extra 1 km detour added, it would have still been my worst Surfers Marathon time ever.

Not enough training is just one of the things to blame my poor result on. I don't have much of an excuse and hopefully next year I'll do somewhat better in the 2012 Surfers Marathon. Even the same time with less pain afterwards would be a great improvement.

Ok, so the 2011 Surfers Marathon 17km was my 13 year old son Basti's first East London Surfers Marathon Coastal Challenge, and I'm very proud that he ran the race, not having run more than 5km before. He beat me too, finishing in a time of 2.28.

The last time I ran the Surfers, prior to yesterday, was in 2008, accompanying Tony on his first Surfers Marathon. We did the 2008 Surfers Marathon 16km in 2.11, and although feeling and being a bit more unfit than we were in 2008, we hoped to do the 2011 Surfers Marathon 17km in a time of about 2.24 or less. Not so. I finished in 2.45 and Tony finished in 2.53.

My long ago years of running the Surfers Marathon in under 1.50 are long gone (best time 1.41)

I'm proud that I've now done 14 though (11 runs and 3 race-walks)

I'm 41 now, so maybe I'll still manage a total of 20 or so within the cut off time.

New running shoes for both Tony and I would be a good idea next time round, as well as a lot more training beforehand.

It was hot at the start of the 2011 Surfers Marathon 17km, and even though we applied sunblock, Tony and I still got pretty sunburnt, then, and along the route.

I was really pleased to hear that there were strict rules about the walkers making sure to start only ten minutes after the runners, as I'd previously been denied a first position lady walker due to people having entered as walkers starting with the runners (and running and crossing the finish line ahead of the first few walkers.)

I was running this year, but maybe I'll enter as a walker again in the future.

As we ran along the dirt road right after the start of the race, I felt lactic acid in my legs and I thought "Oh no, I haven't even got onto the sand yet!" Luckily the fatigue in my legs vanished as I hit the little path down to the beach, and I plodded on quite happily.

Then the rocks got to me, the worst I've ever experienced. I had already thought about the rocks near Rainbow Valley, and was concerned about them, even though I usually get across them quite quickly, but there was another short stretch of rocks before that where both my ankles turned over, all ways. It felt like I had 6 twisted ankles. The tight elastic band of the chip on my left ankle wasn't helping.

Note to self: Use my own elastic band for the chip next time

Basti had left me on the path down to the beach, and for a while, I could see him ahead of me, before he picked up speed (or I lagged behind) and he sped out of view. I could see Tony behind me for a while too.

Then it was across the rocks at Rainbow Valley. I wanted to cry and even felt tears well up at one stage. I tried stepping right on top of the small rounded rocks to help relieve the pain in my ankles as my feet twisted and slipped all over the rocks, but it wasn't always possible and I didn't want to walk. I kept thinking about 2008 where Tony sucked on the soft sand, but made up nicely for lost time on rocks and tar. I wanted to try beat Tony, or at least get to German Bay before him (at the other end of the tar where Surfers runners return to the beach for the final third of the race.) I couldn't always place each foot exactly as I had intended as there were so many people all about me, and a place meant for my foot would suddenly be taken up by the foot of somebody else, and I'd have to suddenly twist not to put my foot on their foot.

The length of my feet along the outer top and sides were throbbing too. My left arch had a blister already.

In the 14 years that I've taken part in the Surfers Marathon, it was the easiest Gonubie River crossing yet - I don't remember being able to have my feet on the ground and my head above water all the way through before (using the ropes.)

The Gonubie River was deliciously cold and I ducked under twice to refresh myself.

My feet felt like lead as I plunged out of the Gonubie River, but the heaviness soon wore off, and I was thankful for the chill of the water on my legs, as, besides the elastic band of the chip cutting into my left ankle, I could barely feel my sore ankles and legs - my ankles and legs felt strong, fresh, and ready to tackle the tar.

One of the first friendly spectator's hose spray or sprinklers I ran through was really cold and as it hit me I had to gasp for air. I tried to avoid further hosepipes and sprinklers along the rest of the route, as best I could.

I looked back often and could see no sign of Tony. I hoped he was okay.

Around the bend at the Gonubie Hotel and through and past many spectators. Had to run. This is the Surfers and these people are here to support the participants. Luckily I did still feel like running at that point.

Not far beyond the Gonubie Hotel bend, and I started to walk a bit. Run. Walk. Run. Walk. Run. Walk. The rest of the way, to the finish. I like to think more running than walking, but I'm not sure...

Before the main stretch of the tar of Ocean Way in Gonubie, I spotted my family supporting us on the side of the road! My parents, my brother, my sister in law, my 2 nieces. Thanks guys for supporting Basti, Tony and I during our gruelling ordeal. It was also good to hear that Basti was only 10 minutes ahead of me. I wasn't doing too badly for an old unfit gal!

I usually seriously hit a mental block on the long stretch of tar, getting bored with seeing all that tar in front of me, and just wanting it to be over, but instead of speeding up to get it over with, I usually get disheartened and want to walk more! This year was so much better.

My ankles were starting to play up again, though, and at some of the water points I used some water on my ankles, hoping to repeat the relief that I'd found earlier after crossing the Gonubie River. Didn't help much, and now I had a niggle in my left calf too.

Cathy, an old inter-schools fellow athlete passed me shortly before we hit the grass to go down to German Bay back onto the sand for the last third of the race (Gonubie River being the end of the first third) and said she's passed Tony who was complaining about the sole of one of his running shoes. I hoped he was okay and wondered if he would pull out as I still couldn't see him every time I looked back (often.)

Hopped across the little stream at German Bay and still felt relatively okay, but was still walking, running, walking, running.

The legs got tired, the ankles got sore, the blister stung, the left calf niggled more, the Nahoon Surf Lifesavers Shack didn't seem to get any closer, but eventually, somehow, I was at the Nahoon River, just to cross it now and get across the last 400 metres to the finish line of the 2011 Surfers Marathon.

I looked forward to the cold water of the Nahoon River, and was soooo upset to find it felt like lukewarm bathwater. Nevertheless, I dipped under once in the hope of cooling my head a bit. Didn't really work. I staggered along to the finish, looking forward to getting a half full paper cup of cold cola even more than I was looking forward to getting my Surfers Tshirt. There'd been no cola along the route.

My brother and family were off to the right as I neared the finish line, and Basti was there too, safe and sound.

Managed to pick up enough speed to pass three people in the last 20 metres, and... I was done! Now where's that cola?

No cola. A bottle of water instead. Was ok though, would buy lots of cola on the way home.

I like my tshirts big and baggy and asked for an extra extra large Surfers Marathon Tshirt. The lady I'd handed my chip to didn't have extra extra large at her table and she tried to attract the attention of the lady at the next table who might have. I helped her attract the attention of the lady and she immediately asked me for my chip which I had handed to the first lady, who was now busy with other finishers. I just said I gave it to that other lady, and I got my tshirt it had 2XL on the label and I was happy.

I stood around trying to decide if I should walk "way down there" to get Basti and wait for Tony, or if I should just stay put and wait for Tony. I started ambling "way down there" slowly, but when saw Tony come in, wobbled back a bit, to the tshirt area. Tony also got an extra extra large Surfers tshirt, and we both wobbled off together in the direction of "way down there" but luckily Basti was on his way to us, and we wobbled all the way up to the car which was a very painful walk indeed.

Got to the car and got money. Tried on my Surfers Tshirt. It was unusually small for an extra extra large, so I tried on Tony's which said XXL as compared to my 2XL, and it was big and baggy like I like it.

Contemplated just going straight home, but it was Tony's birthday and a drink or two was in order, so we wobbled back down the hill to the Surfers Marathon finishing area. We were also hungry but the food was already sold out.

We had two drinks each (Basti had appletizer) and we wobbled back up to the car, and home, and asleep by 9.30 pm, an extremely rare occurrence for us.

And that was our 2011 Surfers Marathon, "klaar en gedaan." Just the odd size tshirts and sore legs and feet to show for it now, and an unbelievable urge to do it all again in 2012.

Well done to all who participated, and we'll see you again next year!

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2011

Surfers Marathon 2011 East London Planning and Tips

2011-02-08T12:33:00.002+02:00

My eldest son, 13, will be doing his first Surfers Marathon on Saturday 12 February 2011, starting at 2.30 pm at Kwelera Mouth, East Coast Resorts, East London.

I'm not yet sure if I'll also be running the 2011 Surfers Marathon, but even if I do, my son is currently much fitter than I am and would be well ahead of me in the race.

Being the over-protective mother that everyone labels me as (and it's true and I'm quite happy being an over-protective mother) I'm already driving my son mad with a list of do's and don'ts.

I've done 13 Surfers Marathon challenges so far, the last one being in 2008 along with Tony doing his first and only one so far.

Perhaps my LIST OF TIPS FOR THE SURFERS MARATHON, actually meant for my son, can help others too:

39 Surfers Marathon Tips:

Pasta supper on Thursday night;
Protein supper on Friday night;
Plenty of liquids both Thursday and Friday, and of course on Saturday morning;
No late nights on Thursday or Friday night;
Cereal and juice for breakfast on Saturday morning;
2 to 4 slices of brown bread sandwich late morning with sliced banana on, and a sprinkling of sugar on the sliced banana;
Cola drinks on Saturday morning and/or Energade or Powerade, topped up or washed down inbetween with water;
On the way to park at Nahoon and catch one of the first busses, stop at a shop and get and drink a can of fizzy cola, buy three 500ml drinks (per person): cola, Energade or Powerade, and water;
Apply sunblock;
Get on the bus with the three drinks and listen to everyone's stories about their previous Surfers Marathon runs;
While on the bus and while waiting at the starting area of the race, take small sips of the three drinks, leaving the last bit of water for last;
Be sure to have one last visit to the loo before the queue gets too long where you may panic about missing the start of the race;
Check socks are comfortable and not bunched at all, and check the double knots of running shoe laces;
Apply more sunblock;
Stand quite close to the front of the crowd at the Surfers Marathon starting line;
While waiting at the starting area earlier, and also while in the crowd at the start, get in a few calf stretches and thigh stretches;
Start the 17km 2011 Surfers Marathon Coastal Challenge ;
While trying to settle into a comfortable position and steady pace, try not to get anxious if people slower than you are blocking your steady way forward - using up too much energy now can be detrimental later;
Use your arms well to help you through soft sand, and if running on rocks watch your footing carefully and be careful not to slip;
Listen to the organizers and helpers at the Gonubie River crossing - do exactly as they say;
Do not try swim across the Gonubie River no matter how fit you're feeling, no matter who or how many others are swimming across the Gonubie River, and no matter how many people you think you may pass in the process;
See which side of the rope the runners are on as they are crossing the Gonubie River and approach the river on that same side of the rope;
Hold onto the rope as soon as you can, even before your feet are wet, if possible;
Do not panic and remember there are people to assist if you experience a problem - call out and raise your arm and hand if you need help - there are a lot of people and you need to be easily heard and seen if you find yourself in trouble;
Do not shove or push or try to pass people on the rope in the water, as well as earlier in the queue leading into the Gonubie River;
If somebody next to you is in trouble and is not calling out or raising their hand and arm, you can call out and raise your hand and arm to alert the helpers to the problem;
Keep your shoes on;
Have at least two sachets or cups of liquid at each waterpoint, at least one must be water - drink the first, some of the second, and use the remainder of the second (the water) to splash water on the back of your neck, head, or wherever you're feeling particularly hot or sore;
Although spectators cars are generally kept off the tar along Ocean Way, still be on the look out for any cars - do not assume that you're 100% safe from traffic just because you're running in the Surfers Marathon;
Be polite to spectators no matter what they say or how bad you're feeling;
Smile, at least from time to time;
No matter how shallow or slow moving the water in the Nahoon River looks, stick to the rope all the way through;
As you finish the Surfers Marathon, be sure to continue walking to get a cooldrink and your well-deserved Surfers Marathon tshirt, and also so that those legs do not come to a dead stop;
If you feel dizzy or nauseous, drink up, sit and relax, even lie on your back with your knees up;
If feeling particularly dizzy or nauseous, call for help;
Don't lose your Surfers Marathon tshirt while you wait for your parents (or whoever is driving the car home) to finish the race;
Stay out of the Nahoon River and ocean while you wait for your driver;
Congratulate those finishing the race;
Pat yourself on the back.

Why I decided to Cut My Hair

2011-01-30T16:11:00.000+02:00

I cut my hair in December 2010. My hair was really long when I cut it. In South Africa, December is the start of summer.

I did not have it cut really short. In case I missed my long hair I had it cut to shoulder length.

Before and after my haircut

Besides a shorter hairstyle making it possible for me to feel a bit cooler in the summer, there are other reasons why I cut my hair:

I had not even trimmed the ends of my hair in nearly four years, and the ends were looking messy.

I’m trying to fit in some training to run in a 16 km race (about 10 miles) and long hair even in a ponytail gets in the way, and when I’m so unfit, I feel that long hair even weighs me down a bit!

I’m working from home, still building my little business and the work takes up a lot of my time; there’s not much time for taking great care of long hair, and sometimes I’d even have knots to deal with that irritated me when I needed to rather spend time working.

I don’t use a hair dryer to dry my hair, preferring it to dry naturally, and long hair takes a lot longer to dry than short hair.

My hair grows quickly, so if I did miss it, which I don’t, it wouldn’t be too long before it grew long again.

Before, when I’ve cut my hair, people told me that the shorter cut makes me look younger, so now, as I’m feeling old and worn before my time while trying to work so hard at my little home business, I thought it would be great to look a bit younger, and that maybe it would make me feel younger too.

There were hardly any reasons not to cut my hair, and I’m really glad I did have it cut.

Best Reviewer Review - a top 3, top 5, top 10 and top 20 site by the owner of She Told Me

2010-10-07T21:20:00.002+02:00

What a fantastic Adsense revenue sharing site the owner of She Told Me has brought us now: Best Reviewer - a place to bookmark your own articles on other sites. There's no problems about linking to your articles elsewhere, pages of your blogs and sites, and, at the same time, you can earn from clicks on the Adsense ads on your pages on Best Review, if you have an Adsense account, and include your Adsense publisher id when joining Best Reviewer.

The top 3, top 5, top 10 and top 20 I refer to in the title of this post is about how you post your bookmarks on Best Reviewer. The minimum allowed per page is 3, and the maximum allowed is 20. It's a great idea to link to perhaps 5 of your articles on various sites, (each needing just a one line description) that all relate to the same topic. You have 5 bookmarks all on one page about a similar topic - creating better findability by search engines!

Oh, and did I mention that below each post of "Tops" that you make, the link to your website or blog (or article writing site profile, or social site profile) will automatically appear, if you included it when you signed up.

Also, when people sign up beneath you, using your referral link, and they post their own tops on Best Reviewer, beneath where their website or blog link appears on their pages, your website or blog link appears too!

Join Best Reviewer now, earn from clicks on your Adsense ads there, and get more traffic to your own content elsewhere.

Original article on, and © copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

What to Offer Freelance Writers on Your Planned New Writing Site

2010-08-18T09:17:00.003+02:00

You plan to create a new writing site, but there are already so many out there, how can you make your writing site better than other writing sites? Your goal is to have the best online writing site ever.

To get writers to not only flock to your site and submit many articles to your site, but to also have writers calling your site the best online writing site ever, you’re going to have to give them good reason to.

Research before fully embarking on your project should include:

Studying other writing sites and their blogs and forums
Reading reviews written by writers who are members at those sites - or who are no longer members!
Reading the comments of visitors to those reviews

Your findings will most likely indicate that writers like different aspects of different writing sites – explaining why so many freelance writers submit their articles to more than just one site.

Logic dictates that you should offer freelance writers as much as you can, all on one site – on a site owned by you.

What makes good writers not even consider joining a new site, or make them leave that site?

The site is only for writers who reside in a particular country
There is a fee to join the site
There is no payment option that the writer can use, or may have difficulty using
It appears that some members abuse the choice of being able to vote down an article
People may be struggling to get a Google Adsense account, and this is the only form of payment a site offers
The site does not allow previously published materials
The minimum length requirement of the submitted articles is quite long
Members are not allowed to use their referral links when linking to other sites
Members are not allowed to link to their own sites or other sites from their profile
Spam isn’t dealt with quickly or properly
There are no comment moderation options
The writers name or date of article does not appear on the published articles
There is only one way a writer can earn an income from submitting articles to a site
Users are not also allowed to upload images to an image section, or bookmarks to a bookmark section (because these sections don’t exist on a site.)
The earnings potential or payment structure is pathetic - and it’s obvious the owner of the site has the potential to make a huge fortune from submitted and published materials
The site is untidy and difficult to navigate
The pages take a long time to load
There are hardly any FAQ, guidelines or tutorials
Management takes more than 4 or 5 days to reply to an email
Answered emails do not provide solutions to a problem
Writers do not retain copyright or full rights of their articles
It is expected that a tax form be submitted when some writers don’t even earn enough, or writers live in a country that requires tax details only after a person is earning enough
The site publishes poor quality articles
A writer has to earn quite a high amount before being paid
Writers have to wait a long time to receive earned payments

Different ways that writers can earn an income from some writing sites

Page views of their articles
Ad revenue sharing
Affiliate sales
Selling their articles, with or without offering full rights
Winning prizes
Activity bonuses
Voting up other articles
Referring new users
Referring visitors to any page of a site
Making use of referral links and linking to their own or other sites

Can you create a site that eliminates all or most of the problems listed above, and that also offers freelance writers and those wishing to make extra income online more than just two or three different ways to make money? It may take a lot of planning and be quite expensive, but if you can do it, and can satisfy the wants and needs of every freelance writer out there, imagine how they would go mad submitting articles and promoting your site. You may just end up with the best writing site ever!

Original article on, and © copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

She Told Me what? She Told Me! I've joined She Told Me!

2010-08-07T01:06:00.003+02:00

SheToldMe is a site you can join and where you can bookmark articles you have elsewhere on the Internet. So what's so great about that? We have twitter, digg, facebook, reddit, stumbleupon and numerous other sites where we can bookmark articles.

Well, does twitter, digg, facebook, reddit, and stumbleupon have ads on their site next to your posts that you can earn some extra income from? Not?

SheToldMe does.

Actually, so does Xomba and, in a way, so does RedGage (earn from pageviews of your blog posts, bookmarks (links) and videos or pictures uploaded) but I'm discussing SheToldMe now.

As per Google Adsense policies and TOS, just three Google Adsense block ads are allowed per page of content. She Told Me has three per page. Your bookmark gets a whole page to itself, and can be as short as 200 characters long (that's about 20 to 30 words.) The one Adsense ad is for She Told Me, the one closest to your title and content is yours, all yours, and then there's one beneath your content area that can belong to whoever referred you to She Told Me.

It's easy to publish content to She Told Me. If you don't yet have a Google Adsense account, get yourself one, and then sign up for She Told Me!

Go through the site and spend some time reading through all there is to know. It's pretty easy to understand the site, but just do it (read a lot) first, so that you don't make any mistakes that slow you up or get you your account banned.

You may be getting good traffic from wherever else you are bookmarking your online articles, but what's wrong with adding a few more sites to your list. You want links on many sites coming to your articles don't you? And, She Told Me is not only another place for trying to get more traffic to your articles, but is also a place that gives you the opportunity to earn some extra income from your bookmarking efforts.

Do make sure to be at least a bit active within the community - comment on and rate up other members' content. The rating button is just to the left of the title of each piece of content uploaded. You would like others to do the same for you, wouldn't you?

Now, if you can get other people to join SheToldMe too, using your referral link, the Adsense ad that appears beneath the content they upload is yours! (It contains your Adsense publisher ID.)

What are you waiting for? Don't say I didn't tell you - say "She Told Me!"

Original article on, and © copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

The signing up process at You Say Too - an Adsense Revenue Sharing site

2010-08-01T14:36:00.006+02:00

If anyone has read the about me on this blog, they'll see that I'm keen to make money blogging - even if takes me a really long time, as I can only spend time on it inbetween doing my other work - my work, along with my boyfriend Tony, is freelance web design and writing, from home. A lot of my paid writing or Internet research jobs come from oDesk, and that's cool, as I can work for anyone in the world. Most of my web designing jobs are local, here in East London - although have designed a few sites for people in other towns of South Africa too, mostly communicating via email. Have even helped redesign a site for an International client via oDesk, but, generally, the web design section of my work at home job is for local clients. The writing is from online efforts and earning from Google Adsense, or, as said already, from getting writing jobs on oDesk.

I haven't posted any new blog posts here in a while as I have been busy exploring some online income opportunities. I think I plan to discuss many of them on this blog, or on some of my other blogs, to help others who are thinking of doing the same, or who are wanting some tips, advice, reviews, or more information on the different extra income opportunities I come across. One of these is You Say Too.

As I write this I'm still sort of in the process of signing up - I find the site incredibly slow - but these are my views so far, and obviously probably related mostly to the sign up process:

By following some simple instructions on You Say Too you can feed your Blogger blog posts to the site. Be patient with the site if you find it slow too (I've just checked and it seems my blog (this one) is now there.) - as You Say Too seems a good place to earn a little extra income from the Adsense ads on the site.

If you have a Google Adsense account, you will earn 50% of the revenue that You Say Too makes. To get your posts or blogs on You Say Too seen more, get involved in the community there, make new friends, don't go against any of the TOS (terms of service/terms and conditions/rules), and update your main blog regularly. If you don't have a blog, you can make blog posts directly on the site - of course, remember to get some links to these blog posts by leaving the links to them on social sites or social bookmarking sites - or in other articles you have elsewhere on the Internet.

Now, if you couldn't care less about making some extra income for yourself, but you do care about charities trying to help the world, and you do have a blog you post to regularly, then submit your blog to You Say Too anyway, as part of the revenue from advertising on the site will then go to the charity of your choice instead of to you. You won't even have to join Google Adsense if you don't yet have an account there, as You Say Too will handle the earnings you would have earned through their own Adsense account and will donate it to the charity of your choice. I'm hardly signed up there, so haven't yet noticed if you are able to see on your dashboard how much you have earned that is donated to a charity, but I do suspect that you would be able to check.

Of course if you're pretty much struggling along yourself, then don't feel bad to rather choose that the earnings come to you instead of to a charity - as long as when you make it big one day, through your online activities, you remember to help out those less fortunate than yourself - people, animals, causes.

I've branched off the main topic here, so back to it - the signing up process:

Put up with the slow site (if it really is slow in general and not just me - but it seems much slower than other sites I've joined) as perhaps it will improve, and, besides, I've read some good reviews on You Say Too, on other sites.

Choose a user name and password - the user name space allowance is somewhat small - I usually add teresaschultz or Teresa Schultz as my user name, but could only fit in TeresaS on You Say Too.

Add your Wordpress.com or Blogger blog: type in the URL of your blog and the RSS feed. For Blogger the feed comes up automatically after typing in the URL - well mine did.

Add a code to your blog. Simply copy the coding that comes up and add a third party html gadget to your gadgets on your Blogger (not sure what the steps are for other blogging platforms.)

I first added it as a text gadget, as this is how I usually add buttons to my blogs (like the South African blog aggregator myScoop button), but it either didn't take immediately, or didn't work at all. Everything seems fine now that I started all over again (the adding the blog step) and added a third party html gadget instead.

There also seems to be a further exposure opportunity involving possibly placing a widget or box or advert on your site, that displays other people's blog posts (but theirs will display yours too) so, sort of a swopping and helping out set up - I will be checking this out too.

So, that's it for now about yousaytoo - updates and more extra income news, tips and advice coming soon.

There are already some tips and reviews about work at home jobs on my work at home jobs site, if you'd like to check those out too.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Thought the side of my face was going to explode

2010-07-01T14:19:00.004+02:00

Really should have taken a photo! Don't know what's up with me lately, all these odd things happening - perhaps old age? (41 now) This painful hip pain thing that comes without warning, then just as strangely vanishes a day or two later (thank goodness as I can hardly sleep when it decides to visit me) and now, the other day, the side of my face swelling up like I had a just kicked 2010 world cup soccer ball on the inside of my face!

It's happened before, this sudden swelling on the side of my face, when I eat something, but not as badly as this recent time. It happens so suddenly too; without warning. It's not because of eating something sour or acidic, as sometimes it happens, and sometimes it doesn't.

It hadn't happened for a while, and I was beginning to think it was not going to come back again, but come back it did, like a kick in the face!

The first bite of a fresh little flat sugar snap (fresh young peas in pod) and I felt the first twinge, just under my left ear, where the glands get sore if one has an ear infection or tonsolitis. Didn't worry me too much, as as, although I had though it was never coming back again, I knew that sometimes a little twinge was all I felt, and it would go away, with the very next bite of whatever I was eatin. But, no. Next bite made it larger and more painful. I was hungry and kept hoping each bite (of other food too, (avocado pear on toast with black pepper and salt (yum)), not just sugar snaps, would get better, but instead the pain and swelling got worse, and I had to stop eating. It was sore ans swollen right behind my ear too, and down my neck on that side. Looked in the mnirror and it looked like I had triple mumps on the left side of my face! That's what it looked like. What it felt like was that I had a soccer ball in my face, trying to burst out!

I started to panic and thought that maybe my veins would burst, and even half of my throat felt closed up. We keep cortisone tablets in the house due to one of my sons once having had two unexpected and unexplained allergic reactions a few years ago, that we give for bee stings or anything that seems like any allergic reactions might follow, so I took one of those, and went to lie down. It was night already, and about three hours before I would usually go to sleep, and as the swelling did not go down after about an hour, I just stayed in bed, and went to sleep.

In the morning, the swelling was gone, but my glands on that side of my neck were still painful for about a day and half after that. I did not eat until the evening of the next day, as was too scared to! When I did eat, though, all was well, and I really hope it doesn't happen again!

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Even I jumped down the sand dune at Igoda yesterday

2010-06-24T16:34:00.006+02:00

Well, I guess it's not such a big thing, after all, I'm still only 41, but I guess I've just been in our little home office a lot, and have not been getting out much, and so I felt like it was almost "a big thing" I also jumped down the sand dune during our little outing to Igoda, near East London late yesterday afternoon. Tony is 50 though, and also jumped. I really need to get fit again! The boys were jumping down the sand dunes, and running down the sand dunes, like little monkeys, and the boys and I also tried out a homemade sandboard, but it didn't work. I tried a bit of everything, and got tired quite easily, but it was fun!

Here's two photos of me, trying (Basti, my 12 year old son, is in both photos too):

Follow the other three links further above to see more photos of Igoda, and of both Basti and Zooty. Also follow this link which has a photo of Tony, Basti and Zooty at Igoda.

and
also see

Basti's Igoda story and photos

Zooty's Igoda story and photos

My 3 boys

2010-06-24T16:09:00.006+02:00

Tony, the boys and I took a drive out to Igoda beach yesterday afternoon. Basti and Zooty and I took our cameras with and enjoyed taking some pictures at Igoda, and while I was driving back home afterwards, the boys continued to take some pictures out the car windows.

At Igoda, we didn't have much luck with a homemade sandboard, and the boys took to jumping off a sand dune instead. Next time we'll try and get to Igoda earlier so that we don't end up spending less than an hour there, like we did yesterday, and having to leave before dark.

In the three photos taken at Igoda yesterday, Zooty (11) enjoys being covered in sand, Basti (12) pulls a face as he tries to get the sand out of his pants, and in the third photo, Zooty, Tony (50), Basti and our dog Gilly start leaving the beach.

also see

Basti's Igoda story and photos

Zooty's Igoda story and photos

Ouch, I don't know what I've done to my lower back and hip area!

2010-06-22T12:14:00.005+02:00

I've had this lower back and right hip area pain before, and luckily it just went away on it's own. This time, though, not even hanging on a door to relieve the pain is working! Last night was awful - I feel like I've hardly slept. No position was comfortable, and every time I turned to try a new position I was in agony! Ouch!

I think the hanging on the door thing might not be helping as much as it usually does because the pain is not in the middle of my back - I can't see myself hanging by one arm and one foot to let the proper area of my side lower back and one hip benefit from the hanging!

I'm sitting at the pc now, with a pillow behind my lower back to help relieve the pain somewhat, and I've taken two Inza (anti inflammatory tablets), and when Tony gets back from walking to the shops about a km and a half away (to check at an atm if one of our clients has paid as we're broke again! (or still)) , I'll have him rub some comfrey cream on the sore area for me, but not sure it's going to help much, or if it does, not quickly enough! I just wish it would quickly come right on it's own like before. Must be a pinched nerve or something. I even had a dream about it last night - when I did sleep.

I don't have medical aid, or money to spend on going to doctors and chiropractors! Hm, my most comfortable position is standing up. I wonder if I can sleep standing up? Was also thinking of taking the boys to a movie if this client has paid (and they'll just have to wait longer before I pay them back the other money I owe them), but then what? I don't fancy standing at the back of the movie to watch it! Maybe another Inza before the movie might help somewhat...

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on tv 3 tonight

2010-06-18T16:49:00.003+02:00

I loved the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when I was a kid. I loved how Charlie savoured every tiny little piece of chocolate he ate.

I was just as thrilled as Charlie when he won a trip to visit Willie Wonka's Chocolate Factory and loved every minute of Charlie's journey through Willie Wonka's Chocolate Factory.

Well, it's a real sin, then, that I haven't seen the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, starring Johnny Depp as Willie Wonka. My boys have seen the movie at a friend or cousin's house, and will be watching it again tonight on tv 3, in their room, all tucked up in bed for the night, and directly after I give them some more medicine for their bad chests and coughs.

While the boys are watching it, Tony and I need to pop out for a bit, but, inbetween, and even though Tony and I "don't watch tv", I might catch a glimpse or two of Charlie, Willie Wonka, chocolate, and the Chocolate Factory - if not, I think it's really time I at least got the dvd out!

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

We don't watch tv

2010-06-18T16:08:00.002+02:00

There are three tvs in the house we live in at my folks, but we don't watch tv. We might catch a glimpse of what's on the tv in the lounge on our way out or coming back from the shops, going to see a client, or taking or fetching the boys to or from school, but, generally, we don't watch tv. My folks have a tv in their room too, and even the boys have one in their room, on loan from my brother.

The boys often watch tv in my folks' bedroom with them in the evenings, but it's not appropriate when it's almost bedtime, or if they're ill, like now. Their tv has only tv 1, tv 2, and tv 3 channels, and e-tv, though, so, from time to time, I'll check on the Internet what's showing on those channels (especially when they're ill and I'd rather have them tucked up in bed than sitting at the pc playing computer games in our bedroom, even if it's not yet evening), although of course they prefer dstv on Grandpa's tvs.

Tony and I don't really miss tv - we can keep up to date with news on the Internet, brief entertainment on YouTube, and if we feel like a real "sit down" we'll rent a dvd and watch in in the office on one of the computers here. Our little home office is really tiny, but if we take two steps back from our chairs at the pcs (next to each other on the same table), we can flop back into lazy boys there, and enjoy a movie. There's basically no space for anything else in the office, but it's fine, we don't need a lot of space to work on the pcs.

We're quite happy that we don't watch tv; we don't want to get sucked into soapies or a series, that takes time away from our work, or writing blog posts.

The boys are sounding a little rowdy on their pc, and I better see if there's something on their tv channels soon, or else I should maybe go and get them a dvd. I don't want them coughing all night and need to keep them calm.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

I wish the boys would stop coughing now

2010-06-18T15:31:00.002+02:00

The boys are on their pc in the next room (our bedroom), and even though the door leading to it from the garage and our office area is closed, their coughing is still very audible. I feel so sorry for their chests and them, and wish all the mooty would now work, or wish time would heal or whatever it is that must happen to stop their coughing must just happen or work now.

My chest is feeling somewhat better, although still coughing from time to time, and nose still blocking up or running (it can't make up it's mind.)

The first week of the school holidays is basically over, and let's hope the rest of it (just over 3 weeks left) can be enjoyed by two healthy and happy boys.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Have to move all my photos to the left

2010-06-18T15:24:00.002+02:00

I'm really happy with this new Blogger theme template I've chosen for this blog, only thing is it's not perfect for the photos already uploaded in previous posts.

I uploaded my photos all centred, but there's a white area that appears behind the photos now that seems to only go left, well, mostly anyway. So, instead of trying to find another template I'm happy with (well, I did for a bit, but I like this one I've got at the moment for now), I'd rather re-align all my photos to the left too.

I've done some (working backwards), but still have a few to do.

I will have to do a whole lot more on my other Blogger blog East London Photographs and Wild Ramblings, as basically every post there has a photo or two, so, hm, maybe I'll see if there isn't rather another template that suits that blog better.

Just thinking out loud here. Don't mind me.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Desperate times call for desperate measures FREE 3 PAGE WEB DESIGN

2010-06-16T20:54:00.003+02:00

We're offering to design 3 pages for static html websites FOR FREE. It's a little crazy, yeah, as the only condition is that you host the site with us too, and register the domain through us too, and we make very little profit on this, but work is so ridiculously quiet right now, we're pretty desperate!

The value is R600, plus the R120 we usually charge to upload the site is thrown in for free too, so you save R720, and get a 3 page website designed, including basic SEO, meta tagging, and alt tagging, just like for our usual paying website design clients.

We go into more detail about this special offer, which ends at 5pm Saturday 26 June (or before) on our 1pic4twenty blog.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Totally thrilled with my new Blogger template and all the other theme options too

2010-06-15T00:02:00.002+02:00

Just love the new free templates for Blogger bloggers! Settled on one, but was tempted to change it after just two days, when the boys were going through the various background images for the new templates for their own blogs Lava Reflections and Screeching Falcon.

Zooty's blog Screeching Falcon was one of the top five risers in the blogs on myScoop yesterday - they had just left with their father to spend three nights at him, when I saw this, and so I quickly phoned Zooty to tell him the good news - he was lank chuffed of course. I'm just so sorry I didn't send the flash with them, so that they could write some more blog posts while at their dad on their pc there, that I could upload for them when they get back.

Anyway, back to the new templates for Blogger: They're gorgeous, and wider too, nice spacing area for bigger ads in the sidebars too, and any other info one wants to have appear there too, so that all the info that usually appears in a sidebar no longer has the viewer scrolling down forever to see it all. Nice job, Blogger!

© copyright Teresa Schultz

Using egg white under feet to lower a high temperature

2010-06-13T11:03:00.003+02:00

Yeah, sounds really odd, but mothers get into a panic when their children have a fever and they try anything to help their children. Basti was really ill last night and I was searching the Internet for some answers, help, or tips, and I came across a site called Earth Clinic and a post about a home remedy using egg whites under the feet to reduce a fever quickly.

I did not get to try the fever reducing egg white home remedy, as I'd already tried a whole bunch of other things to bring Basti's high temperature down, and one or some of them must have worked, because when I took his temperature again, it was down. Had it not been down, I would have certainly tried putting sloshy egg whites under his feet. I would have tried just about anything.

The Earth Clinic site does have a disclaimer saying that what they write, or that people comments (who comment on what is written or what others write) should basically not be the end of looking for answers and that a doctor should be the one to be contacted for a completely correct diagnosis and proper treatment, but I was still blown away at how many people were commenting about how the egg white remedy was working or had worked on themselves or on their children, and, in most cases, it seemed to work very quickly.

Mothers (and parents in general) get really desperate when their children are ill. A very high fever can result in fits, and possible brain damage.

I took both boys to the doctor yesterday morning as Basti in particular had a high temperature and sore throat. His face and whole body was hot; his lips were dry.

No infection as such was discovered, and the doctor was reluctant to prescribe antibiotics. When I convinced her to, she said not to use the antibiotics for a day or two to first see how Basti was improving without them, but he got worse and worse and I started using the antibiotics yesterday afternoon.

This is how the evening progressed from 8pm onwards:

8pm temp 39.5

9pm temp 39.8
gave Ponstan

9.15pm temp 39.5

10.45pm temp 39.8

Every 20 to 30 minutes during the above I was giving Basti water to drink and wiping his head, face, neck, throat, ankles and under his arms with a cloth with cold water. And I would leave a folded damp cold cloth on his forehead inbetween, even though it (the cloth) generally warmed up within 5 minutes.

11.pm made him take a shower (on his own; he's 12 and capable even if feeling miserable) in very lukewarm water, bordering on cold, and change into dry clean clothes. I stood outside the door to listen and shout instructions to make sure he stood under the shower spray for about 3 minutes, even though he was moaning he was so cold.

11.10pm temp 39.5
gave Ponstan syrup, left cool cloth on head, put towel on pillow

11.40pm temp 39.4
gave half a glass of water

00.50am temp 38.3
had Basti change his tshirt as wet with sweat
gave half a glass of water and Ponstan syrup

4.40am temp 37.00
gave half a glass of water, Demezin, and Ponstan syrup;
change tshirt and towel on pillow

9.00am temp 36.7
after breakfast gave antibiotic, a bronchodialor syrup, and a Ponstel tablet

Keeping an eye on Basti and making him stay pretty calm; he's chesty and back in bed now (11am), after having played on the computer for half an hour, and writing a blog post for his own blog about how he felt last night. Will be posting it for him shortly. Update: here's Basti's blog post about his high temperature.

During this bout of illness, Zooty's temperature has not yet gone above 37.7 and let's hope and pray it stays that way.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

So many different chips today when only Simba was just fine for me as a kid

2010-06-10T23:15:00.002+02:00

When I started sub a (grade 1) in 1975, in East London, chips had just gone up from 5c a packet to 8c a packet. I think postage stamps cost the same at the time. The small packets of chips were Simba chips and I would buy a packet at breaktime. I'm not sure how many flavours of Simba chips were around at the time, but at the school tuckshop they had only salt and vinegar, tomato sauce (or just tomato?) and smoked beef. Smoked beef was my favourite.

Somewhere down the line, I discovered (or they started making) cheese and onion flavoured Simba chips, and they overtook the smoked beef as my favourite. There were only smooth chips. Then I remember suddenly hearing about and seeing Willards crinkle cut chips in the shops - that was awesome - Willards crinkle cut chips had little bumps in them!

I loved chips. I wouldn't always just crunch away at them, but would sometimes let the chip lay on my tongue awhile, and I would savour the flavour, and let the chip become soggy, before I munched and swallowed.

Lots of tiny bits of broken chips in a packet was not fun for a little kid, as my friends and I would sit at breaktime and compare how big some of our chips were. Some seemed really huge.

A whole larger variety of different flavours of chips crept in later, and fried chicken flavour was also one of my favourite, and what ever happened to that flavour I enjoyed in high school - smoked snoek? That smoked snoek flavour was yummy!

Then there were cheese curls and Nik Naks, and if one was having a braai or party, there had to be chipniks and dips.

oGrady's was another chip I enjoyed - and now they seem to be back again, or maybe they never went away? I used to remember that oGrady's were so thick, and being more thick, seemed to have more spices on them. They were more filling too. The oGrady's chips I buy in the shops now don't seem as thick, but then again nothing seems as big these days as how they seemed when I was still just a kid.

Flings too, I still love, and they're oh so useful and tasty for little toddlers - even if a bit messy, but, wow, so full of flavour. Our dog likes the odd few flings too. :)

Chipstix were also different and tasty.

Pringles were also interesting and very tasty, all stacked neatly and individually on top of each other in a tall container, instead of in a packet. Even though thick oGrady's were tasty, Pringles were thin, but also tasty.

Chips also became no longer just thin or thick, or smooth and crinkled, or puffy like Chipnix, Flings, and Cheese Curls, but new shapes climbed onboard too - like triangle Doritos. My boys often choose Doritos. Doritos has enough different flavours to satisfy most chip fans - or should I say crisp fans - I think somewhere along the line I had a friend or too who came from the UK and I discovered that people in the UK and USA called chips crisps. It made sense as here in South Africa if you told a friend you're buying some chips at the takeaway, they wanted to know if you meant "slap" chips or Simba chips, and since not all packets of chips contained Simba chips, calling chips crisps made a lot of sense (and they ARE crisp, as compared to slap potato chips, cut in strips from a potato and fried or baked and served warm.)

There were also screw shaped chips, ball shaped chips and circle chips.

There were, or are, also chips not made from potatoes, but rather from corn, as in Big Corn Bites, and I still can't decide if I prefer the tomato flavoured ones or the barbeque flavoured ones. Fritos have also always gone down well.

When it comes to cheese flavoured chips, I think hardly anything can beat cheese Nik Naks for loads of flavour.

Melt in the mouth prawn flavoured chips are also one of my latest favourites.

Wow, loads of chips, when all I started with, way back when, was just three flavours of Simba chips!

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

I lost one of Zooty's drawings today and this was a big problem

2010-06-10T17:25:00.002+02:00

Zooty likes to draw. Zooty likes anime, sketching, and computer games. I've organized that the the boys have their own blogs now, even though I don't yet allow them Internet on their computer, and I will upload most of their blog posts for them.

Zooty was taking photos of some of his drawings and there was one particular one he'd given me that we couldn't find. Oops, not good. Zooty kept repeating "Mom lost my best drawing, Mom lost my best drawing!"

Tony eventually came to the rescue and located the missing drawing in a box in the garage from the last time we were tidying up the office a bit. So all's well, and Zooty will soon be adding some photos of his drawings to his very own blog, called Screeching Falcon.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

The beautiful rain in East London has washed a lot clean including our signs

2010-06-10T16:25:00.002+02:00

Sounds like I'm moaning I guess, and I can't really as the rain is so badly needed in East London, and in the entire Eastern Cape region right now, actually, and it did a great job of washing the car which hasn't had a wash in ages, while out and about yesterday afternoon taking my mom to see my dad's sister who isn't well.

However, our signs we had out on the front wall are just blackboards really, with the writing in chalk, so we'll have to redo them - not that's it's helping much yet, we're still broke as anything this month, so far. It was still raining this morning, and although it cleared up a bit, the sky is looking dark again. I do hope it rains some more, even though it means we can't yet put our signs out. We need this rain so badly, not only to help lift the current water restrictions in the East London area right now, but to fill our dams to the brim, so that the water will last a long time before the next lot of rain.

The rain is also good for the garden, and hopefully it will help perk up some plants we have here in containers, so that we will be able to sell some more. We're trying to sell a few plants again, while waiting for a few more web design clients to hire us for our web design services.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Eish, the boys are missing lots of karate

2010-06-10T15:44:00.003+02:00

The boys go to karate lessons in East London twice a week, but we missed taking them three times in a row recently, due to their exams (which hopefully helped as Zooty got 67,3% aggregate, and Basti got 86,5% aggregate.) Basti is trying to keep his high marks up and he did so, and even better by improving on last term's aggregate of 85,1%, and Zooty was trying to improve on his last term's aggregate of 72%. This didn't happen, but it may have been worse if we'd taken time out from learning to fit in three karate lessons.

We try not to miss too many karate classes so that the boys can learn and practice all they can before their next grading session coming up in late July, I think. They will be trying to grade to their brown 2 belt.

The boys did do a karate lesson last week, and were meant to go again earlier this week, but we went to my brother instead, for supper and to celebrate his birthday, thinking we would try not miss any karate lessons for at least the next 4 weeks (8 karate sessions in a row), but now Basti seems a little ill, and we're not going to go tonight either. I'm dosing him up on Viral Guard and vitamin C, keeping him home, and hopefully we'll get to the next karate lesson.

They enjoy their karate lessons, are doing well with it, and have even enjoyed a karate training session on Nahoon Beach.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Isn't the rain in East London just awesome?

2010-06-09T18:08:00.002+02:00

Beautiful sound of rain falling on the roof, and on the ground outside. Beautiful rain giving life to the earth, and to us. East London has been pretty dry, and had water restrictions placed on the 1st of May. This rain East London is having today is just awesome. I'm sure all the little seeds, plants, and roots in the ground are singing (and that's what we actually hear, not the rain!) :)

Of course one day of rain (well, it actually only started after midday) is not going to get East London too far, but it's definitely welcome rain, and we all hope and pray we get some more soon.

It's stunning to have rain. I can almost hear the little plants and trees as they stretch up towards the raindrops falling on them. I can even hear the plants laughing with happiness, can you? Their thirst is quenched.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

I used to type at school, not compute, savvy?

2010-06-08T23:44:00.002+02:00

There were no computer lessons when I was at school, only typing lessons. How things have changed. Imagine how people would miss computers today if they were suddenly all wiped out.

Typing was fun, and I'm glad I took it as a subject at school - not because I can still type properly and quickly and do touch typing without breaking into a sweat, because I can't anymore, and I tend to look at my fingers a lot these days (don't tell my old typing teacher!) - hm, and I don't even use all my fingers shhhh - but because it was relatively easy and brought up my aggregate. My aggregate would have been considerably lower had I not done typing. It was only really English and typing that I enjoyed at school (and running and long jump.)

Now it's normal for computers to be in schools, and for kids to have computer lessons, and I guess what with what technology being what it is today, it should be (normal.)

I'm 41 now, and wish I'd had computer lessons at school. Although, on the other hand, it's been great fun learning how to use a computer over the last 4 years. I probably wouldn't have been as interested if learning computers at school.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

The boys now have their own blogs too

2010-06-06T18:54:00.002+02:00

Spent quite some time this afternoon setting up blogger blogs for the boys, with their help. They chose their own blog names (titles), and two widgets each for their blogs.

Zooty's blog is Screeching Falcon and Basti's blog is Lava Reflections.

They enjoyed looking for widgets to add to their blogs and they have made their first blog post.

Zooty plans to upload photos of his artwork, or digital art, tshirt designs, and describe the pictures. He will also sometimes just give news or write a little story or idea down.

Basti plans to upload photos, perhaps some photos of art, and his digital art or other designs, and describe the pictures. He too will also have news and stories etc.

They do not yet have their own Internet on their computer (I do not yet allow it, and we can't afford it right now), and I will copy and paste or upload for them, from what they do on their computer. Sometimes, if I'm not too busy, I'll let them sit at my computer and upload their stuff themselves.

Zooty has already made himself a little "business card" design, and will hand some cards out to friends at school, who will hopefully pop in at his blog and leave a comment or two.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

I have not hugged a tree in a very long time

2010-06-04T21:02:00.002+02:00

Not quite sure what made me think of trees, and climbing trees - perhaps it was my ex's mother popping in to see my mother and I today - have not seen her since the last time she popped in, before Christmas I think (so about 6, 7, or 8 months back, or was it earlier this year (and not so long ago?) - anyway, it's been a while.)

She was mentioning how the boys like to play tricks on her - they see her from time to time as they go to their father ten or eleven nights a month - who lives about only 1km away from his mother (their other granny.)- Granny says she'll walk out her kitchen and feel something lightly falling on her head, and upon looking up will spot the boys in a big tree above her head, throwing down little twigs.

I'm glad the boys like climbing trees (although don't all kids?) as I loved climbing trees as a kid too. I was such a tomboy!

I remember a tree - a huge wild fig tree with a low branch that branched (duh!) off to the side across the lawn in front of the capark where my mother and I would go fetch my dad from his work as a male nurse in the Margaret Fuller Ward at the Frere Hospital. I would climb up the tree, not very high, but then edge along that long low branch in front of where my mom was parked, and wave at her.

I also remember a tree at Cove Rock, between the parking area and the beach, that I used to think was cool - I can't remember why now, or if I climbed that tree, but what I do remember is that I gave it a hug just before we left to go home after a day at the beach, and told it not to miss me too much because I hoped to be back soon again. I must have been about 8.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

What do we do while the boys are at their art lesson?

2010-06-04T20:32:00.002+02:00

When the boys' private art lessons teacher popped out of the art class to the parking area, to quickly get something from her car, we were seated in our/my dad's car, pretty much just sitting there. The car window was down and we greeted. The art teacher remarked that we were funny - referring to that we just sat there in the car waiting an hour and a half, for the boys to finsh their art lesson. We just laughed it off, and didn't go into detail as she was in a hurry to get back to class - and we also didn't want to keep her from teaching the boys!

What we do while waiting for the boys on Friday afternoons is:

Save petrol instead of driving around all over the place in the area;

Save petrol by not coming home to do some work on the computers quickly, which, to us, makes sense, as that would be about R25 petrol spent, and just 20 minutes max on the computers.

We do sometimes go to the shop very close by, or to the garage (also very close by) to put some petrol in the tank, or get some air for the tires.

We read free local newspapers we picked up at the shop, and do the crossword.

We take notes in a notebook for when we do get back to our work at the computers.

We relax, and sometimes almost fall asleep - and why not? - we very often work until after midnight, even when we have to be up at 5.40am the next morning, to get the boys sorted for school.

Although we don't like being away from work for as long as we wait for the boys at their art class (plus we get there about 45 minutes early after picking the boys up from school) I think we're also glad we don't yet have a laptop, as we need some time off from work (we work many hours on weekends too.)

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

And now a "plants for sale" sign on our wall too

2010-06-03T11:57:00.003+02:00

Maybe it will help? Maybe somebody will stop? And we really shouldn't have taken so long to put the plants and sign out again (even though there's way less plants than before). Afterall, it was what we first did for a bit of income, and to get our web design, photography, and writing business going, slowly and surely.

It's also one of the main ideas we try to promote to others who are wanting to work from home, or want to earn a bit of much needed extra income. See You're so desperate for money that you're reading this on somebody else's computer where we detail how one can start making the first efforts at working from home, or earning some extra income, starting with just one packet of plant or herb or flower seeds.

One good thing about not having sold plants for so many months, is that they've grown a bit, and we can charge a bit more.

We have just 5 plants out in front at the moment. Two Gwenya trees (Wild Plum) at R50 each, and 3 ice-cream bush trees/bushes at R30 each. They're in old buckets, buckets that are falling apart, but are at least keeping the soil together, giving the little trees (well one is almost as tall as me)place for their roots to grow, until they get transplanted into somebody's garden.

A bad thing about not having sold plants for so many months is that many of the smaller ones have died, as we stopped looking after them properly, due to our web design photography and writing work taking off - well, not taking off to the extent that we can go on vacation or buy our own car, or move away from my folks to rent elsewhere that is more expensive, but enough to no longer need any help from my parents (we haven't needed my parents help in over a year, and also paid them back for the previous 18 months that they helped us out with.)

But the month of May went dilly (even though February was our best month ever??) and now we're stuck battling to pay our few small accounts, and even small daily living expenses.

So, the plants are out again. And if things carry on like this, we'll have to plant some seeds soon, and sell seedlings. Until things pick up again. We remain positive that things will pick up again, because we know we deliver an excellent service, at unbelievably low prices.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

A web design photo editing and writing sign on our front wall now

2010-06-03T09:11:00.002+02:00

Although we loaded a client's new website yesterday, we're still pretty short of cash, and work just seems so quiet, so we decided to hang a sign over the front wall now, and see what happens.

The road we live on is not too busy, but not that quiet either, as there's a school near one end, and some shops near the other end.

If people don't actually stop to enquire about the services we offer, we did include our web address and cell number on the sign too, in case they want to jot down the details and call us or visit our website later.

Marketing one's business (in our case web design, photography, and writing related services) can be quite tough. We deliver an excellent service, but what's the benefit of this if nobody knows about us?

The site we uploaded to the Internet yesterday cost the client just R1 120. On one of our other blogs we detail what the client got for his money.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Sheesh our worst business month in twelve months

2010-06-01T09:37:00.002+02:00

I guess it is to be expected, that we have a bad month or two here and there, when our little business is just over two years old, and only really started showing growth just over a year ago, but sheesh, this worst month (May 2010) has happened just three months after our very best month (Feb 2010).

We’re hanging in there, but it’s a tad difficult, and we’re impatient for lots of new clients.

It will come, I guess, the work, and we’re doing what we can for now.

Still not sure how this happened though, when February was a month that made us really pleased.

Okay, February was even still beneath what we are striving to achieve, but our income for February was more than what we require to cover our very basic monthly expenses.

Why didn’t we save some money, then, you may ask.

Well, February was an expensive month – it was Zooty’s 11th birthday, it was Tony’s 50 th birthday, and Tony’s 21 year old daughter came to visit in March too, for two nights, and we showed her around and ate out. Birthday celebrations happen only once a year, and Tony’s daughter had not seen Tony in over two years, plus I had not yet met her, so we do not regret spending one cent, but now we’re a little stuck, which we didn’t expect.

Can’t even post this to my blog tonight (31 May 2010) as our monthly adsl ran out just after 5 pm – which is awful as we rarely go to sleep before midnight, but at least it (this blog post) will be ready for me to just copy and paste in the morning, then, hey? (When our new monthly adsl allowance starts.)

Oh well, perhaps a new month (June) will bring some new hope.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Car wheels spashing in water from a burst water pipe in East London

2010-05-29T17:26:00.005+02:00

I enjoyed taking these photos this morning of cars slooshing through water that was running across the road from a burst water pipe, in Garcia Street, Cambridge, near to where we live. I couldn't get too close (to the cars) for fear of my camera getting wet, and I don't have a zoom lens, but I'm quite happy with these photos.

More on the burst pipe matter:

Daily Dispatch DispatchNow blog - Well done BCM!

Burst water pipe lifts concrete gutter and floods road

Broken concrete gutter and wet road

I wanted dad to let go of my leash

The scenic route

2010-05-28T21:32:00.004+02:00

We meant to turn right, not left, really. The traffic in the late afternoons near the Gonubie turn off, and into Gonubie is ridiculous, since another route into Gonubie from Beacon Bay has not yet been completed and nobody seemed to do anything with the brilliant idea of an East Londoner some time back about allowing a truck with a big sign in front travelling the wrong way down one of the two outbound lanes from Gonubie, with a row of traffic behind it (temporarily allowing two lanes into Gonubie) in the evenings.

We wanted to avoid this traffic mess, when returning from the East Coast Resorts area earlier this evening, but turning right when coming out of Schaefli Road, then turning left onto the N2, to be able to go over the bridge at the N2/Gonubie intersection instead of under it in that traffic mess, on our way to Cambridge.

But we forgot, and turned left instead, (past the brickfields and Farmarama). We were a little way along when I remembered the traffic we would encounter just otherside Farmarama, and I got all tense.

But then Basti piped up "It doesn't matter - this is the scenic route." And it was. And I relaxed.

We were much more "in the country" that if we'd gone along the highway, and there was a brilliant rainbow lit up against stormy dark clouds off to our left, over the brickfields. An enjoyable and scenic trip that made me think "Every cloud's got a silver lining." - words you can hear in David Essex's Hold Me Close song.

article © copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Difficult not to get depressed when looking for a job or new clients in SA

2010-05-27T20:23:00.002+02:00

It sucks not being able to find a job - one gets so depressed,
and that just makes it worse, trying to get the energy to try do
something about earning an income. We've had a really bad month, and
are not even sure we can pay our rent (living at my parents and we pay
rent) or our adsl/telephone account - which we have to have to be able to
carry on work online. Or if we do, there's no money over for anything else(petrol to get the kids to school and back, food, our web hosting account, still paying the lawyer divorce fees, art fees for the kids etc etc)

But, somehow, we get through. We work hard, and when there's no work,
we work hard at marketing ourselves. Over 2 years ago we started out selling plants on the pavement in front of my parents' home, and took it from there.

One just has to have the will to take control of one's own income -
and this seems to happen more easily when one is pretty desperate -
and learn and discover, that "hey, I can earn a little income for
myself, and, perhaps, it may even grow into something bigger." But
you have to start somewhere, and more important than that, is to
actually just start (doing something.)

We managed to turn around a bad situation, over two years ago, even though it took some time, and although some months are still pretty tough, our good reputation and our portfolio are growing.

We are seeing a new client tomorrow, and are hoping we get the job
(freelance job) to design a site for them. We are also seeing an old
client next week sometime, hopefully, who wants some small changes and
additions to his site we designed a while ago already.

If these clients don't come through for us, then we would:

Sell some plants from home, on the pavement;

Find some old books lying around the house, borrow R30 to pay for a
"stand" at the beachfront fleamarket on Sunday morning, and hope to
sell a little even if we make only R30 plus cover petrol - it's R30
more than we had before.

We have a lot of info on our sites to help people think about what they can do from home, and there is also tons of info on the Internet. And
it's all free. We use this same info when we get stuck for a bit of income, to see us through. It inspires us to think instead of just sit around and get depressed, and do nothing. We wish that people struggling to find work can also realise that they too can work from home. It's not easy, and may take a long time to earn a decent income, but it could grow into a healthy income, and you won't know if you don't try.

Read. Learn. Earn.

We don't have money to give to people who are struggling. We can't
employ anybody who needs work. We're trying to keep our own heads
above water ourselves, but we do like to help people.

Our mission is just to let people know, that if one has the right
attitude, one can work for themselves, but without the will to do it,
it won't happen.

We saw a woman walking in the streets the other day, going to offices
or anywhere really with a basket of koeksisters she had made, we drove
past her in the street, stopped and bought a packet for R10 - we
didn't feel like koeksisters and gave them to my dad, but we admired
that she was making the effort to work.

It's tough. It's not easy. BUT YOU CAN DO IT.

To people struggling:
Go through some articles on our sites, slowly, and carefully, and use the information, or inspiration they give you, and you'll be fine.

Believe that you will be fine. Just do something!

Here are some articles we think are the more important ones on our sites, but, of course, just browse the Internet and learn all you can about what you can do from home:

OVER 250 WORK FROM HOME IDEAS

YOU'RE SO DESPERATE FOR MONEY THAT YOU'RE READING THIS ON SOMEBODY ELSE'S COMPUTER

DON'T SPEND FOREVER TRYING TO FIND WORK. JUST WORK.

USING YOUR KITCHEN TO WORK FROM HOME

USING A FLEA MARKET TO SELL A PRODUCT OR PROMOTE A SERVICE

WE HAVE MONEY TO LAST ABOUT 4 DAYS

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Out for the Count

2010-05-26T10:32:00.003+02:00

Knocked about, totally "kished" and worn out, what happens to one when one has just had too much? Activities that drain one's energy aren't the end of the world, as long as one has a chance to recover before the next bout. In fact, activities that drain one's energy are usually related to fun, fresh air and exercise, so definitely not the end of the world - instead, they're good for you.

These two photos below depict my sons, Basti and Zooty, in January 2009, asleep in the back of the car, on the way back home to East London from a daytrip to Hogsback, totally pooped, and out for the count, after a day of activities in the quaint little Hogsback.

Out for the count Hogsback Zooty

Out for the count Hogsback Basti

What fun we had! We hiked to Kettle Spout and Madonna and Child (waterfalls), bought little clay hogs, popped in at Saint Patrick on the Hill, and explored the view at The Edge.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Grade 6 and 7 school English exams today

2010-05-26T08:34:00.005+02:00

Well, the boys have been dropped off at school, and today they write their first SA 2nd term school exam. After today's English exam, they have 7 more days of exams, the poor things - although, I think their exams stress me out more than them sometimes!

Tony went through Basti's English with him last night, in our little home office, while I sat on the back of my folks' little bakkie in the garage with Zooty, going through his.

We'll swop kids some evenings, during the next few days, but, generally, we just can't wait for the exams to be over.

Basti (grade 7) is doing really well at school (85% aggregate last term) and we're hoping he'll stay "right up there" - but the first term was based on tests, while this term it's EXAMS. Scary word, and especially when it's English today, and Basti's spelling is not so hot. His memory is great though, so hopefully all those English rules will be remembered!

Even though exams are generally stressful for all, it's also fun going through the boy's work with them. We let them learn for 30 to 40 minutes at a time, for however many days we can fit in before an exam, but only "ask them questions" the night before the exam is to be written, give them tips etc. If we do it early enough in the evening and notice any wobblies, we send them off for another learning session, and we fit in one more "asking" session.

Zooty (grade 6) is not doing badly at school (72% aggregate last term), but we're hoping to see some improvement, because we know he can improve; that he is capable of improvement. His (all grade 6's in Eastern Cape - not sure if in the whole of South Africa) exams this term are being set by the Department of Education, so we'll just have to wait and see how he does, and cannot really predict how he might do, as we might have been previously able to do, based on exams NOT set by the Department of Education.

Sitting on the back of the bakkie, last night, asking Zooty his English, was fun, but not all that comfortable - might change our asking session place today (Natural Science for Zooty tomorrow, and Afrikaans for Basti).

English was my favourite subject at school, especially writing essays, but I didn't do badly at grammar either - last night I was reminded of what the four different kinds of nouns are: proper nouns, common nouns, collective nouns and abstract nouns - Zooty remembered only two, so that was dealt with, a bit.

He was good at remembering "i before e except after c" though and that it (this rule) does not apply when part of the word sounds like "ay" as in neighbour. Interesting stuff!

I was also proud that he knew that the plural for radius is radii.

Well, I certainly hope they can do something with this English they're learning, once they've left school, and that it won't be merely sitting on the back of a bakkie in their garage, one day, going through English books with their own children, fondly rembering their own days at school - and hopefully also remembering that their mother used to sit on the back of a bakkie with them too, when it was school exams the next day.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Ever tried to unlock somebody else's car by mistake?

2010-05-22T23:00:00.002+02:00

It was a good few years ago that my mother and I came out of Vincent Park Shopping Centre (in East London) after doing some grocery shopping there together, and we found the car, unlocked the boot, and started to pack the first packet or two into the boot, when we suddenly realised "Gee, the car looks really clean and tidy inside - howcome?"

Feeling confused, we looked around, and noticed that my mom's real car was parked just a few cars away - also a navy blue mazda 323!

There were some people about that looked at us funny when we burst out laughing, and if one of those people was the owner of the car that wasn't my mom's - now years later is too late I guess, but we apologise for almost getting in your car instead of ours (maybe the keys would have fit the door and ignition too?) and suggest, that if you still have the car, you change the locks - oh and wow, congrats on a nice clean car! :)

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

I miss my cats

2010-05-22T22:05:00.003+02:00

We both love our Gilly, our jack russell, but I love cats too, and even though Tony is not a cat person, he doesn't totally shy away from cats, and he's a me person :) so we'll get us some cats. I tease him I'd like 40 cats, and maybe I would actually, but I guess we'll start with about 4 instead, and just take it from there.

Also, Tony is a labrador person, so we'll get one or two of those too.

I grew up with cats, a particular favourite cat Ginger, that slept in my arms every night. She lived to be 17 years old. I had her from when I was 6 years old, and she died when I was 23, 4 and a half years after I left home. I stayed in the same town though (here in East London), and saw her 2 or 3 times a week when I popped in to visit. She wouldn't always sit out in front of the house, my folks said, but no matter how random my timing was to go and pop in at my folks for a quick visit, Ginger would be there in the front, waiting for me. She was really special to me, and was a huge part of my life.

Then, at my now ex husband, I had three cats. Two of them are still there. Peaches died after I left. I could not bring Peaches and Squash (brothers), or Spitfire ( a little girl kitty that we got about 5 years after Peaches and Squash) with to my folks when I left my husband, as my mother is allergic to cats. My mom's cat allergy seemed to get worse over the years, so I'm lucky she managed while I grew up with Ginger.

Peaches

Squash

Spitfire

I do miss Peaches, Squash and Spitfire, but it was best they stayed at the farm where they've been since they were tiny, even if my mother was not allergic to cats and at least they still see my boys about ten nights a month, and my boys tell me how my cats are doing too.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Oh how I would love to win a jeep!

2010-05-22T19:45:00.003+02:00

There's just something about a Jeep. I've liked cars over the years, including the fancy Lotus, Magnum's red Ferrari (or was that Higgins' ferrari?), but have never had a fancy car, and had never made up my mind as to which vehicle I like best, until recently.

It's Jeep, all the way. There's a car sales place in East London that has all five different Jeeps displayed, with some of the wheels on rough boulders. Gee, but a Jeep looks good!

The problem arises though, when deciding on what colour I'd like my dream Jeep to be, and which one. I need to win a Jeep, then it wouldn't be such a problem! Although, funds as they are now, I know I would have to sell a Jeep, if I won one as a prize in a competition. That sucks.

Of course, if I could win millions in another competition, I wouldn't have to worry about entering a contest to win a Jeep, because then I could just buy all five types, and would then only have to worry about what colour they'd be!

But if I could buy just one, which one would I choose? Ai, decisions!

Hm, the Jeep Wrangler is really cute, and the least expensive too. Not too big, and perhaps more suited to a female driver than a male driver, but there's four others just jumping out at me too (over rough terrain - isn't that a cool image?) messing up my mind! Which to choose? Which to choose?

The Wrangler Unlimited Jeep is bigger than the Jeep Wrangler, but perhaps not as cute. I find it's shape almost a little odd, yet there's still something about it...

That Patriot looks good - a nice family car - and in stone white, looks rather impressive.

Then there's the Cherokee Jeep - just the regular (but not so "just regular" of course) Cherokee, and then the mother (or father) of them all, the Grand Cherokee.

Gee, but they're nice. Just all so nice.

© article copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

South Africa national flower strelitzia or protea?

2010-05-22T17:07:00.004+02:00

I'm confused. Which flower is the National South African flower? Some websites are showing the protea (the giant or king protea) as the SA National flower, while other websites are showing the strelitzia as the national flower.

As far as I can remember, way back when, at school, the strelitzia was the National flower of South Africa, but I am aware, of course, that things have changed in South Africa since I was at school. Perhaps the SA National flower is now the protea, and some websites have just not yet updated, and it's okay if it's the giant (king) protea - a beautiful flower - but if comparing the way the two flowers look, I think I prefer the strelitzia - and more so when thinking of South Africa and making comparisons between the flowers, and between the flowers and SA:

The protea is a short squat little flower (well, not always so little, but certainly sort of round) with loads of short little petals. The flower sort of grows, and then it's there, happy to be short and round. To me, I could compare this to a country that doesn't want to grow further, or that with all the confusion and troubles regarding some people wanting an improvement for the country, and others not, and brains becoming overcrowded, there's just a big cluttered claustrophobic mess of disaster (petals all short and close together, no open space or open minds to move upward) ('let's just stick to what we already know and be happy with it (or miserable) instead of expanding and improving').

Now a strelitzia, on the other hand, is tall, stands out above other shorter flowers(countries?) as a leader, strong and with a flame of passion at it's centre - a flame that keeps it standing tall, and keeps the flower (country?) burning with the desire to improve even further. Large confident petals, and not crowded with confusion. An educated, calm and cool flower, that deserves respect.

Here's a photo below, of a beautiful strelitzia flower 'crossing it's "fingers" hoping for the best - hoping for improvement of the country it represents' (or used to represent?)

"Cross your fingers" strelitzia, South Africa:

What are the kids going to be when they grow up?

2010-05-22T15:47:00.003+02:00

When does one start thinking about possibly steering one's children in certain directions? Or does one not - and just see what happens as they grow older, leaving career choices all up to them, the kids themselves?

And what if one does try and steer a child in a certain career direction? What does one do? Enroll them at a school that offers certain subjects that other schools don't offer?

I'm happy with the school my boys (now aged 11 and 12) go to now, and I'm most likely going to let them go all the way to matric at this school, but how do I know they may not have done better (in the future, after school) had I chosen a different school, that offered some extra or different subjects, as well as different or more extra murals?

I guess I don't know, but I'm trying not to let it bug me. Obviously I want the best for my children, and I trust that my decisions are correct, and also that them learning from how I make my decisions with their best interests at heart, will help them be more sure of their own decisions regarding a career path, when they grow up a bit more.

It's not just entertaining to see a child's character develop as he or she grows older, but it's interesting to also take note of where children's interests lie - what makes them sit up; what they're passionate about - and hope that the career path they choose reflects their interests, so that they can thoroughly enjoy their job one day.

It's relatively easy to do a bit of guesswork regards a career for Zooty (the 11 year old): he enjoys food, cars (he can't seem to decide between the more vintage cars and the really modern fancy cars though), anime, drawing and art. He also enjoys making models for various school projects. I picture a chef perhaps? An arty, off beat chef, that gets really creative with his preparations of food and how he serves or presents the food. Or perhaps an artist. But of course he may surprise me and become a terrorist or hitman (he teases me.)

Basti (the 12 year old), however, is a little more complex, and can sometimes never make up his mind about anything in particular. He does enjoy reading though, and a bit of art too, and isn't bad at writing stories (see A Ride on a Rag). He is also very detailed and particular about work that he does (school work) and does well in all school subjects including mathematics.

Tony and I have sometimes wondered: "It's easy to see what Zooty is passionate about, but it's not all that easy when it comes to Basti." However, we noticed at the Gonubie Agricultural Show recently, that he's mad about funfair rides or other fun physical activities. Hm, perhaps a funfair ride designer and engineer? He's also good at explaining things in detail, and has an excellent memory. A teacher? He did tease lately too that he'd like to be a flair tender in a bar.

I'm curious and excited to see which way they go with a career. It's great being a parent, isn't it?

During the 5 week winter school holidays coming up this year during the 2010 World Cup Soccer, I'm thinking of letting them start their own Blogger blogs too. I don't yet allow them Internet access on their own computer, but they can create content on their computer, then come upload to their blog on mine, or I'll sit back and let them upload their text or image blog content themselves. I am hoping that this will not only give all of us a better idea, as time goes by, where their main interests lie, but that this will also be an introduction to maintaining an online presence, should they decide to work from home one day, instead of going out to work for a boss.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

My boyfriend Tony cooks up a storm!

2010-05-22T14:36:00.004+02:00

Tony is awesome. He's not just a great boyfriend, he's a great cook too, and spoils my folks (where we live), my boys, and me, with super yummy meals. Below is a photo of one of two salads he prepared for my dad's 78th birthday last night, and below that a photo of the spaghetti bolognaise (used tagliatelle and linguine pasta, not spaghetti actually). Can kick myself for not taking a photo of the pasta when it was in the two huge rectangle pasta serving dishes. It looked awesome! But we were all in too much of a hurry to tuck in, and I forgot to take a photo. So, the photo below is of a small portion of Tony's spaghetti bolognaise that my boys, Basti and Zooty, had as leftovers for lunch today.

See a photo of Tony's yummy liver steak and onions on his blog, and learn how to make it.

On Tony's blog, also learn how to make his pig and pea soup and his quick, simple and tasty boerewors rolls.

photos of my dad's 78th birthday in May 2010

2010-05-22T13:54:00.006+02:00

Dad turned 78 yesterday. My brother and his wife came to visit him for his birthday, along with their two daughters, my boys' cousins. My dad's sister "Aunty Cookie" was fetched to visit too. See Aunty Cookie holding a rose at a wedding in late 2009, and see Aunty Cookie dancing with Tony at the same wedding.

Here's mom, Aunty Cookie (my dad's sister) and dad, relaxing at dad's 78th birthday.

Below, sisters Samantha (26) and Carmen (24) tackle the chips and dip along with their cousins, my boys, Basti in the blue shirt (12) and Zooty (11)

It's my dad's 78th birthday today

2010-05-21T13:17:00.003+02:00

My dad is 78 today HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

Even though he's had a badly broken leg and a few operations (that freak him out and had him in a wheelchair for months) and even though he has pagets disease, he's still spritely, still drives a car, goes to auctions and generally gets around.

He used to enjoy fishing a lot (I loved going with as a kid and playing on the beach, swimming, or trying to catch my own little fish in the rockpools, and delighted in following the mazes my brother drew in the sand for me). My brother is 11 years older than I am, and will be visiting with his family tonight. Tony and I and my boys stay at my folks. Tony is preparing his tasty spaghetti bolognaise for all of us tonight - and there will be milktart too. Yum.

Because my dad used to enjoy fishing and enjoys pictures of the ocean, I had a photo I took enlarged and framed for his birthday gift. I'm pleased he is so pleased with the gift. It is the one at the top of every page of this blog - should I change the image at the top of this blog later, I better include it here too:

The Jacaranda shipwreck at Qolora Mouth, Wild Coast

2010-05-17T19:41:00.003+02:00

The Jacaranda shipwreck is near Qolora Mouth on the Wild Coast, not too far from Seagulls Beach Hotel and Trennereys Hotel. The Jacaranda is a popular Wild Coast tourist attraction. She ran aground in 1971 during strong winds and engine trouble, and with no load to somewhat help weigh her down. Anchors were dropped to no avail, and The Jacaranda hit the rocks.

What is it with women letting their dress or skirt hang out the car door?

2010-05-17T15:55:00.003+02:00

I don't get it. If I was sitting in a car seat or driver's seat and a third of my skirt was hanging out the car door, that means I'm mighty uncomfortable, with my skirt all swished to one side and bundled up or squished up a tad under half of me. Way too uncomfortable.

When I get in the car, and I do happen to be wearing a skirt and dress - which is not that often actually as I'm a jeans and tshirt kinda girl - I make sure that I'm comfortable. I don't want to catch somebody giving me funny glances at red traffic lights later when I'm fiddling beneath me trying to yank my skirt right.

I think the only time I might not care how uncomfortable I was, sitting on a squished up skirt with some of it hanging our the car door, might be if I'm flying to hospital, through red robots, with my lights flashing, or something, with an injured or very ill kid in the car.

Now, most times I notice other women's skirts hanging out the car door is when we're all parked at traffic lights - and they're not dashing anywhere - they're just sitting uncomfortably on part of their skirt - or, maybe not too uncomfortably if the skirt or skirt of a dress is all pulled off nicely to the side underneath (and out the door) (but, surely, then, it feels tight and uncomfortable up against the leg that's toward the inside of the car?) with the rest dragging on the road. I don't get it.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

We did it! 21 blog posts today!

2010-05-16T02:17:00.003+02:00

Well, not quite today, as it's after midnight now, but still before going to bed, so, yes, we did it! Was a little tough for just the two of us, plus we popped out for nearly two hours to visit a friend earlier, so we're still pleased we managed to finish all the blog posts before going to sleep tonight (this morning?)

These are the 21 blog posts we managed today (and this one is actually 22 then!)

On this blog just see the four previous posts before this one:

blog posts target for the two of us today: 21

Living at Granny

Let's see those teeth

On Tony Flanigan blog:

Wordpress on Blogger?

VIVA WC 2010!

Wordpress. Step by step for beginners, part 6

On East London Photographs and Wild Ramblings:

The sun rises and slips behind clouds

Shell and rocks looks like a chameleon's head and eye

Yacht mooring ropes and metal bollard

Spot the bus car train and boat

Looking at yachts on the Buffalo River in East London

On Work at Home Jobs:

Extra income from fruit and vegetable deliveries and sales

Determining your selling price of homemade pickled onions

Make and sell custom chess sets for extra income

TnT Unleashed 1pic4twenty:

Other ways to beat writer’s block and write for SEO

Website design and take-aways

Monetizing your website or blog

Clay Brick:

Living a natural life

Straw bale houses

A little clay duck

Ok! There you go! There we go! No more blog posts tonight, it's 2.15 in the morning. Now it's time to let our heads hit pillows between bed posts!

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Doesn't signing your child's school camp indemnity form make you nervous?

2010-05-16T01:29:00.002+02:00

A while ago, the school my boys attend requested any input or suggestions prior to a meeting the teachers, and some of the parents, were going to have. One of the main topics was related to the school camps. I did not go to the meeting, but the letter I gave as input went along these lines:

I applaud the school's school camp programmes, as it’s plain to see the difference the camps make in a child’s life.

However, regards safety on these camps, I do have a concern.

One way of eliminating my concerns is not to allow my children to go on the camps at all, but this is not an option. How could it be an option when the children get so excited, and, logically, and with trust in God, everything should go well, and nobody gets seriously injured?

However, accidents do happen.

Before my children go on a camp, I sign an indemnity form, and usually feel a little uneasy about signing this form, not for reasons of needing to blame anybody if something goes wrong – I understand the risks involved in attending school camps especially school camps that are adventure based, but I feel uneasy about not knowing what plans are in place for if there really is an emergency. Is there a plan?

What is the plan, for example, if everyone on the camp is in a place that is more than an hour from the nearest hospital, and a child sustains an injury that needs expert medical care within, say, half an hour – eg a puff adder bite, an unexpected severe allergic reaction, or a severe blow to the head or spine? What is the plan? Is a helicopter called for? Do the teachers have the phone numbers (including after hours) of the closest local doctor, in the area the camp is in? What if there is no cell phone reception? What is the plan?

I would rest easier, allowing my children to attend these camps, if I knew that excellent plans were in place in the event of emergencies.

Taking it a step further, and possibly having it incorporated into the camp programmes, it would be nice to see that the children themselves are taught what to do in an emergency if one of their fellow campers is badly injured. Competition-level adventure activities always have medical personnel at hand – I feel that the “medical emergency” aspect of adventure based camp programmes should be taught to the campers too, since medical experts do not attend the camps with the children. Participants in adventure competitions “go all out,” knowing expert medical assistance is nearby, if needed. If the school's campers know more about what to do in an emergency, they may be more willing to overcome their fears regarding many of the activities.

Regards,

Teresa Schultz

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Let's see those teeth

2010-05-16T01:06:00.002+02:00

Zooty was about 8 and a half here, showing off his teeth - well, some of them, as the other new teeth were still coming. So he was actually showing off some gaps between his teeth too. Aww, I miss those little shiny white milk teeth. He's now 11 and the teeth are pretty much sorted, for now. Wish mine were too, though.

About two weeks back, I was eating a soft gummy sweet, but seemed not so soft afterall, as the next thing I knew, I was crunching something hard. What was stuck in the sweet? I removed the sweet from my mouth and had a look. Oh dear! Quite odd, really, but there it was, a little part of my left front tooth sitting there in the sweet, looking smug ("I'm out! I'm out!)

My tongue wriggled around in my mouth, along and behind my teeth, feeling for damage, and my fingers were in my mouth too. Hm, a hole right in the centre of the BACK of my tooth. Odd, but there you go. Or there I go off to to the dentist to have that hole filled? Well, not quite yet. No medical aid, so it will have to wait a little while longer, until there's enough cash to pay the dentist. I lost this bit of tooth so easily though (old age coming quickly now?) and am worried more of it is going to break off, or crumble, before I get to the dentist. Well, I'm just being careful how I eat for now (look a bit silly I guess, when I bite into something I would usually use my front teeth for, but that's life hey!) (you win some and you lose some - teeth).

In this photo of Zooty, he had not yet had a first visit to the dentist. Neither had his brother Basti who is a year older. About a year later, though, Tony and I took them for their first visit to a dentist. Luckily they're still on their father's medical aid, and the visit went smoothly. A second check up is planned sometime soon - well, before year end, anyway. Hopefully I go to the dentist before the end of the year too!

Living at Granny

2010-05-15T12:42:00.004+02:00

Two happy boys in this May 2010 photo, hanging upside down in their Granny and Grandpa's bedroom - that's my boys, Zooty on the left, aged 11, and Basti on the right, aged 12. They love living at Granny. Tony and I are living with my mom and dad for now (the boys' Granny and Grandpa that they live with too). We also work from home here, offering various freelance services.

Basti and Zooty are very happy here. Their artwork gets displayed in Granny and Grandpa's bedroom - see some on the left of the photo above, in our tiny little home office, and in the lounge too;

They enjoy lying on Granny and Grandpa's bed some evenings (if they finish their homework with some time to spare before bedtime), to watch tv wth them;

Summer (and even many spring and autumn days here in South Africa) they enjoy the swimming pool my folks have;

They have their own computer in the room right next to our little office - which is our bedroom, and there, they do homework that requires the computer, and they also enjoy playing computer games on it - we don yet allow them Internet, though - can't it afford it right now (for them too), anyway;

Granny also has them read their little Bibles she gave them, every morning before school;

The household also has three dogs at the moment, that the boys enjoy. There's Gilly, our baby jack russell (well, she's a little over a year now, but she'll always be our little baby, just like the boys will always be my babies even when they're 60 and I'm blessed enough to still be alive and healthy then), and there's Shayna - a little supposed to be white old maltese poodle going blind and deaf, and there's Swift, a black big kinda maltese poodle thing, still fairly young, not sure exactly, she's an SPCA aquired dog of my folks - Swift and our Gilly are best friends. There was also Sheba, who passed away a year or so again (had put down, very old and blind), and there was Rocky, who died on the property - old age. My parents are actually thinking about sort of replacing Rocky (read about Rocky here)

Looking at the photo of my boys above again, of them hanging upside down like bats in their grandparents' bedroom, you will see a small black and white photo off to the right of the picture (actually looks grey). That's a black and white computer print out of the picture below. After Rocky died, I mixed a picture of Rocky with a picture of some flowers, in Photoshop, and gave it to my father.

The pole the boys are hanging on in the top photo is very helpful. Read about why it is in the room, and also how it helped relieve some nasty back pain I had not so long ago.

blog posts target for the two of us today: 21

2010-05-15T11:05:00.003+02:00

Hope we can manage it. We've written down the amount of posts each of our blogs should get today, and although we'd like to aim at even more than 21, 21 is our immediate aim. I think we might be able to do it. We're hoping this effort we are going to put in today will give us and our services a little more exposure (see previous post we have money to last about 4 days)

It's drizzling out, and is a perfect day for writing plenty.

Where are we planning on posting our 21 blog posts (which of our current 6 blogs?)
Well, it would be nice to put all 21 on just one blog, as that would make a nice difference in its ranking on myScoop, which we are big fans of, but, to keep our other blogs either stable there, or keep them rising in the ranks, we can't neglect them for too long. Trying to do well on myScoop definitely encourages one to write more! See this post about why we would like to try do well on myScoop.

The blogs we're going to try add 21 posts to today, and how many for each:

Tony Flanigan personal blog - at least 3 blog posts - written by Tony

Teresa Schultz personal blog (this blog) - at least 4 blog posts - written by me (with this post it's one down, three to go)

East London Photographs and Wild Ramblings - at least 5 - photos uploaded and written by me

TnT Unleashed 1pic4twenty - at least 3 - written by either of us - this blog has the best overall ranking, of our 6 on myScoop, at the moment.

Work at Home Jobs - at least 3 - written by either of us

Clay Brick - at least 3 blog posts, perhaps embed a Youtube video or two - written by either of us

Well, I best move on, then!

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

We have money to last about 4 days

2010-05-13T10:59:00.003+02:00

and then no more unless some work comes in - this is how it goes with our freelance work from home business - we were kinda relying on a little article appearing in a local free weekly delivered to homes today to give us a bit of exposure, but no article yet. Perhaps next week.

It's depressing, but not the end of the world. It just means we should have spent less time (mostly me - Tony is working on a new SA Auction site for a client) trying to improve our sites in case a few locals popped onto them to take a look (after reading the article), and should have spent more time on looking for more work. We've had a few okay months since starting to work from home in February 2008, but quite a few pretty bad months too - this month is one of the not so hot ones. Even our next Adsense cheque is not quite yet due, and even then, it takes about 7 weeks before it arrives in the post.

Back to oDesk, I guess, for now. oDesk is a freelance site where all sorts of work can be done, or people (Internationally) looking for freelance workers can hire them. I've been a member there for about a year now - take a look at my profile there - and have picked up some fun and interesting little freelance jobs - some not so little - we did work for a Florida US personal injury lawyer, recently, that lasted over 4 months and paid well.

So, how do we survive at times like this (it's happened before) - while waiting for, or trying to get the next client?

As a divorced mom of two boys, the children get a maintenance at the end of each month (about half of what their living expenses are when they're with me, their primary custodian - they're with me 18 nights in a 28 day period) This amount pretty much immediately goes on our telephone and ADSL account, and our rent at my parents, where we live. Those are two biggies that need taken care of immediately each month. There's a little already set aside, in a fixed savings, for the boys' future, which is "off limits" and doesn't even exist in my mind. That's not being touched. It's for the boys - and actually still needs to be so badly added to.

Another biggie is petrol. It's a 22 minute drive to school, but at least it's not all one big monthly cost, and we take it as it comes.

Back to oDesk - if we pick up a little job there, that we can manage, say, today, and hope the "oDesk buyer" pays today too, we can only access our earnings 6 days later. So, if we have money for only 4 days, what do we do for the inbetween 2 or 3 days, before accessing oDesk earnings?

We make a plan, and this is what all people struggling for an income should do. Make a plan.

We can:
market ourselves silly and sleep just 4 hours a night, to get a local client before the 4 days are up;
if 4 days go by and no local client, then we skimp and save and cut all we can, to get through the next 2 or 3 days while waiting for an oDesk payment;
although we don't like to borrow money from friends in case we struggle to pay it back, there is a friend or two who could and would help us out for a day or two - the boys even have a little birthday money over they wouldn't mind helping us out with for a day or two - but this is pretty much a last resort (they will tease they want interest when we pay them back, lol!);
other options are to hang a sign on the front wall to sell something we no longer need, or sell a few plants - we pretty much started out selling plants;
pray

And we get by. We make a plan, and get by.

Our reputation of good service is growing, and so is our portfolio.

This article is probably putting people off thinking of quitting their regular job and trying to work from home, and, in a way, that's good. Working from home does not suit everyone, but, at the same time, one should also realise: where there's a will, there's a way.

Other articles on our sites that may be of interest to you:

How Difficult is it to Find a Decent Job in East London, South Africa?

Don’t spend forever trying to find work. Just work.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Creating simple colourful abstracts with just your camera

2010-05-12T17:16:00.004+02:00

Simple and colourful abstract pictures are really easy to create, using only your camera. No photoshop or anything else. These abstract photos can be used for:

screensavers;

scrapbooking;

printing and turning into framed art for the walls of your home or office;

greeting cards;

make a few simple and inexpensive colour copies from just one proper print and you have gift wrapping paper;

learn how to fold your colour copies to make gift bags from them;

use as book covers for your childrens' school books;

The photo above was created by simply using the fireworks setting on a small 5 meg digital camera (mine) in a local Spur restaurant (looking at some lights in the restaurant - even one light will work fine). Abstract photos like this can also be created with an SLR camera using film, by using the "B" manual setting. Either the "B" setting on an SLR camera, or the fireworks scene setting on a digital camera keeps the shutter open for longer (usually need a tripod to steady your camera for a clear image), but don't use a tripod, and just swirl your camera around! I just held the camera and twirled it around, in fairly large circles, also moving my arm from left to right.

Different abstract effects can be created by making different movements with the camera:

I think this picture above looks like a little group of cartoon characters crawling home from a pub!

The one below was created by simply moving the camera sideways back and forth, instead of up and down or around and around.

Oh my word I'm so blonde! - or still such a newbie blogger!

2010-05-11T21:07:00.003+02:00

myScoop - the South African blog aggregator - is just blowing me away, AGAIN! Posted an article on one of my blogs about a Round Tuit less than an hour ago, then was on Google.co.za to show Tony what other Round Tuits look like, (typed in only two words: Round Tuit) and over 30 000 search results came up, and hey, there on page one (in the first ten results) was a link to myScoop with my blog title! Clicked it, brought me to myScoop and the title and first few words of my article, with another link there saying "Go to this article" and clicking that took me to my blog post! I didn't know myScoop did this.

myScoop is powerful. I almost wish it was my own little secret, but I'm a nice person, so I'm sharing this. All SA bloggers should join myScoop, and gain more exposure for their blogs and blog articles. Easy peasy.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

myScoop, and There ARE nice guys in South Africa

2010-05-11T17:15:00.002+02:00

When we hit a glitch with our websites, we call on Collin, our web hosting guy. Collin's brilliant. He's helpful, and quick to help sort out our problems. Tony and I can be a bit blonde, at times, but Collin doesn't mind - or is quiet about us being blonde - and is forever patient, and just a great big help. This is much appreciated.

Nicholas Duncan, founder and creator of the South African blog aggregator myScoop, is another nice guy.

Tony (another nice South African guy - my boyfriend!) and I joined myScoop about a week ago (added our blogs to myScoop) and we're really enjoying it there - easy to use and fun to see how one's blog is rated against the other members' blogs. myScoop uses real-time to allow a bookmark of one's latest blog posts to immediately just pop up on myScoop. Blogs drop or rise every day in the listings.

I was really pleased to recently see two of my four blogs listed there make the top five on the "Today's top risers" list - so was inspired to write a few more posts for some of my blogs, only to be quite upset when the bookmark for two of them did not immediately appear, as before, and as my other blog posts still were.

At first, I thought it was just a little glitch, that would sort itself out soon, but was worrying about ending up looking like I was one of the "Today's top fallers" so contacted Nicholas Duncan via email.

With a bit of advice from our hosting guy, Collin, we managed to sort it all out, and the bug is fixed! Nicholas worked hard at sorting it out, and communicated throughout, and, well, isn't that nice? How many International site owners do you sometimes wait forever to hear back from? This was all sorted in next to no time. Local is lekker.

myScoop is "South Africa's Real-Time Blog Aggregator and Blogging Community"

If you are experiencing any bugs or problems related to myScoop, don't just keep mum about it, or leave myScoop. Help Nick Duncan make myScoop as best as it can be for all, by contacting him and letting him know.

Oh? You're a South African blogger and haven't yet joined myScoop? Um, well, gee, that's a bit silly. Get to it!

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

How can I not love my hometown East London?

2010-05-11T13:36:00.004+02:00

I've never moved out of East London in South Africa, and I'm now 41. Actually, it's sad that I've not yet been to Cape Town, overseas, or flown in an areoplane at the age of 41 either! I'm happy here in my little hometown of East London, and how could I not be?

I've grown up in East London. It's home. I have such great memories of this place I call home - and I don't want to ever say, or refer to it as "The place I used to live in."

What does East London have that no other places in South Africa have - besides great memories if one grows up here, and very friendly people?

Well, pehaps not such a good point - but I like it - East London is also known as Slummies - but it's in such a nice way, I think. People are mostly relaxed, down to earth, and just themselves. Of course there's times or outings that call for dressing up a bit, but, generally, hardly anyone looks at you twice, here, if you go into a shop barefoot, or with curlers in your hair. It's acceptable. It's Slummies. It's nice.

What else does East London (Buffalo City, South Africa) have?

It has Friesland milkshakes. Come on, everyone who's tried a Friesland milkshake loves them. It's the kind of thing, that makes an East Londoner sit up in the middle of the night, suddenly, and say: "Aw gee, I don't think they are open now, but I want a Friesland milkshake nooooow!"

East London has the Windmill, right at the bus station near the beachfront, and the Windmill has hot chilli burgers. Aged about 18, (some 23 years ago for me now), three of us friends used to go off to the Windmill, get some chilli burgers, then go do something odd and 18-ish and park in a cemetary eating the burgers, and cry from the heat of the chilli - or disguise our fear at being where we were!

East London has Numbers. A nightclub and disco that's moved around a bit - not sure if I loved it best when it was still out next to the old drive-in because it was next to the old drive-in, or just because those times, spent at Numbers next to the old East London drive-in, were some of the best times my friends and I had at Numbers.

East London has the oldest aquarium in South Africa, along the esplanade, and the only South African river port, down at the Buffalo River. East London has the Surfers Marathon.

East London has beautiful beaches. It has Mermaid's Pool; it has Nahoon beach and Nahoon Reef.

East London has 200 000 year old fossilized footprints , has the Coelacanth , has Joan Harrison and the Joan Harrison public swimming pool (as a kid, I used to spend plenty of summers there with friends.)

East London has Wendy Botha , and Jody Scheckter.

East London has Tony, my boys, my family and friends, and East London has me.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

What time is the right time?

2010-05-11T12:08:00.005+02:00

The school bell is the right time, even if it's not. The digital clock in the car is set to the same time as the school bell. (I say "the" car and not "my" car, because it's my dad's, even though it has cost me nearly R15 000 - Hey, we're trying here, and will make it one day, we swear! - a car or two of our own, a lovely home of our own, with the boys no longer sharing a room, a successful business, a great future for the boys, and fulfill a desire to help other South Africans also earn an income working from home, or running their own small business - these are things we want, and will get, through determination and hard work, and with the help of God.)

Yesterday evening while waiting outside doctors' rooms for my mom's sister who has an ear infection of sorts, we got to looking at litter in the streets, and thinking about time. How long was my aunt going to be? Was the doctor running late?

A bit of chatting, taking photographs of litter, and more thinking about time. Noticed the time on my cellphone was different from the time on the digital clock in the car. 7 minutes behind the time on the car clock! No good. All time must be the same as the school bell's time!

Some frustrated fiddling later, we gave up. We couldn't find the time settings on my phone. This is sad, when we can design websites, and handle a lot on Photoshop, but can't set the time on my cellphone! So, now what? Set the wake up alarm (on my phone that sleeps next to my side of the bed along with the panic button hanging there - this is South Africa) - or carry on as normal with the mad rush to school in the mornings?

Well, I guess I have a bit more time to think about it, as we didn't have to get up too early this morning (for the school rush) as the boys spent last night at their dad.

Perhaps I could somehow sort out with the school that the school bell be changed to the time on my cellphone?

Update: (15 May): We found it! Lol, yeah, just a day later, we relaxed, had another look on the cellphone, and found where to change the time. Was right there all along, in initial set up, I think, lol, it was a few days ago, and I guess I should note exactly where we found it in case we need to set the time again. So, no talking to the school about changing the time of the school bell's morning ring. Cool.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

I think I enjoy rushing when driving the kids to school in the mornings?

2010-05-11T11:09:00.004+02:00

I mean, I must, or else, to avoid the mad rush, I would get up earlier, right? Hm, I should think about this more. The rush (no speeding though) freaks me out at times, but there's another kind of rush that comes with it all.

When navigating through the traffic, and then along the highway, then the roads closer to the school, I'm so alert. Super alert. And it feels good. It feels good to feel so alive and awake.

And then there's the hopping back into the car after helping the boys get their bags out the boot of the car and hugging them goodbye with last-minute "love you's" ringing in the air. Tony and I plop down in the car seats, and people probably two cars away in the parking lot can probably hear our sighs - and with those sighs, comes utter relaxation, a sort of sitting and contemplating, for a minute or two sometimes, of "Wow, what a rush to get here, it was stressful but somehow exciting, and hey, the boys made it to school before the school bell today!"

Then it's slowly put seatbelts on again, lift hands to the steering wheel, and we "start" our day. Although very alert while driving to school, it's often not until this point, that we feel we have really woken up.

I think part of not being able to easily get up earlier in the mornings must be due to the fact that we often go to bed as late as 1 am (due to work, or marketing our work, on the computers) - then we get up at 5.40 am to get the kids out of bed for their shower and to get ready for school. We come through to our little home office, have coffee, and try wake up. We usually check emails, check Google Adsense earnings accumulated through the night (if any), and, now lately, often also try and check what's happening on two blog aggregators we've recently joined - Afrigator, and MyScoop

Then it's off to dress, prepare the boys' school lunches, decide if Gilly our jack russell is coming with for a walk around the school fields (if weather is fine, we feel we need some exercise, and we're not meeting a client on the way home), and then off to school.

Could get up earlier. Could skip the checking of emails etc. But then we'd probably miss that mad rush to school, which, dare I say it, seems to wake us up more than a cup of coffee. And it feels good.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Why drive with car lights on during the day?

2010-05-10T13:09:00.002+02:00

Well, I think that here in South Africa, anyway, it is illegal for motorcyclists to ride their motocyles without their lights (light?) on. This makes sense - they're much smaller on the roads than cars, and being more visible on motorbikes is safer for both motorcylists and drivers of cars.

Drivers of cars, on the other hand, don't have to drive with their lights on, unless they really need to because they simply can't see well enough due to it being dark (because it's night or there's heavy rainfall) or due to there being a lot of fog or mist, or dust flying about on a dry dirt road.

Many cars do have their lights on, though, even on sunny days. This makes them more visible to other motorists, and what with the rate of car accidents in South Africa obviously needing to be reduced, why not? When you're in a crazy rush, but still trying to drive carefully, you may still be stressed enough not to notice that car speeding up because it's a similar colour to the road, or the sun might be in your eyes.

The above was pretty much explained by me to my 12 year old son the other morning in the car (I was driving) on the way to school. Along the highway, he asked: "Mom, it's sunny so why do just about all those cars have their lights on?" (the cars that were approaching us, travelling in the opposite direction, on the other side of the highway.)

I answered, while squinting against the very bright sunlight in my face, "Well, the sun is in my eyes right now, and it's bugging me, so I'm trying to concentrate on only the road directly in front of me. Now should one of those other cars on the other side of the highway have some kind of an accident and come careening towards us, there's a chance I might not notice, against this glare, and we'll have a bad accident. However, if their lights are on, even though the sun is also shining in my eyes, I am more likely to notice this sudden approach of lights coming at us from the other side of the road, and possibly have time to react."

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Are we too nice?

2010-05-10T11:20:00.002+02:00

Would we get further in this world, more quickly, if we weren't so nice? Tony and I are proud that we've managed to make a living for ourselves, working from home, having started working from home in about February 2008, but it's not easy, and we are not yet making a fortune - not nearly.

We see how much other people are charging for web design services, and other creative design or writing services too, and, although we have recently put our prices up a bit, we just don't think we will ever charge as much as very many people do. We know we are not getting too far too quickly like this, but, hey, we're nice people and don't want to charge people a fortune. Now if we're so nice, does that give us a reason to be upset if it's not appreciated? Not really, hey, because then that wouldn't be nice.

We do get upset sometimes, though, depressed, miserable, and wonder if we shouldn't be so nice - doing things for clients that were not part of the original requirements and not charging them for the extra bit of work put in; not moaning to clients after we've been sitting at a coffee shop waiting to meet them and have bought coffee for ourselves with sometimes just about the last of our money, then the client does not rock up; or, spending two hours (away from work/home and our computers where we earn our income) with a client who sounds so interested in what we do and can do for them, and then they either phone the next day to say they're going to consider a website at a later stage rather, or, we never hear from them again - and we just say "It's fine, don't worry, no problem." And we move on. The thing is, it's not really fine. It sucks. But we're nice people, and we rant and rave on our blogs about it, or to each other, which isn't really nice, but, hey, how does one get it out there that we're doing the best that we can, not just for ourselves, but for our clients too.

The sites we design are cheap in cost, not "cheap." We design sites that many other designers can design too, except we charge less, and you usually get more too. If people want to hire more expensive designers (because that must mean they're good, right?) we should really just put our prices up a lot more. But we can't. We're nice.

And you know what? - now that our rant is out of the way and we feel better, and even though this rant may not be viewed as "nice," we are going to stay nice. The few people that do remember us for it, are worth it.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Why are Tony and I proud South Africans?

2010-05-08T12:46:00.004+02:00

Yes, our beautiful country, South Africa, is in a bit of trouble, things could be better, and the crime rate is frightening, but we're still proud South Africans!

I haven't even needed to travel, yet, to explore other countries, and that should sound odd when I enjoy photography so much, but, wow, there's so many beautiful sunsets, sunrises, coastlines, countryside settings right here in South Africa, why would I want to explore further? Ok, just for fun maybe, maybe one day, but I'm happy here. Born and bred South African - and East Londoner, actually, too. Love my little hometown. Love South Africa.

I am sad, though, that people in South Africa do get affected by crime, and that they feel compelled to leave. I would probably want to leave then too, if my family is badly affected by crime, or stands further risk of harm. But would I be happy about leaving SA? No!

Biltong and dry wors, ouma rusks, sunny skies, hardly any earthquakes of great measure, stunning coastlines, braais and boerewors, South African slang, melktert, and, gee, well, how to sum it all up? Friendliness!

Proudly South African, Terry and Tony, of East London, South Africa!

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Oops us proud South Africans put the red at the bottom of the SA flag

2010-05-08T11:59:00.004+02:00

Last night, giving advice to Zooty (grade 6) for his school poster project on a 2010 World Cup soccer team's country (we/he chose South Africa - Bafana Bafana), he made a South African flag for part of his poster project, with green, gold, black, white, blue and red coloured cardboard. Oops, only at the end did we notice he put the blue (with glue already dried) at the top (where the red goes) and the red at the bottom.

This means another trip to a stationery shop to get more cardboard and sort it out. Hm. Basti (grade 7) also has a school poster project to do, although his will be on A3 card, not on A2 like Zooty's - about healthy meals for ill people (a menu for a day, including snacks) and why the foods are good etc - proteins, carbohydrates, energy, fats etc - and his cardboard background is yellow - well, was meant to be yellow, but Zooty used it for his gold colouring on his South African flag for his 2010 World Cup soccer country project - instead of the darker yellow we got for this purpose. So a new yellow cardboard background for Basti's project has to be bought too.

Thank goodness we didn't leave this homework until Sunday afternoon, as we normally do (nice to give the kids a complete break from school stuff and homework on a Friday afternoon), but some homework, and needing to learn for some tests prior to their exams is starting to pile up, so we thought let's get them started on their projects before that piles up too. Having let them do some work on their projects last night (Friday) instead of only Sunday afternoon (they go to their father Saturday nights and get back just before lunch on Sunday - and I don't usually send homework with them to their father on Saturdays) means at least we didn't make this bumble then only, and have to dash out and find some place open that sells cardboard - in the right colours too. So, sorted.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

My blog's Active Rate on myScoop dead?

2010-05-08T11:08:00.003+02:00

My Active Rate (on myScoop) shows as dead for this blog - which sounds absolutely awful! I do "get it" though - I think. Although I added 4 posts to this blog yesterday, I just joined (added my blog to myScoop) a few minutes ago, so I guess it will sort itself out soon - like maybe now? (now that I'm adding this post lol!)

About two weeks ago I added my blogs to Afrigator, and it's great but the competition is pretty fierce, hey! So, am trying another South African blog aggregator too - myScoop. I also have one of my blogs on the blog aggregator Amatomu, and should add my other current three there too. Time, time, time - goes nowhere, lol. I need a big fat round tuit (get-around-to-it) in front of my face all the time!

These South African blog aggregators - myScoop, Afrigator, and Amatomu - are fun - it's great to see how one's blog measures up against other SA blogs, and it encourages blog owners (bloggers!) to post post post to their blogs. Nice one, SA!

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

We boil our drinking water here in South Africa

2010-05-07T11:27:00.003+02:00

Not that we drink much water on it's own, actually, and we still find ourselves just opening the tap to fill a glass with water when we want to swallow a tablet, or mix it with cooldrink mix for the boys' school lunches, but we boil water quite regularly because we drink a lot of coffee. Thinking of coffee and tablets, and water, sometimes we will even let our coffee cool a bit, and use that to swallow a tablet - swallowing tablets usually calls for quite a large gulp, especially when there's large capsules involved, or pills that taste absolutely disgusting and dissolve in the mouth too quickly.

Apparently the drinking water in South Africa, from dams, is still relatively okay and healthy, so we drink it from time to time without doing anything extra to it - and it hasn't killed the dogs in the household yet either, so we assume it's pretty much okay. Doesn't taste too wonderful though. We really ought to start drinking more water - it's so beneficial for so many different aspects of life - not to mention survival, and I guess, if we do (start drinking more water), we'll probably buy bottled water from supermarkets, and we'll know it's been purified already, or, who knows, down the line we might get our own home water purifier - or, what's wrong with just boiling it (water from the taps in one's home) - isn't that enough to kill any germs? Baby's bottles are often cleaned and sterilized in just boiling water, so maybe it's enough to do that - but, hey, it's always so much easier, and yummier, to switch the kettle on, add coffee, milk and sugar to a cup, with boiling water, and sit back and relax with a good cup of coffee - so much better than swallowing tablets with cold drinking water from taps!

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

He hasn't had his coffee yet, is that okay with you?

2010-05-07T11:02:00.004+02:00

Last night, the boys and I were looking at some photos of them taken about two years ago. As we clicked onto this photo of Basti, Basti piped up "I haven't had my coffee yet, okay???" We all "saw it" in the photo, and thought it was pretty funny, and appropriate.

It's a good thing when people can laugh at themselves. He doesn't drink coffee, yet, but Tony and I have to have a few cups a day. Just hope Basti's comment wasn't so easy to just let fall out of his mouth because that's how he sees Tony and I in the mornings before our first cup of coffee!

He's actually sucking a real burny sweet in this photo - a cup of coffee may have actually helped at the time to cool down that burn!

Speaking of coffee, don't you just hate it when you have a cup, are relaxing, get distracted, reach for another sip, looking forward to it, then feel upset and deprived when you notice your cup is already empty and you don't remember drinking that last sip? You were going to enjoy that last sip! Read this short little article I wrote on Xomba, about an idea about how this could be avoided.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

How getting sidetracked can actually help you move forward

2010-05-07T10:07:00.004+02:00

It happens to me often enough - getting sidetracked - and I'm sure it happens to you too. You're busy with work on the computer (you work from home like Tony and I do) and you decide to perhaps quickly check your emails. Nothing there that you need to deal with urgently related to your business, but there's an email from your friend that looks interesting. Ah! Breaktime, and sidetrack time! You know you should be getting on with your work, but what's a minute or two - a break will do you good, revitalize you, and give you more energy to tackle your work with renewed energy and more enthusiasm (you think to yourself, trying to make excuses for yourself because what you really know, deep down, is that your break is probably going to be a bit longer than just a minute or two).

Being sidetracked for more than just a minute or two is not the end of the world either - it can actually help you with your work at home business. The words in your friend's email inspires you to click the link in it, or inspires you to "quickly" look up something on Google.

You find what you like, but on the Google results page, there's other links and descriptions related to the topic that sound interesting too - so you check those out too - then, on more than just one of these 5 or 6 sites you check out, you find more links of interest, and off you go - to check out those sites too!

You find a site or two that sparks your imagination, and this sends you off searching for something else completely different! Or you like a site so much you tell a friend about it, by sending them an email - they reply right away, saying "Thanks, cool, and have you seen this site?" It could never end!

But you know your work is calling, and you stop "being sidetracked" - eventually - and, it wasn't all bad - your "time away from work" was useful - perhaps you needed a break that was that long, perhaps you found out something interesting that can be of use to a friend or relative, perhaps you discovered a method to speed up your work or make it easier to do, perhaps you were inspired to put in more effort regards something in your life, perhaps you got ideas for another work from home plan that you or your family could benefit from.

So, next time you get sidetracked, don't panic, don't feel bad, just be sure to take notes, and use your sidetracking time as best you can!

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

It was my 41st birthday yesterday and Tony took pictures of me

2010-05-07T09:27:00.002+02:00

We didn't do much for my 40th birthday, and did even less yesterday on my 41st birthday. Of course a big fat party appeals to me, but we'll keep that for another time, when we can afford to splash out, and not feel it too much.

On our way out to breakfast at the Wimpy (which, due to being so late, was more like lunch) Tony took some pictures of me, and I posed for him. Took some pictures in the same spot against the garage door last year on my 40th too. It's probably going to become a tradition, posing for Tony on my birthday each year. Kind of nice, I guess, to see how I age from one year to the next, with the photos being taken exactly a year apart - and while we're still staying at my folks' house, in the same spot too. Could also get a bit disturbing though, to see how much, or how quickly I'm ageing. Kinda sucks, when although I do sometimes feel my age, I also feel like I'm still just 17!

Here are some photos Tony took of me yesterday:

And regards that big fat birthday party I'd like one day, perhaps in one year's time on my 42nd birthday would be a good idea - we went to a party early last year to celebrate Mouse's 42nd birthday and to take photos for him and his wife, and the party was nicknamed "a second 21st" (and double that is 42) - and I like the sound of that - but maybe Tony and I will wait for my 50th and call it a second 25th or something, and at the same time perhaps celebrate great success with our business, (by then, surely?), display some photos and digital art perhaps, invite a few of our clients too, etc etc - lol, I guess this is the point where I usually say, nice to dream..., but Tony and I are determined little buggers, regards our work, and many other things too, and we look forward to having that nice big fat party one day.

I have a toilet dog not a toilet duck

2010-05-05T20:38:00.004+02:00

Well, ok, she's not just mine, she's Tony's too, and Gilly, our jack russell, does not really clean the toilet like toilet duck would (ugh, what would that entail - licking the loo??), but she's still my little toilet dog.

Our home office is basically at the back end of the house; one can walk through the garage in the front to get to it, or come through from our bedroom. If taking the "through the garage" route, from the front of the house, then one would pass the loo on the right just before stumbling up a step into our office. Close to the loo door, on the left, is the door to our bedroom.

There are another two loos in the house (we live at my parents' for now), but you know how it goes, busy on the computer, needing to get just that one last sentence typed, or link saved, or email sent off, and then I suddenly need to dash off to relieve my bladder (lots of cola and coffee, hm, yeah, I know, not good) - so I'm really grateful the loo is like just about right there.

I kinda shove the door just about closed and then proceed to "do my thing" and before I know it, "creak, creak" the door is gently shoved open, and in rambles Gilly. She looks up at me, I say "hello toilet dog," I pick her up, give her a cuddle, set her down, and off she toddles again.

I mean, she can be like fast asleep - and she sleeps "good" - twitches and tweaks (?) in her sleep, and runs after hadedas in the fields in her dreams - and moans with disappointment when they fly off before she can catch them, - but the second I'm in the loo, there she is, wide awake, my beautiful little toilet dog.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

How about blog comments as a birthday gift service?

2010-05-04T22:01:00.004+02:00

I'm forever dreaming up different ways to make money, not just for myself, but for my visitors to my different sites too - and since my birthday is coming up in two days' time, it got me thinking about gifts, and blogging - although blogging is something I think about a great deal more than birthdays.

When thinking of what to buy others for their birthdays, I usually think of what I myself would like if I was that person, and that's what I buy, or create, or make, or organize. I usually have to know the person quite well to get it right.

Now, for myself, I was thinking, what gift would I like? And would others also like what I like? Oh, I love hats and scarves, and chocolate, if I'm thinking of items as gifts, but I also like blogging, and working from home as a freelancer. I also like trying to give others ideas as to what they can do to make money from home.

My blogs are all still relatively new - and, so many people out there like the idea of blogging, but also have new-ish sites, - and hardly any comments - it's really exciting for newbies to get those first few comments, and even for the not so new bloggers to get plenty of comments. Decent comments - thoughts and input, not just "nice blog, I subscribed."

Knowing how much it can please people to get decent comments on their blogs, I should think about offering a birthday gift service to friends and family of active or new and excited bloggers - I would get paid to leave comments on a person's blog - look through the posts, read through them, understand them, and then leave a suitable and related nice comment - often geared towards seo for that person too, so that they would be really pleased with the comment.

Others that are great at leaving welcome and interesting blog comments should think of offering a birthday gift blogging service too. Or, if you're generally just a great listener, enjoy reading, and are friendly, think of it as a work from home opportunity to look into a bit more.

I know that, I, for one, would love to receive a birthday gift of some nice comments on my blog posts on my actual birthday, and know that it was a gift from somebody who understood what I liked, and wasn't able to do the commenting himself or herself. So, I should think about what I enjoy possibly being something that others could enjoy too, and I should offer the service. I (or you, if you are thinking of doing this too) could sell different packages eg 5 comments, 10 comments, 20 comments! Then there could also be sub category packages to choose from related to how many words I should write eg minimum 50 words, minimum 100 words, minimum 200 words etc!

Tony and I do already offer a blog commenting service, but hadn't yet thought of marketing it as a birthday gift service. (so here's the first step towards that idea!)

If you're a keen blogger, and it's your birthday today, I hope you have a super birthday, and that your blog or blogs get loads of comments today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

I just said to Tony I wish I could just sleep for 5 days

2010-05-01T23:56:00.004+02:00

Freelance work can be tough at times, and especially when one's freelance business is still less than 3 years old. When one doesn't work, one doesn't earn. We don't yet charge enough for what we do. We've recently put our prices up, but it's still not enough to afford a holiday once in a while - not even a holiday right at home. We're still growing. But, oh, to just do nothing and sleep sleep sleep as much as we like. I think that five days of doing absolutely nothing and sleeping as much as we like would feel like a 3 week vacation to us.

But we cannot afford to just stop work and do nothing for a few days. And if there is no work for a while, we spend the time marketing or blogging to give ourselves or our sites more exposure to get the next bit of work. Or we apply for jobs on oDesk.

Ok, we have breaks, and since Tony and I are pretty inseperable, we take breaks together:

Taking the boys to school is a break. 44 minutes there and back just for the driving, so with a brief stop at the shops for some essentials, it's about an hour and fifteen minutes break from work.

Fetching the boys from school? Perhaps another hour and fifteen minutes.

We sometimes (perhaps 3 or 4 times a month) pop in at Hemingways to lose some money, have a drink or two, and relax. So, what's that? Perhaps 9 hours a month break?

We don't watch tv - no time for that, and none in our bedroom or office anyway. Ok, so we do Stumble a bit, visit YouTube or FaceBook, but it's not for long.

We will also get out a dvd from time to time - perhaps sometimes we overdo it a bit, like 5 in ten days, but then we might go a month or so before watching another one. Our office is tiny, but there's just enough space behind our two chairs at the two computers (next to each other of course) to take a step or two backwards and plop into two lazyboys there, and watch a dvd on the computer. So, that's ten hours of dvd and perhaps 2 hours of YouTube a month = 12 hours a month. How much time each month do you spend watching tv - or playing computer games?

We will also take time out from work to take the boys to movies during the school holidays - you could say we go to the movies with the boys maybe 9 times a year. If the boys have something on at school, or to do with sport, we take time out to support them.

We also take them to karate two evenings a week, and wait there until it's over, walking our jack russell Gilly about 1 and a half kilometres on the fields - or using the time to pop in at the shops.

Then there's school projects and orals that the boys need guidance with, or learning for exams and we spend time asking them questions.

Oh, and then, of course, making meals, eating, showering, sleeping.

It's all a break from work.

And sleeping. That's a break too.

Sounds like a bit fat moan, doesn't it? Well, I guess it is, when one is feeling so tired, and, often, generally always feeling tired. Being alert, awake, fresh and active takes a lot of energy and I guess our batteries are not being recharged enough.

When associates or friends say "have a good weekend!" we know they mean well, but to tell the truth, a lot of our work gets done on the weekends - when the boys have less homework, when there's no sport or school trips, and when we know we don't have to get up at 5.40 am, so we can sleep a tad later in the mornings (if we're not too far behind with our work). But catching up on sleep one or two nights a week, isn't doing the trick. Our batteries need more recharging than that - and we can't just sleep and sleep, or else work (or marketing it) gets behind!

Well, now that my moan is pretty much over, do I feel better? I guess, somewhat, but, gee, I'm still so tired, and so is Tony. Sometimes we can't remember when we last felt really refreshed. Or when we do remember, we remember that it barely lasted.

With life what it is today, we know there are many people who feel the same as we do, each and every day.

Yes, we're a bit jealous of the people who can take time off work for a few days or weeks (and mostly still get paid while they're not working), but do you know what? - we are going to put up with how tired we feel, we're going to continue being available for the boys, we're going to continue working for ourselves, we're going to continue growing our business, building our portfolio and reputation, and, we're going to make it! Our determination is what keeps us awake.

And one day, whenever that may be, we're going to do nothing for ten days, not five, and sleep all we like, and at the end of that break we'll say: "Well, all that hard work was worth it!"

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

What is this dog breed and does anyone have a dog that looks like this?

2010-04-29T23:27:00.003+02:00

Tony and I, and my boys, live at my parents' house. For now. Their dog Rocky died about 2 years ago, and now they're looking for a new dog that looks very similar to Rocky.

My parents asked me to email pictures of Rocky to Save a Pet, in Port Elizabeth, I think - and they will get back to us if they have a dog that is the same breed, and looks similar to how Rocky looked. Rocky was about the size of a jack russell or maltese poodle.

Port Elizabeth is a little far fom East London (South Africa), and I was just wondering if anybody closer to East London, or even in East London, knew where we could possibly find this kind of dog for my parents.

I gave Rocky to my parents myself, seems like many years ago now. Rocky must have been about 15 when he died.

An ex boyfriend and I were driving along the N2 near the East London SPCA when we noticed this little dog toddling along on the side of the road. It didn't really look like a stray, and appeared to be quite young - probably under 6 months old. We pulled over, opened the door, and a pup we later named Rocky hopped in. Just like that.

We had to be elsewhere, so instead of driving to the SPCA about 1km away, we took Rocky with us, and phoned the SPCA. Early that morning they had found a dog basket and dog toys at their front door - but no dog in sight.

The SPCA did some enquiries, allowing us to keep Rocky in the meantime, ( a day or two), and then announced, that, if we wanted to, we could keep him.

Although we were already growing so fond of the cute little pup, we were staying in a flat, and it was not suitable for an energetic young dog.

So my folks became the pleased and proud owners of a dog that gave them many years of joy!

The photos were taken about a year before Rocky died. I was living back at my parents by then.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

Afrigator is only showing my boyfriend's recent blog posts, not mine.

2010-04-28T22:46:00.010+02:00

I'm quite upset - it's probably just something I'm overlooking, but I'm still upset. Maybe one needs three posts on a new blog first or something?

I registered one of my other blogs with Afrigator (an SA blog aggregator) a few days ago, and it's wonderful to log in and see my stats for the past seven days, and to see how my blog is ranking in South Africa and Africa. So, I decided to register two more of my blogs, another one, and this one I am on right now (and you are reading), earlier today. Tony registered his personal blog today too, the first time he registered a blog on Afrigator.

Earlier this evening Tony posted a new article (his third on his new blog), and voila, there it immediately appeared in the list of recent posts on Afrigator ( a title, a link, and a brief summary). I posted a new article (my second one on this blog, as this one here is my third) a few minutes after Tony posted his (also on a free blogspot.com blog like this one), and ... nothing.

This reminds me that yesterday or the day before I was looking for my Wordpress blog's recent posting on Afrigator and couldn't find it. I assumed just because I'm still new there, but Tony is even newer. Tony and I have since discovered (on Afrigator) that paid-for Wordpress blogs have to have a PuSHPress plugin to enable the posts to be tracked in realtime, instead of only roughly two hours later. But I coudn't find my Wordpress post for a good few hours after I posted it.

But the free blogspot.com blogs and the free wordpress.com blogs' posts are supposed to be tracked straight away. Not mine. Yet.

Hopefully third time lucky, with this post being my third!

If no luck, I guess will keep looking through the Afrigator site for answers, or will have to email them and ask for clarity. Don't get it though, as Tony registered just the same as I did, and all is fine with his postings being tracked right away.

UPDATE Thursday 29 April 2010:
I eventually emailed Afrigator support, (late last night after 11pm) and had a reply before 8 this morning! Thank you Stii Pretorius of Afrigator! He's looking into the problem and is in communication with me via email, and is very helpful and polite. I'm glad it's going to be sorted, and also glad to have found out that I can actually just ping my latest posts myself if I'm in a super hurry to get them onto the latest posts lists on the homepage. Cool!

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

How to customise the header banner of your Blogger blogspot blog like I just did

2010-04-28T21:50:00.002+02:00

I was thinking about leaving my header banner plain, with just a bit of text description about what this blog is about (this is only my second post on this blog), but decided to spice it up a bit. I'm still learning so much about blogs and blogging as I go along, but I'm really pleased that my free Blogger template can be somewhat customised. The free Blogger theme for my blog is the first of the four rounders themes on offer.

I clicked layout and then, on the widgets page in my dashboard, went to the header area at the top to click edit. I chose to upload an image from my computer, and chose the option to allow my image to load behind my text (Placement: "Behind title and description").

Clicked save, and went to look at my new page. Oops, had a huge image there, could hardly see the white text of the blog title and description over it, and the image was off to the left mostly. Looking at it, I decided I quite liked the rather large image ( I may change the image later, and from time to time, and possibly use not-so-large ones, but the one I'm speaking about at the moment is a picture of a huge wave crashing onto sand (see more pictures taken at that beach spot on the same day) - hm, just thought, if I change it later, information I have planned for further down in this post won't make sense, so I guess I should upload it here too), but I wanted it centred, filling up the whole background space, other than a slight border at the ends. What I did like to see, at least, is that my picture was not distorted, the background Blogger panel just moved down with it, leaving a little border at the bottom and at the left (and a too-big border on the right).

So, needed to do some maths and measuring. (oh dear!) ("Tony, heeeelp pleeeease!")

Tony to the rescue. Tony did some measuring for me, using a Firefox add-on. Get it here (free). We needed to determine the width of the background panel. If you are using the same theme that I am, well, I can save you some time, as the width decided for my image of the wave, is 710 pixels. That leaves a thin little border of the natural blog's panel colour showing through at the sides of the image (and at the bottom of the image.)

We only had to worry about the width of the image, as the height would just push the background panel down behind it, keeping the background panel (with narrow borders at the sides and bottom) nicely in place.

We also needed to determine how much space my description above the image was taking up. We wanted to add the colour of the panel to the top of my image (and save it as a new image), so that the white writing would be clearly visible on it, instead of camouflaged on the image.

One can get the exact colour of part of a website page by taking a screenshot of the page, saving the image as a .jpeg and opening it in Photoshop to use a colour picker. Or one can use an application like Color Scheme Designer 1.0b (free.)

A height of 130 pixels was needed for the blog’s title and description. I added it onto the top of my wave picture, in Photoshop (after Tony told me the measurements for the top area – 130 x 710) and then saved the new image. This was done by opening a new file 130 pixels higher than the wave picture, then the wave picture was copy and pasted onto this blank image – the sides and bottom fitted snugly (the border around them on the blog appears automatically, using the measurements I did), and the top area was filled in with the background colour (#445566)

Deleted the “mistake” image on the blog by simply clicking “remove” in the header edit area of my dashboard, and then uploaded the new one – it looked great!

But, being me, I wanted it to look even better, and a little more personal.

I decided that I’d like to see people (myself, Tony, and my sons) directly beneath the blog title and description, before (above) the top of the wave image.

I already knew the width of a new file I wanted to create in Photoshop (710 pixels) and knew that the height of the description text area was 130 pixels. I knew I wanted my “people banner” a bit taller than my description area, so just decided to make it 180 pixels.

So now had to create a new background “file/image” for all three “banners” –

The height of my wave image, the height of my description area, as well as the height of my new, planned “people banner.”

I made my people banner separately, placed the wave image at the bottom of the file waiting for it, placed the description area at the top of that same file waiting for it, and placed my new people banner between them (all fitting snugly onto the file/background in Photoshop.)

I saved the new image, and will use it as my template when deciding on different images for it later.

I opened it up in Photoshop again, and saved it with a different name (actually just put the word “fun” at the end), and then messed about a bit in Photoshop, having that fun I mentioned, using the colour picker, text, and a splattery kind of brush tool.

Then loaded my image and I had a customized Blogger header banner!

UPDATE: I've since changed the theme of my Blogger blog - the image I used as a header banner in my old theme appears at the bottom of every page on this blog.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2010

My first post but not my first blog

2010-04-28T11:17:00.002+02:00

Hello visitors! And hopefully old and current friends and aquaintances, and future friends and aquaintances! Yes I do use exclamations a lot, and will try calm down with that a bit, okay? (!)

Well, here I am with yet another blog, and I was thinking why not one with my own name as the title - so here it is and please enjoy it!

I like to write, and hopefully you'll enjoy what goes on in this head of mine, and the accounts of my everyday life.

Welcome to my world, grab a cup of tea or coffee - or something stronger if you like, and stay a while. Enjoy!

Teresa Schultz, East London, South Africa