Update

Ok, so I'm a bit bored this evening. Watched all that E and SABC 2 had to offer and taped the movie on SABC 3 for tomorrow. Hubby is playing Party Poker and up to over a million already. Last week he came to bed at about 8am on Sunday morning - he says he's hooked. I won't panic until he's playing with actual money... We hired Hannibal Rising today, but I don't have the energy to watch it after reading the synopsis on Wikipedia. I prefer comedies anyway and I wanted to get Happy Feet, but will have to get it sometime when I go to the DVD shop.

Anyhoo, thought there was a bit of a gap in my blogs so I'm posting a pic of my studio once my desk and new computer were installed.

It all looks so tiny in the 36 square meter space, but I'm working on it. Hopefully in the next couple of months some things will be sorted and I'll have some new furniture. Leaving the epoxy element out of the floor paint was a mistake though so to anyone thinking about it - do it! My floor is hard to clean and always looks scruffy now.

Anyway, I've spent almost R500 at Sheet Street on two new throws, three scatter cushions, a table runner and some sandalwood scented candles and a clients who's been here has already turned her nose up at it so I will have to get creative with my new furniture or I'll forever feel like a wan-a-be! There are some who've liked it though, but I just can't tell sometimes.

I have my dogs in the studio with me all day and most of the time they lay just inside the security gates at my door so they're not really a bother, but they've gotten used to laying on the couch when it's cold or raining. I put my new stuff on last week and when they went to sniff at it I made a point of telling them no every time. Poor Max eventually went to lie in the middle of the room on the cold cement and Schumi came to lie on my lap. I prefer clients to make appointments so that I can put them in the garage when they're here.

Max is the friendliest and probably the most untrained dog in the world and will jump on and try to get to know anyone who enters. He's friendly, but a bit too eager so it's best if he's put in the garage and Schumi just wants attention when people are here. So, whether she seeks it from the new arrival or from me it's just inappropriate so I try to avoid it. It's difficult, but I love having my pets around me during the day - makes it all seem worthwhile - just don't like when Max tries to paw me when I'm doing some intricate thing in Freehand and my mouse jumps all over my screen. He gets a bit of a tongue-lashing sometimes, but he can handle it!

Anyway, lots of new things potting with my freelance, but some projects are moving slowly so will try to update soon.

Diet Wars

Ok, just read my blog before last so will comment on some things. Since then my mom has returned from Dublin and my younger sister went over for almost a month. I was the only female of our immediate family who didn't get to go see the new sprog, but I can live with it!

On the diet front, still find myself eating fried eggs on any given daying and missing lunch on most. The 10 000 steps a day are still eluding me and my pedometer is somewhere on the kitchen counter - ready to grab at a moment's notice, but I still don't. I've taken to walking to clients even if it means arriving drenched in this season's hottest fashion - rain water! I usually try to shake myself off before I enter the office building or accend the stairs to the office. Every little bit helps.

The ultimate sad thing is that I now have had my driver's license for over a month. I've driven the car once with my instructor (note - our Mazda - not his easy-to-drive car) and then once more with Alec, which ended in him driving. I have to get the hang of this thing or I'll just convince myself that walking is my exercise, but it's not alway great to arrive at meetings flustered, out of breath and sweaty - and these things just increase in summer. So, I have to get off my arse and actually drive this monstrosity. I know it's kind of an heirloom and hubby's mom drove it for many years, but it's taking some time for me to find out how to 'idle' in it. It was so much easier in the car I learned to drive in! Anyhoo, will have to find some kind of way to practise and learn to drive this car because we won't be getting a new one any time soon. I love the little Kia Picanto! It's sweet, zippy and hopefully really easy to drive.

Anyway, by next time this year I'd be interested to see how I'm coping with my work-load. Hubby's shop is also on the up-an-up and hopefully next year winter won't be so quiet. Anyway, will carry on with my boring Saturday night entertainment now. x

Freelance Business

Ok, so it's been months since my last entry and I know I haven't had even one person read my blog yet so I'm still safe! When I last wrote I was talking about doggysnaps and still had loads of time on my hands. Since then I've become quite busy. No more Ricky Lake at lunch time and Oprah at 4 and I've had to get up at 7:30 every day this week, which is something for me!

I recently got some new kind of freelance work taking photographs for an advert and a website, which freaked me out big-time. I specially bought a new digital camera (on special at Makro) a few months ago just for this purpose. Also chucked in rechargable batteries and a tripod to boot. So, it's finally happened - it seems there is no other photographer in Malmesbury who can do this kind of thing. I'm sure there's a wedding photographer or two out there somewhere, but we've yet to find him/her, so, I trundled along with my new camera and I think the shots turned out quite fine! I think the clients are happy as well! My only concern is that I don't have a clue what to charge for this kind of thing. I've decided to just charge per hour, but it still niggles me that they'll be using them for tons of publicity and I know a Cape Town photographer would be charging much more. I guess it's a confidence thing...

We started out charging really little for our website as well because we were just starting out so I suppose if this becomes a regular thing in time I will know what is the correct amount. For now I'll just enjoy the days out of the office. Anyhoo, it's late. Will try to write again soon, not that anyone's reading...