Bridget McNulty

Gratitude in a breath of air.

// August 17th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Decisions, Inspiration, Nature, Philosophy

Life is busy, isn’t it? And so much of the time (I realised recently) I’m so busy living it and discovering new things and figuring out how to live it better, that I don’t really take time out to appreciate where I am, right now.

We went away this past weekend, my man and I, with a group of friends, and at the end of the day on Saturday (after a delicious afternoon nap) I took a dog for a walk. This is actually quite big news: dogs and I don’t usually mix. Anyhoo, I took this very playful dog for a walk along these raised wooden walkways right next to the sea… The wind was howling, but it was a warm, friendly wind, and the waves were whipping up into froth, and there was nobody around as far as I could see. After I’d walked quite a distance I stopped and watched the sun set behind a mountain.

I only had a few minutes, because the dog was pulling to keep walking, but I had this sudden, very clear moment where I felt gratitude. For my life as it is right now: for feeling healthy almost all of the time, for having found a man I want to spend all my days with, for a job that challenges me and friends that support me and make me laugh. I suddenly felt this deep thankfulness for it all – as if I’d stepped out of the everyday run of things and could look in and see how lovely it all is.

And it’s stuck with me, this sense of lovely.

Have you had a moment like this lately? Have you given yourself a chance to?

One wonderful weekend…

// August 4th, 2010 // No Comments » // Cape Town, Inspiration, Life (and the living of it), Nature, food

This past weekend was one of those weekends that will stick in my memory for a long time to come… My man and I went away with five other friends to a tiny little town called Prince Albert in the Karoo. It was a four hour drive (a stunning four hour drive, through some really majestic scenery) to get to the little town, and we arrived on Friday just in time for dinner. I fell in love then, even in the dark, mainly because there were succulents everywhere. Everywhere! Excitement overload.

The next day I fell in love even more. The whole town is centered around a main street, which has lots of the expected restaurants and guesthouses, but also has a Saturday market run by Afrikaans tannies and ooms (aunts and uncles, for those not from SA). They were selling pancakes for R3 each, big slices of homemade cake for R5, pots of tea for R3 and homemade roosterbrood for R8. It was like being in the land that time forgot…

Before the Saturday market, I’d gone for a long walk into the surrounding orchards and then out into the veld. It’s extraordinary how vast the Karoo sky is – like a completely different country, with a 360 sweep of sky. Incredible.

The weekend was spent strolling around, stealing succulents (see above), sitting in the sunshine eating delicious food, visiting the dairy (yes! A dairy!) to sample the homemade cheese (yum!), and playing a particularly fun game called Post-It (our name) where you think of a famous character, write it on a Post It and then stick it to someone’s forehead. Then they have to guess who it is in 20 questions, while dealing with the humiliation of sitting in front of everyone with a blue Post It on your forehead. Ha! Hilarious. Until it’s your turn…

The highlight of the weekend was our ghost tour – dinner combo. Prince Albert is a  town rich in history (and ghosts) and we went on a ghost walk around the town with a fascinating storyteller (dressed in a long black coat) who told us all the local tales… Creepy! We then went to African Relish for a superb dinner – bacon and spinach fritters (wow), Karoo lamb stuffed with roasted celery and pecans with the most amazing polenta I’ve ever tasted, and hands-down the best milk tart in the world. The dinner was long and full of laughter and I can’t wait to go back.

Oh! And how could I forget! That afternoon we’d visited African Relish (which is also a cooking school, and is co-owned by our friend’s father) and I tasted jamon for the first time! Jamon! The real deal! Made in South Africa using all the Spanish techniques! It was extraordinary.

So, all in all, a pretty wonderful weekend. We stayed in the most amazing cottage (see below), we ate some truly special food, and we spent good time with friends, laughing. What more could you ask for?

Photos courtesy of the extremely talented Mark Peddle: www.markpeddle.com

Day 24: Birthday prezzies

// July 26th, 2010 // No Comments » // 29 Gifts, Inspiration

July is Birthday Month for me – not only my birthday, but my mom’s and many of my dear friends.

So this month, instead of quickly picking up a prezzie at the last minute (which I don’t realllly do, but occassionally have been guilty of) I really spent time choosing gifts that I know my loved ones will love. Because there’s nothing better than a well-chosen birthday present, is there? Nothing makes me feel more special.

Day 23: Fulfilling a chocolate craving

// July 23rd, 2010 // No Comments » // 29 Gifts, Cape Town, Reviews, food

Open-plan offices are so weird, aren’t they?

Never mind that everyone can hear your conversations, and easily deduce whether you’re working or just hanging out online, there’s also the whole hearing-other-people’s-thoughts thing. Obviously, we’re not all talking out loud as much as we would be if we had private offices (I, personally, would chat to myself all day if I had a door), but there’s still definitely an element of open thought that you don’t really get anywhere else.

So when one of my colleagues said today (in a wistful and forlorn voice), “I feel like chocolate cake”, I decided to make his dream a reality

And, okay, it was a brownie and not chocolate cake, but it’s the second-best brownie in Cape Town (from the delightful Sidewalk Cafe. The Best Brownie in Town award goes to Khayelitsha Cookies). And it tastes so many million times better than it looks!

Day 20: Yet another succulent

// July 21st, 2010 // 5 Comments » // 29 Gifts, Nature, Philosophy

I know, I know, another succulent… But this one was actually requested by a colleague because her desk looked lonely.

And then my mug cracked, and instead of being sad about (yet another) mug breaking before my very eyes, I decided it was happy timing and filled it with some dirt and a plant. Because sometimes when things you love break, you just have to accept that they’re broken and make the best out of a bad situation.

Yip, I’m trying to insert a little philosophy into today’s succulent post, did you notice?

Day 19: Nesting kit

// July 20th, 2010 // 3 Comments » // 29 Gifts, Inspiration, Tea Parties

Those of you (men) who don’t have the nesting instinct might not know how essential nesting tools are. But let me tell you – when a woman wants to make her home her own, numerous nesting kits are necessary.

So when I heard that a lovely friend of mine has finally started nesting in her flat (despite having lived there for many months) I decided I had to encourage the nesting drive and buy her some tools. Hence the pan / spatula / apron / oven glove combo. In pink! Ohhh yeahhh…

Day 18: Fresh banana bread

// July 18th, 2010 // 3 Comments » // 29 Gifts, Love, Tea Parties, food

There are few things in life as delicious as fresh banana bread slathered in butter and accompanied by a hot cup of tea. Really, I’ll stand by that statement. It tastes like home and happiness and love all rolled into one.

So what better gift to give a friend who’s just moved into her first home, than a loaf of freshly baked banana bread?

Enough said!

PS: I have THE best recipe for banana bread the world has ever seen. It’s my mom’s, and it’s flop-proof. I might share it if you ask me nicely…

Day 13: A day of compliments

// July 13th, 2010 // No Comments » // 29 Gifts, Decisions, Inspiration

I don’t know about you, but I fairly often think compliments and don’t say them out loud. Why is that? I suppose it’s not wanting to bridge a certain ‘formal’ way of relating to people I don’t know that well… Although, having said that, I do quite often compliment people on the street with no qualms whatsoever.

So today I decided, as my gift for the day, to compliment freely and often. And what do you know! There were so many things around me to compliment. What you pay attention to clearly manifests. It’s so great to make people feel good, too, even if it’s only for a few minutes.

Day 11: Get well mug

// July 12th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // 29 Gifts, Cape Town, Life (and the living of it)

Cheesy as all get-out, it’s true, but when you’re feeling sick (and have been all weekend, as a lovely friend of mine had), something this cheesy can help to brighten your day. What do you think?

She said she’d think ‘be well’ thoughts every time she drank out of it. A good idea for all of us, hmm?

Day 10: Spare plates

// July 10th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // 29 Gifts, Decisions

I know what you’re thinking: spare plates? Doesn’t sound very exciting! But, again, it’s all about the intention behind it…

My man’s parents gave us THE most beautiful crockery set for my birthday (a vintage blue and white striped number that I’ve been coveting since I first saw it) and my brother told me a while ago that any time you get something new, you have to give something away.

Good advice!
So I cleared out all our old plates and handed them on to a friend who’s stocking up her kitchen.