# 30: TOOLS

The 30th May-Photo-A-Day-In-June: "TOOL'S"

There is nothing better than tools, except when they don't work - especially tools that haven been around for centuries like Postal Services. 

The internet has opened the world to us and now when you dying for a taste of Handsome Roasters Coffee but can't afford an air ticket to LA. "POOF"! Two packets of delicious freshly roasted coffee beans and one custom designed Reg Barber Handsome Roaster Tamper arrived just in time to spoil the then-boyfriend-now-fiance for an anniversary... and that is why he is making me his wife - "POOF!" and all his hearts desires come true. 

What about all my awesome wedding app's that are helping me keep track of all my tasks and notes, helped me create our wedding website and app as well as has become my trusty countdown (you can read more here) so when people ask: "When is the big day?", I am able to respond in the appropriate fashion, like a cool-excited-wedding-nerd should:  "88 Days, 0 Hours & 37 Minutes!"


Now according to WikiAnswers - I left that specific encyclopedia at home this morning.. The first postal service was the Royal Mail, founded in 1516 by Henry VIII and the first post offices would have been very informal, and probably associated with coach houses. The General Post Office was introduced by Charles II in 1660. 

So... if the Royal Mail has been around for 497 years... how can they not have managed to co-ordinate the simple delivery of my three bridesmaid dresses to South Africa safely??? The world at our finger tips but someone else's finger tips are now probably holding my lovely dresses. Let's hope that the next attempt will be more successful - thank goodness online stores are aware of this 497 year old hindrance and will kindly replace the missing dresses.

Holding thumbs!

Dresses are blurred and colourless purposefully ;)

xxx

TheFutureMrsOrpen: De

#TeMarriesDe #88 days || 0 hours

# 31: FOUR THINGS

The 31st May-Photo-A-Day-in-June-the-12th-to-be-exact: "FOUR THINGS"

Thing #1 (Most Favourite Thing):

Last week we reached the 100 Day mark to becoming Mrs Orpen! Officially in the double digits with 94 days to go!

iphone App (AppyCouple): Countdown Timer 

iphone App (WedHappy): Task List & Countdown

Thing #2:

I cannot live with out my to-do lists (plural) and calendar reminders as I have the memory span of a gold fish! Right now I have 3 notebooks assigned to certain aspects in my life: Day Job, Wedding and Freelance.  

Due to sleepless nights I have now combined every wedding note and task scribbled in each of these books into one gigantic and detailed spreadsheet. Each task is noted, then briefly described, given a task status, a due date and then highlighted in pink if it is a DIY task and if it is completed.

Thing #3:

I have always wanted a cow-shaped milk jug, with the cows nose/mouth as the pouring spout. I haven't been able to find one...

 Until now at the Entrepo in Sandton City! But this cute little jug was not declared in the bride-to-be budget for the month so I hope he will hold out until July..   

Thing #4:

It was Te's birthday yesterday and for the first time we got to celebrate it together in the same province, city, suburb, street and home which was a real treat as I LOVE BIRTHDAYS! It happens to be my most favourite kind of day. 

We had decided that we weren't going to gift presents this year as our wedding day will be the gigantic belated present. So I found the most awesome card for Te instead. Normally the good part of the card is inside but this was not the case - the good part could be found on the back of the card... as it is because of the birthday boy that I get to experience the "love like they do in power ballads, you know like on a cliff with the wind in your hair and your eyes shut, knowning you'll never love another like this...". 

I laughed so much as I recreated the picture in my mind and the reaction one would have to the "watch out" part.

I couldn't help not gift the handsome something on his special day but I knew we made a promise of no birthday presents - instead I "treated our house" to these floating glass and black frames from Country Road and printed two of our favourite photo's from the Orpen Film Making Co. website shoot.

Lad & Lass Wedding Photography: Double Exposure layered faces || Symmetrical Bridge.

xxx

TheFutureMrsOrpen: De

#TeMarriesDe #94 days 

# 23: "PJ's"

The 23rd May-Photo-A-Day: "PJ's"

There is nothing better than coming home in winter, having a piping hot shower and putting on a clean pair of matchy PJ's and slippers. A clean pair of PJ's every night results in LARGE PILE of washing every week. 

The problem is Te and I haven't purchased the necessary washing machine as yet as we have no place to hang our washing up to dry. Therefore when we make the purchase we will also have to purchase a tumble dryer but why prioritise these non-essential household machinery when we have the most magical car boot! 

Once a week we fill my cars boot to maximum capacity with everything that needs cleaning: washing, muddy shoes, handbags, you name it! Then a couple of days later, my boot is suddenly filled with squeaky clean "you name it items" - see told you it is magic! 

Or perhaps it might be the lovely fairy-mom-boss?? Either way it is AWESOME!!

The only problem is... the magic stops in the boot as once the "you name it items" enter the home they don't pack themselves away and they make ME do this. 

I figured out the other day: 

I am an OCD-Cleaning-Freak! 

When we moved into our apartment, I went through 3 bottles of disinfectant kitchen and bathroom cleaner. My OCD stops at cleaning as I despise packing away.

 Dishes = Squeaky Clean but they will remain in the drying rack until Te packs them away. My clean, ironed, no longer wrinkle free clothes will remain in a piled state on the bed which will then be kicked to the floor until I run out of clean PJ's.

iPhone App: #ABeautifulMess

 The NEED for clean PJ's results in a packing spree as it so just happens that the other half of my chosen PJ set will be hiding right at the bottom of the pile.

xxx

TheFutureMrsOrpen: De

#TeMarriesDe #109 days 

# 25: US

The 25th May-Photo-A-Day: "US"

Te + Me = US 

+

Orpen 

=

TheFutureMrsOrpen

The beginning of US is thanks to the "Tweety Bird" below...

How about I tell you the best part of the our story so far? 

The night I became TheFutureMrsOrpen... This is the mail I sent to my MOH:  

December 26, 2012:

We are having the most magical time in Paris! We have seen so much in the short time we have been here. We went on a five hour, 25km walk on Christmas day and saw the Eiffel Tower, explored the Champs-Élysées, the Kings palace (we think it was), the Place de la Concorde and stumble upon hidden gems as we explore the streets. I am in dreamland with all the delicious pastries and desserts - still have not found a decent cup of coffee... But we are getting closer. 

Te and I decided to get dressed up as we not only wanted to live the Parisian lifestyle but look the part too  - jeepers, these Parisians can dress. We walked past a trendy restaurant called Germain (street: Rue de Buci) and decided we should have Christmas Eve dinner there as we were not too sure what would be open on Christmas Day.

Germain (street: Rue de Buci)

We chose to have our favourite meal for Christmas Eve Dinner: tomato sauce with a side of a gourmet cheese burgersand "frites", accompanied by a good bottle of red wine. 

After our meal the waiter brought the dessert menu. Te decided that this was a good time to go to the loo as I was taking my time deciding what dessert would be fitting for Christmas Eve Dinner. Our waiter stopped by to see if I was ready to order and accidentally dropped (more like threw) the salt cylinder he was holding onto my foot. Distracted, he sneakily removed Te's phone off the table without me noticing. 

Te returned and sat on the edge of his chair as "his back was sore and he needed a stretch". I proceeded to tell him about the waiter who practically threw the salt cylinder onto my foot for no apparent reason. Laughing, he then said to me: "I want to ask you something" and knelt down. To which I responded: "What are you doing?" - not sure  as to why he was on the floor. Te pulled out a box and revealed the most beautiful ring (that he had so cleverly snuck into his pocket while I was in the same room as him at the apartment) and asked: "Would you be my wife!".

Only after I shrieked YES did I realize the waiter had been taking pictures of us, with Te's phone he had sneakily removed earlier.

Midnight mass was the most spectacular experience at the St. Sulpice church. We had goosebumps throughout the time we were there and lit  candles as we were think of our families. It was very special experience as we went there straight after Te proposed. I can't stop giggling and smiling.. It was the most beautiful moment in all of my life.

St. Sulpice: Midnight Mass 

St. Sulpice: Merry-go-round

We were far to excited to keep quiet during the entire midnight mass so we left early and strolled through the streets of St. Germain enjoying every moment of the night Te proposed to me.

xxx

TheFutureMrsOrpen: De

#TeMarriesDe #112 days 

# 24: GO

The 24th May-Photo-A-Day: "GO"

Tisk, tisk, tisk... TheFutureMrsOrpen has fallen behind 

- it is called "May-Photo-A-DAY". 

But I did have a busy week with fun freelance design jobs that popped up: Yippee!!! 

Now that the work is nearly done, this is how I plan to balance the work with some play over the next week. 

I shall "GO" here tomorrow:

Neighbourgood's Market

 73 JUTA STREET BRAAMFONTEIN

JOHANNESBURG SOUTH AFRICA

and here:

Daleah's: 6 De Beer Street, Braamfontein

Described as a casual Chic eatery... looking forward to trying out the "new kid on the block".

If all goes well this week I would love to "GO" here and support a fellow AFDA-inian:

Air Cinema Club.

Air Cinema Club is launching on the 30th of May 2013, at the Neighbourgoods Market rooftop. ACC will be featuring 'The Angels' Share' by Ken Loach. It sounds like it will be a memorable night: great gourmet food, hot drinks: gluhwein (Yummy), bottomless popcorn, comfy bean bags and great music under the Jozi City Stars! 

In June l need to visit the homelands and "GO" have my monthly fix of this:

Foo Wah: Ranked #65 of 398 restaurants in Johannesburg

In the South of JHB - my home land , which may seem far, but you will thank me later! The great trek is worth every delicious morsel! 

Foo Wah has a cosy and warm ambiance and when you become a regular the waitresses and matradee begin to recognise you and treat you like great friends. 

Be sure to try the chicken sweet corn soup, spring rolls, sizzling-anything and the sweet and sour-anything: they have an awesome set menu which allows you to sample all of their specialities.  

Foo Wah has been around since my mom was young and has many fans so phone in advance for a take-away, or book a week before to secure your reservation. For dessert, their chocolate milkshakes are incredible!

As well as try out this:

Delicious pizza from '86 Public' - new pizzeria in Braamfontein

xxx

TheFutureMrsOrpen: De

#TeMarriesDe #113 days 

# 22: CHANGE

The 22nd May-Photo-A-Day: "CHANGE"

change (chnj) v.  

1. To become different or undergo alteration.

2. To give or receive the equivalent of (money) in lower denominations or in foreign currency.

I was in the process of capturing the pictures for my post when:

EEEEEEKKKKKKKK:

Spiders!
 Every! 
Where! 

Well only 3 but I have almost put my hand on 2 of them in the space of 2 minutes! Not cool spider spawn... not cool! The one crawled into a kitchen cupboard and made me unpack the entire content inside to find him/her. Success... but not for very long as I then drop an entire container of tooth picks all over the kitchen counter and floor. 

I thought I would entertain myself and play my own version of "pick-up-sticks" called "count-the-tooth-picks". I picked up 103 tooth picks. Only to drop it for a second time. I swept up 103 toothpicks and threw them in the bin as I figured the "30 second rule" doesn't apply here. Just when I thought I could get blogging- the tray attached to the fridge door decided that I should have a chunk of skin removed from my finger just for fun... and now I can finally write :)

Te has a tiny wallet/card carrier thing that only has space for folded notes and a few important cards and no space for change. He would empty out his wallets and pockets of any loose change and just leave it where ever it fell. This wasn't going to work for OCD me because everything has a place and the floor is not a place... for anything. 

The solution: we now have two cute money boxes strategically placed for easy depositing of loose change - one is placed in the kitchen cupboard where the spider was hiding and the other in the bedroom. Now when ever I find a few coins laying around I stash the cash into the nearest coin box which I have official claimed as wedding loot. 

  

Can you guess how much CHANGE I will stash by the 14th of August? 

Exactly 1 Month to #TeMarriesDe I will count the change.

I will send the person who has the closest guess a little something-something.

xxx

TheFutureMrsOrpen: De

#TeMarriesDe #115 days 

# 20: LIGHT-ing

The 20th May-Photo-A-Day: "LIGHT-ing"

One of the first projects Te worked on when we moved into our apartment in February was to rig our globe lighting and bed lamps we bought in Paris at a shop called Merci (111 boulevard Beaumarchais, 75003, Paris.)

Our lounge: Day

Our lounge: Night

Our Bedroom: Head board lamp.

"Merci's aim is to bring together, under one roof, products and customers who traditionally have not had the chance to meet : vintage furniture or contemporary creations; emerging new fashion brands or already-recognised collections; impulse buys, affordable for all or much rarer pieces, sometimes in limited editions.

Fashionistas visit Merci from all over the world, local residents, young or not-so-young, students with their appetites already whetted. Small budgets, or large projects: there's something for everyone at MERCI" 

It was because of this awesome shop that Te and I were forced to buy two extra suit cases to fit in all our glasses, lighting, magazine holder and frames. We visited Merci twice while we were in Paris and ate at two of the three cafe's: The Used Book Cafe as well as The Canteen. 

AND.... 
This is what you look like when you leave Merci... 
Te was forced to carry our purchases all the way back to St. Germain... Glass and I are not the greatest of friends. 

Merci was most definitely one of our highlights of our trip as we decided it would be a once in a life time holiday and that we would purchase great finds that we could use and make apart of our home.

4 months later: RIP three of our Merci glasses.

xxx

TheFutureMrsOrpen: De

#TeMarriesDe #117 days