The Jones' UK life blogspot and stuff

All Apologies

2009-01-22T01:32:00.000-08:00

I been slacking in my postings, I have much news,on the Dental Life in UK, the possible trip to Bulgaria where I may be forced to eat testicles (If Ewan Mcgregor and Charlie Borman are anything to go by), I dont know why, but I just see a large pot of meaty balls and a man dressed as a man in a suit and tie, forcing me at tennis racket point to eat spongy ball things... Yes, my knowlege of European countries is limited to B-Grade Horrors and Motorbike journeys through Russia.

Also, I need to update you 0n our visite to Cambridge, what a place... Indeed. Did you know: they invented the ear hair remover there, No, me neither, actually I just made that up.

And then The Gymboree we take Zoey to on sundays, yes, we have pictures, read all about it right here.... Soon.

chunks of meat attached to bits of bone - by Trey

2009-01-20T12:26:00.000-08:00

After 7 years of doing things backwards, I decided it was time to pack it in.

It was all or nothing. After having many heated arguments with my then boyfriend (now husband) over how it will change me, I took the plunge and submerged myself in the wonderful world of animal rights, cruelty-free fare and animal friendly apparel. It was great. I found a new sense of belonging, it gave my life meaning.

And, it DID change me. Going vegan 7 years ago changed me. A lot. How I thought, how I looked and obviously, how I ate. I didn’t even go vegetarian first.

After 6 years of being the “freak” that has to bring their own food for fear of any animal product contaminating it, (many social gatherings, family braais and one pregnancy later), I decided to stop the insanity. I had had a baby. That gave NEW meaning to my life. It was the most meaningful meaning that my life could ever have.

Looking after this new life was more important and precious to me than worrying about what went into my body for ethical reasons. I was exhausted. Feedings at all hours. Zoey was one hungry baby. No time to soak beans or shop around for organic potatoes.

Pizza. Okay it’s not the end of the world. Having one pizza... or two ... but it didn’t stop there. I had lots of it. I felt guilty at first. But it was okay, because “I would NEVER eat meat again”, only dairy.

Almost a year later, of stuffing my face with pizza and other cheesy delights, I found myself thinking about the future. With Zoey growing up so fast, I thought of the all the new experiences that we are going to share. Since moving to the UK, it has opened up a plethora of opportunities for all of us. Travelling ... trying new foods ... oh wait: we won’t really be sharing much there.

I will have the salad ... and maybe the roast veg dish smothered in cheese. No, this just wouldn’t do.

I must say though that food is a big part of my life. I love it. And I would like to try new foods all over the world some day. And not feel like the odd one out all the time.

So there I was ... faced with the age-old dilemma: Do I eat the animal or the pseudo meat? Okay well, maybe that’s not exactly age-old.

So. Yes. You guessed it. I just did it. I had ribs. Quite a bold move for someone who hadn’t eaten any animal flesh for about 7 years. I thought I was going to be writhing on the floor with painful stomach cramp and extreme nausea. Nothing. They were nice. As chunks of meat attached to bits of bone are when smothered in a tasty BBQ sauce. But I don’t think I will be eating too much of that. I wasn’t ready for the little bits of meat that stick between your teeth in hard to reach places that make you have to get up after you’ve eaten and spend 20 minutes flossing, brushing and gargling.

So, I moved on to fish. Not bad at all. I will be having more of that. Apparently the omega 3 and 6 oils obtained from fish are extremely beneficial.

And then, I totally disgusted myself when I had KFC. Yes I know: Kentucky fried cruely etc etc. But let’s not dwell on that ...

And this morning, Darryll cooked me bacon. It was salty. Maybe tooooo salty. No more bacon for me.

So there it is. My story of how I came full circle ... backwards. I will still continue to wear animal-free apparel and mostly eat ‘like’a vegetarian. And when I feel like it I will have a piece of fish or something else made of animal.

And finally, to all the people who are thinking ‘HA! I knew she couldn’t keep it up’: I can walk away from my adventures in the land of PETA knowing that I have self discipline, self motivation and determination. That makes me happy

[to all the animals out there: I won’t eat too many of you ... I promise]

Wind Blew Frost, into where my Hair should have been

2009-01-13T00:46:00.001-08:00

The air was cold, the tip of my nose frozen in a green, hard, shiny ball. The air smelled like the inside of a freezer, and yet, I pressed on. Walking forwards and sometimes stopping to feel the warm trickle of wee run down my leg and into my hiking boot. "Take comfort in the small man made comforts" I thought to myself, and then my legs began to itch, which made me walk faster. "AH! The tree's getting closer", the white frozen glass stuck to the fibers on my pants as I whizzed by. A frozen bird dropped from the sky, it's beady eyes glazed over in ice... THUD! It landed on the side of my ear and made my headphone pop out. "Curses!", I said as I took a bite of the frozen thing, Taste like uncrumbed Kentucky.

What am I saying, you are probably wondering, I dont know either, sometimes my fingers get ahead of my brain and just type, you know, kind of like a runners legs, or a painters brush... Or a samurais sword. So, yes, I walked for over an hour in the crunchy frost, the snow had subsided, and laid way to frost. It was super, and fantastic and every other amway expletive. (Hi how are you?, Wonderfully magnificent thank you, would you like to buy this shampoo!)

And on reaching the end of my walk, which was halfway, as I need to get home still, there it was, the twisted tree, rising out of the earth like a demonic sculpture. Crows were flying around it and I thought I heard it screaming "I AM YOUR NIGHTMARE I AM YOUR WORST DREAM", then I realised, I still had one headphone in. I removed it, the silence was eery, the cold wind lapping around my exposed head. To be honest, it was quite surreal, it reminded me of the movie cover - the exorcism of emily rose. (actually I may look for the picture). But There is something about that tree that is haunting. Maybe the out-of-placeness on the rolling horizon, maybe it was just the extremity of the weather which made it so eerie like, I plan to walk to it, or ride if I assemble my mountain bike, a little later. Maybe in warmer weather it looks less frightening. In any effect, I feel a strange attachment to the tree, I shall go sit under it and ask it for the national lottery numbers. I feel it could work. Thats something we still need to play, after my dream of winning 14 million pounds, I think I should.

Okay, thanks for reading that, I am off to eat some Tescoes muffins with Cadbury's® Chocolate spread and have me a home brewed Starbucks® Coffee.

The Young Painter

2009-01-12T08:14:00.000-08:00

And there it is, Zoey's FIRST masterpiece. I think she said it was called "eyaaaAAARGH AIT TA", and it will be up for auction on E-Bay in just a few years. So start saving now.

In her detailed analysis of the piece, she told me that it was the convergence of apposing moods which finally tempted her to create a vivid wash of colour and expression in the painting. It delves into the psyche of the child, left alone for the first few hours at daycare and the initial fear of the feeling of paint. We see, if we look deeper into the picture, an understanding of colour, and of form. It creates a visual 'place' for us to exist in, with its lateral lines and three dimensional underpainted quality.

Its in the way she uses the white, that we see a longing for a place to belong to, she is "detached" from a stable life at the moment and that is due to having been shifted from one place to another, as seen in her colour usage, a mix of British and South African colours, battling for context over the dominant black background.
Zoey is only eleven months old, and already displays an aptitude for art, space and form. She is seen in the picture above, measuring the work for a frame.

All works are numbered and signed with the Orange hand print. Seen here some earlier, more naive works, all of which acted as a "gateway" to her later, more thought out creations.

plans to spend the rest of the year learning to walk, and getting more sleep, which should lead to more in depth and intense works from her. She also wants to learn to play the drums. Read more about Zoey Jones, the multi-talented child, right here in her UNBIASED parents blog.

The Great journey into the land of Cold

2009-01-12T07:16:00.000-08:00

Cold, ? yes. But manageable. It's not like a bad hair day, where no matter what you do, you just cant get settled, no, this is okay, not half as bad as we expected, even the Brits are cold, so that's saying quite a lot actually. I mean, for ex South Africans, -8 is nothing to scoff at, but when it reaches 8° in the sun, I am almost tempted to dash out in my speedo and break into Oliver songs, half expecting the people to join along in chorus and choreographed steps. But then I make it to the front door, only to realise I don't own a speedo, and reverse back indoors just in time, just as well, cos down that end, 8° is pretty cold.

So back to what I was saying, it's cold, but it is bearable. Layers is what it is all about, I start eagerly when the sun rises, round 9am. Applying my first layer, an under vest, with sleeves of course, I just cant bring my self to wear those sleeveless numbers, I feel like a man in a bra. Or as if i need those over the shoulder gun holsters strapped to me and a blood stain on my vest, going round saying things like, "You lookin at me?" Anyway, after the shirt or vest, comes a thin long sleeve, not only does this make for a more aesthetically younger appearance under a t-shirt or short sleeve button up, it serves as a attached hanky too, somewhere to wipe your runny nose. And then, the over shirt. A modern display of who i am and what mood I am in, eg: plain black - with white under sleeves, means, I am okay, how are you, whilst the reverse means, well really the same. If I am going for a contemporary look, I may wear spongebob, or my Flash Gordon Shirt. All this is of course moot, as when we venture out, we cover up with jackets and such.