Your 18th

To my daughter on her 18th birthday.

I started this a few years ago, not knowing where it was going to go or what it would look like.  I am very happy that I carried on with this or else those memories, feelings and thoughts would have been gone forever.

We can now look back at them and smile, fondly, as we enjoy those moments all over again.  We'll laugh, we'll cry and TC will warm our hearts with her thunderstorms.

So now it's over to you, my Thunderchild.

The Driving Test

Being 17 (and having turned 18 by the time you read this), it was a year of learning to drive.

We did all the normal things like getting a driving instructor, practicing and doing the whole parking thing.  I've definitely gotten a few extra grey hairs along the way, but we all managed to get out of it alive.

I was happy to impart to you one piece of knowledge I received from my dad:  If you can drive, you can park.  So we concentrated a lot on the driving aspect and really only did parking towards the end of the period.

Then, as such things always happen quicker than what you are prepared for, the day of the driving test came along.  And you managed to get the most scary instructor of them all - Hamish.  Off to the car you went and I sat down, pretending not to look and be nervous.

I walk around, check Facebook, read email, pace.  Then I see your car coming into the parking lot earlier than what I expected.  

Oh no, was my first thought.  

"I hope you're OK."  "We can make another booking soon.", I practice.

As you got out of the car I read your expression - YOU HAD PASSED!  You came charging across the lot and threw your arms around me, your smile was something to behold.  

Thunderchild, you did it.

The Meaning

Through the years the abbreviation TC was used to mean Thunderchild.  This year, it has taken on 2 different meanings as well.  One deep and one, well, WTF?

At the beginning of the hockey season, Thunderchild decided she was really going to give it her all.  She played for 2 different clubs, one U-18s and one senior.

For the U-18s it was easy for her to stand out and she was never really pushed that much.  However, playing for the senior team brought out the best in her.

You know TC, during one match you went down onto the ground to try and prevent a goal from happening.  Standing next to the field I was, as always, tremendously proud of you.  But then something happened that made me even more proud - on of the other coaches remarked on what commitment it took for you to do that.  You were putting in more than most on the field each time you played.  You played with heart.

In the last U-18 game you had a chance to play as a forward for the last few minutes of the match, but you decided to stay in defence to stop the opposing team from coming through.  This despite the fact that you always wanted to play as a forward:  you put your team first.  That day you were a wall - just nothing got past you.  Whenever the other team broke through, you were there waiting to take the ball from them and then it was just a jump to the left or a skip to the right and you'd be sending the ball back to where it came from.  As a parent it is just so cool to watch their children excel and enjoy their sport as much as you do.

And all of this eventually paid off with you winning the U-18 Most Value Player (MVP) award.  You earned the respect of the coaches, including those of the other teams you played against.

So, TC has now taken on another meaning - "Total Commitment".

So now for the other moment.

I get a text on Sept 10 2015, out of the blue:  "Was I a test tube baby?"

I had to take a deep breath.  What on earth was this child on about?  

"I'm okay if I am".  

I told her that she was NOT a test tube baby.  "But you tested me for Down syndrome and got help".  Now I don't know where she got the "got help" from.  The Down Syndrome test was just a standard one because her monther was 35 at the time.  The things you come up with sometimes!

So, Thunderchild, you are not a TC - "Test tube Child".

The Parlour Suprise

Dear Thunderchild,

So there I was, on my knees cleaning the floor one Sunday morning when you walk in and say "Daddy, you want to have Maccas because I want to show you something?".

Now, it is important to keep the house clean, but it is more important to spend time with family and create memories:  you might not get another chance.

Off we go and have breakfast at a McDonalds, but not the usual one.  This time it's one we don't normally go to.  After breakfast TC wips out the iPhone, punches in coordinates and off we go.  However, before we start off the phone tells us "Calculating directions to Pancake Parlour".  Shame, a little of the surprise gone there but I was still happy we were going.  Haven't had pancakes for a while.

So the GPS tells us to turn here and go there.  We're looking out for the place - find it and find ourselves in the Bus lane!  In my rush to get out of there I turn into some dodgy alleyway.  Well, nothing that a u-turn cannot solve.  We eventually found some parking a block or 2 away and off we went.

Arriving at the Pancake Parlour I notice that it is in the basement of a building.  I love places like this - think they're awesome.  Down the steps we go and TC has one final surprise for me - "Can we sit at the chess table please?".  Chess table?  Woohoo!  She knows me so well.

Off we go and sit at this massive table with high chairs and large chess pieces and get stuck into the game.  Something has happened to TC as she got a lot better than last time we played.  I now had to really concentrate.  However, my chess is a little rusty and I soon found myself in a very tricky situation - one wrong move and it's checkmate.

Luckily the food came and I could relax and think about my move.  We'll leave the chess game there.

Back to the car we went and then headed up one of the hills around Canberra where there was a wonderful lookout:  cold but still a cool way to see the city.  Look Dad, there's the hockey fields in Lyneham:  she picked them up immediately.

I do want to say a big THANK YOU to Thunderchild for a wonderful Sunday morning.  I'll remember this for as long as I live.

An end and a new start

So, with a few hours left of 2013 it's perhaps time to reflect on the life of Thunderchild the last year or so.

There are 3 areas of her life of which I'm most proud namely personal, sport and academic.

Academic

The way the school system works here is that you get credits in years 9 and 10 that add up to a score at the end of year 10.  Despite having one term less than the other students, and coming from a predominantly Afrikaans schooling arena, TC managed to achieve a distinction in her final year.  I'm so proud of her because I know what it took.  She worked very hard to ensure that all her assignments were done properly and handed in on time.

She also had this wonderful knack of taking on her teachers if she disagreed with something they said.  This was particularly evident when they studied WW2 and the Nazis.  TC believed that a lot of good was done in Germany before the war that was never noted.  She also had a big problem with everyone criticising the Germans but forgetting what the British, Russians and Americans also did.

In year 9 she was very fortunate to be ahead in Mathematics, having done most of the work previously in South Africa.  This afforded her the opportunity to assist others in her class that were struggling, something she relished doing.

There were 2 extra subjects that she took:  psychology and sociology.  I'm glad she took these as they will be crucial in her future career when she studies criminology (which she will also take in college next year).  These subjects she also really enjoyed as they gave her a lot of insight into how people thought.

Sport

She really excelled in her hockey these last 2 years.  She also did a few other sports such as badminton and soccer, but hockey was most prominent.

In 2012 she managed to get into the team for Daramalan College, playing U/16 with the occasional U/18 game when they needed someone.  Her rapport with her teammates and coach was very good.  With every game she played she always gave everything she had and, at the end of each game, she always had a smile that went around the ears - she just loved the sport.

Towards the end of 2012 her school managed to put together a combined team (boys and girls) to take part in a hockey competition.  This was their first time playing in the tournament and the promptly ended up winning it, beating one of the top schools in Canberra.  #respect

In 2013 she was selected to play for the school's first team (U/18), even though she was only 15 at the time.  The games this season were very tough and the team did not do so well, but she was always there, playing her heart out.

At the end of each year the hockey association has an indoor league which TC played in.  It was during her first season that she managed to get a hat trick of goals from penalty corners.  I don't know who was most impressed - she or her daddy (who was, by now, dancing around).

The 2013 indoor season started very good with them winning all but one of their games in the first half of the season (second half starts in Feb).  There were times when they fielded a team with less players than their opponents but still won.  TC is starting to make a name for herself as a penalty corner specialist - other teams are starting to mark her.  It was during one of these games that a defender tried to tackle her and ended up getting the ball on the lips - ouch!  But that's hockey.

Personal

As parents we were worried how she would adapt in a new country with a new environment.  TC did well.  So well in fact that she was selected to the school's Student Representative Council in 2013.  She made many good friends, often walking with them to school in the mornings.

She also managed to get herself a boyfriend or 2.  The latest one seems to be sticking around.  And, as luck would have it, he is also a South African.

TC has also kept up with some of her friends back in South Africa, which is good.  It seems as if it's true what they say about her old school:  friendships made there last forever.  What we have found is that connectivity is an important part of her social environment, and we actively support her as much as we can.  Internet at home is always on and her phone (iPhone) also has data.  This way she can connect to her friends and family at any time.  Her teacher at school would often tell her to get off the phone, not realising that it was easier for TC to search Google for information than to use the school's computers.  She just does this "technology thing" well - very naturally.

The college years

...to be written sometime in the future.

So, you see Thunderchild, you have accomplished so much that last 2 years.  Your mother and I are so very proud of you and cannot wait to see what more you are going to accomplish.  Just know that we'll be there every step of the way.

And, remember, your daddy loves you.

I dream of a hat trick

Sunday, 25 November 2012

This was one of those days that a parent will remember forever.  You see, Thunderchild's smile went around her ears.

But let me take you back a little for some history.  TC loves to play hockey - has done since she was 5 (she's 15 now).  To play would lift her spirits and see her bouncing around the room.  The position she plays and has for so many years now is that of a defender, and a fearless one at that.  She just goes into a tackle with everything she's got.  But being in that position generally means you don't get to score very much.

She is lucky that this year she got to play indoor hockey.  Indoor hockey is played on a field about a quarter of the size of a normal hockey pitch.  Some of the rules are different and the time per half is 20 minutes.  But playing this version of the sport (at 6 to a side) you get to play different positions, not just back.

So, Sunday comes and they're ready for the game.  TC had previously been taking shots at goal during the penalty corners but never scored.  Today was different.  The team is awarded a penalty corner and TC is called up to the 'D', ready to take the shot.  The ball is sent to her, she drag flicks it and the keeper doesn't even smell it! She scores!  For the first time in years she's managed to score a goal.  Even from where we're sitting (about 20 meters away) I can see that enormous smile.  My heart leaped in my chest.  The wife and I are so proud.

But TC's not done yet...

Second penalty corner and she gets the ball again.  But this time she stops it in the 'D' which means she has to take it outside and back in again - thank goodness for all those many hours (days?) spent doing yardstick drills.  She drags, she scores again.  What a beautiful shot.  It's then that I realize that if she gets another chance she'll be on a hat trick.  What are the chances?  From nothing to everything in the space of 10 minutes?

The 3rd penalty corner comes and she takes up her place in the middle of the group.  I think even the opponents knew she was going to get the ball.  It's passed in, TC gets it, drags....and hat trick!  I'm doing the rain dance.  My chest is so big I cannot see my feet.  I cannot believe it!  My daughter has scored an amazing hat trick.  Her passion for the game has finally paid off.  She'll remember this moment for the rest of her days.

Shame, I must have made a bit of scene because one of the other players asked her if "that" was her dad.

That game on Sunday was such a confidence booster for her.  It was just what she needed.

Well done TC, Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you.

First Week in School in Australia

Well Thunderchild, your first week in school in Australia has come to an end.

You were a little nervous in the beginning, but true to your form, you made friends very quickly.  You also look so good in your new Amaroo School uniform.

Thunderchild and her mom

Of course, after the first day or two you reckoned that the level of maths was too low for you.  Your teacher also said he would recommend you moving to a higher grade.  Let’s hope that happens.

School here starts at 9:15 am, 2 hours later that you are used to.  I still get up at 4:30am, but you only surface about 7:45, very slowly.  Of course, you only go to bed a lot later as well.

Apparently they are starting a hockey club there now – you’ve already signed up (well, dear reader, what did you expect?).  Just a few more players and you’ll have a team.  It’ll be a tough year for you, but I’m sure you’ll guide your team correctly.  Your experience should see you through.

So, TC, your new adventure has started - time for you to make a difference.

"Don't Stand So Close To Me" - Sting

So, I'm tucking in Thunderchild the other night and, as usual, we have a quick chat.  I mention to her how nice it was to see the smile go from ear to ear that morning.  You see, her school (the best in South Africa) offers hockey as a subject - how cool is that!  That day she had Hockey Academy again and was excited as always:  put a hockey stick in that child's hands and she becomes a different person.  Shame, she was ready much earlier than usual and was already waiting outside for her mother to take her to school.


I mentioned all of this to her and she said I mustn't make a big deal of it.  How can one not?  Which parent would not be happy with a bouncing, sunny and happy child?  She had a spring in her step that day.  I then ask a bit about her day and what happened and I get told:  "Don't worry.  You don't need to know".  That hit me.  I'm desperately trying to keep the channels of communication open and she blows me off.  Then she dropped the bombshell (I get a feeling this had been coming for while now):  I must please not rub her back in the morning and sing to her before she wakes up.  I've been doing this for the past 10 years, and NOW she wants to stop.  So, I'm hurting a little at the moment.


Had a chat with her mother this morning about it and she says I must just accept it.  TC might be going through a difficult time (apparently it's worse for girls) but she'll be OK in a few years.  "A FEW YEARS!!!!", my brain screamed.  "But she still loves you", says the wife.  I guess I should not complain.  I am now not to push any issue or topic, I get told, but should wait for it to come from her side.  That means that I had better be available when it arrives.


Oh well, such is the life of a parent of a teenager.


Take care TC.  Mommy and Daddy love you very much.

Thunderchild and the Masked Crusader

“Dad,” she says as I enter the room, “I need to talk to you”.  Immediately I’m on my guard.  WTF?  What happened?  When?  What’s the problem? You know, all those strange thoughts that go through a parent’s mind when their child wants to “talk”.

“OK, tell me.  What’s up?” I say, expecting something bad.

She looks me straight in the face and says sternly,

.

.

.

“I’m Batman!”

Where do these children get these ideas from lately?  It seems as if the older she becomes, the wittier she gets.  She is so quick lately.  She pulls, and catches, her mother with the same trick.  However, “mommy dearest” decides to get her back.

So, a day or so ago they’re on their way to school again.  “TC, I need to talk to you”.  Now, I need to explain something about Thunderchild.  If you say these words to her she immediately becomes worried and withdraws a little.  “But I need you to relax first”, her mother continues.

A few minutes later, “Are you relaxed yet?  Can I talk to you?”.

“Yeesssss???” TC says, a little fearful.

Straight faced mom turns to her and says those immortal words … “I’m Batman!”

Gotcha!

Charity the Stripper

So, Thunderchild has this Halloween bowl into which coins are deposited each time she lets rip with a few choice phrases that might be seen to be inappropriate in polite company.  But, as mentioned, this is a bowl, so it’s easy to take coins out again.

The other day as she’s getting into the car for her mother to take her to school I say to her, “Stop taking money out of the bowl and then putting it back again.  You should give the money to charity.”

“Charity?”, the 14-year old asks, “Is that the stripper you keep emailing be about?”.  And with that her mom totally packs up laughing and they’re off to school, leaving me standing there wondering what just happened.  I think I got nailed, big time!

Thunderchild and the Aura

OK, so there we were, Thunderchild and I on the way to school.  Her mother is off for a few days and it’s my privilege to take her to school.  First we need to decide which radio station to listen to.  I enjoy a talk radio and she a more popular music kind of station – we “settle” on the latter (which actually means I lost the argument).

We’re halfway to school and some competition comes over the waves about “good advice”.  They ask questions about movies that provided some of these.  The contestant this particular morning happens to be some blonde that seems to have just woken up – she giggles.

First question is about something said by Yoda from Star Wars (the sentence construction was all turned around).  Blondie fluffs it totally, and giggles.  A bit of prodding and elimination of the other answers by the DJ and she manages to guess the correct answer, sheer luck.  More giggles.  Daddy is starting to lose it, heart rate goes up.

Next question.  “Which lycra-clad superhero that does not suffer from arachnophobia said….”.  Who cares about the rest of the question.  You should have guessed it by now.  SPIDERMAN!!!

Giggle.  Blah, blah.  “Wrong answer”, says the DJ and thankfully cuts her off before she can giggle again.  I let loose and have a go at that blonde.  TC tries to stay with me, but perhaps I took it too far and she gets a little irritated with me.

A minute or so later we’re at the school (did I say which school she goes to?  Yes, the best one in the country), she turns around to look at me and says:  “Your aura is all messed up.”.  And before I can say anything, she disappears into the school grounds, her words still lingering …

Thunderchild's 14th Birthday

My darling, Thunderchild you’re 14 today.  A very happy birthday from a daddy that loves you very much.

Actually, your birthday started last night when your sister and her boyfriend brought you some presents.  It was such a joy watching you open the presents, especially the one that had the portable hard drive in it – the smile went around the face.  I know how long you’ve wanted one of those to store your movies on.  Now you do.  Of course, Emo needed to annex one of the pieces of paper for herself to lie on – weird kitty that one.  You gave your presents the most unique name I have ever heard:  “Cool Random Junk”, later referred to as “Awesome Random Junk”.

This morning I was the fortunate one to wake you up and sing “Happy Birthday” to you, along with all the other songs – couldn’t start the day off better than that.  I took you to the party shop this morning because, as always, you were thinking of other people.  You went and bought a whole lot of key chains for your friends for their birthdays and what not.  Proud of you TC.  Then, some totally random lady just walked up to you and gave you a hug and asked how old you were.  When she heard it was your birthday she mentioned that it was her 22-year old son’s birthday today as well.  I still don’t know what to make of that incident, but I’m sure we’ll find out some time in the future (connecting the dots…)

Lunch today was so cool with the family:  it was great having everyone there.  You also received some more presents from the rest of us (more CRJ).  I took the most amazing shots this afternoon of you, your mother, sister and the rest.  Just realized now that there were none of me, but that’s OK because my love is in the shots of you.

There was one that so totally captured you:  the way you look, hold your pose etc.  It seems odd now, but the last year or so I’ve been able to capture the essence of TC.  These shots go deeper than the skin:  they reach down to the very atoms of your soul.  Maybe you need to love someone very much to be able to get these.

Anyway, you’re back now from your sojourn with your sister and her boyfriend to Randburg, nogal.  Went to play putt-putt.  Glad you’re back safely, lying there on the couch with one of my Springbok T-shirts on.

Sleep tight, child of the storm.  Daddy loves you very much.

Colourless Daddy

Thunderchild walks into the bedroom, hanging her shoulders and head so that the hair covers her face.

“What’s wrong?” asks her mother.

“My daddy is colourless”, she replies.

…wavy lines…screen blurs…scroll back a few hours.

15h51.  TC calls me at work.

“Daddy, is your email still x@y.z?”  “Yes, or you could use me work email…Why?”  

“I need you to print something for me, please.  But I need 5 copies.”  “OK, sure.  Send it” I reply.

“OK, just wait.  Wait. Wait.  It’s on its way”, she informs me.

“Where did you send it to?”

“You work email”

“OK, got it.  I’ll print it and bring it home.  See you just now. Bye”

I open the document and click “Print”.  It prints one copy and I make 4 photostats of it (she said she wanted 5!).  Put on the desk so that I don’t forget it when I leave the office (I have a tendency to forget documents at work when I go home…).

Get home a short while later and TC comes running down the stairs to greet me.  I know what’s coming.  She goes to the other side of the lounge and waits for me to get ready.  I strike the pose – it’s very similar to the inside center waiting for the fly-half to pass the ball in rugby – I’ve been catching her like ever since she was a “certain” height.  She comes running at me, jumps and I have to catch her.  I’ve learnt by now not to try and catch her straight on as she’ll flatten me.  Just catch her from the side and swing – that works.

“Did you bring my documents?”

“Yes”

“All five copies?”

“Yes”

She eagerly takes a look at the documents to see how they came out.

“They’re colourless.”

You see, the default printer setting at work is to print in greyscale, not colour.  Somehow the colour thing did not get through to me. 

… wavy lines … forward a few a few hours

And that is why I was referred to as “Colourless Dad” for most of Thursday evening.  Later on she revised the document, put it down on my PC and told me to print it in colour for her.  I’ll do that just after this post.

She didn’t say I must print 5 copies, did she?

The hungry thunderbolt

It’s 6h31.  Time to go to school.

“I’m hungry”, Thunderchild says.  This just after she entered the kitchen and proclaimed “My school shoes are missing”.  I had just found them in her cupboard and brought them to her, which she promptly put on by squeezing her feet into them without first loosening the straps.

Back to the food.  “There are pampoenkoekies (pumpkin fritters)”, the wife says.  “No, it’s too late.  There’s no time”.  “Yes there is,” I say and get going.  TC and her mom head for the car so long.

I get the food from the fridge, take out the gravy that comes with it, punch a few holes and into the microwave for 2 minutes.  While that’s going (and I can hear the gate opening so that the car get out), I get serviettes, a fork to eat with and a bag in which to put everything.  Open the gravy.  Ping!  Food is done.

I put the food into a lunch box, add the gravy (the gate is starting to close by now!!!), grab everything else and run to the car.  TC had already opened the window and was in “receiving mode”.  “Thank you.  Love you Daddy.  Bye”.  I make it back before the gate finally closes on me.  All this in 4 minutes.  The wife and TC are gone, off to school.

And tonight she has a sleepover, so it’s going to be noisy.  Will have to read a book or something.

Good luck, TC.  Have a nice day.

Thunderbolt – I don’t want cheese!

I've been planning her school lunch since yesterday.  Who actually plans their children's school lunch? 

Anyways, I get up this morning and rush through my normal chores (wake up TC, get her bath ready, give Emo, the cat, new food and water).  I then check the fridge for the ingredients – all there.  Get a pot, add a little oil and put it on the stove to warm up.

The lunch consists of pancakes rolled around grated cheese and fried cold meat (ham and beef from Woolies).  While the oil is warming up I add some crushed chillies (TC likes them) to absorb just a little of the oil.  Start chopping up the meat – I’m starting to look like a contestant from Masterchef Australia by now.  Pan is warm by now so I add the meat.

Next is to move onto grating the cheese.  By now the wife has come down and starts to set the table for breakfast.  Doubt if TC will be joining us because she’s been a little tired lately. The cold meat is starting to brown and cook nicely by now:  the smell of the chillies is quite enticing.  Remove from the pot and into a waiting bowl.

Now onto the pancakes (bought frozen from Wollies – where else?).   About 40 seconds in the microwave and they’re nice and warm.  Take out, add the meat (with seasoning), cheese and roll the pancake.  Then add a little of the grated cheese on top and back into the microwave for 15 seconds.  Just right.  Into the lunch box and make another one.

About 25 minutes pass and it’s time to go to school.  I’m kinda hoping TC will appreciate and enjoy what I made for her. 

“I DON’T LIKE CHEESE ON MY PANCAKES ANYMORE!”, she shouts.

A few things happen at once.  My world collapses.  How can someone you love so much hurt you like this?  Two, the house explodes as I lose my temper.

“How the hell must I know you don’t like cheese anymore?  Must I smell?”.  I storm out the house.  It’s time for the wife to take her to school.  I decide I’ll still try and say goodbye to her.  “No, don’t come near me.”.  She’s off to school without lunch.

I really don’t know what to do:  I’ve got tears in my eye and a lump in my throat as I’m writing this.  Maybe just wait and sit out the storm (and eat her lunch myself).  Hopefully it’ll blow over in a day or two.  

Sorry Mommy!

Thunderbolt - Sorry Mommy!

So I get up this Sunday morning and notice a letter on the dresser – it says “So Sorry Card”.  What did she do wrong this time again?

As it turned out, she had just placed an online order for a DVD (box set!) called “Anne of Green Gables” (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088727/). 

What on earth?  But apparently they’re studying the story in English class at school and she really seems taken by it.  I suppose it’s important to support and encourage your children when it comes to their education, so I'll definitely make sure she gets it.

Spoke to her earlier today and she had already downloaded some of it from YouTube.  I was never this interested in the books we did when I was at school – they were just plain boring.

She’s also going to be directing a short play sometime later this year at school.  How cool is this?  The drama teacher was apparently quite impressed with her work and decided to give her the opportunity.  Just another reason she's in the school she is, and not somewhere else.

So, nicely done TC, Daddy’s proud of you.

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The Axles

It's time for another Thunderbolt - the chronicles of Thunderchild.

So there we were a year or 3 ago, just finished watching our normal early evening soapie, about to start with schoolwork when TC comes up to me and says: "Dad, I need to build a car for Technology".  Let me just explain.  Technology is a subject taught in schools over here and exposes the kids to all things, well, technological, from computers to shapes, structures (e.g. Dome Structures) and everything in between.

"Cool," I reckon.  "Do you have a design yet?".  Yes, she says and shows it to me on paper.  Simple enough, I think.  "Dad, it needs to have axles.  One must be moveable, and the other not.".  It's just here, where silence descends upon the study.  This axle moving thing is unfamiliar territory for me.

"Daddy, it needs to be finished by Thursday".  The silence becomes a humming in my ears as the blood takes on an extra supply of steroids and goes berserk.  IT'S TUESDAY, BLOODY EVENING!  Deep breath, or 2.  I try to get TC to explain this axle theory to me, but she cannot (I expected as much as she sometimes struggles to explain things), so I read her text book.  A few minutes later I have a fair idea of what's required.

So, we need the following:  a design, a shell of a car, axles (we'll use dowel sticks), bottom parts of cans for the wheels (at least 8), some tape, some wire and a drill bit small enough to go through the wood.  Problem is, I don't have the dowel sticks, drill bits or enough cans.  But never mind, I'll get the wood and stuff the next day at the hardware store.  Now, at about this time, I was very into electronics, and I thought it would be cool to have some lights on the car - so in goes 2 LEDs, some soldering, a battery holder and a few penlights into the design.  However, we cannot do it all that evening so we get stuck into cutting the cardboard to form the car.

Round about 22h00 TC says she's going to lie down for "just a few minutes".  I carry on working, knowing better.  At midnight, I'm tired and decide to go to bed.  But first I need to get TC to bed:  she just couldn't make it and passed out on the couch.

OK, so the next day I'm off to the hardware store to buy "supplies" and on the way home I stop off to get a battery holder and some penlights.  That evening she and I get going again on our design.  The axles are cut (using a Leatherman), holes drilled for the nonmoveable axle (the wheels move, not the axle), grooves created for the moveable axles (wheels are fixed to the axle) to allow the wire from the car to hold them, the cans get cut and holes made into the bottom and eventually fitted onto the axles.  Now, just a note regarding the bottom of cans (remember, they are rounded):  Don't try and drill the hole.  The best way is just to use a pocket knife (or steak knife!), punch a hole and then widen it.  Works much better this way.

Once done, I need to solder the wire onto the LEDs, connect up the battery holder and switch and add the batteries.  Test:  works like a dream!  Connect the LEDs to the car, fasten the holder to the inside and test again.

"Daddy, I need number plates."  No problem.  Luckily we have not yet run out of ink for the printer.  A few clicks later and the printer kicks into life and we have our plates.  Cut, glue and stick.  But 22h00 we're finished.  So what if the wheels are a little skew!  They're round, aren't they?  And the car moves forward...sort of.

The next morning I take TC to school telling her not to let anyone touch "our" car.  And save the batteries so that the LEDs work when you show the car.  I leave for work.

The afternoon I pick her up and ask how it went.  "Dad, someone sat on it and squashed it.".  Silence descends upon the car (Silence has this way of descending).  "Just joking!", she laughs.  "So how much did we get?".  "Ten out of ten", she replies with a big smile on her face.  Apparently the teacher was very impressed with the design and construction.

I got full marks!  The stuff these kids make you do for school.

Now, a few years later, and she's still at it.  Tomorrow evening it's off to school for a braai (barbecue to the foreigners reading this) - it's one of their major fund raising events for the year.  Should be interesting.  And cold (it's winter).

Now for the last line (some of you should know what's coming):
"Van die Affie vrouekrag."

Goodnight TC, Daddy loves you very much.

Clothing and the iPad

"Daddy, there's a competition and if I win I will get an iPad", says Thunderchild to me as I get home from work last Friday.  "OK, what must you do?" I ask, wondering what she's going to hit me with.  "Collect clothing for the poor people", she says excitedly.

She then goes on to explain what the drive is about, who started it and which schools are involved (looks like some of the top schools in SA have joined in).  To view the charity, go to http://clothing4children.org/. When I hear the number of schools I start to realize that her chances of winning are kind of slim.  I know I'll have to rather concentrate on the giving aspect instead of on the winning part.  Luckily for me, TC is just that sort of person:  she likes to help people.  Always has.

So this past weekend we start sorting out our clothes into two heaps:

• those that fit NOW (we keep these)
• those that fitted in the past or those that we know will never fit again (we give these)

So between TC, myself and the wife we manage to get nearly 2 large bags full of clothing.  Could've given more, but we had cleaned out our cupboards about 2 months ago.  Yet she's still not finished.  I have to please send everyone at work an email asking for clothes, which I promptly do.  So too my wife.  

Now, how to get her friends involved that are not in her school (she goes to a school that's not in our feeder area).  This is just where my genius eldest comes up with a brilliant idea (she has a tendency to do this):  create a Facebook invite!  How the hell?  I would never have thought of this.  So off TC goes and does the FB invite.  By the end of the evening she already has a few replies, so it looks like she could just pull it off.

Slowly, the iPad idea is disappearing.  She just wants to get as many clothes as possible for her school and the charity.  Well done TC, Daddy's proud of you.

"Na die gelag..."

History Lesson

Thunderchild's in bed, not feeling very well.  I think the hockey last week really got to her as she's been sick since then.  And to top it all off, they've had school tests this whole week so far.  In fact, I have to wake her up tomorrow morning at 3 so that she can learn.  Hopefully the Vicks Medinite will do its work.

Anyway, the reason for this episode is to put keyboard to bytes about the creation of TC, in case something happens to me and the story is never told.

It was in May 1996 that the wife and I went to the computer show at Nasrec, just south of Johannesburg.  We would go almost every year.  The Wednesday of the show she and I were sitting at the window seat discussing having a child:  I was already quite sure I wanted one.  I can't remember what she was eating, but it definitely was not the lasagna (they always put garlic in and she doesn't like it).  So she tells me she'll give me until the Friday to make sure I wanted a child.  Needless to say, Friday came and we started the "process".

Well, who would've thought that having a child is so difficult?  I mean, a few seconds and that should be it.  So, after a few months (8!) of procedures, pills and having a proctologist stick his finger up my backside and the gynae telling us to get "busy" every 2 days, I'm driving home from work one late afternoon on the highway just before the turnoff to Centurion and get a call on my cell:  "Hello Daddy!"  Those words blew me totally away - must be the most amazing words a wife can say to her husband.

So, the nine month (or thereabouts) process begins.  The wife decides to do the healthy thing and only drink apple juice and Rooibos tea (I heard somewhere that in Europe it's referred to as "Cape Red").  The wife was determined that this baby was going to be healthy and have a minimum of 9 fingers.

I never knew the sex of TC until she was born (even though the wife went for an amnio I decided not to ask), so we referred to her as TLO - The Little One (which later in life became TLS - The Little Sh!t).  There were many times I'd lay next her and talk to her while she was in the womb.  The conversation would always start along the lines of:  "Hello TLO, this is your daddy speaking, AGAIN!...".  Other times we could feel her move.  She'd get this rhythmic movement that would last for about 30 minutes that the doctor later said was hiccuping (hiccing up??).  But it was so cool to feel her move inside.  Towards the end of the pregnancy you can actually SEE her move.

When we went for the amnio they brought up her image on the monitor.  Her hand was by her head and it looked like she was waving at me.  Of course, I waved back.  "Idiot," said the wife, "she can't see you".  I kinda felt really stupid, but it was so cool to see my little baby.

And so you carry on getting the room, blankets, toys, clothes (for 0-3 and 3-6 months) and cot ready for the big day.  The wife checked in the day before.  I was up very early the next morning and made my way to the hospital - it was raining (how fitting for what we called her:  no, not "Rain", "Skye" or "Cloud"!).  Got there and the wife had to go for the epidural.  Good God!  I'd never seen a needle that long before.  They stuck it right up her spine.  Apparently you cannot have a cesarean without it...

OK, so she get's wheeled into the operating theater and a sheet is put up, I suppose so that we cannot see what was happening.  The wife mentioned that she could feel the doctor tugging, but before we could do much more, he said in Afrikaans (and I quote):  "Ah, 'n pragtige baba dogtertjie"  Translation:  Ah, a beautiful baby girl.  I cried my eyes out.  Having your child being born must be the most intense spiritual feeling and emotion imaginable.  It's all so real now.

She started crying on the count of 9 (out of 10, whatever the hell that means).  And she didn't stop for 2 hours.  They had her in an incubator.  I sat next to her the whole time, not knowing what to do.  Do I touch her, hold her hand?  Will the nurses moan?  Chase me away?  Eventually she managed to get a finger in her mouth which shut her up immediately and she was able to calm down.  We could then wrap her in a blanket and take her to her mommy.  It was a beautiful sight seeing the two of them together.

And that dear reader, was how the thunder rolled into our lives.

"En luister in die donker nag"

It's Jacobs Time!

Time for another episode in the life of Thunderchild and her Daddy.  I have my trusty cup of Jacobs (Kronung, not that other vile decaf stuff) next to me keeping me going.

It's been a hectic and exiting day.  Actually it started yesterday evening when I got home with the words:  "Dad, I'm playing for the Wannabees tomorrow evening."  Excellent! (Have I mentioned how proud I am of her?).  "Where are you playing and what time must you be there?", I ask, trying to sound nonchalant and not too eager or excited.  "Six, at TUT", she replies (Way cool, I think...silently), "But first I have to watch the 1st team play at school".  She's got this thing about supporting her school's 1st hockey team.  It's important for her.

So, onto Friday and it's damn cold outside (still is as I'm writing this).  I realize that I'm going to freeze my butt off next to the astro and decide to take an extra jersey with me for the evening.  I get to school around 16h00 just in time to see the 1st team win 2-0.  TC is excited:  I can feel it in her.  There's this bounce that she gets.  She starts chatting away and smiling the whole time.  We're off to KFC to get some sustenance and she's into the ladies to get changed - she just cannot wait.  On the way to TUT we hit peak hour traffic (enough said!) and arrive 10 minutes late.  Luckily they decided to wait for us.  However, the team had to start playing without a goalie.  Note to other teams:  don't play hockey without a goalie.

Now this team is just a little stronger than last week's one.  Last week we played the TUT 4th team; this week the 1st team.  The level of play was very high and our girls struggled quite a bit, but TC, as usual, gave every little thing she had on the pitch and made the opponents work for every ball.  She made some good saves and tackles.  But not having a goalie cost them dearly, eventually going down 12-1 (I think, because I lost count).  But still TC showed tenacity on the pitch today, never giving up no matter how tough the situation.  I took some pictures during the first half, but then my fingers got so cold I decided they would be better off in my pockets - sorry TC.

What I like about this level of play, is that there is no coach next to the side of the pitch shouting out instructions.  Here you have to think for yourself and develop your own match intuition, something that TC is doing quite well now.

There was this one move that she likes to do when hitting from touch (the ball went out).  She dribbles the ball just a little in and then turns and goes straight for her opponent - I know what's coming because I can read her like a book.  The opponent goes in for the tackle and pop (!), TC lifts the ball over the opponent's stick and passed her.  Brilliant move!  Actually, I think this is TC's signature the move - the TC pop!

After the match, even having lost the way they did, she came to me and said that she's really enjoying playing at this level and hopes she can continue.  So do I, so do I.  I'm extremely thankful for the opportunity she has to play at this level.

Shame, TC's lying next to her mother at the moment, fast asleep.  She has nothing left.

Tomorrow it's off to a friend of her's to prepare for some science project for school.  Knowing those two characters, it should be quite interesting to see the presentation.  We'll see how it goes next week.

To TC, sleep tight my girl.  Daddy loves you very much.

"En die hele wêreld word stil..."