Donations galore!

To all of you who have donated to my swim and inevitably, CHOC: THANK YOU!!!!!
The donations are rolling in thick and fast and the kitty is steadily growing.

I am astounded by all of the positive responses to my call for support of this worthy cause. 
Thank you, thank you thank you!

Short, sweet and to the point.
You guys rock!!!

Training swims…underrated!

Swimming is probably the most unnatural thing that the human body could do, other than attempt to copy Daedalus by jumping out of plane from 10 000 feet with nothing but an oversized shopping bag strapped to your back…but we do it anyway. There seems to be a certain serenity as our bodies glide through the water like a misshapen log. Well, I love it!

Training is going pretty well so far and I am managing to haul myself out from beneath the covers at 5am most mornings. The whimsical tunes of the boys boarding-house wakeup call gives a little company in an otherwise lonely Clifton pool. I am doing a 3km training swim with the Howick Prep swim team at Midmar dam on Friday. That should be fun…no walls to push off every 25 yards shouldn’t pose too much of a challenge…I hope. I will be accompanying them on their annual Midmar Dam Swim Tour from the 27th till the 30th of November. One lap of Midmar in four days – EPIC!!! Did it last year and it was AWESOME! The only really freaky bit was swimming across the dam wall…the concrete really dug into my chest *joke*! But really, I could stop thinking about those giant catfish called Vundu that exist in Lake Kariba; could there be one in Midmar? Lurking in the inky depths at the foot of the wall?

Maybe I’ll drag a line from my toe with a chunk of bait on the end and find out…

For a worthy cause...CANCER...

I will be swimming all 8 events at the 2011 Midmar Mile to raise money for charity. My charity of choice is CHOC, a foundation dedicated to research and the support of children with cancer. I would like to raise upwards of R20 000, and you can help me get there! There are some of you who may be wondering : “Why CHOC?”… Well, here’s why: Craig Bainbridge is a really good friend of mine, now living in Johannesburg. Written by his brother, Marc…

My brother, Craig Bainbridge, aged 29, was diagnosed with Gastro/Oesophegual Cancer in Nov 2009. At the time Craig was residing in Dubai, working as a teacher. Due to some complications with his School’s Medical Aid in Dubai, and his desire to return to his family for is chemotherapy, Craig has been left without any medical aid cover.

In Oct 09, prior to being diagnosed with Cancer, Craig was rushed into the Dubai Neuro/Spinal Hospital to remove a Brain Tumor that had formed over the front left quadrant of his brain. Fortunately Craig was at this point still covered by his medical aid, and his school then paid privately for the 14 Radiation Treatments that were required to ensure that the Brain Tumor would not return, as the Schools Medical Aid policies had now lapsed and Craig was no longer covered by any policy. The School was then unable to get Craig back onto his previous Medical Aid policy, as during this period he was diagnosed with the Cancer.


Through private fundraising activities we have been able to cover some of the additional expenditures and some private treatments, as well as covering any additional costs caused due to other illness, not yet covered by Discovery. Although we have already joined Craig to Discovery, his treatments will only be covered from 2011 and there is also a 3 month exclusion period on any Dr’s appointments, even if unrelated to his Cancer. As the Chemo weakens Craig he is more susceptible to illness and this is causing a great burden on him financially. During the Christmas period, he was diagnosed with 3 Deep Vein Thrombosis’s that prevented him from leaving the house, as the clots could cause a Heart Attack or Stroke, this is caused from the Chemo thickening his blood. The treatment for his DVT’s we covered through our private fundraising as well as the PET scan he need before he started his first round of Chemo, however we are constantly in need of additional funds to keep this option available to Craig.


Although Craig was originally diagnosed with Gastro/Oesophegual Cancer, the PET scan performed prior to his first Chemo treatment, revealed that Craig’s Cancer was moving very aggressively and had now begun to spread into his Lungs, Liver & Spleen. This means Craig’s course of Chemo is very aggressive to combat the Cancer, but this obviously brings about its own problems, in terms of Craig’s susceptibility to illness.

Since this was written, Craig has completed another round of Chemo and an aggressive set of Radio treatments. He also got married to Kate! Through all of these massive hardships, Craig, with the support of his friends and family has managed to stay incredibly positive. Never letting a day get him down, believing that the power of prayer and positive thought will see him safely through to health. He really is an inspiration! Marc, his brother, cycled from Nelspruit to Cape Town to raise awareness and funds for ‘The Bainbridge Believe Project’. There are “Believe” riders doing the 94.7 cycle challenge, and I am swimming 8 Midmar Miles!

For more info and to follow my training: www.bradsblendedbrain.blogspot.com And for the donation form, e-mail me at bradr@cliftonnr.co.za or call +2783 415 5139

Please, if Cancer has affected you or someone near to you, you will understand the strain it puts on the individual and everyone around them. Every cent counts, so please feel free to donate to your heart’s content. In advance…THANK YOU!!!!!!!

This is rediculous!

Yes, Garfield, everyone’s favorite cat, once said: “I’ll procrastinate tomorrow…” I am now seriously wondering why I have done that for the past two months?!?!?

Remember that 25km lap of Midmar Dam that I swam with Howick Prep last year? It shouldn’t be that difficult, I think it was my last post…Sorry… Well, I am doing it again.

My training started out well, with one swim about two months ago and another one about four weeks ago. Yes, you counted right. But you will be happy to hear that I have since placed my ‘A’ firmly into ‘G’ and have started the training in earnest.

I am also back on the airwaves!

I’ll tell you a quick story as to why I am swimming so furiously though: My dear friend Craig Bainbridge is 30, and riddled with cancer. He has kept going with the most inspiring positive thought and the support of friends and family. He even took a break from CHEMO and RADIO to get married to Kate! He and his friends (self included) have taken it upon themselves to raise as much money for CHOC as possible.

His brother cycled from Nelspruit to Cape Town. “Believe Rider”
Craig is cycling the 94.7 cycle challenge. “THE Believe Rider”
Some of us are swimming 8 Midmar Miles in 2011. (this is what I am doing) “Believe Swimmers”

Craig “Believes” in himself, why shouldn’t we?

If you would like to know how to donate, contact me for donation forms.
Zero Eight Three, Four One Double Five One Three Nine. Or brad r at cliftonnr dot co dot za!

More bonsai...lucky me!

Got a call from a friend of mine the other day.  He had just moved onto a new farm and the previous owners had left a little bonsai...this is what he told me.  When I arrived at the shed, I was greeted by a monster tree in a crappy pot that was totally overgrown with grass and weeds!  No idea what it is tho... my forrester father-in-law can't even ID it... here it is anyways. Anyone who can help identify it will recieve a complimentary e-kiss or e-handshake depending on what you prefer! 

And here is my display table that i made in my garage...really!

Have a groovy day now!

The Root

Bonsai delux...or so I think

These are my latest bonsais...having such an awesome time doing them, I thought I might share them with the world.

Thanks to the GoodWife for being so patient as I have tended my trees more than I have tended her lately...Love you!   Check me out on Flickr...

The End of the Dream...or is it?

Have you ever been in that fantastic wash of a warm sleep, and the dream-strip (my version of a film-strip in the subconscious) has you smiling a stupid grin of contentment?  Has it ever been so good that you are sure that this is what heaven is made of...all the feelings that are coursing through your veins and finding lush comfort on your minds sofa? 

Has it ever been so good that when it is brought to such an abrupt end by a dog's frantic bark that you are sure your heart will seek shelter somewhere around your belly button while the rest of you is left to find oxygen elsewhere?

Welcome to the start of the school term!  A baptism of fire, brimstone and a swimming gala!

Having come from a high school, I was used to being the delegator-style-teacher.  Giving children instructions to complete a task and then leaving them to carry on with it was my 'thing'...and it worked well.  That is, it worked well until I decided to teach at a Prep School.  These children demand a much larger pound of flesh than any high school student could dream of taking.  Every ounce of energy is poured into every minute of every day and there is never any letting up.  I did, as did many other people I have spoken to, think that teaching in a prep school environment would be less stressful...HA HAA he he HAAAA HAAAAAAAAA he he HahahahahahahahahHHHHHAAAA!  HAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!! Oooooooh!...sorry bit carried away there!

But I will admit something that is true:  There is and old saying that states that the relationship between effort and reward is directly proportional.  Too true!
The smiles that you get from a child that has done something right for the first time, or has succeeded beyond his or her expectations are priceless.

This is a fantastic job!