FOINALLY!!! Our pre-wedding photos

Hello berry pretty people!

How was your weekend? Did you have an awesome time? Today's Labor Day in the States and I'm so jealous of my family that'll be spending time shopping and lazing about and eating lots of food. Wait, I'm supposed to be trying to fit into a wedding dress... sometimes I just want to ask God why I'm not naturally toned, fit and have a body that's like Beyonce, Kim Kardashian and Salma Hayek all at once...

Anyways, remember I mentioned my pre-wedding shots in an earlier post? I really wanted to share them with you, but couldn't because Bella Naija was going to post them up. So I just waited and waited, and learned a little bit more about patience, and finally our pictures were posted on Fridaaaaaaaaaaaay!!! In addition to the pictures, I had written a list of things I love about Cakes, and they were all posted there too.

I'll just share a few of my favorite shots here, and then you can read the looooooong post on Bella Naija - What I <3 About Cakes. We've had soooooo many comments, prayers, well wishes and I'm so grateful to everyone who wishes us well. Thanks to you, my readers for your love too. Thanks to Bella Naija for the lovely post. Thanks to Cakes for being you and loving me. Thanks to my family for their love and support. And finally, I thank God for ALLLLLLLLLLLL He's done, doing, and will do in my life.

"Wink and a cake for ya?"

LOVE THIS PICTURE!

I'm fine sometimes o.

The pictures were taken by Eze-One Photography in my friend's aunt's house and one of the little parks in VGC. He comes highly recommended by moi and will fly anywhere!

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First Kiss Fridays

Hello lovers!!!

If you missed it last week, I started a new feature/series on my blog: FIRST KISS FRIDAYS. Readers are encouraged to send stories of their first kisses ever, first kisses with boyfriends/girlfriends, ex-boyfriends/girlfriends, handsome/beautiful strangers, husbands/wives, you get the idea... It will be TOTALLY ANONYMOUS so feel free to divulge!

Please send your stories to berrydakara@gmail.com

How do you like my new design? 

I had just entered into the world of teenagers. A lot of changes were happening within AND on my body. I remember sitting at Mr. Biggs with my sister and mum. We had just met Daniel Wilson… remember him? Call me Daniel Wilson, and I’ll play you Ragamuffin. I was giddy with excitement as I loved the song and I have/had the tendency to get star-struck. I went to the restroom and hurriedly came out to inform my mum that my first period was upon me. She hugged me and when we got home, I got to hear (again) the proverbial Birds and Bees talk. I was armed with the knowledge that I could get pregnant if I had sex with a boy, even though I didn’t figure out how sex worked until I was almost twenty. Entering teenage-dom meant puberty, and not only did I begin to develop breasts that would eventually become DDs, I started becoming interested in boys… LOTS OF BOYS!

I was such a shy child. I preferred playing by myself or only with people I was comfortable with. I didn’t like attention and would shrink in crowds. That turned upside down very quickly. While I was still quiet, I began to want attention – from boys. I was small, dark, developing and discovered a penchant for miniskirts. My favorite was a royal blue spandex one my aunt from England had gotten me. When I wore that skirt, I felt eyes on me and I relished the knowledge that I wasn’t so invisible anymore. I began to hang out at the weekend spot more often – going swimming, to the video store, and watching boys play basketball.

One weekend, I met up with my best friend (a boy, of course) to go swimming. While we were there, he introduced me to his friend, Donald. I was 13 or 14, but I was instantly attracted and drawn to him. We didn’t speak much on that first meeting. The next time we met, he didn’t remember who I was! But I wasn’t fazed and I reintroduced myself. If you ask him today, he’ll tell you that I chatted him up the first time we met, lol. After that second meeting, we became friendly. He lived in the estate and we started calling each other on the phone – not after 9:00PM or I would get in trouble with my mum. 

The summer holiday came, and this meant we could see each other more often, without the threat of being caught by parents who’d gone to work. We took walks together, holding hands, talking and laughing about everything. I had fallen HARD for him. I wondered what it would be like to kiss him. I’d been kissed before but it wasn’t “sweet.” One afternoon, Donald stopped by my house and that day we stood outside talking. Something had shifted in the air that day. I was leaning with my back on my dad’s Santana (or maybe it was the Jetta) with Donald standing in front of me. His voice got progressively lower as we talked. And then he asked me the question… “Can I kiss you?” My heart skipped several beats, my breathing becoming heavier (and not due to asthma, this time) and I smiled and said, “Yes.” He leaned in ever so slowly and my eyes fluttered close just before his lips touched mine. His lips were soft, yet firm and we kissed slowly, seemingly forever. That was my first inkling of what passion was. 

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Testing Testing

OMG!

I just downloaded the Blogger app on my Samsung S4 and after typing up a boatload of text for this post, my battery was dying so I went back to the phone's home screen before plugging in my charger. I came back to blogger and all the text is gone!!!!!!!!!! I had typed and re typed and was witty and excited about my first post using the app and now this!?

NONSENSE!

I will just use bullet points cos I can't start all over again. *rolls eyes*

• Blogger app is crap if it won't automatically save drafts like on the web version!

• Samsung S4 screens are very fragile! It's been less than a month and my screen is cracked already. Okay I didn't have a phone case then cos I thought it was too expensive at N7000. Well I got one right after it cracked and the case had gone down to N4000.

• If you register your phone's iemi number after buying your phone, you're automatically registered for a 2-yr warranty during which Samsung will fix screen and liquid damages twice.

• I don't know how to add a photo to this post using the app. *3 minutes later* Yes I do.

Toodles and crayfish noodles to you poodles!

*I see your blank stare :p*

I'm a complete and total SELL-OUT!!!

:(

Don't crucify for what I'm about to tell you. I've gone and done something I said I would NEVER EVER do in my life, EVER + Infinity. This goes against my principles and what I stand for. I'm ashamed of myself, and you should be ashamed of me too. Before I confess, please accept that it wasn't totally my fault. I was aided and abetted by my family members. I would never have done it if it wasn't for them.

*butterflies in my tummy as I get ready to announce that...*

I GOT AN iPAD MINI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*insert horrified scream here* NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, YES YES I, Berry Dakara sold out and joined the iMasses! *sob sob, wail wail, sniff sniff*

I had sworn I would NEVER get an Apple product. I have been Anti-Apple, Anti-Steve Jobs (until he died, may he RIP), Anti-i-anything. My reason was that Apple was trying to take over the world. From the iPad to the iPhone to the iMac (wait, is there anything called an iMac or did I just make that up? :-S).

Anyway, the story is that my dad had an extra iPad mini and didn't know what to do with it. My Blackberry Playbook had malfunctioned - the camera no longer works, and it refused to restore some pictures and videos from my last backup. So I graciously accepted my dad's offer of the iPad mini. *le sigh*

Well, it feels good to confess. Please forgive me for my selling-out-edness.

And now, I have figure out how to turn the darn thing on! All these touch screen devices make me feel incompetent sha. Where's a button when you need one?

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First Kiss Fridays...

Hello dahlings!!!

Soooo I'm introducing what I hope will become a new feature/series on my blog: FIRST KISS FRIDAYS. Readers are encouraged to send stories of their first kisses ever, first kisses with boyfriends/girlfriends, ex-boyfriends/girlfriends, handsome/beautiful strangers, husbands/wives, you get the idea... It will be TOTALLY ANONYMOUS so feel free to divulge!

UPDATE: Please send your stories to berrydakara@gmail.com

Without further ado, here's our first installment...

I know my design skills need a LOT of work

If my heels were an inch or two lower, I’d have taken the steps two, maybe three, at a time. The elevators were taking forever. Rush hour office traffic, I deduced. Not giving myself enough time to mull over it, I began my descent via foot from the 4^th floor. Exercise, I kidded myself. That’s the reason you’re taking the stairs. I didn’t time myself because this was no race to the finish line…, no 100m dash, no 50m freestyle. However, I am certain it took less than 90 seconds from the time his TV-series-inspired name flashed across my blue Nokia Lumia, to when I sauntered (okay, maybe jogged) out of my office building – blue, heavy lunch bag filled with my healthy versions of yummy Nigerian food swinging by my side – for my “lunch break.” A girl’s gotta eat, right?

The July sun was out in all its summer glory. Bright, scorching, unforgiving. The wind blew today, quite unusual given the time of day. In the distance, I could hear horns blaring, cars accelerating way past the speed limit (whatever that was), and garrulous pedestrians going about their daily routine.Walking out of the familiar brown gate, I searched for his car. Its bright color made it as conspicuous as an elephant in a china shop. He beckoned, and I immediately felt my pace quicken and a smile escape my lips. Slow down. I did, slowing my steps to my usual catwalk. I talked to myself often, and this time was no different.

He leaned over to open the door and in one swift, graceful movement (okay, maybe two), I was seated in the passenger’s seat. After pleasantries, compliments and hugs were exchanged, he drove to a quiet spot underneath what appeared to be a palm tree, with fronds the length of a small sized trailer. It was a residential area, so it was fairly quiet. Fairly, for nowhere in Lagos is completely void of noise. He must have told me I looked beautiful more than a dozen times. My cheeks suffused with blushes as I shot down his remarks with several objections of “Noooo! I’m okayyyy!”and “Stoooop it!”

I unpacked lunch – sweet potatoes, plantain, spicy sauce with huge chunks of chicken, and sautéed vegetables – while he opened the big green bottle of sweet, red wine he promised to bring. “Alcohol at 2 in the afternoon??” I chided him. I knew the glint in his eyes was as a result of the food, not me. The boy loves his sweet potatoes! More compliments came. “This tastes absolutely delicious. I can’t believe you made this for me.” (umm, I didn’t, bro, but who’s checking anyway?). “You’re so pretty.” (thought we were talking about food, no?).

After we both overate (goodbye waistline!) and the potatoes began their descent to digestion, conversation ensued. I stared at his wide, seductive smile that displayed rows of nicely-shaped teeth. Stop staring at his mouth. Stop staring, I compelled my voluntary system. I was not given enough time to achieve this because, before my obstinate eyes could settle on a different target, his lips met mine – so subtly, so quickly, so gently. I must have floated to the top of the tree we were parked under, for even after he pulled back to examine my face while flashing that smile I’ve grown to love, I was still leaning in, eyes closed, lips puckered and mind a muddled, beautiful mess.

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