Mowed the lawn

Izak bought his first house close to the distribution center. The house is just right with a double garage and a guest bedroom, but the yard is huge. I know, because I had fun, spending a good part of the afternoon cutting the lawn.

First dinner

One can dine in some of the best restaurants, with food prepared by world-class chefs and scarce, expensive wines. So why is it then, that a simple supper of tasty pumpkin soup and fresh bread with the kids around their first dining table is so indescribably special?

Re-united with Izak

It was so special to see Izak and Julia again. Izak picked us up at Miller station, minutes after Julia finished the local Gary half-marathon in a very good time. It is different for parents to hug their kids' warm bodies than seeing them on Skype. We are so thankful for the privilege.

South shore train

Sometimes, when we travel in foreign cities, we take alternative transport; like today. We got on the South Shoreline train out of Chicago to Miller station in Gary. There is a little bit if stress involved to get on the right train on time etc., but the sense of achievement and the interesting people to see and sometimes meet is worth it.

Menomonee Falls Gridiron

On a cold night, with an icy wind blowing from the south, we watched the boys of Riaan and Christa representing the local high school in American football. It was a great finale of a wonderful day spent with the Rocher family from Menomonee Falls in Wisconsin.

Nina's birthday

It is Nina's second birthday today. We left her wrapped present with Ernst and Catherine before our trip. This morning we were fortunate to see her open it, through the miracle of Skype, even with us being thousands of miles away in Milwaukee.

Sears

I was skeptical, but Annelie insisted in a nice way, so we had dinner at Sears - a famous, touristy diner. The service was friendly and crisp. We shared the signature salad as a starter. But it was the main course that I really enjoyed: A thick, juicy pork chop with raisons, accompanied by a heavily oaked Sonoma Pinot.

Nike Ladies Marathon

We watched the start of the Nike Ladies Marathon from our window on the 32nd floor of the Grand Hyatt and then went for an early breakfast.

Litquake

Litquake is a festival of writing organized annually in San Francisco. We arrived on the last day of the festival, but managed to attend one of the last events - held in an alley with wonderful mural art. We listened to amateurs reading some of their unpublished work; ranging from interesting prose and poetry, to work that I had difficulty to understand.

Potrero Hill

Me and Annelie spent a few hours at the Potrero Hill Festival. We listened to the live music and soaked up the atmosphere. Afterwards we agreed that individualism and standing up for a cause is a trademark of this community. We saw many different people, in interesting relationships, dressed uniquely and often walking dogs as original as their owners.

Breakfast in Dubai

There is a big difference between having breakfast in a plane, with safety belt on and sitting down in a dining room with starched, white table cloths. That is why I rather have breakfast in the lounge while in transit in Dubai.

Clouds

Sometimes, one must just see the clouds to know that there is an almighty Creator and that we are infinitely smaller in the bigger scheme of things; I realized when driving back from work, I saw these clouds over Table Mountain.

David Kramer

We enjoyed the brilliance of David Kramer with JP and Maritha at the Old Mill theatre in Paarl. David took us on a journey of his music during the past forty years. His fusion of rock and folk, "weskus" Afrikaans and English, funny and poignant provides for a special enjoyment. He sang some of his newer compositions, but also entertained us with songs like Blokkies Joubert, and an emotional rendition of Skipskop.

Kerrie afval pot

The fires were lit early and tents and gazebos erected. The occasion was our church's annual festival of food. Our group were responsible for selling "skilpadjies" and curry-flavoured "afval-potjies" - both very traditional South African dishes. Notwithstanding the rain and back-breaking work, we managed to sell hundreds of meals, raising funds for the church, but also having an opportunity to work together and get to know each other better.

Woodstock art

My first meeting this morning was in the Cape Town suburb of Woodstock. I only found parking in one of the side-streets some distance from the venue. While walking through some of the backstreets, I was pleasantly surprised by the art on walls in the area. Big canvasses came to life with stunning pictures and stimulating messages. Some-one should organize a tour for art-lovers through Woodstock.

Morning cycle run

There is something special about early morning cycles at this time of the year, like this morning. Started off in semi-dusk, with the sea-salty taste of the mist still enveloping the road and then seeing the sun break through, painting the budding vineyards in gold. It is about racing down hills and grinding up the inclines, through layers of air with different temperatures.

13 is a prime number

My father was born on Friday the 13th. Rather than looking at this as a bad omen, he turned 13 into a lucky number. We closed his chapter on Saturday with an intimate service at the retirement village where he lived for the past five years. It was emotional for me, but I experienced a strange satisfaction thinking about his special life, and that he lived till 2013.

Pigeons on the grass

It was kind of symbolic: to see the many pigeons on the grass in front of my dads home when I stopped there this afternoon. He was so attuned to nature and specifically birds, that I almost felt as if the birds was also there to say goodbye.

Annelie prep for operation

Dropping Annelie off at Durbanville Medi-Clinic for an operation on her wrist early in the morning. I am impressed with the professionalism of the staff and the process to get her ready for the procedure.