Ernst new offices

The company where Ernst (my oldest son) works moved into new offices and I was privileged to attend the opening event. After he took me on a tour of the premises. I understand why he is proud to be associated with this company.

Basie in the sun

For a dog it is difficult to find a comfortable spot and soak up the sun at the same time. I thought that Basie tried to do this well this morning; except he may end up with a sore neck.

Unspoilt MeerenBosch

The unspoiled beauty of the Botriver lagoon as it rushes into the ocean at this time of the year, never ceases to charm me. Our footprints were the first on virgin sand today. Sea-birds played in the morning wind and big waves stormed onto the beach persistently. How big is the creation and how small are we?

Annelie's hand

The cast came off Annelie's wrist last Friday and after examination of the most recent X-rays; the verdict was that the outcome of the operation was not what we anticipated. We are taking time to rationalize the implications and to decide on the next steps. Not everything in life will be good news, but then, there is much growth in tribulations.

Like Blood

In the cellar, a box on top of a pile of newly purchased wine fell and a bottle of Quinary broke. The result looked just like blood - a major accident... which is what it was.

Work cycle

These mornings are perfect for cycling on the Cape's scenic roads. I realized it even more so when I saw Mark cycling up a hill in front of me with Table Mountain as a backdrop in the distance.

At Ernst

After the wine-weekend, we were blessed to spend Sunday evening with Ernst. We watched cricket, enjoyed an early supper, talked and played with the grand-children. When Nina came to say: "nighty night" dressed in her special night gown, we knew how fortunate we are to experience them growing up.

Weekend of friendship

Both wine-clubs had their year-end functions this weekend. First the Kurktrekkers with a stunning wine and food pairing at Nederburg's Red Table - honest dishes but elegant and then the Sippers on Saturday. We spend the whole day together in the Stanford area, tasting wines and savoring the cheeses of Kleinrivier. Dinner was at the new harbor in Hermanus with two whales spotted in the waves below the restaurant. Truly a weekend of friendship.

Sunny office

Two of my colleagues found one of the best sunny spots in the office on the 4th floor. I saw them this morning early, having a cup of coffee, discussing important things, while soaking in the early warmth - and I envied them.

Birds in the early morning

I was awake early this morning (jet lag induced) and listened to the exuberant celebration of the birds welcoming the new day. I realized that it does sound different to when I am in other continents. It is as if the chatter of the birds is with much, much more abandonment here in Africa as anywhere else - as if there is more to be thankful for.

Welcome home

We were pleasantly surprised to be met by Catherine and the two grand-children when we landed at Cape Town International. The two little ones were overjoyed to see us (actually more so to see Annelie). We are so thankful for two special grand-children and a daughter that cared enough to be there when we landed.

Rugby on TV in Dubai

We landed in time in Dubai to rush to the hotel to see the second half of the rugby live. Then had a late dinner and a short rest before boarding for the final leg back to Cape Town.

Goodbye San Francisco

Another amazing day in San Francisco; the sun is shining, no smog or wind. We enjoyed the breakfast in the Intercontinental Hotel, a quick walk through the Saturday morning traffic, buy a last bottle of Napa Cab, then pack and off to the airport. We will be back.

Half Moon Bay cycle

While attending an executive discussion, we are booked into the stunning Ritz Carlton Hotel in Half Moon Bay. Today, I cycled into the hills behind the hotel, towards Higgins Canyon and then Purisima Creek. It was a fun ride in a beautiful country.

French wines in Napa

I savored five of the best Burgundy wines one of the other at the home of friends in Napa. Me and Annelie enjoyed warm hospitality, excellent food and the most beautiful views across the valley from the main living room. But to stand in a big, well-designed cellar predominantly stocked with thousands of the best French wines in the middle of the mecca of American wines; was a memorable experience.

Occidental

I booked us into a basic hotel in the small town Occidental. We enjoyed the drive through the winding roads and the dense forests. We followed the Russian river to the sea, saw the sun set over the rugged north California coast and enjoyed a seafood dinner in Bodega Bay.

Atelier Crenn

We were entertained with a culinary exhibition last night in the company of Vijay and Lawrence. Dominique Crenn is the first female in the US running a two star Michelin-rated restaurant and it shows. Not only was every dish on the (short) five course menu exquisite, but the courageous wine-pairings worked beautifully too. What we really enjoyed was the way that other art-forms (like poetry and sculptures) were integrated to create a unique experience. Definitely one of my top ten dining experiences.

A halloween experience

We actually had a great halloween experience in the suburb where Izak lives. We opened the door to many of the neighborhood kids (most dressed-up friendly. i.e. Alice in Wonderland, etc.) accompanied by their parents. We offered them candy and spoke a few words to them and their parents - an opportunity to get to know the people around here. Annelie scared many of the kids when they heard her speak English... because of her Bloemfontein accent.

First merchant bank

The problem with being an exception is that systems do not cater for you. When I tried opening a US bank account with no plan to settle here, many banks could not help me. Until I stepped into the Brownsburg branch of the First Merchant Bank. Friendly staff, with an attitude of solving problems, managed to open an account for me. The whole experience was a lesson in how important people are in client service; even in banks. The biggest coincidence was that, after I made enquiries, I found that this bank's mobile banking service is supplied by S1, which originally was based on Fundamo software.

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.

Nuweland

As the two proud teams lined up for the national anthems on the green Newland's pitch, one could see a banner of one of the non-sponsors being pulled by a light aircraft, advertising: Mavericks.

First class lounge

This is probably the best way to spend three hours waiting for your connecting flight in Terminal A, Dubai. The first class lounge only serve the best of the best, with showers, business centre, massage and quiet rooms, it is suppose to create a nurturing, relaxing environment for the traveller in transit. So what is wrong with me, that I feel that I miss something?

Singapore GP

I experienced the Singapore F1 Grand Prix from a distance. While enjoying a great dinner with Stephen at Abesinthe Restaurant, one could hear the engines as the race started and then saw the fire-works as it ended.

Boarding the A380

As I boarded the A380 (flight EK354 from Dubai to Singapore), I had to stop for a second to just marvel at the amazing engineering again. A few hours later, I was safely tucked away in the metal hull at over 35 thousand feet above the sea, sipping best Australian Shiraz at the pub in the back.

Organized departure

The departure procedures for Emirates at Cape Town International has been taken to a new level. Passengers are now placed in specific designated areas (depending on the priority of boarding). It almost feel like entering your chute prior to the start of the Argus.

Storm approaching

Heavy rain and snow are being predicted for the Cape today. By midday wind-gusts of thirty knots are expected with downpours in the region of 3mm per hour. Yet, when I looked north this morning, the rolling clouds and the first drops of rain, with the spring bloom in the foreground were quite beautiful.

Windscreen cracked

I am getting the cracked windscreen on the Mercedes replaced. Two things that struck me: the degree that the claim-process has been automated and mundaneness of getting routine things done. However, it must be done.

Birds welcoming the day

As I left for gym this morning, it struck me how the birds were welcoming the new day. The day was still only a glimmer on the horizon, but it was as if the birds were competing to be heard, after the rain.

Cheese and Wine and Lego

Experienced a different dimension to a Friday evening with cheese, wine and Lego, when I helped my grandson build an intricate model. The cheese was a natured cheddar, the wine a 2004 Diemersdal Shiraz and the model the Ultimate Race Set in the Cars Series.

That time of year again

It is that time of the year again: fresh shoots are visible on the vines again, a new beginning of a new harvest. It is as if everything that happened last year in the vineyards are in the past and this is a brand new beginning... or is it?

Ouma Andre's funeral

We attended a funeral service in memory of Andre, my mother-in-law. Through the grace of God I considered how perfect her life was for her: full of compassion and in service of her fellow human being. I realized why I loved her: because there is so much of her in my wife that I adore. She lived a life that was absolutely true to who she was. I considered the challenges of living an authentic life - one is given only one chance. Which is why there was something special about having my grandson (her oldest grandchild) there. His life is still to be lived: a clean slate with so much potential.

Hennenman detour

We made a detour back from Aldam to visit Jaco in Hennenman. After a delicious Ox-tail "potjie" dish for Sunday lunch, we visited his feeding stations on the farm. Here cattle are prepared for the abattoir in three months adding at least 200kg before they are shipped to be turned into steaks.