View of the lake

I worked hard this weekend to clear over-grown taai-bos at MeerenBosch. One can now sit in the house with a view of the lake again. In the background a gaggle(?) of flamingoes are busy feeding and terns are chasing each other in the front.

Meerenbosch day

The sun, beach, sea and wind contributed to a special day at Meerenbosch. We read, slept and talked while enjoying the fresh air and the sound of the birds. As I walked on the beach I even saw a few dolphins jumping just behind the breakers. Such a haven away from the hustle and bustle.

To open a gate with a laptop

Johannes were the first visitor to my new office in De Werf. We had a good chat about life and the universe. Afterwards we were wondering how to open the gate without a remote, until JB solved it by placing his laptop on the vehicle sensor.

Origin Tea

Origen on Hudson is one of the best coffee-shops in the Cape. (Some say one of the best in the world). But it is not just their coffee that is special; they serve great tea, complete with a warmer and a timer, so that one can brew a cup on the table. I love their style.

Sunset

After one day back from Pretoria, the Lord painted the evening sky in the most spectacular display of color and form. I stood in amazement, realizing how insignificant I am, and how little influence I have on what happens around me

Dinner in Sandton

We had dinner with Ernst at the Michelangelo Hotel while staying over for one night. It was so special to listen to our son sharing his professional experiences about the conference that he was attending. Staying at this landmark hotel in Sandton gave me a flashback to the jet-set life that I lived in the past... and I don't miss it at all.

Mom still in ICU

My mom is still in ICU - for more than ten days now. While her vitals have stabilized, she is very weak, a bit despondent and some-what disorientated. We have seen daily progress, but the road to recovery is still long and steep. We remain positive.

SAAPMB 2014

My brother was the convener for the 2014 SAAPMB conference held over four days in Pretoria. Amongst all the tribulations of my mom's operation, he still managed to arrange one of the best conferences ever. We joined him and his family for the spit-braai event on Saturday and met some of the guest speakers. I have a very special brother - in a class of his own.

After the Operation

"What can I get to eat" was the first words that my mom whispered to me as the drugs started to wear off. While her condition is still critical, the operation was successful and she now has a synthetic hip-joint. We are very relieved and thankful for the many-many prayers and well-wishers.

2014 Argus

Finished my seventh Argus cycle race in sub-four hours (the first time I managed to do it). The conditions were not ideal, with gusting winds of up to 30 knots, but there were no punctures or crashes - so I am very thankful.

Mini Argus

Arden finished the Cape Argus Tricycle Tour in a blistering pace. Oupa (on foot) had to push himself to keep up with the young man. Such a privilege to be able to experience this event with my grandson.

Table mountain

The weather was perfect on Thursday. We started early and after a short wait were on our way up the mountain by cable car. It was a special experience with Izak, Sanet and little Nina for us on this heritage site.

Michael and Narien

When we lived in Brits as a newly wed couple long time ago, we became friends with Mike and Narien. Since then we have stayed in touch as we both followed different paths and our children became adults. Last night we got together again for a visit, filled with laughter, great memories and a commitment to do it again.

Cast off

After two operations, multiple physio sessions and a stack of X-rays, the cast came off Annelie's left arm. The surgeon was pretty happy with the result (although the prostheses are not perfectly aligned) and Annelie feel very satisfied. We are extremely relieved and would like to thank everyone for their prayers.

Signal Hill

The plan was to go up Table Mountain with my brother-in-law and Sanet on a perfect day. We even pre-purchased tickets, but the queues were so long that we decided to postpone for another day. Instead we drove to the look-out point on Signal Hill and then had lunch at an Ocean Basket close by. Also pretty special.