Wednesday 30 May 2012
Monday 7 May 2012
Another magnificent day in Kommetjie
At the risk of boring everyone, I must once again go on about this magnificent place I live in, Kommetjie. It doesn't seem right to keep it all to myself.
The sun is giving off just the right amount of heat and the breeze is keeping us at an ambient autumn temperature. A huge moon has slipped below the horizon into the sea and a small, white-sailed yacht is cruising by just behind the island. The Arctic terns have gone north, but Sacred Ibis still poke among the seaweed for sea lice and a ragged line of White-breasted Cormorants is passing along the shoreline.
The midday sun glitters on the glassy sea, where a shore break foams white and the only sound is the crashing of the lip of the wave as it curls in on itself. A pair of black labradors bound over the rocks, sniffing at all the exciting things to be found there, as dogs do.
All over Kommetjie, the aloes are coming into bloom, putting on the kind of show that makes you want to plant a garden full of aloes. Every verge abounds with aloes of every variety, providing nectar for the double-collared sunbirds whose twittering is impossibly cheerful.
A week of wintry weather provided respite from the lengthy drought we are experiencing, but we are happy to have our sunny autumn days back for a while!
The sun is giving off just the right amount of heat and the breeze is keeping us at an ambient autumn temperature. A huge moon has slipped below the horizon into the sea and a small, white-sailed yacht is cruising by just behind the island. The Arctic terns have gone north, but Sacred Ibis still poke among the seaweed for sea lice and a ragged line of White-breasted Cormorants is passing along the shoreline.
The midday sun glitters on the glassy sea, where a shore break foams white and the only sound is the crashing of the lip of the wave as it curls in on itself. A pair of black labradors bound over the rocks, sniffing at all the exciting things to be found there, as dogs do.
All over Kommetjie, the aloes are coming into bloom, putting on the kind of show that makes you want to plant a garden full of aloes. Every verge abounds with aloes of every variety, providing nectar for the double-collared sunbirds whose twittering is impossibly cheerful.
A week of wintry weather provided respite from the lengthy drought we are experiencing, but we are happy to have our sunny autumn days back for a while!
Saturday 5 May 2012
My mother
Mother's Day soon and I'm putting this up now in case I don't get a chance later. We don't officially recognise it in our family because, as with Father's Day, every day should be Mother's day.
My sisters and I are extremely fortunate to still have both parents alive and relatively well in their early 80s and we all live close by. We even go out together sometimes and it's just like the old days, we're all just older!
My mother never had an official career although I suspect she regrets that a little. She started off as a nurse at Groote Schuur way back but got married pretty young and moved to Jo'burg and that was the end of that. She would have made an excellent career nurse and it's a pity she didn't have the opportunity. However, children called and we were privileged to always have her at home. We would have hated it if she wasn't. She made sure that we always had delicious meals, hot chocolate at bedtime, lovely clothes to wear (she made them all herself), trips to the beach at Miller's Point, rollerskating at Muizenberg Pavilion, playing at Zandvlei. There was never a harsh word or anything to cause distress. Life for us as children was a smooth ride with only the happiest memories. There has never been a time when she hasn't been around when we got home, except for the times when she had operations or emergency treatment. She's had more than her fair share of those and if it weren't for a triple bypass, she would have shuffled off this mortal coil long ago. However, my father said it wasn't time for her to go yet, so she stayed and has continued to live a full, active life as a pillar of the community, loving wife and mother.
She maintains that she never had much brain, which of course is nonsense. She just didn't choose to use it in ways which would draw attention to herself. Her motto would probably be "What can I do to help that person?"
We are about to go on a trip to Spain for a family wedding, followed by a week in Paris. I will be accompanying Mom and Dad, while the rest of the family will be travelling with the small children. I consider it a rare privilege to be able to enjoy quality time with them as we all tick as many items off our bucket lists as possible.
Thanks, Mom!
My sisters and I are extremely fortunate to still have both parents alive and relatively well in their early 80s and we all live close by. We even go out together sometimes and it's just like the old days, we're all just older!
My mother never had an official career although I suspect she regrets that a little. She started off as a nurse at Groote Schuur way back but got married pretty young and moved to Jo'burg and that was the end of that. She would have made an excellent career nurse and it's a pity she didn't have the opportunity. However, children called and we were privileged to always have her at home. We would have hated it if she wasn't. She made sure that we always had delicious meals, hot chocolate at bedtime, lovely clothes to wear (she made them all herself), trips to the beach at Miller's Point, rollerskating at Muizenberg Pavilion, playing at Zandvlei. There was never a harsh word or anything to cause distress. Life for us as children was a smooth ride with only the happiest memories. There has never been a time when she hasn't been around when we got home, except for the times when she had operations or emergency treatment. She's had more than her fair share of those and if it weren't for a triple bypass, she would have shuffled off this mortal coil long ago. However, my father said it wasn't time for her to go yet, so she stayed and has continued to live a full, active life as a pillar of the community, loving wife and mother.
She maintains that she never had much brain, which of course is nonsense. She just didn't choose to use it in ways which would draw attention to herself. Her motto would probably be "What can I do to help that person?"
We are about to go on a trip to Spain for a family wedding, followed by a week in Paris. I will be accompanying Mom and Dad, while the rest of the family will be travelling with the small children. I consider it a rare privilege to be able to enjoy quality time with them as we all tick as many items off our bucket lists as possible.
Thanks, Mom!
Friday 4 May 2012
More sayings to bring a sparkle to your day!
I just love these! I look at them every few years when digging through my papers and they never fail to raise a laugh.
Don't squat with your spurs on.
Some days you are the bug, some days you are the windshield.
Good judgment comes from bad experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your wallet.
Timing has an awful lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
A closed mouth gathers no foot.
There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.
Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.
And He Who Can Fix Anything's personal favourites:
Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your mouth is moving.
Never miss a good chance to shut up.
That's all, folks! Speak to you later.
Don't squat with your spurs on.
Some days you are the bug, some days you are the windshield.
Good judgment comes from bad experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your wallet.
Timing has an awful lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
A closed mouth gathers no foot.
There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.
Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.
And He Who Can Fix Anything's personal favourites:
Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your mouth is moving.
Never miss a good chance to shut up.
That's all, folks! Speak to you later.
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