America the Great

Hi SA bloggers
Hope you are all well. We are settling in now at Delray Beach after a very hectic 10 days since leaving home. Meeting Andre, Shelley Vaughan and little Emma at Fort Lauderdale was a real highlight for us all. Poor Margie was quite overcome and cried like a baby while hugging Shells and Emma shouting Nana. Great stuff. The flight was not at all bad in fact I was quite relaxed by the time we landed. Delta was great, lovely attendants. Well, I'm sure you can get a lot of news from our family but to cut a very long story short..... as if I can. The first night at the apartment we met the crowd from the Boca - great every single one - all very excited to at last meet us and Margie and family we had a braai and a lot to drink. I fell into bed quite exhausted I mean I had been active one way or another for 28 hours!!!!! The area where our family stays is lovely - a gated complex with plenty of greenery and walkways. Everyone takes their dogs out on leads for walks and there a poop stops with special poop packets and a bin. Very good idea. In fact Maureen is going to take the idea back to Oasis to see if they can use it. Then on Thursday we travelled up to Savannah to Jenelles parents. Andre, Jenelle, Gerrit and Mo travelled in one car and I went with Jenelles youngest brother Jamie. What a nice young chap very informative and knowledgeable about the areas we travelled through. Jenni, Jenelles mom, is a very lively person who loves to have everyone and everything organised. She is apparently very well known in the USA for her knowledge of midwifery and runs the womens section of a large hospital in Savannah. Then on to the rehearsal day, a torrential downpour which lasted all and therefor washed out the organised dinner which was going to be held in the lovely back garden of the Lash home well that was just one thing that she could not guarantee. So..... off we went dressed in our rehearsal finery but with me running bare footed becausde I kept slipping out of my posh gold sandals. Very nice church, complicated rehearsal but the wedding party seemed to remember everything on the day. Back to the house, met a fair amount of relatives from both sides Jennis mom and two sisters, one brother in law nephew and niece (flowergirl) Keiths mom 2 brothers brother in law sister etc etc a very loud and lively lot. We were all issued with safari hats but because of rain we could not do the scavenger hut. Oh by the way Maureen and I were told in the morning that we would be cooking for this lot. PANIC but the Taylor's came into their own, we managed to make bobotie and what should have been yellow rice that turned out like putu pap and everyone thought was great - wanted the recipe. - then we made for the first time, thank goodness I had the recipe with me Desmond Tutu's Tutu chicken. Anoither success. Next day the wedding great was rushed to the beauty salon - enormous place - to have our hair done. Cost $27 - Elspeth, my looked just like it does when you do it. Great cut Pal. Wedding was at 2pm Jenni running around like a flea in a frenzy getting us all up to schedule. My son looked so handsome standing at the altar waiting for Jenelle and I was already crying just looking at Andre. Jenni and I went up during the service to light the two family candles - very emotional stuff. After the ceremony we were taken in trolley buses for a 1 1/2 hour trip around the historical area of Savannah which is truly lovely. Saw the garden from Midnight in the garden of good and evil and also the bench that Forest Gump sat on. The reception was at the de Soto Hilton Hotel on the top floor where we had a great view of the whole of the city. Food was good, bad a bit hectic - but whadahell! I had a great time dancing with all and sundry and into the evening was INVITED to make a speech. Apparently I made a few bloopers but the SA crowd loved it. Next day we chilled the bridegroom came to fetch us about midday to return to Lash house where we all at left overs. THAT'S ALL FOR NOW FOLKS God bless

Here at last

The day arrived at last, all the packing, sorting, unpacking has at last been completed. Just waiting for take off. Heiko has moved in and we know he will look after everthing for us. Poor guy has been left with a lot of instructions on payments, gardenservices and Sheila. Auntie Joan was in hospital for tests when we left so Peter, Sandra, Caroline, Craig and darling Amy did a drop and go for us at the airport. They were very disappointed about not staying butt now looking back it was a good thing as I think we were all feeling a bit down about the long separation. Heiko stayed but we didn't go back to the eating places as we just wanted to book in, and sort ourselves out. Why is that we very ordinary citizens get jittery, we haven't done anything wrong so we should feel very confident - people in uniforms at airports just bring all our nerves into play,. We met up Margie and on the plane she sat behind Gerrit and me with Maureen. Heiko SMS Andre once we were up in the sky to let him know we were on our way. Well here I am 35000ft above ground travelling at over 900km/hr and yet I'm very calm of course as we have only been travelling for about an hour..... just 8 more hours to Dakar. So far, so good. Gerrit is in newspapar mode so I'll sit and meditate.... no rather pray.
Dinner was good, I had chicken something like Spanish chicken As we are sitting on the wing I suppose you could call it chicken on the wing. You know like they have Beef on the Hoof. At Dakar we sat for nearly two hours while security check was made we must have looked very clean and germfree because no spraying of insecticides took place. Once again the take off.... nerves to the fore!! Now for JFK New York - I slept thanks to a few pills BUT I did walk a really steady flight - no problems - maybe I'll get used to this form of travel after all. At JFK all went smoothly no opening of luggage, nice immigration man and customs guy - are we lucky or what? We were called over the public address system because we had been sent to the wrong gate - not 1 but number 8. Let me tell you JFK is bigger than Cape Town and we had to run from almost one end to the other. Gerrit moaned all the time and I was letting off pops like a jetski. My ankle were like I had elephantitis and wrapped in special white stockings looked like I was the mummy. Oh well as well that ends well. Getting on board to the stares of all the other passengers was quite something and I tried very hard to give them my best SA smile. Another smaller Delta plane and less people but a wonderfully friendly crew. The flight took just about 3 hrs and then we circled over Florida. Wow but it is beautiful .... wonderful housing estates all around waterways green, green grass toooooo beaut. And then Andre, Shelley Vaughan and Emma to meet us - tears flowed mixed with hysterical laughter we could not believe it. At last we are with our kids. Lovely drive home in Sues car because it is bigger than Andres or Jenelles and out onto Route 95. About 30 minutes later we arrived at Boca West and Andre took us on a drive around the resort. I cannot describe to you all just how wonderful it is It is enormous, bigger than Edgemead and Milnerton together - different almost suburbs within a walled area. Five golf courses, tropical trees and flowers. Beautiful houses in different designs and all with water features etc. I will have to try very hard to take a lot of pics so you will at last get some idea of where Andre has spent the last five years. Have I said before how proud we are of him and all he and Jenelle have achieved? We are.... they have a lovely home - sparsely furnished but with enough to be very comfortable. I seem to have gone on quite a bit and hope to continue at a later time to tell you about the braai we had with their friends on Tuesday night. In the meantime love you and many thanks for the good wishes, gifts and prayers that sent us on our way.

Packing, Unpacking

Will we never learn .... Packing is a nightmare and I seem to be in the middle of one. I really thought that after having travelled to the UK a few times I knew exactly what I needed to take to wear. In 1970 I lived for two weeks camping in Scandinavia out a small cabin size suitcase. Never thought that I was taking too little and everyday I seemed to look decent - well we all looked more or less the same so it really didn't matter. But now all this time later I have packed everything I thought I needed for a three months stay in the USA and today I unpacked. Once again I have taken too many clothes. After all they do have washing machines, tumble driers and every other appliance to keep myself looking good. Whatever I take they haven't seen before so why is it so hard to pack down? The humming is getting faster, my nerves are in the tips of my fingers and the wine is definitely going down faster. We have a lot of gifts to take for our baby and also for Andre and Jenelle but I think I will have to leave the Vuvuzela behind unless one of my companions agrees to pack it in. What possessed me to buy one anyway, Andre does not like local soccer or its fans so...... By this time tomorrow I will be throwing out more clothes and in the USA will find I just haven't enough to wear. This is a puzzlement as Pooh would say.

It's almost time

After all the months of saving, planning and anticipation we are in the last few days of getting ready to fly to the USA. I'm excited and yet apprehensive about the long flight. I don't know if we are going back in time or forward but whatever way it is the end will be in Fort Lauderdale Florida and our son will be waiting for us ... what joy. The pile on the spare room bed has decreased as I painstakingly put everything into see through bags so that the customs can see what we are taking into their country. What clothes to take is always a problem but when you sit down and think about it rationally you realise that you don't need vast amounts. But do we ever learn. So..... I will take what I think is necessary and just make do. Lots of things need to be attended to things to pay etc Christmas cards to address etc etc I appear to have given up cooking on a regular basis, thank goodness for an understanding husband who is always ready to cook himself waterblommetjie or green bean stews or chop, potato and onion. Well it is his time anyway I have struggled with daily menus for close of 37 years and I hate cooking so I don't think I have done too badly. You see I am quite happy with scrambled egg on toast or baked beans but he being a boer likes vleis, rys en aartappels. I will be helping Andre and Jenelle with the cooking but know it always seems more exciting in someone elses kitchen. Enough of my thoughts for today there's a pile of packing still to be done and my hair color needs refreshing so I will be off to my personal hairdresser soon. Cheers until next time.

Sruprise, Surprise

Yesterday, I tuned into Oprahs (is the thingy in the right place? sister?) programme and it was what I wish I could attend. Her Favourite Things programme - everyone gets things that open shut and make you more beautiful at not cost whatsoever - just scream as loud as you can and the gifts are yours,. Of course I was a bit envious but then I also had a surprise - it was my last Thursday at the Valkenberg Estate Welcome Club where I volunteer and do craft things with patients who have phsychiatric problems. I took along chicken to braai as a farewell lunch and was very upset to hear that "my" craft room was being painted. However, after close on a hour I was at last let in. There were the phsychology students who had been with us for a while, all "my children" the director of Comcare the governing body of the Welcome Club and a grand party with balloons, cakes, cold drinks all that was necessary for a surprise. Oprah could not have beaten the feeling this gave me as I entered to clapping and cheering. What a wonderful moring it turned out to be. Words were read out that one of the patients had written just for me, read by one on the patients I had come to love. I had come to love them all, uninvited they have crept into my heart filled the space left by Andres going to the USA. Sure they have problems, but don't we all? They are people with wonderful personalities just hidden behind a medical condition. They gave me flowers, one member sang a song "I did it my way" which had me bawling knowing I was leaving them behind for three months. Their greatest worry - would I be coming back? It made me think - I'd love to attend one of Oprah give away days - but I realise that not one of her gifts would compare with what I received at my surprise party. I will miss them just as much as they will miss me and I will be glad to be back in that warm, loving place on my return.

It's a pile-up

No not the kind that many of you might have experienced on Monday morning while trying to get to your place of work, I'm referring to the pile of goodies mounting daily on the bed in my spare room. I am overwhelmed by the loving that has been pouring into my life through kind words, gifts for Andre and Jenelle's wedding, the arrival of "our" baby and farewell wishes. If only I could bottle all the love that will be winging it's way to the USA I could travel a lot lighter. I was hoping to just have one manageable suitcase, well within the allowable size, but it seems that is not to be. But, I'm not complaining I feel so blessed that so many people will be thinking of the three of us as we travel back in time to Florida USA. But there are a few regrets as well but I will not dwell on those just yet as my bladder is close to the back of my eyes, as my Dad always said, so will think on those things much later, if at all. Time sure is flying now and another day has been ticked off my calendar. Where did the first days of October go... but more importantly at this time where the hell has the stock market gone. Haywire, but Lord Why now???

NEARLY TIME

Firstly - seven comments!!!! I'm so thrilled - are people really interested in my ordinary life which will soon become so exciting I will hardly be able to contain myself. Of course, that's nothing unusual as many of you know. I am inclined to be over the top, in your face and all the other things that tell you just the kind of person I am. So often I promise myself that I will try to be a nearly 70 year old woman but they who do don't have half the fun I do. Some, but very few will ask, "Why the hums of Nor" but then again so many of you know exactly why. For those who don't one of our family's favourite characters namely Pooh the bear with little brain often composed hums which obviously kept him calm and lovable. I hum, musically that is, and it keeps me calm, lovable well that's debatable , it depends on who is hearing. Several members of my close family find it most annoying and hard as I try to keep on their right side I cannot resist the urge to hum. Only 18 more sleeps and I dare to go where no sensible nearly 70 year old should go - into that large airborne tin can with a load of strangers winging my way to the USA. My humming has become more frenatic and louder so to all who come close be warned. I have a few regrets about going for so long - three months - I will miss the traditional Christmas and New Year celebrations with my loving family and friends, leave behind my "children" at the Welcome Club who tell me they will cry every day I'm away, the older than me folks at the church whom I love dearly and last but not least little Amy, who will grow up so much during that time. I hope I have made enough impression on her for her to remember her loud great aunt when we return. Oh, and not forgetting what will the residents of 7nde Laan do in the time I am away? Oh well enough to catch up with them after all the Bold and the Beautiful is still going strong after many of their fans have moved onto higher places. Gee, this blogging is quite easy going once you get the hang of it. Love you all God bless