Camping in the back yard

We usually go camping in December. Camping in the back yard this year, just feels as though we were on holiday again. The fact that it is in the back yard doesn't bother us a bit. We often go to Sanddrif in the Cederberg mountains.

We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and that the year ahead will be filled with all that is delightful, and pleasurable and that anything undesirable will disappear into the mist in nanoseconds.

Burst pipe

Water bubbling out of the ground

We had a burst pipe. Two young men to the rescue. Our local plumber putting in a new piece of pipe as the old one had sprung a leak.

Oops! somehow it lost its orientation.  You'll have to look at it squiff for now...  not in the mood to fix it.

See news about dead otter found in Kommetjie

Silke Heiss's farewell

Silke's going to Hogsback
Farewell in Longbeach with a soiree.  Lovely music, great friends, beautiful venue. A lady of many talents.  Music, poetry, writing, art, not to mention her delectable cheesestraws, and many othere accomplishments.

Click on the link to see the rest of the web album here Silke Heiss's Farewell  

To see some of Silke's artworks as featured artist on the African Arts and Crafts website

Silke, may your art bring you much joy. May your fortune take a turn for the better in all ways, for you, Paul and Kai. With love from all your friends.

Sardine run in Kommetjie

Kommetjie sardine run

We had a sardine run the last week in Kommetjie.  I heard the gulls squabbling like mad.  Thought I was teletransported back to Sea Point where the gulls are much more raucus than here...usually.  I went outside to see what was going on and it looked as if all the gulls of the planet were here, taking the sardines that the cormorants had caught, right out of their gullets, real opportunitsts.  I wrote a sms poem about it.

Nov 29, 2011
yesterday kugel gulls flocked
to Kommetjie
in droves
squabbled with locals
over sardines
stealing cormorants' catch
too lazy to dive for their own
opportunists

Today kugulls move upcoast
follow sardine run
only stragglers cause runmpus
peace returns to kom
grim clouds squal in from the south
foreboding foul weather


I went out into the kom. The water was wonderful.  I thought it would be freezing, but it wasn't cold at all.  It was extremely difficult to catch the sardines with my bare hands.  The ones I caught were trapped in the seaweed. Someone said "catch them behind the gills".  This helped as they would slip away before I could put them in the bag.  It was fun.  I fell in the water at one stage because the rocks are incredibly slippery and I wasn't looking where I was going so landed on my... you know what.  Some people were catching with nets and pulling in hundredds of them.  They have the most exquisite colours; gold, teal, metallic silver, all the irridescent green and blue hues you can imagine, with pink, orange, and brown marks too. I was so intent on catching the sardines that I got very few pictures. Wherever you looked the sky was filled with birds. I was hoping we would get a sardine run here so that I could experience it.  There was one in Houtbay the weekend before.

Check out some Sardine Recipes in my recipe blog

Geoffrey Haresnape poetry book launch

Geoffrey Haresnape launched his new poetry book at Book Lounge in Cape Town last night.  He read some favourites.  He seems to have either three alter egos or three characters that speak to him through his poetry.  They all have a fabulous sense of humour.

Below are some pictures.  The books are available at Book Lounge.

Introduced by Hugh Hodge, editor of New Contrast, The South African Literary Journal

Published by Jim Phelps of Echoing Green Press

The star of the show, author Geoffrey Haresnape

Geoff's wife, Lez

Daai ding is in jou bloed

My very good friend, Aneta Shaw, and Lene Malan had their Book launch "Daai ding loop in jou bloed" at Protea Books in Stellenbosch a few weeks back.  The book tells about the Nama people (Khoi-Khoi descendents), and their experiences.  Aneta and Lene stayed with the Nama people, experienced the Nama Festival in Steinkopf, learnt how to do the Nama stap-dans (walk-dance), listened to their stories, and wrote them as close to the truth as they could.  They went back to find out whether the stories came across as they should. These stories are full of heart and heartbreak.

The book has been translated into German, so is also available in German.

Postberg - Flower time in Western Cape

Flowers in Postberg Reserve near Langebaan Western Cape

 We saw zebra, impala, blouwildebeest, ostrich,  and various types of birds.

We saw about 30 springbok pass a few meters in front of the car.

Kulula Daddy's Day Deal Competition

Kulula Competition and Adventure

You can win a 4-day stay for yourself and 3 friends airflights, massage deals, game rides, etc. included.

Grahamstown Festival

Grahamstown Festival 2011

I have been living in Cape Town longer than anywhere else, so I consider it my home, and yet I have never been to the Grahamstown Festival.  This year I decided it was high time and booked the accommodation the beginning of the year.  Unfortunately Hugh had a course on and couldn't accompany me, so my mum and Aneta went with me.

There was a lot of great theatre, music, film, art, food, etc., the ones I particularly enjoyed were
THEATRE:
Paper Boy: about a young man believing his mom is a movie star, his rounds in the town delivering newspapers, and a few accidents.  Excellent acting, engrossing, good storyline.
Purgatorio: There are two actors one a shrink, the other the patient, they switch roles.  The patient becomes the shrink and the shrink the patient.  They are in purgatory and they have to learn to forgive each other.  Very strong performances from both actors.
Body Language: a Belgian tells us that we give many hints and clues away with our bodies if you know what to look for.  Very energetic and entertaining presentation.
Mind Games: A sweet young man showed us some magic.
Ropes and Silks: Was great from a number of perspectives, the shadows on the wall behind the artiste, was almost as good as the things she did on the tightrope/silks.  The break in between the two bits was too long and people got tetchy.  I would suggest partnering with another artist to do something else while you set up the next piece.
Reed Dance: The coming of age of a young woman.  Good storyline, lovely voices and dancing, but became a bit tedious with not enough variation.
Petticoat Chronicles:  These two young women were very well matched in voice and acting, depicting the various situations women get into, and the various stages women go through. Excellent!

FILM:
Wild Grass: Weird French Film with many twists and convolutions. Very intriguing.
Creative Power of Women: Don't remember

THINKFEST:
Zapiro: The day we went the lights went out.  Zapiro spoke about his role in South African politics. Thank you Jonathan Shapiro for what you do for the country.
Criticism and Critics: I wanted to ask some questions here, but wasn't given the chance.  They seemed to only ask the people they knew would ask un-challenging questions  The first speaker read her notes. Remind me not to do this when I give a presentation.  She was saying that she was part of the creative process as critic. The two men also had things to say, but nothing contentious really. I was left with more questions than answers afterwards.  I was hoping to get something to take home with me with regard to art and writing critique that isn't just critical, criticism, and breaking down what others create, but a way of finding a place where we can support budding artists whatever medium they choose, whether it is visual, literature, or other.

Read more here...  Critics, Critiques and Criticism

ART:
There was a lot of very predictable art, whether the people are technically competent or not, nothing exciting, different, or would warrant a second glance, and then there were others of course that did have something to say, some with greater artistic ability, some with more interesting processes, presentations, or concepts...

The CO-MIX  exhibition was fun, weird, strange, bizarre, depending on whose work you were looking at. Standard Bank had a class act, and the museums, galleries, and other art venues had thought-provoking work.

I am hoping to have many of these interesting, exciting, innovative, and ground breaking artists on my new website African Arts and Crafts - - - If you know of anyone who you think should be there, please ask them to contact me.  I would love to exhibit their work. - - -

Club Mykonos Creative writing weekend

CREATIVE WRITING WEEKEND GET-AWAY

We've booked two self-catering chalets at Club Mykonos for weekend 19 - 22 August.

One sleeps 6 (3 bedrooms), the other 4 (2 bedrooms) so we have room for 4 couples or friends sharing. If you have your own accommodation sorted then you need only contribute to the poetry sessions, but the limit will be 10 poets.







WE PLAN:
Friday evening supper together in the large chalet
Saturday poetry writing sessions morning and afternoon
Saturday supper together maybe a trip to the casino if you're game
Sunday morning poetry writing session - includes reading results of Saturday's writing
Sunday afternoon picnic and wild flowers at Postberg
Sunday evening games people play  - poetry reading
Monday morning home to work

COSTS
Accommodation - Friday, Saturday and Sunday - R200 per person per night (min R400 - max R600)
Poetry course - Saturday and Sunday - R600. (If your partner is not a writer and is not participating in the course, the minimum charge of R200 applies.)

FOOD and DRINK
Own account, but co-ordinate with Sonja who will keep an overview to avoid duplication or outages.

WRITERS
Bring writing materials - pencil & paper and other books (poetry books).

BOOKING
First come, first served - preference given to couples who are both writers or at least one participating in sessions.

Contact us at
Tel: 021 783 5303 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            021 783 5303      end_of_the_skype_highlighting e-mail: hahodge@gmail.com

OTHER THINGS TO DO
Fossil Park near Langebaanweg Airbase
Boat trips
Outings to Paternoster and surrounds
Fishing
Golf
Sailing
Gambling
Kite Surfing

Links to our other writing blogs and websites

Creative Writing Blog - see what we do and what we're busy with
Get Published in New Contrast
Off-the-Wall Poetry Gigs in Observatory on Monday Nights

Aloe Vera Products

Aloeride Aloe Vera the Miracle Cure for me

I found a solution to hypoglycemia and food allergies by taking Aloeride Aloe Vera for a while.  I was a vegetarian for a long time and decided to start eating animal protein again.  I had a lot of problems, but found a way for my body to cope with the transition.  I have put together a website with the information here Aloeride Aloe Vera. It is very important to use the best possible type of Aloe Vera, and to make sure that it does not contain the laxative properties, unless the laxative is what you want it for. I found the crystals just aggravated my problems, but the tablets have worked wonders. That and the full-spectrum Pre and Pro biotic together have cured me of bloatedness, cramps, and discomfort.  Drinking more water has also helped combat constipation.

there is a whole section about symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and other intestinal related problems, allergies, headaches, and the A-Z of what this helps mend. The reason it works so well is because it works at a cellular level, helping re-create the integrity of the cells.

Cape Clawless Otter spotted

I Spy: Cape Clawless Otter in Kommetjie

The Sacred Ibis are keeping a respectful distance.  Hugh ran back to the cottage to get his camera and take a picture.  The otters have a nest somewhere along the coast here as we see them time and again.  She looks rather rotund.  Could she be pregnant?
The otter is quite difficult to spot.  Just look right in the middle of the picture.

Here is a picture of just his nose sticking out the water.

We watched some movies on Wednesday (voting day) , one of which was called  Ratatouille which reminded me and I made my favourite Ratatouille Recipe this morning.

This afternoon we had a wedding close to the Slangkop Lighthouse and this evening we are having a spectacular sunset of mauves, pinks and other in-between hues as a result of the clouds.  Gorgeous!

My s.h.i.t. life

Last night's sunset in mauves, pinks, purples, magenta, and what not.

This morning I went walking along the Kommetjie promenade to get the blood circulating. We have a catwalk and a boardwalk.  The dogs love both.

The day started out beautifully.  Check out the the clarity of the reflection of the boulder in the water and ong shadow I cast.  It is the shadow of a bench next to me. This was just after 8. 








I went for another stroll at 10 to rest the eyes and stretch the legs. The mist was so heavy I couldn't see more than a few yards ahead of me.

I had to get some chocolate croissants with my coffee in this weather. Hugh says it will go to my 'boude' immediately; good for 'boude bou'.  He is a bum man and likes them substantial, so I suppose he won't mind.

After lunch it started clearing up again and by 6 it was clear.

Art Bookclub at Trudie

Art Bookclub at Trudi's

At first Kitty didn't want to be photographed, was hiding her face all the time. But cats know just where they look best. As you can see, this is a posed shot, draped on the cushions, looking regal and oh so bored with this crazy woman who wants to take her photograph, nonetheless watching me out of the corner of her eye.

The dark mark in the water are the dolphins in their feeding frenzy. We saw some on our way over Chapman's Peak too on the way there. They were a bit closer so we could see them better. These are quitre far out. My dream is to go on a dive with them. When I left school I wanted to study oceanography in Port Elizabeth, but they closed the aquarium at that point, so I landed up at Rand Afrikaans University studying Sociology, Psychology, English and I can't remember what else. Didn't last too long. Dropped out in May. Went on to study through UNISA. Majored in Psychology and Computer Science.

Judy, telling us something.

Thanks a lot. Lovely morning, yummy cakes. 

Music Play South Africa

MusicPlay Music Playshops for Children ages 3-7

Music Play is the brainchild of music therapist, teacher, and musician Chris Wildman. He composes music into Cds and uses innovative techniques in his Music Play manuals designed to help guide parents, teachers, and caregivers to participate in fun and playful activities that help develop the child in many skills they will need later in life. Best of all it boosts their self confidence whether they need it or not. He runs regular play classes and courses in and around Cape Town. You can listen to cuts of his songs, buy tracks of the CDs, or Guidebooks on his website www.musicplaysouthafrica.co.za.

Educo Africa campaign to raise money

Educo Africa HIV campaign

Educo Africa is a click of your mouse away from securing R200,000 in the liquifruit campaign. It appears any individual can vote once every day! I know this is too much to ask but if the 880 people who have voted for us vote three times more we can get in to the lead!     GO TO   www.liquifruit.co.za  and vote for Educo Africa (Eagle Logo)
Campaign ends May 15^th ( so no more ‘click of the mouse’ requests after then, promise!!)

Why vote for Educo Africa?

I went last week to Blue Downs to meet 12 children who had been on an Educo Africa ARV adherence course in the wilderness, the key outcome of their wilderness time was a chance to talk openly about their experiences of being HIV+ and to learn about the ARV medication they have to take at the same time every day, all were chosen for the course because they were at high risk of deviating from their medication. Since their wilderness experience last year all but one have adhered to their strict ARV medication regime. Wolanani’s on going work with them holds the decisions they made in the mountains and keeps them focused on valuing their lives and keeping as healthy as they can.  
Your vote helps us build the self esteem of young people by addressing: problem solving, conflict resolution skills, building trust, sharing of painful stories, listening, appreciating , finding their voice. As a result they return from the mountains with a clearer understanding of themselves, their future dreams and how they can make a positive contribution to family, school, community and society at large.

Educo Africa is journeying with…….

·        Youth infected with HIV, helping them overcome their barriers to adhering to their strict ARV regime so they can live a longer life and dream for their future once again.

·        Youth in community projects helping them overcome their barriers to developing positive self esteem and make positive contribution to family, community and society at large. Two youth from last years courses have started their own environmental club in their community of Hanover Park.

·        Students in TSiBA free higher Education helping them overcome their barriers to learning and commit to, and complete their studies

·        Masakhi’Sizwe Engineering students in overcoming their barriers to being effective leaders in the field and to lead competently and confidently

·        Individuals working with youth at risk, helping overcome barriers to effective play and communication with the youth, resulting in better quality provision and care.

WE NEED YOUR VOTE (S) !!!

Thank you for taking the time to read this e-mail.

....

WIEBKE NEDEL INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME MANAGER T. +27 21 761 8939   F. +27 21 797 5292   wiebke@educo.org.za   http://www.educo.org.za

Travellers Inn in Rustenburg

Travellers Inn - home away from home

We spent the weekend at Traveller's Inn in Rustenburg. It is an oasis in the middle of Rustenburg. The garden is well-established so you are surrounded by plants. The pub is easily the most cosy and interesting I have ever seen. They also have a swimming pool, pool table, and dartboard to play "killer" darts.

Some of the units have garages so that travelling sales(wo)men can keep their merchandise safe and lock it up at night. You can have all meals included, or Bed and Breakfast (B&B), and even ask for sarmies (sandwiches) to take with you for a packed lunch. They also have a Backpackers. During the Soccer World Cup people raved about the place and are still coming back for revisits from all over the world. The place is so popular that they have customers who sometimes sit and wait in the bar in the hope that someone will cancel or not pitch.

Their emblem is a meerkat and they have 2 resident meerkat and a squirrel. Their telephone number is 014 592 7658.

Accommodation in Rustenburg

Traveller's Inn for the BEST Accommodation in Rustenburg

Travellers Inn

Accommodation in Rustenburg

Traveller's Inn for the BEST Accommodation in Rustenburg
Close to Sun City, Pilanesberg, Magaliesberg, Hartebeespoort Dam, Rustenburg Kloof, and other hotspots. Fabulous weather year-round.

Accommodationin Rustenburg

Little Switzerland Easter 2011

Little Switzerland

Little Switzerland has many activities for old and young; horseriding, hiking, mountainbiking, gym, and so on if you are the energetic type. They have evening activities like darts, storytelling, and games.  The chalets have a fantastic view over the amphitheatre with Cathedral Peak, Cathkin Peak, the buttress, Mont-soux Sources and the rest of the Drakensberg mountains.

The wind blew as strong as any South Easter most of the time on the mountain.  We went down to the valley to escape it a bit.  The Ladysmith museum is very interesting with all the history of the different battles.

Spioenkop is a koppie where one of the historic battles took place and is an amazing place to visit. You have an exquisite 360 degree view. If you get real quiet you can feel the atmosphere and energy of the place. The photos don't do it justice. Imagine these views right round. Here Boer and Brit are buried side-by-side.

The Sterkfontein hydro-electric dam is close by and very interesting to go and see. Further South there are a gazillion stalls if you like shopping.  There is a lot of art and craft going on in the Midlands.

The trout in the rivers are being killed off because they compete with our local fish for food. A pity, 'cause its a lovely fish to eat.

I lived in the Midlands of Natal for 3 years (early 80's), in a place called Muden, near Wenen and worked in Greytown. I had to travel through the pass to get to work every day.  It took me about 50 minutes and was a scenic drive, so I loved it.  Muden is a tiny place with a post office, trading store, petrol pump and post office.  If you blink your eyes, you're through it.  Oh, I almost forgot, it also has a hotel and pub where we spent many happy evening playing darts and talking nonsense.

Somerset West

It was great to be in Somerset West again and see my friends there: Aneta Shaw, Elma Pollard of the Green Times, and Dorian Haarhof writer and storyteller par excellence. We usually get the best Nigerian coffee from Lucien of The Coffee Company at Lourensford Estate.

I haven't watched rugby for a long time, but did this weekend. I haven't missed much. I used to watch the international games in the early 80's. The guys still played rugby then. Now it is hurry up and wait.

Smoke across the water

Kleinmond fires causes grey-out in Kommetjie

Smoke across the water reminds me of some song from long ago, but not quite.  Usually we can see Table mountain and Houtbay, but we could see neither this weekend.  The fires must have been terrible. I can't imagine what it must have been like on the other side of the mountain, Simonstown side, if it was this bad on our side, not to mention Kleinmond and surrounding areas.

On my way home from art on Wednesday there was a fire on Ou-Kaapse weg. Someone must have chucked a stompie, 'cause it started right next to the road. I do wish smokers wouldn't do that.

Thanks a million to the firefighters and other emergency personnel. You guys (male and female) are fantastic!

Whales and Dolphins off Kommetjie

We saw a whole pod of dolphins in a feeding frenzy just off the coast this weekend. At one point three dolphins did somersaults, right out the water, at the same time.  It was spectacular.  They move really fast through the water when they are chasing fish.  Then less than 200 meters to the right of them two whales were bobbing and spouting every now and again.

It was quite strange.  When we started our walk it was so misty we could hardly see the lighthouse, then it cleared and we saw the dolphins.  Every day it is different.  The moods change as you can see on the photos. The mornings and evenings are different and there's always something happening.  If it isn't the dogs getting up to mischief, it is new seasonal flowers, or different birds at different times of the year. We even saw an otter one day.

Wilfrid Wilker passed away

My father, Wilfrid Wilker, passed away on the 23rd January 2011. He had cancer and deteriorated rapidly from a healthy-looking, vibrant man in September, to an old man by November,  emaciated and virtually bedridden by December, and dead in January. My parents have been married forever and my mum is devastated. 

I created a blog In Memoriam for him with some early pictures of him and a bit about his life.
http://wilkerfamilyblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/in-memory-of-wilfrid-wilker.html

He will be sorely missed by us all.

Dogs playing on Longbeach, Kommetjie, Jan 2011

Fantastic Weather on Longbeach today

The dogs are cavorting and people are having fun on the beach.

The black Great Dane came charging up to Hugh, barking, and then just before it reached him, veered away and went running back to "his" people.
It is wonderful to watch the dogs and how they run around with total joy and abandon. I love it when they've been in the water and you can see a shake coming on. It starts at the tip of the nose, then the ears flap, the rest of the body sort of rotates around itself and then the tail, right to the very tip. There is no consideration for anyone or anything that may be sprayed in the process. If you're within spraying distance, you will get a shower, unless you move out of the way.

The black scotty, I didn't check whether it is a he or a she, had his tongue hanging out. It looked very cute the pink on black and the shadow was also interesting.

The bloodhound, I think it is a bloodhound was running like mad, running rings around the other dogs.

I am not going to comment on the tail picture for fear of compromising someone. Make your own deductions, conclusions or assumptions. The picture says it all, doesn't it?

Isn't it sad they allow the vehicles on the beach?

Longbeach Jan 2011

Click on the image above to go to my web album to see the rest of the photos.

Escape Adultitis Article in Cosmpolitan Magazine

'Escaping Adultitis'

Escaping Adultitis is all about rediscovering the carefree fun, wide-eyed excitement and intense curiosity of childhood, and incorporating it into your adult life.

Glynis Horning wrote:
When last did you laugh – really laugh, from your tummy, till your eyes watered and you almost peed? Children laugh on average 400 times a day; adults, 15 – and in a much more restrained way. It’s a discovery that prompted US cartoonist Jason Kotecki to produce a book, a website and a movement to prevent and treat what he terms ‘adultitis’.


Kotecki defines adultitis as a silent epidemic that slowly erodes our inborn childlike spirit, killing our dreams, curiosity, happiness and hope. As he and his coauthor (now wife) Kim explain in The Escape Plan: A 40-Day Plan To Annihilate The Adultitis In Your Life (JBird Ink), adultitis usually sets in after the age of 21, when you’re weighed down by a job, bills and responsibilities. You catch it by associating with others who have it, ignoring your dreams, caring too much what society thinks, constantly chasing the ‘next big thing’, trying to keep up with the Khumalos, and taking yourself too seriously.


The symptoms are essentially those of stress and depression (see ‘Are you afflicted?’). Left unchecked, these can kill – they increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, cirrhosis (from alcohol abuse), substance-fuelled accidents and suicide, says Durban psychologist Rakhi Beekrum.

I wrote:

When you observe a young child, what do you see?
Moment-by-moment experience of what’s unfolding.
Curiosity; they explore their surroundings with total focus, abandon, using all their senses.
Express their wants and desires without any consideration for others.

What are our primary or basic assumptions as adults?
“Life is hard, a struggle, full of problems, and then we die”. “Adulthood is about responsibilities, sacrifice, pressures, hard work and a denial of pleasure”. To the degree you believe these assumptions to be true, to that degree your mind will try to prove you right, and find evidence to support your assumptions.

Where’s your focus?
“What’s wrong with the world?” or “What’s right with the world?”

I believe balance is the answer. If you don’t look at what you need and just allow things to happen, you can eventually be treated like a doormat, or even worse, a slave. On the other extreme, you can become totally self absorbed and self-indulgent. If you only look at what’s right and ‘good’, you can be in denial about what’s really happening. Someone in your family or team at work will have to play the ‘bad guy’ even if that’s not their natural modus operandi, just to bring things back into balance, and make you ‘see’ the other side.


Steps to finding your way back to honouring ‘the child within”
1. Define what ‘fun’ and ‘pleasure’ means for you. If you don’t know what it is, you won’t recognise it even if it bites you in the… you know what.
[One aspect of this for me would be the surprise element, or something that ‘tickles’ me, whether it is a breathtaking sunset, a quirky comment, paragliding, a beautifully crafted object, an unexpected gift, caress, or hug without ulterior motives, learning to snake-board and falling off a lot, reading up about something that I’m really interested in, or anything that makes me laugh from the centre of my being. In essence this has to do with something ‘new, different, creative’, allowing me to see something in a way I haven’t before. Another aspect would be antici….pation; something to look forward to.]

2. Make time for this and be non-negotiable about it. This does not mean not being flexible as to when you do it, but just about making sure it happens. You owe it to yourself and your family. Proviso; “as long as this is not harmful or life-threatening to yourself and others”, and I’m not talking about extreme sports here, if that’s what gives you ‘kicks’ then “go for it!” (Any form of abusive behaviour is not on this list; drugs, gambling, etc.).

3. Acknowledge yourself for doing it, and enjoy it as your ‘treat’ when you do engage with it. If you do this you will be adding to your ‘me, me inner child’ bank balance, which will give you much more patience, tolerance, and everything else for the rest of your interactions with others, be they kids, family, clan, parents, etc. If this should become a habit and you do not acknowledge it as a ‘treat’, it will no longer have the same value.

4. Don’t knock yourself and others out if you don’t do it. Learn from your experience and find a creative way to get your needs met, as well as the needs of others in your life.

These were the notes I gave her to complete the article.

The last few months of 2010

First of all I hope you had a wonderful and safe festive season.  I wish you a terriffic 2011 in all ways.  May the things that bugged you last year evaporate, and the things you didn't get to, happen easily and effortlessly this year.

So here is a little bit about what I've been up to the past few months....

I house sat these little mischiefs a few times last year in Simonstown, real cuties. The house has a magnificent view of False Bay, but the wind... Yinne! When it blows, it pomps. I sometimes thought the house was going to take off, like in "The Wizard of Oz". And when the wind doesn't stop blowing for days on end, and you're not used to it, it sort of fries what's left of the little brains you have.

More pics on my blog

Simonstown Harbour on a dreary windswept day when I took the doggies for a walk.


November we drove up to Rustenberg in Gauteng for a family reunion. I lived in Rustenburg for a few years in the mid eighties. My cousin and his wife came to visit from Paris, and my dad wasn't well, so I hoped to catch two birds with one stone. My dad was worse than I had thought. I couldn't believe how thin he'd got. I last saw him when I was there in July with their wedding anniversary (I'm not going to say which one, 'cause then you can work out how old I am. Not that it matters. Anyway...) and he looked fine, his normal self.

Rustenburg "Masked Ball" - July 2010
Family reunion in Rustenburg  - pics on web album - Nov 2010

We came back and got Hugh's 50th birthday edition of New Contrast together. We used some material from the 1st Contrast of 1960 with a lot of Afrikaans words. The scanner doesn't do kappies en deeltekens aka ^ and ", so we had to correct it all manually. Quite a process. Now it's all done, printed and is now in the post after waiting for the printers because they couldn't finish the job last year before  they closed.

This is quite a milestone in the South African literary  field.  This is the longest lasting literary magazine of its calibre in South Africa, as far as I know.

The New Contrast website -  if you wish to purchase a copy, subscribe for 2011, or get back copies for 2010, or any other year.

Hugh has also launched his 'As You Like It'  As You Write It Creative Writing Course. It is great fun and definately stretches your creative writing muscles. I met some really interesting new people, and wrote a few poems myself.  I put the websites and blogs together.  As You Write It blogspot

The idea is to help writers get their literature (poetry and prose) published and create a pool of people who you can ask to check your work for some constructiuve feedback.  Being an editor of The South African Literary Journal he knows what editors look for in writing.  At least he knows what he looks for in writing. The Poetry Publishing Company - and other Literature

Our Art year-end function was very lecka in Kerry's beautiful spacious home. As usual there was too much to eat and I definately had more than an elegant amount.  My clothes have shrunk another size over the holidays. Sitting around with nowhere to go and nothing to do but eat has not been good for my waistline, nor my derriere.  At my parent's house there is a snack at tea in the morning and tea in the afternoon and full-on food at each meal. Oi wey!

I suppose we were eating to help my dad eat more.  He is thin as a rake.  His shoulderblades stick out like wings.  It is awful to see. The doctors said he has a slow cancer, but he has gone from a vibrant, young for his age man to a doddering old man who sleeps 98% of the time, can hardly walk without a kierie (walking stick) in less than 6 months.  He is 84 and has had a full life....and I didn't expect him to deteriorate so fast. I massaged him and did what I could.  He has been in hospital this week and getting  protein feeds. I am not going into the gory details. I suppose we all have to go some time or other.