SEPTEMBER 2010

SEPTEMBER 2010

SPRING DAY
SUE AND LEX MITCHELL
JULIA DOES PENGUIN REHABILITATION
ALLY FINAL INTERHOUSE HOCKEY MATCHES
BARBARA AND I DO SWIM TRAINING AT PROFILES
ALLY HAS A BUSY SOCIAL LIFE
CATHY HAS HER HOUSE BURGLED AND IS "CLEANED OUT"
LLEWELLYN CLACK PASSES AWAY
LONDT PARK 10 KAY.
ALLY HAS A HOGSBACK CAMP
NIPPERS PRIZE GIVING
BAVIAANSKLOOF 40KAY TRAIL RUN
JOSHUA AND JESSICA FIRST TEAM TRIATHLON.



1.09.2010
Julia makes us Nachos for supper. With Salsa; tomato; tomato puree; diced tomato; onion; green pepper; celery. And a mince / Bean mixture topped with melted cheese. Very nice all spread over nachos.

Julia off to Hockey practice. And later goes off to a function with Catherine Dean. Catherine is studying Event Management at Damelin and this is a project that they are putting on as part of the study. Julia is able to be part of these events.

Wednesday 1.09.2010
Ally has her inter house hockey games: Clarendon vs Windsor where they draw and then Clarendon vs Jordan where they win. But on Goal average, WIndsor are the overall winners today. Ally is team captain of Clarendon and their team have the best possible spirit. I chat to Kerry Dad about his motor bike accident where 8 years ago he was riding a trans desert race of around 1000kays and on his return trip had an accident which broke his back. Since then he has run his own plumbing business and then sold it back to the company that had previously retrenched him. He is disabled from the waist down but since he has just sold his business a month ago he now plans to see if he can do Ironman next year.

First he will have to learn to swim on his tummy as right now he cannot swim like this as his lower body will sink. He can swim back stroke but this is not really suitable for ocean swimming. His swim leg allows for the use of a snorkel. And I think that he is allowed to use a float on his chest. Then he cycles with a cog in the front type of bike which is driven by hand. He already does this training. His running leg will be done on a specially designed wheel chair. This is stuff that movies are made of.

This week I am able to run 5 times as I am at home the whole week. I end off with a Moffet Circuit after which I am exhausted. Marks sleeps out a lot with his friends. Ally stays over at Nicloa and Julia stays over at a Hockey friend who lives on a farm near to Salem. They go for a night horse ride.

Julia is into the Penguin rehabilitation group. She goes to the Cape Recife reserve a few times a week where she is a volunteer. This week I am in the supermarket and meet up with Sue Mitchell (Lex' wife) who tells me that she also does this Penguin thing and has met Julia. I then ask her how she knew that Julia was family. Sue explains that Julia gave some of her background and that she realised that she was related to us. I have known Lex Mitchell for a number of years from his membership of Achilles and we have trained and run together. He is also the man who started Mitchells Brewery in Knysna before selling the business and moving to PE. Sue taught Ally at Clarendon Park for a while. The Mitchells are great friends of the Gendalls.

Sue then goes on to tell me that she already knows the Giddy Name as, when she was very young, her family rented a home from Mrs Giddy in Fish Hoek. They stayed at Bru-na-Mara right next to the beach. Sue describes walking throught the rail tunnel which we knew so well. She describes Guy Falkes evening where a box of fireworks was accidently lit in their lounge. Sue spent 6 months at Fish Hoek Primary which was also my first primary school. Small World! I am sure that they probably lived there while we lived there and that I met her as a child.

My father, Allan Giddy, qualified as a CA after he returned from the war in Italy and Africa (Egypt). He was a Gunner - working on the calibrations of the Big Guns that were used for long range battles. He met my mother, Ena who lived in Vereeniging at the time. Ena and her mother had come to South Africa after her brother, Ian, had moved to SA to work on mines in Messina. Allan and Ena married and had children in Johannesburg.

Allan was employed by Modern Appliances as an accountant. They then moved to Cape Town where Allan was employed at the Head Office. We lived at Bru-na-Mara (Italian; Next to the sea) in Fish Hoek. Allan would take the train each day to work in the City while us children had the best possible life on the beach each day. It was here that Sue Mitchel's parents met my mother, Ena and Grandmother, Yvonne (Nene) Spence.

Friday evening: We dropped Mark off at a party in Algoa Park. Dropped Ally off with friend Nicola. Barbara and I stopped off at Michael where we spent the evening playing bridge. Shockingly, after two rubbers, they had beaten us in points by just 30 points.

This evening Cathy phones to say that they had arrived home to find their garage door open and everything in their house stolen. They had been burgled during the day while they were at work and returned to find their computers, cameras, jewelry and a variety of personal belongings had been taken. The burglars had opened the side gate and then been able to access the garage. They then drove in and after forcing the security gate they had all the time they needed to help themselves to whatever they wanted.

The neighbours later said that they had seen that there were some people there but did not realise that it was a burglary. Three people: a young coloured man and girl and a third person. Cathy and Saul did not have insurance and have lost around R80 000 worth of posessions. The worst of all was the Hard Drive where Saul had all his work, his income, his studies, photographs, personal and banking details stored. This will never be recovered. This also sets them back financially as there are some items which will have to be replaced immediately and funds that they had allocated to a trip to Israel next year will have to be spent on replacing computers etc.


Saturday 4th September.
Started the morning with a Moffet run. Then went off to work. After work moved the old Whirlpool Washing Machine out of the laundry as I had bought a new Defy washer which Michael fetched from the Morkels Warehouse. The old machine had packed up this week and we thougth that any more spent repairing this machine would be throwing good money after bad. When Michael arrived with the new washer on the Mazda Bakkie we unpacked it and set it up. We tried it out with a pile of Towels that needed washing. But did not secure the outlet pipe and had water runing all over the place. Hardly the right thing to do when there is a water shortage!

Julia played a Hockey Game at Pirates and was injured when the ball hit her foot and gave her a nasty crack and bruise.

Barbara and I swam at Profiles Pool. I find that I am suffering with Cramps when I have swum for around 30 minutes. This is such good exersize as there is no impact but still a good work out. Barbara has been doing Kicker Board Work while I hope to gain some swim fitness for events like the River Mile. We have been doing the River Mile at Redhouse for many years. I think that we started one year when Jacqui entered. At that time the mile started upstream and it was possibe to walk / swim if you were not able to swim the whole way. I also will be doing Nippers Coaching and hopefully some Ocean Swims / Triathlons over the next season.

This afternoon Ally was at her friend Nicola and I collected her there before dropping her off at the Bridge Cinema Center where she watched Step Up in 3D with a group of her friends. Barbara, Julia and I watched SA rugby vs Australia (played at Bloemfontein). Again this weekend the Aussie team started off with a 5 try flurry and just before half time we were 32 - 6 down. The Springboks scored a try just before the half time whistle and then after the break they managed to claw themselves back to 33 -32 ahead of the Aussie team. But in the final seconds they conceded a penalty which was converted and we lost the game to a team which was superior to the Springboks in many ways.

I collected Ally from the Movies. Julia went out to visit friends and spent the night out. Barbara and I were in bed early after an exhausting day.

Thursday 8th: I have been in Queenstown this week. I stay over at a B & B called Positano. Positano is the name of a village in Italy. I was back in time for the Achilles AGM that evening. Always a good ge together with the Achilles runners.
Friday 9th. This afternoon we heard of the tragic passing of LLewellyn Clack. He had been working in a house in River Road and had been electrocuted.

Saturday 10th September 2010: It was due to be the Clarendon park Spring Walk but this morning the walk is postponed so I run the Londt Park 10Kay. Colin Mc Call and I do a 7 kay warm up run and then we run just under 60 minutes. After the run and after work I go for a swim but before I can complete my 40 laps I begin to cramp badly and cannot carry on. This evening it is the Nippers Prize giving Wild West Party. It is a most successful function. Ally goes off to party at a friend - Bianca.

Sunday; Barbara gives away her horse; Don to Andre who is the owner of a B & B in Tsitsikamma area. We go to the farm in Seaview where the horse is stabled and load it up onto a trailer that Andre brings from Tsitsikamma. Ally and I go to the evening service. I am really tired and keep on falling asleep. Barbara is a loyal Mom and makes wrist bands for Ally's Hogsback Campout Group.
Monday morning I drop Ally off at school with her bags for a week at Hogsback. Nicci arrives from Cape Town after a really tough drive. From the tunnel to Swellendam she had to drive through mist and clouds. Monday evening I have Cell Group at the van Zyl's. Rob Ermes is in Europe for a Triathlon and I receive an SMS:

Tuesday and Wednesday I am off to East London but return from King on Wednesday afternoon in time to attend the Memorial Service for Llewellyn Clack at the St Marks Church in Westering. Some happy / sad talks and eulogies are read by brother Grant Clack, Mike Palframan and then by Eddie Walker. The pastor is Paul who presents a good sermon.

This evening, Barbara and Nicci's Family go to movies. Julia makes a meat loaf supper with roast potatos and salad which is quite delicious. She calls it a Traditional American Dish. We have not heard a word from Ally at Hogsback.

Ally arrived back from Hogsback today. She came back full of stories. She had such a full time at the camp. Doing Foofie Sliding, Wall Climbing, Jogging three kays in the mornings where she came third, Orienteering where they had to find their way around the Hogsback area, and generally they were kept busy full time to the extent that she came home stiff and sore.

Thursday evening 16.09.2010
Nicky had some of her friends over for a Soup supper. Lisa and Reynard with their three children come with a Butternut soup, Melk Tert and Bran Muffins. I think that Lisa was in a cooking / Baking frenzy before coming over. Christina Collett and her friend Liesl; Michael and family all came over and everyone sat chatting and chatting. Christina was off to do the Karoo to Coast 100kay MTB event this weekend.

Friday afternoon I collected Gerald & Family and we went of to Baviaanskloof to run the trail run.

Sunday afternoon I flew to Johannesburg, took the Gautrain to Sandton and Keith collected me there. He was having a Sunday Lunch with friends; John and Betina Cartwright. I joined them and their friends for a supper more than a lunch. They had kindly waited for me. They had a delicious toatoe soup, a Gineau Fowl / Franklin pie with vegetables and ended off with a cheese cake, fruit and cream. Their daughter made us coffee before we left for Keith's house. Monday morning Keith and I did a 5kay run around his home. I was very slow due to the run on Saturday as well as the altitude. That day I had a meeting in Randburg and then flew home that evening. It was windy and raining as we tried to land so the Pilot did a circle after his first attempt to land.

Tuesday morning I ran with the group. Colin McAll is training for the Voet of Africa marathon and I ran with him. This evening I went for a swim with Julia. She did around 30laps while I managed 40.

Wednesday morning I ran with Stuart Brown. He has been in Bushman's River for the past two - three years and has not been running with us. He has completed the project of refurbishing that bridge and is now back in PE. Fortunately for me he must start to build a foundation of running again before he is able to run his fast times again. Today I flew in and out of Cape Town for a meeting there.

Thursday 23rd: Nippers Committee meeting at our house. I am able to keep this to exactly 59 minutes as I promise to those present.

Friday 24.09.2010: Public Holiday. This morning it is cold and windy. Gerald and Adrienne are supposed to meet me for a run. But Stuart Brown is the only one of the Slow Group who pitches. Andrew Jonas was at the meeting last evening and had said be may join us. Cold and Wind puts many runners off getting out of a warm bed on a holiday. Also running are Kobus Gerber, Benita Barton, Elmarie J V Rensburg & Danie. We ran the Newton Park Swimming pool route. It is a good 10-12kay route with short undulations. The first half is into the wind and Stuart and I fall a bit behind. Then, in the second half, coming down Westview Drive and with the wind behind us, we are able to keep up.

Ally is swiming in a Gala at Newton Park Swimpool this morning. Julia is supposed to go to Cape Town to meet Patrick at Wellington but boyfriend Jonathan is not well and can's drive. Cathy is off to a luxury weekend at the Kruger National Park but says that she is feeling miserable. Nicky had an upset yesterday as the Pet Rat was mauled by their dog and had to be taken to the vet.

Saturday 25th
This morning I have arranged to meet Stuart Brown & Ronel Scheepers for a Moffet Circuit. Gerald and Adrienne are also there but not feeling up to the full circuit. We set out a few minutes before the rest of the group who we later hear run to the Pier and back. Margie Saunders, Colin McAll and Nicky Roote have done an hour of running before we start. Almarie and her husband Jacques, Benita Barton, Suzanne Gendall and Ben Carver run to the beach. Stuart, Ronel and I do the Moffet at a nice slow pace. Gerald and Adrienne turn at the end of Church Road. As we approach the end of our morning run, Ronel turns at 3rd avenue towards her home. Stuart and I drop her off and jog home.

I then go to work at Greenacres and Barbara goes to Profiles Gym where she sees that there is a Mini Triathon on the go. This is for U14 and U10's. She rushes off to find Joshua who she promply buys a bike for him and they enter as a team with Joshua doing the cycle; 1 X kay off road (Michael runs next to him the whole way) he hands over to Jessica who does the run of around 1 X Kay and she hands over to Caudia Zoetmulder the organisers daughter who does the swim. They win the team event.

Joshua and Jessica are very proud of their achievements and immediately go to our house where they climb onto bikes and ride around for a while. I still have work to do and stay in the office till 13.00. Meanwhile Ally is at day two of a three day gala at the Newton Park Swimpool. Ally reports that she was in a Relay as one of the last events of the day. She had been at the swimpool from 7am to 21.00pm. And she was in the Aquabear B team. She had to swim Freestyle and had to beat one of her friends for third place. Later this evening Ally described how she had swum her heart out and scraped in with a bronze.

Julia was due to travel to Cape Town with her boyfriend, Jonathan. However he was ill and, even though they had planned to drive only as far as Plettenberg Bay, where they would overnight at Ena's Flat, he was not capable of the drive and so for the second time they have had to put their trip off. Then finally on Sunday they headed off to Cape Town. They stopped at Bredasdorp and then Springfield to meet up with Patrick and Marianne.

Ally was in the Gala on Saturday and Barbara stayed till late to support her at the Gala. Sunday morning Barbara dropped her off at the Gala again. I went to Summerstrand to help clean up the Nippers Cage. It has been months since we were there last and the place has Rats and all kinds of built up dirt. Also we sorted out some of the boards and equipment. Michael and Lene stayed over for a game of bridge.

This week Ally was on Holiday. I went off to Aliwal (500kays) and Sterkspruit (590Kays)where I did some branch visits. I stayed over at Lady Grey at the Mountain View Hotel for the two nights. Wednesday morning I worked at Sterkspruit and left at around 13.30 arriving home at around 20.00. It was really too long and I should stay over in Queenstown on the third night to break the drive. It is weeks like this when I really feel that I earn my salary.

Jacqui is in Israel and has opened a nursery school. Binyamina Nursery School. It is stunning to hear of all of her adventures there. We are just so sorry that we cannot be part of their lives.

And so ended the 9th month of 2010. When I look at our calendar for October it looks like an equally busy time is ahead of us. The only question we have to look at is what we should fit in and what should we leave out of our lives.

AUGUST 2010

AUGUST 2010


EP HOCKEY TOURNAMENT IN OUDTSHOORN
NA SMIT RESORT WITH DERRY'S AND CRANKSHAWS
ALLY CLARENDON PARK TOURNAMENT IN EAST LONDON
BARBARA AND CATHY GO OFF TO ST FRANCIS FOR A GIRLS WEEKEND
NICKY AND STEFAN BUY A HOUSE IN CAPE TOWN
WE GO TO THE GINO FABBRI SHOW
JULIA & PIRATES HOCKEY GAMES AT ADDO AND AT GELVANDALE
MIA STEENKAMP
SA RUGBY; SPRINGBOKS ON A LOSING STREAK
EASTERN PROVINCE RUGBY AT THE NEW STADIUM
WE START SWIM TRAINING AT PROFILES



OUDTSHOORN HOCKEY TOURNAMENT
During matches at Clarendon I speak to Debbie Derry and Stuart Crankshaw and we agree to stay over at the NA Smit resort in Oudtshoorn for the EP B and C teams games. Debby makes the bookings.

Sunday 1st August: I take Ally to Woodridge School where she will have a day of practice. I am really impressed to see the mountain bikers and trail runners. I spend most of the day cleaning up the Mountain bikes and later this afternoon Julia, Barbara and I do some riding out at Woodridge before collecting Ally. They have a really good Hockey Session. During this week Julia goes to Pirates Hockey and plays / practises with them. This is her first time out on a hockey field. She enjoys the experience and meets a nice group of people.


This week Nicci and Stefan have the offer they made on a House Purchase accepted at the Bank. THis is a very exciting time for them. Cathy describes the house as Cosy.

Friday morning 6th August. We drop Ally off at the William Moffet shopping centre and they leave by bus from here. I go to Walmer park where I report the car accident that Julia had last Friday. We pack the car and start our trip to Oudtshoorn. It is Julia, Barbara and I.


We take the Langkloof road. Stop at Kareedouw for some meat and biltong. In Oudtshoorn we book in at the NA Smit resort. We have a small chalet with a single room but there is an upstairs deck with two single beds where Julia makes herself comfortable. I realise that my two back tyres are smooth and I go to the Supa Quick where they replace the tyres.


Meanwhile J & I walk to the Pick & Pay. On our way to the shops I hear my name being called out. It turns out that David, a driver who used to work at Morkels in Oudtshoorn many years ago, is driving past and recognises me. I greet him and we carry on. We make our purchases and the Supa Kwik people collect us. Debbie and Mark Derry arrive and they too make up a shopping list for Pick & Pay. I ride back at the back of his bakkie.


With new tyres I have confidence that we will have a safe drive home. We stop off to buy some wood and a couple of beers. We search for the Nedbank but cannot find it so we go back to the chalets. Ally and her bus have arrived at what was the holiday inn and have settled in. We all have books: Barbara came back from Canada with books of the author Mo Hayder.


I was able to ask Pat Scheepers to find the first of the series, "Birdman", for me. After finishing off this thriller I am now on the second book; "Treatment" and cannot wait to find time to read. We pour drinks, light the fire; Lincoln Tower method of wood stacking as opposed to Tepee method. Julia has learned both methods at camp in America but I am a firm believer in the Lincoln Tower for best results. The Derry's join us.


The fire is a wood fire: Doring Hout which Julia and I had bought on the side of the road earlier. Unfortunately the wood is wet and the fire dies on us. I walk to the reception where I purchase Brickets. Fool Proof. The fire takes off again and after a few beers and lots of chatter we are able to have a really good braai. I bought some Filet Steak in Kareedouw and we are able to save some for tomorrow's sandwiches.


Saturday 7th August. It is Barbara and my 34th wedding anniversary. It is also Ally's thirteenth Birthday. She is at the hotel and has limited time allowed on Cell Phones. The coaches have wisely confiscated the phones for most of the time. We all meet up at the Van Rheede primary school fields.


We started off at Oudtshoorn High school but found out that we were going to be playing at Van Rheede today. It took us a little wandering around before we found the school. I rushed off to purchase some fold out chairs from Checkers and we settled in for a day of hockey supporting. There were 14 boys and 14 girls teams.


The C teams or pool B would be playing at the other fields today. Our boys did very well and achieved maximum points. Ally's team won their first match, drew the second match and lost the third match. The third match of the day started off with a goal being scored against them in the opening minute. Thereafter the team worked hard and came back from 2;0 down to 2;1. The points were: 4 for a win; Two for a draw with a goal; one for a goaless draw and Nil for a loss. At the end of the first day Ally's team had Six points while the leading teams had 12 points each.


During the day we met up with the Crankshaws; Therese and Glen Goosen; Tim and Margie Upman; Mark and Mercia; Leon and ..... ; Alec and Sue Riddle. Stuart and Maria were also staying at the NA Smit and we again had a braai that evening. The little chalets at NA Smit are quite adequate.


Julia has a bunk bed on the mezzanine and seems comfortable. This evening we sit outside again. The Dog People are having a dog show in Oudtshoorn this weekend and it is quite fun chatting to the various owners and dogs. Maria Crankshaw is a Greenshields Bakery person.


It was Maria who introduced the Pizza bases and other products to the big supermarkets such as Spar. THis evening we have some Braai Rolls made by Greenshields and which we bought in Oudtshoorn. Barbara is very tired and has a headache and is in bed early. The rest of us follow shortly after that.

Sunday 8.08.2010. The temperature has dropped a bit and we dont have to seek out the shade. We are at Oudtshoorn High School for today's games. They are all successful as EP B team win the first, draw the second and win the third game. This is enough to get them into the play off for 5 and 6 place. But unfortunately we learn that they will be playing their team mates from the C team in the morning.


We have a good long afternoon off and Barbara and I manage a sleep while pretending to read our books. This evening we arrange to have supper at Jamima's Restaurant. When I booked I saw a really cosy room with a fire. I did not have my glasses on and could not see the menu nor the PRICES which we later saw were really over the top. I felt embarrased that I have booked such an expensive place. There were 16 of us parents sitting together. Julia had a great time talking to the various parents. Barbara and I had a mediocre meal but the price made the taste a little sour.

Monday morning 9.08.2010: Womens Day: we woke up to snow on the mountains. The wind made being outdoors quite biting. Ally played her final game this morning. Against the U13 Girls EP C team and they managed a win. But it was a bitter sweet victory being up against their own province. We stayed to watch the Boys final. The EP team played the Western Province team and while it was a fierce match they were outclassed and lost by two goals.


After a short awards ceremony we left for home. We took the coastal road, stopped at Storms River and were home in the afternoon.

And then a few days later on Thursday 12.08.2010 Ally left for Clarendon Park's tour to East London. The First team hockey had four matches lined up for the next two days. On this Thursday I had a meeting in EL and left early in the morning. Ally had been given a new hockey bag, a training long sleeve t-shirt and an anorack hoodie which all looked quite stunning. I am sure that these young girls must have been very proud of their uniforms.

I was able to finish my meeting early and met the team as they arrived at Stirling Primary School. I watched the game for a few minutes until they had scored their first goal and then had to leave as I had a Nippers meeting at our home that evening.

Here are some of the sms' that Carol Scheepers sent from the EL hockey tour:

"Morn Mom's. Magnif sunny day. Going for walk along boardwalk deck along shoreline. Yest team gave 110 percent with Ally Jamie and Hanna who went to war on the field and took knocks but up + erady for more today. All fine. Hugs from your angels x."

"Yay. 1 Nil up against Cambridge on the Astro. Hat Trick! On our way to Gonubie for last match ,,. Hold thumbs. Spirit High. Hugs + Kisses xx."

Saturday 14.08.2010 Ally arrived home from the EL hockey tour. I had a really good morning run. Julia had been to the Pirates Hockey training just twice and was now off to Addo for the night and would be playing in Addo in her first ever hockey match on Sunday.

Sunday morning 15.08.2010: Barbara and I drove out to Addo to watch Julia play her first official hockey match. They had camped out next to the Polo Field / Hockey field and it seems that they had had quite a party that night. One player had such a good time that she was incapable of playing the next morning. The Pirates team played against the Addo ladies who appeared to be quite disciplined and won the game. Julia had a good couple of saves and was able to participate.

This week I did some branch visits in East London staying over at the Chimneys Guest House. Saturday morning I started off with a good longer run. We ran as a little group past the Newton Park Swim pool and up to the Moffet turn off before going through the lower subburb of NP and then home.

Cathy arrived from Cape Town and took Barbara off to St Francis where they stayed over at a Game Park. I went to watch Julia playing Hockey at Gelvandale where they won quite hansomely. We arranged to meet Charles at the Pitch And Putter where the three of us watched Rugby. This would be the third or fourth consecutive loss by the Springbok team. They lost to the NZ team and the Australian team and then the NZ team again in the new Soweto Stadium in Jhb.

Sunday morning Ally and I attended church. Ally was playing in the music group in two of the services. She played with a good confident beat and really added to the music. Sunday afternoon I flew off to Cape Town while Barbara and Cathy drove back from St Francis. I was met in CT by Stefan and little Mia. The Cape Town airport must be one of the very worst that I have ever had the displeasure of visiting.

Since I was last there they have "revamped" the airport and now it is awful the way that you have a long walk from the airplane to the Luggage collection area and then an even longer walk to the exit of the building. I had no idea where to go the the Pick Up Zone and had to ask directions. When I realised where I was to be collected I looked around to see why I had not seen the signage and realised the reason was because the signage was incredibly poor.

I then walked to the pick up zone which is through a parking garage and finally if you are really lucky you are able to meet your people collecting you. We drove to Stellenberg where we collected the rest of the family and then visited their new house. They had just bought this house that is only a few Kays from where they currently work and live. They have done a huge clean up job and made the garden more user friendly. They are also in the process of creating an extra room off from the entrance. This will be a kind of study / spare room. It is a very homely house with a good kitchen and good sized children's bedrooms.

Mia is a real friendly little individual and copies everything that Zara says and does. She immediately became friendly with me and would quite happily hold my hand and walk around the house. I found this quite pleasant as most little children take a longer time to become used to adults.


Back at Nicky's house we had supper and then passed out with Zara sleeping on the mattress on the floor with me.
I was up early and Stefan dropped me at the office in CT where I had a meeting before flying home that evening.

Tuesday 24th evening we had booked to see the Gino Fabbri show. Adrienne Wilson's daughter, Danielle, was in the US for a Dive competition and they were trying to raise funds for this trip. At our table: Charles & Ingrid; Cronje and Claudine van Zyl; Christine and Burt; Ant Cox and Jacqui; Ron and Lynne. It turned out to be a stunning show and we laughed till we cried.


I have been trying to run as often as possible but will only do so when I am at home. Wednesday Ally had one of her final hockey matches. It was a tough game and they lost in the final few minutes 0;1. That evening I did my first Swim Training (35 X 25m laps) at the Profiles Gym where Barbara has registered us as a family.

Thursday morning I drove through to King Williams Town where I spent the next two days. Friday evening after I got home Barbara, Charles, Ron and Lynne and I all went to watch the EP vs Border rugby match. It was at the new stadium which is now the new home of the Eastern Province Kings. In the First Division of Curry Cup Rugby, we are now tops. The EP team completely outclassed the Border team winning 49;6. This means that the EP team have won 6 matches in a row. This match had been a lot more fun to watch than the previous weekend of Springbok Rugby.

Saturday 28th: I have now entered the Baviaanskloof 40kay trail run and so the Gerald Family and I are training. We ran the Moffet Circuit (14kays) this morning. It was a perfect morning but I was quite tired when we got home.


Saturday afternoon; Barbara, Julia and I went to Pitch & Putter to watch SA play Australia. They played at the Loftus Versveld stadium in Pretoria. We met Michael and his two friends David and Greg Papi. We sat downstairs at a table that Michael had painstakingly reserved for us. While the smokers sat upstairs. We hardly had time to order a beer and the game started off with Australia scoring two converted tries within around 3 minutes.

We responded with a try from Pierre Spies under the posts and Morne Steyn managed some outstanding kicking including a penalty from about 10m inside the SA half. He was on top form. And then during the second half we pushed our way into a leading score and managed to hold out to the end of the game. It was a really exciting game which we won in the end but which Australia had led through most of the game.

This evening we had planned to go to the Music Trivia at Achilles but when Brenda pulled out we decided that we were in fact quite exhausted and ready for an early night.

Sunday Morning we attended the 8.45am service where Charles, Ingrid, Darryl, Mike, Vinnance and Fred were playing in the Music Group. We always enjoy their music but this morning was particularly special as both CHarles and Vinance had written their own songs. Charles had adapted the 23rd Psalm and made it into a good chorus song.

Barbara and I went swimming after church. It was Barbara's first swim at Profiles and my second. I managed to reach 40 laps which is 1km. Trevor Vaughn was there and he swam 1.5km in the same time as my 1km. I will have to work on speed.

From there we went to lunch and bridge at Michael and Lene. Lene made us a delicious Paella after which we played bridge in their sun room with me nearly falling asleep. At Three we all went to Clarendon where we played a game of hockey. Barbara and I also went to the Evening service where Mike Perks gave the same message as had Graham in the morning.

Monday Morning back to running, work and Cell Group in the evening. Our Cell group consists of Bobby Stevenson; Rob Ermes; Hannes and Jacqui Zeelie; Christine and Burt ... Cronje and Claudine van Zyl and our selves. We meet at The van Zyl's house at the Walmer Golf Course Estate. Right now we are reading through the Prupose Drive Life by Rick Warren.

Tuesday 31st August: a bit windy in the morning so Gerald wimped out of our planned run. I went out for a slow run with our normal group. And then later this evening Julia and I went for a swim at Profiles. Julia did around 500m and I did my one Kay. Ally is back into swim training but had a lot of learning to do so skipped swimming and that is why Barbara did not come to swimming.