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.