MICHAEL, JACQUI AND FAMILY IN PE
STEFAN, NICKY AND FAMILY IN PE
CATHY WITH JUST OVER A MONTH TO GO IN PE
VISITS TO THE LOCAL PARK WITH GRANDCHILDREN
GELVANDALE 15KM RUN WITH MICHAEL
KRAGGA KAMMA GAME FARM VISIT
PINK FIG VISIT
RUN ON THE BEACH FRONT PROMENADE
DINNER AT ANGELO'S
HIKING TRAIL: TWO RIVERS
WIND TURBINE AND COEGA VISIT
START OF THE EARLY MORNING MOFFAT RUNS
MOVIES WITH NICKY AND STEFAN
MEIRINGSPOORT
HEAVY RAINS IN THE EASTERN CAPE LEAD TO FLOODING AND ROADS COLLAPSING.
ALLY WATERPOLO TOURNAMENT IN EL WITH PEARSON U15 TEAM
ALLY IS CHOSEN FOR EP WATERPOLO TEAM.
MICHAEL IS BACK IN HOSPITAL FOR CHEMOTHERAPY
SUSAN BURRI HAS A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT
CATHY SILBERSTEIN HAD A BABY BOY: BLAKE IS BORN ON 22ND OCTOBER 2012 AND SHARES A BIRTHDAY TEN YEARS AFTER CHRISTIAN.
BARBARA FLIES TO CT FOR A WEEK TO SPEND TIME WITH CATHY
FAMILY PHOTO TIME
October started off with me taking a week of leave to be at home during the visit of Jacqui, Michael, Emily, Anabelle and Tom.
Michael and I spent time together doing some fun stuff;
We were able to complete the Two Rivers Hiking trail at the end of September together with Barbara, Charles, Adrienne, Paula, Theo, Fred and Penny.
We did the beach front Promenade run along the Boardwalk.
Twice we did the early morning Moffat circuit
Nicky and Stefan drove through with their new H1 bus. This vehicle is a perfect family vehicle and allowed us to visit the Kragga Kamma game park where we saw this huge variety of game.
Giraffe, Zebra, Rhino, a variety of buck and even a puffadder slithering across the road. There is a Cheetah enclosure where you are able to walk on a platform and view the cats from above. We had a snack at the end where monkeys tried to steal every thing possible including out of handbags.
I love to take the Grandchildren for a walk to the park where they have an amazing amount of fun on the swings and slides.
Jacqui particularly enjoyed the Pink Fig which is this child friendly restaurant. The children have a wonderful time taking advantage of the open air activities. Meals and snacks are reasonably priced.
CHRISTIAN STANDS ON THE TREE STUMP AND DOES A BIT OF ACTING
FAMILY AT THE PINK FIG FOR LUNCH
One afternoon Nicky and Stefan invited us to go to Movies; This was a first for me in a long time. Quite entertaining.
I was able to take Joshua and Daniel to the beach one blustery afternoon. The windsurfers love the East wind as this makes for perfect conditions for this activity
During this week of leave I was able to do a number of Home Chores. But most of the week was spent lazing at home. One of my favourite activities is to take the children to the park. Michael and I did this a couple of times. SOmehow the walk there and the swing has a special fascination for these youngsters.
CopWe started our Nippers Training after the school holidays. Our first Sunday was windy but we had a reasonable turnout of new and existing Nippers. It was one of our most successful opening sessions with regards to the admin activity.
Michael and I ran the Gelvandale 15km. We picked up John, Marilyn, Helouise and did this very hilly course in just under 90 minutes. I was really pleased to have done the course and the time as it was not an easy route with a multitude of twists and turns through the suburbs of Gelvandale and Parkside. Some steep hills tested our resolve to keep running.
This event set the tone for next weeks Meiringspoort. I felt that I would again be able to complete the event under 2 hours.
One evening we had a supper at Angelo's restaurant in 6th avenue. This is a Child Friendly family oriented restaurant. They serve substantial meals at reasonable prices and allow children to run around. This evening, including Baby Tom, we were 14 people for dinner.
On Sunday Jacqui packed and was ready to leave the following morning. Barbara dropped them at the airport. Once she got home she had a message that she must go back to the airport. Michael and Jacqui had forgotten an important thing: their flight leaves on Tuesday and not Monday. Very fortunate that it was this way around.
It was on this Sunday that Clem Morris had died on his bicycle on the Kragga Kamma road.
And Rob Ermes had his house broken into while Jason and Megan were at home. A man tied them up at Knife point and took a whole lot of stuff from his home. He had been with the same group as Clem.
Tuesday we had another of our Moffat Circuit runs. We were missing Ronel and Pat who were with Gerald and the Bartons in Seyschelles. They were having a great time and loving the suntanning and total relaxation.
During this week we heard that ALLY had made the EP U15 Waterpolo team of 13. In Waterpolo Six players and a goalkeeper are allowed in the water. The team is allowed 6 substitutes as this is a really tiring sport. Multiple Substitutions are allowed. Ally is also playing for the Pearson U15 team..
Friday 12th afternoon Julia and I left PE at 13;00 for De Rust and Oudtshoorn for the Meiringspoort 10 and 21km
We drove the route along the N2 for 100km and took the turn off to EersteRivier and Kareedouw. There is a short mountain pass which takes you to Kareedouw. Here we turned left along the Langkloof road where we drove non stop tot he Uniondale turn off. Through the Uniondale poort and through the village of Uniondale. Turn Right back on the main road and then shortly after that we make a left turn to De Rust. This section of the route is really quite spectacular with mountain views and valleys to drive though.
We turn left at the T junction. There are a couple of road works stop and go where we stop for the first time. Allan and Margie Taylor are right behind us. It is around here that we spot a Mountain Tortoise which is, for me, quite unusual. In De Rust we register for the event and pick up numbers for the rest of the group staying in Oudtshoorn. Goodie Bags are only handed to those who come to Registration. We do a quick round of the Church Hall and Stalletjies where I buy some Biltong which I like to add to Ally's lunch box and Julia buys some Rusks.
We press on for Oudtshoorn where we find our B & B. The Best little Guest house. Here we check in and settle down after a bit of confusion regarding the room allocation. The B & B had Wi FI which is quite nice as Julia is able to set my Lap Top up so that I can answer some emails that I missed while taking the afternoon off.
We meet up with Nicky Roote, Erna, Dave, Willie and two other friends of theirs at Brians Grill Restaurant. Julia and I are there first and so after a drink we order and leave earlier than the rest of the group. We have a really substantial meal and I am totally exhausted & fall asleep within seconds.
We wake up at 4;30 and get ourselves ready for the event. We leave Oudtshoorn at 5[20 and are in plenty of time for the bakkies to take us to the start from De Rust. We find a really good parking spot near the start and walk down to where the bakkies are waiting for us. Julia goes to the 10km inside her vehicle. I sit at the back of the bakkie. Cold but not so that I die.
At the start of the 21km I find a drink of water and then line up as close to the start line as I am able. Marilyn is there and we start together. I run for a short while just behind Billy Emslie. Svenje catches me and then follows Billy. I feel that I am running at a comfortable pace that should get me in just under 2 hours. I still stop and take pics and chat to those around me including Roger from Beaufort West who farms Sheep and Goats. And Lloyd who is trying to run a sub2hr race.
I have always managed to run just under two hours so we run together for a good couple of Kays. He is battling a bit but we have plenty of time in hand when we reach the 16kay in under 9 minutes. All we have to do now is to run the rest of the way without stopping or walking and we will get there. It is around now that I see Svenje just ahead of me and I can see she is losing her will. She is running but falling back. It turns out that she tried to stay with Billy but his target of 1;45 was too quick for this this young lady doing her first 21.
I caught up and we then pressed on to the last three kays together. This is where the gradient becomes a little tougher and you have to maintain your composure and determination. Then with just over a Kay to go you reach the village of De Rust. Lots of people urging us on but again the gradient starts to increase. Being her first run, Svenje was in New Territory.
With just one kay to go we see and hear the announcer at the finish. But the route is cruel here and a short steep climb after running 20kays is not fun. Svenje managed to get up this climb and then we had two more climbs to do. Up on the main road, past the OK supermarket and then the last climb is so steep and demanding. We press on and even though Svenje is almost heaving with exhaustion we finally reach the top, turn left and down to the finish. Svenje has just completed her first 21 in 1H55. Well done. Dave had finished just ahead of us.
Julia has fetched our clean clothes from the car. She had determined to walk the 10kay in 80 minutes and had achieved this goal. For a young lady who does not do that much training this is a good time. This was Julia's third Meiringspoort and has become quite and institution for us. In Previous years we have met up with Stefan and his family in Oudtshoorn and made a bit of a weekend of it. This time around Nicky and Stefan had been in Mauritius and only returned on Friday evening.
A shower after an event like this. Even a cold shower, is really rewarding. The showers and toilets were full but that did not matter. The after glow and feeling of satisfaction on completing the event was great. We put our stuff in the car and sat outside the Hall watching the people finishing the run and checking results and purchasing their goodies.
We had a good spot in a bit of shade and were joined at various times, by people we know. Roger came over to greet; he had done a 1;45 despite being a non training farmer. Paula and Theo joined us. They had decided that BED was a better option than running Meiringspoort. It was a mistake as they will be ragged for a long time to come. Peter Duffield, Mari-Lou Emslie, Odette Vosloo, Baron Naude and Kelly Mortimer, Ron Field, Shane Norris, Rob and Michelle Elfick, Trevor Hawkins, Nicky Roote, Erna van Zyl were all finishers today.
MEIRINGSPOORT IS A SPECIAL EVENT WITH EARLY MORNING SUNRISE AND FUN PEOPLE ON THE ROAD
Angela Fraser would be driving home with us. My phone was dead so I could not get hold of her. I asked everyone around if they had seen Ange but nothing. I was not worried and thought that if we stayed where we were and just waited we would eventually see her. And that is exactly what happened. She was on her way to the Hall and saw us. We decided that we would not wait for the Prizes and packed up to go home.
Our drive home was 3;5hours. This distance is 370km to our house. We stopped just once to look at a Mountain Tortoise. This was the second one that we had seen in two days. At one time I stopped to get a cold drink from the boot and was immediately surrounded by local men looking for a hand out. Alcohol on a weekend in a place like this is a problem in the community.
Ange was not feeling well with a bad headache and I think was looking forward to being home. Julia packed and left for home and a sleep. My family was relaxed and napping in the lounge. I spent the afternoon watching Curry Cup Rugby and eating. I find that I stay thirsty for a long while after an event like this even though I drink water during the run and also in the car on the way home.
This afternoon was the Funeral for Clem Morris who had died on his Bicycle the previous Sunday. Barbara went with Adrienne. The number of people attending was quite extraordinary. Clem had led a full life and had impacted on many others.
EP Kings had beaten the PUMA's to take honours in the League and this puts them in line to challenge for a Curry Cup position next season.
After the Meiringspoort weekend we had a week of really heavy rain. Cathy had her baby on Monday 22nd. Blake was born at 5:10am exactly 10 years and10 minutes after Christian was born. Christians birthday.
I spent a few days out of town. Stayed in Stutterheim where we used to holiday many years ago. We would stay at the Eagles Ridge hotel. The road between Peddie and King was under construction and collapsed soon after I went through. Ally came to EL for a polo tournament. Ally plays for U15 School team and has been chosen for EP U15 team as well.
ALLY SCORES GOALS IN EAST LONDON
ALLY HAD SOME EXCELLENT GAMES IN EAST LONDON
They played almost the entire tournament in the rain at the Joan Harrison pool. Saturday afternoon after the las game had been played Ally, Hanna and I left for something to eat, a Friesland milkshake and then headed home. We were really fortunate that I know these roads so were able to take the R72 to Hamburg, the R345 to Peddie and then the N2 to GRahamstown and the the final leg home. All the way listening to the wireless for road reports. The R72 had mudslides and was overflowing with flooding need to Port Alfred while the N2 had rockfalls near to GRahamstown and, shortly after we drove past the Pumba Game Reserve, the N2 also collapsed. God had a guiding hand over our drive and we made it back to PE without incident while other parents were not so fortunate. One parent, Zelda, had her car caught in the Mudslide and took 6 hours to come through while the Billsons had to go to Fort Beaufort, Bedford, Cookhouse adding a further 100 kms to their trip.
I was in JHB for a meeting on Wednesday and listened to a speaker, Alec Harris, describe his mountain climbing and his epic walk to the South Pole with Subisiso.
Thursday morning 25th was Michaels birthday 33. I start off with a Moffat Run. John and Marilyn keep me company as I have tired legs and sore feet the whole way. Thank goodness I did not feel this way two weeks ago at Meiringspoort.
Wednesday evenings Ally has polo league and Thursday Polo at Alex. We love going to watch her as she plays an enthusiastic and strong game. Ally has made good friends through polo and is an important member of the squad.
This week in October, Cathy spends a few days in hospital while the Baby learns to eat and recovers from a mild gaundice. Finally Cathy is released to go home on Thursday.
Susan Burri receives a Kidney Transplant donated by her brother. The initial prognosis is that the operation is a success. The internal bleeding settles and the kidney begins to function. Susan's brother is in a lot of pain which subsides after a week. Susan tells us that she looks like a punch bag, battered, bruised and swollen but is extra tic to hear that she will be allowed to go home after just 10 days.
I have started reading books downloaded from the library and love this manner of reading on the iPad. Sunday 21st it is raining and roads have been flooded so I settle down for a day of reading. I finish a 1200 page book. Reading on the iPad is so much faster than turning pages of a book. And the font is set to a reasonable size. I still need my glasses but easy to read.
Saturday morning Barbara flies to CT to spend a week with Cathy and baby Blake.
I AM BACK FROM A TRAINING RUN FOR THE DRYLAND STAGE RUN NEXT MONTH.
BARBARA IS GETTING READY FOR HER TRIP TO CT TO SEE BLAKE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
Sunday 23rd is a day for Reading, Nippers and the Ally has Waterpolo Training. And that is about my day. I think that today is one of the very few mornings when I am at Summerstrand for Nippers training and I do not go onto the beach doing coaching. I had bought some hotdogs and coffees sachets which appear to be quite popular and are sold out by the time I leave. Ally has hardly been to LIFESAVING at all this season. Her time is consumed with polo. The National tournament is in PE in December and with a new U15 coach Diane Christian, she is doing Two Hours training almost daily. Combine this with school polo and school competition it becomes a full time dedication.
During the week of 24th it rains most mornings. I drive to Grahamstown on Monday for business and have to take the route along the R72 to Kenton on Sea and then turn left to Salem and then on to GRahamstown.
I am able to run on Monday, And Thursday mornings. Barbara is in CT with Cathy and I am kept busy with lifting. To school, back from school, to WATERPOLO and back, make supper and sleep. So endeth the day.
This week I signed up for the Ocean series season. I plan to try to swim a few of these on Sundays.
Wednesday 31 October comes and goes. We finish the tenth day of the year. Before you know it, it will be 2013!
JOSHUA AND DANIEL FOUND A REAL PLAY PLACE OUT OF THE MUDDY OCTOBER WE HAVE HAD.
THIS MONTH HAS BEEN A FAMILY MONTH WITH JACQUI, MICHAEL; NICKY AND STEFAN; CATHY ALL COMING TO VISIT WITH THEIR FAMILIES. AND BLAKE BORN THIS MONTH.
SISTERS AND DAUGHTER
STEFAN TAKES IT EASY
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