Election tomorrow!

I hope everyone will go and vote despite the cold - but may it snow in any place where people intimidate others.

Pray that the millions who do not want to vote for Zuma (i.e. ANC), but also do not want to vote for an opposition party out of loyalty to the ANC, will come to their senses and realise that if they do not claim their share of the 400 seats in parliament, it will go to the ANC regardless.

If we have an 80% voting rate tomorrow, a party will need at least 46,000 votes for one seat: so vote for a party that will darem at least get one seat! Don't waste your vote! It's valuable and the right votes are now needed more than ever!

Interesting times! Make sure you cast your vote where it will make a difference!

Small things amuse small minds?

School started again for me and Tammy today. I had so many plans to do this holiday - and what did I do... apart from the Easter Drama and Franco's birthday party, mostly small little things... but things that gave me great pleasure all the same. Activities that may not be in the same league as scrapbooking, but still creative in a smalll sort of way.

I washed my mohair blanket - it did not really look dirty, but I was surprised at the dirty water: Here's how you do it:
Fill the bathtup with some cold water and imerse the blanket in it. Sprinkle about 500g coarse salt over the blanket and let it soak. No soap. No stasoft. Turn the blanket over now and then. Then push the blanket into the laundry basket. Drain the tub and then fill it again a few times to rinse the blanket thoroughly. Then let the water drain out of the blanket by letting the basket lie on its side. Then easily lift the basket, blanket and all and hang it up - the blanket is like new! (It is really 35 years old!)
I got the tip from my sister in law, Tiela. (Dankie Tiela, dit werk soos 'n bomb, soos jy gese het!) It really works and there's no strain on the back!

The bath tub is also an excellent place to scrub dish racks - almost the same age as the blanket. I can do with new ones, but in the meantime it gives me pleasure to have racks that are as clean as I can possibly get them.
My grandmother used to say that her grandmother used to say that if something is worth doing, it is worth doing it well. She (my grandmother) often resented that saying and would take off a button from my oupa's pajamas if it had been sewn on with the wrong thread. Who cares really? But if its worth doing... it worth doing it well! I too resented this saying a bit, but nonetheless took great pride in cleaning my oven until there was not a speck of brown to be seen on the racks. Did anyone notice? Of course not, but it did make me feel sort of like the woman of Proverbs 31. Luckily my oven is only two years old and not used tooooo often! (Ek's nie daardie soort meisie nie.)

I spent a lot of time cleaning tiny bottles and filling them and labelling them - often by peeling the original sticker of the original container and sticking it onto my minute bottle. It was not always possible, so some products just got boring old handwritten labels. Why all the fuss? We're going to the sea for 5 days and later this year we are going overseas for 10 days. I did not like my previous cosmetic bag, so I got a new "cosmetic" bag and filled it. The sea holiday is my cosmetic bag dress rehearsal. If I use more than half the bottle, I'll know my bottle is too small.

My new cosmetic bag (a six pack cooler bag) packed with 26 products (excluding the make-up in the outside pouch). All that is still lacking is my hairbrush. Preparing for a holiday - especially an overseas one - is for me almost as much fun as the actual trip.

I also sewed on several buttons (took off the remaining 3 buttons on a shirt of Hendrik's and sewed on five new ones - all on the wrong side.... will take them off again and sew them on again on our way to the sea), I sorted socks without partners and put together 14 pairs between Hendrik and Jan's socks! I started shortening two pairs of Jan's pants: I undid the side seams and pinned up the hems, now I just have to do the sewing and will do that when I have company.

As for the Proverbs 31 woman - did she like all housework? I hate vacuuming and sweeping - no satisfaction in that. Desia referred me to the flylady website (Thanks Delia). I'm taking baby steps in housework, and it's not killing me (yet). But now I've got to fly go and get Jan something to eat and to shine the sink! Tonight at 21: 30 (bedtime really) there is a programme on Russia and I do not want to miss it. (Guess where we're going...!)

Easter Weekend Pictures of Franco and Martelize

These photos were taken recently of Franco (11 1/2 months) and Martelize (8 month 1 week). Although Franco is 3 months older, he is, like his parents, shorter than average and Martelize is, like her parents, or more specifically her dad, rather tall. Both babies are now about the same height, but Martelize is generally daintier than her robust cousin.

It is amazing how their different personalities come to the fore: both are relaxed and happy and both smile easily. However, it is not very easy to get Martelize to smile for the camera. Franco on the other hand, poses readily for the camera.

Martelize has very sensitive feet. Franco has a very sensitive mouth - he doesn't put any and everything in his mouth. This causes some problems when it comes to trying new food: he will squash a piece of watermelon, but not put it in his mouth. Martelize on the other hand has to be watched or she will choke on a piece of paper: she loves tearing paper and everything goes into her tiny little mouth...

We have an old army chest in the sitting room. Normally it is prettily covered with an embroidered cloth, but with these two Ouma has to quickly remove the cloth... The chest is filled with toys - not really baby toys, but a selection of my old playgroup toys. (There are still lots in the container behind the house.) However, the best toy is the chest itself. It has hinges and handles that make a lot of noise! It is at a very convenient height for standing and it is the best drum in town!









Franco climbs onto it with ease and Martelize has also started to climb on.



Both are teething now. Franco has 7 (?) teeth but Martelize has only very swollen gums. Both dribble a lot and have to wear bibs - not something that they needed in the past!



Finally they sit down to the plastic toy container. First they have a friendly "tug of war" and then Franco has other ideas what to do with the container!





Oom Hendrik is a great uncle.

The Symbol of our Faith

Readers of our blog, might remember this photo of a disgruntled Martelize on the koppie....

And this photo of Jan on the stoep with a "Watch this space." Well here is that space....

Jan painted the heavy (and I mean heavy) planks and joined them together to make a...

You guessed it! A huge 6 m tall cross. Here Jan and Hendrik have a trial run with the pulley to hoist it up the tree.

Sorting out of the bolts and chains to fasten it to the tower.

The cross was dismantled again and eary one Friday morning, before work and before the grooms official work hours started, it was carried up the koppie.

Bundu bashing... not really. Hendrik had opened up the footpath properly before this occassion.

At the radio/ internet tower, the cross was reassembled. Not so easy between all the bushes and rocks.

Two ropelights were attached.

The hoisting up began, but there were several glitches.

Jan climbing up the 12 m high tower - and he is afraid of heights...!

Martelize and Thelwyn came up with me: I to take photos and they for the "fun." It turned out not to be the greatest fun for Martelize. She doesn't like to stand on soil - her feet have always been very, very sensitive to touch. It was also nearly lunch time and I had to go and fetch her Purity.


Pull, pull....



After more glitches and Jan nearly fainting of dehydration, the grooms offered to climb up. They were as nimble as monkeys.

Ice water for Jan and a biscuit for Martelize. I had run down to fetch her Purity, but in my haste I had left her spoon behind. She did not relish eating Purity from my finger, but she loved being fed tiny pieces of a cookie! She is 8 months old.

Of course Jakkie and Farao (Pharaoh) were also there...


Well the pulley couldn't pull it up as high as we had hoped it would - we really should have had a block and tackle... maybe another day? But at this point, it was decided the cross is high enough and it was fastened with chains. (Note the "royal we...")

The tough team.

The end result as seen from the road by day...

And by night....

With this cross we want to proclaim to the whole world that we believe in our Saviour Jesus Christ. It cost a lot of sweat, determination (and inflamed shoulder muscles) to bring this project to fruition, but think of what it cost our Lord to save us.

"Go then to the whole world and make them my disciples, baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and teach them to do everything I have told you to do. And remember I will be with you always."
May this cross be a constant reminder of who and what Jesus is and who and what we are in Him.

Blessed Easter Celebrations

We celebrated Easter Thursday evening with a impromptu Passion play - impromptu in the sense that it was unpractised and roles were allocated on the spot. It was a glorious evening: full moon in lovely weather. Here is Jan getting ready for his big role as Jesus.

Niece Eugenie getting ready to be Peter. The F's and we have done innumerable Nativities this way, but this is the first time that we've celebrated Easter like this - and this time it wasn't only the two families, but the whole community was invited. About 40 people took part.

Marietjie and Hendrik. They were supposed to first be disciples and then change into soldiers, but because it was unpractised they did not arrive at the passover table as expected and while we were in Gethsemane I realised too late that they had not put on the soldiers garb... Oh well. They were good soldiers anyway even if they did not have on the right costumes!

The first two girls who arrived were given the parts of the Angels. They too were first just "ordinary" people. My sister Lalie quickly dressed them. She is very used to dressing children for plays: she has made hundreds of costumes for many, many dramas in Salvokop. While I was still at Inkululeko at Salvokop, we used to have an "Easter Drama" every year. Like then, I was this time again the script writer and director, while Lalie provided the leadership, enthusiasm, music and creativity. It was GREAT working together again!

Lalie's husband Gene. He and the radio leader of the community, Ou Piet, were the Pharisees. This was also not new to Gene. Our two families have supported us with all our Easter and other dramas in Salvokop. (Gene and Jan and nephew Jopie were often the soldiers / Pharisees who had to get Jesus off the cross and carry him to the grave because the children actors were not strong enough to do it by themselves!)

We started our Passion play in our garden. The entrance into Jerusalem was celebrated with a group dance that Lalie led. "Side together... forward, back..... Turn" It was good for everyone to be a child in the Lord. After the passover meal we went to my mother's garden - Gethsemane. Her high veranda was the ideal place for Pilate. (I did not take photos because I was too involved with what was going on - the scripture and the songs were highlighted by the eery moonlit garden.) Then we went up the koppie. Here Jansie aka "John" is carrying the C.D. player playing "Via Dolorosa". The music added much to the atmosphere.

Lalie arriving at Golgotha. (The plaque on the rock commemorates my mother's 90 th birthday when she climbed up here and we prayed for her. Every major occassion like our 25th wedding anniversary and the children's 21 st birthdays were celebrated in prayer on these high rocks.)

Jesus on the cross.

The empty cross. The down hill walk began with "O Daar was 'n houtkruis" (Oh there was a wooden cross).

After the dramatisation of Easter Sunday morning and Jesus' last words to his disciples we sang "Ek sien in my gees die glorie en die almag van die Heer" with flags - only then did I again remember that I had a camera.

"Glory Hallelujah!" Praising God for what he did for us - and for what He is and for what is coming!

Afterwards the children had fun freely playing with the flags. The adults had coffee and a braai and talked and talked. One man said that Easter had always been just a long weekend for him, and that this evening showed him what Easter is really about. All said we must do it again...

We sang many wonderful songs, but I think this one is especially relevant for our crime battered community:

Brother let me be your servant
Brother let me be your servant
Let me be as Christ to you
Pray that I may have the grace
To let you be my servant, too.

We are pilgrims on a journey
We are brothers on the road
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load.

I will hold the Christlight for you
In the night-time of your fear
I will hold my hand out to you
Speak the peace you long to hear.

Jesus thank you for a wonderful evening! May we all remember the message of Easter:

You are God. You are obedient and humble. You suffered for us. You set an example for us. We are to love one another. We ARE the light and the salt of the earth and we must spread your word. God please bless this community: let love and not fear of crime bind us together.

MAY YOU ALL HAVE A VERY BLESSED EASTER!