Christmas 2010

We had a very blessed Christmas with family.  On Friday night the F’s came over – at least 5 of them as this year was “in-law” Christmas for them.  The whole F and B clan will come together for our Symbol event on Old Year’s Eve  – a twenty three year old tradition that we normally keep on Christmas Eve. 

Janita in her party dress                      Martelize in her party dress

Trying to get a group photo of our grandchildren, but with wriggly Janita and camera shy two year olds, it was not too successful!

It was a lovely warm evening so we sat outside on our new extended stoep.

We usually use practical wine red or dark multicoloured tablecloths, but for this occasion, we decked all the tables in white.  When I was in the material shop I saw a bride rolling down white flimsy fabric with silver glitter and I thought it would give the tables a Chrismassy feel.  Later I realised the mommies would be uncomfortable to let the little ones eat at such a fancy table, so we got transparent plastic to cover it- my fancy white table, but practical and no fear of spills and smears.

We started the evening with a nativity “puppet show” .  Martelize immediately wanted all the animals out of the stables: she wanted “Jessica” (the horse) for herself.   They loved the Bethlehem star.

Janita trying out the gift of gold… and soon Mary was without a headband….

On Christmas morning, Gert’s brother, Hannes (left) joined us.  He brought his smart camera: we planned to have lots of family photos taken, but sadly it did not quite materialize the way I had hoped. We’ll try again another day!

We all dressed in red and blue…. but some red clothes dissapeared before the photos could be taken!  But I did get a few precious moments for my collage to be.  (Hopefully I’ll get  even better ones from Hannes and Frans.)







Most of our gifts were wrapped in newspaper – it’s cheap, fun to tear and very easy to clear up!

What is that?

Martelize trying out her new make-up.

Our little engineer busy with bottles and gravel stones.

Martelize got a trampoline from her parents.  Fun for all!

Oom Deon and Oupa Jo watching Martelize’s antics.

While everyone else had a nap, the little L’s had a splash. 
Wrapped in their new swimming towels.  (Not the most practical colours, but that is all the material shop had – sorry Dorette!)

Supper for a hungry girl!

“Bring ‘n lappie asseblief!”   This is why the plastic was a good idea!

Some more hopping on the trampoline.
Thank you Jesus that we could celebrate your birthday with such joy and happiness.

Mountain Expedition

We  had lovely rains over the weekend.  The family were all here for Sunday lunch and we had…PANCAKES!  Gert and Hendrik did most of the baking. 
Little children cannot stay indoors all day, so in between showers Martelize and Franco went out to play.  And outside there was a big heap of gravel, left over from our stoep expansion project. 

For a long time two little mountaineers climbed up the mountain and rolled down, climbed up, rolled down, climbed up, rolled down…

A man’s nose must be clean before he starts mountaineering.

The expedition begins.

Nearly there!

“Kom neef!”

High five from the summit!

Look at the view!

Franco rolling down - too fast for the camera!

“…. and Jill came tumbling after!”

Uphill again!

This time Franco reaches the summit first!

A very grubby little boy, getting grubbier by the minute!  (The gravel was pretty wet from all the rain!)

Then it was bath-time for the grubby cousins, but at first Martelize did not want to get into the bath at all.  “Wil nie bad nie!”  I wondered how Thelwyn was going to dryclean such a dirty little girl! In the meantime the two L’s were having a whale of a time.

However, it was not long before Martelize also wanted to join in the fun and quite willingly started to undress.

My three darling grandchildren watching Tannie Dorette singing “Rol op die tolletjie…!”

Bath time is play-time!  Very few squabbles about toys. 

“Sit down Janita!  A foam bath is a slippery bath!”  Janita is at the crawling and standing and walking along furniture stage!

“Uitklim!” But Martelize is not ready to get out yet!  Bath-time is such fun…!

Please God, let the children always be such good friends and let them have memories of the farm as a fun place to be at! 

Jolga update #1

About two hours after number 9 was born, number 10 was born!  A white pup!  So now she has five black and five white gorgeous "labradortjies".  If you want to see what Jolga and Joris looked like when they were pups, check here!  Except that Jolga is too young, the timing could not have been better: I'll still be home for another month and next week the rest of the family will have holiday too. 

Birthing day

Our first puppies in more than 14 years!  Jolga is only a teenager (20 months) and wasn’t supposed to have babies still for a long time.  When we realised she was on heat, we immediately placed her in kennels…. but we were too late!  A while ago it became clear that she was very pregnant indeed.

Last weekend Jolga cut the back of her front paw very badly and Thelwyn took her to the vet to be stitched up – a mere R1500. (We were in Utrecht, so many thanks Thelwyn!) They did this delicate operation beautifully, but of course the bandages had to stay on – which already meant two more trips to the vet to have her wound cleaned and bandaged. 

Our dogs normally sleep outside, but Jolga was kept inside – it was raining outside and the wound had to stay as dry as possible.  I even made a “sock” to go over the bandages to keep them clean.  Yesterday it stayed on beautifully.

Last night the power was off, but Hendrik woke around 4:00 and got up to switch off the light in the scullery where Jolga was sleeping.  He found the first pup lying on the floor, still covered in its sack.  He pulled off the sack, but Jolga would have nothing to do with it, so I kept it warm under my T-shirt.  Meanwhile Thelwyn redid Jolga’s bandages that came off during the night.  Poor pregnant (and in labour) Jolga, having her leg bandaged.

Jolga had to go out for a wee, and she had the 2nd one, a white one, in the front garden, but she left him for Hendrik to pick up and rescue and headed straight for the damp, sandy spot under our railway container behind the house.  She had her 3rd pup there, but also abandoned him and disappeared.  So another one for my tummy incubator.  We were getting very worried.  The pups seemed healthy, but they had to drink.

To make a long story short, Hendrik eventually found her under our trailer and put her in one of our bathrooms.  At last she settled down and allowed the pups to drink.  We left her, thinking it would be best to leave her alone and to let nature go its course.  However, when I returned I found a cold white male, still covered in its sack by her tail.  I pulled off the sack and she started to lick him, but he looked pretty lifeless for a loooong time!  I rubbed him and “incubated” him until I could feel him move a little.  He seems fine now. When the next pup appeared, she again just ignored him, but we put him by her front paws and she started to lick him – and did the same with the rest!  It is almost as if she is not aware when a pup is born, but if you give the newborn to her, she knows what to do. 

Hendrik is doing maternity duty now and I have to go and relieve him.  She has  9 (NINE!) pups: 5 Blacks and 4 whites.  They are all beautiful, big and suckling well at the moment. 

Our beautiful pregnant fairy, just dying to go outside

The first pup: he is lucky to be alive.  If Hendrik hadn’t got up to switch off the light, he probably would not have made it, but he is big and strong and kicking.

Bathroom scenes.  (The “fluffy” one isn’t really fluffy – he was still damp when the picture was taken.)

We bought a beautiful huge kennel for her and tried to persuade her before B-day that it was hers, but as yet, she has absolutely not been interested in her R1650 kennel.  Hopefully we can move her and her brood out there some time later. 

Praise the Lord that it is holiday and that we could be at home.  (I was going to go to meet Thea today, but had to cancel because I had not succeeded in uploading “Photoscape.” She was going to show me the ropes.  Just as well, Thea.  God knew why I had to stay at home today!)

Right now my head is feeling fuzzy and I think it’s time I washed my face and combed my hair.  (It’s already 11: 45!)  What is it to be a midwife/ parent of babies!  You should have seen me, trying to tidy the house and to eat some breakfast, “pregnant” with a puppy under my T-shirt.  (Jan is in an all day planning meeting – bet he is having a hard time trying to focus, after the 4:00 am birth of number 1!)

P.S. Today is our “moving to the farm” 14th anniversary.  Can’t believe we have been living here for 14 years already! 

Franco’s long awaited gift!

Gert and Dorette had a special climbing frame made for Franco.  They researched various climbing frames and in the end designed their own and had it custom made.  Of course they also asked my input.  (They did not dare not too! : –)  This preschool teacher is a very firm believer in lots of gross motor activities.  In my concert days, a climbing frame on the stage was part of it and I’m so proud that Inkululeko still does it!  I want to go and show Inkululeko’s DVD’s to my grandchildren’s schools to inspire them to do a bit more…)

Anyway, the end result is a great frame and the company that has made it, has now added it to their collection and it is their flagship frame!  There are various ways to get to the top: a ladder, a rope ladder,a fireman’s steel pole and a steep incline with a rope.  They can add a hanging knotted rope next to the steel pole later…. (Sorry, I get carried away again!) 

At the top there is a shaded platform and a swinging bridge.  There is also much scope for strengthening the shoulder girdle: a trapeze, gym rings and monkey bars (a horizontal ladder) to swing from bar to bar.

Franco loves his gym and Janita likes the swing.  The pics will describe his glee better than I can:

Look who can hang from his arms!

 

But it’s a good thing Dad is there when those little hands start to slip!

There is more than one way to get to the top.  Franco on his way to the hanging bridge.

Almost there!

Nog net oorklim dan’s ek op die hangbrug!

Made it across the bridge!

Down the pipe! 

Time to check out the new swing!

Janita’s turn to try out the swing.

Hold on Janita! 

A safe swing for Janita!

Afterwards Franco helped his dad cook supper  in the kitchen.

Meanwhile Janita  (just turned 8 months)  insisted on walking.  (She crawls everywhere and walks along the furniture or when you hold both her hands.  Eager Beaver!)

And where are the pictures of the swimming?  Sorry, didn’t take any – was too busy enjoying myself in the water! 

Ek kom weer kuier hoor!