A busy weekend

On Saturday morning Jan and I attended a breakfast in aid of a special outreach. We were invited byCarl, one of Jan's varsity pals and guess who sat at our table? None other than our
same street neighbours of 30 years ago! Here they are: Rina and Dewald.

Other varsity pals: Amanda and Diederik. Diederik had some nice things to say about what my Dad had taught him all these many years ago: don't look at past mistakes, but focus on the present situation and do what is needed now - if the bridge had been built on the wrong spot, so be it, don't continue with that bridge. (My dad had been a professor in civil engineering.) (Note to myself: I must make a plan to go and visit Amanda - she is such a nice person and we have a lot to talk about...)
The breakfast came at a bad time though: back at the "ranch" my children were visiting with my sister Anne who had come with her son Neil from Ladybrand. Neil and Marissa came up for a wedding and Anne had thought it a good opportunity to fetch some horses at the same time. Neil's friend had to drive Neil's bakkie (pick-up) because Neil does not have a licence to tow a horse box... Life is one massive puzzle of many people who have to fit in many activities at the same time...!

Bottle time for two hungry babies: Martelize is 7 months and 1 week and Franco is 10 months and two weeks.

In the middle of all the chit-chat Hendrik fell asleep - he was dog tired, but did not want to go and lie down - didn't want to "miss" a thing. He was a very good coffee maker throughout the weekend. (Ek sal jou hou Hendrik!) Meanwhile I had such a good time catching up with Anne that I forgot to take a photo of her! On Sunday morning she had to put down the F's old dog - a very sad moment for them.

"Who is calling my name?"

"Can't you see that the Blue Bulls are playing against the Stormers and I don't want to be bothered?"

"Come on.... kick it over..."

"Missed! Well this is rugby is getting boring now... I wonder when Franco will wake up."

"He is awake and I rather like the foot massage he is giving me..."
The cousins slept in relay but at one stage they were together and Franco was very intrigued with Martelize's foot! He gave her a hug, but when she returned the hug, he pulled a face - very much like the one he pulled when the dog sniffed in his face and when the horse leaned over the stable wall!
Franco seems to have a very sensitive face and mouth: he doesn't put just anything in his mouth (albeit something nice to eat) and he does not allow you to put something in his mouth either. He loves standing now and especially enjoyed standing on the couch and looking out of the window. Thelwyn, Dorette and I took the babies to visit the stables and Franco loved the ride in Martelize's pram. Later Dorette and I took them in our arms for a km walk: it was beautiful outside and the babies were talking a bit too loudly for the serious rugby watchers liking! Thelwyn, Frans and Anne were busy innoculating the horses.

Sunday morning was Urielle's consecration. She is Franco and Martelize's niece and will be spending many Christmasses together. Here she is in her pretty gown with her mother, Nelia.

After the service: Proud parents Jopie and Nelia with Urielle. And guess what! They have just found out that they are expecting another baby. After all the trouble to fall pregnant with Urielle, this is a pleasant surprise!

Gene (Urielle's Oupa), Jan and Hendrik and Dorette enjoying the lovely shady lawn where the F tea party was held.

Franco was a bit tired: he had just been to another consecration and the L's were on their way to a baby shower, but quickly dropped in to see Jopie and Nelia and the baby girl of the day. 10 Months old and already such a hectic social schedule!

Almost a wedding

On Saturday we went to Jan's secretary's 20th wedding anniversary. It was very special. Jan and Marie have been working together for 13 years. The couple wanted to restate their wedding vows and declare their love for each other and as they felt that Jan knew them better than their pastor, they asked Jan to officiate. He felt honoured and prayed about what he should say. In the end he had a striking message:

God created woman to the assist the man. She was the last of His creation, i.e. the crown of His creation and therefore the most beautiful of the total creation. What a blessing for the man to have such beautiful assistant. She is also his equal. We have to benchmark our own marriages with the example of the marriage found in the Bible, i.e. marriage between Christ and his church. Our heavenly Bridegroom gave the best possible to his bride and took away her sin. In our marriages we have to give the best we have to our spouces and assist them to get rid of the bad in their lives. Furthermore, marriage can be compared with the replanting of two grownup trees in a new single excavation. These two trees have to start growing from start with their roots and branches intertwined into each other with the purpose to support one another to live closer to God and as a result of this to move closer to each other.


The happy couple Willem and Marie. We had drinks outside in the beautiful garden. On our way there, we went through a horrific storm - not a drizzle, a real cloud burst type downpour - but not a drop in Centurion where the reception was held. (As with the other weddings we recently went to, God has been really good in providing just the right weather!)

Jan talking to his boss Coen and his wife Elsa. (They had great misfortune in the thunderstorm - at the party they heard that thunder had struck their house and all the electrical appliances were hit... hope the damage was not really that bad!)

George and his lovely partner Sanet. George is one of Jan and Marie's colleagues.

Henriette, another colleague and great friend of Marie's.

Donna and Karin. We went to their beautiful wedding last year. Karin works with Jan and Marie.

They reception hall, beautifully decorated with shades of brown . There were several slide shows during the evening depicting Willem and Marie's lives. Koos and Susan are in the centre of this pic.

The tables had a high wooden candelabra in the middle of the table, which gave height, without spoiling the view. These were decorated with small hearts and crystals on thin brown ribbon. In front of each couple, there were these cute bouquets which held the place names. We could all take home our flowers in their rusty steel "bags". A lovely keepsake!

Jan handing the microphone to Marie and Willem for the restating of their vows. This time not the pastor's words, but written by themselves. "Your dreams are my dreams."

Exchanging rings.

We all got "medicine" in brown paper bags with written indications and warnings of the side effects...! (Sambara or something like that. In any case licorice liqour, which Willem and Marie and friends traditionally had on their many camping and fishing trips.)

Another keepsake that came with "medicine": Engraved shooter glasses.


Dancing and more dancing! If there is one thing most South Africans can do, it is "lekker dans!" We don't quite fall in that category, but Jan and I are working on it. I read in "How to prevent Alzheimers" that dancing is good for you, so we decided to also start dancing. Of course we only dance when there are lots of others dancing too, and then the place is crowded and it is extra difficult to dance freely. But watch this space... we are getting there and one of these days we'll be like those couples who do not care if they are the only couple on the floor! (The video of the dancing flopped, but guess what they were playing when this photo was taken? Boeremusiek of course!)
This party wasn't a wedding, but it looked and felt like it! Weddings are fun! Willem and Marie, may you be richly blessed during the next 40 years and beyond!

A very busy weekend

On Saturday we went to our Kempton Park neighbours' daughter's stork tea (baby shower.) Here is my good friend and previous neighbour, Brenda, talking to some guests.

Karin opening her gifts.

Thelwyn and Dorette watching Karin opening her gifts and ohing and ahing about all the cute baby clothes.

Meanwhile Franco and Martelize had a happy time on Franco's donut. Franco is teething and here is he chewing Martelize's hand. She didn't seem to mind though. A little later she was licking his arm!

Saturday afternoon was the Rugby Curry Cup final. We are Blue Bull fans as you can tell by our T-shirts. Watching intently are Gert with Franco, Thelwyn, Frans and Martelize. Outside it was raining! Bliss after the drought we have had so far!

Hendrik having a good time.

Dorette finds the Huisgenoot more interesting than the rugby. But like her mom, she enjoys the atmosphere...

Guess whose team is losing? Watching rugby is serious business!

Ouma is not all that much into rugby. Playing with Franco is far more interesting.

Franco could also not care about the T.V. He enjoys his rugby ball though. He is starting to sit, but Ouma's hands are ready to "catch".

Martelize, however, watches the rugby as intently as her parents!

On Sunday Jan's varsity friends came to visit and we had a great time.

Jan, Miekie, Santjie, Carl, Amanda, Erik