Family reunion

The day after we arrived home in Marquard from Kwa-Zulu Natal, we took Rina back to her home in Parys, Northern Free State. Although we were sad to say goodbye to this dear friend of ours until August, we were thrilled to see the cats, Topsy and Tipsy again. For those readers who've followed my blog since last year, you'll know that Topsy and Tipsy were boarding with us in our Mwadui home in September last year, when Rina's husband, Dick died of malaria in South Africa. I ultimately got them "shipped" (flown) to Rina's home in Parys at the beginning of December.You can read about our involvement with these two kitties here and the post following that.

 Topsy and Tipsy greet Grant

That night back home in Marquard, Grant and I joined Angus and Amanda at a new pizza place in town for a birthday celebration. It was Angus' 35th birthday and Angus had also invited friend, Michael; Amanda's parents, Lourie and Celia and Amanda's sister, Ilze. 

 From right to left: Abby (Angus' and Amanda's daughter) Angus, Amanda; Joel (their four-year-old son) Celia and Lourie, with Ilze behind them; Michael, moi and Grant

Birthday boy man, Angus and Amanda with their young family 

The next day, Saturday, John, Debbie and children were coming to visit us before going on to Bethlehem where they'd await the birth of their sixth child, our eighth grandchild. They hadn't been to Marquard since 2009 and Joel and Abby had never met their "Natal cousins." Angus primed Joel, a very extrovert four-year-old that when John drove into the courtyard, he was to say: "Afternoon, my cousins" He promised this is what he'd do. However, when the vehicle stopped and I opened the back door, all Joel saw was a sea of heads. He was struck almost speechless and all he could utter at my prompting, was a wavering "Hello" !

 Friends Jenny and Peter joined us for the afternoon 

Debbie and Jenny were thrilled to meet up again after so many years. Jenny was surrogate grandmother to Eryn and Joshua when they lived in Marquard, as I was in West Africa

Granddad's little bikers! Joel, Joshua, Bethany and Elijah

Angus gets in touch with his feminine side wearing my pink frilly apron. He helped Grant to braai (BBQ) the meat

Just before the meal was ready, once again, I asked that we have a family group photo. This time Grant and I would have our whole family around us. Knowing how complicated it would be to round up the Hedges family and get two of our friends, Michael and Peter to take the photos, Amanda started by getting the children to wait on the floor.

The Hedges grands: Eryn and Joshua; front: Abby, Elijah, Israel, Bethany and Joel

The Hedges clan: Amanda and Angus; Grant and me; John and Debbie with our seven precious grandchildren(Photo credit: Michael Barath)

With two photographers standing in two different parts of the room, we didn't have one photo where everyone looks in the same direction at the same time! (Photo credit: Michael Barath)

Eventually it was time to eat  - 16 people enjoying a meal and great fellowship together

I'm linking this post to Our World Tuesday which you can access by clicking here