Always a pleasant surprise!

Since being at this shop on the veranda, I have had several surprise visits from friends. Mid-November I posted a photo of three friends, Trudi, Linda and Mandy from Marquard who'd seen my shop advert on Facebook while visiting in the Berg and decided to come and say hello . They bought up a storm in my shop that day! For 20 years, Mandy lived opposite us in Marquard and as Amanda's now her neighbor. Mandy gave me news of my grandchildren who play with her little son.

A couple from Zululand, whom I remembered only vaguely, and who were visiting in the valley, had heard about Grant's passing. They  popped in earlier this year to commiserate with my loss. 

The day before my birthday in February, a man asked me where the public toilets were. I looked up and recognized him. They were good friends, Norman and Hester from Marquard.  We spent a long while chatting. About Grant's passing; the fact that I've stayed in this beautiful valley and in turn,  they gave me the news of my old home town. Hester is my Amanda's aunt, so I had first-hand news about my grandchildren. 

One Sunday in May, I was on the steps, catching some sun, when a young man stopped in the parking lot. He alighted from  his vehicle, looked up and said:  Hello aunty Jo. It was my erstwhile neighbor, Nichos, from Marquard. We talked a while and he promised to bring his wife, Anna-mie,  to visit. The next day they both popped in and we had a lovely time chatting.  They'd gotten married in September last year and she showed me photos on her Smartphone. Once again, I had first hand news of Amanda, Angus and my grandchildren, who own our house,  as they're their neighbors now, albeit on the other side.

A couple of weeks later, Linda,  the restaurant proprietor from down the veranda, popped her head into my shop door. She said I have some people here asking after  you.  Behind her were a couple, Ray and Sally, now living in nearby Pietermaritzburg. Back in eighties, in Zululand, Grant worked for Ray in a farming situation; all the families lived in one compound on the banks of the Umfolozi river. In fact, we were there when Tropical Storm Demoina  hit the area. The day on the veranda, we chatted for ages - once again - about Grant. They returned the next day before they went home - just to say they were "there" for me! 

Two weeks ago I posted about recognizing a vehicle registration from Zululand and the owners of the car, Bernard and Ruth  popped in to say hello.

Last Friday I heard a woman's voice which I recognized,  greeting me from my shop door. It was another friend, Karminy with hubby Sathiyane and their two daughters. What a lovely surprise. As with all the other friends who have looked me up here on the veranda, I've had someone take a photo of us and posted about the encounter.

Sathiyane, Karminy and I in the middle, with their beautiful daughters flanking us 

I'm linking to Our World Tuesday here

HAPPY TUESDAY TO YOU ALL!