Christmas could have been different

 Good morning, dear Blogger friends. As posted and illustrated yesterday, Christmas at the farm was, as always, BRILLIANT! 

But... 

...it almost was very different. 

On Saturday night, 23 December, I had fallen asleep at 8.45. I awoke with a start when Skabby (asleep on the floor beside my bed) gave a loud bark. 

When I checked, he had continued to sleep. I sat up in bed, wondering what he had heard.  Then I saw lights move across my bedroom window. I thought it was the nightwatchman doing his rounds with his flashlight. 

Watching I realized that it was a car's headlights and heard the vehicle stop on the driveway. I got up and looked out of the window facing John and Ron's home and saw that their house was ablaze with lights. Just then I saw Mandy, their daughter from Johannesburg, spending the week in the Valley at their timeshare, running down the garden path.

I grabbed my dressing gown, slipped my feet into shoes and went outside. John has been poorly these past two weeks. His heart rate has been very high and he has been short of breath. Ron had him at two different doctors on three occasions. By Thursday last week, the doctor had adjusted his medication and said he'd like to see him after the holidays. When Ron told me this, I said but the holidays are ten days long. Who knows that John may need a doctor before then.

This is exactly what happened. On Saturday, John took a turn for the worse; Janine said he was incoherent, his eyes were closed, and he was perspiring profusely. Janine had already phoned the emergency team, Freddie's,  who is always on call in the Valley and Winterton.  

The chief (Freddie) told Janine he'd already dispatched an ambulance from the city and that he personally was on his way to the farm. Janine and her daughter had their phone torches on; Mand's SUV's hazard lights were flashing and I had an old fashioned torch in my hand. We were waiting to see Freddie's vehicle turn off the main road onto the farm and would be able to help him to enter the farm yard without delay.

Which is what Freddie did. He duly arrived and taking his emergency bag, he ran into the house to the bedroom. Through the stress and anxiety about John, I chuckled when I heard him greeting old John with: Yes, young man, and what are you up to now! 

I also entered the bedroom at one stage and was horrified to see the state that John was in. Freddie had lifted him to a seated position with his legs over the side of the bed. He attached the tags to his torso and checked the ECG machine on the bed behind John. His heart, although beating quite fast, was quite stable and strong according to Freddie. 

Ronnie was sitting on the bed on John's left and rubbing his arm and shoulder. John still had his eyes closed and was mumbling and groaning terribly. Watching Ron, I felt such compassion for her. I could just imagine the anguish she was experiencing yet she stayed strong for John's sake. 

Freddie asked me to wait on the driveway as his daughter and another young woman were on their way. To show them into the house when they arrived. I did, and shortly Cassie arrived with her partner, Aneri, and I guided them to John and Ron's bedroom. 

While Cas set up the BP gadget. Aneri, moved to John' s right side, and with her knee on the bed behind John, she supported him. She rubbed his back and shoulders and continued to banter in reply to John's garbled chatter. At one stage she asked what John's age was. Janine, standing next to me, said he's 79. Aneri said, Mr. M, they tell me you're 79 but I think you're 21! He looked towards her voice, eyes still closed and a twisted smile on his face. 

I swallowed hard at a lump in my throat. 

I walked out onto the driveway again and met Gavin going to pack a small bag. He would travel behind the ambulance with his mother and sister in the car with him. I told him I would go back to the room and help his mom pack her bag and a few things for John. He said he would appreciate that.

By now the Netcare 911 SUV arrived and parked on the lawn. Freddie met the paramedic and showed him into the house. 

Emergency response from the city

Shortly afterwards, the ambulance arrived and entered the garden walking closely next to Gavin. They were very nervous of Jock and Smooch, the two black Labs on the veranda. 

The ambulance and flashing lights on the farmyard driveway

Now the paramedics were busy tending to John so Ron could focus on packing a small bag I checked she had her insulin. I asked her to open her purse and we checked that she had her medical aid card, John's ID, her ID and her bank card. She is very organized, and everything was in place.

We women sat in the lounge with Ron trying to catch our breaths after the upheaval. We could hear the men in the bedroom and we heard the paramedic say: this man is diabetic and is in insulin shock!  We looked at each other in horror. Not one of us had thought of John's sugar levels being so low; we'd been concerned about his heart. The GP had checked his sugar on Thursday and pronounced it normal. 

The administered a drip with dextrose intravenously and eight minutes later we heard John saying, lucidly and in true John style: What are all you gentlemen doing here! 

A little while later the men and Gavin came out helping John to walk to Gavin's SUV on the driveway. What a transformation!

We helped Ron collect her small bag and walked to Gavin's car with her. I told Janine in an aside, to check that their little beagle x Jack Russell, Dot hadn't got into Gavin's car. And sure enough, there she was. On her dad' s lap in the car!

Janine told Ron she'd take Dot home with her. Amongst her twenty dogs (five of whom are indoor dogs) is Dot's brother, Blue, So Dot would be quite at home.

I closed Ron's front door, ensured the two Labs and Meggie, the Staffie, were on the veranda and locked the gate.

By now John had been transferred to the ambulance and the paramedics were hanging his drip on a stand next to the gurney. Janine and I both went to the back of the ambulance and wished him well. 

Finally, Freddie's emergency vehicles departed. The Netcare 911 SUV pulled out with the ambulance behind it and coming up in the rear was Gavin with his mother and sister. 

Nine, holding a heavy Dot in her arms, said she would keep me informed. It was 1.45am! 

Next morning the WhatsApp message from Janine said John is stable; he's being held in hospital for observation. Gavin had returned home; Ron was in her house and Mandy had gone back to the timeshare. Each was trying to catch up on their sleep.

On Christmas morning, Ron went back to the city with their oldest granddaughter to visit John. While she was there, the doctor arrived and discharged John.

What excitement on Boxing Day afternoon when we all congregated in John and Ron's lounge to welcome the patient back into the fold.

It could have been so different...

 

Christmas on the farm

 Compliments of the season to all my Blogger friends!

As usual, Christmas was celebrated on the farm; Christmas Eve is BIG here. We have a seated dinner for 23 guests.  We ladies prepare the starters (a cheese and crackers board),  meats, veg and dessert. 

My contribution is pictured here below.

I cooked and glazed two gammons

I roasted a shoulder of mutton

I made a cranberry, celery and apple stuffing; cooked separately from the meat (so I could eat it!)

I made green beans and also cooked up baby carrots which I sautéed in syrup.

I steamed a store-bought Christmas pudding

I made a trifle

My neighbor, Janine, loves Christmas. Every year she creates beautiful table settings. This year, however, she excelled herself. She ran with an unusual color scheme in pastel pink linen and silver place mats paired soft turquoise dinnerware. 

The table linen, place settings and festive Christmas center pieces, were exquisite

The Christmas crackers (bon-bons) beside each plate, were also upmarket. The gifts which emerged once we'd made the crackers bang, were useful and interesting

The guest list always consists of an eclectic mix of old and young. Ron and John live on the farm and always attend this dinner. Janine's 80-year-old widowed dad lives in the city and Janine brings him up for Christmas. The oldest daughter is married and she and her new husband are always at this dinner. The younger daughter is engaged and her fiancé's two sisters with their boyfriends, his parents AND his maternal grandmother join us for this annual dinner. 

Of this whole group, I am the only lady (and a vintage one at that!) who is not a mother or grandmother to the youngsters connected to the farm family. When I phoned Gavin last night to thank him for another wonderful Christmas celebration, I also thanked him for making me feel part of their family, he replied: It's a pleasure, Jo, you are family! Isn't that sweet...

This year was my sixth Christmas on the farm! 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU ALL! 

Just when you think...

 ... it's safe to read Jo's blog, there's ANOTHER Parkrun post!

Apologies, dear Blogger friends. Parkrun is my most favorite leisure pursuit (an oxymoron if ever there was one, LOL!) as one of the only TWO leisure activities (another oxymoron!) I take part in on a weekly basis. 

Parkrun is what I do every Saturday. And Taigelates is tri-discipline class where I join five to six lovely friends in the Valley every Friday morning. 

I'm still trying to catch up on my life since I posted about Mary's memorial service in early November this year. After the service as is traditional in South Africa, we moved to the church hall for tea and eats. By 4pm I said goodbye to Mary's daughter, Trasi, now owner and chairman of Weigh-Less and set off for Howick. I had phoned ahead to [Aunt] Gill to say I would be with her in under an hour. 

I popped into the supermarket and bought a pizza and some dessert for our supper. Gill and I spent a lovely evening together. 

Again, I was near a tour Parkrun and after conferring with my dear friend and Weigh-Less member, Judy, I arranged to collect her at 7.30 on Saturday morning. She would show me the way to the Hilton Parkrun. She had registered on  the site and this would be her first official Parkrun. 

It was a very different venue to the one we have in Winterton and looked a lot easier than my first "tour" Parkrun a month before. You started out on a school sports field, walked down a grassy track, through a forest (Hilton/Howick abound with pine forests!) and then out along the school grounds perimeter. And back to the start at the sports field. 2.5km. A marshal guides you to the tunnel which takes you onto the sports field again and you do the whole route a second time. 5km total. 

Judy and I started together and although she said I should go at my pace, I told her I was staying with her. When we reached the grassy track which took us up to the first 2.5km point, Judy said: "Jo, I think I will wait here while you complete the Parkrun." I told her no way do you stop now, let's hit this second 2.5km.

 Which we did. 

When we returned to the start, the volunteers applauded loudly while we skipped into the finish paddock! I had done my second "tour" Parkrun and Judy had done her first official Parkrun. 

Afterwards she said to me, "Not only do you watch what I eat but today you made me stay and finish the course."  

I nodded sagely! 

Judy and I at the end of the Hilton Parkrun on 4 November 2023

Once I'd dropped Judy at her home, I drove back to the retirement village where I had a final cup of tea and a chat with Gill. 

I arrived home on the farm by mid-afternoon. I popped over to my neighbors, Ron and John to tell them I was home safely and tell them about the memorial service.

Regarding my Taigelates attendance. The classes take place on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. I work the first three days in the farm office, so Friday is the only day I can attend.  Our instructor, Caroline has returned to Australia for two years. She sends two WhatsApp messages of 30 minutes each. Estelle, another dear friend of mine, attaches her mobile phone to a bluetooth enhancer and with this in the center of the room with our mats in a circle around it, we follow her instructions as if she is in the room with us!

A few weeks ago, in one discipline she exhorted us to, while sitting on our mats, to place our heads on the floor and then on each knee (leg straight), while gripping your toes. She said it was quite a challenging move and if anyone managed to get close, she would like photos. 

Unbeknown to me, the other "younger" mid-sixty year-old ladies, and Estelle (my contemporary at 70 plus years) were struggling to do this.  And photographed the person who was able to do it!

Mmm, one thing about a close up of one's feet, you realize that

 not only your hands give away your age! 

This Friday past was our year end breakfast at the restaurant adjacent to where we exercise. 

But...

first...

We had an hour of exercise. Because it was my last session with the girls, and because of the season, I wore an appropriate head decoration. Estelle was so impressed; she wanted a photo of me to send to Caroline. 

As Estelle aimed her phone at me, Anne said "Estelle, you stand with Jo, and I will take the photo." Then Monique, arriving that moment, said, "You three stand there and I will snap you." I said, "Hold it,  girls.  I'll set my phone up on the selfie function and a 10second timer; we all pose and ALL will appear in the photo." They had never heard of this before but trusted me and we got our group photo! 

We had a group photo to share with Caroline, thousands of kilometers Down Under! 

We certainly enjoyed a wonderful year together and rounded it off with a jovial breakfast!

HAPPY SUNDAY TO YOU ALL! 

Away without leave - again

  My dear Blogger friends, once again I have been AWOL for more than two months. Thank you, all for your kind comments on my Spain Trip posts. 

Apart from my usual busy work schedule and long periods of Loadshedding which affects our Internet, I have been to Durban. TWICE.

Firstly, it was to an important Weigh-Less event with Mary Holroyd, Founder and Chairman of the company.

Again, I stayed with Gill, my dear aunt - by - marriage, in a retirement village in Howick. It's always good to catch up with Gill who now has reached her 88th year. She is sharp and healthy, but sadly suffering with macular degeneration. 

While in Howick, I popped into a business on the main street where one of my loyal Goal Weight Members sells beautiful goose down linen and, wait for it...

...a selection of Dutch sauces and snacks. Yes! She sells Stroopwafels which I'd discovered in Amsterdam. 

While visiting Corrie, he husband, who runs a Tax office adjoining her shop, called us to have coffee. Not only was Russell ultra friendly and answered my queries about business developments I saw taking place in town. He also suggested I do the Piggly Wiggly Parkrun the next day.

As many of my blog friends know, I reached my 100th Parkrun milestone, shortly after my 70th birthday Fortunately this took place three days before I tripped on my veranda, fell and cracked my knee in three places. 

Back to my 100th, I was one of the few Winterton Parkrun participants who had done all 100 in Winterton. I had never done an "away" Parkrun. I had already decided to do the Howick Parkrun before driving down to Durban on Saturday 30th September, and told Russ I would be at the start by 8am the next day. 

Back home with Gill, one of my other loyal Goal Weight Members, Judy, contacted me and asked if was intending to do the Parkrun. She had never done one and would like to go with me. 

The next morning, I collected Judy on the way to the Piggly Wiggly venue and we duly arrived at the Parkrun to be welcomed by Russ and several other gents who have already done 250 Parkruns. 

Oh, and the temperature that morning was 37° C.

Judy had already opted to walk for 20 minutes and then she'd turn around and return to the start. I told her that in 40 minutes she would probably have covered 3km so why not just persevere and complete the 5km . She agreed to try.

We were set off and I'd covered the about 750m when I heard a man calling: Jo Hedges/Jo Hedges.  I spent a week in in Howick in February, training new Group Leaders and opening Weigh-Less Groups so I suspect I am already quite well known in Howick. But here at Parkrun? As I turned to see a man running up behind me, he handed me my Parkrun barcode. Phew. I was relieved. I had dropped it when I started and would have been denied my completion at the end. You have to have your barcode to be scanned and counted at the Parkrun. 

 Unbeknown to her, I had selected a lady who seemed to be in my age group and used her as my pacer. At 2.5km, a younger, forty- something, woman ran up behind us. As she passed, she said: "Wow, you two are setting a cracking pace! Do you do race walking?" I shook my head; I don't think the other lady reacted. In fact, throughout the Parkrun, she was quite taciturn.  As I kept up with her, I asked if this was her home Parkrun. A terse Yes, was all I got! 

Oh OK.  I thought, suit yourself!  In any case, I now needed all my energy to focus on the task at hand. 

The walk wound through a pine forest, then out and through another pine forest. Pure bliss and relief from the heat. At one point, I took a left turn at the race marker tape and my "non-companion" barked:  wrong way. She continued straight. As I made to follow her, at the bottom of the track, a marshal pointed to me calling out: you are correct. This way please.  

Ahem! 

We emerged into the sunshine again. At 3.5km, I looked up and gulped.  The sand track rose up in front of me at a steep 60° incline. I was shattered. I couldn't imagine how I was going to get up it. The fence running on the right of this track is electrified, so no hope of using the wire to pull me up. I quipped to my silent companion: So, where's our cracking pace now? No reply. She was bent over double, gasping for breath. 

Just then a little dog ran past me. Her owner came up behind me and said: don't you wish you had four legs. As he came alongside me, he put his hand on my back and pushed me to the top. 

He patted my shoulder and said, now you can finish. 

How's that for camaraderie, hey? I literally skipped home on the last kilometer. Well, "skipped" is stretching it a bit, but I had much more energy than I had after 2.8km. 

And so, I clocked into my first "touring" Parkrun. Albeit, as one of my Parkrun friends at Winterton said, I chose the worst one ever. It turned out to be my baptism of fire. 

My very first "away" Parkrun: Piggly Wiggly in Howick, KZN

A little later, Judy appeared in the distance with a lady brandishing a hiking stick. I had told the Run Director that it was Judy's first Parkrun and although she's not registered, I would show her how to do it. From then they would have her and often her grandson at their Parkrun. When Judy came into the finishing stretch, I gave her a loud applause with some of the volunteers joining in. 

Judy at the end of the 5km Parkrun

After I'd dropped Judy at her home, I made a dash back to Gill to bath and prepare for a Group Leaders meeting at 12.30. In Durban: a 90-minute drive from Howick. 

I have posted about traveling the N3 before and this day it was no different. It was terrible!

However, I arrived at Weigh-Less Head Office at 12.25 where Mary, Chairman and Founder of the company welcomed me. Inside I greeted the Group Leaders whom I knew and was introduced to the new Group Leaders. We had not had a face-to-face meeting since January 2020. 

Mary gave us a very interesting talk on the history of Weigh-Less which she founded in February 1975. She also said that everything was in place for her daughter, Trasi (at the time CEO of Weigh-Less) to take over. But... Mary added, she is still very much at the helm and was not going anywhere (or on retirement).

Mary handed out long service badges - several Group Leaders at the meeting that day had been with the company for 20years and longer. 

When Mary gave me my six-year award, she said it felt as though I'd been with the company forever!

I was also awarded with a certificate for the most members online; the most members paying by debit order and the most members achieving their goal weight. 

Afterwards we all enjoyed a lovely lunch with fruit juice. Just as we thought we'd been spoiled enough, Mary arrived with chocolate iced cupcakes to celebrate one of the Group Leader's birthdays that day! How special was that!

By 3pm we said goodbye to Mary and each other, never realizing that this was the last time we would ever meet with her.

To be continued...

 

 

Eish...

 ...a nationalized South African word meaning surprise, annoyance, resignation. 

Eish! 

When I use this expression, I tend to stamp my foot in frustration; slap my palm against my forehead with exasperation, 

I never meant another two weeks to elapse before posting. But here I am again.

Apart from my work, I have returned to my weekly exercise classes in the Valley.   After our seven-minute-drop-a-dress-size-warm up- video, we set out in twos and threes to do the Friday 5km walk. 

I find since my knee injury, I am not at all adventurous any longer, no trying to better my time, etc. Fortunately, Estelle walks very slowly and she and I caught up on all the news while we covered the distance. Ironically, this was the FIRST time I attended since the last week in May; and we had a farewell brunch afterwards for our coach, Caroline. 

I know how to pick my events! 

Caroline is seated second from the end on the right of this photo. She has returned to Australia for two years

Estelle is continuing with the classes and to prove that I can attend functions and workouts without the lure of a meal, I joined the girls last Wednesday. It was a public holiday, the temperature sub-zero, but I enjoyed every minute of the exercises. I joined them this past Friday again and will continue to attend regularly, cleaning schedules permitting. Estelle supports my Weigh-Less group and I need to support her in this.

Meanwhile, during July and this far in August, I have had full house at The Bunker.  Thandi and I have cleaned after guests checking out and prepped for the next ones checking in.

 

A perfect 10 and positive review from guests is always appreciated 

Last week I offered to do "tea" after the church service. I supplied the sandwiches and scones and poured cups of tea after  attending the service! No freeloading this time, LOL!

The day before this, I did the Parkrun again after a long layoff. I'd had Skabby groomed and took him along: HIS first time back too. I don't know who was more excited: Skabby being back on a LONG walkies or my friends who had gotten to know him when we walked on my quest to achieve my 100th Parkrun!

The reason why Skabby hadn't been at Parkrun during the hot summer months is that I was trying to get his hot spot healed. Not just a teeny, little red dot. It was a HUGE raw area which took four months and many trips to the vets to heal.

Skabby's left shoulder area which had become a huge raw sore area

His left rump which was also a large painful area of raw skin

To add insult to injury (although it was for his own good), Skabby was fitted with a clone. This was to prevent him licking his wounds. The vets also bandaged his left rear foot to prevent him scratching the itchy areas and causing more problems.

Throughout this whole traumatic time, Skabby never once showed anything but a sunny nature. The surgery personnel marveled at how happy this dog always was, even when his mum brought him in for MORE injections and more treatment. And always he'd greet the vets with a lolling tongue and a wagging tail.

Finally the day arrived in mid-August where he was back at Parkrun. 

Cooler weather and a happy dog with a beautifully sleek coat

 

 HAVE A GREAT SATURDAY

The big SEVEN OH!

 Born on Friday 13th February 1953! 

Mmm...

That makes today my 70th birthday! And I've been blessed out of my boots!

On Saturday, when my boss, Mary arrived at Janda's Weigh-Less venue, she brought with her a huge bouquet of flowers (in a vase) with a personalized card signed by everyone at Weigh-Less HO. 

Flowers and card for my birthday! 

The card has beautiful messages from all at Head Office! 

Today I will be in the farm office for a while, then I am taking Skabby to the vet for a checkup. He needs to have the bandage removed from his foot. I intend to ask the vets to prescribe another course of cortisone as this will help ease the itch and irritation which causes him to scratch. 

On Tuesday I am hosting a luncheon at a local eatery called Waffle Hut. The owner is a Weigh-Less Goal Weight member and will do the catering.  40 of my members are attending a Weigh-Less meeting with a difference. We will weigh in before dinner; two Winterton members are making speeches and a third member from the Valley will speak a blessing over me and say grace before our meal. 

My DIL, Amanda designed the invitation...

HAVE A GREAT MONDAY! 

Five years...

Good morning, dear Blogger friends. Today marks the fifth anniversary of my husband, Grant's passing.

I had a nostalgic afternoon on Saturday (after cleaning my accommodation!) going down memory lane looking through digital photos to commemorate the last 15 years of his life. 

In Guinea, West Africa, 2002 to 2006, Grant managed a fleet of heavy earthmoving gold mining vehicles

In bis element driving a 773 CAT 

At the end of 2006, when the mine closed in Guinea, Grant lead a convoy of mining vehicles and machines from Guinea, cross border, skirting the Western Sahara, along Sahel Desert to a working mine in Mali. The trip, much of it in the beginning, bushwacking, took him 53 days. The distance: 1800km

In Northwestern Guinea, he managed a spot of recreational fishing! 

Crossing the desert, you had to dress appropriately 

In Mali the road conditions improved. Grant took this photo of his vehicles successfully being delivered to the working mine

BACK HOME IN SOUTH AFRICA  - Just in time for our son's wedding. 

Apart from an adventurous spirit, Grant was always game for  - well, a game! Here he poses in a realistic wolf suit with our son Angus on the morning of his wedding 

Mere hours later,a gentleman to the hilt, and the father of the groom

We spent many happy days touring South Africa and the neighboring states on the motorbike 

On the longest hanging bridge, Nature Valley, Western Cape, circa 2009

 

Fastforward to 2012, Tanzania 

Grant, a Master Craftsman   designed and built a cat tree for our three cats

 

Contract manager of the diamond mine earthmoving plant

Back home in South Africa on retirement

Granddad playing peek a boo with the Littlest Hedges

Granddad pushed the same little lad through the town streets, with carols by candlelight 

With his 88 year old Mum on the way to have her cataract procedure

The move to the Central Drakensberg, 16 October 2016. This was the last photo of the Hedges family

Grant and I joined the mid-w eek hiking club. Here, Grant, then 66, Ant Muirhead, 76 and Alan Leggit stop on the trail for a chat

Grant and I joined Parkrun which happens on a Saturday.  After six years, I am still very involved in Parkrun, Here Grant and Alan meander towards the end

Grant discussing plans of the cottage with Amon the builder

Here Grant poses with me where I managed an art shop for dear friends, Estelle and Steve

Grant at the Breast Cancer Pink walk at the end of October 2017

Exactly a month later he passed away...

REST IN PEACE, DEAR GRANT