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

Quali Family Time

On holiday this past month, we popped in and visited John and Debbie in the Drakensberg. I book a cottage which we use every time we're in the Berg. We arrive, unpack the groceries and our luggage and then John, Debbie and children arrive from their home on the hill, not far from this cottage. 

As a granny, I normally convince granddad to let me bring gifts to the children. For the little girls, Eryn and Bethany, I had toiletry bags filled with linen handkerchiefs which I bought in Marquard, and all the sample toiletries which I collect on our travels.  

 Eryn and Bethany inspect their toiletries

Little Israel took his toy car and played with it for the rest of the day! 

Later that evening Grant made the maize porridge (a firm favorite with a braai/BBQ), Rina made a tomato and onion stew on the stove while John and Debbie BBQ's the meat outside. It fascinated me to see two-year-old Israel still playing with his blue car and how Eryn switched off completely to read a book on the corner of the sofa.

Granddad Grant makes the porridge while he, Bethany and Elijah sang Incy-Wincy-Spider; Row-row-your-boat and many more! Little Israel played with his car while Eryn read her story book

All the children around the breakfast bar with mom Debbie 

Then as always, I, as granny, requested that we have a family photo. Debbie didn't want to be in the picture and offered to take it. We started to round up children, called John away from loading his vehicle, and found Rina tidying up the kitchen and eventually we were ready. Debbie didn't want us to look into the sun but although we changed locations after the first few photos, we just seemed to move a little to the right and still faced the sun! 

 Granddad and the first three grandchildren were ready and waiting (albeit squinting into the sun!) 

 John, Jo and Grant; Joshua, Eryn and Rina holding Israel. Standing in front are Elijah and Bethany (Photo credit: Debbie Hedges)

Moving the group around a little we still had the sun in our eyes and Israel showed his discontent and not being able to push his car on the ground! (And the normally quiet Joshua is showing his boredom! )

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I am fully back into camp life (thank goodness; this time it took me a week to recover from my travels!) and hope to be very visible on Blogger ! 

Mum's back!

Good morning to Bozo, Lindy and all mum's blogger friends! Yes, mum's back! After quite a long time, she and dad arrived home this week. We were so well looked after by Regina, that we took a little while to show mum that we're happy she's back. That night Unca Shadow and I raced around the house, spinning grass mats out of shape and pulling the tablecloth off the table. 

Whats' that, Unca Shadow? Oh yes, we did this at night, while our yoomens were asleep. Dad Ginger watched from the foot of mum' bed!

Of course, every day we catch up on our sleep on the veranda day bed next to Mama Chui! So we can play again at night! 

For more cute pet posts around the world, please click here