Post party; sunset; Table Mountain; Fish braai

Photo's - starts with Jenny's place and extension she is having done - Table Mountain from Table View (Yep - you know how it got it's name . . .) - two photo's taken from on top of Table Mountain - the first one clearly shows Lion's Head (larger mountain) and Signal Hill - with Robben Island in Table Bay - (other photo in earlier blog of Cape Town harbour through a fissure (also taken on my birthday) and you can just see the coast line - gives you an idea of where the shot of Table Mountain was taken from) - photo 12Bells - roaring fire . . . . V&A Waterfront - please note Jonathan in the photo (Jonathan who? Livingstone Seagull - of course) - a slightly different view of Waterfront - lastly 12 Bells

And so that was the party over . . . . quite some time in the planning – almost a year . . with a few changes along the way, venue etc., - sometimes even by choice . . . but mostly fate have a little hand in everything . . . and slowly quietly leading proceedings.

That was Sat 15 March . . . the next morning I was at Jenny’s place early morning – as she was leaving for Durban that same afternoon – so had I not seen her that morning – we were not sure of when I might have seen her . . . . spent a couple of hours with her Allison and her Dad, who is now staying with her . . . In fact her place is / was in shambles – as she has a Granny or in this case Grandfather flat being built on – this extension is almost as big as her existing house . . . well not quite but one hell of an extension. And there is building sand all over and the South Easter is blowing away sweeping up everything before it – sand everywhere – all you can do is to try and keep it damp – a hopeless task given that wind just dry’s it out again . . . only other option is to place a tarpaulin over it.

Later on in the afternoon met up with Sam, Hud & Jessila for sundowners some of my nicest photo’s across the bay again - almost the same quintessential photo of Cape Town . . . lol . Done very little – went back to Jess’s place and had a bite to eat and then back to 12Bells . . . the next day was my Birthday.

Took Mum & Cathie to Parow-Valley where they were to stay for 2 days – with Maureen. Hud and I went up Table Mountain – free for me on my Birthday and what a day it turned out to be – absolutely stunning almost no wind at all – I had to stop and buy myself a hat which affords some protection for neck as well . . . not a cloud in the sky and amazing weather . . . (see photo's) That evening Jessila; Arran; Elaine; Denise; Johan & Fransie; Stoffel & Mariette as well as Nina came round for a sea food braai (barbecue) – Sam made a sea food pot (potjie) and I attempted to braai some snoek . . . but Johan just took over and I must admit the Snoek (Cape Town delicacy) fish come out lovely. We even had fish spring rolls as well as calamari for starters . . . a roaring success – everyone seems to have enjoyed themselves. Sam & Hud went to bed early - I kept topping up everyone's glasses with red wine - we sat and chatted until around midnight then Johan and Fransie as well Stoffel and Mariette went home. Put some more wood on the fire and Nina and I blethered into the wee hours of the morning – seems there is a new found love in her life – I hope things turn out as she hopes . . . don’t we all – in fact I suppose, for most of us that is life . . .

The next evening was with Morney, Benita and their two lovely kids - Armin (8) and Mika (4) - I had given Armin an All Blacks top and he loved it from the moment he received - he said he was going to sleep in it . . . get on very well with them all and used to work with Morney - went round to his place when Benita gave birth to Armin and we had a braai and sat up drinking and talking a load of rubbish into the wee small hours . . . Benita is a email buddy in that she and I stay in touch but I rarely speak to Morney on line - funnily enough it is the same with Stoffel - get on really well with them and Mariette is an email buddy - they must both be the strong silent alpha males . . . lol - who knows - it seems to work and are all able to stay in touch with each other . . . only recently have I phoned on the odd occasion . . . Anyway braaied at Morney and Benita's - we had sort of a snack braai - you make chicken wings and nibble on that and then braai some steak and allt he time there are different things to eat whilst talking / chatting . . . was lovely and we ended going down the spirtuality route - actually they did - Benita has been saying for ages she has a list of things she wants to discuss with me - just things in general that we've discussed in emails but that somehow you can't really give them their due consideration because its almost a case of having to be with the person to truly be able to discuss and get your point across . . . . there wasn't really time - I had been up once before but they had guest at the time and Morney being such a keen cyclist he had the Argus tour on the nect day - so I knew he needed his sleep and they know sometimes you can't get rid of me . . . well I've been known to ahng around a bit . . . . so we sat outside a lovely cloudless evening - absolutely stunning and as I said intelligent conversation - what more can a person ask for??

Wednesday was retail therapy day for me - I had been given a number of gift vouchers as presents - so I set off for Canal Walk and bought a couple of CD's at Look and Listen - Chick Corea - Return to Forever; Louis Mhlanga; Kenny Burrel; Then off to Exclusive books I bought the Passion Test - its not what your thinking; lastly Musica where I bought a Shakira DVD - so that was me . . . shopping over - This was the day there was a horrific accident on the N1 - which is the main high way into Cape Town - a truck had overturned and a number of people and vehicles had been involved with fatalities - what happened was that the highway was closed for hours - and all the roads were absolute chaos . . . Sam & Hud had been going to do a tour of the Townships but after half an hour had only moved 3 or 4 miles - so they just came home and decided to do that the next day. I had been to the SPur with Nina as I felt I owed her a lunch after all the running around she had done for me organising things - we had a quick lunch and she left to go back to work and I left to pick my Mum and Cathie up - we drove through to Cape Town - we had us an appointment with Eva at Permanent Trust - she looks after my Mum's place in Parow. Cathie had said she was starving as she had nothing since breakfast (I felt a bit guilty - just having had lunch - but I had told them when I was coming - so not sure why they had not been given lunch???) I picked them up about 14h30 and against all the odds we actually made it in time - I walked in to Permanent Trust office at 15h14 our appointment was for 15h15 - just as well - I didn't realise Eva was German - you know what they are like with time . . . . anyway it was good to meet her - have been dealing with her via email for years now there is a face to put with name. Sorted out quite a few things and my Mum has about £3000 worth of maintenance that has to be done - ironically my Mum never even paid that much for the property when she bought initially. But it needs to be done - and rather now before the Cape winter.

This was my last evening in Cape Town and I had booked a table at Bloemendal - which is on one of the Durbanville hills with beautiful views - so much food again - you know its just ridiculous - you've got about seven starters you can try and 14/ 15 main courses - and of course I will be greedy . . . then dessert . . . lol - no wonder when I came back I felt I had had half a dozen Christmases (at least) . . . .

I left the next evening - OK - technically Friday morning 00h25 - well that was the scheduled time - however they over booked the air plane and 2 people got on board with a boarding pass for the same seat . . .lol - needless to say this caused chaos and eventually KLM offered anyone who was willing to give up their seat 350Euro's plus a night in hotel etc., - I was still considering it when someone else jumped up - by this time everyone applauded as we thought that would be it sorted - but of course this persons luggage had to be taken of - so it was about an hour later the scheduled time - and my return trip reminded me how uncomfortable seats in a plane can be . . . which is funny because going I was in between two people coming back I had an aisle seat . . . Iwas in my shorts a t-shirt and my crocs - true to form Amsterdam welcomed me back with European weather - it really started to snow quite heavily when we taxied on to the runway - so much so that we had to go back and have the plane hosed down to prevent ice build up on the wings . . . Glasgow welcomed me with hail - I was freezing in my African gear.

I had had a great time - yes tensions ran a little high at times but I am really looking forward to Bali next year . . . .Yoohoo! The big wedding - Sam & Hud.