The Forwards

 

I had to take Matthew back to Pretoria because he starts Uni in a weeks time but tonight Matthew and his mates have organised a D&D all nighter so I had to drive him up to Pretoria and drop him off at my sister Theresa and her husband Hans, hence the pack of forwards photo for today.

I really appreciate all that Theresa and Hans have done for Matthew, it has become Matthew's second home since his mother crossed over a year and a half ago.

After the long drive back hone, alone in the car, I had a lot to think about. You see I worry a lot about Matthew. By the time I got home I had over thought every outcome and still I had this deep hole inside of me. Already I miss him.

Lets Start the Party

 

Matthew is turning 21 on Monday, and as usual his birthday falls in critical exam times, so to start the celebrations off we had a family get together had my sister's place in Pretoria. 

But first we had to drop off Bradley and Dael at the local sports pub so that they can watch the World Cup Rugby 2019 final with South Africa playing against England. So while the Boer War III was on the go, Lynda and I drove north to be with Matthew and family.

Good news is that the Springboks won, and that we had a good time with family celebrating Matthew. 

Opening with a Bang

It is exactly a year since the last Opening Ceremony at Belgium Campus when my Ford pickup caught on fire on the way there and this evening another traumatic incident happened this time on the way home afterwards.

It was great being with Matthew and friends at the Belgium Campus' Opening Ceremony 2019 and we enjoyed the company of Hans, Theresa, Jaen-Jurie, Anika, Gary, and Brendan. But it was the drive home that was the problem.

A huge storm was threatening as we bundled into Lynda's car and squeezed out of the parking. We headed on the most direct route out towards the N14 as possible and as we stopped at a traffic light still in Pretoria, there was a large BANG. My first thought a gunshot and a hijacking was in progress. Our hijacking, as I turned towards Lynda, I saw a man hitting the window for the 2nd and then 3rd time trying to smash the passenger window where Lynda was sitting. I had put the car in 1st gear as a man dived through the window, pushing the side window which was protected by smash and grab film onto Lynda's lap pinning her handbag and cellphone. 

With this person half through the window, grouping for the phone but battling to get through the side glass window pane on a screaming Lynda's lap, I was accelerating forward through the red traffic lights. This person was eventually dragged back out of the gaping window with complete piece of side window pane in his hands.

It happened so fast. Next I knew we were racing home. It was pouring with rain. Adrenalin was pumping and we were just so thankful that we weren't seriously hurt other than some cuts on Lynda's forearm from the glass pane pining her down and that nothing was taken other than the side window.

I am worried what next year is going to be like. First the car on fire, now a smash and attempted grab but God is in control and we are in His hands.

Its Time

At first I wasn't sure if I should answer Angus Buchan's call for a National Prayer gathering in Pretoria. I am not a big crowds person and hate queuing or walking for hours and hours. But as the time got closer, I thought I felt Spirit of God nudging to go. I am not a prayer warrior, and corporate prayer is just not my thing. I like to find a quiet place and spend time close to God.

I heard from my sister Theresa that my son Matthew agreed to go with them to Its Time Pretoria, well that was the last nudge, I don't get to spend much time with Matthew and thought it would be an awesome experience to pray to God with my son beside me.

My sister, her husband Hans, and Matthew arrived very early and I organised a location pin from them without Matthew's knowledge. I got onto my trusty Vespa and headed East. There were crowds and crowds people who answered Angus' call to pray for our nation South Africa. But having the bike I got to park nice and close, and it wasn't a long walk into the vast crowds when I managed to find my family, much to Matthew surprise.

So here I found myself on my knees before God with Matthew at my side praying for the country.

Spending Time with Mom

Matthew, mom, and me

In South Africa today is Human Rights Day, a day off for the family. Lynda had to get a new dress for a wedding that is coming up and since I already have a suit that hopefully should still fit me, so I thought that that today would be a good day to drive or ride up to Pretoria, pick up Matthew and visit my mom whom I never saw since her operation last month. My mom is staying at my sister and her husband's place, recovering albeit very slowly.

Theresa, mom, and I

I arrived at Matthew's dorm at about 11:30am and found him still fast asleep after an all-nighter watching movies. After a shower, Matthew jumped into the driver's position as he has his driver's learner licence and he drove us to Theresa and Han's home where my mom was staying. Of course we came baring gifts of cake, cooldrinks, hotcross buns, and shortbread briskets in time for lunch.  

Hans, mom, and me

Matthew and I, had a lovely visit of my sister and her family, and a recovering my mom. Her wound is slowly healing and hopefully God willing will be allowed to return home in Sabie. Just before we left, we just had to have a impromptu family photoshoot. Oh course that is how we roll. 

Matthew, mom, Jaen-Jurie (Hans and Theresa's son or Matthew's cousin)

My Heavy

Matthew had to go to Pretoria for a 2 week Maths course to prepare him for what lies ahead. The problem is this was not planned nor budgeted for so I had to arrange with my sister for Matthew to stay there for the 2 weeks. So off to Pretoria we drove, and the worst part is that Pretoria is at least 5° warmer than here and it is getting hotter.

It was early when we arrived, Theresa was not home yet from work but her husband Hans just arrived back from work. In Afrikaans they call my brother-in-law a swaar which directly translated means heavy. Don't know why heavy but that how it goes.

My mom is staying at my sister's place as she is up for a surgical operation but it is only scheduled for next week Monday, so Hans and I did a prisoner exchange. My mom came home with me while Matthew went straight with Jaen-Jurie to play games on the computer while we said bye to my heavy.

Fathers and Sons

Somehow I was running late taking both boys back home. First I had to drop Jaen-Jurie back at his new home in Pretoria and then down to Benoni to drop Matthew off before heading across town.

At my sister and her husband’s home, I took the opportunity for my photo of the day, Fathers and Sons as Father’s Day is coming up in a few weeks so it was a perfect time.

Farewell Brunch

The Rootman family have to leave for home today so that they can start packing for their move from the Lowveld to the Highveld at the end of this month. Before the long drive back Lynda and I had a brunch with them at the Silverbirch Restaurant at Lifestyle. From left to right are Theresa, Jaen-Jurie, Hans, and Lynda.

Rootman

My sister and her family, the Rootmans are planning to relocate up from Nelspruit to Pretoria in a month’s time and this weekend they came up to look at rental property in the Pretoria North area.

It is a big decision for them to sell their family home and relocate but their son is starting college next month up here and it made financial sense to move closer. Here is a group photo of Hans, Jaen-Jurie, Matthew, and my Theresa.

Pitstop Braai

My cellphone does not do low light photos but I needed to take a photo of Hans and Theresa who stopped for a pitstop and refuel their batteries on their way back home from Bloemfontein to Nelspruit.

And what better way to enjoy an evening than with a braai on our patio. Marko and Robynne joined us because what is a braai without friends and family.

The Day After

It may be the first day of Day of our Lord 2016, it was surely the day after the party on auld lang syne.

We had a late start to the morning, sleeping in after our wonderful drive around the southern parts of Kruger National Park. We arrived at our family in Steiltes, Nespruit just before mid day, for a family lunch since we missed the Christmas day one. And this is what we found; everyone must have partied hard the night before.

Looking back 2015 has been a hard year and we are all glad to see the tail end of it, don’t let the door hit you on the way out. Anyway 2016 is going to be a blessed year even if I don’t know what God has in store for me, all I pray is for God to give me wisdom so that I can make the correct choices. Here's to 2016!

Youth has No Age

This morning the weather was once again beautiful and we decided to have a hike and picnic lunch at Kaapsehoop up against the escarpment overlooking the Barberton crater.

Matthew and I were last here about two years ago taking our Italian Greyhounds for a walk. his time we were joined by my sister Theresa, her husband Hans, and their two children Daniellê and Jaen. Well you know Matthew and I by now so Theresa is the one in the Youth has No Age t-shirt, Hans the Zombie through the hole, Daniellê with the dog called Fudge and Jaen in the green, grey and white striped t-shirt.

My only gripe of the day, is while on our hike we saw signs of litter, cigarette stompies, chip packets, and sweet wrappers littered around this beautiful place. Normally it is so peaceful here amongst the rock formations but we could hear dogs barking all the way from the Kaapsehoop village. Not cool peoples, not cool.

 

The wild flowers and stunning rock formations were still a draw card for Kaapsehoop, along with the views and wild horses. By the end of our hike, all we needed to do was to put our feet up and relax while the picnic lunch was served.

Sunday Family Lunch

One thing which you can’t miss up when in the area is Sunday lunch at the folks. It is times like these that whatever family is around joins around a table for a mother’s home cooked meal.

Around the table from left clockwise are Danielle, Matthew, Jaen-Jurie, Hans, Theresa, Lynda, dad, and mom. Okay photos done, prayer, and now bring up the scrumptious grub.

Theresa and Hans

It sounds like Matthew had a ball of a time at Gold Reef City with his cousins as they couldn't wait to tell me about every ride they went on. Thanks to Uncle Hans and Aunty Theresa for taken Matthew with them. Skye is still the same, stable but at the lower end of barely.

The Elevator

My sister, Theresa has just come out of a three hour surgery where they removed her entire thyroid. She is in a lot of pain which is to be expected and the doctors have her on morphine. Today's photo is of my sister being wheeled into the elevator (the lift as we call it here) to take her down to theatre on the first floor. I told her as they were wheeling her down the passage that when she walks back out she must carry her head under her arm to scare the living daylights out of everyone.

We want to thank everyone for their continued prayers and thoughts for Theresa and her family.

Hans at 40

Theresa, my sister arranged a surprise 40th Birthday party for her husband, Hans. So this afternoon I shot down to Nelspruit, a four hour trip by car, and arrived just in time to surprise Hans and surprised he was. Here is Hans with his mother, dare I say cute. I should have called this post Mother and Son. Why am I picturing a putty tat when I see this photo?

Dash East

We decided to take Matthew's cousins back home to Nelspruit. On the way back we went via Sabie to see my mom. All in all the round trip of over 740km was pleasant except the major thunder storms we had on the way back. Here is the photo of my brother-in-law, Hans to whom we gladly handed back his children.

Hans and the Gautrain

After a busy day at work, I was wondering how to get my brother-in-law Hans from the airport to my house and be back in time for cell. Matthew was at baseball practice and Carol waiting for him would only be back about six thirty. This gave me no time to drive across town and back before seven thirty. The Gautrain was the answer. I drove my Vespa to the Sandton Station hop onto the Gautrain and was in Rhodesfield before Hans could blink an eye. Soon we were gliding back to Sandton passing frustrated commuters in their cars trying to get home. The longest part of the whole operation was waiting for Carol to pick Hans up at the drop-off zone on West Street. Anyway this was Hans' first experience of the Gautrain so a perfect photo opportunity.

My swaar Hans