Bush time.

It was time to head off to our Bush Home and to get the place ready for the Ozzie/American Bodens. We really wanted everything to be ship shape before their arrival and all the cupboards stocked to their full capacity.

Before we knew it it was time to dash off to The airport in Nelspruit to fetch the family. We took two cars and Diana and Molly drove back with me. What a long trip they have had all the way from San Francisco. Molly was wide awake and full of beautiful smiles and stories. What a special girl she is!

Molly is very interested in horses right now so I made her a hat and bag made from "horsey" fabric.

Hannah is our "fashionista" and she tole me that when she grows up she is going to call her Fashion shop Penelope's as she loves my real name!!

 

This is Ben's first visit to Africa and what a character he is! He just loves playing outside but we had to watch him all the time as the baboons and leopard lurking around we're a constant threat.

Poppie and I had lots of fun with the children while the folks went off to find the animals in the park.

Diana, Molly and I popped off to Hazyview to stock up before the Talbots arrived and could not resist stopping at the fabric vendors. These made lovely gifts for their friends back in the states.

Granny couldn't wait to see the children in their new beanies! What a beautiful family! We are so blessed.

 

Johnnesburg's Botanical Gardens.

The Botanical gardens must be one of the best keep secrets of the city. Sarah, Adrien, Warren, Oscar and I went off for a few hours. It is just a short drive from where Sarah lives.

As it was late on a Sunday afternoon many of the day visitors were leaving however lots of folk arrived for their Sunday walk or run or even cycle ride.

The gardens are well looked after and the beautiful lawns go on forever

This monument is to honor the Huguenots.

 

 

 

Thank you to those responsible for these gardens and may they continue to bring much pleasure to the public.

Easter Weekend.

The road to JHB. Is lined with beautiful cosmos, in fact there are fields of cosmos wherever you looked.

While taking care of Oscar during his Easter Break I took him and his friend Afika to the Children's theatre to see "Gogos". This was a delightful production in a tiny theatre where little ones could feel secure and safe. All those little faces showed such concentration and pleasure.

Meeting the Princess Butterfly afterwards was very special.

It was soon time to pack up and join the Boden family at their lovely home on the Vaal River. As Colleen's house was overflowing she arranged for us to stay on a friends house two houses away.

The weather was lovely and it was special seeing "The Family".

Neil and Lisa, together with their children William and Meghan had come out from England. Grandpa Brian had flown in from Cape Town.

Oscar had loads of fun with Willyum! Meg just loved sitting and sketching.

Captain James and Captain Darryl took the family on a few joy rides along the Vaal. The littlees just loved it.

Aunty Glynne had her hands full with her charges.

The kitchen staff had their hands full catering for the masses.

It was great meeting Darryl and Denise's girls. What lovely grandaughters.

 

It was good to see Dom and Mark too. Mark is such an interesting person and is always good for a long chat.

 

A wonderful time was had by all. A great Boden get together! Thank you to the Mitchell's for hosting such a special weekend.

 

Miracles do happen.

Tyrone is my miracle nephew. Earlier this year he was sitting in his newish car waiting to fetch a friend from "youth" which is an organization of you g people who meet at the local church. It was about 8:30 p.m. Tyrone was fiddling with his mobile phone while waiting and the next thing he knew someone was hammering on the top of his car. Confused, he looked up and saw two guys who obviously had designs on his car!!

Ty nervously started fumbling around for the handle to open the window and these felons must have thought he was reaching for a gun so they shot at him through the closed window. The bullet scraped his chest and ended up in the passenger door.

Tyrone got out the car as the two assailants got into a small car and drove off. He banged on the church doors to no avail so brave Tyrone got back into his car and drove himself to hospital. He admits that he actually drove through two red lights in his need to get medical help. Once he got to the hospital he called his Dad and his Mum and received all the help he needed.

Of course, needless to say, we are so grateful for his escape from any long term injuries....in fact we just don't go down that path.

 

 

Tyrone turned 21 in March and he and all those who love him have much to celebrate!! His parents organized a lovely party for him and his other Gran and aunt flew down from Pretoria. Horne is our miracle guy!

 

Congratulations Tyrone. May your luck continue!

Strippy Scrappy quilts..

It has not been all play and no work.

I pulled out all my scraps and sorted all the strip scraps into colour lots and got to work.

 

I found it so pleasurable just putting strips together and not fussing cutting. Time was limited and I just had a need to put a few quilt tops together

Maybe it is a way of justifying having so many boxes of scraps

I made a couple of interesting cushion covers too.

 

I also completed Ben's quillow which turned out really good.

So after that burst of energy and reap king my newly painted sewing room I was ready to head off to JHB. To look after Oscar and then go onto the Vaal for my family reunions.

Home, sweet home.

It is always wonderful getting home again especially as we had gone to the Cape against the doctor's orders. The time away was so special, filled with wonderful experiences, seeing and being with lots of special folk. The road through the Transkei was potholed and full of Stop and Go's. It is the second time we have had a picture due to the lousy roads. It is the second time an angel in the form of a local fellow, has arrived to help us change our tyre.

For my birthday I invited a few friends to the Book Boutique for tea and included in the group was Arlene née Wolhuter who I was in Primary School. We went to Witbank Medium Primary School together and met up again in Toti.

Our local church has a new preacher who I enjoyed meeting.

One of my favorite things to do is to pack a picnic basket and for Warren and I to go to the Botanical Gardens and listen to music. We don't really mind who is. Asking the music it is just great to get out and to relax.

As Warren decided to some painting, I moved lots of my fabric and used the second lounge as my sewing room. It was so pleasant but as sewing quilts(scrap) is rather a messy business there were threads everywhere. I had fun and managed to put six quilt tops together.

More pics to follow.

It was soon time to head for JHB. to look after Oscar and to catch up with more family.

Next Stop Kidds Beach.

Once again we scheduled our journey to stop off at Kidd's Beach and to enjoy having dinner with Jill Judd. Jill is such a tonic and Inspiration.

on arrival, Gill was very busy preparing our delicious dinner. She was also concerned as she could not find her laptop. She had searched everywhere. Gill had come to the conclusion that maybe while the gardener was busy someone may have slipped into her home and helped themselves!

Warren and I started looking around and lo and behold there was the laptop tucked under the cushion on the chair at the dining room table. How we all laughed with such relief....it would have been awful for Gill to be without her laptop.

Gilly is such a knowledgeable lady with so much talent. We had an informal exhibition of her paintings. Who would have guessed that Gill is an artist. These are two of my favorites.

It was so wonderful seeing Gill and hearing all about her adventures. I hope we get to see more of her.