Hello
Goodbye
Sorry for
the absence again guys, but in the Christmas/pony camp rush, we have
all been on the go constantly. The weather for pony camp has been
truly abysmal and as per usual, as soon as the kids got in the car to
go home, literally in that moment, the sun came out, and it has been
bright and sunny ever since. What an absolute bummer! But we still
had an awesome time though. On the last day Ali drove us all up to
Forest Creek and we went on a four hour hike to the waterfalls. It
was sooo beautiful and the forest felt like a real rainforest. I felt
like I was in a Lara Croft game. Although, we found out later that
somehow we had gone to the wrong waterfall, and the one we should
have gone to was a huge one
where we can swim....damn. But still, it was awesome! Had a great
day. Saying goodbye to Stephan, Marli and Kasey was sad. They are all
so full of life and bubbly in their own ways. They were hard work but
I really was sad to see them go! And I cant believe how empty the
house feels without them!
The Gitzner family with their donations for the school
But,
living on a guest farm means that every time you are saying goodbye,
you are inevitably saying hello to someone else. On the Friday that
the kids all left camp, we were welcomed by the Gitzner family from
Dubai! The Mum and Dad, Karin and Frederick, their nine year old
daughter Gabriella, and Fredericks son, Armarie. They arrived late on
the Friday night with their two friends and their two children, so a
big group. Karin, Frederick, Gabriella, and Armarie are all here for
three weeks, so they will be with us over Christmas and New Year!
They are such a wonderful family, on the Saturday night they invited
Edith and I to join them for a braii and we got to know eachother.
Karin is a joburg girl and from South Africa, as are their friends,
so I was very happy to hear them tell me that I had easily adopted a
lot of the South African mannerisms. For example I always say “yar”
instead of “yes”, I now use the phrase “aw shame” (very South
African), if I am leaving I say “See you now now” (and as Edith
says, saying this can technically mean “see you never”, haha),
and if someone thanks you for anything I now say “pleasure”. I am
also hand feeding my injured Rock Kestrel, Hope, every day, so I want
to know what else I have to do before I get my South African Citizens
badge, because you dont get more of a bush girlany where else!
But
yes, the braii was beautiful, braii'd meat is honestly the best thing
ever and it certainly was an improvement on the pasta I was going to
make for us! The family are really awesome. Frederick works as a
hotel manager, Karin works as a teacher, Armarie is studying
Hospitality at Port Alfred here in South Africa, and Gabriella is of
course at school haha. As Karin is a teacher, and since the whole
family is very much into giving back to the community, they were very
interested in the school and even brought all these fabulous paints,
pencils, scissors, etc for the kids! Which was really lovely of them,
and I am positive they will come in use.
And
now on to the sad part of my blog. 1. Edith left the farm to go back
to Germany this morning, and 2. last night, our goat Tammy (the goat
that was shot in the jaw and therefore has her tongue sticking out)
went into labour yesterday at 11am and at 9pm last night, exhausted
nad knackered, she finally gave birth to her baby, which Ali had to
pull out of her, but it was just too late and we lost the baby. So,
Edith's last night was not the best one I have to say. It was just so
terrible, we all thought that maybe she had had a fake pregnancy,
because us and the Gitzner family sat for hours on Sunday watching
her from a distance and nothing happened. But literally, the moment
we all sat down for dinner last night, we heard the screams of Tammy
coming from the stable and we all rushed out. Gosh, it was so sad.
The baby was so perfect. But he was already gone before we could do
anything. The labour was too long and exhausting for her. Poor Tammy,
she was so tired that in between pushing she would fall asleep, but
she cried for that baby, cleaning it, and nuzzling it, doing
everything she could to get it to wake up. It was so heart breaking.
It really was. At this very moment I am writing my blog from the
stables where I am watching over her until Ali gets back from
dropping Edith off at the Bushveld taxi. It is so sad to see her so
distressed, crying for her little one....we are debating putting her
in with the baby goats Uli and Rosie, since their mum died they have
had to be surrogated onto other mums, who hate them. But we are
hoping that Tammy might be so desperate to be able to mother
something that she might go for it and it might offer her some
comfort.
I
can't believe Edith has gone. I really can't. One moment me and Ali
were waiting for her and her family to arrive in the dark over at the
cottage, and the next minute she is off and away. She was really one
of the sweetest girls ever, always willing to lend a hand, always
happy to help. And when I got to know her she was so hilarious as
well, and I have to admit it, a much better pool player than me haha,
although that isnt saying much as I suck at pool! But, seriously,
where has this time gone. Where did those six weeks go? In fact,
where has the last five months gone? Now I can see why people can do
whole gap years away from home, I always thought that was too long,
but now I see that the time just flies by.
In
other news, our volunteer who was meant to be joining us for 8 weeks
from 16th
January, Nadia, has dropped out of coming! Apparently South Africa
has too much of a dodgy reputation. I mean I can understand it kind
of, what with the fiasco of the interpreter the other day.....but
still, I cant believe she isnt coming! I mean, we arent really in a
lot of trouble since Ali is now emplying Ness, one of our kids
Thando's mother, to come work at the school, and the next volunteer
Karna arrives the day after I leave. So, essentially, it doesnt
matter, but I am a bit concerned that I wont have any time with any
volunteer to show them the timetable and system that we work to here.
I may have to start writing a guide for Karina so that she has
something to follow when she is lost, because all the volunteers have
been taught by the previous volunteer, so it is a bit of a bummer
that I get no time with them, but never mind! Que sera sera!
Everything happens for a reason right ?
So,
all in all, that is the news from here on the Lydenrust farm.
Tomorrow we have Ali's daughter Noogs arriving with her dog for the
Christmas festivities, we have the staff Christmas party on Thursday,
Danie arrives from Dubai on Friday, and I think his son Toni arrives
next Monday with his girlfriend Charlene. So it is going to be a busy
week of hectic comings and goings with lots of Christmas activities
going on and people coming home. I have six weeks left on the farm. I
hope it goes slower than Edith's six weeks.....Lekker Slaap everyone,
sweet dreams xxxxx
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