Happy Birthday Leon

IT'S A FIRST. Leon, for the first time, had his wife, parents, parents-in-law, sister and sister-in-law with him on his birthday. We all went to eat at the Beijing Restaurant in Horsell, only 5 minutes from home. We kicked off with some traditional Chinese Starters, followed by Crispy Aromatic Duck, and main course consisting of Fried Rice, Sweet and Sour Pork, Vegetables and Beef. Just to finish off, a selection of desserts. As you can see we celebrated in style, and ate way too much! But Happy Birthday Leon, may you have another wonderful year, and Thank You to you and Elizma for a lovely evening!

Visit to Murphy

Today I went to see Murphy at the Quarantine Centre he is staying at for 6 months. St. Andrews in West Sussex is a lovely hour's drive from Dad's place, in beautiful countryside. After a struggle trying to get it on, he was very impressed with his Springbok Jersey, which was a gift from Luna and Morgan, Francois and Jeanne's 2 Dachshunds. I am sure he is going to be grateful for this once the winter kicks in. I also treated him with some Doggy Donuts and Doggy Bacon Sizzlers. Murphy sends his best to everyone........... click here to view the photos. (I was very happy to see him after our one month separation, so please excuse the mascara smudges under my eyes, I was a little emotional....)

Bye Bye Africa

As a final farewell to the African bush, mom and I went to stay at the Protea Hotel Kruger Gate on Sunday 10 June. We arrived at 15h30 and checked into our chalet, on the edge of the Sabie River, adjacent to the Kruger National Park. We enjoyed "sundowners" on the viewing deck, followed by a lovely dinner in the Boma. On the way back to Pretoria, we stopped at the picturesque town of "Kaapschehoop". Set high in the mountains, where for all purposes it seems that Time has Stopped. We were entertained by the hostess at the local pancake restaurant with stories about the local "Wild Horses" and information on the history of Kaapschehoop. Click here to view the photos.

Going Away Party

My circle of friends joined me at a truly South African Restaurant in Centurion, "Die Bosvelder" on Saturday 2 June for a meal together, one last time. The company was GREAT! Thank You for all of you who made the effort to come say goodbye. Also, thanks for all the good luck wishes, the telephone calls, the gifts, etc. I appreciate one and all! Click here to view the photos which was taken by my personal, and VERY professional photographer - Moya.

Farewell to Protea Hotel Waterfront

Thursday 31 May was my last working day at Protea Hotel Waterfront, after 2 years of what I would like to think of as "Dedication". One other way to describe this place, would be a bottomless pit of wonderful people. I have seen many colleagues come and go, but one thing I can say for sure, about my co-workers at this hotel, is that I have made friends that I can say with all honestly has deeply influenced my life, my memories and my perception of what you are capable of when supported by the right people! You will all be greatly missed. Click here to view an album of the party, which obviously, did not stop at the Hotel.............

Days are few......

So with only 2 days to go at work, I am really starting to feel the excitement of our move to the UK. 16 June is D-Day, when mom and I fly out to join Dad, Leon and Elizma.

I have to tell you, that I am so proud of my parents. I don't think anybody my age realises what an "adventure" this is for them. Dad, at the (dare I say) age of 57 landed in the UK, and was offered a job within 2 days. He is so happy where he is, working in the centre of London, but commuting from his lovely terraced house in Surrey on a daily basis.

Mom, who is 65 years young, can't wait to get to England, settle in, and start to go on cross-country trips, learn about all the fantastic things we speak about, the ease of life as well as the Internet!! Not even to mention the bi-yearly trips to Europe, or wherever the wind may blow them/us.

As for me, I have done some research on the Internet into possible jobs that I might be interested it. Of course my main objective will be to stay close to my family, as I refuse to be the only one that lives far away. There are so many opportunities, and with me being able to live with my parents for a while, it gives me the chance to be "slightly" picky, and wait for "the right job, at the right place, at the right time, at the right price" to come along. (Can you tell I studied Marketing...................) It's all about supply and demand, innit?

I have made a promise to keep my blog updated, so for those who are interested, can at any point see what I have been up to.

One thing I can say for sure is that there are most certainly people in my life, here in South Africa, that I will miss dearly, daily! I've had the privilege to make contact with a old and dear friend from school, the great friends I made during my time at University, the wonderful people I've met at Protea Waterfront, and my 3 dearest friends, Francois, Jeanne and Carine. I only feel blessed that my path has crossed with these people, as each of them have enriched my life beyond words. I am grateful to live in the age of technology, where a joke can be shared at the click of a mouse, or you are able to have a quick conversation via sms or msn, and the piece of mind to know that my friends are on the other side of my keyboard - so to speak - anytime, anywhere, and vice versa.

So, keep an eye on my blog, and keep in touch!


A friend is like a flower,
a rose to be exact,
Or maybe like a brand new gate
that never comes unlatched.
A friend is like an owl,
both beautiful and wise.
Or perhaps a friend is like a ghost,
whose spirit never dies.
A friend is like a heart that goes
strong until the end.
Where would we be in this world
if we didn't have a friend.
Emma Guest

Murphy The Pommie

On 16 March Murphy got Airborne and took the long trip over the water (or land for that matter), to go start his new life in the UK. Currently he is spending quality time at St. Andrews, a quarantine centre. He'll be living there for six months, relaxing and getting rid of all the stress he carries from the crime-ridden life as a watchdog in South Africa. According to the caring folks at St. Andrews, Murphy is a "Shy Fellow". A side of him I've never seen, I must say............

Dad is visiting him tomorrow, taking some doggy treats and a blanket for the colder nights. I miss my boy, and can't wait to visit him on 19 June.