The Grahamstown Arts Festival - Progress - Friends

Arts Festival Facepainting

Arts Festival Anomalies

Wow……….things are really moving along. Every day I see new steps toward completion being finished. I know that to outside eyes it all looks like absolute chaos ………… but things are happening. We did our first tests on the drywall plumbing late yesterday afternoon, and with the exception of two links to the shower mixer it was all dry - these we’ll resolve this morning and we can begin cladding ……. that is a huge step forward. Petrus is a star - he puts up with all of my moods - my crap - my complaints …………… and just gets on with the job. I started a young guy (Zander), from PA today to work with him to get this whole plumbing and wiring thing complete. I think that they compliment each other in certain ways and that this will help get the nitty gritty done ………. let’s see how good my judgement is? 
Zander was instrumental in bringing in my first signed contract up here this week (I won’t go into detail at this stage), but I am grateful, and he will be rewarded. Keep ‘em coming Boet!I will be visiting the Toposcope this afternoon with David, Howard and Mike …………. I know that they are hoping that I might be able to provide some much needed construction input into the refurbishment of this important historical landmark, and if I am at all able, I most certainly will. Watch this space!  It would of course help if I could find some serious DNA links to the Lances via the 1820 Settlers…………then I could approach various family members around the country  to contribute. If anyone knows something that I don’t - Pleeeeease let me know!It was a real boost for me to have Peter (Davidson) down from Pretoria at his really lovely home in Port Alfred for the past couple of weeks. I don’t know too many people who can boast friendships that have been in existence and ongoing for 67 years …………. but that is where we are at, on top of which I have always considered Pete my “best friend”, as he has forever fulfilled every role that that designation required in my life (thanks Pete!). We spent a couple of “overnighters” at their place after really pleasant evenings of introduction to new friends and family who are resident in the area. We also had the good fortune to spend quite a few valuable hours together in Bathurst - in Port Alfred - in Grahamstown ……. and just generally ‘round and about’  with our two very lovely wives (and they are! )…….. How many 72 year-olds can honestly say that with absolute conviction? Thank you ladies (Pat and Rosemary)………. you are both really special in so many ways!The Grahamstown Arts Festival is very special in a great many ways - our day there on Sunday last was indeed very pleasant. We had the opportunity to visit some really  special Art exhibitions covering a wide range of genres …………. including a few that I had never imagined existed. The buskers on the Village Green provided some really interesting and amusing entertainment, and it would have been fantastic if the daunting night-time drive back to Bathurst hadn’t discouraged us from staying in town for some of the evening and (specifically), late night entertainment. I suspect that the jazz would have been very special, as would have a few of the more 'popular' International artists such as Suzanne Vega, and locals that I really did want to see - “Hatchet Man” being one in particular.Rumour has it that the name of the town is about to be changed, and that the Arts Festival is going to be re-located to Cape Town. Both of these will spell a death-knell for the area generally, and one can only hope that the main sponsors, Standard Bank, look a little bit beyond ‘shareholders interests’ and  profit margins. Cape Town has more than enough in terms of “cultural interest” - most of which has become unaffordable to the average man, but which is still manageable in this relatively small town ‘university’ environment.  Grahamstown really has so much to offer historically …………. the town and its churches are really beautiful - the campus is stunning - it has some great little pubs and restaurants, fantastic schools and a wonderful sense of integration. As a newcomer to the area I really do plead “Wake Up” to those who have the power to maintain the status quo and keep the culture where it belongs.With the rest of the country experiencing bitter cold in many parts - and Cape Town finally getting the rain I predicted when we got the early “Easter” lightning and thunder storms (based on thirty years of watching and experiencing the weather patterns as opposed to Angus Buchan’s somewhat anomalous - and quite late - claims of intervention)……….. I have been overwhelmed by the absolutely amazing weather we have been experiencing here in Bathurst. Except for a little bit of chilly weather over the last few days it has all been like a pretty good Cape Town summer ……… What a pleasure!!!!! Yes - we could do with a bit more rain, but the temperatures have been more than tolerable, with shorts and T-shirts generally the choice of the day.Our garden at 6 York Road is really beginning to take on meaning, and Pat and Dumesane are creating something really special. As Dumesane digs and rakes somewhere between 2 and 4 Chorister Robins - a couple of Cape Robins, and any number of Drongas follow his trail …………… no more than a metre or two away from his feet - in search of displaced grubs and worms, and whatever other titbits this whole gardening exercise has to offer. In the trees close by there is generally a Cardinal Woodpecker on show - Green Pigeons, Brown Headed Kingfishers, Hoopoes, Doves, a whole host of Mousebirds, anywhere up to 20 Crowned Hornbills at a time, and most importantly, Sunbirds that I have never seen before crowding trees in the garden ....... up to 25 in one space at a time. The birdsong is indescribable at times, and at night when I go out for a pee and take Jesse for a walk on the farm the skies are littered with jewels and the Milky Way is saturated with double cream.

WOW!!!!!!WOW!!!!!!WOW!!!!!!

Young Festival Mime Artist

Ndlambe Sunrise on the farm