ONE MORE WEEK

This entry is a difficult one ………….. we are so much closer to moving in to No 6, yet there seem to be so many little things that still need doing. They will get done I know - but things about us seem to contrive to slow the process down. Yesterday they came in to fumigate - part of the sales process ……….. borer was found so the seller had to do it, but it means two days lost. Two of the bathrooms are fully plumbed and operational, and hopefully by Saturday afternoon the other two will be complete - the external drainage as well. I plan to have both bedrooms complete as well by Saturday afternoon, which will mean that we can dedicate most of next week to touch-ups and getting a part-time kitchen in place …………. the finished units I can complete as we move forward, just so long as we can prep and cook. After the virtual camping that we have been doing over the past four months the new stove, washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher, microwaves, icemaker, mixers and blenders, double bowl sink, fridge and freezer  and various other bits and pieces one has managed without these past four months should make everything a doddle. Isn’t it simply amazing what we take for granted in our everyday homes, yet cope more than adequately without when forced to do so by circumstance?

Here and there we have to fix and finish spots that we have missed over the past 3 months with furniture and plastic stacked everywhere, but in real terms these items are minimal in respect of the overall picture, and as soon as they are all done we can concentrate on finishing certain outside aspects that need to be tackled to complete ………. the deck, deck roof and east side stairs - but we will get there sooner rather than later.

Having Peter (Davidson) down here for the last week has been a jol ……….. some great meals, mixers with new and old friends - and the odd piss-up that we somehow always manage to put together …………. sharing feelings, moments, when-we’s and everything that 67 years of friendship affords us and allows us to share. He goes back to the Big Smoke on Saturday - I will miss him - until next time.

Two days of good rain have managed to really muddy up Bathurst’s roads and one has to be pretty careful not to get stuck or to skid off in some unwanted direction - but it is all very welcome and the gardens and countryside are loving every drop. The birds too seem to come out in force in our garden and take advantage of the cleaning process that surrounds them. Olive Thrushes, Speckled Mousebirds, Sunbirds of many descriptions, Cape Weavers, White Eyes, Robins, Bul Buls and Ha Da Da’s are simply everywhere, with half a dozen Drongos trying all the time to exert their supremacy - but without much success …….. all of the others far too content within the ambit of their surrounds to give them too much notice.

On a slightly more ‘cultural’ note, we went last week to see “Two Blue Ticks” ……. a One Woman show by Bathurst local Corinne Willoughby. What a laugh - somewhat naughty and irreverent, her very humorous and thought provoking collection of skits and stories were really a breath of fresh air in every respect ……… well done Corinne! (It is on again this coming Sunday evening - the 26th August - at the Bistro at 5.30pm ………. don’t miss it if you haven’t seen it). We also went off to the movies on Sunday to see ‘The Guernsey Book Club and Potato Peel Pie Society’ - a really beautifully made and delightful movie that I would recommend to people of all ages.

One of the three donkeys on the farm where we have been living while re-furbing the house has become a good, if somewhat cheeky, friend of mine and Pat’s - and also of Jesse’s. He walks with us occasionally and him and Jesse have conversations and interactions of sorts that make me wonder if they really do have a mutual understanding. He comes regularly to beg a carrot at the garden gate, and if the gate isn’t hooked pushes his way into the garden from whence he has to be really pushed out again with force. Upon occasion he gets slap bang in front of the car, and no amount of hooting or edging forward will displace him - he has to be conned around to the drivers window with the promise of a tit-bit, and only then can you make your way. However he behaves though, he always provides a pleasant diversion that makes the day that little bit better.

This weeks No. 6 York Road bird is the Greater Double-Collared Sunbird (Cinnyris afer), of which we have far more than we can ever hope to identify as individuals ….. or ever hope to photograph individually …………….. but you never, ever know!!!!!

Greater Double-Collared Sunbird (Cinnyris afer) in the large Coral Tree

THE BATHURST COUNTRY AFFAIR

What a great weekend! 

Thursday (Womens’ Day), was the most beautiful day - and perfectly suited to everything that the Village had to offer the visitors. 

Friday was an entirely different story - all in all about 70mm or more of hard rain the entire day. By the end of it all we were considering naming the house “A River Runs Through It”. Unfortunately until the York Road stormwater drainage system is revised, or we revise it at our own expense, No. 6 bears the brunt of literally thousands of litres of stormwater that have to go somewhere, and the eastern side of our property is where it all pours through.

Saturday dawned as clear as could possibly be and Bathurst once again became the centre of the universe - there were fetes, tractors tripping through the town ……….. it is after all a drinking Village with a farming problem ……… there were vintage cars and some really exciting vintage Motor Cross bike racing ………… all the bikes being pre-1990 and seemingly as fast as anything out there today judging by the speeds they were doing. There were Bokdrol Spoeg competitions, Artisan Milkshakes,  Stalls of every conceivable kind …………. and the highlight of the day on the Pig ’n Whistle Pool Patio - a Cook-off Competition between four Local Chefs. It was all done by “Draw”, with each chef getting what he drew out of the hat …….. Fish, Steak, Venison or Pork ……….. they were each then given a mystery box of ingredients and a mix and match selection of other ingredients plus two hours to create their dish. 

There was plenty of wine and beer on sale and a festive atmosphere worthy of Christmas. When the food was ready it was duly judged and plates then sold to the public for the princely sum of R35.00 a helping ………… all of it fantastic.

Sunday dawned almost as beautiful as Saturday - but at a somewhat slower pace, with most of the revellers having to cope with hangovers I am sure. Even the regular Sunday Farmer’s Market seemed to be considerably quieter than usual ………… but so much fun inevitably comes at a price.

Here are a few pics for those of you not lucky enough to have been here to share it all with us. ENJOY!

But first - This week's No. 6 Bird of the week

Black-Collared Barbet

No explanation necessary

Mary Riley with her two Al Paca's

Simply gorgeous

Patrick Rowley from The Ploughman's Pub at the helm of the Tractor Bus

John Peters giving me a finger of sorts

Pre -1990 Motor Cross

1938 MG T.A. in spotless condition

Beautiful!

A bit of history

Brian and Sandy Thomas hawking their wares

Steak waiting to be prepared at the Cook-off

Kirsten, Calem and Kristen handling the wine sales

The Town Crier (One of them!)

Lucille Came (Owner of the Pig 'n Whistle)

Craig Handley (Erstwhile owner of the Pig) and Steve

The Cook-off Judges at work

FRUSTRATIONS AND SATISFACTIONS

A week of frustrations and satisfactions indeed. Plenty went wrong (but quite a bit went right as well)………… primarily as a result of individuals not listening when given instructions and barreling ahead without taking my idiosyncrasies into account: things must be straight - they must be level - they must balance ……………. there is simply no room for compromise, and if you don’t do it the way I instruct you to it is going to have to be done again.  Despite all of this - and despite having to do virtually everything we tackled during the week twice - significant progress has been made and the end of this coming week should see the house pretty damn close to liveable. The Solar Water Heating frame worked out well and is in position on the kitchen roof with the geyser plumbed and mounted in place. Monday should see the Solar Panel fitted and plumbed in  - and ‘Voila’ - we will have hot water.  We should also have the kitchen and bathroom ceilings in and all of the fittings in the guest toilet and guest en-suite bathroom installed…….. and with a bit of luck, the main en-suite as well. 

While I tidied up the garden today and spent a good couple of hours cutting the grass, Petrus did a sterling job sealing, jointing and prepping both the guest toilet and the en-suite bathroom panels for painting on Monday. Once I had finished cutting the grass I strolled across to the Cafe and bought myself a bottle of cold Dry White. Bumping into Carl Penn, the Pig ’n Whistle Chef on my way back I invited him to join me in the garden for a tipple …………… what an absolutely pleasant experience for both of us: the peace in the garden was palpable - punctuated only by the Tsh tsh tsh ….. brrrrr - brrrrr - brrrr of the sprinkler and myriad birdsong from at least five or six different species as we sat there. My favourite little Chorister Robin-Chat hung about as we chatted, having perched himself on the handlebar of the mower while I was busy cutting earlier …………. seemingly determined to garner my attention at every possible chance. Our breeding pair of Ha Da Da’s that have their nest high above the lawn in the Coral Tree also simply sat and contemplated us there way below them. Sunbirds, Drongos, and Black-Headed Bul-Buls flitted back and forth, and a black-headed Oriole with its loud, liquid “Kleeeeeuuuu” also parked off above us in the Coral Tree. Four or five crowned Hornbills made a brief - if somewhat noisy - stopover high above us before zooming off to greener pastures elsewhere. Quite simply a very special afternoon - my first real sojourn in this garden that I fell in love with the first time I saw it, and one that I know is going to bring us a great many very happy hours in the future.

Bernard, Hartson and Luke left from Grahamstown for Cape Town last week Saturday by Intercity bus. Their parting was bittersweet in many ways…………they would have loved to have stayed on if work here was guaranteed, but I couldn’t make them that promise, and they weren’t prepared to take the risk of having to live with the very low daily wages here compared with what I have been paying them these past few years, and what they are able to earn in Cape Town - even if it is somewhat less than what I pay them. Petrus on the other hand loves it up here and is prepared to take his chances with me, believing that we will find the work to keep the ship afloat. Goodonya Petrus …….. lets hope that it all works out for the good and that we can get the other guys back sooner rather than later.

We did complete our first contract in Port Alfred around the middle of last week to the absolute satisfaction of the client ………… and we do have a few more tenders out - all we can do now is keep on punting our services and hold thumbs that everything comes together. We don’t take shortcuts, which is one of the virtues that has kept us happily busy in Newlands and Cape Town generally these past 20 odd years …………… So - if you are reading this and are in the Bathurst / Port Alfred / Kenton / Grahamstown  / Southwell general area and are in need of having some work done - then please - take a chance on us ……… we won’t let you down.

This coming week sees the Bathurst Country Affair taking place from the 9th - 12th August, and it looks like it is going to be a real humdinger. There is plenty planned, and a BCA Times has also been published around the event with coverage of everything that can be expected. If you happen to be anywhere close by be sure to pop in and make the most of what promises to be a Village Event to remember.

This week's York Road Bird - our little Chorister Robin on the lawnmower handlebars

Next week's up and coming Bathurst events

Some more of next weekend's events

Some of Chef Carl's Saturday morning market fare

The Pig 'n Whistle's 1st Saturday of the month Food Market

Chef Carl during set-up at the market

Dry walling complete and ready for painting

More Dry Walling complete

The Hot Water Cylinder on its newly constructed frame atop the scullery roof

Accidents happen!

This week’s York Road bird is the Fork Tailed Drongo. We have a number of them on the property, but there are a couple that have ingratiated themselves with us despite their questionable reputation. They are always there - just beyond physical reach, watching everything we do, from cutting fibre-cement boards with an angle grinder, to watering or raking the ground. On the farm I watch how four or five of them will apparently spend a few minutes attacking a cow ……………. but on closer inspection they are literally diving for  ticks or other parasites on the cow with such deftness one would believe that each and every trajectory is pre-planned and not simply the shortest distance between the bird and the insect. Goodonya Drongo!

Accidents happen!!!!!! …… They certainly do - and I was the victim of something very unexpected on Monday, which could, but for the space of literally two inches, have been fatal. I was handed an angle grinder which had been switched on but not been active because of a faulty plug. The person who handed me the grinder did not switch it off, and I, in a fairly dicey position on a ladder simply took the grinder from him, expecting to switch it on to do the cut I intended when I was ready. He then adjusted the plug and the grinder bucked into action throwing itself out of my hand and down towards my torso where the blade first grabbed my shirt and ripped into it before continuing on its downward trajectory  from my breastbone down to my waist. The sensation I felt was is if it was cutting right into my body as I struggled to get it under control ………….. fortunately the shirt worked to slow down the revolutions and protect my body from deep penetration by the blade, even though it exacerbated the width of the cut by allowing the material to rip the skin well wide of the blade width.  When it was switched off it was totally entangled in the ripped shirt and I had no sense of how deep the cut might be - all I could see was blood, and could only surmise as to the extent of the injury as we worked to cut the shirt away from the blade. 

My relief was huge as it became obvious that the cut was only skin deep, even though the width of the wound did worry me. I called Pat and she arrived within 15 minutes with the first-aid box and began by washing the wound with dettol before helping me change clothes and driving through to the Port Alfred hospital with me where I requested a Tetanus shot, feeling pretty sure that stitches weren’t necessary.

It was only after waking in the early hours of Tuesday morning and giving some detailed thought to what had happened that I really came to terms with how lucky I had been, and how close I had come to that age old comment, “Goodnight Nurse”. My very good friend and erstwhile educator, Brother Donald Kennedy, felt sure after viewing the picture of the cut I sent him that it was a case of Divine intervention and Whatsapped me his thoughts. The following morning however he Whatsapped again to say that he had done a reassessment of his considerations and decided that it was rather a question of “The Devil taking care of his own”. I’m not sure where this leaves me, or what the ‘designation’ of my guardian angel might be, but there definitely seems to be one of sorts hanging about as I tackle these things I do each day, quietly saying to myself as I tackle each new one, “I really am getting too old for all this shit”.

This little village continues to intrigue us - each day there are new people to meet - people doing uncalled for things within the community in consideration of their neighbours and fellow villagers ………… not in search of thanks or recognition, but simply because it is the right thing to do. I like that! Hopefully, sooner rather than later, we will find somewhere to slot in and also make our mark. I don’t believe that it is something one premeditates ………….. but rather something that one is invited into purely by accident if the mind is open and receptive to the suggestion.

Jesse continues to live the life of a spoiled child, literally going everywhere with us - which she loves. The cows and the donkeys are becoming more and more acceptable to her, and she has even begun striking up a relationship of sorts with ‘Bunny Ears’ the friendly donkey, and now allows ‘Bunny Ears’ to join us on our walks. Her attacks on the cattle too have dwindled to an unenthusiastic charge, quickly abandoned as she realises that they have little or no interest in her whatsoever. She has even stopped chasing the Roosters across the road at the Bistro, happier it seems to be accepted by the proprietors Liz and Anne and their occasional helper Maritza for what she is ……….. a really cute, sneaky, little Jack Russell cross that very quickly creeps into your heart (and your premises in search of titbits), however badly she might behave upon occasion.

Liz yesterday gave me the lowdown on the upcoming Bathurst Country Affair ………… its history, and what can be expected now that the various proprietors have been given the responsibilty of making their side of the event work rather than having an event manager. We are looking forward with interest and anticipation to this, our first experience of the event, and will post the programme here as soon as it becomes available.

Tonight a bunch of us are meeting for Tjop 'n Dop at Sally's to check out the Lunar Eclipse .......... let's hope the clouds dissipate.

The Fork-Tailed Drongo

What's in a name?

York Road is becoming more and more special every day ……………. there is so much to do still, but each day we are getting closer and closer ……………… yet further and further from the final completion that we envisage.

Does a house need a name? We have been talking about it. The first option was to go back to our first house in Irene and fall back on Zane Grey - those sentiments from my early teens - and go for “Pokey Moonshine II” ………….. I like it, but Pat ain’t sure …………… what about “Spirit of Place” she asks? How about just “6 York Road” I ask? Or simply “Being There” (Remember Peter Sellers in that amazing movie?).

Please help us out ……………. some suggestions at the bottom of the page would be very welcome ……………. First Prize is a night or two or three with us in Bathurst at a time that might best suit you.

One of the things that this page is going to do is present a bird from our property with every new posting. This entry’s selection is our very friendly Southern Bou Bou who really does spend his time very near at hand as we work in the garden …………… and has a call to absolutely die for (doesn’t that sound a bit gay?)……..not meant to …….. but it is beautiful. My plan is to build a photographic folder on Flickr dedicated purely to the 6 York Road bird population ……….. target = 50 ……………… Stay Tuned for the link as we move forward.

The garden seems to believe that Spring has arrived, despite it being mid-July. Attached are some pics of the flowering Quince, our Peach Blossoms, the early Coral Tree flowers, Strelizias that are looking beautiful everywhere and Camellias that present new buds every day in a display that is all their own. The drought has not been kind to gardens anywhere, but we seem to be very fortunate with new life happily presenting itself everywhere on this amazing piece of ground that surrounds us. I really can’t wait to finish work on the house, move in, and spend a bit of time sitting and soaking up the plants, the trees, the birds, the monkeys and quite amazing sense of overall peace that the entire environment lays down  in front of us each day.

Today is special in a number of ways …………… it is my daughter Chavane’s 40th birthday, (our baby girl is 40!!!!!!!!!! ….. that represents a shock all its own! Enjoy it my Darling - you are so very lucky to be spending it in Vietnam on board a Junk with Lee ……….. look after her Boet, you know how special she is to me).  It is also Rob Pienaar’s 73rd birthday - one of my oldest friends - my Best Man at my wedding - and someone whose intellect gives me continuing pleasure on a very regular basis - thanks Rob. It is also Tanya’s birthday - happy birthday for your daughter Hanro ………. timing it seems is one of those ‘accidents’ of nature?

Our resident Southern Bou Bou

The large Coral beginning to show its flowers

Looking back up the East side to the Flowering Quince

Flowering Quince

Looking across the South Side where serious tidying up is in progress

There are Strelitzias everywhere

The blue table seems to have found its spot

Where the Sweet Magnolias Blossom!

Wimbledon and the World Cup

There is no doubt that this week is all about sport: Both Wimbledon and the FIFA World Cup Semis and Finals. Upstairs in the cottage we have great reception on all the SABC and E channels ……… downstairs I have rigged one of my internet bought USB driven aerials on the Sinotec ………… perfect E and SABC 3, but watching the soccer is reminiscent of 1977 TV in South Africa - great sound and lots of snow, but it really is far too early for bed as Belgium tackle France for a spot in the final.

Anderson’s match with the Fed is going to have to be followed on the phone and an “after work” visit to the Pig or the Plougman’s……..as are all the other tennis matches I’m afraid.

After watching some bowls on Sunday morning (well into 1.45pm) where Charmain and Rosemary were marking we eventually found ourselves at Guido’s to celebrate Charmain’s birthday with her two grandaughters from Cape Town, Meghan and Jenna, and their other Grandparents  Derek and Glynnis who also live in Port Alfred. …………… all this wine and celebration followed again on Monday evening at Rosemary’s by a lovely potroast to say goodbye to Charmain who has been “packing for Perth”, and who left Tuesday for Cape Town before taking off for Perth next Monday. We are going to miss her brashly honest approach to almost everything, and wish her well during her ‘year out’ Down Under ………….. very much a necessary evil in this day and age  if you are able to do it considering the huge bagful of problems our country is facing - which only seem to grow fatter daily as the bagfull of arseholes who are running the country  manage to screw up things more and more as we move forward ………. or should I say ‘backward’. We did have a narrow escape on the way back to Bathurst on Monday night, just missing a black cow crossing the road …….. thank goodness for ABS braking and good enough tyres to hold the skid off to the right, allowing us a good 200mm clearance from an otherwise certain collision. Very scary stuff, with the Eastern Cape driving experience at night quickly catching up with Botswana and Mozambique.

Myself and two of my Zimbabwean team along with four locals started our very first Eastern Cape contract on Monday - a fairly substantial painting contract in Port Alfred with minimal markup  (just to get my foot in the door) - but something at least, and hopefully a stepping stone to more work in the area. It will inevitably set the house completion back a bit, but turnover is the name of the game, and at this stage I really do need to charge down everything that might become available ……………. just a little “nudge” and “reminder”  to all those we have met and got to know in the area.

On Sunday evening we decided to pop into the Bistro for a little musical “fix”. Not being able to fit in what we would have liked to have seen in Grahamstown. We did manage to take in one of our ‘old favourites’ …….. the very irreverent Nic Rabinowitz - funny as always and right to the point. A fantastic hour and a half of sidesplitting everyday honesty. Back to the Bistro: Barry played sets with Shannon Wright and Bev Brunette - hope I’ve got the spelling correct. The highlight for both Pat and I was Barry’s rendition of Joni Mitchell’s 1970 blockbuster “Big Yellow Taxi” ………. Joni would have been really proud I am sure. Bev we believe has recently moved back to Bathurst of three or so years out in the wilderness ……….. we look forward to hearing more of her music and the opportunity to get more pics of her in action. These sets were followed by some really reminiscent covers by Shugg Dry who was then joined for some great pieces by his dad Rod Dry from the Silver Creek Mountain band - nostalgia is a really good friend at times.

UPDATE ON THE HOUSE: Everything seems to be taking just that much longer than expected - but we really are making progress. Sometime today we should be able to do the final plumbing tests and shut down any leaks before tackling the drywall finishes and doing the final plastering in the bathrooms and kitchen - this will be a huge hurdle completed………….then with a bit of luck by the middle of next week we will have all of the electrical wiring complete and ready for “hook up”. 

The garden is looking stunning, with cuttings robbed from the entire area being planted everywhere in Pat’s newly landscaped beds, with her now the object of the Cape Robins’ and Chorister Robins’ attentions ……….. also now being followed by the Sunbirds in search of a shower as she waters the beds. There are three or four Drongas that also keep an eye on her in search of titbits as she digs and scratches in the beds and a thrush or two that appear every now and then.

The weather has been incredible - with the exception of two or three cool days its like summer here with temperatures during the day regularly approaching 27 degrees. We certainly haven’t experienced anything approaching “winter”, and are beginning to wonder if we have been fooled and are going to end up the subjects of a cruel joke.

Until next time ………

Shannon Wright 

Shannon backing Barry on "Big Yellow Taxi"

Anne's very photogenic son Tainn (The girls are going to love him!)

Homemade Tagliatelle at the Bistro (The only way to go)

Bev Brunette giving us a taste of things to come

Rod Dry and son Shugg delivering some nostalgia

Tainn concentrating on the company

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

Drywalls and drainage

The house is really beginning to move forward now. After getting the framing up for the drywalling today the spaces suddenly begin to take on meaning. The Bedroom 2 en suite and the guest toilet are no longer concepts that reside in my head - they are real spaces …………… and we have now been able to finally establish exactly how the drainage, waste water and fitting layouts are going to work in respect of the confined under-floor spaces. The drainage run down to the new septic tank is complete and we start digging the tank hole tomorrow. Meanwhile we will get the guest room shower base in place in the morning and begin fibreglassing so that we can get the wall sheeting into place. Most of the electrical conduiting has been plastered in and by lunch time tomorrow we will begin the wall construction finishing on the bathroom and bedroom 3 en-suite, and get the roof on - hopefully all by the end of the week……………..hold thumbs and wish us luck.

On Saturday last the Ploughman’s had what was ostensibly a “Solstice” party …………. covering as a 55th birthday party for Michelle. They had a really good thrash that followed the rugby - Belly dancers, various other dance idioms by the local ladies, a really hilarious set by Patrick and the guys, a very tasty pig on the spit and some great disco music in the barn. All in all a very enjoyable ‘Jol’. 

(As an aside: We took along a salad, a packet of Doritos, our ‘picnic bag’ with plates, knives, forks etc., …………… butter and rolls  and so on …….. only to get back to the table to find a lady who had parked off, opened everything, helped herself to a plate, knife and fork, opened the salad and Doritos, used all the butter on a couple of the rolls and well and truly “dug” in to everything we had brought along ……………. and totally un-phased at my query as to how she could do this, simply carried on helping herself with me sitting right there. What do you do?????)

With the Grahamstown National Arts Festival starting next week, exhibitors and artists are beginning to arrive in the area from all over South Africa  - and the world ………. and I believe that as always, Bathurst is “first” port of call for drinks and meals, so the next couple of weeks should see quite an influx one way and another. We are busy planning one or two days there ………. co-ordinating shows, exhibitions, concerts and trying to fit everything together so as to get as much as possible in on the days that we will be able to visit……………..hoping against hope that by the time we get round to making our bookings there are still a couple of slots left.  Really looking forward to it all …………… though from my point of view, as long as we are able to get into a couple of the jazz cafe gigs I will be entirely happy. Watch this space for updates and reviews!!!!!!!

Sunday Farmers' Market Vendor

Sunday Farmers' Market Vendor

Sunday Farmers' Market Vendor

Sunday Farmers' Market Vendor

Sunday Farmers' Market Vendor (The Troubador - Poetry while you wait)

The girls performing at Michelle's party

Michelle (Right) enjoying the entertainment

Patrick (Michelle's hubby - left) leading the pack of wild dogs in dance

And last but not least ....... the stud walls on their way up