Saturday 1 February

Today is Kenilworth's biggest annual event - the J&B Met. In case you don't know, it's a prestigious horserace (and fashion show), and even though I've lived in Kenilworth for five-and-a-half years, I've never been to it. Not to worry, I'm sure the commentary will be loud enough from here and it will be on TV anyway, won't it? Not that I'll be watching it - I'll probably be watching the extended highlights package of the rugby game I watched live at Newlands last Saturday. Today is the day to avoid driving around in Kenilworth because the roads will be parked up and later on there'll be tipsy race-goers wandering around all over the place in their fancy clothes. Still, it will be good practice for when the Cricket World Cup starts in a week's time since the opening ceremony is in Newlands, just two suburbs away. No doubt roads around here will be extremely busy then too and there'll be oddly-clad people wandering around drunkenly, waving national flags. In fact we should try and rent out our garage to some desperate foreign cricket fan for large wads of cash. But we won't because our car will only get broken into if we park it in the road, won't it?

Lauren (my sister, in case you've already forgotten) is also arriving back from her holiday trip today. Hmmm, I hear the helicopters hovering around outside already and it's only nine-thirty. Traffic reports? I don't know. Maybe they're just trying to get a bird's eye view of the Kenilworth Racecourse. Anyway Lauren and Ross are arriving back today. The last time we saw Lauren was on New Year's Eve, the day after my birthday. And let me just make this entirely clear - New Year's Eve is not my birthday. Verity. Or anyone who gets confused about how many days there are in December. Thirty-one. But I'm on the thirtieth and to make it even easier this year (way, way at the end, but not on the last day) will be my thirtieth and I might have to have a party so that most of my friends will actually remember it this year. Yes, all your apologies are accepted, and I'm sorry if I forgot yours too last year. Which reminds me, I'm writing birthdays on a calendar this year so send me yours ok? Oh and Marleen I didn't forget yours on the 18th of January, I just left it too late to send you an email, what with you being so many hours ahead in Australia. And if you have a mobile number, let me have it, will you?

I need another coffee. I think Wendy and Michael are still trying to sleep, but what with those helicopters and our opposite neighbour's friends still leaving noisily from last night's party, they can't be having too much success. Actually if I could have, I would have slept too because Wendy and I were out last night with Verity and some of her friends and we must have got back after one, which is quite reasonable, but I definitely haven't had eight hours of sleep. Michael was also up until after 12, working on some Java course material and other computer stuff. He's signed up for five modules with Unisa this year and if he can finish those and another five next year then he'll have his degree. He did really well last year and passed all seven!

I'll write a bit more later. I'm trying to get myself to give fiction-writing another go, so I'm going to work on a bit of that right now and only after that I'll actually think about getting dressed for the day (as opposed to being in my pyjamas).

Tuesday 4 February

I did mean that I would write more later that day, but I remember thinking, as I was writing it, that it might turn out to be a lie. After all, I'm not the only one who uses the computer. And I had other things to do on Saturday like watch the Rugga Show for two-and-a-half hours and contemplate making supper. As it turned out we ordered Butler's Pizza since Lauren and Ross only arrived after eight pm and by that time I was in no mood to make dinner for five. I did that today though because Lauren and Ross were here before they went to watch a movie with Wendy. Michael and I could also have gone, or I could have gone if he didn't want to. But I wasn't really in the mood so it wasn't really worth even the half-price Tuesday cost. Anyway I had to work on my newsletter, didn't I? To be honest I would prefer to be watching the Stormers playing the Sale Sharks in Manchester, England right now. They should have started the "friendly" in the last ten minutes, but unfortunately it's not being televised. We were lucky to watch their first warm-up game for the year live at Newlands along with more than 40 000 other people. And then I watched it again on TV on Saturday. It was wonderful - entertaining, certainly, and it's always better when they come away with a win, and they did. We have to find somewhere to watch them live on TV on Friday when they play the South African Sharks team. They're playing each other in London and we don't have the extra pay channels so we'll have to go to a pub or something to see them. Funny, on Thursday last week I think the Stormers had a day off before they were due to fly to England the next day, and I saw two of them at Cavendish Square. Tamsyn and I went to watch "A Big, Fat Greek Wedding" (which incidentally was one of the best things I've ever watched) and when we left at the end of the movie, Pieter Dixon was walking out ahead of us. And then not long after that I spotted Gaffie du Toit (who moved from the Sharks to the Stormers this season, Darlene and Kerry) wandering around the mall with his wife/girlfriend/someone-he-was-holding-the-hand-of.

Anyway I know many of you can't stand to read the rugby stuff so I'd better shut up about it. But I've got to say it was fantastic to see some live rugby action again. We might even get season tickets this year, I'm just waiting for WP Rugby to email me and then we can go and see what's available. It's one reason we have to save money on other things. Another reason is me not earning money. But I'm being very good about looking after our finances now, doing this daily budget and expenses thing.

Like I said earlier, I'm trying to get into writing fiction again. I've got about 40 pages of practice stuff done already (since I started a week ago). The big problem for me with writing is thinking: "Now what can I write about that won't offend or upset anyone, but that will still be interesting to read?" Yes, I know, I can't worry about what other people will think and you can't please everyone all of the time. But then maybe writing isn't what I should be doing. Not a good enough reason not to do it, I know. I was also thinking how much I disliked studying English Literature at university. It was really dull and seemed so pretentious. But that doesn't mean anything either. I'm not very good at describing things and that seems quite critical to me, but hey everyone's got to work on their skills. One of my friends said to me today that if I did write a novel that got published, she'd be the first to buy it and that it would be really exciting especially since she'd be able to get my autograph and show it off to everyone else. Anyway please don't ask me what I'm writing about at the moment - it's just about people and I'm just practicing.

I still haven't done a CV and that's really because I still can't think of a job I would want to apply for. If I get to the point where I am forced to, I will. But maybe before I get to that point, I will actually be able to write something to sell. The idea of actual journalism still puts me off and the only thing I do that comes close to journalism is doing these newsletters. Oh and admiring the way Gavin Rich writes rugby stories.

It's late now and I hope to continue this tomorrow. Tamsyn's coming around (she quit her job at the beginning of last week so she has weekdays free until she finds another one) and Lauren (my sister) and Lauren (her friend) are coming here as well. Lauren is sleeping at other-Lauren's tonight. Although their idea to visit here tomorrow clashes with Tamsyn arriving here and she and I going out together, I don't see that there will be a problem. We may all take the train through to town or something. Anyway I'll also try to get more fiction-writing practice tomorrow so I may not get a chance to continue this action-packed summer issue, but I will definitely try. It's way overdue and I honestly can't see how I will be able to fit in all the stuff that's happened in the past three months, so the longer I leave it, the fewer details you will get. But that is probably just as well.

Thursday 6 February

When I had the chance to write last night, I was too tired, so I didn't. In the morning I did some "work" on that fiction-thing again and then I spent the afternoon with Tamsyn. Initially we were here and then we headed to town and at some point met up with Lauren and Lauren at the Wimpy in St George's Mall. Lauren Reid had lugged her fat photo album along with her so that she could show me her photo's of her time working at a Catholic Girls School in England. Serves her right for not wanting to visit me at home instead. I allowed Tamsyn to buy me a T-shirt at Truworths even though she doesn't have a job at the moment. Actually she ripped it from my hands after I'd fitted it on with no intention of buying it (even at 50% of the original price) so that I couldn't stop her from buying it for me. This meant when we had to hand in our plastic discs indicating the number of items we had taken in with us, I had nothing in my hand and the fitting-room attendent had to be satisfied with me saying, "She's got mine". Tamsyn had already marched out ahead with four items when she was meant only to have three. Not sure that woman is very good at counting items of clothing. Anyway that was very sweet of Tamsyn especially since she'd already bought me a birthday present.

Last night at Newlands they had the dress rehearsal for the Cricket World Cup opening ceremony where the public could pay to go and watch it. Anyway we kept hearing a helicopter and when we had a proper look by going out into the garden Michael and I saw it was hovering around with a huge SA flag hanging from it. Anyway we assumed it was part of the ceremony. I'm sure Kelvin could tell us. He and Belinda (his wife) have been doing volunteer work for this opening ceremony thing and when I was in town yesterday I phoned him because I thought I could visit him at his office finally. [19 Feb update: I have visited him there now - really posh office!] But he was at Newlands, busy with that whole thing. It's his birthday today and I have tried calling him, but after first calling him at the office, had to eventually leave voicemail on his cell. I'll watch the actual opening ceremony on TV on Saturday and look out for the helicopter. Since I don't "do" cricket, though, I won't be watching any of the games. I'll wait for the Rugby World Cup later this year, thanks.

Speaking of rugby (sorry), I called WP Rugby earlier to check what was happening with season tickets and apparently they are still busy with renewals and new people will only be considered in March. A moment of silence from my end, then: "So… if you want to watch games before then, you have to…" (me) "Pay for them yes" (the WP Rugby woman). Oh very encouraging, my friends. I only thought afterwards that I should have asked if you would be refunded for the other tickets later then. But I suppose she might have laughed at me so I don't really regret not thinking to ask it. I suppose I will have to ask Jason how it works when I am forced to buy the tickets for the 21st Feb game. On that day the Stormers play their first Super 12 game against the Sharks. They'll be playing the Sharks tomorrow actually, in England, and I have to find somewhere for us to watch it on TV. Both of them beat the English teams they played on Tuesday evening and even if they didn't play their best at least they won, is all I can say. After what happened in England in November last year any win is fantastic. We were in Mpumulanga on holiday at the time and oddly enough as soon as that horrific game ended there was a power failure and we had to light candles in memory of the Springboks. When we watched them lose to Scotland a week before that, we couldn't even watch it properly because suddenly our M-Net reception went mad and a guy actually had to come out to our cabin/chalet and replace a booster (don't even ask me what that is). This took quite some time so we didn't see much of the game. A blessing in disguise really.

I've just been outside. It reminded me that I forgot to water the patio plants this morning. A couple of them I actually water twice a day because some of the pansies just can't take the heat. No really, they are pansies. I was lucky enough to get grabbed by one of the many fantastic thorns on this large palm-type plant we have out there. Sometimes they actually hook onto my clothes or even my hair. Ideally it should be in a much bigger pot so that the leaves aren't hanging so low.

Anyway I spotted some of the chameleons while out there. Five of them even - four babies and one middle-sized one. The latter is one of the "litter" of five we found in September last year and is still only half adult size. I now only see two of that family regularly, and since we came back from our November/December holiday, have only seen in total three of that lot, so it's a little sad, but hopefully the others have just got other territories now. There are also three adults we used to see that we haven't seen since we came back from holiday and I doubt they all suddenly died of old age while we were gone. Suspicious. Actually I am convinced one of them is the mother of these (at least) four little ones I found not long after we got back from the holiday. It's like she gave birth to them and then just disappeared off the face of the earth. Oh well, the circle of life and all that. Still at least we have still seen about nine (including these new ones) so our chameleon population isn't dying out or anything. I know I must sound obsessed, but really I'm not that bad. I haven't even continued the chameleon diary on the Web since the holiday. It's like having pets without caging them in. I've got to tell you about these new babies though. At night when it's getting dark they climb to the tips of leafless twigs on the red bush we have in the garden. Some of the twigs are at the top of the bush so we can't really get close to them, but others are easily accessible. Once they settle they have their eyes tightly shut and even if you talk right next to them they stay fast asleep. I've taken a couple of photos of them during this "phenomenon", but I am yet to finish the spool and see if they will develop decently. The flash doesn't even bother them, but then, as I said, their eyes are squeezed shut. Anyway you'd have to see it to know how odd it looks. It's like they're inviting nocturnal birds to eat them yet this never happens.

Okay so what's been happening since the last newsletter? I just had a brief look at it now - it was written so long ago. So this means quite a lot has happened. But there's not been anything truly momentous so I can probably be excused for omitting lots of things. Okay Amanda giving birth to baby Hannah-Joy on 30 November was pretty big. Instead of having breakfast with Michael and me as planned Amanda decided to go into labour in the early hours of the morning. So, coincidentally, as we sort of had hoped (see the last ADT), she had her baby earlier than expected and while we were spending a couple of days with Michael's family in Pretoria. It actually didn't go well and Amanda ended up spending a bit of time in ICU after being allergic to something and not taking to the epidural (after five attempts) and having to go under general anaesthetic and not being able to breathe (I'm sure the list goes on). When we went to see her the next day she hadn't even got into the bed in her private room yet (having just left ICU) and hadn't seen her baby much either. But by the time we left (an hour later?) she'd got relatively comfortable in the bed, ordered her meals for the next day and got to hold Hannah again. Hannah could then also move into the room with her mother and of course I was forward enough to hold her too.

Unfortunately the photo's we took didn't develop (who knows why!), but I'll put one of their photo's in this issue. In fact I've got one that I haven't opened yet (long story about sizes of jpgs) and I am going to dial in now and pick up my mail so that I can see it. I'll probably use that.

My goodness, she looks entirely different! But then we saw her when she was a day old. I'll put the newborn pic in too so you can compare. The thing is, Amanda told me she looked the same, only darker, but it's a total lie. Mothers. She's back at work this week - Macjerry's sister is the nanny.

I can't really remember much of what happened before we went on holiday. I know it was Lauren's birthday on the 7th of November and we went out for dinner the following evening in celebration of it. We went to Bardelli's on Kenilworth Road - Lauren, Ross, me, Michael, my dad, Wendy and Jef. I think we all enjoyed the meal even though the waiters were missing or too busy most of the time. The 8th was also Karen's daughter, Caila's birthday, and Michael and I popped into her party that Karen organised in a hall (it was her crown birthday, since she was eight that day and yes they were having a party with dance music for her). We got fed some breyani there even though we were going out for dinner. Earlier in the day I had taped some music for Caila's party because Karen and Kevin weren't convinced the DJ was going to show up. But he did so I think they threw my tape in the bin after they played it once because Kevin had an evil look in his eye when he said "thanks for the tape, we listened to it before the DJ set everything up" or something like that. He'd collected it from me in the morning since he works near our house. Yes, I remember he had coffee here and wanted to see the chameleons, but didn't want any bodily contact with them.

I think I had lunch with Debbie in town again before my trip. She hated her new job and was set on leaving it by the end of the year (she started in September). And she did. While we were away on holiday she resigned and left on 20 December I think. She was re-employed last week by the same company. One difference was that in the first job she had been outsourced to a different company as a Payroll manager and now she's a consultant and outsourced somewhere else. Much happier, better people to work with etc, but apparently still wants me to come to town and have lunch with her. I just got an email from her earlier when I got Hannah's pic. So at least I know she wants to be friends with me when the going's both good and bad. Not that I was wondering haha. While she wasn't working we went out a couple of times and I visited her house for the first time a couple of weeks ago, the Friday before she was due to start her new job. She had treated me to lunch earlier in the day after giving me Will Young's (fantastic) CD and then treated me to ice-cream at the beach later. Actually we tried walking on the beach (Blouberg), but the wind was wild and the sand stung our legs so we made a quick escape. Greg (her husband) was also at home that day (he'd taken the day off from work) and made an olive bread when I was there. I haven't asked Debbie how it turned out. [19 Feb update - she said she didn't get a chance to taste it - he ate it all up.]

We left on 14 November. It was a road-trip and I don't drive so although it was Michael's vacation away from work, he had to do all the work to get us to our various destinations. Yes I do actually feel bad about that, but anyway let's not go there. He didn't complain, at least. The first place we stayed was in Port Elizabeth, which is about eight hours' drive from Cape Town. I suppose I could wrack my brain to try to remember how that drive was, but I'm not sure it's worth it. I do think it was a mild-weather drive (compared to most of the later very hot ones). And I remember thinking Knysna looked, well… nice nuh. Anyway PE was where we were overnighting on the way to Bushman's Nek in the Drakensberg, Kwazulu-Natal. We'd booked a bed & breakfast place from the AA's accommodation guide. It was a really lovely large ensuite bedroom in an old (but well-maintained) Victorian-style house. It also had a balcony leading from the bedroom and we ate our dinner out there after we went to buy some fresh rolls (to go with our cold chicken) at a nearby Spar. We had a very early breakfast the following morning. The coffee was awesome, but actually generally the breakfast part of a B&B kind of gets wasted on me if I need to eat early because I don't have an appetite before at least nine a.m. Of course I do eat, but it's just not as pleasant as it might be. Our host was very talkative. Very. And I think our getaway could have been made sooner if he didn't talk so much. At least he gave us muffins and yoghurt for the road too and we could re-freeze our ice-bricks in the communal kitchen overnight. We never actually ate the muffins. I had a nibble or two so that I didn't feel so bad about throwing them out, but really they were filled with raisins and we just don't eat those things. The only exception I make for them is hot cross buns, although I'd prefer the buns without them.

Anyway the talkative man was actually quite helpful when it came to telling us the best way to go to get to Bushman's Nek, but we still did not realise it would take twelve long, hot hours to get there. It was about the same distance from PE to there as it was from CT to PE, but there were roadworks everywhere and animals walking in the roads (sheep, goats, cows, baboons - actually the baboons may only have been later) and people walking in the roads when we had to go through towns etc. And bad roads (even though they were national roads) and at the end of it a dirt road of 25 km for us. We saw some big-eared rabbits or possibly hares while driving in to Bushman's Nek in the dark. Oh yes we had to stop at Umtata to do grocery-shopping because we knew there was this long dirt road (actually 35 km from the other direction - the road we took when we left) and no supermarket as such in there. The Spar in Umtata was not the best. Let's just leave it at that.

Wednesday 19 February

My apologies, I meant to finish this issue ages ago. Ironically the reason I haven't is because I've been writing. You know, as mentioned before, the whole re-attempt at fiction thing. Anyway in the past three weeks I've written 170 pages. Yes 170 pages of it, all filled with lies and made-up people. It's mostly dialogue at the moment because that's the part I like to do best even though I don't speak all that much myself. So 170 pages is probably not that long if you take into account all those empty lines between paragraphs, but yes I know most of you will go into shock at the thought of someone writing 170 pages in about 22 days. Really it's not even ten pages a day. Anyway so I've been neglecting a lot of other things and don't even get eight hours sleep a night any more. I haven't been emailing except on the odd urgent occasion and I haven't been doing this newsletter. And the house is looking neglected although I still do the laundry and the washing-up and cooking most days etc and the bare minimum of cleaning which is always my worst anyway. Bad, I know. Mostly I don't even tell people I've been writing because nothing might come of it and also I don't feel like explaining what I'm writing about. Half of it will probably never make it past my own eyes, the rest of it, well, it will probably have to be amended and fleshed out quite a bit before I let anyone else read it. And then who knows? I still think I'm too private to be a bona fide writer, even if it is a fiction-writer. It may be fiction, but I still write what comes out of my head of course and then I get embarrassed and think: oh right like I'll ever let anyone ever read this.

Did you ever notice how the only South African fiction books you see are all political or cultural or intense and deep? I'm sure there are others out there, but maybe the normal, more light-hearted or fun ones just never make it past a publisher. You have to buy British or American books if you want that sort of thing. The ones I read. So I write a bit like they do and it makes me feel a little like a fraud, like I'm not being South African enough about it, not writing about the lingering effects of apartheid. Well actually I do sometimes bring a bit of that into my stuff, but not like in that whole deeply analytical blah-blah socio-political way. But really, it's fine, I'll manage. I just don't want everybody asking me now how my writing is going and what kind of story am I writing etc - it's always about people and the way they relate and talk to each other, and just issues, I suppose. And it's a little funny in places, I hope. Just so you know that when you ask me what I've been up to, it's more than just sleeping, listening to music and reading (although I do still do those, but less of the reading and sleeping now that I'm hooked on writing this thing I'm writing). And of course I try to keep the house in one piece and try not to spend money and I watch rugby when I can (without DSTV and M-Net it's a bit hard and I don't think those season tickets are going to happen either so I have to make the most of this Friday's game at Newlands, savour it. Which means they'd better win! Kelvin is also going to be there, taking Natalie, who started big school this year, to her first game). And I do see some of my friends and try to phone others (anyone want to sponsor my phonebill so I can do even better at that?) and people visit me and I do still chameleon-spot. The photos we (mostly I) took of them, a 24-spool, weren't very successful, but they could have been worse. I got my first email yesterday from someone who read my chameleon diary and I started thinking I should continue it, at least update some of the stuff. Anyway I haven't emailed him back yet either, not surprising considering I am more than a month behind with my mail (sorry Earl, yours is the oldest one I have to do. I don't mean you are the oldest, I mean your email is the oldest unanswered one - from 13 Jan and ticking, I think). But I will get to that when I've got this newsletter done and dispatched.

I'm not including any email comments from you guys in here this time partly because it'll only make this longer and they're generally just people saying nice things and really do you all want to read about other people saying how they like my newsletter all the time? But mainly it's just because it's been such a long time since the last one and to go and look for all of them now (I haven't printed them as they came along) seems a bit long-winded and unnecessary, but thanks to those of you who encouraged me to do another one. And not just in emails, in person and on the phone as well.

I was telling you about our November/December trip, wasn't I? Shocking how long ago it was. I should actually have scanned in some pics from the trip, but I think it's too late and too much hassle now. Perhaps I will add them to the online version of the newsletter at a later stage, but what are the chances? I should really have a digital camera or my own scanner, but I don't. Yes I suppose if I worked I could afford something, but I don't (whose fault is that, you might ask and of course it's mine). Right, Bushman's Nek:

Pro's	Cons
No cellphone reception	No cellphone reception
No phone in log cabin	No phone in log cabin
Nice wooden (of course) log cabin with M-Net and good self-catering stuff	Semi-detached with slightly creaky floor and you have to cook your own food.
Pretty Drakensberg mountains, really nice view from cabin	Had to pay for a permit to walk in the mountains but it was worth it apart from the red ticks and being unfit.
Getting away from the mad city life - really it was quite a nice change although you know Cape Town can be pretty mellow anyway and where we live it's quite peaceful. But the Drakensberg is beautiful even though I've only seen a small part of it.	Not being able to just walk into a shop and buy whatever you feel like especially since the Trading Post store with very limited supplies near the cabin only takes cash unless you buy for more than R150 in one go and we didn't bring much cash.
Taking an hour-long horse ride in the pretty open mountainside for the first time ever - pretty exciting. And I thought my horse had a nice-looking mane. (Unlike Debbie, I don't check out horse bums so I don't know how his rated)	Falling off my horse. I wasn't hurt and Michael said I looked like a stuntperson - he probably only said this because he felt bad that it was his horse (Rebecca - a girl) who kicked mine (Starlight - a boy) and because I said that the only thing I'd had on my mind was to control my fall.
Playing tennis and mini-golf, especially since they fixed the Putt-putt obstacle course somewhere between the first time we played and the next time, so at least they look after the facilities.	One pair of Michael's shoes getting ruined on the tennis court and the other, brand new Hi-tec hiking-boot pair, popped a lace-hook thing, so we weren't too impressed because they were specifically bought for walking in the Berg.
Someone coming to make your bed everyday.	Someone coming to make your bed everyday, meaning you actually have to get out of it first.
A hotel restaurant so we didn't have to cook for two of the nights.	Too expensive to eat there more than two nights.
Michael made a couple of great braais. And none of the cons are serious cons, they're true, but no big deal - it was good to go there!	We had to ask them for a portable braai thing because there wasn't one outside our chalet door like there was supposed to be, but they were very good at getting one to us quickly.

I'm not doing that Pro's and Cons thing for the Mpumulanga place because you're probably sick of it by now. Plus it takes up too much space and I want to be briefer than I just was. The journey there took about twelve mostly scorchingly hot hours. I tried to get creative with Wet Wipes, but really they were more sticky in that heat than anything else. Anyway when we eventually got there in the dark it was quite a cool drive up to reception because it looked like tropical Africa or something, big frogs leaping about in the headlights and dense trees. Well, that's how it looked in the dark, and there were people laughing at the outside bar area, having a good time, when we got to reception. We were shown to our simplex by a guy who then stood around until I hinted at Michael to tip him. It was really hot in the simplex and we didn't need that right then, but turning on the aircon was blissful. Nice spacious place with slanted high ceiling. It was funny that the main bedroom was actually part of the open-plan lounge and kitchen area, but I think it was so that the aircon would be effective in most of the place. There was another bedroom that we didn't need to use. Probably the thing that I will remember most about the place is waking up to vervet monkeys running around on the roof on some mornings. There were also baboons, but I don't think they ever did that, while we were there anyway. There were certain spots you could stand outside and get cell-phone reception if you were lucky but we did also have a phone in the room. You had to go via the switchboard to make a call because the direct thing wasn't working. There were a couple of power failures probably thunderstorm-related. We did a couple of walks there and they were quite all right, I spotted some sort of buck once and we saw some interesting-looking lizards. They also had a bushbuck and an impala in a large fenced off area and two sets of rabbits and aviaries. Oh and pools in an attractive setting. Nice place, but we didn't exactly mingle with the other people. Not that we did at Bushman's Nek, but anyway. We thought we wouldn't leave Gethlane Lodge for the entire week (as had happened with Bushman's Nek) because of the yukky dirt road, but I had to get out just once at least because honestly sometimes you need the outside world (not just resort people) around and other things to see. So we had a day out to Pilgrim's Rest (which was so lovely) and we saw the Blyde River Canyon and Bourke's Potholes and God's Window and the three Rondavels. What else? Anyway it was a refreshing change. If we'd had a 4x4 ("I couldn't live without my 4x4" - Blue - Ain't Got You [British, but doing their American thing, ag shame]) anyway if we'd had a 4x4 instead of our car that was really very good to us actually, we would probably have left the Lodge every day because although you can go on walks there and look at their caged animals and soak up the aircon in the room it's really just a base. So I would really recommend it for that, but otherwise a resort can get dull if you're stuck in it for a week. But we were fine, we had some DSTV channels too so Michael had some relaxing times just zoning out on Cartoon Network. He probably enjoyed the two weeks better than I did because it was a break from work and that wasn't what it was for me.

Then it was the turn of Pretoria and Johannesburg and from the time we left that stony dirt road, it was almost a pleasure driving to Pretoria, just because the roads were easier and it took a lot less time than we had expected it to and than the other trips had. So I think we reached Waterkloof, where Michael's parents house is, in the late morning. His mother was there to welcome us and we got to be the first (I think) to sleep in their renovated en-suite guestroom. They were still busy tiling the new shower, but we could use it anyway and the room looked really lovely, I was impressed. My memory's not so good about the whole trip any more, but I know we went to fetch Julie (Michael's sister) from school and Wendy (Michael's mother) wanted to buy us a Royal Cape Plumbago so we went to a new garden centre and adopted a plant that then had to stay with us in Pretoria a couple of days and then travel to Joburg and spend a couple of days with us there and then go via the awesome Gariep Dam (where we overnighted) and sit outside our patio door there and finally spend a few more days in its bag in Cape Town before getting planted. It has flowered again since then (better than the first time), but is currently just green again. Right, and then we had drinks and desserts at a coffee shop type place and then visited Michael's other sister, Ange and her baby, Amy. Or toddler, Amy. Ange gave us a tour or their new house, which is really fantastic. It was while we were there that I arranged with Amanda that we have breakfast out with her the next morning. She didn't even tell me she had a near-death experience in the traffic with a bus that morning. Clearly this is what made Hannah-Joy toss and turn that night and think: "I'm not spending one more day in here, I'm sorry!" causing Amanda to go into labour and phone me after seven in the morning from the hospital to tell me she couldn't make breakfast. "I'm sorry, Mel, but I'm in labour." Right. Good. Or not so good as it turned out, the birth, but like I said, they are fine now.

What did we do that night? Michael's father (Rob) came home from work, I'm sure of that. And I'm pretty sure we had a braai both nights, one with Ange, Paul (her husband) and Amy and the other without. But I am up for correction. And there may have been a bit of rain both evenings. And on the Saturday evening Michael and I also went out for drinks with Robin and Vernon (Michael's friends). That was fun, I think, wasn't it? Even though Michael and Vernon thought our waiter guy was funny-looking. There was a huge-headed baby nearby I thought was much more odd-looking. Vernon was much thinner (some people, you know) and had his hair dyed a strange colour. Robin had his natural hair-colour for a change. I'm sure neither of them will actually get this far in the newsletter so I can say whatever I like, I think. Or maybe not. I'm still disappointed I didn't know before Robin left in it that he had a new VW Bug because I would have asked for a drive in it. Okay I'm not still actually disappointed, I'm just disappointed in theory which isn't the same thing. We also went to Menlyn with Julie and had lunch there on the Saturday, I think. On Sunday we went to visit Amanda and Macjerry and Hannah-Joy at the hospital and then met Wendy and Julie at the cinema in the nick of time for the start of the latest Harry Potter movie that Wendy was treating us to. We'd booked it online (a frustrating affair) earlier in the day. What with all the hype, it was enjoyable, but really is it ever as fantastic as they keep telling you it is before you go? Not really. Still it was worth it. It wasn't too long after that we left for Joburg. Unfortunately we didn't get to watch Julie in her school nativity play (with the "real baby" Jesus) because we didn't think we wanted to get to Joburg in the dark when we'd never been to my mother's new flat before.

Luckily we didn't get lost finding it. Anyway she was there to welcome us (good thing, otherwise I don't know how we could have got in) and luckily we could park our car inside the security gate. We had a quiet evening, just chatting and of course getting a tour of the flat and the garden. I'm glad my mother's found somewhere good to stay. She'd taken two days off work so that she could spend Monday and Tuesday with us and then we were due to leave on Wednesday morning when the solar eclipse that was 100% in parts of Limpopo province, took place. Although it was about 90% or something where we were in Gauteng, you could hardly notice that it got slightly darker, especially since there was some cloud-cover anyway, but we did use our eclipse glasses and stopped at an Engen to see the fullest bit. Anyway we arranged to have dinner with Marilyn (who I used to work with and who my mother also worked with in HR when we were all at UCT), Jermaine and Maxine on the Monday evening. We met at the Randburg Waterfront and had a good evening there, even took some photos (also not scanned). Earlier in the day I think we were at some shops and also went to the Lifestyle Garden Centre and had lunch there. Marcia (friend from my first year at Rhodes) had got in touch so that we could arrange to see each other. Since my mother was cooking for us on Tuesday evening (lamb curry), we invited her and Dion over. We had a delicious supper and it was good to catch up with them again even though the discussions over dinner got a bit intense at one stage when all I was asked was what I really want to do work-wise. Of course, you know I don't like the topic, so I just got a bit out of hand under pressure. Anyway that's all in the past , I can laugh about it now (ha ha), okay not laugh, but I think I've chilled now even though I do obviously still feel bad I'm not making money. Marcia called me days later, when we were safely back in Cape Town, to check that my blood pressure had returned to normal basically. She'll say: "That wasn't the reason! I just wanted to make sure you were okay", so yes okay that's what it was. Anyway I'm glad we got to see where my mother lived and to spend some time with her even though by that time I was a little homesick and was looking forward to seeing that fantastic Table Mountain again. And the chameleons of course (haha). But seeing my mother after so many months was halfway to going home anyway so that was great. And then she was in Cape Town from just before Christmas to just after New Year's as well so it was good for the whole family to be in Cape Town. And then my birthday was on 30 December and although most of my friends forgot my birthday (it's fine, I am used to it, or I think I am until I get to the day and the phone's all quiet most of the time), but I suppose after this year's one I'll hope that everyone forgets it in future. But my dependable relatives were around, they would never forget it and I guess that's one thing that can make family special. Isn't it? As with Christmas, I was spoilt with lovely gifts and thanks to everyone who called or smsed or visited or sent me virtual cards (okay I just got one of those). It's a pity I didn't bake something for it because I do a bit of that sometimes now, but I'm naturally lazy on my birthday, that's what birthdays are for, aren't they? Other people looking after you. Throwing a big party would only stress me out too much.

There's too much writing here. I really don't want to write such extended newsletters because it means fewer people actually get through them.

I could tell you what's been happening with other people I have constant contact with and and how it's impacted me, but really, considering how long this is already, I think not.

If there's anything you want to know about, I'm sure you'll ask. I would have liked to say more about times I've spent with friends, and hopefully no one is offended I haven't mentioned them, it's not that I don't remember! I'm including a couple of pics of one of the two times in December I saw Kerry while she was in Cape Town (direct from London and before she went up to her family in Kwazulu-Natal). Caroline, thanks for the pics. That's Caroline on the left and Kerry on the right. And of course that's Michael with us in the other pic. Caroline, Kerry and I used to be penfriends (we email now) way back when was in high school and even though Caroline has lived in Somerset West (about an hour from Cape Town) for years now (she was in Joburg when we first started writing), that was the first time we'd actually met, the day of those pics. Kerry calls it "shocking" and she's right.

Oh and I have to say a special thanks to Wil for sending me a copy of Marti Pellow's new CD. I really appreciate it. It's mostly new versions of some Wet Wet Wet songs and some of his own songs from his first solo CD, great to listen to and have. Of course he plays a big role (the lawyer) in the theatre production of Chicago that's been running for a while now, as opposed to the movie version that's currently winning all those awards.

Just a brief update on my other housemates though (i.e. Michael and Wendy), Michael's still working at UCT and he's fine, just wishing he didn't have to spend time with his studies. Wendy started a new job mid-Jan. She would have liked to study Occupational Therapy this year, but the finances weren't right. Anyway she's working at a small design company about 15 minutes' walk from home and doing mostly admin. And then Lauren has begun her second year at UCT (in the Science Faculty). As previously implied, she spent a month away from Cape Town (also got homesick after a couple of weeks or so) during her holidays - Port Edward, Drakensberg, Mozambique, Durban, Joburg, not in that order. My mother's still working at Sasol and involved in training. She might be coming here in April. My father's obviously watching the cricket and although I don't actually go in for cricket, I'm still supporting SA (despite the recent disappointments) and I made sure I watched the opening ceremony at Newlands on TV. We discovered that the helicopter we saw flying with the SA flag on the day they did the dress rehearsal for the opening ceremony at Newlands, is the one they have in that new Castle ad on TV. So I've guessed that was the night they shot that bit in the ad where the helicopter is flying over Newlands and the crowd does a Mexican wave. Anyway enjoy the rest of the cricket!

Hopefully I'll have a more organised and newsworthy newsletter for you in March!

Love, Melody