Lauren brought coffee in bright and early this morning. “We’re still on farm time,” she said. It will take a while to get into holiday mode. With everyone sharing sleeping quarters it is difficult to sleep in and soon the entire menagerie of grandchildren were gathered in our room.
What time is it?
I love you Grandpa!
Before the hijinks began we rallied the troops and headed for the beach. It was overcast but there was not a breath of wind and the sea was as calm as a millpond.
The harbour – I never tire of it
The beach in the early morning
Lauren and Shan braving going in for a swim
I was the first to plunge into the deliciously calm and clear water – there were no waves; just some gentle swells. It was chilly at first but we all stayed in for ages as it was just so pleasant. Grandpa who is more of a fisherman than a bather came in too but was ever watchful and overprotective, admonishing us for drifting away from the group. Of course this just set the young ones off on an ever increasing mission to scare him silly!
We headed home eventually and Lauren whipped up a wonderful champagne breakfast (scrambled eggs, bacon, kidneys and toast) for 11 just in time for niece/cousin Peta-Ann and her hubby’s arrival from Gansbaai.
She is a chip off her Cheffing father’s block
Cousin Reunion
After breakfast I checked FaceBook and felt a twinge of jealousy to see my friend, Julian’s post about birds he was seeing in Robertson! Earl was impressed with the bass caught too!
Earl and me drooling over Julian’s photographs – birding and fishing in Pat Busch Nature Reserve Robertson – So jealous
Peta Ann has not been too Struisbaai in more than five years and barely recognised the house and the town! We took her on a little shopping excursion to show her how it had all changed since its earlier days of one co-0p grocery store, a shell shop and a fish shop!
Shopping in the metropolis of Struisbaai!
The girls and me tested the quality of the coffee in The Nursery Coffee Shop – It passed with flying colours
Peta Ann and Eugene left at 2:30 and Earl, Lauren, the boys and I went to a talk – Close Encounters of the Marine Kind with at the Sanparks boardroom in Agulhas.
Prof Gavin Maneveldt (Department of Biodiversity & Conservation Biology,University of the Western Cape) was amazing. We were the only people there and seeing that we had our grandchildren he geared his talk to their level. He allowed the boys to ask questions and engaged with them beautifully. It was a fascinating presentation and will culminate with a guided outing to the rock pools tomorrow morning. What a pity that more people did not respond to this invitation. We didn’t expect it to be so immensely informative. More on this tomorrow after our field trip.
Diary of an Adventurous Retiree 