family reunion | Diary of an Adventurous Retiree

It’s summer in the Southern Hemisphere and in KZN you would expect the weather to be super hot! But there has been lingering snow in the Drakensberg and Kokstad was gripped in some winter-like weather for over a week. Thankfully it’s warming up now and yesterday, instead of complaining about the cold, we complained about the heat!

One thing we’re not complaining about is the warm hospitality of the Kokstad friends and family. I don’t know what it is about this place but everybody is incredibly friendly. Perhaps it’s the beautiful environment in which they live and their relaxed lifestyle that causes them to be warm-hearted and kind. Most of the people we know here live on farms or small holdings and they are surrounded by beautiful mountains, streams, trees and have amazing gardens. Some might say that small places are friendlier but that’s not always true. Some small places are very cliquey and it may take years to be made to feel welcome there. Here in East Griqualand, we have found, you’re made to feel one of the family immediately.

So while the weather has been chilly we’ve been visiting. Thanks to the Clarkes for a lovely morning of catching up on their amazing four-month adventure off-roading through Africa with their two boys. The pancakes for tea were scrumptious, thanks Bryan.

The Flemmings had us over for dinner which was delicious. And sitting before their roaring fire was wonderful. Rose, your roast dinner was to die for.

Rose whipping up a Master Meal

Anti-clockwise from front – Neil, Rose, Lauren, Shannon, Allan, Simon, The Earl

Of course we have been catching up with the extended Stone/Mackenzie family too. We reminisced about spending so many Christmases together when we were still raising our own kids. They’re all grown now with kids of their own and what a great bunch those kids are.

Just a few of the extended family who popped in for tea

Barbara and Andrew’s cottage on The Farm

An outhouse used as an office and guest flat

Our kids went off for a golfing weekend to Pennington this weekend so we were left to our own devices. On Friday we had lunch with Barbs and Andrew and yesterday another of our clan arrived from Bloemfontein so we went to The Farm to greet them and have family braai.

Soon after the Bothas arrived, The Earl invited the kids to go to the dam to fish. I knew the Mackenzie boys would not hesitate. Rebecca, however, is a girlie girl and I expected her to decline. How wrong I was. “I’ve got my fishing rod,” she said. “Are you sure?” said Mom. “I don’t think we packed it.” “Of course, Dad did!” she insisted and went off to fetch it.

So off the merry little band went. How delighted we all were when they returned with two fat bass – both caught by 8 year-old girlie girl Rebecca!

Becca with her Bass

While the fisherfolk were off adventuring the rest of us enjoyed Barbara’s shady garden.

Caleb decided that the fishpond would be a good place to cool off.

The Earl cooked the bass as a starter before the braai. The kids insisted that they would not be eating fish – but all of them did! Becca only had a tiny bit but got a bit of scale so that put her off! The others were back for seconds.

Becca trying some fish

Little Emma loved her sisters fish

Seth said no way was he eating Bass – but here he is enjoying it!

The Earl had some willing helpers with the braai. Aiden and Seth helped chop wood. Henk has some braaing skills of his own and saved the day when the wood wouldn’t burn. The food was delicious and the bonding even better. And what a perfect evening it was after all the cold weather we’ve been having.

Getting the braai going

The essential Boerwors

Henk grilling the steak and chops

May, all over the country, was likely to have changeable weather. In the Western Cape we were praying for rain as our dams are empty and the earth is dry. We also hoped that it would fall at Great Brak to dampen the fires around Rondom Mooi! We heard that they received a spit and a spot but not enough to kill the fire completely.
In the Free State there are currently no water problems! Gariep Dam is full and while we were there we had rain every day. The wonderful thing about this part of the world is that it thunders, lightning flashes, you get a downpour and then it clears up beautifully till the next shower. It didn’t dampen our spirits at all. The squatters still managed to spend most of the time outdoors, but we ate the rest of our suppers at the bungalow.

Andrew (farmer and pastor) gave thanks for our meal and gathering

John and Karly’s chicken potjie was delicious

Karly sharing words of wisdom with Eddie

My amazing hubby was moved to give all the ailing ones a therapeutic foot massage. Nothing better!

During the day each couple was responsible for their own breakfasts and lunches but most often Earl and John joined forces to cook bacon and eggs and sometimes the others joined us at campsite. And before supper you would find us chilling on the ‘verandah’ of The Mount Nelson on Wheels for sundowners. It was a chilled and happy time with lots of bonding, chatting and encouraging each other.

The environment was delightful. Our campsite was shady and many of the trees were wearing their autumn colours. The birds were chirpy and the fish were biting.

But the plebs enjoyed their squatter camp too. This poor relation is cooking brekkie

We often had visiting cousins who unfortunately had to be chased back into their trees

Sundowners before dinner

The sunrises were spectacular

The Cape Robins were quite friendly

African Pied Wagtail

This Common (Indian) Myna had a wonky leg but managed very well in spite of it

A lovely yellowfish caught and released

So pretty

After the rain

The two caravan sites

The Rondawel

On the Thursday Barbara, Andrew, Diane, Earl and I took a drive around the Gariep area and were impressed by the size of the Dam. Gariep Hydroelectric power station is 300 meters downstream of the dam wall n the banks of The Orange River on the Eastern Cape side. Gariep’s first two machines went into commercial service in 1971 and the last two in March 1976.

View showing the vastness of the dam

Big Sus and Little Sus with the dam in the background

The Orange River with hydroelectric plant on the left

A lot of time was spent on the “Mount Nelson on Wheels” front verandah

But the plebs enjoyed their squatter camp too. This poor relation is cooking brekkie

We often had visiting cousins who unfortunately had to be chased back into their trees

Sundowners before dinner

The sunrises were spectacular

The Cape Robins were quite friendly

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A lovely yellowfish caught and released

So pretty

After the rain

The two caravan sites

The Rondawel

View showing the vastness of the dam

Big Sus and Little Sus with the dam in the background

The Orange River with hydroelectric plant on the left

The Orange River is the longest river in the country. It rises in the Drakensberg in Lesotho and flows westwards through South Africa to the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the international borders between South Africa and Namibia between South Africa and Lesotho. It also forms the borders between several provinces of South Africa. The Orange River provides water for irrigation and for hydroelectric power. The river was named by Robert Gordon, the commander of the Dutch East India Company garrison at Cape Town, in honor of William V of Orange. The original Khoi people called the river Gariep. In Lesotho it is known as the Senqu River.