Coming up for 10

Happy nearly-birthday Aaron!  Being his double-digit birthday, it's a party year for him.  We did a pool party for him (which, incidentally, is quite likely one of the easiest parties possible to organise...you take the kids, they swim.  Done.) 

This was the first time I'd actually been to the new C-Bay Aquatic Centre (Century Swimming Pool is no more) and it really is lovely.  There are a few different sections and play areas, and a really cool water-playground with fountains and slides and spurts and spouts.  The boys loved it and were happy to swim for a good two hours!

Above: nearly a great aim; just missed Tafu.  Below: Nick and I were happy to read for the duration!

Vincent, Peter, Aaron, Tafu and Caleb - it's not in the quantity of friends, but the quality! 

Brought the group home for hotdogs and junk food after the swim.  Nicely done!

Permitted to stay?

Finally, all the application forms completed and signed, evidence gathered, documents sourced and collated...we've been at this since August, and at last our entire applications for renewed work/study visas are ready for posting tomorrow. What a burden lifted!! Now we just wait and pray that everything was correctly done and that there are no delays - come March next year we will either be legal, or on a plane bound for SA!

Violin(t)

Caleb's violin concert tonight (did I mention that this was a very busy week for us?) Unlike his brother, Caleb was totally nonchalant about the whole thing with not a scrap of apparent anxiety.  Perhaps deep down he felt a twinge or two, but nothing that was evident.  Good for him - wish I could be that way.  He did well - although the first group of about six or seven violins sounded like a swarm of angry bees, I listened for his part and he seemed to be on track.  He received an excellent year-end report which was very encouraging, for him too I think.  He will continue with the violin next year.  He spent the day at home today after his violent vomiting last night, but actually felt fine.  We thought it must have just been a 24-hour thing.

Caleb's concert ended after bible study had started so we were a little late.  It was also Betta Botha's birthday today so we had dessert after the study - the most amazing trifle ever, along with white-iced red cake (how ever did she do that, we wondered...the secret ingredient was beetroot!) and some other delectable bits which I couldn't possibly have fitted into my stomach after the trifle.  Here follow some 'randoms' from the fellowship...alas, the photos of the birthday girl were blurred!

Recorder(ed)

Tonight was a double-final - Aaron's recorder concert and Caleb's last basketball game. Caleb didn't seem to be playing with much enthusiasm, running about halfheartedly where he would usually be far more aggressive.  The reason became apparent as soon as his game had ended, when he told me that he didn't feel well and shortly thereafter went to the cloakroom to spew!  Poor guy.  He was violently ill several more times after that with a nasty stomach bug.  Nick and I left him at home on his bed with a bucket (feeling very unsympathetic, but he assured us he would be okay) to take a very nervous Aaron to his concert.  He knows the pieces well but I think the arrangements may have seemed a bit complicated - playing with a whole group suddenly along with the ukuleles, and who was singing where and what verses and WHO was a first recorder and who wasn't probably didn't help his state of mind.  But he did fabulously and I didn't hear any mistakes from him.  Well done brave recorder player!  We got a few short video clips for posterity.  Next year he will be starting with the oboe which will be quite exciting (I think so, anyway - he's a little dubious.)

For sale

Andreas and Danielle have put their beautiful house on the market...as much as we hope they sell quickly, we will miss the spectacular views - glad that the hospitality remains the same though wherever they live! It's been a group effort in getting things ready for an open home - Nick and Petru were there last night helping with painting and laying floors and lots of moral support, along with many others who have been in and out assisting with bits and pieces. My part was easy - take a few photos! It was as interesting photographing the nooks and crannies as it was getting in the actual rooms...I'll be back for more!

Above: The workers on a break

Who wouldn't want to buy this house - it's gorgeous!!

The smile doesn't come with the house, unfortunately ;)

Nor does Roxy, who was a great model for some interest in the lounge.

How inviting - above and below!!

Danielle was assigned the cleaning out of Andreas' man cave - surprisingly she's still smiling after clearing away a square metre of bench space in about an hour!

Cuteness - love Danielle's decor style!

Festival of Roses 2012

We gathered a small group for a picnic at Caroline Bay; wanted particularly to see the market day thingie happening for the Festival of Roses. It was an excellent afternoon out although Nick and i had to leave way too early to get back home so he could do his prep...but no matter, great fun wandering around the various stalls for a while.

Chrissy's gorgeous parasol...

Watched this 'freak show' (oooh, I should qualify that that's in the photo below) - this fellow was hopping about on a stilt while freeing himself from a straightjacket.  Felt compelled to give him a gold coin donation.

Nick said my Dad would be interested in these old cars...

Into the light

Bring it on, summer! Actually it was cold and overcast all day, but around tea-time the clouds lifted and it was sunny. We took a 7 pm walk to Dashing Rocks - a fresh easterly breeze made it a little on the chilly side but it was still great to get out together and enjoy the evening.

Got up on this little structure for a family photo...

...then set another picture up on the beach, but the breeze gave me some interesting wings.

The boys were less than happy to have less than two minutes at the water's edge before we decided that it was actually too cold after all to be out - the last thing we want is two sick boys on our hands.

So home we went...

The boys played 'rock, paper, scissors' in the paddock, but watch what happens when Caleb throws a punch...

I absolutely love contre-jour photography, particularly in the early morning or late evening and particularly on flowers where petals become transparent; fine hairs and cobwebs stand out and you get that 'mmmm, take a deep breath and enjoy the sun' feeling.

By the time I had finished aiming my camera at the sun outside, Nick had already picked and vased these roses for me...beautiful!

Behold our God

It's been quite a musical weekend - starting with an absolutely superb evening at the de Beers' lovely home on Friday, along with a group of keen singers, musicians and pizza-eaters. I poached this photo off Lizzie's FB timeline as my hands were full of either pizza, violin or mandolin. I have resurrected the mandolin after many months of not playing it and enjoyed warming it up again. Also played it in church today instead of the usual violin - we thought we'd vary things a bit, so had Bron on piano, Justus on guitar and me on mandolin. Anyone know of any other instruments ending in 'lin'? It seems I have only been playing instruments that have my name in it, so am wondering what else I can tackle. Cello really appeals but I'd have to make it a cellin or cellolin...also there's the pianolin?

After our evening service we had our monthly musicians' get-together event, at which we learn new songs.  We've been loving the Sovereign Grace music - they have attempted to marry old hymns full of solid and profound theological content with modern arrangements and styles, with much success.  Probably a favourite that we did this evening was "Behold our God" - listen to it here.