The Benevolant postcard Society & Saint Bongo

Couldnt resist posting this picture of these flowers from my own garden !

Taz and Jessie...familiar vases ?

My "stamp postcard " arrived in California and Lauren, the recipient seemed to be thrilled with it, then today I received mine from Michigan.I cant remember being this excited about post since I was about 12!
Each of the 350 members, have to hang onto the 12 postcards we receive [hopefully once a month] and then send them back to the originating Artist next year..Lori...she will be putting on an exhibition and has been commissioned to produce a book.

Its a great feeling to be part of an art project like this,as well as the immense excitement of receiving and sending messages of fun & good will all around the world. I had no idea when I clicked the "yes I would like to take part" box, that it would be so incredibly exciting...yes that's the only way to describe it.
I now have to take a photo of the P/C I received, set against my own landscape and post it to a flikr web site..and make sure this P/C is put somewhere out of Bongo`s reach.

This is the photo that has been posted to the Flikr website..the postcard set against the bark of one of our Quiver trees.

Bongo`s last major misdemeanor was to attack one of my favorite art books ..a really chunky one as well.
When we returned to the house one evening, all floors were littered with 600 pages of text and photos,shredded into tiny slips. Looking on the bright side..I could make an interesting collage up from the shreds which are all safely in a large bag...I just couldn't throw them away!!

Our neighbours told us last night that they couldn't believe how calm Bongo had become..they said how very grown up he was ...Its all a ruse on his part, part of a complex plan to prove us liars and himself a saint....In my opinion "Saint Bongo" doesn't have the necessary ring of solemnity about it though.

September 29th 2009 A time for reflection

On an upbeat note, I found this picture of water polo and have to admit that its more like my idea [and Little's] of playing water polo!

As we approach the end of September, I remember that this time last year we were in guest house accommodation, we were living out of suitcases, [our possessions would take another 6 weeks to arrive].

Our house was in a state of "mid renovation" and Little had not yet had his first experience of South African schooling.

A year on and we are settled into the farm house with our possessions around us. Little is mostly settled at school,we have another dog ..The very naughty Bongo..[who is now looking very different from the sorry little scrap who arrived on the 22nd December]

Bongo at 11 months old

Jessie,Tommy and Finn have more than survived the year, Bee has survived and so have Big Little and I. Plenty of reasons to feel grateful. However I am feeling somewhat reflective so please excuse the miserable last post.

For the past three weeks we have had an extra member in our household, a young man of 22 from Holland: Sebastian. He was sent to us by Edwin's father, for a period of three months. Ostensibly, to experience a different culture and being "handy", it was suggested that he would be happy to tile the two guest bathrooms on the new end of the farm, which have remained in "limbo" following the cessation of work. He had lost his job in Holland

A gentle young man,and a guy that I rather liked, but someone who felt he could not hack life here in the desert. So he left us yesterday, after only three weeks, hoping for better fortune and the more clement conditions of Cape Town.

The arrival of a pool table and Party time.

Yesterday, before we left the house for Kak on the weekly shop, I put my bread maker into action to prepare dough for rolls, as we had planned to braii with our neighbours Villam and Gerda [who live across the road] and their two sons.

When we returned a new toy had arrived and the braai room was being re designed by Bossy...A pool table. At precisely this moment, Gerda arrived to ask if I needed anything for the braai and that I did know that her sister brother in law and two boys would also be joining us..I said "of Course"...and then set the bread machine into action again for more dough to make more rolls!

Well in true SA style they arrived with a cool box full of booze and every intention of hitting the night in a big way.

Pool was the game of choice for the evening..what a surprise... and the various championships continued until late into the night and small wee hours! I had NEVER played pool until last night..and it showed!!

I am feeling slightly "overhung" this am, and woke to the sobering sight of the freezer having gone into melt down in the scullery. In order to understand the nature of the problem, it has meant turning out the entirety of my larder cupboards and taking bottom plinths out. Why oh why did I have one glass too many last night?

My poor little sister has done her back in again..and when I caught a fleeting glimpse of her on Skype last night..she looked in great pain and very worried. She has an MRI on Thursday...FINGERS CROSSED TAZZY!!!!!!!!

News from home. And the first understandings of water polo

How I still miss everyone. The distance seems to stretch further as the months progress and I manage myself here from one day to the next, striking off the days and weeks until the next highlight. I`m sure this is not the right way manage...but its the only way that is working !

I am really looking forward to my next return trip in Mid October...if I was equalling out my visits it should have been a December return,but Finn`s 21st Birthday is on 18th October and Jessie's graduation ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall on the 21st....give me plenty of reasons to make an early return. I cant wait!

Nor indeed can I wait to return to South Africa with Taz and David. They plan to spend a couple of weeks with us at the farm and then de camp to Cape Town. I`m going with them,and as they both have similar passions to my own, am looking forward to seeing another side of Cape Town to the one we usually take in!

Little returns to the farm for a two week holiday tomorrow. Ma'am reports that he is getting around at frightening speed on his crutches [So would I be, if I had her chasing me!].

He is working hard on his exercises from the physio girls at the hospital,who he sees once a week. All looks promising for another months rehab with the leg brace coming off [fingers crossed ] when he sees his consultant mid October.

He sent me an email last week.His form teacher had told him that when he had the full use of his leg back that he was going to play WATER POLO. The email was in bold red capitals..it read

"I AM NOT PLAYING WATER POLO...REPEAT I AM NOT PLAYING WATER POLO"

This has nothing to do with the speedo`s or the swimming caps with ear muffs stuck to them. But everything to do with the aggression of the game...like rugby but with the added element of being drowned by your opposition at worst..and at best,having your testicles surreptitiously twisted by an underwater opponent.

For some reason he has decided its not going to be his cup of tea!

(Photo by Lars Baron/Bongarts) Boris Zlokovic of Montenegro grabs hold of Nikola Radjen of Serbia during the water polo event between held at the Yingdong Natatorium of National Olympic Sports Center during Day 16 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 24, 2008 in Beijing, China

Poor Tommy is now in a finger brace..he has his follow up at the hospital today...so good luck Tommy. He was being "watched" by Henley for his first few games, to see how he had recovered from the knee injury,with view to their offering him a contract. Sadly the finger has now become an issue, because of the 8 weeks he will need to repair the tendon damage.

Jessie is very much in the land of the workers now and sounds happy and settled.She seems to be part of a great bunch of fellow F1`s in Chichester, and I know keeps in regular contact with all of her fellow uni friends who are now spread across the country doing their first year in real work!

Finn will have made his way back to Newcastle now for his final year of uni.

Good luck Finn,make it a good one! And Finn hurry up and get your wine web site up an running.

September in the desert

All is busy within the farm and beyond.

Workers are flocking to the area for the seasonal work in the vines.The roads are full of overstuffed lorries [with both human and animal cargo ] and from early morning till dusk, there is the sound of tractors chugging through the lines of vines, spraying. [note the white mist on the uppermost edge of the photo below]

Our vines,like everyone else's are being doused with a a cocktail of goodies "to encourage" bud development and the size of resulting grapes.

In my humble opinion, this might account for the interminable sniffles and coughs the household has been dogged with for the past few weeks!

But the bland brown scaffolding of the vine supports that surrounded us only 8 weeks ago,has now transformed to blocks of lush green new shoots,interspersed with the little teepee tops of the vines supports.

We have been joined by a new guest who has made a nest in the log basket in the braii room. She has laid three equisite little eggs.

I have scoured my book of south African birds,and I think she is a a little "Banded Martin."

She reminds me so much of the little teasing wagtails that used to peck around our courtyard at home.

When Bongo and Bee spot her, they lower their heads and go into stalking mode.She allows them to come just within reach and then flies off frustrating them.. they have now learned to stand and watch her without chasing.

My tropical border starts to regenerate ...notice Moses interpretation of my natural stone border retainers...not exactly what I had in mind..but for the moment its keeping the dogs off of freshly dug ground and newly planted shrubs.! Plenty of time for fine tuning!

After a matter of only a few weeks ,the sorry and unloved Iris bulbs that I collected from around the remaining tangled borders at the front of the house, and replanted in the first revamped border, have sprung into flower..quite unexpectedly.

That makes it three

Just an update, Little is under the uncompromising care of the physios in Cape Town and is starting to make good headway with his knee.

I cant wait to have him back for a few days on the 23rd Sept..He returns to school on 6th October,which will mark his first full year of boarding at Bishops!

Poor Tommy is still suffering from the groaning misery, his dislocated finger has had on this seasons rugby plans. Keep smiling Tommy!

And I have a black eye..courtesy of Bongo! Lets hope that this seals the saga of family injuries..mine does of course pale into insignificance compared to that of Little and Tommy.

So excited was I [and as a direct consequence...Bongo] that he had not caused any damage to anything in the house whilst we were out. He jumped up and walloped me in the face with his paw. It felt as if I had been hit with a punch...by the morning it looked like it as well!

We are now on "no jumping training sessions" which are difficult to manage ,as having christened him Bongo he believes absolutely that he should behave as a Bongo.

DISLOCATION...YET ANOTHER ONE.

Poor poor Tom...he was playing the second game of the season with Henley and suffered a dislocated finger...so dislocated that he is going to the JR tomorrow for an op on it, to insert a pin and help re attach the tendons.

Another 6 weeks out of the game for him. You can only imagine his complete dejection...as far as he is concerned this means that he will lose any opportunity of getting "Signed " for the season.

Whilst my heart breaks for him, I have to remind myself [and Tommy] that Rugby is a game that generates injuries and despite his having attracted more than most,it is part of the hustle and bustle of the sport that he has chosen to excel in.

Good Luck Tommy...think on the bright side....it means that you wont be able to fulfill your duties at work...maybe you will get some time off! FINGERS UP!
Kisses and love as always.DXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I have become a member of the BPC. A postcard exchange and art project in one, the aim of the Benevolent Postcard Society is to bring a smile to its members through the random exchange of postcards from September 2009 to September 2010. At the beginning of each month, members send a cheerful, amusing, inspiring, pretty or quirky postcard to each other — either handmade or ready made. At the end of the year, all the postcards exchanged will be collected and published as a book, the final result of a year's sharing of good karma through random acts of kindness. This "Society" is the idea of artist Lori based in Canada. Members are signed up from across the world, I think a total of 25 countries being represented.

I duly received Septembers recipient details and had intended to create a range of 12 postcards based on some of the more interesting images that I have taken with my camera since our move.

Unfortunately with all the dramas with Little, my time has been compromised ,in addition to a more practical problem of having run out of printing ink....The stationers in Kak are running round like headless chickens trying to locate the correct replacement ink cartridges for my very standard HP printer!!!!

Very aware that I was overdue to post out,I scoured Cape Town domestic airport yesterday for unusual/quirky postcards..but couldn't come up with anything.

What a did find was a small packet of used African stamps. So today after an early shopping trip to Kak...I set about making the first of my postcards

I have to say that I`m delighted with the result. I have always been interested in issues of Identity and as I looked through the stamps,was struck how,over the years, The images had been chosen to deliver certain views/messages of the country that they were representing...this is very pertinent for the "Rainbow nation" and the ever changing continent of Africa.

Added to this,the idea that every stamp on the postcard has already been used to deliver a message.

Another reason for my own delight in the African stamp P/C is the fact the "tiny masterpieces" were originally intended to validate a posted missive and have now become the source of decoration in their own right...Indeed,so conscious am I of their being damaged that this P/C will be slipped in an envelope and duly stamped with a "virgin" stamp...starting the process over again.

Tomorrow, I shall hop into The Raisin and send the little lady in Marchand "Post office" into an apoplectic fit... A letter to California U.S.A and an AIRMAIL one.

Before I fill you in on all the excitements of the past few days,I have to inform you that we are now in SPRING...winter is forgotten, the vines are budding and the roads have become suddenly busy with overly packed and stacked lorries carrying all kinds of everything to the vineyards. New nets, irrigation hosing,fertilisers and sprays....The landscape has woken up from its 10 week sleep and is active once again.

Over the next few days I shall be out taking photos to update the blog...for such an inhospitable climate,there are wonderful vibrant splashes of colour against the dry deserty sands...Its as if the land is shrieking "I`m awake".



Little and I set out from the farm on Wednesday morning at around 6.45 in order to catch the 8.20 flight to Cape Town. Both of us miserable from having slept so little .Little justifiably as a result of the pain and me just from worrying about navigating around C.T . I bow to Little's bravery and accept my self as the wimp that I am!


What did cheer both of us up mid drive to UP was the most spectacular sunrise...gobsmakingly utterly "In your face" beautiful.

We drove down a steep dip in semi darkness and as we climbed up the next hill . The sun was just cresting...electric blues and oranges and reds...casting firey shadows across the desert landscape.

Within a very few minutes a pale yet intense magenta orb was hovering above yellow dunes and sitting in front of a turqoise sky...shockingly wonderful ...and both Little and I were well and truly put in our place by it!


I worried about how constrained he was in the tiny jet but Little insisted he was fine and seemed very taken by the Tuna sandwiches [at 8.35 a.m!]


Arriving in C.T, Cecilia [the lady who handles much of Big E`s freight forwarding from C.T] was waiting to hand me the keys of a loaned car.


Marica had loaned me her rather quirky satnav the night before so we decided to check me into the hotel.Not the Mansions for once!..I chose to stay at The Vineyard in Newlands as it is so close to the school.


Little was due to go back to school after his 2.00p.m doctors appointment at the hospital. So we had time for a quick bite of lunch.


Managed to get to the hospital and Little was put through his paces by the Dr..who threw off the thick surgical pink ,elastic binding..The look of horror on Little's face ...This bandage had become his comfort blanket...in his eyes it was the only thing that stood between his very sore knee and the rest of the world. He really did blanch when the doctor attempted to throw it away,looking at me urgently from where he was incapa on a Doctors couch.... [I rescued it from the bin.]


We were sent down to MRI suite to beg for an appointment before I flew home the following day,[ success 9.30 tomorrow morning]then to the physio department to be fitted for a leg brace and to get him booked into weekly physio.


We dropped into the school and Matron made it clear that he should stay with me until the hospital had finished with him the following day.


So Little came back to the hotel and after a much needed rest on our beds we decided a "comfort supper" was needed.


Finding a comfy bar in the HUGE hotel ,we ordered sirloin steaks African style...so delicious..and so filling that Little couldn't be tempted by desert.


Both of us hit the sack at 10.00 feeling shattered.


Early wake up and an energising struggle through a rainy rush hour traffic for the hospital scan.


Throughout this entire Knee saga Little has been incredibly brave and adult about everything...The thing that snapped his stoical nature, was one of those infuriating hospital gowns ,the ones that are designed so that you cannot cover your bits regardless of which way round you wear them .


I tried very hard to make him see the funny side...Which bits would he most prefer to conceal?..in the end he opted for an exposed rear end .

I know that they need rapid access in case of emergencies..but in cases which are not likely to become emergencies...can no one design something more comfortable ? [both physically and emotionally!]





Half an hour later and I had sweet talked the radiographer who said she couldn't see any problems that looked like they needed surgery..but not to quote her and to wait for the Dr's call.


So exiting the hospital at 12.30 we wended our way to school. Awful farewells...even more awful when you are handing your beloved and injured child over to the Matron from hell...

Was I Bothered?......... Yes!


Trying to focus on the job in hand I decided to make straight for the airport...the sat nav told me it was a diminutive 20 kilometers away and should take appx half an hour.


I don't know how but I got lost and found myself in Delft...one of Cape Towns suburbs.If you look it up on Wikepedia it is described thus :Delft...suburb of Cape Town known for its high crime rate, substandard schools, lack of jobs, government housing.


I began to fret when a diversion pulled me away from the main highway and I began to find myself heading towards cities of ramshackle houses made of corrugated iron and all manner of Heath Robinson devices to ensure water and electricity.


After only a few moments and caught in slow traffic,I realised that mine was perhaps the only white face within a 3 kilometer radius, clearly the crowds on the dusty roadsides were quite fascinated by an extremely fretful lady in a borrowed Corsa and a sat nav throwing a hissy fit.


I pulled off the road in a break between ramshackle houses and rapidly reset the sat nav....deciding I just had to trust its directions now.....to my great relief within 10 or so minutes I was back on a major highway and after another few minutes I saw a sign for the airport...PHEW!


I checked in for my flight 2 hours early!!!..preferring to rest in the safe cocoon of SAA`s frequent Flyers lounge [ You wont be surprised to know that I will have progressed from a silver surfer to a golden eagle by the time I return to ZA in November]


Once again the flight to UP was delayed..6.30pm found me safely in the Raisin and heading into the now dropping sun,for the hours drive back to the farm.



Where was Big during all of this. In the Tuareg [ with brand new tyres] On his way to a golfing bash in Joburg..due to return on Sunday with a house guest who I have never met..and who is meant to be spending a couple of months with us.....!