Birthday present in the bush

For my birthday, I asked people not to give me 'stuff' - I'm uncluttering my home and at my age, I really really need less stuff around me.  When pushed for a list of possible gift items, top of my list was donations to the SPCA Randburg, the gift of time with people (coffee dates, meals together or walks, etc.) or sterling silver jewellery or terracotta pots for my garden.

 

Bridget and her daughter Boo gave me the gift of time, and we spent Sunday at Borakolalo, a nature reserve in the North West Province, about 2 hours away from Johannesburg.  They packed a fabulous picnic basket, picked me up in the morning, and we spent a wonderful day out in the bush, birdwatching and game-spotting.

looking for the ant lion 

maybe Boo will become a birder one day 

We had really good sightings of more than 30 species of wild birds, and saw several mammals including giraffe, kudu, impala and monkeys.  We enjoyed a delicious picnic under the trees before heading back to Joburg in the late afternoon.  This was a wonderful birthday present - thanks Bridget and Boo!!

Splash

After my January birthday party, my family stayed over and the girls enjoyed swimming on the Sunday.  A pool is such a hassle and expensive to maintain but when you see little people in the water, it makes it sooo worthwhile

 

 

Birthday photos

Here are some birthday photos to share from 24 January...

 

I am so very blessed to have these people in my life

with my mom, Shirley

I LOVED having the children at my party!! 4 of my nieces attended - Jamie and Elizabeth (next to me), and Annah behind me.  Miss Boo is Bridget's daughter

 

the chef had a pizza-making event for the children - they loved making the pizza's, but were less interested in eating them

with my beautiful sister Caron and step-mother Brenda 

of course I had kitty cupcakes, made by my friend Tanya (photo below) from Blooming Beautiful Bakes

 

It was a magnificent afternoon with my family and friends at Afrique Boutique Hotel, and a tea tasting by Dee Sedikela from The Tea Merchant in Clearwater Mall

 

 

my sister-in law Tonia 

Lynette and Leonie 

my niece Elizabeth 

Bothlale (Boo) 

my niece Jamie 

 

my niece Annah  

with Anet, Tonia's mom and my friend 

Anet's mother, Ouma 

Leonie

 Lynn

 

with Bridget and Boo 

my sister-in-law, Leanne  

Lynette 

with Gisela 

with Cathy,  who did my hair for the party

Linda 

with my cousin Bev and her daughter Amy 

with my friend Wendy, who came all the way from Greyton in the Cape

with Fiona, we studied together years ago and have always stayed in touch

 

 

 

Hello 50 - let's do this!