Weekend in Review

It was a nice long weekend with lots of scrapbooking with friends on Saturday, and then reading and relaxing at home on Sunday. 

 

Monday was a public holiday in South Africa.  Lynn, her son Connor and I visited the Bryanston Organic Market early in the morning.  We were there by 08h15; we should rather have slept in a bit longer!  The market only came alive after 09h00, so we managed to find good coffee and sat in the sun for a bit while waiting for the stalls to open.  We're used to the Irene Country Market in Pretoria which is already buzzing just after 8am, so we were very disappointed with the Bryanston market.

 

There wasn't much at the market that I loved or wanted to buy.  One guy made beautiful beaded pictures, but he was very expensive - a picture of a beaded tree that I really liked was over R9 000!  It did not come home with me, even though I'm still looking for artwork for my bare bedroom walls.

 

I found a simple basket that I liked, and which will be great for picnics.  Princess Ruby claimed it as soon as I got home.

 

The best thing about the market was the good coffee and hot chocolate.  As Connor said - another tick on the bucket list, but we won't be back for a second visit to the Bryanston Organic Market.

 

 

Crochet blanket

Yep - I made this with my own 2 hands!  Late last year I started learning to crochet using The Art of Crochet magazines from CNA.  I love the rhythm and peace of having a crochet hook and wool in my hands.  I have to chase miss Ruby off because she thinks that grabbing and chewing the wool is great fun.  She eventually loses interest and settles down for a snooze.

 

  

 

Of course there are mistakes and a few holes and it's not perfect, but I'm so happy with my first ever crochet blanket.  I have no idea what I will do with it or where it will live, but for now, I'm just enjoying the sense of accomplishment...

 

My next project is a shawl made from bamboo cotton, and maybe a scarf...

 

 

Weekend in Review

The long Easter weekend seemed to fly by, but it was good.   

 

I started the weekend by going to the Maundy Thursday evening service at Honeyridge Baptist Church, and it was beautiful.  Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles. During the meal, Jesus took bread and wine and shared them with his disciples. The night of Maundy Thursday is the night on which Jesus was betrayed by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane.

 

The walkway leading up to the Church and the whole Church were filled with candles.  After each bible reading, a candle was extinguished.  Communion was served and then we all quietly left the Church.  I went home and did some Bible study about the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. 

 

On Good Friday, I scrapbooked in Pretoria with Lynn and Leonie.  It was a gentle, lovely day with special friends.

 

 

 I hiked at Groenkloof Nature Reserve in Pretoria with the Gladwin family on Sunday.  It was a beautifully warm sunny Autumn day, and I loved the 5km walk through the hills.  This is one of our favourite places to walk.

Lynn provided hot cross buns for our rest stop

We were so fortunate to see these beautiful zebra up close during the walk.  They were really relaxed and unfussed about us being close to them, so they must be used to the hikers and cyclists

we finished the morning with a picnic under the trees - hot coffee and yummy food...aaaah, a good day in Africa!

 

Friends

I met my friend June several years ago while on a trip to Vietnam.  She was already in her early 70's, and still gallivanting around the world.  Although June lives in Durban and I don't get to see her that often, I'm so pleased that we're still friends after all these years.

June inspires me to...

*   take better care of myself and keep active - June walks and swims most days

*  cook 'real' food - she loves cooking and baking, and we share recipes

*  help other people - June is always involved in various charity activities

*  work hard at maintaining friendships, and she shows me how to be a good friend

*  she encourages me when facing the deteriorating health of my mom - her husband also battled Alzheimer's Disease

June's wisdom and feistiness and sense of humour and pragmatism ground me whenever I get to spend time with her, and I think how much I want to be like her

I love having older women as friends, and I find that I get on easily with many of these wise women.

 

Love you my friend!

 

 

Little people

I recently spent a few days at the coast with my family and the 2 little people whom I adore.  The weather wasn't great and Katy was sick, but we made the best of it.  It's always good to be out of my normal environment and have time with my family