The Sunday morning that you'd rather not have

Which is the Sunday morning that has just happened...

Before I get into it though - I've been meaning to show you this pic of Ev - have you seen this cross-cut tree trunk in Knysna?  I think it is very cool:  it is aged from the rings, and the perspex thing is a timeline of events that were happening when the tree was growing, near Diepwalle in the forest.  The line at the height of Evan's nose is the burning of Joan of Arc at the stake in 1431.  The centre dates back to 1312.  The Renaissance started in the 1320's.  Enlightenment.  Or so we thought.

Back to the weekend.  What is happening here?  Well, smiling as I write this... this is Billy, a lion of Aiden's.  Billy looks like he does, because Aiden woke up early this morning, woke up way up there on his bunk, and threw up over the side.  Billy had been sitting on the floor, minding his own business.  But as is so often the case with innocent bystanders, that did not spare him .  The cascade sort of detonated when it hit the floor, got instantly disseminated. After a good old go, a bit of lav action, and a shower or two while the parents cleaned, Aiden hops into my spot, and falls fast asleep.  Angelic stuff.  Interesting trade-off: clean puke, or drive into Sai Kung for 3 hours of rugby practice? 

I tried hard not to be sympathetic.  Last night we had Terry and Angela and kids around for dinner.  I had cooked some boerrie (healthy stuff that it is) and Ange had chopped it up and popped some toothpicks in for a finger stack.  Aiden and Liam took one of the pieces, and pushed a whole, little red bird-eye chili into it (from the garden - the same bush that they routinely pee on, I very much doubt that their treachery included washing) and then brought it to me - disguised as an act of kindness.  I was on the phone at the time, so didn't take the appropriate precautions of close visual inspection. By the time old greedy-guts had realised, it was too late.  Nasty little buggers.

Later in the day - with the regular activities of beach and whatnot on vomit-hold, I went with Terry to take his dad Brian to visit Virendra, and talk engines.  This is the propulsion unit of Virendra's 360 (though for me, rather the 550 Maranello parked in front of it).  Brian is a rebuilder and restorer of motor-vehicles - in particular Jaguar XK120's.  Beautiful cars.  Winners at LeMans in their day.

Recent Travel - Brunei

I have most recently been to Brunei - which I'm pretty sure you will have to look at a map to find the location of (I did).  And this is where you'll find it - as in those two tiny pieces of pink on either side below the red dot:

To summarise, a very small kingdom (Sultinate, more accurately - basically the same thing) on the island of Borneo - which is the third largest island on earth (I think Australia is classed as a continent) - with a population of 400,000, living under newly introduced Islamic Sh aria law.  

The Sultan of Brunei was for a long time (until Bill Gates) the richest man on earth. I was surprised at my reaction coming here - I had this really strong sense of distaste about the whole thing - I don't like the notion of Sha aria law as presented in a (why do I believe them?) Western media - stoning (as in to death) of adulterers, and the chopping off of hands of thieves.  I know this idea, at least, appeals to many crime-weary South Africans; but really, people's reasons for stealing are so diverse, and many of them do not relate to greed or malice - and inevitably the rich (who unquestionably steal much much more, globally, than the poor) are able to access protections of one sort or another while the poor bear the brunt, yet again, of odds stacked against them.  So I am not remotely for that sort of punishment. 

Just getting on the plane felt like an ordeal of some sort - you are oft reminded that the punishment for drug trafficking is death - and asked at check-in if you have copies of prescriptions for any medications that you are carrying - really?  Who has that?  So all in all it felt ominous and grim, and my natural gut reaction was along the lines of OK, then *-you, and your country, I'd rather go work somewhere that seems more open and welcoming.  

And then you arrive, and its completely different to that.  Super-peaceful, people are hugely relaxed and warm and friendly, into their families and quality time (the latter of which they appear to have ample quantities of.  I really battled to get from the airport to the hotel, because taxi drivers don't really feel like working on Sunday evening, and who can blame them - there being so many more appealing things to do.  In addition, several of the people I met mentioned to me that they went home for lunch each day, you know to see the kids and hang as a family - that sort of thing.

In lots of ways it felt like being in a time-warp, but with modern cars and trimmings.  Because it floats on oil - petrol is 30c a litre. 

  
This is not my picture above - but I thought it visually summarised exactly what I expected (which I suppose is the point about media) - whereas a much more accurate version of this would be a group of people talking about their families, cycling and scuba-diving.  It's simultaneously a warning of what you believe of what you read - and I suppose in honesty - equally what your first impressions are.  Mine were unreservedly positive.

Recent travel - Charlottesville and New York

Ange and I traveled together to the US - which was just great for me.  I've had the loneliness of the road in chunks (not about roads - but as an aside, an interesting article I saw about the modern condition):
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/14/age-of-loneliness-killing-us

So it was great to be together.  First stop was Charlottesville - viewed as the gateway to the South; suburban rural - sort of an American Stellenbosch sort of feel.  Here is the start of my mate Tom Sours garden, autumn leaves emerging, woodpiles ready for winter.

I also went to see one of my dad's closest friends Gus Gerrans, who in a bizarre alignment of fate lives in Charlottesville with his wife Sue.  Extremely cool people, it was lovely to see them; but also really emotional for me - managed to hold it together until I got back into the cab and then had to have a good old-fashioned weep.  I am really happy to have been able to see him - I am hugely grateful to him for a trip he took in April, all the way to Cape Town, and then a drive to Knysna to see him.  This on a recent double hip replacement.  55 years of friendship is something special.  I feel for his loss.

After a few days in the South, we drove to Washington and flew to New York.  I'll spare you the rave - you have to go some time - we all have to go some time, and then again.  It is an outstandingly fabulous place.  Full of delightful surprise.

Pancakes for breakfast in a New York diner.  Conceptually great - feel a bit foul afterwards.

Ange in Central Park - not really what you'd expect - fabulous, massive - a great resource for the people living there.

Sucking back a couple of beers next to the lake in the park (you can see how far away the edge of the city is here).  Man you can walk in that city.  On this day, we walked from our hotel, through a piece of the park, to a restaurant for dinner, and back to our hotel - which amounted to about five hours of walking time.

Which is why you need good shoes - and you know the whole think about Hong Kong shoes and me - so I could not resist buying a couple of pairs (these both Docs) - been wanting a pair of black and white brogues for 20 years (at least).  Now absolutely no one takes me seriously - unless it is to ask "why are you wearing golf shoes?" Which is when you know the world is finally fully perverted; imagine golf taking over style.  That's like saying if you have a lawn at home you must love golf.  And I have no beef with golf.  Its just that it is only a game, and these shoes are, well, extremely cool (I think).

Winners and pigs

Last Sunday, while I was off to Brunei, Aiden played as the captain of his team (not that it really matters, but I do have a sense of pride in how decent a little guy he is) and won the section that they were playing in.  He got to keep the cup - so it is now in his room.  Ange tells me that he scored a nice try - a pain not to be there and see it.  The fingers are pointing (not some gangster sign... I hope).  The little girl in the background is a bit of mystery.  Looks like she's having a bit of a problem running with that cone on her foot.  :-/

Roy and Ruth's wire haired fox terrier had puppies.  Great excitement.  Ange showed Ev the pic (Evan is particularly enamoured with pets, dogs and cats especially - Cleo (the mum's name) in particular.  He looks at the pic and asks: "What are those?  Pigs?"  I thought that was very funny; we seriously need to get this little guy a "pig" of his own. 

A rave about the Tesla Model S

 Knowing how you love cars, and at the risk of being an unpaid car salesman - I have to go on a rave about the Tesla Model S.  The cause of this enthusiasm - one of the people who plays on Ange's league tennis team has just got one - and it is simply breathtaking stuff.  Consider this: it does 400kms on a charge. This costs about U$D2.20 - i.e a "full tank" for R25 - and that will take you 6 to 8 hours on a normal wall plug.  So while for Pta Durban it is not your thing - as a city car - it is simply unbeatable.  Despite being the size of an Audi S5, it is a seven seater - it has two small, rear facing seats in the back.  And I will spare you the hyperbole - it goes like the absolute STINK.  Check this out (run your mouse over the space below if you can't see the link - it will jump out):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUW0l7bZn1s


Looks like this outside:

 Looks like this inside (this being the left hand drive version)  Below that is a photo that I asked Ange to take for you in the inside of Nanette's one:

Above are the rear-facing seats, which stow flat for when you don't need them (huge boot Ange says) and which sit behind a conventional five seat cabin that looks like this.

This thing is DEFINITELY the future.  Enjoy the polo my darling; it might be the last internal combustion engine car you buy.

A couple of months of catching up - summer ending

Autumn means rugby.  Rugby means early starts to the day.  Here is the gang I was transporting - Aiden, Evan, Fritz (Evan's age - big boy), Charlie, Aiden's big mate, and Thomas - Charlie's lovely little brother (makes me laugh just looking at this child).

I see two months have somehow passed, just like that, as they do when one is not looking.  I've been to quite a few places in that time, my job being what it is - but a couple that I thought I'd remark on here.  First the boys.  Summer's (delightful) delightful wind-down.

We can schlep the crowds around now, because Ange has a new car - which is a seven seater.  Tragically the green machine, my much beloved mad-mobile which you will remember the joy of driving on wet roads is no more.  Eventual mechanical failure that was not in Hong Kong terms worth fixing.  So I have been consigned to the sensible shoe, and Ange got the mini people mover.  Alas, the end of an era for me.

Autumn it may be - but still plenty hot enough to hit the beach for an afternoon of fun, and then an ice-cream from the little shop before heading back up the 112 steps to the car-park.
 

Ev hits eight

Evan is so delightful - and now eight years old, getting that coltish gangly look of big knees and feet (at the time of writing this, just half a size smaller than Ange's).  The real bummer for him was that his birthday was on a monday - and as it happens, the same monday that marked the end of the summer holiday - back to school.  Not the greatest present.  Though it least it got off to a good start - nothing like opening prezzies to lubricate the return to learning

Ready to go - back to school outfit, year three, eight years old. 

Some of summer's moments

There were some absolutely cracking days this summer - wild temperatures - crystal skies - Islands and beaches calling.  It is in so many ways such a surreal place to be living.

Heading out on a Sunday; junks and boats moored off one of the island beaches - really insane colours - and no, no filters and fancy manipulations here.

Jumping off the roof into the sea - Jake and Aiden in motion.

After the splash, gang of kids swimming round to the back of the boat to the ladder to get back on - and then it all repeats itself (again and again - tired bodies by the end of the day for sure).  Ev and Aiden the two closest to the bottom of the pic (at last Evan's swimming is good enough for me not to freak out at him doing this.

Requiem

 

 

 

A perfect day, amidst

 This is one of my favourite places to go to.  I love it with my whole heart and feel something opening inside me when I'm there.  This is a desaturated set of photos that I took on the dunes and beach with the kids.  I love them - possibly by association - but also for how they came out. 

Oh, it's such a perfect day
I'm glad I spent it with you
Oh, such a perfect day
You just keep me hanging on
You just keep me hanging on

Just a perfect day
You made me forget myself
I thought I was someone else
Someone good

(From Lou Reed's "Perfect Day")

Some of the days before

Waiting in treacherous heads.

After years, for us of trying, the navy boat eventually steams through the heads in an old-world moment of waving from the shore and attentive little boats scurrying along in admiration; it reminds Steve of his dad's story of his sister during the war, and the visit of the battleship Hood.

Reminding me of one of the things I love most; a great frame and wheels cutting below - amazingly, Ian's bike without damage whilst he takes the hit.

Sun shining from his face and all around - the delight of life un-mediated.

In my time Meldrum's store.  Now the coffee-shop.  For one a handful of sweets; for the other the coveted Appletiser; Grandad's woody looks on - old-world real life; a golden moment.

Things are going to be OK, but not everything.  Amazing how indifferently the circle keeps turning.  They love Buffs - it is a beautiful place, for now frozen in time.

With the heavenly Tessa; poor Justin felled by a treacherous close range sand-ball, and therefore not in the shot.  Ev with a car excavated whilst helping a guy with a metal detector, who they trailed for hours.  They badly want a metal detector now.

Hannelie's treehouse, in her and Anne's garden.  A perfect time of real delight.  Learning about all that gay really brings our way - without knowing it - but always remembering.  Tess and Aiden upstairs; Ev down with Flip.

With my beautiful brother, fishing - but not catching of course - which is not the point, ever.  To get that, to get that fishing does not have to be about catching, is to get something big and philosophical.