Aiden outside

Killer soccer performances

Aiden and Evan both played football matches today - and it was just great.  Definitely the best game that I have ever seen Aiden play.  And you would be SURPRISED.  He has become delightfully acomplished; big strong attacking midfield general.  Great on the ball, great distribution, will also run, shoot, bully people off the ball, tackle hard.  A delight.  They drew 3-3 in a game that they should have lost; well into the second half they were down 1-2 and hanging on - plenty of shot on goal at their end; but also moments of attack inbetween.  Then a sudden surge, and they scored two quick goals to go one up.  But the other team equalized in the last move of the game with an absolutely cracking goal.  It was just such fun.

He has an array of deft touches; here he pops a little chip into the box for his striker to run onto.

My zoom lens is a bit stuffed, so is in the shop for repairs.  The little lens I have does not focus that quickly, so it was tough to take any pics of Aiden; Ev on the other hand I could focus on and then wait for the action to come his way, which it did in no uncertain terms.

Firstly, he was playing up an age group for the U-11 team.  So he was definitely smaller than most, though not all.  He was an absolute champ; weathered a veritable storm in a free shooting game - and kept a clean sheet bar one - which was a cross into a fairly open box to a player that was unmarked and right on him when he connected.  Other than that he absolutely bossed the box, and his team won 6-1.  Months of proper goalkeeper training are really starting to show.

For a start, his positional play in the box is exponentially better.  He's no longer rooted to his line, and really judges space and distance well.

Not sure if this is part of his coaching or not, but he adopts this stance when his goal is being attacked - makes himself big, big hands up.

A shot goes high, but he has it covered.

Major danger for those interested in fancy footwork on 50/50 ball in the box - flying Evan will connect with the ball and knock you down.

Eyes open, furious scowl, he's completely unflinching. Again the hands and the positioning - cutting down the angle at his near post - another solid save.

All in all the perfect Saturday morning for me.  Oscar was playing the game after Evan (he's also a keeper) so we saw Chris and Liza (not sure if you remember Liza - you met her a couple of times but a lot of years ago - like maybe 14 of them.

Ange was all smiles - even with the top of her head missing (and the general heart in mouth horror of having to watch Ev play keeper.  It is a bit nerve wracking).

Always love seeing Liza - big sunny human being, married to another big sunny human being.

Big cameras

I know, that everyone is now running around shooting their heads off with their iPhones, and a gathrillion images are made every day, an enormous number of them fabulous - and then have gaudy filters attached to them etc etc.  But here is the thing - they are just terrible photos in lots of ways - and bizarrely, my hi tech (though being a 2009 model), ten pound monster with big-ass-glass on the front takes photos like these - boom - and they are massive and of impossible detail, this version is a tenth of the full image; fabulous grain, hectic desaturated deep colour - on this overcast stormy feeling day:

CNY party at the Free's new house

Brett and Carrie sold their old house for some eyewatering sum, rented for a while whilst looking, and found a new place which is good to go following a big renovation.  Today we - the village people so to speak - got a bus and went round to visit.  The bus got stuck in traffic though, so we had the initial warm up socialising in the parking lot outside Robyn and Pieter's house. I took the big camera, because it takes such immeasurably finer photographs.

Aiden with Roy - lovely person that he is.

Debbie looking very CNY - red with lots of smile.

Elize, now out of her shell and great company.  She's off to Uni in Sydney, for the first time tomorrow - hope its all her dreams and more.

Sean Prior was on his way down the hill and stopped for a quick howzit.  Love him completely; old school best of British.

Dylan on the bus - new haircut looking cool

The Free's house is super-nice, still work in progress out in the garden, but is going to be as amazing as the rest, no doubt.

Dana, all grown up

Allie and Elize crack a quick pose 

Lara Schats - great photo this, even if I say so myself.

Lai-see envelopes aplenty

Long overdue - back in play - Chinese New Year

Long overdue, and apologies for the absence.  The Chinese New Year weekend was a stunner.  After weeks of cold and damp weather, including the coldest day in HK for 70 years (and pretty much the whole of January on the road) - we did something social and wonderful - a big walk from the Sai Kung Country Park to Yau Lei.  Of course there was plenty of whinging - Aiden developed a stomach ache very early on, and so complained for 12 kilometers; Evan did the same without needing a stomach ache.  Fortunately Dylan was along for the journey, and Tiggered the troops along with his typically cheery vibe.

Aiden grumbles his way along the path.

Dylan cruising along on the Highlands reservoir road.

Angie in an inexplicable cowboy outfit (boots and jeans - with hat) bringing up the rear across the reservoir wall.  Interesting bit of trivia - the Kariba dam is the largest reservoir in the world.

The beach at Yau Lei when you get there - it was such a crackingly beautiful day.  Not sure who left their wheelbarrow on the beach, or why.

Here's the route.  I thought it was 12kms, turned out only to be 10.  Felt like 20.  The red is the boat home.

Catching a few rays out the back of the restaurant after lunch.

Food was absolutely great, I think one of my fave seafood places.

Best part was catching a lift home on Roy and Debbie's RIB - much nicer than walking - not sure what was said but Roy certainly found it funny.

The next day we were up early, Jacques and Hisako came for brunch, the French boytjie looking cool

And Hisako the bombshell that she is

Back for a Saturday - walking to Pak A for a partay

It was Gay Williamson's party on Saturday - what a pleasure.  She invited a whole lot of friends from our, her, and surrounding villages.  It started off with a bus ride to the Sai Kung country park, and then a 10km walk to this teeny little village with no road access, at which Mal, Gay's husband has a part-time restaurant.  And then home from there by junk (so after the first 10 you are done, there's no having to walk back - which I think is a critical part of the design.

The gang this morning, crossing the Highlands Reservoir's wall - the little people having a little run to catch up.

The whole village is in this photo.  The restaurant is self evidently the space with the awning.  It was lovely.  Cool but sunny often, water was crystal clear/

People were in a good space, here is Elize who is off to Australia to study further in February.

Ange and I soaking up the welcome sun.

Ian, who lives now in Phuket was visiting.  Lovely guy, but hard, and doing some pretty high risk work (in the energy industry; he builds fracking rigs - at one stage in far flung places like Khazakstan.  Really.

Yeah, right. How big a fish?  Mal explains.  I liked the T-shirt, the image is something out of Africa-Burn.

Ange on deck waiting for the junk to set sail, chatting.  Cool sky in the background I thought - subtle but dramatic.

The other junk (of two, this one carrying all the food and equipment) heading home.

Holiday in SA - Kenton

The Cox's house is fantastic.  This is the top floor, wonderful views and light.  Puzzle action with Ruth, Emma Daisy and Simon in action

Roy was a hero of note, did a stack of cooking, something that he has become very good at, so there was a stream of delightful chow.

Daisy does a pirouette into the pool, off the stairs of the garage loft , where Dylan, Courtney, Jordan, Allie and a host of mates were sleeping.

Simon at the helm of his Tuk-Tuk.  Actually a VERY cool vehicle - takes six in the back, and if necessary two in front; not much small around that can take 8 people comfortably - though the ride is pretty jarring.  The kids loved it completely. 

The Tuk-Tuk takes you down to the marina on the river, and at the marina is Simon's river barge.  It is a fantastically fit for purpose boat; very stable, very comfy, with some shade, and fishing rod holders and a braai.  It is rolls royce comfortable to fish off - but with zero bling fittings (and therefore nothing to sweat over cleaning).  It was simply fantastic.  Here Daisy and the boys sit on the bow heading up the Bushmans river - a wonderful, heaving with life, unspoiled, Eastern Cape tidal river and mouth.

Ian and Wendy and your gran, chilling on the way up the river.

Roy and Ruth

Ethan, it turned out was the master fisherman and crab catcher.  Here he is with his top grunter, and he caught a massive crab which we also ate and which was super delicious.

And then there were the dunes, the wonderful, talcum powder fine sand dunes; Evan launches himself into space at pace.

Add a sand-board for some extra fun.

Miles and miles of dunes of different sizes, very few footprints other than ours.

We went for a hike through a nature reserve's forest.  It was wonderful, and brutally hot. I love this photo though, because king picture spoiler Aiden (he has consistently been in trouble for pulling faces and the like in pics which are attempting to be serious) and it seems he just cant help himself.  I think this one was taken by Ev, and here we have Aiden trying to hit the fat lips with a zap sign thrown in for good measure.  I shake my head.

The best of all however was new year's eve, Simon took us all out on the barge and anchored it in the middle of the river, while people on either bank went wild with fireworks.  It was GREAT.  Aiden shot this video on his iphone.