Lauren 18

It's birthday time and Lauren turns 18!! My how she's grown since I met her at 8! Awesome rooftop party tonight at the Guesthouse as Mark, Calvin and I cooked the burger patties..

Mc, Dave and dad Llewellyn

The birthday girl with her huge card with everyone's messages inside

A birthday cake deluxe!! Well done Liesl

Birthdays wouldn't be the same without cousins

Hell and brimfire in these thar coals

Mc and Calvin sizzling

Ian 21

 We have a few pilots in our family and cousin Ian turned 21 today. He has his commercial Pilot's Licence and Instructor's rating, seen here at my Flight School scholars Open Day with Mark

Ian 21 (left) with Mark

Granny Bernice, myself and Ian's mom (my cousin) Leanne. In the background are Arthur (left) and Leanne's husband Mark, and in the far background Ian.

Mark visits

Mc chilling on Kate's bed whilst she is in Korea

New jersey for the cold of Cape Town

Mc posing in Hub with a model-pic of mate Kyle Jeacocks

Darn it's cold in Cape Town and I left this jacket in Durban last visit

Taking to the skies with dad in my plane

We ended our Sunday evening with a Skype chat with Kate-Lynn in Korea, although it was nearing midnight there - they are 7 hours ahead of us. Great to hear your voice. Love you lots precious.

Homecoming

My son Mark (Mc) back in town from Stellies and a time to celebrate. First stop is always a lunch burger at Billy's, our favourite, followed by good home cooking and my famous margaritas.. also a chance to catch up with another good savage, mate Dain. (he's a girl but we love him!).

Cheers at Billy's

Kate sent some gifts and Mark was trying them out for our trip to Korea to visit her

Dave, Dain and Mark

ReStarting Kates car after it's park in the garage for 4 months

Dain fooling around

Visiting Agulhas

Mark and Lisa were on the same spot last week that Llew and I stood on 2 years ago.

Kids having a jol

My kids far and near.. Kate in Korea, where she is teaching English for the year, and my son Mark who is in Stellenbosch (5th year now) and who comes home today for his winter break.. not really sure what is "home" any more as he has grown roots in Cape Town.

Kate-Lynn after her hike in the rain and mountains with her friend Chido

Great pic of Lisa and Mark

Kate planting vegetables in Busan

World Cup remembered - Fire Engine drives to Durban from Germany

This time in 2010 South Africa and Durban was in the grips of Word Cup fever. The opening game in Durban was Germany vs Australia and we had 7 Germans and 7 Australians in the guesthouse - including some guys who drove here from Bieleveld Germany in a landrover and a Fire Engine to get here in time for their team's first game which they won.

And yesterday Germany beat Portugal 4-0 in their Group G game in Brasil.

Here's a link to all of the fixtures and results.

In fact I started this blog to capture the spirit of the World Cup, then after the event decided to keep it on as my personal blog about life here in Durban. Here's a glimpse of what I posted about the previous World Cup Germany games, as well as the story of the fire engine through Africa.

2014 World Cup Brasil - Germany 4 Portugal 0

Doing what we do best

I couldn't wait for the cement to dry on our new patio area and try out the new braai - it's a gas braai on top of a charcoal braai so I can choose depending on the mood a quick braai or the traditional charcoal fire. Still have to sort the cover for the area though as the last braai "machine" we had out there rusted to pieces in our Durban sea air.

Fathers' Day

I think this was the first ever Fathers' Day that both of my kids are on opposite sides of the world, Kate in Korea and Mark in Stellenbosch.

I had a busy morning getting my new braai area sorted and en route to shopping had a Wimpy breakfast. Great to see so many dads out with their kids and really made me think how meaningless life would be without my precious savages. Some people choose not to have kids but I cannot imagine life without them. Love you so much Mark and Kate. xx

It was great to be with another Dad and his kids this day and we all enjoyed my famous roast lunch with Calvin making us a yorkshire pudding (normally eaten with beef, but we wanted lamb today).

Happy Fathers' Day to all the Dads out there and to my Dad who is no longer with us.

Lauren, Llewellyn, Catie and Calvin

Full Moon and Sunsets

I did a flight at sunset to Pietermaritzburg then a night flight back to Durban, keeping my night rating current

Fri 13th was also full moon and Kate took this shot over the harbour bridge in Busan, Korea

I took this photo from Durban the same night. Unfortunately my iphone cannot do justice to the crisp clear yellow moon we saw rising up out of the Indian Ocean. It was truly spectacular.