eighty four

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Today we celebrated my mom’s birthday early, so we could be together. With breakfast out. As our family does. I am grateful for the tradition of breakfast at Moyo for Lesley’s birthday. I love my mom and am proud that she is still so exquisitely beautiful at 72. She is the perfect example to me of inner beauty shining out. My mom is irreverent, fun, kind, honest, true, non judgemental and accepting of all and everything. She has an inner strength that sometimes I think not even she is aware of. She is the one who taught me to just do what you have to do. She does all she does, irreverent or not, naughty or not, with utmost grace and dignity. I am grateful to have been blessed with Lesley as my mom. Just as my girls are blessed to have her as a granny. I am grateful they have the perfect example of the kind of woman I hope they both grow up to be.

eighty three

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I loved being in Braamfontein today. On the outer skirts (for you Lynn) of Jo’burg inner city. It was where I spent my varsity days and it was wonderful to see the area reenergised and rejuvenated. I am grateful I got to see it as it is today. The coffee shops, the galleries, the design studios. The trendy foody vintagey neighbourgoods market is a must visit for all visitors here. And those who live here.  My only promise to myself is next time I’ll also be swapping my flat white for a margarita. At 10 am.

sense

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We went to a wonderful fresh food, trendy, vintage clothing market cum foody space in Braamfontein today. Wonderful to be there, to see it and to feel the air of acceptance, living togetherness and simply getting on with it air I have felt this visit. But what really made me pause was when a complete stranger asked us what we thought of the skirt she was trying on as her mom hated it, and when another stranger told Kate how gorgeous she looked in the top she was trying on and continued to chat to her about her life for a good five minutes. Kate afterwards said how lovely she was, but wasn’t that a bit odd. That lady chatting to her like that. To me it wasn’t. But to Kate it was, because she isn’t used to it anymore. The funny thing is it’s not odd here. South African women are open and we generally do share, a lot and to anyone. Suddenly it all made a bit more sense, my being ok with my sharing. Because it’s what I’m used to. And why some of my friends find it odd. Because it’s not what they’re used to. Then again, maybe I do overdo it a bit. Just a teeny little bit.

eighty one

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5 April. Kate and Ke have been best friends since they were 6 years old. I am grateful they got to spend the day together. I am grateful for their example. That despite four years, distance, teenagers, new experiences and much change, their connection and love remains.  And I suspect always will.

eighty

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4 April. I woke to a glorious sunrise, coffee on the patio overlooking the vlaktes, with only the turtle doves for company. I knew it was going to be a good day. This afternoon I got my all over body PET scan results. My final results. I was told I am well, very very well. I loved and am grateful for the look of joy on my oncologist’s face. Roll on 5 years.

seventy nine

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3 April. Today was a beautiful day. I am grateful for too many wonderful moments, from sleepy eyed tousle haired cousins at 6am, to a giraffe with eyelashes I envy, to Rick teaching Kate at 14 to drive the landy, to nearly not being able to have wine on our sunset game drive, to an off road adventure to rocky outcroppings with the most spectacular views, to Lynn and and I beyond ourselves at Rick showing his age. To all of us being together. A truly golden day.

seventy eight

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2 April. Today I am grateful for Serapa. Not only because it is the most wonderful gift my uncle has given us all, access to this wonderful place of his, but because it is part of us all. It is our history. Serapa and the yellow landy have meant so much to my brother, sister and I and continues to. From before our partners and before our children. Being here has helped us through career upheavals, pregnancies, illness, life. Being here has welcomed engagements, new family members, new life. And has cemented all our relationships over lots of red wine, stunning game drives, treacherous mountain bike rides, peaceful bush walks and braais made to perfection. I am very very grateful to be here right now, because right now it is the place here I have the most history with.

seventy seven

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Today we spent a gentle morning with my dad’s sisters and their husbands. I know times have been very tough for them all and was so very grateful to see them all well and settled in their new homes. I was especially grateful to witness the love and concern they have for my dad. And he for them. No matter the years past, the different lives spent, the different journeys travelled, family is family. And for that I am grateful. I am especially grateful for the the reminder from the stray cat who made us all smile as he enjoyed the sun and the garden today. The reminder that there is always something to smile about. Always.

seventy six

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Today I am grateful for a career in advertising. Not for what I learnt or for what I wish I hadn’t learnt but for the wonderful friendships I made. Friendships that transcend time, life stages, careers and distance. Friendships that are as strong when we meet once every year as they were when we met every single day. Today I am grateful for being so blessed to have such varied, interesting, independent, kind, funny, irreverent women as my friends. Women who continue to astound me with all that they are. And more importantly, inspire me to be so much more.