Blog for Monday 22nd December 2025

When my alarm began to shriek my body demanded that I sleep a little longer and I did. I only rolled out of bed at just after five o'clock this morning! Lazy wench!

I slowly tiptoed up the creaking stairs to my studio to have my Quiet Time and then later I went downstairs again, and I almost knocked Robert over as I walked into our living room. Robert was there having just taken Savvy (their little mutt) for a walk.

Savvy loves the large open spaces on the farm where she can run and run and run. She especially loves to chase after those squawking feathered bodies, called guinea fowl, as she feels so superior to the silly bird-brained creatures!

Slowly-slowly our household awoke and staggered through to the living area for their first mug of coffee of the day to be sipped whilst eating rusks and chatting.

Next on the list was breakfast. This morning, we just had a small breakfast of muesli, cereal, yoghurt, fruit and there was also toast, and raisin toast with jams for those that wanted that.

As Mich’ was working on ‘Support’ she went up to my studio where she was set up, She had three early calls, which she was able to sort out for the different vet’ clinics. A little later she had two more clients to help, but for the rest of the time she was able to catch up with work related stuff, but she was not plagued by constant phone calls requesting her help. Wonderful!

I took out the meat for a braai/barbeque tonight and I asked Robert to do that for me, which he said he would.

This morning Robert sanded the outside table for us, and it is looking so much better – really lovely. Tomorrow I will buy some sealant for the table.

While Robert was doing the table Josh’ was playing and practicing his golf strokes, Paulina was working online or reading her book. Ken was resting, Mich’ upstairs working and I was back playing “Mrs. Mops” – tidying the kitchen and preparing for lunch.

For lunch I put out salads, wraps, chicken, ham and an assortment of mayonnaises which everyone helped themselves to.

Off and on throughout the day we played ‘Bananagram’ with whosoever whensoever! This is a game that Josh; gave me years ago and which is a firm favorite of our family’s.

The weathermen had predicted a 90% chance of rain – 20m- 40mm for our area today, but we only got fifteen drops of that rain promised! Very irritating as the storms rolled around us or just short of us. The farm is very dry and the trees that Paddy bought are battling big time in this heat too. I water the trees morning and evening to help them just to ‘hang in there’.

Because of the rain we had to cancel the idea of a braai/barbeque outside, and Robert cooked the meat on the stove top instead.

I made a large serving dish of garlic potatoes and a very large, tossed salad for our supper. I also put out a large packed of biltong (South African version of jerky) to nibble on while we played another few games of Bananagram, plus chips and dip that Mich’ had put out for us.

I had made a dessert of Passionfruit al Freddo, but everyone was too full to have dessert tonight!

Ken was in bed early, Paulina was still working with her client online, and Mich’, Robert, Josh’ and I played several rounds of “Oh Hell!” with Mich’ being clearly the winner, before we all headed off to our respective beds.

We had had another lovely day together.

Tomorrow, I think Robert, Josh’ and Paulina will go into Wauchope to play a round of golf, and Mich’ and I will whip in to grab last minute things to create a delicious Christmas feast! They – Robert, Josh’ and Paulina - have booked to play golf at the Wauchope Country Club, where they have enjoyed playing before.

What lesson did I learn today? To pace myself and to try to make everyone’s day a happy one.

What am I grateful for today?  Having family here with us.

My saying for today is …