Roaming 'round Rondevlei.

My sister arrived last week for the wedding (scroll down) and is here till next Wednesday. When she visits Abigail always has a list as long as your arm of things she wants to do and places she wants to go! Well, one of the things on my list was a visit to Rondevlei as I'd never been there.

So yesterday, despite the howling wind, we went birdwatching.

We didn't see too many and we did have a rather noisy small person with us, but we did see a large flock of pelicans, some stilts (the bird kind!), heron, sacred ibis, spoonbills, a kingfisher or two and a few other unknown thingies. Abigail loves birds or anything animal so she loved it. Others have a very short attention span (no names mentioned , of course!).

There were a few interesting bits of flora too and we got to see March Lily's - in March!!

And also convincing evidence of some 8 legged creature in the area:
We took a walk through the museum at the end, and there is also a small "aquarium" that is still under construction but shows you the different kinds of fish that are in the vlei. It is a very inexpensive outing, it cost us R24,00 for 2 adults, 2 children and a bird guide!

Oh, and there was also Pippa the porcupine - feasting on butternuts!!

We didn't see any hippo's but apparently they are there:

Brian and Belinda's Wedding.

Yesterday my cousin, Belinda got married. She married Brian and they are now Mr. and Mrs. Botha!

Here is the day in pictures:

Abigail and Willow were asked to hand out the order of service leaflets, Niave appointed herself as co-hander-outer!!

The bride arrives.

Inside the church.

Mr. and Mrs. emerge from the church into a shower of petals!

Family photo's.

The reception was held at the Alba lounge in the V & A Waterfront.

The cake.

At the reception.

The first dance.

More family photo's.

Garter, bouquet and "cutting" the cake.

CONGRATULATIONS to BRIAN and BELINDA!

Crazy Hat Day.

Today was Crazy Hat day at Niave's school.

After her mother had finished stressing about making or finding a suitable hat, we eventually just made one! It wasn't as daunting as I thought and she really enjoyed doing it, she did it largely on her own, I did the cutting and stapling, she and Abigail coloured it in and Niave did a lot of sticking all sorts of collage bits all over.

And then came the day and ... she wouldn't wear it!!

It went to school and came back but it never went on her head!!

I managed to convince her to put it on for a photo but that's it!!

She looks a bit like a cross between a pirate and an archbishop!! But it certainly was a crazy hat!!

The Cake!

Last week Niave was the winner of the cake raffle at school which means tomorrow she has to bring the cake. So, here it is:

It was supposed to be Nemo, but it's kinda not!! But she likes it and that's what counts.

And this is the photo Niave took, actually not a bad picture!

Hope the recipient has as big a smile on his/her face!

Back to school!

While I get to visit my old primary school everyday, I haven't been back to my old high school for a very long time, probably since I left which was 18 years ago!

Well, yesterday they celebrated their 50th birthday "Jubilee" and hosted a wonderful afternoon for past pupils.

I was a little apprehensive and also quite curious to see what kind of "state" the school was in.

Well, I needn't have been concerned about either. The reception was very warm and friendly, the setting beautiful and I was pleased to see that things have changed - for the better!!

They have 2 very nice computer labs, a huge drama room, a very busy music department as well as the other "academic" subjects like maths, science etc. which means that they are equipping the girls there with skills that they will definitely use probably more than any subject I took!! When I was there you couldn't take Home Economics and Maths together!! Interesting message there, but I am glad to say that that has changed.

I missed the official welcome and speech by the principal but I later found out that Sans Souci had 21 matrics who took music as an examinable subject last year - more than any other school or music centre in the Western Cape, and we were serenaded by them all afternoon! The music didn't stop! Bands, solo's, quintets - the list goes on. It was really enjoyable.

I didn't see anybody from my year, but I chatted to others that I knew from other years and also many of the teachers that taught me. I don't think I brought back fond memories for many of them, I was not the best behaved pupil, but it seems time heals all and everyone was happy to see each other! Some were a little surprised to hear that I was in fact a teacher!!

We were served delicious sandwiches and other treats out of the Home Ec. room which is a whole lot more modern than what I remember.

The girls were polite, helpful, happy, enthusiastic and proud of their school, probably not many adjectives there could describe how I felt in high school!!!

It was a wonderful trip down memory lane and a very well organised, pleasant afternoon.

(The pool where I spent many an afternoon!)

Watching day.

At the end of the term, most extra-murals have "watching day" when parents/grandparents can watch the last lesson of the term.

Yesterday was Abigail's last swimming lesson of the season:

And today was Niave's last ballet lesson of the term:

~/~

Cake Raffle!

Every Friday at Niave's school is cake raffle day. Each child gets a turn to "win" the cake, if you win this week you bring the cake next week.

Each week when I would ask Niave "who won the cake today?" her answer would be (with a very forlorn expression!) "Not me"!

Well, today she did win!!

It was a really sweet cake, she was so excited.

When the child's name has been drawn they sing a song which goes something like this:

"Niave won the cake today, cake today, cake today,

Niave won the cake today, hip, hip, hooray,hooray."!!

So next week I have to send a cake to school - in one of the busiest weeks of the term!! But that's okay, we've decided what we're going to make and I'm quite excited about it!

Watch this space to see Niave's cake donation...