Category Archives: Friends & Family

Weekend away in nature

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I spend the weekend away on a smallholding the other side of Somerset West just before you get to Sir Lowry’s Pass.  It was so good to spend the time outside the hussle and bussle of town life and be in a relaxing environment away from everything.  The house is standing on a smallholding amongs all this massive trees.  Although it was raining most of the time, there was some breaks in the rain where we could walk around in the gardens.  Here are some pictures I took.

At the bottom end is a river that run through the property. Here you can see the water making a small waterfall as it runs over a wall.

The house looking back from the river.  

With all the rain and cold it was nice that the house had a fireplace and we had a fire going quickly.  

Good company, some red wine and the nature all around you.  What else can a guy ask for 🙂

What I was up to on my last day at IBM

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Yesterday, Friday, the 13th was my last working day at IBM.  IBM really do not want you to work on your last day.  When I arrived at work I was no more authorized to use my email and some other IBM systems.  ILC was still working and I had to do that …yes you not going to get away with not doing your ILC.

I did my last paperwork and then handed back all I had to hand back.  The office then got together and said good-bye .. thanks Herman and Alex for the speech.  I was handed this massive card – the photo does not do it justice.

Good-bye Card

and the inside was full of personal messages (and a gift card for some gadget buying) – thanks guys & gals, I will treasure it.

Card - inside

I then said my good-bye’s, which took a while and was out of the office by 10:30.  Met up with a friend for some vida coffee and just sit in the sun and chat.

Then drove through to the V&A Waterfront and met up with another friend who is in town for the weekend from Pretoria.  It was such a gorgeous day that we again sat outside, had some drinks and just chatted away.  It is always so good to meet up with close friends from far away whom one only see once or twice in the year.  The time is never enough to catch up.

Drove through the Stellenbosch in the afternoon to go pick up my son from varsity.  The 2 of us then went to The Dros in Willowbridge for some drinks and just catch up on each others life.  Was so good to sit down with him and get to know what is going on in his life.  

Was a great day spending time with dear friends and my son.  Now a couple of days off not thinking at all about any work since I am actually unemployed until I start my new job on Wednesday, the 18th.

Farther’s Day — the PostSecret way.

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One of the first things I do on a Sunday morning is to read PostSecret.  Today’s one is dedicated to all the Farthers out there, being Farther’s Day.

Being a single dad, if it was not for my children, life would have been very lonely and a real struggle.  To all dads out there, appreciate your children, treat them with respect and give them unconditional love. 

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Vriendskap moet aan gewerk word!

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Raak ons so selfsugtig deesdae dat mense nie meer aan vriendskappe werk nie?  Raak ons so vasgevang in ons eie probleme en “issues” dat ons nie meer tyd het vir ander mense nie? Of is ons net mooiweers vriende dat ons slegs kontak hou as ons iets van iemand nodig het.

Ek weet ek is baie skuldig aan dit, maar ek wat nooit nuwejaars voornemens het nie, het besluit om vanjaar ‘n daadwerklike poging aan te wend om uit te reik en te probeer om vriendskappe aan die gang te hou.  Ek weet dit is nog vroeg in die jaar maar wat ‘n ontnugtering.

In elke geval tot dusver voel dit asof net ek iets omtrent dit doen.  As ek nie SMS, bel, chat of e-mail nie dan hoor mens niks van die mense nie. En hoekom as mens voorstel om te kuier dat die antwoord wat terugkom altyd is dat die persoon sal laat weet maar nooit laat weet nie.

Wel ek het die deur oopgemaak en kom ons kyk hoe lank daai deure oopbly.  Om eerlik te wees dink ek nie baie lank nie.  Dalk word ek verbaas deur een of 2 van die persone maar ons sal maar sien.

So wat dink julle?

Back to school — well in my case, back to Varsity

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The big thing yesterday was when all the kids went back to school, the whole country on the same day due to the fact that everyone will have a 5 week holiday in June/July for the World Cup.  If you do not know what World Cup, under what rock have you been hiding?

Now in my case (or my kids should I say), it is not back to school but back to varsity.  Although varsity only officially starts on 25 Jan, both my son and daughter went back this week.  My daughter is first year and have to do all the first year things for the next 2 weeks – what a lot of fun.  My son is third year but he is a mentor for the first years and have to babysit the lot of first years.

They are both at Stellenbosch, daugther studying B.Sc Human Science and son studying Chemical Engineering.  It is going to be weird not to have to worry and care about school things anymore.  My kids are not kids anymore but young adults and I am so proud of them.  Yes, we bump heads, have arguments and fights but that is how things have to be.  They have there own opinions and have to learn by making mistakes and bumping there heads.

Off to go drop of things that my son/daughter forgot at home.  Any advice how to get them to remember?  Like they say in Afrikaans … head full of “muisneste” 🙂

Whether you have kids at school or varsity, let it be a good learning year for them and do allow them to have some fun along the way also.

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Lara Smit – Boernooi: school theater – Durbanville High

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My daughter is in the Durbanville Highschool theater group and they have a 1-act play that made it through to the finals of the ATKV competition that will be held at the end of this month at Aardklop in Potchefstroom.  Only 10 plays from accross the country made it to the finals in Potch. Aardklop.


Click image to see bigger one.
This is the group of youngster that will make the trek all the way to Potch and show the world how good they are.  My daughter is the one 5th from the left in the back row.  She play’s the role of the grand-mother and also the school teacher.

I have seen this play a couple of times and it is really good.  It you in the Potch area on 29 and 30 September, then go and support them.

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2008 – The year that was (take 2) and 2009

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I had this long post (hence the take 2 of this one) about how crap and bad 2008 was but then when I read and re-read it, I thought to myself, that was the past and absolutely nothing I can do about it.  Rather write about the good things and what the future holds.

So here are the bulleted list of 2008:

  • Son completed 1st year Chemical Engineering with flying colors.
  • Daughter passed Grade 11 much better than we expected with all the medical problems she had to cope with during the year.
  • Via Geekdinners and 27dinners I met some great people.
  • Worked on various projects (some good, some bad) and got to travel often around South Africa — Jhb is not a fun place to work.
  • Learned a lot about relationships and friendship .. it is not always what it is made out to be. People are not always who they appear to be and can so easily disappoint one when one’s expectations are not inline with theirs.
  • Played some golf — Pearl Valley is probably the best Golf Course I have ever played at in South Africa and I have played my fair bit of courses.  St Andrews Old Course will always be my favorite.
  • Turned 50 but as I am not one for birthdays (hey age is just a number) it came and went with no real fuss.
  • My health is great … even the doctor say so after I went for a full medical when I had some hiccups during the year.  Learned that one’s health is far more important than work and stressing about things one has no control over.

I am not one that make any resolutions about the future … so I will go into 2009 with no expectations, desires, wishes but only to live each day to the fullest and take things as it comes.  Will always try to be there for friends when they need me no matter the circumstances.  Only one thing I will try to do more in 2009 and that is to play more golf.

To all of you reading this, may you have a great 2009 and just always be yourself and be what you want to be.  Do not let other people dictate how you should live or do things.

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SA Open Golf – Congrats Richard

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My son and I spend the day at Pearl Valley yesterday watching the pro golfers at their game.  Congratulations to Richard Sterne who won the South African Open.  He definitely did not have a bad 2 pay weeks by also winning the previous week.  Just under R5 million rand in 2 weeks .. not bad going. 

Unfortunately I did not get a photo of Richard but got one of Retief, who we followed most of the day.

I played at Pearl Valley about a month ago and must say that I think it is one of the best Golf Estates out there.  Now I only need a couple of millions to buy a house there and become a member :).

Ernie had one of his typical tournaments, 3 good rounds and one crap one.  Ernie, what is going on … ?

This is probably my last blog entry for 2009.  It was really a shitty year which I do not want to have over again.  2009 can only be better and I am looking forward to it.  To all of you that has bothered to read, thanks and have a great Christmas period, if you celebrate it, and may 2009 be a great year.

Till next time when we meet in the cyber world or face to face.

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Die week wat was.

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Hendrik en Melanie troue 1

Vrydag ‘n week gelede was ek by Hendrik en Melanie se troue in Stellenbosch.  Wat ‘n heerlike troue.  Die onthaal na die kerkdiens was by Cape Town Fish Market in Stellenbosch – iets anders as die normale troue maar uit die boonste rakke.  Baie geluk aan Hendrik en Melanie en mag julle ontsettend gelukkig wees.

By die werk gaan dinge maar voort.  Ek reis nie meer so baie nie en is besig om die reëlings te hanteer vir ons kantoor skuif van die middestad na Century City.

Ek het ook die week besef hoe wonderlik goeie vriende is en hoe hulle mens uit die bloute kan verras.  Dit was gister my half-eeu verjaarsdag en Vrydag toe word ‘n koerier pakkie by my kantoor afgelaai.  Binne was ‘n  verjaarsdag geskenk van iemand baie spesiaal en ver.  Wat ‘n verrassing en baie dankie M.  Ek waardeer dit opreg.

Ek het ook besef hoe geseënd ek is om 2 wonderlike kinders te hê.  Vrydagaand het my dogter vir ons die heerlikste aandete gemaak.  Dankie Meriska.

Meriska uiteet 1Meriska uiteet 2

Hierdie fotos is gisteraand geneem van my dogter toe ons gaan uiteet het by Cattle Baron.  Dit was heerlik om net kwaliteit tyd saam met my kinders te spandeer.