The Highs and Lows of 2020

It has not been our finest year has it? COVID has caused havoc in the world. Many have become ill, many have lost loved ones and though this dreadful year is ending it is still not over yet.

By nature I am a positive person and I try to find joy even in the most trying circumstances. I refuse to go into a decline because of the horror that surrounds me. I have not lost anybody to COVID but quite a few friends and acquaintances have caught the disease. This is truly worrying and I pray that the second wave is nipped in the bud soon.

Although I have not lost anybody to COVID this year, I have lost two very dear friends and another is very ill. Both those deaths affected me deeply. My daughter’s best friend was also suddenly widowed and that has been such a challenge for her and her children during this horrible year.

In spite of all the doom and gloom we have had some highlights and it is on those that I choose to focus. We were not able to go off in our caravan as much as we did last year, we were not able to cross international borders nor provincial ones for some time. I am just grateful that we did so much in 2019 otherwise we might have been more miffed than we were about this year’s restrictions! But in November we broke free and set off on a long road trip which will end on Saturday when we finally make our way home. Our travel tales begin here.

This year was tough for our grandchildren as their education was interrupted by Lockdown. Our granddaughter, in her last year of High School, had to study online and miss out on the usual support from her teachers and peers at her boarding school. However, she dealt well with the interruptions and we are confident that her results will be excellent.

Our youngest daughter decided that this was the year to become a homeowner! Perhaps having to spend so much time working from home prompted her to give up her rental and buy her own flat. A lovely two-bedroomed apartment became available in her building and her offer to purchase was accepted within days. After having the kitchen and bathroom remodelled she was able to move in just before Christmas!

Travel restrictions gave me the opportunity to settle down to some serious work on my novel and completing it has been the biggest highlight of the year. I think the reality of it will only hit me when I get home and have the published book in my hand! Of course the journey is not over yet as next year, together with Sonopuigewers, the marketing will begin.

Right now “A Judge Decided” is only available by ordering from info@sonopuitgewers.co.za I am hoping to get copies into bookshops soon. Later in the year I am hoping to get an ebook produced.

Watch this space!

Our last two weeks of 2020 have been spent bonding with all our children and grandchildren. We feel extremely privileged to be on the Garden Route in spite of its current restrictions. What a beautiful place to be. On Monday we walked the Kalanderkloof Hiking Trail.

Simon, Josh and Jay ran ahead but Jay turned back after not managing the steps up to The Lookout.  Allan and I kept up a steady pace and got to the top of The Lookout.  Earl and Lauren came on slowly behind but turned back before the steps to The Lookout.

Simon and Josh were way ahead of us and at the T-Junciton to the Lookout they turned left and took the correct path home. 

I found the steps hectic and had to rest several times.  Just when we thought we were levelling out and at the top another daunting set of steps appeared.   It’s the first time ever that I felt a pain in my chest when exercising!  

The View was worth it!

Allan and I were not sure whether to turn left or right and after a debate we decided to go left and this took us to the road which we had to walk for several kilometers.  It was quite scary as we had to rely on our hearing to watch out for cars!  

But we made it safely to the finish and then went for brunch at Moss and Maple.  What a stunning morning!

Yesterday we visited our daughter’s best friend at her holiday home in Knysna, just an hour’s drive from Peltt. She has three children who fit in with the ages of our grandkids and what an awesome time they had. Their house in on the Knysna River and the kids had fun paddle-skiing and swimming in the river. The dare-devils even jumped off the high foot bridge further up the river. In the late afternoon the boys did the braai for us and everybody got on enormously well.

Relaxing on the Deck

Canoeing on the river

It’s cooler being towed

Uh oh

The Dare Devils contemplating a jump

Josh about to jump

They made an enormous splash!

The braai was excellent, thanks boys.

May 2021 be a brighter year for everybody. Enjoy your celebrations as much as circumstances allow. And continue looking on the bright side. This too shall pass!