Run Forest, Run

Weather report. Strong winds incoming! Time to tuck our tails between our legs and RUN for cover. Destination Port Elizabeth about an hours drive from Cape St Francis (CSF). My brother would take in 2 refugees for the weekend. Thanks Boet!

Coffee, Yoga, Yoghurt and Lemons juice for brekkie (Breakfast) and the day had begun. As the morning progressed the wind slowly increased in intensity, but it did not bother us as we were busy giving the house a deep clean in preperation for our departure just before lunch time. Whilst I was vacuuming knocked the head of the vacuum cleaner against one of the plinths next to the door and it erupted with angry ants. Cinnamon I was told. I poured Cinnamon powder over the plinth and down the back. We wait and see if they have taken flight. Run Forest Run!

I did a bit of scrubbing on the wooden deck where there are a few "green" patches of algae growth. I think that I will need to get some type of biological algae cleaner to nuke the deck with. It is WAR on all fronts!

After a quick packing of an overnight bag we hit the highway. With the wind in our backs it felt like we were being helped along by our Mom. Get to PE. Get to safety! (Heehee). My plan was to visit the Carbonology Sport factory to get a leash for my borrowed surfski and then we would head to the beachftont for a laid back lunch and then meet up with my brother at their place at 2pm. We were then going to leave to take a walk with him and their dog (Riley - a gem of a thing, well loved by both the girls, Ingrid and myself).

The Universe dropped us a to do card! This department I call the Kabouters (Leprechauns of sorts) In my mind, the Kabouters are little creatures that sit at a card table with a few drinks and perhaps cigars. They all have a hand of cards and each card has a task. They sit and throw a card into the middle of the table and laugh and laugh at what that would have us do. Between them they pick a card and deal it. We then are forced to excete the tasks and the Kabouters sit back and watch eagerly how we handle it. Perhaps they place bets on how we will complete the task, or how long it will take us.

Today's task was. "Your Dad is stuck somewhere having locked his car keys in his car. Your are instructed to help him". Now as luck would have it they dealt the card when we were almost at our lunch destination and were both feeling pretty hungry. What to do? Eat first and then go help the Old man, or go help the Old man and then eat. Option 2 meant that we might not get to have lunch as my brother had planned to go walking at 14h00. Like most of us in our family, Time is time. 14h00 is 14h00, if you are not in the car you get left behind!

Decision time for Ingrid and I. We chose option 2. We first had to drive to the Old mans place, meet with his sister who lives in the same complex and was fortunately home, and then drive the spare key to him. It sounds simple, but then the cards get amended by the Kabouters. In our heads it was a 1,2,3 and done task, but then you find that your Aunty is not as mobile as we would have guessed, so things were moving in slow motion. Hey adapt and continue. We had all day and Dad was safe at the tyre place so we were not really rushed. In my mind the 2pm deadline was going to be tight. 

Distances from 1 point to another in PE are not all that great, but it still takes about 25 minutes go to from 1 side of town the the other. As planned by the Kabouters, Dad lives on 1 side of the city and he was tanded on the other. The Huey Bell rescue chopper arrived at the requested LZ (Landing Zone) and Pops got his key! NO time to stick around as we still had to get something to eat before our 2pm deadline.  Task completed!

WIth only a half an hour to spare we decided on a lunch room near to my brothers house for a quick bite. That is indirectly one of the reasons that we chose for South Africa for this trip, The climate of summer for Ingrid's joints being number one, but the familiarity of being 'home" and knowing our way around.

On time to meet up with Riley and my brother for the walk. Justin had chosen a walk along the coast with an inland section which would shelter us some against the onslaught of the wind that had by now reached full force. On the return journey we would take the coastal path with the wind in our back. This was a well executed plan! 

On arriving home at Justins house we were warmly met by his wife who had just finished work. WEEKEND! Justin's house is set in a sort of valley and is well sheltered from the wind from the west. We sat outside and opened a beer and some wine for Ingrid. Well deserved after our mission this morning and the walk this afternoon. 

My brother and his wife are like us at present, childless. Both of their kids are off in the wild world to explore and discover. Their son is in Malawi working with his couzin and their daughter is in Bali taking a bit of R&R after graduating with Honours at University. Our kids are back at home with our dog. It is fun to see the two camps, the men are happy for their kids to be spreading their wings and doing their thing, and the women just want their chicks under the wing.

I have to say that our 'chicks' are making us proud. They have made a schedule for who is doing what and when and it is working for them. They are making it easy for us to be here. 

Alright today is Fleur's 20th birthday! Who would have thought, our baby! She like her sister is a beautiful child, both on the inside and out. We are thankful that we might be able to say that about our kids (Young adults). Boy it brightens the heart when we see photos of them as small children. Damn they were cute!!!

How can one visit my brother and not braai (BBQ), Braai, salad and a second beer and a good chat about all sorts of things. The four of us have never really sat down and chatted as there were always others around. Tonight we continue I would guess.