Adventures in 2020

Good morning all at the start of a new week, new year and new decade.  I hope you all had a good New Year and are all ready to tackle what lies ahead.  We had what felt like a very quiet week which, in retrospect was actually very busy.  For the first time in many years we actually stayed up, more like propped our eyelids open, until midnight as it was Princess's first new year, then after wishing each other we promptly all went to bed hahaha.  On the 1st we went for a long walk on Silversands Beach, walking much further than I thought and, even though it was sunny there was a brisk cool wind blowing off the sea, which kind of disguises the fact that one is getting sunburnt - 'some' delicate flowers came home rather red hehe.
Later in the week on the pretext of going to the local shop Poppet took me for a delicious cup of coffee at Coffee on Clarence, one of our local famous little coffee shops - it is always a treat to go there and we came home laden with cakes for everyone else #bestcakesever. 
The week truly seemed to go by in a flash and yet last a long time, anyone ever have those kind of weeks ?
As Poppet flew back very early yesterday morning we planned a mini road trip to Cape Aghullus, somewhere I have wanted to re-visit since we've been here.  On Friday evening I prepared a picnic lunch and bright and early on Saturday morning we loaded up and set off.
It actually took about two hours to get there with a stop for refreshments and oh my word, it was SO hot - I definitely function better in the colder weather hehe.  We went to the Lighthouse and while Poppet and Princess braved the 'ladder' type stairs to get to the top, the three of us walked around (Jelly Bean wasn't feeling 100%) and I took loads of pictures. I don't often get to the experiment with my camera, but mastered the video setting plus one or two others.  From there we drove to the rocks which is the official place that the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet, where a plinth type structure has been built with information about the area and a line drawn with Indian / Atlantic written on.  To my surprise the people simply queue up waiting to take their pictures there, right at the very tip of our Continent.  When our turn came I took pics of the girls and then Poppet had Hubby and I stand for a pic, insisting that we kiss - on the line, this brought a round of applause from the rest of the queue, just a tad embarrassing for someone who doesn't enjoy being in the spotlight, thanks Precious :D 
After all this we enjoyed  our picnic right there on the rocks and were intending to head to Anniston to see the cave at low tide.  At that point I just could not face the extra car time and we ended up stopping at the Struisbay Harbour - what a beautiful spot - where we went to a beach restaurant and sat for an hour or so cooling off with some ice cold beverages, more pics taken.  I get extremely frustrated when my body pulls the plug on me especially when it comes to disappointing others, sorry Princess and Poppet,  there will be a next time.  On the way home Hubby stopped in Bredasdorp and bought the freshest fish and chips to take home for supper, they were delicious but such big servings only one person was able to finish #eyeslookingatHubby

Yesterday Poppet left at 6 am with Hubby taking her to the airport, I accomplished not one single thing and spent the day resting on my heating pad.  Now we are in our last week with Princess, it is already super quiet without Poppet and after Princess flies home on Sunday the house is going to feel very empty, so we intend making the most of the next few days with her.

I would like to encourage each and every one of you to go into this new week with a positive attitude and knowing that God has each of us in the palm of His Hand, there are no surprises for our Heavenly Father as we read in Jeremiah 29 v 11. "For I know the thoughts that I think towards you," says the Lord, "thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future."  May 2020 be a year of blessing, peace, good health and new beginnings for each one of us.  Stay safe out there folks.

The Cape Aghullas Lighthouse

Kiss at the tip of Africa

Struisbaai Harbour

 A very hot cormorant on top of a light pole