What's on my mind today!

[Delia]

Thanx Bertie, received & big hug back 

[SandyB]

100 %   with you on this  one Delia .. celebrate Vals  life .

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

Remembering my dad, big Dirk  -  would have been his birthday today.   Miss the big old guy tons, but all good memories.  Sometimes just wish he was still around so I could ask him things that I have forgotten about.

Right spirit you have about it, Delia  -  celebrate her life ! 

[SandyB]

Like said ,, so many of  us  are going through the phase of missing ,,,,   a year is closing , another year ahead with its challenges  and yes we wish we had those pillars in our lives still ... our life  journeys   although intertwined   still  have the drift especially for those that have passed ,  their  comfort be it via  a dream or image  slowly fades as they move on their journey as the other world  has other priorities to our current  earth life ...  the acceptance of it although  many of  us understand it still find it  hard to accept ... Peace and acceptance to all in this  space ..

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

It is Boet's birthday today.  Had a good bash on Friday evening with friends and all .... 

As said, last year this time we were still in ICU in Cape Town and we were still lost in our 'trauma'  -   we celebrated his birthday with screech green and yelling pink cup cakes ...  the whole gang was allowed round his bed for a few mins and to take pics  -  not something they allow in ICU  (remember, only 2 visitors per bed).

We have come so far in one year (and we still have such a long way to go) ... we have accepted and have sort of assimilated.  I have to admit  -  there are still those days when I look at my child and when my heart brakes for him for being in a wheelchair, but then again I realize  -  he is alive, he has been spared for us and although it is so hard on him, this thing has taught us all a few new lessons in life.

To mention a few :  it has taught me to have more patience and not to throw my toys out the cot for each and every little thing that does not go according to my planning.  It has taught me that there is no shame in tears.  It has taught me that I am allowed to as favours of friends.  It has taught me that I am allowed to speak about my feelings and share my weaknesses with others.  It has taught me to accept help and hugs and favours with an open hand and open mind. 

Most of all  -  it has taught me that I have so many friends who truly care !!!

Happy birthday my beautiful boy  -  I am so proud of you !!

[Michele Alexander (Voden)]

 

Happy Birthday Boet! And a big congratulations to you Dalene on your son's birthday!

Yes, it has been quite a year for you both but look where you are today! You both remain an inspiration to the rest of us and we are grateful to be a part of your lives! And thank-you for sharing some of your "lessons in life" with us - I am sure there are many of us who should stop and try and remember all of these things as we go about our daily lives! As the saying goes - life is too short! But what does it have to take to remind us how short it actually is.

[SandyB]

@ Dalene , give birthday wishes to Boet .......

[Michael Alexander]

Getting tired, the Spar in Omund is busy , a lot of folk on leave , but staying in town this year.... Just bashed into Wessel Wessels, who is in Omund for a Xmas holiday, fishing down at the beach..... his family will be also joining him shortly ... In general, a number of non residents appear to be in town for the Xmas,

[Michael Alexander]

Been going through a lot of old video from my Dad's days.... Oranjemund in the 70's.....

Sometimes I start to think..... what the hell are we still doing in Oranjemund? Everyone from my past has left, there are only but a handful of folk left from the 70's, the rest have all gone, replaced by other folk that are no longer expats..... have we made a mistake staying behind? You wonder, I guess on the positive side.... all my brothers still live here, I have great neighbours, including two old timers from the 70's..... one was even an Appie with me.... so from that perspective I cannot complain.....

You watch those old films and look at the faces on the faded pics, you keep reminding yourself, that all those folk that left, did'nt all leave together and move to some other small place, No, they are scattered around the world....

I guess it's sad to realise that things have changed a lot here in oranjemund, but I guess they would have changed no matter where I had grown up in the world.....

My town is still a safe green place, with wild Gemsboks and Jackals wandering the streets, throw in a few springbok and ostriches ..... my kids are enjoying the town..... and I guess the internet has made all of us just that wee bit closer.....

What I have noticed when viewing all those old films, is heck, a lot of folk smoked back in the day, people seemed to live for the day and not the future, and the old timers are right, time does fly by quicker the older you get..... sometimes you get angry that time has to age us all....

well, that's just my thoughts for the day.....

[SandyB]

     Mike ..      for sharing with us all , and yes thinking carefully , and having no regrets with life choices ..

[Bertie Horak]

  Mike. Like you say - there would have been changes wherever we grew up. The visual, emotional and special memories you stored in the grey matter as a child, is what gives us that special feeling about our town.
In a lot of ways I am jealous of you who had the opportunity to stay in my town of birth.
As far as getting angry with father time... I think if I didn't age, I would not have felt this feeling of gratitude for a special childhood of yesteryear - a special time set out just for me to be there and experience the town from the moment I saw the world for the first time, for more than a decade. I'm blessed, and should be grateful.

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

Also mentioned this on another site - my baby girl, Susan is 19 today - a young woman and out into the world.

And it makes me think how time flies by ...  it seems like only yesterday that she was this tiny pink bundle in my arms and now she is about twice my size.  I can't pick her up anymore or carry her around, but as a mother she knows I am there for her to pick her up and carry her emotionally to the best of my ability.  Strange how we wish, when they are small, that they would grow up, but once they are grown up, we wish we could have them small again. 

All I can wish for her, besides a happy birthday, is a good life full of the happiness she deserves and pray that the Lord protect her and fills her with wisdom and inner beauty and that she keeps her faith strong.

[Michael Alexander]

I awoke just after 04h30 this morning after a 12 hour sleep..... head still cloudy, and I have just chowed supper from last night...... wondering where to start my saturday off.... just heard wee Kelvin running down the passage calling for his mommy, it;'s just shy of 10 degrees here, so no doubt he is hopping into bed to cuddle mommy.....

[Diana Rudd (Boehme)]

A real man is a woman's best friend. He will never let her down. He will comfort her after a bad day. He will inspire her to do things she never thought she could do. He will enable her to express her deepest emotions. He will empower her to be confident, sexy, seductive and invincible ... No wait. Sorry. I'm thinking of wine. It's wine that does all that. Never mind...
 

[Alfred Boehme]

Nothing