Family Tuscan holiday

Had a wonderful week in Italy in May. Fantastic to have all the children and granddaughter with us. Been madly busy and back to Italy for racing at Monza since then so have compiled a SmileBox slide show (with apologies to those in SA with slow and very expensive internet).

Make a Smilebox slideshow

WWC Team Building

Last weekend got off to a World Wide Creative weekend start with leaving drinks for Rowan, who has left us to run his own venture in Mossel Bay. We all spent the evening at Quay 4 at The Waterfront, and watched the final day of the cricket.

Saturday we all met at a culinary school in Cape Town to learn to cook a three course meal, all members of staff & partners and wives came along and we had to split into groups of three. It was great fun with flowing wine and finally the chance to sample our efforts at the end.

We made Spinach & Feta Filo parcels, Portuguese Lamb with mash and baby marrows, followed by Tiramisu. It was all very delicious. More photos can be seen here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldwidecreative/

Easter in Bilsington

Had a wonderful Easter. Nya was with us on Good Friday while her mama and daddy went to Rye for lunch and a wander around the town. Nya went to church with Lucia and I in the afternoon. She is so good and does not even talk much just whispers to Oma or Cia.
Saturday morning was beautiful so Ed and I decided to go for a walk through the woods before breakfast. They are so beautiful at the moment, just bursting into life.
Traer, Terry & Nya came late afternoon and stayed until Monday evening so we had a great weekend.

Some pics of our weekend and Nya's egg hunt.How many eggs have I got?

La Gomera

The first week of March, Ed & I spent the week on La Gomera, one of the Canary Islands, where John the Martian lives and works. What an wonderful, peaceful place. The flora of the island is amazing. The hills have been eroded over the years but are covered in such varied vegetation. it just depends which side of the small island you are on. Every coastal area has to be approached by first driving to the central summit then descending in the direction one needs to go. The summit is most often covered in cloud so there is a rain forest - oh so beautiful. It really has to be seen to be appreciated. It is a hiker's paradise and would definitely rate 10 out of 10 for Warren & Pete. One can fly into a stunning modern small airport but most tourists fly to the south of Teneriffe and take a taxi to Los Christianos port where they catch a ferry to San Sebastian on La Gomera. We were met at San Sebastian by John and then drove to Val Gran Rey where we stayed.
Below just a few pics from our holiday.

Looking down to Valle Gran Rey


John's sculpture in a hillside garden


Sunset at the harbour


Lunch at a cafe

Reading on the balcony

Back to Sea Point

Oops I keep forgetting to write. So I will think of things that have happened while I wait for Mike to finish off at work - I do not remember the last time we left the office before 6pm!

Since I last spoke:

- we moved back to Sea Point, so have been doing may miles walking up and down the sea front
- I got a new computer (as the laptop screen fell off my old one)
- I learnt how to chip at Golf - so no more long putts
- Bridget (my first friend to have a baby) found out she is having a little boy - due 3rd Aug
- it is even sooner before we head home, even though only for 4 days :-(
- Caught up with Uncle Pete, Aunty Mim, Warren & Sandy before Warren left back for the UK. (Ate out 4 days in a row, and found the best calamari ever in Hout Bay).

Mike is finally ready to go

xxxxxx

Where have we been?

As we have been away from this blog for a while I guess it is only right that I fill you all in on why we have not written.

Holidays:
My Dad & Simone came over for 2.5 weeks, Mike and I flew up and met them in JHB before driving north to the Kruger National Park. We stayed in an amazing Guest House in Hazyview, definitely the place to stay for a few days in the Kruger it was stunning & luxurious with a great friendly husband & wife running it.
Arriving in Johannesburg early Wednesday morning, we only had a 20min wait until dad and Simone arrived in from London. Picked up our hire car and set off for the 4 hour trip to Hazyview. Stopping half way for lunch a lovely trout fishing place with a restaurant and shop, probably the best place to stop for lunch on the road which was lucky for us as the car battery died and had to wait around for 2 hours for a replacement car. Arrived at the sanctury of the Blue Jay Lodge for the night before heading early to the Kruger park on Thursday morning. After a good day of game watching, Thursday night was spent in a rest camp, we had the opportunity to go on a night drive, hoping to see leopard we were unlucky and did not spot anything other than a type of monkey and lots of Antelope eyes that sparkle like city lights. Friday was again a day of game driving towards the exit gate, and heading back to our Guest House. Saturday we visited the few waterfalls in the Blyde River Canyon area. Sunday we drove back to Johannesburg for an evening flight and dropped dad & Simone at the train station, as they were spending the next 24 hours on the luxury train down to cape town. It was great having them with us for 2 weeks in Cape Town, we played lots of putt putt and ate out lots, along with a few tourist things. We also went on a Cape Malay cooking course - which was amazing we made malay chicken curry, rotis & Samosas.
House:
We have found a new place to live in Sea Point, moving from a one bed to a small 2 bed. The complex is on the beach road, and we are looking forward to our evening walks along the main sea point promenade. We move on the 11th March, as the new apartment is furnished, we have sold all our furniture and are at present without furnishings or fridge for the next 11 days. So it feels as if we are camping.

Work:
We have had some great websites go live recently, and some very high profile ones so hoping these will bring in lots more work. You can view some of these here http://www.worldwidecreative.co.za/work although just noticed some are very old on there, but the top 3 are new new.

May:
We are in the UK for a couple of days before and after we go to Italy, looking forward to a week of doing nothing other than reading my book and walking down to the village to buy meat,bread & cheese for breakfast, lunch & dinner. (We are also in the Chianti region so i guess wine as well - maybe not for breakfast though).

Mike & Nic ( I thought I would attach a photo as you all have not seen us for awhile)

Perk Sprog 2

This is the first of, no doubt, a multitude of photos that will be taken of Perk grandchild number two. A delighted Eddy accompanied Traer for her first scan yesterday. Baby is thriving and very active - spinning on his/her head whilst the nurse was attempting to take measurements.
Baby is due on 7th September.
If you're wondering why Terry did not go with Traer, both he and I were laid low with a lurgy caught from Nya. She and Traer had just got over it. Everyone now well and very excited!

Visit to Nigel & Vicky

Terry went off to Washington DC early Saturday morning to set up an exhibition which is opening on Wednesday. Traer, Nya, Ed and I went to Nigel and Vicky's in the afternoon and spent the night.
The poor cat was terrified of Nya and kept going into hiding and all Nya wanted was the 'tat'. Nancy and Ben came round Saturday afternoon and Aunty Diana came for coffee on Sunday morning. Saturday evening Vicky served three delicious curries, seafood, chicken and spinach and a vegetarian one. Superb! Must get her recipes. Below are a few photo's.

Nya in Vicky & Nigel's bed

Nya with great great aunt Diana

Christmas 2008 in Cheriton

Ed and I went to Terry, Traer & Nya's to celebrate Christmas this year. It was a wonderful time with our darling Nya and Traer's family. Here are a few pictures.

SA Christmas 2008

The Christmas Festivities began a couple of weekends ago when Mike and I with a few friends went up the West Coast for Sunday Lunch. Served on the dunes we were served with endless seafoods including prawns & calamari strips, preceded by a great fish bisque and then to finish the afternoon coffee and Koeksisters.
Christmas Eve:
Mike and I were invited to celebrate with The Roeds Danish Style in Hout Bay. After an eventful relaxing time in garden with ponies and boules we were entertained by the childrens nativity play.
The adults dinner was served in the evening, the most amazing pork cooked in the Weber BBQ followed by Danish Rice Pudding. We all then had a couple of small gifts and Mikael played us the piano while we sang a couple of christmas carols.




Christmas Day

We were joined by Patrick and Stephen for our christmas lunch of Ham and Turkey. We were given a Wii by Mum & Pete so we had a few games of bowling and golf.
Thank you to everyone for all our other gifts it was nice to have something to open on Christmas morning.





Boxing Day
Mike and Stephen went surfing in the morning, then Mike and I went to watch James Bond at the Waterfront Cinema.

Today
Walked to the bakery down the road to buy bread for our ham sandwiches, stopped off at the new pancake restaurant in our building for coffee. Now just filling in form to try and extend our visas. This afternoon is the official opening of the new restaurant and pancake place downstairs so going down to do some tasting.

Merry Christmas
Mike & Nic
x

Sun, Beach & Movies

Now the summer has set it, it is great living in Cape Town. Friday after work a few us went to Clifton beach to watch the sunset with Pizzas. There was then a big screen set-up to watch a surf movie when the sun had gone down. There must have bee a couple of thousand people on the beach watching the movie.

Saturday awoke to a beautiful very hot day, between Mike working we took a drive to our recycling place which also happens to have a second hand book shop - so I stocked up. We met Patrick & Thabo for a couple of drinks at the bar across the road from our apartment. At 5pm we went to friends for a braai, then was pulled away early due to work, but managed to watch a movie.

Sunday - another baking day in Cape Town (as well as today, the aircon has been on in the office the whole day - usually I have to turn it off as my hands get cold). We went for our Sunday coffee to read the newspapers at the Waterfront then back to the flat, where i spent the afternoon on the balcony reading my book whilst mike worked inside. As soon as the sun hit our balcony I had to come in and run to the pool to cool down, and had a lovely swim.

Only 2 weeks left at work, before the office semi closes for Chirstmas.

Sarasota - 4th November to 6th November

As I write, we are ready to leave the warmth of Florida (not really true for past 2 days) for the cold of Wisconsin, but before we go I'll bring you up to speed with the past couple of days.
Tuesday morning Rose and I set off with Rose's friend Shelby on our bikes for a ride to Casey Key.
The local railway track has been converted to a biking trail so most of the ride is through a national park - very pretty and peaceful. However the peace was shattered by what sounded like a gunshot. Shelby's rear tyre had burst! Thank goodness for cell phones. She called her husband and made her way to the nearest road for him to pick her up. We continued on the trail. At the end of Casey Key, with Venice on the other side of the water, is a small fish bar which also serves great coffee. Rose and I had a cup and sat talking to a couple of men, one of whom is an Iroquois Indian from Canada.
Just as we were leaving, Shelby rang to say her bike was fixed and Dave was bringing her to meet us. We crossed back to the mainland and immediately turned right along the water and went to Pop's, a quaint waterside bar and restaurant. We ordered a pitcher of beer and a plate of Nachos for two - it was huge and plenty for the three of us. It was great sitting there watching the boats go by. It's not as easy to cycle after two large glasses of beer even though it was 'Lite'.

When we got back (slightly saddle sore - me) we just flopped at home. But of course, it was a great night to be in and watching the results coming in on TV. Rose had been threatening to immigrate back to the Netherlands if Obama did not get in. Guess her grandchildren felt the same way.

Well Rose is happy and staying in the US
Wednesday was aquarobics again and then, as the weather was cold, we took a drive to Lakewood Ranch - not very exciting - so we went to St Armand's and enjoyed an ice cream then a coffee as we strolled around looking at the shops. Back home again and off to the club house for pub night (and generous servings of Scotch).

Sarasota - 31st October to 3rd November

I finished off last time saying we were getting ready to go into Sarasota to eat. Well, we had the most amazing dinner at Michaels on East. Friday night's special was 'Lobster Fest' which consisted of two Maine lobsters, mussels and clams served with red potatoes and corn on the cob, which we washed down with a rose champagne. Absolutely delicious. Afterwards, we drove into the centre of town where we parked then walked around enjoying the halloween revellers in their costumes and also the live music.
Saturday, we cycled a round trip of 10 miles to a shopping mall to check out the special offers for kiddies clothes. I bought Nya two winter dresses (NOT pink so don't panic Traer!). Lazed around in the afternoon, ate delicious homemade chilli and watched a couple of movies. Went to bed early as I was feeling slightly under the weather.
Sunday morning I was fine again - must have just needed a bit more sleep. As the clocks went back, we had an hour's extra lie in. Went to 8.30 mass at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, then back home for BLT and coffee along with the Sunday papers. Then it was off to downtown Sarasota for the last performance of the musical Bye Bye Birdie at the Players Theatre, a local community theatre. It was a great, funny performance with more than half the cast being school kids. The lead roles of Rosie (Kaylene McCaw) and Albert (Jim Taylor) were superbly performed.

On the way home from the show we stopped at an Italian restaurant, Carrabas, for supper. We started off by siiting at the large horseshoe bar (Rose thought we might get to talk to someone) but it was too cold as we were directly under the air con. We asked to move and went to sit at a counter facing the kitchen where we could watch the cooking. For our meal we ordered spiedino which were skewers of large prawns and scallops grilled over coals and with a herby lemon butter, mashed garlic potatoes and courgettes. Yet another scrumptious meal this time washed down with chianti.

This morning it was up and off to an hour's water aerobics. The sun was shining in a clear blue sky and the pool water was 87 degrees. What a great setting for exercise. Rose and I stayed at the pool afterwards enjoying the sun, reading and lazily swimming. Early afternoon we went grocery shopping for this evening's meal and bought king crab clusters. We headed for Casey Key around 5 to watch the sunset but first we drove at the 15 mph limit from one end of the key to the other and back so that we could gaze at all the amazing houses. It is a long narrow key with, at most, only one house on one sid of the road or, in certain areas a house on either side. Did I say house? Mansion is the correct word. Anyway, after our drive we went onto the beach and watched a beautiful sunset. Then back home for crab and champagne - what a hard life!