Hout Bay – 29 February 2024

Today is Thursday February 29th and I am writing this post early in the morning after a very warm day and night. Yesterday it was thick above 30 degrees, no wind and during the night it hardly cooled down so it was uncomfortable. Now it’s wonderfully cool with clouds and I’m going to get some bread for breakfast. Annie leaves for her son Michael today and then goes back to Dysseldorp with him and his wife. It is a kind of independence that she simply has and that I fully accept and admire. Of course it doesn’t make it easy….

From the eye examination yesterday, nothing special emerged other than what was already known. She should try to stay out of the sun. Her colored glasses help well, according to the doctor.

Farrah and her family and in-laws are on their way to the Netherlands and land within a few hours at Schiphol

Yesterday I heard from my sister that a good friend of hers had passed away on Tuesday. Although her death did not come unexpectedly, I am shocked and upset. Saturday is the funeral.

There are also positive messages from the Netherlands. For example, the financing for Tamara’s house seems to be going well including the creditline and that is an extraordinary achievement from my partners. The news about the healing of my former business partner is also very good.

Now that the time is approaching that Tom and Tamara leave for the Netherlands (March 3 at 00:35) and we have to leave the house here (same day) Lisa and I have to talk about the continuation of our stay here. In recent weeks, a number of people have put quite a strain on us and that has affected me, especially. Many beautiful people live in South Africa who try to make something of their lives with all their knowledge and skills. Conversations we have with them are about children, work, housing, mortgage, retirement and the world problems.

However, a significant part lives his or her life in a semi-vegetative state where it is assumed that someone else will provide water and food somehow, somewhere. They can then do what they feel like and that is, unfortunately, a lot of drinking.

Lisa can deal with this and I can’t (anymore). I think I have more trouble with it because I don’t drink alcohol (anymore). The result of this is that we are now talking, or actually especially me, whether a holiday until May 3 makes sense. I am not inclined to be continuously bombarded with ‘problems’ that these people have or think they have and that then have to be ‘solved’ by us. To be continued…..

The photo below Rowen took while sleeping his son and his wife sent me yesterday.