The joy of laughter

Some days are gifts.  I woke up really early this morning, gearing for a day of sweaty gardening.  Poor garden.  It didn't even get a soaking.

Dani came on line.  Her lunch time is my breakfast time.  We spent that lunch time discussing Myers and Briggs profiles and the impact that the various personalities have on each other.  Dani and I are very similar in many ways.  I won't share what profile I am on this blog, as that would be too much information!  However, she explored with me some of the impacts that we have on others.  By the time we had finished almost an hour of exploration, I was rolling on the floor laughing.  The situations that she described are so typical of some of the interactions that I have with others.

Late this afternoon I went up to Knitting Club.  As the last club meeting of the year, it got to be a Christmas party.  Here is the start-up scene:

Through the evening there were many moments of joyful play:

with another on Project 365 as Girls being girls.

And there was time for tears - tears of joy - too:

Afterwards, I came home and shared a lovely long chat with Idgy - my soul sister.  During the chat, she received some wonderful news about one of her sons.  It was a gift that I got to share that with her.

What a lovely day, filled with unexpected moments of love and joy.  I am a very blessed person.  Maybe I am learning that every day is a gift, if one opens oneself to the opportunities that abound within it.


This is an addendum to this post.....  Dani ALWAYS wins hands down on scrabble.  I figure I'm lucky if I get somewhere around 100 points behind her.  And today, a wonderful, gorgeous, sublimely happy day.... Yup... you got it... I WON!  This may well be my most precious gift for the next decade.  I will wallow in it happily for months, whilst she reverts to whipping my butt :)

Sunrise Circle Beach Walk

Today entailed a walk from Sunrise Circle car park, along the beach to the river and back.  Afterwards, we were invited to an end of year braai, as from now on, people start to drift to other parts of the world for their festive season.

This is a shot of us in the car park, readying for the walk:

Just look that that blue, blue, cloudless sky!  It was a simply perfect day.  The tide was low, there was no wind, and the sun burnt hot against the light, hard compacted sand.  As we walked, people wandered from group to group hooking up and then breaking away to start a new conversation elsewhere.  Just what a walk should be.

Along the way we bumped into a lady walking a host of dogs:

This is exactly what a beach should be.... water, sand, sun, people and dogs.... lots and lots of dogs :).

Here is a little fella eagerly watching his bigger brothers playing ball:

And the piccie of the day goes to Kite Dance, published on Project 365.

Thereafter, we gathered for our braai.  Here is a shot of one of the group preparing chicken kebabs:

Additional photographs will be submitted to hike leaders for dissemination at their discretion.

Hiking by the light of the moon

This was a first for me.  Eight of us collected near Just Nuisance's grave on the Red Hill road down to Scarborough, for a moonlight hike.  I think mostly everyone else had some experience at this, but not me.

The way up was sublime.  The pace was somewhat snappier than the pace that my hiking groups usually set, which did mean a fair wack of huffing and puffing on my part.  There was time along the way for some photographs.  Here are examples:

And another:

These were taken when we stopped for tea on the way up to the beacon:

And then on and up to the beacon from which we would watch the sun set:

 And the moon rise:

Here are some of my fellow hikers preparing supper and a toast to the last full moon of 2011:

I don't have photographs of us on the way down.  It was quite dark, as the moon spent a fair amount of time hiding behind clouds.  So there was me, with my rucksack, clutching a torch [fortunately not with my teeth], and my vertigo, doing an amazing amount of 'bum' work as we scrabbled down fairly rocky terrain back to the cars.  At one point, our hike leader, Walter, asked if we were okay.  My response was 'I am on the verge of hysteria and I'm crying, but actually, I'm fine :)'.  Mostly that was me, being my normal over-the-top self, but it was actually quite scary.  I was quite relieved to get back to the car intact.

One learns ever so much about people on these hikes, particularly as one of the weaker ones.  Two of the more experienced lady hikers set themselves up, one in front of me and one behind, just to make sure I was okay.  Wow, the kindness of people simply shines through on occasions like this.

Sitting here, the following morning, sipping coffee and reminiscing, I figure I'm up for the next 'easy' one, not that I'm masochistic or anything :).  The views were worth every scratch and stain, and the fellowship of others was worth every vow inside me that somehow I would get down without being too whingy.  Yup, I'd do it again...

Hiking up Slangkop in Kommetjie

For my not South African friends, Fish Hoek is on the East Coast of the tip of South Africa, whilst Kommetjie is on the West Coast.  They two villages are about 15 minutes apart [I didn't take the mileage, but it truly is not very far].  It has to do with the fact that we live so close to Cape Point which, although not the most southerly tip of Africa, is where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet.  It can be quiet confusing for visitors, and sometimes for us, to work out which ocean one is looking over.

Today we hiked up Slangkop towards the Block House at the top.  The views looked out over Kommetjie, over Noordhoek beach, and across the coast to Hout Bay:

This little part of the planet makes me want to weep sometimes.  It is so beautiful that words simply can't begin to describe it.  When I look out over these incredible vistas, I get a sense of wholeness, through the sheer power of nature.

This is clearly not an experience which is just my own.  Today we stumbled across a pilgrimage of some sort up in the mountains:

which seems to culminate in a cross which looks out over the view in the first photograph:

 Here is a small prayer for me, and for all of those who are privileged enough to live in this area:  'May we never stop experiencing th wonder that we shared today'.

Cherry Picking

There is something quite delightful about setting the alarm for really, really early, packing relevant items into the boot of the car, collecting a friend, and setting out on a one day journey of wonder.  Today's journey took Helen and I to Klondyke Cherry Farm to pick early and mid season cherries.  It is something that I have never done and really wanted to do, so today was the day.  Here is one picture of cherries:

with another posted on Project 365.

We found a delightful scrapbooking shop with a cute front of shop display.

Which much amusement I found an entire farm, called duck farm, for the ducks posted a few days ago on Project 365:

What is it about water trees and mountains that brings serenty to one's soul?

The sweetest fruit

As one wanders through life, one has opportunities to guide and influence others.  Whilst at my most recent employer, I had the role of mentor to several graduates and incoming employees.  One of them left in January 2011, and I left in May 2011.  We have not spoken since then.

She sms'd me today.  She followed through on a suggestion that I made all that time ago and is starting to reap the rewards.  She did her first speech at Toastmasters and is experiencing the euphoria of having done that.  Go girlfriend!

Walking in Groot Constantia

Today's walk was in Groot Constantia. It turned into an easy stroll.  I got loads of piccies, some of them turned out really nicely.  Here is one of some fellow hikers stopping for a tea break:

I realise that I have a mind which is amused by small things.  This got my vote as photograph of the day.  See Duck Tails on Project 365.