Normal Days

In case you think all we do here in Cape Town is drink wine, lounge on the beach, go for scenic drives and eat lots of good food...

...that's not entirely true!! Of course it's the beautiful or interesting photos that make it into blog posts. So here are some recent normal day activities that didn't get photographed and didn't 'earn' posts:

• Laundry on Mondays. We don't have a washer or dryer (most people here don't have dryers anyway) though our friends Mawethu and Lisa do have one that they graciously share with us and two other tenants in their building. At least one morning per week Jim goes to their flat for a few hours to do laundry (since Jul's at work) and then takes it home and hangs it on the clothesline at our building. We are very thankful for sunny weather now and clothes that actually dry!
• My recovery of back troubles means I try to do 2-3 walks per day (20-40 min each) plus all my ab exercises twice a day. Slow slowly strengthening. Usually Jim and I go for an early evening walk together around our neighborhood, admiring gardens as we can over the high walls and gates that every home has.
• Cooking together. As Jim has gotten more interested in cooking and baking (and as he has more free time these days) we often read & talk through recipes and prepare dinner together. And then Jim washes all the dishes! As usual with great efficiency and a flourish!
• Kirstenbosch Gardens picnics. We recently purchased an annual membership (thanks to a tourist's tip from my work) to these gardens and have been going 1-2 times/week - enjoying it before we fly back to the US winter! One afternoon last week we took fruit and water and laid in the sun. We listened to birds and watched barefoot kids running around on the grass. The week before we took pasta salad and a thermos ("flask") of tea and had an evening picnic. Gorgeous, quiet gardens overlooking the surrounding area and suburbs.

By the way, I've always hated the word "blog". How about "G-log" instead? Or just "glog" for short?

2 Way Travel - 2008 celebration lunch

Jul with 2 Way colleagues Mike and Heather. To celebrate the end of 2008 (and two long days of 'strategy sessions for 2009') we went out to Stellenbosch Winelands area for lunch and a wine & chocolate tasting. And Jim got to come along too! He's taking the photo.

That's Table Mountain in the distance. The "Winelands" are 30-45 min from the city. It's spring now so the vines are growing quickly and just beginning to show fruit.

Entrance to the farm where we did a tasting.

Fairview Winery and Cheesery (the Goatshed)

I'm not even sure if 'cheesery' is a real word, but... yes, those are goats. Living in a tower. And the farmers make Really Good cheese from their milk. Oh and they also make wine at this estate. The label is "Goats do Roam."

So along with Mawethu and Lisa, we spent a relaxing Saturday morning at the farm's cafe, drinking coffee, sampling cheese, and - even, wait for it - eating fresh bagels. This has got to be one of the few places on the continent that makes bagels (and cheese). And this now has got to be one of our new favorite spots. After brunch we went into the shop/tasting center, and there was literally a hoard of German tourists racing around sampling cheese and wine and loading up their shopping baskets. This winery is one of the Cape Winelands top attractions for tourists (for those of you not into 'chevin', they also do cow's milk cheese here).

Here's three of us in front of Fairview's famous Goatshed (tower) - our wonderful neighbors (down the block) Mawethu and Lisa! Wait, make that four of us - that's baby number 1 on the way for the Ncaca family.

This has NOT been staged.Those goats really DO live in that tower. Oh but to be honest, we did pose for the photo.

Welcome to Jack Robert!

As of Thursday morning 6 November - welcome to the newest member of the family:

JACK ROBERT WELTY

Way to go Mom (my older sister Katie) and Dad (brother in-law Kyle) and new big sister Lillian!

We sure are looking forward to meeting you at Christmas, Jack! Texas really feels SO FAR away from Cape Town right now.

p.s. thanks for the photos I stole off your blog, Kyle.

2 Way Travel - afternoon tour

Last week 2 Way Travel (yes that's where I - Jul - work) took a group of 60 interntional engineers on an afternoon 'tour' of five sites that we have a volunteering relationship with. The big group split up into five smaller groups and spent the afternoon at one of the five sites. (I had to stay and 'man' the office.)

Jim went along as the 2 Way guide to Izandla zeThemba, an organization in Gugulethu (one of the largest townships here) that offers counselling and services to children and families affected by HIV/AIDS. They also make beads and jewellery to raise funds. Below is Thandeka, the coordinator, giving an introduction to the group. (Sorry Jim is behind the camera in all these photos.)

After the time at the site, the group had snacks of "amagwinya" (fried bread - SO good) and spent time talking with some of the full-time volunteers a zeThemba.