South Africa for Christmas

We returned to Pretoria to visit family and friends, check that all was well with our house that is rented out for a year and to have the required annual medical checkups. Our initial plans were to stay in Pretoria for two weeks, have two weeks at our "bush" house in Sabiepark next to the Kruger Park, rent a house in Franskraal from our friends the van der Westhuizens for December and then return to the barge via London for Katherine Low's weddng in early January. Our dear friends Eddie and Jacqui Parker gave us a warm welcome and offered that we should stay with them in their lovely home while in Pretoria.

We were rudely wrenched from enjoyment of being be back home by news from Attie's medical checkup that the cancer he had been operated for in 2009 had spread and would now require a six-month course of chemo therapy! That was the beginning of a nomadic life that we never ever want to experience again. We were in Pretoria for 2 weeks with the Parkers, 2 weeks in Cape Town, 4 weeks looking after the van der Westhuizens house back in Pretoria, one week looking after another house, 5 days with the Parkers again, poor friends, 8 weeks renting a simplex. a week at Verlorenkloof, fly fishing, 3 weeks at Sabiepark and 2 weeks in Cape Town! I am now the ultimate suitcase packer and unpacker. One good thing about a life on the move is that you realise how many "things" you collect which you just do not need.

Attie handled the chemo therapy like the trooper he is although it was not pleasant. We stayed positive by looking forward to the arrival of our first grandchild and also the rest of the work that has to be done on Linquenda. Then of course our wonderful family and friends who were a fantastic support system. I just cannot thank them enough for their hospitality, telephone calls and visits. Visiting with the boys and their wife/girlfriends, our friends and family in Pretoria and in Cape Town was wonderfully supportive and rewarding.

The highlight of our visit back to South Africa was, of course, the arrival of Spencer Adriaan Swart on the 27th of May. Gorgeous little boy who takes after his dad and unfortunately, it seems now that he also has colic like his dad had. Sorry about that Monique, it ain't fun I know!

Spencer Adriaan Swart

After the six-month chemo treatment the oncologist advised that we could return to France and the barge on condition that Attie continues a self-medicated chemo programme and undergoes monthly blood tests to determine that all is under control. We therefore planned our return to the barge for 19 June.