This weekend marks our two year anniversary of living in Strasbourg. Yes, somehow we managed to tie it close enough to Bastille Day, and the hottest time of the year. I can write that with conviction, because I have two very definitive memories of that weekend. We arrived on a Friday. I was wearing jeans, … More Two Years
Last week marked my two year anniversary of not working, and it’s raised the question “Do I still introduce myself as a chef (de cuisine) if people I meet ask me what I do”? Two years of not waking up at 5am, two years of not driving to work under the dawn light with music … More Recipe of the week
My dear friends, The last few weeks have been heavy reading, and I hope you’ll forgive me while I work through my emotions and grief. I can promise you, it won’t be the last you’ll hear from me, but life goes on, and I cannot allow myself to fall behind. Way back when, the main … More A Delayed Start to Summer
Mothers Day-10 May. 10pm. How many times today have I stopped to look at something and think of her? How many times have I felt her absence? A perfect bottle of nearly empty Coco Chanel. The shopping list and her familiar handwriting. Her specs lying near the basket of keys. The flowers that are beginning to … More My Broken Heart
This is the tribute my brave sister spoke at yesterdays service.  She spoke so beautifully. If the last thing I can do for you Mum is stand here and be brave for just long enough to share with everyone here what made you such a special mum and person to all of us – I … More Dear Mom, Love Pandy
All the words in the English language, the thousands of Afrikaans and the hundred of French that I know will not make writing this tribute any easier. Where to begin remains impossible to determine. How it will end, I know, will be something like this: “I will love you forever Mom” The very last journey … More Dear Mom
Day 5 of our <<vacances de printemps>> â‘ and we have woken to rain. I’ve been listening to it falling on the corrugated roof outside our bedroom since 6am, and have had the luxury of drifting in and out of sleep. Anton’s in Kuwait this week, and I have been very lazy, as you can … More Can we become tri-lingual?
Last week Alex went off on her much awaited grand school trip- 4 nights/5 days away from home, with her class, and teacher. What a big deal. Granted, I was quite chilled about my 7 year old being away from home for a week (that’s what boarding school does to you), and I figured that … More The Storyteller
5 months have passed since we found out about Mom’s uterine cancer. I know there is evil and tragedy across the world, but nothing is more close to home than cancer and one of your own. We were lucky- as far as luck and cancer goes. From what they medical people could see, the yuck … More Happy Birthday Mom
Mon Chères, Last week was a flurry of birthday party activities in my rather simple life- heading to shops to buy sweets and serviettes; making goodies for the infernal party bags; printing pictures and baking cakes. It could have been so much more stressful if it wasn’t for the talent of one of my ‘lovelies’, … More It feels like it’s been ages…
Thank you for your text message last week. I’m glad to hear that you’ve had a wet cold weekend- I know how much you have all been praying for rain. Last week, the low grey clouds here in Strasbourg were unbearably omnipresent; even my smart-phone’s camera was rejecting the notion of taking nice photos; there simply was not … More Dear Dad
It’s been a while since I last regaled details of a meal not cooked at home, so because I received some lovely feedback last year, and because the weather has got me in such a slump that I can find nothing else to write about, bear with me while I tell you about the Italian restaurant … More Eating Italian
I have- and I kid you not- 4 half written blog posts lying in various places: 2 drafts on this blog, 2 as word documents, and I probably have random ideas scribbled in note books that adorn my desk and bed side table. For the most part, the themes center around South Africa, and they are … More This Winter
Indeed, a fortnight has passed since I started regaling the niceties of South Africa on holiday, and I worry that I have mostly buried some events in the depths of my soul. Do you really want to know about how my children adapted to life on the farm like ducks to water? Do you really … More En vacance, part deux
Hello again, from a very grey, wet, morbidly oppressive European January. I’m tucked away in my kitchen- it has the most amount of natural light in our apartment, but I still need the overhead light on. On the other side of the door, the girls have spread their toys as far as I allow … More En Vacance
First and foremost, I would like to apologise for my absence in the last month. I had great expectations of being able to blog while I was in SA, but when you’re surrounded by your best people in the whole world, stuff just gets sidelined. That being said, I did manage to see most of you- … More Cheers to 2015
Much excitement has been rumbling around our home this week. Early rising, strange dreams, and much happiness at the idea of seeing our family. Mingled in with that has been thoughts of friends leaving Strasbourg, and how blessed we have been in the last few months to have them in our lives. We’ve spent time … More On the plane, down south.
I’ve spent 18 months encouraging myself to not miss home. I’ve waxed lyrically about the perks of my European town. Cycle paths. Free schooling. Efficient Effective state medical. A most amazing group of fabulous international and local friends. That I can be a SAHM. Guilt free. Internet connectivity. Cheap internet connectivity. Public transport. German beer. … More A Sense-ation
Life. Take a moment to stop, and spare a thought for the heart that pumps in your chest. At the same time, think about where your loved ones are. Can you climb in a car, and be at their side at a moments notice? Sadly, in this era of globalisation, (and difficult politics,) we do … More Father Time and The Grim Reaper
October. Aside from the obvious autumnal-ness, October seems to be choc-a-bloc full of birthdays, and not only that of my Dads’, mine or Beths’. In the last month, we have celebrated and attended no less than 6 birthdays between us (- all from the ‘ex-pat’ crowd, mind you). When I RSVP’d to the one invite … More Birthday Month
