Life certainly has its ups and downs, more so these past two years and I'm sure many of you are bobbing your heads up and down or not?
I wrote just the other day about how thankful I am about the survival of our Lily's Cottage bnb in my response to our Silver Bloggers' Blog of the Week's #bow - Has the pandemic changed your future plans? as there sadly were many other fatalities in the industry due to Covid; not to speak of the millions of people who lost their lives worldwide!
Memories of the time before are forever imprinted in my mind but how fabulous to be able to share and store it all here on Hive!
Rawdons Hotel
This tranquil image was taken in 2014 when we visited the Nottingham Road Brewing Company at the Rawdons Hotel in the Kwazulu Natal Midlands; lovely memories of an era where we could get up close and personal with the brew master and enjoy a beer tasting!
My older son used to brew his own beer so as a beer snob was very interested in these beers.
A man can dream not so;) Hubby and the son posing in front of a snazzy sports car.
Best Work Buddies
I had many fabulous work buddies but these were my two very best friends who I was still seeing regularly before Covid came along. All three of us are Geminis so fully understand each other even though our personas can change at the drop of a hat ;)
These images were taken at the Makaranga Gardens in Kloof, a stunning hotel with a 30 acres garden and as I told you recently, they sadly are still closed due to Covid lockdown losses; not sure when they will open up again.
My two friends and I attended a GISSA AGM here in 2015 and had some time to walk around the gardens and pose; this was one of my last get-togethers with others in the industry.
My very dear friend and I having a light moment, she lost her husband totally unexpectedly at a young age to cancer; he was diagnosed and was gone within a week. It was quite uncanny that even before this happened, she would arrive at work with her head clean-shaven in support of the CANSA Shavathon's fundraiser for Cancer victims.
Having our own little Christmas party after I retired; the girls insisted that Mom join us as they grew very fond of her over the years, both having lost their Moms.
Trip to Johannesburg
How I miss the road trips up to Johannesburg when we would visit our older son and his girlfriend!
I'd be snapping away at the beautiful landscape on the way up along the N3 highway.
A rare sight was seeing a donkey cart, not many of them around any longer!
We would always break the trip at the bustling halfway stop called Bergview with all kinds of interesting little places selling food and gifts as well as antiques etc etc.
My very good friend and her son came along one year to visit her brother and of course made the trip a load of fun with her bubbling personality!
The best part always is arriving at the son's little thatched roof cottage to a braai (BBQ) and a warm welcome!
Large gatherings seem to be a thing of the past, but I much prefer small intimate get-togethers with the special people in my life, so am quite content and looking forward to seeing our son soon and hope that my friends will feel free to visit again as our whole household is now vaccinated!
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