There is not enough of me. A week of coming and going. I have been trying to squeeze the work of three weeks into one (not very successfully) in order to co-organise a trip of a lifetime (much more successfully). And while this was all going on, important visitors kept arriving in South Africa and there was no way I was going to miss seeing them while they were here. I have a Lovely Houseguest and it is wonderful to share my home with her. And I have reconnected with dear Norwegian friends who used to be regulars in the Cape, but have been prevented from coming for over two years (you know why). Now, they are here, and their beautiful daughter, who was born in Cape Town and whom I first held in my arms when she was six hours old, is now as tall as I am and simply wonderful. It was amazing to see them. Writing has continued and by tomorrow I will have a quarter of a first draft of my next book ready – if I continue at this pace, there will be a book by the end of the year. Easily! Finally! We had a Karavan Press book launch, some great reviews, a new Karavan Press title is nearly ready for printing, and another Karavan Press author finished her next novel. Other work has been done. I am packed and ready for my PCR test. On Wednesday, I will be having dinner with the three most important people in my life: Mom, Krystian and My Love. And that’s enough for me. Guess who is the Happiest Woman In The Universe?
Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local. Get vaccinated, please. Live.
“Physical distancing remains one of the key strategies to curb this pandemic.”
Elgin Valley, my happy place. We spent the weekend in Elgin, indulging in the beauty of the valley, where the grapes and apples and pears are ripening at a different speed to other parts of the Cape because of the cooler climate of the area. Time feels different in the valley for people, too. It slows down. Everything is calmer and better when we are there. It’s the place and the locals, a closely-knit community that always makes us feel welcome. We stayed in one of the cosy Cheverells Farm cottages and dined nearly exclusively at the newly established Cheverells Farm Shed, the home of the Country Café & Gift Shop, a Wellness Studio and a gorgeous Glass Greenhouse nursery, which made me wish for green fingers.
We attended a food and wine pairing at the Shed on Friday evening. Everything was so tempting and delicious that I overindulged in white wine and paid the price the following morning. I have always known that I need to be careful with white wine and the evening reminded me exactly why (but it was all worth the next-day-suffering).
The Shed is one of the places in the area where you can buy Lester Walbrugh’s bread. It is absolutely delicious and I brought two of them home for myself and bought one for my lovely neighbours.
The Baker of Grabouw
On Saturday morning, Lester and I watched the film he co-produced and starred in, 2 Thirds of a Man. It is the coming-of-age story of Justin, a talented but guarded teenager who leaves his home in Beaufort West and returns to Cape Town where he was born to navigate the challenges of being a first-year student at Rocklands University. He moves in with his mom’s brother and meets G and Bronwyn who both change his life in remarkable ways. Together they explore the ups and downs of friendship, what it means to trust and to love someone.
I was moved by how a story that has been told many times became unique by confronting and escaping the pitfalls of stereotypes throughout the film. The mundane became special, the ordinary worth telling, and all of it was filled with a gentleness and tenderness that touched me.
The music – all original – was stunning. Towards the end, Justin goes on stage and sings – it is a powerful sequence and Mario Ogle shines in his role here. It felt as if the actor and the character were simultaneously coming into their own in that moment.
No visit to the Elgin Valley can go without a stop – or a few stops – at Liberty Books. On Saturday evening, the bookshop hosted another remarkable event: John Maytham performing Finuala Dowling’s script, ‘Valentine’, an early Valentine’s Day treat that had us thinking about love in its many manifestations, tearing up and laughing, and going home feeling nourished by Finuala’s and John’s love of words.
On Sunday, my love and I returned to Cape Town to have lunch with dear friends at Blanko. Even though, I have been to the other restaurants at the Alphen Hotel many times, this was my first visit at Blanko and I cannot wait to return. Beautiful food, great service and the outside tables under the trees perfect for a summer’s day afternoon. We were celebrating a birthday and had the loveliest of times.
Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local. Get vaccinated, please. Live.
“Physical distancing remains one of the key strategies to curb this pandemic.”
Excavations at home continue. I have a lot of stuff. My house needs urgent TLC. In the last two days, I have carried so many books from one place to another (rearranging bookshelves etc.) that my body is broken. I feel worse than after climbing Table Mountain without any preparations. But: the results are great. And I am finding the most fascinating things – long forgotten or never remembered – among my belongings. It all feels good. The house is sighing with relief. I am getting rid of things that need to go. This is the year of dealing with the past, and of renewal.
Yesterday, my counsellor and I had another breakthrough. The excavations are not only physical.
After the session, a dear friend took me out to a birthday lunch at the Hoghouse. I am still smiling.
I have so much literary work to plough through, I don’t know which way to turn first, but this too shall pass, this chaos. Bird by bird …
Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local. Get vaccinated, please. Live.
“Physical distancing remains one of the key strategies to curb this pandemic.”
Too much to do, not enough Karina. The last few days, I was drowning in emails, admin, board and other meetings, discussions, decisions and announcements. All of it with wonderful results, but not enough time to sit still and relax properly for long enough to think and write daily.
Apart from the work on my latest manuscript – that is continuing with strong determination, even on a Sunday.
We announced the 2022 Philida Literary Award: Mary Watson. She was interviewed by AJ Opperman about the award and commented later: “I told AJ about how André Brink and I used to meet in garden cafes and talk about stories and writing, with cake. How a piece of advice that lingers is how writing also happens away from the desk, how stories grow when we’re not looking.” This is exactly the legacy that the award is celebrating and I know that André would have been thrilled with the choice.
The 6th of February is never an easy day for me, but having the award announcement on this day keeps me focused on all the memories that make me smile.
The 7th was my Mom’s birthday. And the greatest news of this year is that I am going to HUG MY MOM – !!! – before this month is over. Despite the distance between us, we have always managed to see each other at least two times a year, and the last two years and a bit have been the longest we have ever been apart. But now, finally, we will be in the same space at the same time and will be able to hold each other. And: my brother will be there too!!! To say that I am happy would be the understatement of the century.
And today, by the way, is the 18th anniversary of my first visit to South Africa.
It is J. M. Coetzee’s 82nd birthday, too.
Lots to remember, to contemplate and celebrate.
What else?
My love and I discovered a great new restaurant in Muizenberg.
It could not have been any better, my birthday weekend. Bubbly birthday perfection. Bubbly joy on all fronts.
Even Topolino marked the day!
At 45, totally unfit, one is entitled to a bit of a midlife crisis and the wish to climb Table Mountain without any preparations on one’s birthday. Fortunately, I have the loveliest, spontaneous friends – two of them, visiting from overseas, agreed to accompany me on my mad quest. They’d been up Table Mountain many times during their regular visits to our beloved shores in the last two decades, but they’d never climbed the Mountain. What we could not predict was that we would be sharing it with well over two hundred matriculants and way too many boomboxes, but the kids were quite polite and turned down the volume when asked. ‘Let the tannie pass,’ one of them said when I was attempting to crawl past a group of them resting … ‘Enjoy those fit, young bodies while you can,’ I thought, ‘they don’t last forever.’
Fit or not, we made it to the top where we were met by drizzle and the Table Cloth on full display, so it was a change of clothes, hot chocolate and the cable car (free ride in one’s birthday month!) back to the city. Five days later and my legs are nearly pain-free again, but the huge sense of accomplishment persists.
The rest of the day was about resting, Skyping with my family, preparing for the weekend away and, happy as a bee, I went to the last of the UCT Summer Lectures on social insects presented by Karen Jennings. It was wonderful.
In the evening, my love and I went to the only restaurant I wanted to celebrate at this year: The Hoghouse, of course!
It was the first time I had their chocolate cake – and there is no going back. This is the ultimate chocolate cake (I will somehow have to break it to Bill when we return to Oudrif, but his is still the best chocolate cake baked on a braai!). I went to bed a happy woman.
The next day, my love arrived on my doorstep, ready for our bubbly birthday adventure. We were invited to spend the weekend on the Graham Beck wine estate near Robertson and it was an adventure of a lifetime. I have known many happy days in my life, but this was bliss on a different level. I had always wondered whether there is a point when one does not want to drink bubbly any longer – when enough is enough – and now, I can tell you: not for me! It will never ever get boring.
It’s harvest time at Graham Beck and the excitement is in the air. We visited the cellar where for the first time I was able to taste wine in the making, only a few days old, fermenting happily away in all its magical glory. I had never tasted anything like it – it’s very difficult to describe the textures and flavours of this incredible process. But if you ever get a chance, it is an absolute must.
But then, the real tasting began … of the bubblies that have made it into bottles and have been patiently waiting to showcase their sparkling beauty. The Maestro himself – Pieter Ferreira – and his amazing wife Ann Ferreira, also known as Bubbles Ann, guided us on this astounding journey through method, dedication and excellence.
I learned so much that it is difficult to capture in a few words. What fascinates me the most is that even someone like me who just loves drinking bubbly but knows very little about it can recognise the difference in taste and smell of the various approaches to bubbly making. An experience like this makes you look at corks and oak barrels with new eyes. Fun fact: corks have memories, and they can lose them :)
But this was only the beginning …
We had the enormous privilege of staying in the Grace House on the farm where a more leisurely celebration continued in the company of our wonderful hosts and their friends. There was no end to the beautiful bubblies, local and foreign, and no end to light, laughter and stories.
All of this and – after some deep sleep, no hungover (!!!), and another fantastic bubbly meal – a mousebird, and Rafa’s 21 Grand Slam.
Three lovely friends who joined us for the Sunday afternoon arrived with a mousebird they were nursing back to health after s/he had fallen out of the nest. I never imagined I would get an opportunity to hold and stroke and feed a mousebird, but there s/he was in my hands, chirping and stretching her/his wings which are nearly ready to fly. I was so happy! I will always think of her/him when I see my favourite birds – with their great hairdos, mouse tails and fluffy chests – in the air.
And then there was Rafa. What can I say? I am ecstatic, no?
Best tennis birthday present imaginable :) Vamos indeed!
There is no rest for the wicked, so we joined the midnight harvest for a while – even Pieter, who by then was on crutches, because of a bone fracture in his foot (which happened just when we arrived on Saturday before he even had a sip of any bubbles!) – in the vineyards and in the cellar, before getting a little bit of sleep and heading home on Monday, bubbles still – or not so still – on our minds.
Karina (45)
Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local. Get vaccinated, please. Live.
“Physical distancing remains one of the key strategies to curb this pandemic.”
Karina Magdalena 