Jun
06
This week marks 11 months that we have lived in the UK. 1 more month and we would have been here for an entire year. When you think about the 5 years needed to get your British citizenship, it seems like it is forever, but then you wake up and all of a sudden one of those years has just incredibly passed you by.
This week was half-term and we started off on Monday with a trip to Buckinghamshire to visit our friends and enjoy a wonderful lunch and a walk in the hills. It was the first time we took Roxi on a bit of a road trip, and we did not know what to expect, but she travels like a dream. We arrived in Buckinhamshire to a wonderful day and a wonderful lunch with Steven, Melanie and Duncan. We took Meg (springer spaniel) and Roxi for a walk in the hills and Roxi walked like a dream. She is a really awesome little puppy and a testament to her breed. Nose to the ground, walking next to us, she was the perfect little tracking, hunting dog. Steven and Melanie have recently acquired an allotment near their home and I was so surprised at Mitchell and Jennas reaction to it. They both want to start gardening vegetables and fruit. I think I will start them off with troughs of small things in our garden and see how well they do, before setting them lose on a larger area. Jenna is hoping for an invitation to go and pick stuff in the allotment when it is ready (hint, hint) 
The rest of the week was spent doing things in and around our area. It was a very busy week and seeing that my car (that I drove over a tree stump last weekend) is still out of commission, it meant that we had to juggle everything around one vehicle. The mechanic says that I have cracked the exhaust manifold on the car and the hunt has now started to find a replacement option.
Jenna starts at her new school tomorrow. She looks absolutely beautiful in her new uniform. I am so proud of how resilient she is. She is so excited about the move.
Mitchell played a cricket match this morning on what must be one of the most beautiful cricket pitches I have seen here in England. It is locacted in the village of Withyham and is surrounded by woodlands on most sides, the cricket field has a farm with Shetland ponies on the one side and a field with pheasants and rabbits on the other. Mitchell is only 12 but he played for the u/15 team and scored what was a very proud 8 (NOT OUT!).
Yesterday we went to a real South African braai at Amanda and Justins house. Complete with boerewors and Chakalaka we were just missing the putu pap. South African music blared from the stereo in the window and “Sharks shirts” were the order of the day. It was a beautiful day in the sunshine amongst fellow Saffas. The men headed off to the nearby pub to watch the rugby match between SA and Wales. Braai fires, sunny skies, and a rugby match to finish it off. Could this be the recipe for a true South African man’s dream. 
So the highlight of the coming week for me must surely be the BON JOVI concert on Friday night at the 02 arena in London. We will be meeting Mike and Jo and I must admit upfront… I am like a little girl waiting for Santa!
I just watched a program on TV here: “Piers Morgan on the South African World Cup”. I am proud of South Africa and what they have put together for the world cup. There certainly seems to be an incredible vibe in the country at the moment, and although I cannot be there to share it, it is wonderful to follow it in the posts on Facebook and to see it advertised everywhere. I hope that the weeks ahead can be a flagship moment for South Africa and that the country will use the opportunity to its fullest.
June 7th, 2010 at 1:44 am
Hi Kerry, it was lovely to meet you at that Saffa braai on Saturday, hope there will be many many more over the summer. Look for me on facebook as I have some photos of Jenna which I am sure you would like to see. Will def be back to follow your adventure xxx