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| Don, on his birthday, knocking lemons off the tree in their yard for us to take back to Marloth Park. |
“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”
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| Zebra butts on the side of the road when we left Marloth Park yesterday morning. |
It’s odd that, as world travelers, we don’t care for long road trips. What can we say? Tom despises traffic which causes him considerable angst and stress.
For us, driving long distances, even for a day, doesn’t hold much appeal. Sure, we often embark on shorter trips to investigate various points of interest, but all-day trips inspire us to fly as an alternative.
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| Tom, at dinner at MooMoo Restaurant at the Brooklyn Mall. |
Last Saturday night, with the nine of us at Jabula Lodge and Restaurant, Don suggested we drive from Marloth Park to Kathy’s home, Pretoria, for his 66th birthday party. I looked across the big table. I said to Tom, ‘Want to go to Don’s birthday party in Pretoria next weekend.”
I looked to Kathy, hoping she was OK with Don extending the invitation before discussing it with her. She was smiling from ear to ear, making us feel at ease, knowing this was a good idea for her as well.
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| My already-tasted fabulous filet mignon, cooked rare, with roasted vegetables and a small side salad. |
Tom, engaged in lively conversation with his talking hands flailing about, stopped chattering long enough to look at me and state an emphatic “Yes!” without hesitation.
That night on the way back to our bush house, I asked him if it was OK about the long drive. Our friendship with Kathy and Don was motivation enough for him to make the long drive.
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| Interior of MooMoo Restaurant. |
We left the house at 10:20 am and arrived at the security gate to their home at 1640 hours (4:40 pm), and they warmly greeted us as they opened the large metal gate.
Their home is stunning, exactly as they expected. The grounds, the décor, and the ambiance is warm and inviting. Tomorrow, we’ll be posting photos of their house here in Pretoria, which happens to be listed for sale currently. Of course, we’ll include the link for the price and the listing information.
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| The name of this shooter is a “Soweto Toilet.” Tom gulped it down in one fell swoop. |
Kathy and Don own a gorgeous bush home in Marloth Park, overlooking the Crocodile River and several homes in Oahu, Hawaii. By selling this house, it allows them to spend more time in Marloth Park and Hawaii.
Being here at their modern, gorgeously decorated home in a lovely suburban area reminds us of being in the USA. There are few insects, no dust covering every surface, the temperature is less humid and considerably cooler, and the availability of shopping and services is overwhelming.
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| Tom was reaching to grab lemons off of the tree. |
Last night, we headed to the Brooklyn Mall for dinner at the famous restaurant MooMoo for a fantastic meal. We all ordered delectable steaks cooked to perfection with attractive and deliciousness. After dinner, we assembled in their beautiful bar area for more lively chatter and nightcaps after returning to their home. It couldn’t have been a perfect afternoon an
We’d intended to drive back to Marloth Park on Sunday morning, but Kathy and Don asked us to stay until Monday. So tomorrow, Sunday, they will show us some of their favorite sites in the big city.
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| Kathy’s birdhouses. Without the wildlife in Marloth Park, Kathy spends time feeding many birds that visit the garden. |
We enthusiastically agreed to stay, and Monday morning, we’ll head back to Marloth Park, thrilled for the time we’ll have had with Kathy and Don and excited to return to see our wildlife and human friends who’ll hopefully be returning to our garden.
Today is Don’s birthday party, and friends Linda, Ken, and Don’s brother Keith have no idea we’re here. We saw them constitute a fun surprise for the birthday party when we all enjoyed
their friendship.
Tomorrow, we’ll be back, as mentioned above, with photos of Kathy and Don’s beautiful home and details. Please stop by once again.
Happy day to all!
Photo from one year ago today, January 5, 2018:
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| Tom ordered a barbecue pork sandwich at La Panera Rosa in Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina, with three onion rings. It was as dry as it looked. For more photos, please click here. |
Was a great surprise seeing you both yesterday. Look forward to lunch again today Mexican style.
It was such fun seeing you both two days of our fabulous weekend weekend at Kathy and Don's. See you in a week at our bush house in Marloth Park.
Love,
Jess & Tom