Today is our last post about my 75th birthday party in Marloth Park, attended by 28 guests, our four wonderful helpers, as shown in the above video, and our dear friends and caterers, Louise and Danie Thiart. It couldn’t have been a more enjoyable evening, and from the positive feedback we received in the past several days, everyone in attendance thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
I must admit, I am still smiling over the event and will remember it with the warmest feelings for years to come. Every aspect of the party was meaningful and special to me, from the guests in attendance, our caterers, the decorations, the welcome drinks, the starters, the main courses, and all the many side dishes and specialty items.
Unfortunately, I was so busy having fun that I failed to take photos when the main items were served, including many braai types of meat, homemade bread, and all the fixings to accompany them. I wish I had stopped long enough to take more fantastic food photos.
Both Tom and I always enjoy traditional African dancing and music. We all enjoyed the above video when Martha, Mpumi, Vusi, and Zef performed a special African dance for our guests. Please take a moment to click on the video to see what we could savor later in the evening when our helpers stopped long enough from cleanup and dishes to dance for us.
We’ve had an opportunity to see dancers perform throughout Africa over the years of traveling on the continent. It’s hard to sit still when watching since the music and energy always have such an enticing beat that it’s hard to stay seated during such delightful cultural events.
So, dear readers/friends, this is the last of our stories and photos about the party. Still, the experience will remain in our hearts for many years to come; we are grateful for our friends Louise and Danie and their amazing helpers and, of course, our friends who took the time to celebrate with us on this milestone birthday.
Again, it rained last night, and the bush is thick with bright green leaves and vegetation to feed the animals in the park. Whether we or others offer pellets, vegetables, or fruit, the animals are well-fed. Anything we may provide at this point is comparable to giving a treat to a beloved animal.
This is the most rain we’ve seen in the seasons we’ve spent in Marloth Park. Many locals say the same as well – the best rainy season ever!
Today is another low-key day for us. It’s too wet and rainy for us to head into Kruger National Park, but we will embark on a self-drive safari when the weather is good for taking photos. As always, our visit will include breakfast at the Mugg & Bean and browsing through the enticing gift shop, which I always love to do. Tom has no interest in shopping!
We’re working our way through the leftovers in the freezer since our braai is broken and will be replaced in the next few days when,l once again, we’ll cook outdoors. And, before we know it, it will be Friday and Saturday nights when we’ll return to Jabula for fun at the bar and to dine on their great food, which we always enjoy.
Have a fantastic day, and be well. The only difference is that these wild animals can easily fend for themselves in the lush and full bush after all this rain.
Photo from one year ago today, February 28, 2022:
