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| This lamb is half the size of the others. Renate explained she never grew to full size due to a genetic anomaly.. |
Fascinating Fact of the Day about Devon, Cornwall:
From this site:“
Devon has Europe’s Oldest Cinema:
Torbay Picture House was opened on 16 March 1914 and is believed to be the oldest surviving purpose-built cinema in Europe. In its early days, it featured a 21-piece orchestra, with each member paying a guinea to perform. There are 375 seats: 271 in the stalls, 104 in the circle, plus three private boxes at the back seating an additional eight. A project is currently underway to bring it back into use. We can’t say for sure, but the first film shown was probably the original Police Academy.”
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Regardless of the hot weather, the mozzies, the insects and the prospect of snakes at every turn, we found ourselves entrenched in the magic that living in the bush offers.
The proverbial question is…will we return? Our hopes remain that immigration will allow us to return and remove our status as “undesirables” for the three months we overstayed during my recovery.
In the interim, we’ll continue to make plans for the future planning around the cruise as we continue to wait on the waiver. Neither of us cares to have plans up on the air but in this case, we’ve decided to be patient and forge ahead
Once the rain stops we’ll wander out to the greenhouse to pick tomatoes and stop to feed the animals some “pellets.” Ummm…farm life…we like it!
Have a delightful weekend!
Photo from one year ago today, September 28, 2019:
“They say that time flies when you’re having fun.” We’ve found that time flies regardless of how much fun we’re having. During the past difficult last three months in South Africa flew by in a blur, from February to May 2019, waiting for me to heal enough to fly to Ireland.
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| One of the entrance gates to Renate and John’s 500-year-old seven-bedroom house. |
Now, as we recall Ireland and the three months we spent in Connemara from May to August 2019, passed so quickly, the memories seem distant and far removed from our reality.
Now, as I’m quickly returning to my “old” self (old, indeed) we’re able to look back to our 15 months in Marloth Park, South Africa, focusing on the amazing months we spent in my favorite place in the world.
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| The lush green pasture. |
It was about one year ago that I found myself saying to friends and perhaps even posting that I was in the midst of experiencing “the best year of my life.” With our many friends close at hand with an outrageously busy social life and of course, the constant flow of wildlife both at “home” and in Kruger National Park, life couldn’t have been more pleasing.
Regardless of the hot weather, the mozzies, the insects and the prospect of snakes at every turn, we found ourselves entrenched in the magic that living in the bush offers.
Some have asked, “Did the cardiac by-pass surgery and its long and painful recovery tarnish any of our South African experience?”
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| The sheep in this particular paddock had been sick or have some disability. |
No doubt, the last three months in Marloth Park were difficult, especially when I was too ill to be able to go out onto the veranda to interact with our wildlife friends, until the last few weeks before we departed in May.
However, I’ll still stand by my statement that the first 12 months we spent in Marloth Park as being the favorite year of my life since we’d begun our travels almost seven years ago. It was a dream fulfilled.
The proverbial question is…will we return? Our hopes remain that immigration will allow us to return and remove our status as “undesirables” for the three months we overstayed during my recovery.
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| This is the biggest goose we’ve ever seen. |
We’re scheduled to return on a cruise from Lisbon to Cape Town in November 2020, hoping to stay in Marloth for another three months, minus the few days we’ll spend in Cape Town.
If we don’t receive the waiver, we’ll have to cancel that Azamara cruise and possibly lose our GBP 892, US $1100 deposit we paid long before I became ill. We’ve decided to continue to wait to see if we’ll be approved for the waiver over the next few months. If not, we may choose to get an immigration lawyer to assist in this process.
In the interim, we’ll continue to make plans for the future planning around the cruise as we continue to wait on the waiver. Neither of us cares to have plans up on the air but in this case, we’ve decided to be patient and forge ahead
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| This dock on the pond outside our door is covered in moss due to the humidity. |
This morning farm owners Renate and John stopped by to bring us fresh towels, a new down comforter and duvet with matching pillowcases, a dozen eggs from their chickens and feed for the ducks, geese, and chickens along with different feed for the sheep.
Once the rain stops we’ll wander out to the greenhouse to pick tomatoes and stop to feed the animals some “pellets.” Ummm…farm life…we like it!
Have a delightful weekend!
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Photo from one year ago today, September 28, 2019:
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| From a recent visit to the “hippo pool” in the Crocodile River bordering Marloth Park. For more photos, please click here. |