October 2022

The last Speed Rally for this year was held on the 1^st of October at the Springs Airfield. Sean and Roger participated again and did very well, coming in at 3^rd place. They are certainly becoming a force to be reckoned with. Guys are just so competitive by nature, aren’t they?!

The day ended with the annual Year-end dinner and prize-giving. It was a black-tie event but somehow between Roger and myself we missed that small detail; he went dresssed in sports jacket and brown longs while I wore ‘dressed-up’ jeans and a Silvery-white top. Oops…

We slept over at the Eastwoods Venue, very close to the airfield, in order to avoid driving back home afterwards. It was a good idea because there was a lot of ‘partying’ going on.

We drove home after breakfast on Sunday and en route decided to go to the movies. I’ve been wanting to see Elvis for a while now. It was a long movie but well worth it.

Kevin was due for a crew change so he and Lucy arranged to meet at OR Tambo International Airport; he would fly in from Europe and she would fly from Cape Town. This was all arranged for Thursday the 6^th. They would then spend the weekend between Joburg and Pretoria and fly back Sunday evening. Kevin’s flight was delayed, however, so Lucy was here on her own for Thursday afternoon and evening. It turned out to be a great opportunity for the two of us to get to know each other better over a ‘girls’ lunch; an opportunity we don’t often get. Kevin arrived on Friday morning. The two of them spent the weekend flitting between family and friends until we met them at the airport again on Sunday evening to relieve them of the car they had been using.

We spent Friday evening (the 7th) with new friends Kathy and Alan at their home in Sydenham. Roger knew Alan’s brother Ian from Comair days and he met Alan at Glutek. I met them at the first speed rally I attended. They are very interesting and hospitable people. It was an evening of good company and delicious food.

Alesia asked me to make crochet duck suits for Louis’ class performance at their school concert. I ended up making four while someone else also made four. Imagine eight little 2-year-olds all in duck suits! They left it rather late, so it was quite intense getting it done in time. It was interesting though.

I went to the Joburg Gin and Art Fair at Monte Casino on Saturday the 15^th where I attended an Alcohol Ink Pouring workshop. I can’t say that I enjoyed it too much; it is too unpredictable and uncontrollable. It’s just doesn’t suite my nature I suppose…

I fetched Roger’s mom in the late afternoon to accompany me to my art school’s annual exhibition. I think she enjoyed the outing and the art. As luck would have it there was loadshedding which spoilt things a bit, but we had about 15 minutes of light at the end.

Kevin ran his first full marathon, the Cape Marathon on the 15^th. He did pretty well I think but he declared that the distance is not what he would do on a regular basis; he will stick to half-marathons in future. Besides that, his only training opportunity while he is at sea is on a treadmill.

Meanwhile Roger, who was at Silver Creek for the weekend, phoned me late-morning on Sunday. There was an urgent request from the Bateleurs for a pilot to do some anti-poaching flying at Madikwe Game Reserve. Sean is the coordinator for the area and Roger was the only pilot available, not that he minded at all. Weather-wise it was a hectic flight. It took him two hours to get there, a lot further than what he initially anticipated! Afternoon flying in a light aircraft is always risky in summer I suppose. He enjoyed the trip and was back home on Monday afternoon. Perhaps I will have the opportunity to go with him next time.

The repair and maintenance of the Botswana Bathawk is eventually coming to an end. It has been in our hangar for about a year now. The aircraft belongs to the salt mine Botswana Ash (Pty) Ltd which means it was badly corroded. It also had a lot of sun damage. It was first stripped, then bits and pieces were cleaned up and/or remade and refitted. New wing covers were ordered and those arrived recently, so things are starting to come together. Its pilot André, who lives in Pretoria, had been involved all along.

We made plans to fly to the Brauhaus in the Rustenburg district for a Parkrun on Saturday the 29^th. The whole idea started with Sue, Anthea’s sister, who needed that specific event to add to her already formidable Parkrun achievements. The weather killed the flying idea though. Coming from Rosebank we drove through a hectic storm on Friday evening. After the storm it continued raining throughout the night. It did seem to lighten up in the morning and after much contemplation over coffee we decided to go ahead and do the walk but to drive there; flying was out of the question. The wind was howling when we arrived at the Brauhaus and it was cold.

The first part of the track was through clay/mud that built up under one’s shoes until it got too heavy and dropped off, only to start building up again. Then the sky turned dark and the rain came down, showing no signs of letting up any time soon. The path became dangerously slippery but fortunately I brought my raincoat and hiking stick as a precaution, so it wasn’t too bad. It was slow going however; probably my worst Parkrun time ever. It was certainly an interesting experience.

Kevin wanted a dog since he was a little boy, but it was never possible due to our lifestyle. We travelled a lot; I worked away a lot and Roger was an airline pilot. Our standard answer was: ‘you can have a dog one day when you have your own home’. Now he has his own home and after much nagging he eventually convinced Lucy, and they got a dog…

Simoné had a rather controversial and certainly uninvited roommate on the 23^rd of October. He was safely released back into the veld the next day.

And as always…