Things are looking up!

Granny is able to walk with the aid of a walker and somebody helping up the stairs! She still needs constant care, but is eating better and generally in better spirits. Mouse and Rita escaped to a week of doing  as little as possible at our time share in Durban to return to a much happier granny. Life goes on as normal as what it can with the extra Granny detours throughout the days, and hopefully , soon, All will be back to what we would hope be called 'normal'. Right, yes, well erm... everyone's definition of 'normal' does not need to correlate....

THINGS COULD BE BETTER

Well granny is home now, not because she was doing so well , but because while refusing to eat, lacks the strength for the physiotherapists to work with her. At home however thingsa are moving along at a snails pace as far as her recovery is concerned. She is only eating under duress and only half a cup at a time... no this does not go down too well with the family members who are taking care of her.
It's been a week ... let's hope next week has better results.

granny doing well

According to the physiotherapists... she is going to be galloping again soon... well that could be a slight exageration, rith now she is alive and kick... well once she has mastered her new hip she will again be alive and kicking!

Kalafong Shuffle commences

This is how I found Granny yesterday, her perspicaciousness seems better than it has in a long long time. She has a clean bill of health. In fact the doctors say she is incredibly strong and healthy! I am sure she would like to argue the point though. She however did reply that this is good to know. Of course we understand there will be a period of convelescence and are prepared for it, however, she will not be getting away with her tricks of "I can't" and others she is bound to come up with.
They will give her a day or two before getting her up and running, well, okay, up and shuffling as the whole point of getting a new hip is to get mobile again, right?

Granny gets cut

Well after being in hospital (Kalafong) for 19days, Granny is finally ready and healthy enough to have her left hip replacement op.It has been a long time of to and fro to the hospital but things are finally moving. We are grateful that she is able to have the surgery at all, as there are other patients, due to osti artherotis are unable to undergo the surgey. We are pleased too that it will not cost us anything! God is good.

She is in good stead as she has even sterted her favourite pastime and is reading novels again. There will certainly be a rather long time of recuperation, so we hope and pray she remains cooperative and positive for the tough time ahead

Still trotting

Oka-aay, so the days are really filled with coping with the Kalafong Hip Hop and other general life catch ups.(Granny is doing well at the moment, she is being readied for her new hip. Admittedly, Monday she gave us all a real start as she was terribly confused for the day).
Things like Electric fences that misbehave and then other 'stuff' like seriously blocked sewage drains and whatever else gets thrown at us. Coachin meetingas are also full steam ahead, but at the end of each day we can cerainly say - God is Good!

Never a dull moment, huh?

Talk about hitting the landing strip running! On our arrival home, we were 'eventually' met by our very own Dorianne and Jordan - Thanx guys. Then had the dodgy task of seeing Granny after her fall last Saturday... we were somewhat shocked by her appearance but handled it well... at least we thought so. Francoise had arranged for a Physio to come in and give Granny excercises, but said Physio suggested that X-rays get done of the offending limb, causing Granny not to want to walk anymore... So, off to X-rays on Wednesday, Doctor and then Hospital, as it turns out the old stick had broken her hip. Right now it looks as though she will be getting a whole prosthesis, and we wait to see exactly when that will be. In the meantime, Francoise and Rita are doing the Hospital Hop, relay fashion, as Francoise holds down a full time job during the week, she does weekend vigil and Rita takes the weekday shift. All seems okayish so far.
 JP had much catching up and repairs to contend with as Jordan leaves for a month of training for Wildlife Warden course  near Bela Bela.
We are still sitting with some 'BILLING Problems' so that needs to be dealt with too. All in all not bad for the first week home. No time for jet lag or anything like that as there are things to be done, places to be and people to see!

HONEY, I'M HOME!

 Home sweet Home..... Sweet like a chewed toffee!
So much catching up with life and reality to do... and of course fighting with dust!

heading South for the winter

Our noses are pointing homewards.... its been a very interesting and exciting three months to say the least.

We have eaten foods that bite us back.... some like hot...

Eaten fruits in strange and yummy ways

I am almost sorry to say that we are no longer required to use our tea kettle aparatus.... sigh.

The skylines are soon to turn familiar...

Some sights we will surely miss

And no matter where we are in the world... people will always get annoyed, some just make it a lifestyle!

We are wearing a little thin and getting a little frayed with all the travelling,

but are looking forward to hugging our kids, breathing cooler air,

getting back into the driving seat at home again...

Till next time-back in a days!

some shots

A familiar scene in Hoi An

View from room in Hanoi - we were upgraded to a two star hotel!

Hanneke and Christoff in Ho Chi Min City

Cowboys on Bikes

Red Door in Hue

Saddling up in Hoi An

Hue in passing

Muine, Hoi An and now Hanoi

Time in Mui Ne was just too short
We swam, rode bikes and much more
On a sleeper bus made our way to Hoi An
the weather turned cooler, but still we had fun
Our bags crunched the road as they fell from the bus
sorry, no pictures as there was too much fuss
A wild cowboy drove us all the way to Hanoi
After a shower 'n cleaned up saw the sun, oh boy.

halleluya holidays

Upon arrival in Mui Ne... we needed to move to our New Home of three days... thank you Mark for showing us your moves

The night before ... in HCM City, Deon with the boys gave us some ideas.....

Estelles escapades caused Miemie to have to wear her shades...

Plienkie drove so fast , nearly lost her off the screen but Mark was holding on faithfully trusting her.

View from bike in HCM City  with the traffic and a taster of the full banquet of lights intended for Tet.
Heading off for a bus ride all the way up to Hoi An-aproximately 18 hours worth... Argh.