Reunions

Reunion: The state or act of reuniting. A gathering of relatives, friends, or associates, at regular intervals, or after separation. A family reunion. 

Earlier in August Tim and I flew to Geneva, Illinois, close to Chicago, for a Stanton Family weekend reunion.Tim's cousins, children of his aunt Sis, have been meeting like this for years. This was our second reunion and the first time a representative of all four Stantons, Tim's father, his two brothers and Sis, were together. 

What made the weekend extra special was the visit to White Thorn, home of the Stanton family from 1930 on. Not only that, Bill and Jane Van Nortwick, organizers of the weekend, live in Bill's mother, Sis's home in Geneva.

White Thorn in Wayne, Illinois

Family Archery - that's Tim's dad with the bow and arrow

An air of strong connection prevailed over the weekend and we left radiating history and family memories recorded in our minds and on photos, all of which we took with us on a visit to Jim and Lucy, Tim's mum and dad, in Boca Grande, Florida. We spent a week with Tim's remarkable parents, hearing their stories and passing on some that we'd learned in Geneva.

The Stanton family reunion really linked into the obsession I've had this past year with Ancestry.com, searching for my relatives, building up a family tree, seeing how many descendants branched out from those initial couplings, so many years ago. I have gone back as many as 7 generations and met a lot of cousins online via Ancestry.com's message service, which resulted in actually meeting up with four in England, as per my June blog. Earlier this month, I added a fifth, 4th cousin once removed, Tom Miller, whose ancestor is the brother of my great grandfather, John Garlick's father-in-law. Doesn't seem too far removed, does it!

In front of the gorgeous garden at Tom Miller's Mountainview home in the San Francisco Bay Area

Chile Wrap Up and Home to the Sunny San Francisco Bay Area

Santiago, when we finally made it, was a treat. Not too cold considering it was midwinter with nice friendly people, good food and an interesting city to roam around on my own while Tim went to meetings. The director of the Santiago program, Ivan Jacsik, and his staff arranged a fun wine tasting and lunch at Santa Rita Vineyards when the meeting ended.

Nearly all the directors of the Stanford Overseas Centres, the staff in Santiago and Stanford, Palo Alto

Tim and I had arranged to stay in Chile after the meeting, to spend the weekend at a country lodge SW of Santiago with Ivan. Tim rented a teeny car and the three of us piled into it with all our luggage and set off to the remote Residencia Historica in Marchihue where we settled in for the evening, sitting in front of a blazing fire before dinner. The calm scene was interrupted by a slow rumble that began to shake, roar and yes, scare me stupid! Not content with living on the sleepy San Andreas fault, we travelled all the way to Chile to experience my first temblor since arriving in 2000. It was only 5.7magnitude. Nothing to get too excited over, according to the locals.

On Saturday we drove to the coastal town of Pichelimu to breathe in the cool Pacific air, take a hike along the sea wall, check out the local Saturday market, and enjoy another splendid meal - lunch at the La Gloria Restaurant. Ivan ate sea urchins and sea squirts - mmmm.... I didn't  have my camera that day so was unable to capture this delicate moment.

Back to our lodge for an afternoon siesta followed by another roaring fire sans earth tremor. Pisco Sours were ordered according to Ivan's excellent fine tuning, not too sweet, followed by more good food. After dinner the three of us began a very serious game of pool and ended the evening in much mirth.

Starter for dinner that night. A nicely dressed 'moulded' salad with mozarella topping. Pisco Sour not quite finished and a glass of Chilean red

And then the giggly game of pool. Tim in action, Ivan looking on

We returned to Santiago the next day with a stop at a very popular craft market. And more food. And then spent the night with Ivan in his beautiful apartment with the snow-capped Andes in his front yard. Monday we headed back to Buenos Aires, getting a last look at the magnificent mountains.

The flight back home was uneventful. Bit of a let-down after the 5 day outward journey!

It's good to be back in the Bay Area - perfect summer weather, not too much fog, long days and good hikes.

Santiago

We made it! This is the view from the hotel room

Unravelled Travel - Volcanic Disruption.

July 7th
Tim and I set off for Santiago, Chile. First a flight across the country to Washington, Dulles. Then a short wait til we board the Buenos Aires flight.

July 8th.
We're sitting in the Red Carpet Club in Dulles Airport, Washington, in the same seats we occupied less than 24 hours ago. Why are we still here? Well we really did board a plane and set off for Buenos Aires last night, in luxurious business class, with the special service that comes with travel in that class on a newly reconfigured United plane with lie-flat seats - oh sweet sleep!

And it was indeed a wonderful night with starry skies outside. Only problem was when we woke, the map showed us heading north,  not south, somewhere near the northern tip of South America. Never mind I thought, my TV screen had not been working at all and Tim's was showing us heading north so the whole system obviously needed re-booting.

Not so. A short while later the captain's voice announced a slight change in plan. Chile's Puyehue volcano was spewing a fresh cloud of ash closing down the airport at Buenos Aires. So our plane was turned about and redirected to Miami, to refuel. And then, two hours later, we were shuttled back to Washington, Dulles, IAD!

And now we have checked into tonight's flight to Buenos Aires, in Economy class, a long night ahead of us.

I would rather go home!

July 9th 
Over a flight of dry Rose wines for me, an Argentinian malbec for Tim and a couple of late afternoon snacks in the wine bar at the airport, we realise we should spend the night in Washington because we can only get on a Buenos Aires - Santiago flight on Sunday night. 

The United representative works magic and gets us upgraded seats for Saturday night's flight and here we are now in the Westin hotel, waiting for our flight tonight, in the comfort of fluffy white sheets with food vouchers to spend.


July 10th
We've landed in Buenos Aires! And once again we're seated in the Red Carpet Club, for the fourth consecutive day, waiting for our next flight to Santiago. At least we're in a different city/country!

Around midday today the ash cloud returned and put a stop to all flights in and out of Buenos Aires. We're on tenterhooks. Will the ash clear by 8:50pm when our flight is due to leave? 


July 11th, Day 5 and we are still not in Santiago - our flight last night was cancelled. We spent the night at a delightful hotel, the Bel Air, in the Recoleta district of Buenos Aires and woke to discover that the earliest booking out of here to Santiago is Tuesday 10:15.

We walked the streets of BA today making up for the hours we've sat in airport terminals. Tiring, but blissful. Tonight we're booked into a highly recommended restaurant close by, the Fervor. And according to the airline websites, lots of flights left EZE airport today, so hold thumbs we'll get to Santiago tomorrow!

Tim having coffee at the Bel Air hotel this morning

Dog walker outside our hotel adds some color to the street

Visiting England

Nearly a month since I last posted a blog - shows how seductive London is. The final week in Cape Town was all about packing. Very boring. Here are some English highlights -

Naz makes some adjustments for a walk on Wimbledon Common with Gareth & Cameron

Cameron learning to stick out his tongue at his dad

As always, I've enjoyed my stay with Gareth and Naz especially getting to know new grandson, 3 month old Cameron. It's been wonderful being part of their home for two weeks, watching Naz, such a devoted mum, walking the three dogs most mornings, added walks with Gareth some evenings, lunches. and suppers, and meetings with long standing friends: Maggie Bassendine from Northumberland and her Australian partner, Roy Jackson, for lunch at the British museum, Mary & Rob Whitfield in Reigate. A great shopping day in London with Clare Dillon, lunch with Ian Jones from Oxford, and also Steve & Anne James and Brenda Bucknall.

Rich rewards on a visit to Hull to find the graves of ancestors. I met my 4th cousin once removed on Ancestry.com. Jo Robinson lives in Hull, as does her mum, Pauline. We drove to Hook, Swinefleet and Whitgift, three towns that feature prominently in our ancestors lives. In the churchyard at Hook Pauline was the first to find this grove of Garlick graves. Someone in the family must have had some money way back then ...

Pauline Searby, my 4th cousin. with me, in the midst of our ancestors 

The remains of my ancestors. The LH grave is my 4th gr grandfather Jonathan Garlick.

Jo Robinson was not the only 4th cousin once removed that I would be meeting on this trip. A week after Hull I set off to Wadhurst by train to meet Stephen Withers who whisked me off to his home to meet his cousin, Donald Green, both 4th cousins once removed on my paternal grandfather's mother's side. I also met Don's wife,Sylvia, on Ancestry.com - it's a marvelous resource! Stephen's wife,Jane Ann made us introductory tea after which we retired to the local pub for lunch, followed by more tea, this time with scones and clotted cream - yum!

From left, Stephen, Don's wife, Sylvia, Stephen's wife, Jane Ann, & Don

Lunch in the pub at Rotherfield. Don on the left, Stephen in the middle.

 Home at last - Thursday June 23rd, Californian time - a whirlwind 6 months!

A Field Trip, A Funeral and an evening of Breyani

May 13/14/15 was our Field trip weekend in the northern Cederberg, about 300 km from Cape Town. Sunny days, lots of rock art, nice walks, some horse riding. (Click on the link to see the photos.)

A year ago we did the same trip over the same weekend, staying at Traveller's Rest Guest Farm. The area is out of cell phone range and last year, just before disappearing into the quiet zone,  I got an sms to tell me an old friend had died that morning, May 14. This year, as we entered cell phone range, the first text message I received was one to say my cousin had died on May 14. I think next year I will avoid the Cederberg on that day in May!

One thing Tim and I have not been able to organise while living in Cape Town is getting away at weekends and it felt really good to be out of the city for the first time. We had another foray into the country on Wed 18 May when we drove to Swellendam to meet my brother and his wife, Thane and Elize, for lunch on a gorgeous, sunny winter day. It happened to be a public holiday that day, for Municipal elections throughout the country so there was little traffic on the road. It's a long drive just for lunch - about two and a half hours each way, made worthwhile by the views first of the Elgin Valley, and then, once we'd crossed Houw Hoek Pass, of the majestic Langeberg mountains all the way to Swellendam. We met at the Old Mill House on the main road and had lunch in the garden.

Neil Garlick's funeral, Tue May 24, was held in the Good Shepherd Church opposite Kirstenbosch's stone cottages on a typical Cape winter day. There was a burst of drumming rainfall during the service - I think the heavens were giving Neil a resounding welcome! After Neil's burial at the Plumstead cemetery we all gathered in his home for tea and eats, an opportunity to catch up with relatives that I don't see too often. Neil planted the roses on his lovely property and his daughter, Margaret, developed The Terrace Coffee Shop at Chart Farm, where you can pick roses and sit down for a peaceful snack while the world hurries by on the M3 freeway.

Wednesday May 25 we enjoyed a night out with the students at the Baxter Theatre where we saw the show Breyani by David Kramer. Tim and I saw the same show in December with Kay McMahon, visiting from our Inverness home. Kay nearly went back the next night she loved it so much.

Breyani is the name of a spicy rice dish that combines a variety of ingredients to produce a mouth watering meal. This show, a "Breyani of Music", highlighted all the fascinating styles and instruments brought to the Cape over the centuries, from slaves, colonists and passing ships.

Neil Garlick 8 Sep 1917-14 May 2011

Neil Garlick was my father's cousin, my first cousin once removed. He was born a month before my dad. Although we lived in the same town, our families didn't socialise much. We had loads of cousins, too many to keep up with. It was only after my dad died in January 2000 that I became interested in the Garlick family history. This led me to Neil who had a wealth of papers and documents and his own notes about his parent's families.

Neil was delighted to share his stories with me. And so began many years of visits to his home on Chart Farm, and many conversations about my great-grandfather, John Garlick, who had come to Cape Town from Boston, England, and founded a retail store that became one of South Africa's famous department stores: Garlick's.

About a month ago Neil took to his bed. Always an active man, over the past few years he was no longer able to get around without a walker and finally, even the walker became too much for him. His mind remained sharp as a razor, never missing a thing, with a memory that put me to shame. In early June 2008, three years ago, I took Neil on a trip to Nelspoort in the Karoo, where his grandfather had established a TB sanatorium. On the way we nearly ran out of petrol on a stretch of very lonely road, due entirely to my foolhardiness. Last week he reminded me of it. I'd forgotten.

I saw him on Wednesday and Thursday last week and told him I'd be away for the weekend but would see him again on Monday. That was not to be. He died peacefully on Saturday evening. I will miss him and the visits to his home, the many conversations and especially his reflections on working in the family business.

At the Nelspoort Sanatorium, 2nd June 2008

Early May News

The 12 day holiday over Easter Weekend, Freedom Day and Workers' Day seemed to bring Cape Town to a standstill so it was a good time to burrow down. We're both over our colds, getting back on the mountain for healthy hikes. We managed two this past weekend - what a change from being bundled up at home, cold and miserable!

Saturday we walked local, to the contour path in Newlands forest up the hill from us. It's a good trudge uphill, and then a marvelous long track that winds its way through indigenous forest with sporadic views out east to False Bay and the Hottentot's Holland mountains. The contour path averages about 300 metres above sea level and runs all the way from the west side of Table mountain, then around Devil's Peak, and finally along the flanks of the eastern side of Table Mountain as far as Constantia Nek - could take a good day to walk the whole trail.

Sunday was mothers' day and we joined my daughter, Nan, for a short 1 hour ascent above St. James/Kalk Bay. We love this loop hike, starting at Ou Kraal. Nan and I got to do a lot of chatting at the top, once we were up the never-ending steps and incline. The sea looked pretty angry; big waves, muddied waters close to the shore, but the sun was out for us and the fynbos was green and healthy. The giant Protea Cynaroides was in flower, looking stunning. Sunbirds flitted from bush to bush, twittering busily. Quite magical.

Protea Cynaroides

This weekend we will be in the northern Cederberg with the students, following the Sevilla Rock Art trail. Bound to be some photos.

Til then ...

Winter comes to Cape Town

Easter Sunday today. Last night, after two glorious sunny, but cool days, the rain began. It's always good to think that the dams are filling, the swimming pool in the house we rent too, and the cold is always a reminder that we are heading home soon. Six and a half weeks for me before I go to London to check up on Cameron.

Cameron is growing - latest pic from London

Tim and I were heading to Hermanus this weekend but were both too sick to be sociable. Such a pity because Nan, Daniel and the children are there, staying with friends, and we were looking forward to a good old reunion not only with my daughter and family but with John, Judy, Alan, Di, Mike, Louise, Catherine and Glynn.

The ailment is the common cold. I've been searching the internet to find out why we say we caught a cold - I always thought catching was a sign of excellence. You catch a ball, a thief, a fish for supper, perhaps a rabbit too, something to be proud of. Why would you want to catch a cold and where did that expression originate?

I found a definition at The Free Dictionary see Verb, item 20, meaning contract but nothing on the origin of the expression. Looking at all the definitions for the word catch, I was almost sorry I started this search. And I guess that just shows how Tim and I are spending our weekend, feeling under the weather, trawling the net!

Readers in other parts of the world may wonder why Friday and Monday are both observed as religious holidays in South Africa, a country of so many diverse people and beliefs. Why do South Africans deserve this four day weekend? Isn't one day enough to hunt for Easter eggs?

And this year, two days after Easter Monday, we have April 27 Freedom Day, a good day for a holiday being the anniversary of the first democratic elections in South Africa in April 1994.

But hold on, as if that isn't enough holiday-ing, May 1st falls on a Sunday so Monday May 2nd is another day off for the workers and guess how many South Africans get out of town on Thursday April 21st and begin work again on May 3rd?

Wait, I know it's a few weeks off, but I spy another holiday on Wed 18th May. "Election Day" for local government elections in all the provinces.

You can imagine how these "holidays" throw the Stanford Centre's Academic Schedule into turmoil. Students are having a ball!

Last week we drove up the West Coast Road to !Khwa ttu, the San Cultural and Educational Centre, to learn about the San language and lifestyle. We followed that up with the Pieter Dirk Uys show Desperate First Housewives at Evita se Perron, in Darling. Photos of the day here. Pieter Dirk Uys as always such a great entertainer!

Dinner with the Stantons begins again

Tim and I really look forward to our evenings with the students every quarter. We have four of them over to our house for snacks and drinks on Wednesdays and then walk down to the Wijnhuis restaurant for dinner.

There was a time when I would cook and we'd eat at home, but we changed to the restaurant because it is much more fun for the students to got out to eat. And I was running out of recipes!

Here are two photos from our first dinner on Wednesday. Camil Diaz brought her camera - thank you Camil!

Anne Sophie, Judee, Sherry and our amazing waiter, Ritesh

Sarrah, Camil and Tim

Tomorrow we're going to the San Cultural Village, !Khwa ttu, up the West Coast, close to Yzerfontein, with the students, to learn how the San people once lived when the Dutch came to the Cape in 1652. After that we drive on to Darling to watch Pieter Dirk Uys perform in his show Desperate First Ladies at Evita se Perron.