15March1996

My dear Jones and Hambachers,

My final holiday dawn has dawned, somewhat cloudy. Ann & Mum are seated across the table from me having breakfast. Behind them lies Tomba who is waiting his first walk of the day. He & Shadow were stretched out side by side on the carpet a little earlier, each looking as if the other did not exist. Through the living room window the last patches of snow can be seen dotting the golf course. Half way to the horizon a line of cars & trucks speeds silently down the road which leads to Okotoks & behind that there's a fainter line of vehicles on the main road south to the States.

It was windy overnight. At least, that's what Kevin & Ann said this morning. I certainly wasn't conscious of the wind myself. I think it's to do with not being responsible for things. At the Quinta, one's ear is constantly tuned for any sound which might herald trouble, wind, rains, storms, animals! Here, that ear is tuned out. It's only the howling of the coyotes that will not be ignored - too eerie altogether.

Kevin got back early last night which was very nice. Penny's guy, Mike, came around as well. He had secured a job he was after which pleased him & Penny enormously. We went outside to braai chicken wings & sausages. The braai is tapped into the gas supply, a facility that offers the cook immediate heat & does away with laborious fires, smoky eyes & the need to clean the grate afterwards. After supper we retired downstairs for furious games of air hockey.

This is played on a table about 6' by 4' with a player at either end defending his own goal & trying to fire a puck through his opponent's. The puck is a piece of plastic that floats on a cushion of air being pushed up through hundreds of pin-prick holes. It flies around the table like a soul pursued by demons. The adults sat down afterwards to chat - with Mum - about the choices she faced. Then I took Tomba on his final walk of the day - around the mile circuit that does the pair of us lots of good.

Mom & Ann had joined us for the earlier circuit in the most gorgeous sunshine. I felt as though my legs were independent of me, carrying me effortlessly through a dream environment. The colours are so soft, gentle browns & greys. The remaining snow & ice are still busy thawing, water streaming down a myriad of ditches & gullies into trickling streams & busy rivers. Tomba brought me back to reality every now & then as he lunged, at the end of the long lead, at some imagined gopher in the long grass.

I woke early this morning - as usual - to make a few long distance calls on Mum's behalf. I had barely swung my legs out of bed when the fax chattered in life, spilling out a dozen pages of figures. It was the statements we'd asked Standard Bank to send through. I checked with the Merrow Down manager that the arrangements we'd made were working okay & had a word with Mum's insurance brokers regarding renewals. It's been a useful week in that regard. We've sent a dozen faxes to SA contacts to update on Mum's affairs & had the reassurance of hearing that all is well. My laptop has shared with Alan the electrical cord to charge his computer & with Penny the baby Canon printer which plugs in & out in a matter of seconds.

Ahead lies what's left of a leisurely morning, a computer lesson for Ann, a walk or two - Kevin hopes to be home shortly after lunch - maybe a drive somewhere - and the inevitable departure. Don't know where the time has gone. I only know I've enjoyed it lots.

Blessings ever...
T