6January1996

My dear folks,

A wealth of riches! Faxes from Mum & Ann in Canada, from Iris at the farm & from Judy Cornell in Cape Town who is soon to visit Witbank. So we are up to speed on your lives. Our holiday is gradually winding down. It's early afternoon. The house hardly stirred till 10.30, excepting for the early departure of Rolf who is joining his Uncle Max for a week's cruise up the coast of Norway. "Cruise" may be the wrong word. The boat is small & temperatures are going to be ridiculous.

It was -3*C when we peered at the big thermometer mounted outside the chemist this morning. Cathy had taken me down to find a product sought by my dentist. It is widely available here, but not in England & when he heard from Barbara that I was coming up he leapt at the opportunity of renewing his supplies. The skies are grey & there are blizzard warnings being issued on the radio. Freezing rain has been falling lightly. It turns to ice the moment it lands & is hazardous stuff. We proceeded with care. The nearest pharmacy had one tube of the product & a second pharmacy (run by the husband of the woman who runs the first) had two more. That will do for the moment.

After an equally late rising yesterday & a similar brunch, we went down to Neustadt for a wander & a bit of shopping. Micaela had it in mind to purchase a portable CD player & was carrying a wodge of cash. She had gone to her father earlier to say that she had come across a suitable model. When she named the price, he dismissed it out of hand. Not to worry, she told him, she had also found a far cheaper one that would do nicely. She's a classy tactician, our Micaela. We did the rounds & with the help of Erica & Anita, gleaned the necessary information from the shopkeepers. Needless to say, she returned home with the booty.

Brendan, who has been plotting his revenge ever since the exploding cigarette incident, obtained a rubber "animal pooh" replica which he placed on the floor in the hall. When Anita appeared, he loudly accused the neighbour's cat (being looked after by the Gohdeses in the neighbours' absence) of being the guilty party & insisted that Anita clean it up that instant. She was having nothing of it, disclaiming responsibility for the cat & making it clear that it wasn't her mission in life to clear up chance poohs. She stalked off, a little upset & not entirely pleased when the deception became clear. Cathy reckoned that if you wanted to hand it out, you had to take it too.

Supper was very special. The nine of us clambered into the hired transit van & drove some ten minutes down the road to a village housing the restaurant known as Muglers Kutchner. It is a very special place, the scene of my 50th birthday celebrations & a venue that Barbara & I recalled fondly from a visit to Germany in the early 80s. It made a big impression on us then & it has remained unspoiled. It's small, cosy & family run, an outlet for the wines of the vintner who owns it with a menu listing typical German dishes. We had an excellent waitress who was as sharp in spotting in the need for a refilled glass as in catering for our other needs - much appreciated by Bren & me. It was a lovely meal, one we shall all remember.

Rolf & I needed a walk on our return & set out through the village & along a road that ran through the vineyards. There was a huge moon to light our way & nary a soul to be seen. The road itself was frozen over, a shining white highway among the ghostly vines - more fairyland than real. That's how the holiday feels.