January 11th

Siyabonga started to come out of his shell...hamming it up for the camera...say CHEESE!


Maddie getting some hula hoop time in before dinner!

The boys (David, Cas, Siyabonga & Warren) around the braai...thanks for the killer 'wors'...hey Mick, isn't that the braai you made back in the 80's?

Mummy and Siyabonga catching some quiet time on a busy Sunday afternoon.

First bath with us...check out the stylin' by Siyabonga!

In the morning we headed to Padfield Park, New Germany and Pinetown so that I could take a trip down memory lane. Jan drove us by my old house on Beare Drive and then around Lyndhurst Primary School. Then it was on to New Germany Primary School and New Germany F.C. Finally we drove by Old Mutual Towers and Pinetown Girls' High. Wow! Every memory came rushing back! I felt like a kid again, especially when Jan took the old "lift club" (car pool)route to school, past Spy Hill, Ilse's house and the Parkin's house.

Next, we stopped off at The Pavillion, in Westville, for some shopping. A very new experience for Siyabonga, who has never been surrounded by that many people before.

We spent the rest of the day relaxing at Jan's with David & Candi and Warren & Sam and Jackie and her boys, Brandon and Troy. We were treated to some lekker boerewors on the braai and Jan prepared some delish putu and sauce as a side. Doesn't get much more South African than that!!! Jackie brought over some baby equipment Troy has outgrown, including a walker which Siyabonga ABSOLUTELY loves! It was so familiar to him... a reminder of Crossroads. He was giggling, squealing and talking up a storm, not to mention booting around! Maddie had a blast playing with Brandon and Troy on the mini soccer/rugby pitch. She tired herself out so much that at bedtime she read herself a story and fell asleep before we even got into the bedroom to tuck her in.

We're having such a great time here in SA and are so happy that we can share Siyabonga's first weeks as part of the Litwin family with Jan and her clan...such good friends!