Big Christmas celebrations have been put on
the back burner for this year. On the one hand, we have the pandemic robbing us
of the company of friends and family. However, on the other, we have had the
renovation and restorations at Vredehof to complete. We had earlier decided
that the Vredehof project must be completed by the end of 2020. The fact that
we secured tenants for 1 January 2021, placed a renewed sense of urgency to
complete by this date.
This past week, we put in all our efforts
to move the project forward. I am relieved to say that we managed to complete
all the indoor work. If we did not reach that milestone, the possibility was
there that we might have to work on Christmas day as well. I enjoyed finally ‘unwrapping’
the two kitchens. This involved removing all the protective plastic coverings from
the cupboards and moving the fridge into its final position in the main house
kitchen. |
| Main house kitchen and outdoor deck |
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| Main bedroom and its ensuite |
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| View from entrance hall through living room, study and patio beyond and reverse |
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| Flat's ensuite, living area and kitchen |
It was with a feeling of deep satisfaction that
we could pack up on Thursday afternoon and head for Towerwater for Christmas.
With the gammon prepared earlier, we only had the fish and side dishes to prepare
on Christmas morning. Dessert was a plum sorbet, with plums sourced from the
garden, waiting in the freezer.
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| Plums for the picking |
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| A picking of plums |
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| Plum sorbet |
It was our first Christmas without
fruitcake. I had no time to bake one. Besides, we decided it might be a better
option not to have too many cakes and desserts in the house, what with being
only the two of us over the festive period, and with 16 fruit mince pies already
an indulgence.
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Red vegetables and fruit for a red cabbage, beetroot and plum stir-fry
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It is the season for giving and the garden
is giving in abundance. Onions, plums, peaches, carrots, courgettes, beetroot,
purple cabbage, spinach, and lots of herbs. With all the ‘gifts’ from the
Towerwater garden, we could enjoy a really blessed festive meal.
The hydrangea bushes supplied the flowers
for the Christmas table. The big yellow wood table seemed rather large and
devoid of guests, but we could relax in the thought that they were all safe. Celebrating
more intimate lunches with their immediate families.
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| Curing the onion harvest |
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| Onions ready for bagging |
Although quieter this year, it still tasted
and felt like Christmas with gammon, crackers, hats, and lots of bubbly. The
universe is looking out for us because we could not plan where we would be for
Christmas. However, everything fell into place and we could enjoy a relaxed day
at Towerwater.
Looking out over the peaceful garden and
all the creatures going about their daily activities, it is difficult to
imagine that there is a pandemic raging beyond the gates.
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| Vredehof renovation and restoration nearing completion |
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| A red carpet welcome to the new occupants |
On Sunday we will head back to Cape Town to
tackle the snag list for the outdoor areas of Vredehof. But for now, we are
rejoicing in the possibility of rebirth and the promise of renewal that
Christmas and a new year brings. We are grateful to celebrate this time in a
place filled with love, belonging and well-being.
A job exceptionally well done, but wouldn't have expected anything less than a super human effort!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cheryl, it is worth every sacrifice. A renovation/restoration project is not easy under normal circumstances. To keep track of mask-wearing, regular sanitising and social distancing while renovating/restoring was nerve-racking. We believe a higher hand got as through this.
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