From the Valley to a New Life on Top of the Hill

A 360-degree turnaround is what life feels like since packing my car to the brim with my personal belongings and taking the final drive up the hill yesterday morning.

Shell-shocked is how I've felt for the past three weeks.
I cannot even go there right now as it has been too much to digest! All I will say is that my faith in humanity took a slight dent!

What I take with me, however, is a lifetime of memories - immensely happy as well as heartbreaking times. Fabulous memories are what I hold on to!
My friend wanted a photo of my last goodbye, and Bonginkosi obliged.
Cynthia and I shed many tears this last month, but I somehow managed to say goodbye without crumbling!

Everyone offered to help me with this final move, but I needed to take my time and do it on my own.
More about the saga that preceded that another time.

It was a gorgeous sunny day, and the roads were clear, traffic lights all in my favour as I drove through the busy but beautiful Hillcrest commercial zone.
I was welcomed with love and warmth at my brother's home. What can I say - I am super blessed to have a loving extended family up here; absolutely priceless!
The sausages are happy to have another 'lap', but I miss my darling Poe. He is staying at my old home, under the care of my ex-staff member who lives on the property. Bonginkosi is Poe's playmate and also takes care of him when he's sick and needs to be given his medication.

I will be living here till my new home is transferred. I also believe it will be the best transition to a new environment. My sister-in-law will show me the ropes when my brother returns to work across the waters for his four-week stint, and I can keep her company. We are more like sisters than in-laws!
My bedroom was set up, as well as a small desk next door for my computer - they know all about my passion for blogging on Hive, and love reading all my stories.

My sister-in-law is the artist.

This is the view from my window.

My brother had arranged a spit-braai, just wanting to gather family and friends. No official welcome party; that would have been too emotional. Deep down inside I knew why he planned it for yesterday.

My older brother built this spit-braai (BBQ) that was braaing (BBQ'ing) a whole lamb that was periodically being basted with a large stalk of rosemary dipped in a special marinade.

I was so overwhelmed at the chance to let my hair down and just have fun that I forgot to take photos of the scrumptious dishes prepared by my sister-in-law and her family.
Served with homemade mint sauce, and delicious salads - a seven-layer salad, and a spinach, roasted butternut, Feta cheese, with roasted Almonds, plus featherlight, crusty hot Ciabatta bread, it was a feast fit for a king.
Followed by homemade Choc-nut Brownies and a Marshmallow pudding, it was the perfect ending to the meal.

I've not laughed so much in a very long time when the gals got together and started telling stories. The menfolk were still licking their wounds after our team lost the day's rugby match, and kept on popping their heads around the corner. I think our conversation was way more interesting;)
These were all the 'before' photos.

Yes, I lived in a beautiful green valley for over fifty years, but even though it feels like I sank into a deep, dark valley those last few weeks, I've survived.
Where I am now, I will be sitting at the top of the hills, with views all the way to the Indian Ocean on a clear day, and remember the beautiful memories of my gorgeous green valley!

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𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙩 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙃𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨

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^{Artwork by @artywink}

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