A Kleinbaai Collection

A Kleinbaai Collection
17 November 2012

I was going through some old photos on the computer and I came across this little pocket of pics.  A magic collection of memories captured forever more.  And just like that I was transported back to this time again – June 2006.  A Kleinbaai holiday.  One of many.  The whole family goes down to Kleinbaai, collectively a few times a year.  Roughly for a portion of most school holidays, and thus we get to experience Kleinbaai in all of her outfits.  In summer time she is glorious, and we all sit on the stoep and on the front terraced lawn – watching the waves, braaing, enjoying sunrises and sunsets, slops, t-shirts, walks on the beach, trips to the caves, exploring rock pools, even a bit of swimming for those brave enough.  Easter holidays are fabulous, as winter is approaching.  Days are getting shorter and there is always a chill in the air.  In the September holidays, she shows the promise of spring and summer just around the corner.  But on this particular holiday, Kleinbaai was wearing her winter warms.  When the kaggelvuur burns twenty four seven.  The boys all carry firewood to the fire all of the time.  Huge big logs burn right through the night.  We all huddle together inside the home – playing games and doing little projects.  Stories are told, people read books and magazines, cooking is king, eating even more so.  Walks along the beach involve layers of clothes, scarves, jackets, beanies and even gloves.  Followed shortly thereafter by hot cups of coffee or tea and hot chocolate too.

During this particular holiday there was a continuous ebb and flow of people.  It’s actually the case with most holidays.  People come when work allows them too and when they don’t have other commitments.  Maggie is the project queen – orchestrator of all.  In fact, she is like a big project manager, and guides us all.  Not bossy about it in the least, just like a big mother hen if you like.  Everyone runs everything past her first.  She’s mother to all and friend to even more.  This is a role that was thrust onto her and not a self-chosen one, yet she does it all so exceptionally well.

And this holiday was a holiday filled with many activities.  My little sausages were all still quite small.  Luke was just eight, Amber was four and Colekie-Molekie had just turned two.  Just wee little kids.  At that age, everything is an adventure.  And Kleinbaai is just the best place in the whole big world for all of us.  Maggie brought her whole large and very extensive bead collection and everyone made bracelets and necklaces.  My kids made me many treasures, that I still have to this day.  The kids played Monopoly and Cluedo – an old favourite.  There were walks on the beach.  A giant big felt board and felt scraps galore – the kids all cut little bits and made dress up dolls with clothes, cars and garden scenes too.  But the main focus of this particular holiday was…..wait for it…..wait for it…..KNITTING!!!  I know, who would have guessed.  Maggie brought all of her wool and loads of knitting needles.  Yet we made frequent trips to the wool shop in the little town of Gansbaai, to replenish supplies.

Every single person knitted, except for the men.  All of the grandchildren and cousins.   Siblings, mothers, grandmothers, aunts too.  And what fun we had.  The order of the day was scarves, what with the cold weather.  Also it is a quick and relatively quick project to complete.  Thank heavens for help from the older generation, as they are all pro’s at the whole knitting thing.  Because amongst all of the kids, and I count myself in that category too, it was all dropped stitches, and accidently gaining stitches too.  Maggie never knitted her own creation, instead she was teacher to all – fixing many a mistake.  The knitting styles were all so unique.  Stripes were popular and fluffy wools as well.  Attie’s knitting was so tight, watching him knit was quite a rare treat.  Each stitch that he got on his needle, put on with force.  A testament to his perseverance, because he never gave up.  Alex on the other hand was so funny to watch.  She lay about knitting, virtually melting into a chair and every few minutes her little voice would pipe up. “Uh, Maggie.  I’ve got a bit of a problem.  I think I started with 20 stitches and I now only have 13”.  And then shortly after Maggie came to the rescue, to find the lost stitches, you’d hear her again “Uh, Maggie.  I don’t understand.  I used to have 20 stiches and now I’ve got 23”.  Our darling dear Cory, who was about 11 at the time, was knitting a fluffy red masterpiece.  And on one day, Robin indulged in a bit of fishing – one of his all-time favourite pastimes.  And eagerly hoping his boy would like to join him and try his hand at fishing too, he invited young Cory along.  Cory eagerly accepted of course, but instead of sporting a fishing rod on the rocks, he sat next to his dad, knitting up a storm.  Robin said that he got the funniest looks of deep sympathy from fellow father fishermen, shaking their heads. 

This was also during the time that Robin and Katrine were desperate to have their very own baby.  I believe they had been having auditions for quite a while.  So, while we were there, Katrine whispered in my ear.  And on the pretext of going into town to get food supplies, we snuck off to the pharmacy instead.  We walked boldly up to the counter, and asked the pharmacist for a positive pregnancy test please.  Holding thumbs that this would be the one and that they would indeed be pregnant.  We were giggling like kids all uber excited.  And when we got back to Kleinbaai once more, Katrine dealt with the nitty gritty and we waited for what felt like the longest five minutes.  And after it all?  We got a little stripe.  Celebrating our good fortune in buying a positive pregnancy test.  Such joy all around.  Hugs and kisses and tears of joy.  Phone calls and sharing of the news to all.

And shortly after finding out that Katrine was indeed with child, it was time for the Aulds to pack up and head back on home.  So, as is the norm and tradition of Kleinbaai, all gathered around the car and shared fond farewells.  Then walked down with them to the road while some stayed on the stoep and waved goodbye.  And for no particular reason, two year old little Cole had a complete meltdown when they drove off into the sunset so to speak.  He screamed and cried, calling for Katrine and even dramatically running after the car.  So peculiar.  And a short while later, putting a little theory to the test when I quickly had to head off to town again, he couldn’t care less, that I left him behind.  It was very, very funny.

So, I leave you with these.  A few magical pics of yet another awesome Kleinbaai holiday.  It is the home of my heart and the place where my soul knows the most peace.  And though it is the wonder of Kleinbaai itself that helps to make it so great, I also know this – Kleinbaai without my family is just not Kleinbaai at all.

 

 

The lovely Kati Auld, just a teenager then, in a very familiar pose - engrossed in a book

 

 

My little Berry - the cuteness!

 

Katrine knitting her colourful creation - a beautiful scarf - what a surprise

 

 

Cutie Katarina - such a sweetie little gal - my very favourite bonus sister in the whole wide world

 

 

Alex and Katarina - the bestest of buds

 

 

Luke doing some French knitting and Cory with his red fluffy scarf - still in mid creation

 

 

Kati succumbs to a wee little nap

 

 

Tiny little Cole about to roast a marshmallow in the kaggelvuur

 

 

My most beautiful Ouma Helene working on her putie

 

 

Oupa and Ouma were sitting on the stoep, and then they decided to go for a little walk

 

 

Ag jinne! They're just so cute. And always accompanied by the ever faithful Buddie and Jessie.

 

 

The view from the stoep - this just makes my heart melt

 

 

Rock pools at low tide - perfect for exploring

 

 

View to the left, also taken from the stoep

 

 

 Mom and Amber going for a walk

 

 

Daya with his boy, Cole

 

 

Katrine and Amber, with Robin looking on

 

 

Robin with his lovely eldest sprog, Kati

 

 

Stoep kuiering

 

 

Sticky boy Cole, devouring a lollipop

 

 

Katarina and Amber painting rocks - a favourite pastime

 

 

Beautiful Elaine - the fad at the time was Mxit

 

 

Foefie looking ever so dashing

 

 

The knitting has begun - Buddie modeling Alex's scarf if memory serves

 

 

 Buddie sporting a purple ensemble

 

 

Even Ouma Helene was busy - but for her it was crochet work

 

 

Alex knitting away - a natural she was not

 

 

Mom busy fixing and ending off the teeny tiny baby little scarf I knitted for Amber's doll/baby - Bella

 

 

One of my favourite pics - Alex's face just says it all

 

 

It was like a production line - in the back is Charmaine and Elaine and in the front is Oupa, me, Luke and Jaco

 

 

Luke and I

 

 

Crazy Katrine - a self portrait

 

 

Elaine, Jaco and Attie

 

 

So sweet. And now Elaine and Jaco are both at varsity and Attie is head boy at Durbanville High next year.

 

 

Concentration and complete absorption

 

 

A cracking game of Monopoly

 

 

And just for fun, a bit of beading too

 

 

Ouma Helene joining the fray

 

 

Jaco was a natural at the knitting thing

 

 

 Jaco amazingly had the ability to make knitting look way cool!

 

 

Katrine showing off the postive looking pregnancy test we had just bought

 

 

Uber excited!!!

  

 

Cooky Katrine showing off the test - never looked forward to a test this much

 

 

We sat in the car outside the pharmacy and took like a million pics - we're a bunch of weirdo's

 

 

Celebrating already and we haven't even taken the test yet!

 

 

 Katrine practicing holding a baby with the flowers we bought for Mom

 

 

Yip, we're still taking pics in the car

 

 

Back at Kleinbaai again, and everyone is relaxing, completely unaware that Katrine is busy cooking up a pregnancy test in the bathroom

 

 

 The impressive wool collection

 

 

The kids having a TV time-out

 

 

 

We're pregnang! Just look at those faces! Katrine on the phone, sharing the news

 

 

Such happiness!

 

 

 Yet more calls - telling all

 

 

Ouma knitting with a view

 

 

Robin and Katrine, about to leave - absolutely glowing with joy

 

 

Robin visibly showing his pride - something to do with "strong like bull" and "hung like horse" I'm sure

 

 

My sweet boy, Luke

 

 

 The cutest little gal in the whole wide world - for sure

 

 

They've left!!! Moenkie having a meltdown, sobbing for Katrine - he even ran after the car, screaming blue murder

 

 

Daya to the rescue to distract poor Cole

 

 

Mom and her Berry-Belle

 

 

Oupa en Ouma sit op die stoep - well sort of

 

 

A celebratory drink of champagne in honour of tiny baby Honey, who is still but a bean in Katrine's belly

 

 

Chocolate solves most problems

 

But sometimes it creates some

 

 

 Anyone for a kiss? Cole with the evidence

 

 

Daya - the only one brave enough to go in for a cuddle

 

 

Felt fun

 

 

Our beautiful Charming

 

 

View of Kleinbaai from the rocks

 

 

Luke rock hopping

 

 

Heart meltingly cute!

 

 

Mom and Charmaine having a chat at the sea

 

 

Low tide rock pools - the absolute best

 

 

The cuteness

 

 

Cuddling with the littlies

 

 

Aaahhh!

 

 

 My three favourite kids

 

 

Doing Blue Steel with Alex

 

 

Big gal time with Charmaine and Mom

 

 

Fabulous pics of a fabulous holiday

xxx