From the birds and the bees, to family trees.: Just an average Lombard get-together

Just an average Lombard get-together
15 July 2014

So what to do when a cousin comes down from Joburg for a week? Well, have a get-together of course. What else?

My lovely cousin Maria, or Mia as she’s known to most of us, graced us with her presence for a weeklong visit to the fairest Cape. How lucky are we.

As a fairly legitimate reason to have a family get-together, it was ideal. However we are known for throwing random family get-togethers for no apparent reason either. We’re weird like that.

Even a small hang-out, that not everyone is able to attend, makes for a huge amount of people. And thus, we indulge in the standard practice of bring whatever and we’ll share. Making a virtual smorgasbord of food, where everything is fair play.

I love days like these. There are always pockets of people everywhere. Youngest kids, playing with a ball in the garden. Teenage kids, huddled over a screen, either watching funny YouTube clips, or showing off something else on the computer or TV. Huge guffaws of laughter all the time. Random chatting about whatever interests teenagers. Sport inclined men, hovering in front of the TV, watching some or other sport. Admonishing the constant traffic of people in front of the TV, to please move away. Women mingling in the kitchen. Much laughter too, whilst sorting out the meal, and chatting up a storm as well.

However, this shifts all of the time. People interchanging and connecting. Across age barriers. And on this occasion, we had four generations. Pretty standard fair.

Laughter usually forms a common thread, as well as the all-pervasive air of love and family. I think it is rare for such a large group of blood relatives and relatives by marriage to enjoy one another’s company so much. To get genuine enjoyment from the presence of others. Everyone is accepted and celebrated for who they are. It’s just the most relaxing, and easy feeling of comfort being around these people. Like slipping into a pair of comfy pajamas at the end of the day. You can say anything, do anything. Just be yourself.

Knowing you’re loved, cared for, and accepted simply for being you.

No stress, no tension, no rivalry, no problem.

I had the most incredible stroke of good luck, when I chose this family to be mine. I could’ve been stuck with a bunch of uptight duds. Perish the thought!

And so on our family day, we ate. We laughed. We chatted. We scrambled for the best spot in front of the fireplace. We took photos. We ate some more – pudding too! We shared stories.

We embraced.

And we loved.

Lombard for life and damn proud of it too.

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A mix of gals in the kitchen - milling about

Cousins Elaine (left) and Mia (right)

Admiring the beautiful photo's on the covered outside stoep

Some of the gals

The womenfolk, from left to right - Charmaine, Elaine, Mia, Alex, Katrine, my mom (Maggie), Ouma Helene, Moi, Amber and little Honeypot in the front

The leeetle gal cousins, though technically, Amber and Honey are the daughters of cousins, and our lovely Alex is a cousin's husband's daughter from his second marriage - which bizarrely still makes her a Lombard. There is no escaping it.

Now just the gal cousins and their offspring

Gal cousins some more

The older gals - my aunt, Charmaine, my gran, Ouma Helene, and my mom, Maggie

Somehow Katrine and I qualify as both younger (wishful thinking) and older (more appropriate) gals

Having a laugh

My decided to aim for a Lombard cousin photo - and it didn't take long, for someone to haul out the big life size Levi's poster of Albert. Well, just because he wasn't there, didn't mean he couldn't be in the photo.

And then we all decided to face the same way as him, with big wide open smiles and laughs. We thought we were particularly funny.

Still, we thought we were funny

It was but a short leap from there... It just takes one warped mind.

And all of a sudden, my brother was sporting black stockings and a mean pair of red boots

He sure loved those boots!

Practically put a swing in his step!

Elaine stepping forward to try and admire her legwork

And then, seeing as the whole leggings look was working so well for Al, he decided to change into a pair of grey leggings, with an awesome pair of black boots. Well, to boot.