September 2023

I cannot believe today is the last day of September. We have had winter weather for most of the month and spring has remained elusive.

I attended the Ninety One Assistants Masterclass in Cape Town at the beginning of the month. I had passed my online tests earlier this year and it was an enjoyable morning.

Then there was an office social the following week and we visited my in-laws after work one evening so the time really flew. Work was extremely busy with quarter end and additional deadlines - finding a healthy life/work balance was difficult to say the least. One of my goals this month was to cook healthier meals with hubby but there were times we ended up just popping a convenient lasagne in the oven and don’t get me started on my sweet tooth.

Cold weather makes comfort eating all too easy so we tried to balance things out with fruit smoothies occasionally.

With work being so jam packed, I made sure to prioritize slow Saturdays with leisurely breakfast dates with hubby. I also realised how much I enjoy a vegetarian breakfast as well as poached eggs. I tried various options over the month for breakfast / brunch. Now to practice making them at home - let me know if you have any tips on poached eggs.

Despite the cold weather we spent lots of time outdoors and visited West Coast National Park a few times. The flowers this year were spectacular! Because of the heavy rainfall over the winter months the flowers were extra beautiful. Quite frankly they took my breath away and reminded us that spring was getting closer.

Book wise - I started reading The Downstairs Neighbour by Helen Cooper and couldn’t put it down. Reading in the bath with a cup of tea was the perfect way to spend a cold Sunday morning. I still need to read this months Garden & Home - I love spending time in the garden.

Highlights of the month was visiting my parents and sister last weekend. The weather in the Overberg was already stormy - but the heavy rains weren’t too bad on the Sunday when we drove through from Hermanus. We surprised my family as they had no idea we were travelling through. My Mom thought I was joking when I messaged her to put the kettle on! We had visited De Hoop Nature Reserve for breakfast and then made our way to my parents new house. It was awesome to see them, catch up and see their beautiful new home. The time just went too quickly - why does time fly when you want it to slow down? I loved hearing their updates and how their move went. It was difficult to say goodbye - even though we are a few hours away the distance (especially during the pandemic can feel huge). We drove back to Hermanus in the pouring rain and the storm continued throughout the night.

On the Monday of the long weekend we left hoping we’d be able to get home with so many roads flooded or washed away. It was hectic - there was so much damage hence the storm warning level 9. I am saddened to hear afterwards that there was so much more damage. The Hermanus whale festival that was supposed to take place this weekend had to be cancelled. The residents of the Overberg as well as many areas in the Western Cape have been through so much this past week.

Well that is a summary of my September. How was yours?

xx