still in joburg. enjoying the freedom, the feeling of -wow- we do not have to put up with extreme negativity and hatred today!! it is still haunting us, i must say, when we speak of what may have happened if we had stayed in that awful place.. now i do not mean phsyical harm, but manipulation and exploitation can do just as much damage..and that is not why i am here, in Mzansi, this beautiful country and that is not why Elisha came out to join me. Thank you to my friends and family and her family for the supportive comments. we are happy and are planning to continue on a positive journey. enjoyed a day at a local craft market...also enjoyed a visit to the Museum Africa in the cultural district of Joburg. They had ... read more

Mom- yes indeed but it is comfortable haha. Steven- thanks for keeping up with it all! take care. America- those were good times! I hate shoes. Jeremy and J- email me. --------------------------------------------------------------------- It was a sunny Friday morning, with the bird calls and everything and the the sky was telling stories of days gone by.... those Turkish guys had just packed up and waved good bye as they drove off in their SUV, kicking the dust and gravel all around. I must say, although the smiles were quite rare with that crowd, they made up for it with the lovely and pounding Turkish coffee, yes it warmed the mouth and then that herbal background noise mixes in...and it is only one thing you know, you say it to yourself... Turkish coffee. straight from Turkey, ground only ... read more

This week slowed down a bit.. but this weekend is bringing another 20 or so guests so it will be hectic again. but i enjoy it...the energy and the randomness, i dont know, it makes life interesting. i have been putting my all into the dishes i create for the guests and they appreciate it... i am combining elements of South African cuisine, which in itself has many styles; plus my love for Asian cuisine, particularly Thai and Vietnamese- and of course some Southern style eats... I am still writing quite a bit, pouring the contents of my brain onto the keys- before I sleep and lose all of these thoughts and they disappear into the clouds as another day begins. stories of the past, the present, ideas, Texas, South Africa, random floors on the road ... read more

Golden fields, pressed against patches of green and amber- the blue sky that fades into the earth and the bright sun reminds me that I am alive. The dirt, the soil is where we started- it is in my blood, your blood- i pick up and squeeze a fistful and I feel truly free. I have left behind the green rolling hills of Natal and am falling in love with the bushveld. The endless mountains that carry on in the distance and touch the ivory clouds , holding close the sun itself! Listen, how else can I say it- this is Africa, this is the bush and the spirit of the wild and all of us... yes I miss you, all of you but , oh!! I feel so alive and the rhythm of the drum, ... read more