March 11 continued,

Moyo Restaurant - there are approximately 9 restaurants in South Africa, with 3 being in the Gauteng province.  Twice we had the extraordinary experience of going to the Zoo Lake Park location in Parkview.  Moyo means "soul" - a translation from sand script African language of Swahili.  It became the realization of one man's passion for all things African from art and design to music, cuisine and crafts. Jason Lurie started Moyo Restaurants in Norwood Johannesburg. Les and I and Holly and Will had an evening out on the town dining there before attending a wonderful Dance Performance called Four Seasons in Newtown by the Vuyani Dance Theatre under the direction of Gregory Maqoma. It was some of the best dancing I had ever seen and we had our picture taken with Gregory and one of his  creative team members.  The evening started at the Restaurant with beautiful vase flowers of Holly and I with face painting which can be seen below. At the end of the evening we ventured down to Melrose Arch for wonderful desserts outside in the park. Another time we went with the whole family for Sunday brunch after church to Moyo. We shopped in the craft area, and walked the grounds after eating.

Sunday Brunch with the family 

March 11,

It has been very rainy here the past few weeks so Les has not been able to get in much golf but we continue to enjoy our time with our dear family which is what we came here for so - let's see - where did I leave off - one day we went for a trip to the Seed Pod Studio for an Art Day with Holly and the children - Grandpa made a great designed chair and so did Grandma with memories of us for them to have forever to go with their tiled table  from the same studio that sits outside near their pool area.  This store is near a wonderful Garden Restaurant where we have had breakfast.

Garden Restaurant

Breakfast at Garden Restaurant

Menu from Gardent Restaurant

I also got my hair cut, colored and styled from the place that Holly goes to and  below is the results. 

Shann's chair creation

 Les and I each created our own tile chairs for Holly and Wills table that is tiled from this Studio!!

Styled at Jeauval Salon from a great gal, Bronwyn!

March 3,


Yeh!!!!! Grandpa Les is feeling much better but we are still hanging out here at home. We are waiting to watch the Academy Awards when we are all available to watch it. It is on iTunes I guess.  I hope they can get it -  I voted and sent my ballot into Four Seasons at Rush Creek where we live because Patty Kenaley and her helpers were busy preparing for a mock Oscar night while watching it. Way to go ladies!!!!

It has started to become cool here and rainy - can you believe this for Africa? I have gotten to know Tembe, the house maid, much better and I just love her. I wish I could take her home with me. She takes care of our laundry and hangs them up to dry in the beautiful African sun and winds and they come back to us so fresh. She washes everything by hand so quickly in the kitchen and every time I go back to my room everything is organized and sparkling. She works so hard and lives here all week and goes home on the weekends to be with her little daughter , Pamela who is 6 years old, who lives with her aunt.  I have given her a few things such as a monkey and pencils for her little girl to play with and Saili gives her clothes that she cannot fit into anymore. They are good to her and yet according to our standards in US she is working for so little but the Rand here is so devalued - $10 is 100Rand - so to her it is very good pay.

Thembi Sinqe, Gruvers wonderful maid.

So, shopping is great for us here!!!!

February 28th,


We all went to the Lion Park today and learned alot about many of the animals that live in South Africa (SA).
The cubs that are rejected by their mother are put in a cub den and we are able to play with them. It was alot of fun -

Wild Dogs more dangerous than hyenas

It was an amazing day where we learned alot about the animal kingdom but on the way home Grandpa Les started feeling bad and actually it started during our tour but he did not mention it til later. He is still in bed a day later with lots of dehydration issues.  There are lots of good nurses here to give advice.


Next day while Grandpa slept,

Nick does business with Will

Nick and Lene Mitchell and family came for the day with their three children, Conor 8, Tyler 7, and Riley 3 , along with Lene's parents, Tinsy and Johnny Domingez sp?? and Nick's Mom, Eve.  What an adorable loving family and so much fun to be with.  I am so happy for Will and Holly and family that they have such great friends.

Lene Mitchell, a dear friend to Holly

The Mitchell children with Lex, Tom, Saili

February 26th,


Blair Atholl is beautiful here in Gauteng Province in Lanseria.  We continue to have busy days as we attend Rugby practice for Tom, piano lessons for the children, riding lessons at the stables, and playing golf on a most amazing golf course while having high tea after nine holes.  Today, Gruvers rented a golf cart for Grandpa and I so we can go places on the property on our own.  It has been most amazing going into town with the them, grocery shopping (one place everything was written in Afrikaans in a Dutch community- it was so interesting as they had fresh Dutch baked bread and wonderful baked goods with all sorts of fresh produce)  , and it has been wonderful meeting their amazing friends, some being missionaries  helping with the abandoned children. It is so tragic to learn about the many stories of children left in fields.   It is so amazing being around people like this.  Today I go to the Baby Haven to help with the abandoned babies with Holly. I am so excited but I know it will be difficult to see.  One day we went to the most amazing Casino which was an array of wonderful restaurants from all over the world, shopping in great stores and theaters and shows along with the gambling  which we did not go into.  It is great on days of their electrical storms because we were caught in one on the freeway and ducked into the casino as everything is inside. We had a grand time shopping and eating.

 The difference in economic levels for people is very disturbing.  One day in the car on a busy highway we saw a black man kneeling on the middle of the highway with his head down holding a sign for help. People had to swerve their cars to get out of his way. It is everywhere and it is so sad.   South Africa is beautiful with many things to do and animal sanctuaries to visit, wonderful grocery stores, clothing stores and everything we have in America, but all around is such poverty that it is overwhelming. Elections come in about 9 months I think, and Zuma says when the people ask him what his platform is  he says "I will tell you what I plan after the elections are over" as though he thinks for sure he will win and I say, "how in the world can people vote if they do not know what they are voting for"  - government here is ????? I still don't have my box of medicine held up in customs and now they asked me for money to get it out and I paid it and they still aren't giving it to me and it was sent DHL -- in our country it would be against the law and people's rights.

The bush baby sanctuary was one of my favorite days - one of the monkeys jumped on my head, liked it there and stayed there for a ride while I walked along. They drank out of our water bottles. We saw different species of monkeys and we had such a fun guide. I walked over a very high swinging bridge over a river to continue the tour - it was a bit scary but I did it and it was such a wonderful day.

 We also attended a Afrikaans funeral - dear Brenda VanZyl passed away of cancer (a Godly woman whom we were with on our mission trip to Zambia last year who was a prayer warrior in South Africa - our whole family just loved her and Gruvers were with her on Christmas Eve singing to her with her family before she died) Her husband does business with Will - a great family. It was a beautiful funeral in a Safari sanctuary with a worship center in it. Will gave the eulogy. I don't think I have ever been prouder of someone in our family. That Will is certainly a gift from God. It was simply beautiful!!!

Today after the Baby Haven, Holly,Claire, and Will are auditioning to sing at His People church for worship services and youth gatherings.  Grandpa is taking the golf cart to take Tom and Lex golfing and to dinner at the children's club house.   More later - Chow!!!

Les and Shann at Bush Baby Monkey Sanctuary

Brenda VanZyl Memorial Service

Will giving Eulogy for Brenda

February 21, 2014

It has been a long time since I have been able to post more information on this trip. There was a period we have been without wi-fi.  We are all well except for some bad bites and Shann has not received her shipment yet for her Slimgenics. We are patiently awaiting it as she is without some of the pills she needs. Our trip to Cape Town was very adventurous as we had a very long delay of 6 hours in Atlanta due to mechnaical failure of the plane and waiting upon a new staff of flight attnedants to take the place of the old ones so we were in the plane for quite along time and then we were released into the airport to await. 

Touchdown and USP&E Greets Us

Needless to say, we missed our connection, had to stay over in Johannesburg and Mom got food poisoning and was " sicker than a dog.   "  We had to pay twice for another flight as the flight rebooked
 needed payment even though it was not our fault and then we could not make that flight because of Mom's sickness so we had to rebook another flight that had to be repaid again. Will got us a room at Fire and Ice in a cool area called Melrose Place. Upon arrival to Cape Town, we finally arrived at the Vineyard Estate and had to miss two days of our already paid 5 days. It was spectacular and near Table mountain. We road the cable cars up to the top and spent alot of time on top with the Gruvers!!!!

Tom and Saili climbing rocks at Table Mountain top!

Feb 2, 2014


After a wonderful two months with our dear son-in-law , Gabe, and our oldest Daughter, Stacy and their 3 fun children, Miss Shaina - the diva about town, Miss Shelby - the big helper, singer, and crafter, Mr. Greyson - our little man who is a great dancer, kind and fun dancing GengKum Style sp??, we are now at the Hyatt Regency resting as on the 4th we lift off to South Africa flying delta to Atlanta and then nonstop to Johannesburg SA.  Even though the weather in Dallas was often damp, cold and icy, our hearts were warmed by the Rios hospitality as they rescued us when our car would not start, carted us to the airport, stored all our items that we are not taking in their garage, put on two amazing holiday dinners for us with a smashing Christmas, escorted me, Grandma, around as I still don't drive here in Dallas and we had one car. For two months, they spent lots of time with us old folks and it was so fun. Their new home is warm and inviting and it was fun to spend their first Christmas in their new home with them.  We arrive back here for another week upon returning from South Africa and we are really looking forward to it. We are already planning a trip to the Grassy Knoll - and George Bush Library with Lunch at Cafe de France, our favorite new find. Shann is also excited about her new favorite hair stylists, Terri, at The Artistic Edge, and our new favorite church, Bent Tree Fellowship with Peter Briscoe as pastor. We are starting to feel like Dallas is home.

Last year we were in Africa (Zambia) under the umbrella of Every Orphans Hope. This time Les and I will be on our own for a bit before meeting up with Holly and Will and the 4 grandchildren. We are excited beyond belief to be with them but pray for Grandma with her phobia of snakes , as this one was in the Gruvers  home (west of Johannesburg - Gauteng Province) where we will be staying when not in Cape Town.A NIGHT ADDER!!!! Holly says she claps whereever she goes to warn the snakes. Stay tune for our big adventures as they are a family that is on the move, especially helping others - I am excited to worship and sing with them, go exploring and seeing all the amazing wild life and beauty of the area, especially going to help the people and hold the babies who are orphaned where Holly goes to help and worship in the Peoples Church with them - I cannot wait to meet the local people.  In Cape Town, we spend five days at the Vineyard Estate and then five days south on the ocean at Boulder Beach with the penguins. I am told they STINK but I don't care - they are so adorable. INTERESTING NEW FACT I LEARNED - did you know that 80% of all penguins on earth live in warm climates?
Holly and Will are in Cape Town now and that Saili - she is so adventurous - look where she is right now- is that a swirling object near the shoreline to the left of her? Hope not - looks like she is all alone. I think our amazing photographer, Claire, took this picture, so she can't be too alone!!

I guess Cape Town was voted the

the best place to live on planet earth. Les and I have been reading "The Covenant" by James Michener. Long book but really helps you to understand the history of the African continent as a whole. It makes us realize how young our country is in comparison to this continent and it is much easier to understand why the people and their culture are so engrained in them …………………………………………More Later - it is Super Bowl time !!!!! We are ordering room service at the hotel at the airport Hyatt - just got through watching Captain Phillips movie which put us in a mood to travel the land in SA but not the seas around it :)