My Husband and I (as H.M. the Queen would say) arrived in Franschhoek on 1st April 1998. April Fool's Day is not an auspicious day to plan anything special - and a definite no-no for moving house!
The property we chose was a huge and dilapidated country Manor House situated on a farm just outside the delightful village of Franschhoek.
The place had been virtually abandoned for the 10 years since it had been built, and was in a very sorry state - 1.1/2 acres of totally overgrown jungle for a garden, no walls, gates or security. To add to the charm, damp problems from vines and creepers rambling over the house, with their attendant snakes and spiders (who all thought life indoors was better than outside) and dubious brown coloured water, were all major contributors.
Despite all that, the place had a calm and stately ambience with its huge lofty rooms, wraparound stoep, and only the sounds of birds and insects to disturb the silence. Having no road frontage, the Manor House enjoys a gloriously private setting, surrounded only by the farmland and vineyards which cloak the lower slopes of the Middagkrans Mountain: it could be in the depths of the countryside, yet only a 15 minute walk to the village.
I digress - back to April 1998 - most of our goods had gone into store to facilitate the substantial renovation planned for the house.
Husband John seemed distracted during the move, but it's a stressful time, and women cope better with that - even when the removal van got stuck in the uncut branches of the trees lining the driveway. Colourful language from the removal men, and a handy chainsaw, solved that little problem, and we eventually arrived at what should have bee an empty house, but no - the previous occupant's furniture was still there, and he needed our truck and men to hep him move out!
Not an auspicious start, but we were in!
The next few days we did a some unpacking, and then started hacking back the invading jungle which allowed only a very subdued, green-tinged light to filter into the house. Then John made the incredible announcement, that he would have to take one of the cars to Fishhoek - way down on the southern peninsular -to be roadworthied! I was astounded - up to my armpits in vines and creepers - no way! But John was determined - and off he went, never to return. I later discovered that a new love had come into his life (albeit an older model - how's that for an insult?) and our 20 year marriage stopped there.
They say life is full of surprises! So, abandoned in Franschhoek with only a divorce to look forward to, I continued the now rather lonely and challenging task of bringing the garden to order and transforming the house into a beautiful guest house on my own. Because our joint finances were frozen for the duration of the divorce proceedings (which took 2.1/2 years) the work requiring contractors was necessarily delayed until the legal bits were settled. I got the house - John retained our other property - but in the meanwhile, the world had moved on, and the originally- planned budget was now insufficient to transform this ugly duck into a swan. This was nasty, as John had always handled the finances during our marriage (I was good at the donkey-work), so now I needed access to more finance, and had to master the art of producing business plans, for bankers to shred at their leisure!
Eventually, after what seemed like an endless round of applications and refusals, I obtained approval for the finance, and contractors were appointed.
I was amazed at how good my South African builders were at demolition but, once the dust had settled, putting everything back together again was a different story.
Cascading floods of water from gaping pipes, constant electrical blackouts as wires were cut with alarming regularity, and finally a knife-fight between a bunch of inebriated workmen who, whilst living on the premises, decided to anticipate the celebration of Friday's arrival by getting drunk and disorderly at 2o'clock in the morning.
Damaged workmen were returned to base, now ones appointed, and inch by inch the work progressed.The contractors were by now a year behind schedule. When it became evident that they were unable to complete the work (lack of expertise was a major problem here) replacements were appointed, found wanting, rejected, then undo the work that's been done and do it again.
After all that, it was worth it! I have a lovely house in a glorious situation which makes a perfect guest house. It was really amazing to see all my lovely English Victorian furniture arrive from store - I hadn't set eyes on it in nearly 3 years, and it had survived remarkably well. Together with the familiar things that I have loved enough to drag half way around the world with me, the house has now become a home.
Of course, during this time, I have adopted a number of animals. Our arrival here in South Africa was dictated by the dog which was abandoned on our doorstep whilst living in Majorca, in the mediterranean. When we decided to leave there (after 8 years) the big problem was - where could we go in this world where Mungo, a schnauzer cross, would not be put into quarantine? There was only one answer - South Africa - so we made the move. Once here, I heard of an Irish Wolfhound called Suzie who needed a home, so she joined the family. Then came Jonty (actually John's dog) a giant schnauzer, along with SuzieBear, a white wolf, who had belonged to John's new wife, and was subsequently abandoned along with John! In addition, 4 cats needed homes, then some more dogs, including Zero, a large mixed breed with a heart of gold who was thrown off the back of a bakkie in front of my car outside of Franschhoek. There followed two donkeys, who excelled at lawnmowing, and did sterling work removing all the undergrowth in the garden, and an unexpected foal was born, without any fuss, at the side of the dam in May 2008. Bodkin, Thimble and Button have now been taken to a new home on the edge of the karroo near Barrydale, as the Franschhoek winters have proved too wet for them - donkeys aren't waterproof!
In addition to all these animals, I acquired a cockerel named Kentucky. He was wondering down the road one day when I was taking the dogs for a walk. Anticipating an early dinner, the dogs pursued him. I managed to pull them off, and carried him home, missing some feathers, but otherwise none the worse for wear. It turned out that Kentucky is a racist bird, who will not tolerate white hens. He was bred, and given to a neighbouring farm, to service their white leghorn chickens, but Kentucky wouldn't stay, and I rescued him on his third escape bid! We now have brown hens to keep him company. The chickens live completely free range in the garden, and roost in the trees at night. We have an excellent supply of free range organic eggs for breakfast! To complete our present family, we also have Sparkie, a miniature schnauzer and Sheba, a small shepherd cross.
Agincourt - a personal battle.
My Husband and I (as H.M. the Queen would say) arrived in Franschhoek on 1st April 1998. April Fool's Day is not an auspicious day to plan anything special - and a definite no-no for moving house!
The property we chose was a huge and dilapidated country Manor House situated on a farm just outside the delightful village of Franschhoek.
The place had been virtually abandoned for the 10 years since it had been built, and was in a very sorry state - 1.1/2 acres of totally overgrown jungle for a garden, no walls, gates or security. To add to the charm, damp problems from vines and creepers rambling over the house, with their attendant snakes and spiders (who all thought life indoors was better than outside) and dubious brown coloured water, were all major contributors.
Despite all that, the place had a calm and stately ambience with its huge lofty rooms, wraparound stoep, and only the sounds of birds and insects to disturb the silence. Having no road frontage, the Manor House enjoys a gloriously private setting, surrounded only by the farmland and vineyards which cloak the lower slopes of the Middagkrans Mountain: it could be in the depths of the countryside, yet only a 15 minute walk to the village.
I digress - back to April 1998 - most of our goods had gone into store to facilitate the substantial renovation planned for the house.
Husband John seemed distracted during the move, but it's a stressful time, and women cope better with that - even when the removal van got stuck in the uncut branches of the trees lining the driveway. Colourful language from the removal men, and a handy chainsaw, solved that little problem, and we eventually arrived at what should have bee an empty house, but no - the previous occupant's furniture was still there, and he needed our truck and men to hep him move out!
Not an auspicious start, but we were in!
The next few days we did a some unpacking, and then started hacking back the invading jungle which allowed only a very subdued, green-tinged light to filter into the house. Then John made the incredible announcement, that he would have to take one of the cars to Fishhoek - way down on the southern peninsular -to be roadworthied! I was astounded - up to my armpits in vines and creepers - no way! But John was determined - and off he went, never to return. I later discovered that a new love had come into his life (albeit an older model - how's that for an insult?) and our 20 year marriage stopped there.
They say life is full of surprises! So, abandoned in Franschhoek with only a divorce to look forward to, I continued the now rather lonely and challenging task of bringing the garden to order and transforming the house into a beautiful guest house on my own. Because our joint finances were frozen for the duration of the divorce proceedings (which took 2.1/2 years) the work requiring contractors was necessarily delayed until the legal bits were settled. I got the house - John retained our other property - but in the meanwhile, the world had moved on, and the originally- planned budget was now insufficient to transform this ugly duck into a swan. This was nasty, as John had always handled the finances during our marriage (I was good at the donkey-work), so now I needed access to more finance, and had to master the art of producing business plans, for bankers to shred at their leisure!
Eventually, after what seemed like an endless round of applications and refusals, I obtained approval for the finance, and contractors were appointed. I was amazed at how good my South African builders were at demolition but, once the dust had settled, putting everything back together again was a different story.
Cascading floods of water from gaping pipes, constant electrical blackouts as wires were cut with alarming regularity, and finally a knife-fight between a bunch of inebriated workmen who, whilst living on the premises, decided to anticipate the celebration of Friday's arrival by getting drunk and disorderly at 2o'clock in the morning.
Damaged workmen were returned to base, now ones appointed, and inch by inch the work progressed.The contractors were by now a year behind schedule. When it became evident that they were unable to complete the work (lack of expertise was a major problem here) replacements were appointed, found wanting, rejected, then undo the work that's been done and do it again.
After all that, it was worth it! I have a lovely house in a glorious situation which makes a perfect guest house. It was really amazing to see all my lovely English Victorian furniture arrive from store - I hadn't set eyes on it in nearly 3 years, and it had survived remarkably well. Together with the familiar things that I have loved enough to drag half way around the world with me, the house has now become a home.
Of course, during this time, I have adopted a number of animals. Our arrival here in South Africa was dictated by the dog which was abandoned on our doorstep whilst living in Majorca, in the mediterranean. When we decided to leave there (after 8 years) the big problem was - where could we go in this world where Mungo, a schnauzer cross, would not be put into quarantine? There was only one answer - South Africa - so we made the move. Once here, I heard of an Irish Wolfhound called Suzie who needed a home, so she joined the family. Then came Jonty (actually John's dog) a giant schnauzer, along with SuzieBear, a white wolf, who had belonged to John's new wife, and was subsequently abandoned along with John! In addition, 4 cats needed homes, then some more dogs, including Zero, a large mixed breed with a heart of gold who was thrown off the back of a bakkie in front of my car outside of Franschhoek. There followed two donkeys, who excelled at lawnmowing, and did sterling work removing all the undergrowth in the garden, and an unexpected foal was born, without any fuss, at the side of the dam in May 2008. Bodkin, Thimble and Button have now been taken to a new home on the edge of the karroo near Barrydale, as the Franschhoek winters have proved too wet for them - donkeys aren't waterproof!
In addition to all these animals, I acquired a cockerel named Kentucky. He was wondering down the road one day when I was taking the dogs for a walk. Anticipating an early dinner, the dogs pursued him. I managed to pull them off, and carried him home, missing some feathers, but otherwise none the worse for wear. It turned out that Kentucky is a racist bird, who will not tolerate white hens. He was bred, and given to a neighbouring farm, to service their white leghorn chickens, but Kentucky wouldn't stay, and I rescued him on his third escape bid! We now have brown hens to keep him company. The chickens live completely free range in the garden, and roost in the trees at night. We have an excellent supply of free range organic eggs for breakfast! To complete our present family, we also have Sparkie, a miniature schnauzer and Sheba, a small shepherd cross.