Palm Beach

My Boerewors recently surprised me with an early birthday present - an air ticket and car hire to go and see my mum and dad - who live over 700km away on the Natal South Coast.  We couldn't afford for all of us to go down so I arranged that my big sister go with me and we make it a Morris family reunion.
 
It was fabulous. 

A Daft Scots Lass and her dad

It was bitter-sweet to see how my folks are getting really frail and old and don't want our help!   

We had a lovely 6 days together talking about old times and hanging out.  It was amazing to give my mum and dad a cuddle and share the love.  Everyone who has parents close by, NEVER complain about them.  You are truly blessed to have them in your daily lives and close to you. Cherish that.

My older sister, my wee Mum and A Daft Scots Lass

Taking #selfies with Mum (it was an entirely new concept to my Mum)

My mum and dad with their wedding day picture, showing how much height my mum has lost with her debilitating osteoporosis.  As you can see from the picture, My mum and dad used to be almost the same height.

My big sis and I

A Daft Scots Lass in the jacuzzi

A Daft Scots Lass at the beach late afternoon

 

Southbroom Beach

Our faces when the ice-cold Southbroom waves caught the back of our legs during a #selfie

Cooo-eeee I'm back! User Friendly Beach Holiday - That's what she said!

The long road to the seaside

I'm back in smelly, smoggy Johannesburg and just because you can't smell it doesn't mean the rest of us aren't sufferning.

I missed you guys and I missed my wee blog.

Yeeehaw!  Five days at the Natal South Coast and what a great wee holiday it was.

We arrived at about lunch time on Monday after a 7 hour drive and checked into our large beach flat. We were right on the beach and could hear the waves crashing from our balcony. 

We hardly unpacked and went around to see my mum and dad. My mum was so weak and frail she couldn't even get out of bed to greet us. She looked so pale and exhausted but I still managed to give her a long gentle cuddle, I just didn't squeeze too hard! 

Mum and Kaylin

I had waited a whole year to give her a hug and it was so worth it.

We spent most of the holiday either on the beach or at the pool or just hanging out with my folks, nattering and catching up at at their place.   I always forget how loud our family is and how much we talk. We don't stop and my accent instantly becomes thicker without me even realising it. Hubby always points this out though.

Anyhoover, I had a good chat with both of my parents individually and let them know that they need only ask me for help with anything and I'll be there.   They are not getting any younger and luckily they care for each other at at the moment, but there will come a time when one or both of them will not be able to do these things and then they will need myself and my sister to step in and help.

We are so far away from them and we'd love for them to move back to Johannesburg and be closer but they will NOT hear anything of it right now.

Dilema.

The time will come.

Nevertheless, it was a wicked wee break with loads of relaxing in the sun, playing in the surf and truck loads of special times.

Here are some of the daft pix

On the way to the beach

Palm Beach

My Dad and Kaylin

Family Shot

My Mummy

My folks.  They will be married for 46 years in January!

My Mum posing for the camera

Kaylin on the rocks at Palm Beach

Megan swinging on the big tree branch on Palm Beach

The monkeys were a twice a day occurrence at our wee beach flat

Megan and Kaylin playing in the pool

Megan riding the waves on her Boogie Board

Sandcastles

Sandcastles with Dad

My Three in the Sea

Kaylin riding the ways with her Boogie Board

The pathway from our beach flat down to Palm Beach

Fun in the car - a long 7 hour trip.

My Wee Holiday and Natal Visit

liday and I'm glad we made the last-minute decision to drive down to Natal to spend a few days with my mum and dad before mum's Vertebroplasty surgery.  Mum was really anxious about her surgery as she's never had any surgical procedures done in the entire 67 years of her life.  It was a big deal for her.

We left Johannesburg at 3am on Saturday morning and arrived in Natal about 11am.  It was a long drive but worth it to see the surprised look on my mum's face when we arrived at her gate.  She couldn't believe we'd just driven over 700km just to see her.  We spent the next few days pottering around the South Coast and visiting the ocean with the girls a lot.  They love the beach!

All went well with Mum's scheduled back surgery yesterday. It seems to have been a success and she's already back home recovering.  She as to lie on her back for 2 weeks!  No sitting just standing and lying down.  Then its back to the doctor for more xrays.

The Family

Kaylin, Mum aka Granny, Megan

On the Beach

Megan, Gillian, Kaylin

Margate Beach

Kaylin and Grandpa

Pony Riding at MacBanana

Kaylin

Megan Pony Riding at MacBanana

At the Beach

North Sand Bluff Light House
Port Edward

The light house inside

My legs are still frikken wobblin.  By the time we got back down all those stairs I needed an alcoholic beverage to calm my nerves.

My first time in a lighthouse and it was pretty nerve wracking but pretty kewl

Megan and Kaylin at the Pool by Margate Beachfront

A Gorgeous Palm Beach Sunset