Oupa bonding with Logan
During the past week we passed the 100 days mark. Not sure what the significance is, but it certainly made me reflect on what we have experienced and achieved thus far.
The vision I had of a retreat centre all those many years ago started happening right under our noses, without our planning or doing;
Firstly we had Esti and Logan stay with us for almost a month. It was a time for Esti to come to grips with the new person in her life that needed all her care and attention, and all of this while Graeme, her husband, was in Canada on business. For us it was a wonderful blessing to bond with Logan and for him to crawl deep into our hearts.
We also had Louise, a friend from our days at university, stay for two weeks. Louise needed the time to do some personal reflection and found the peace and tranquillity at Over the Mountain refreshing and rejuvenating. Looking for answers and direction for some difficult decisions she needed to make, her time here helped her gain strength, both physically and emotionally.
An unexpected bonus of our new business has been our staff. We inherited some with the business, but did not expect how readily they have adopted us and shown how capable and responsible they all are;
Our Tea Garden Assistant – Ronel
Sanna is responsible for housekeeping and she is a pillar of strength, we hope that the business will grow quickly so that we can employ Zelda, her assistant, on a fulltime basis. Ronel has taken to the Tea Garden like a duck to water and has become indispensable. Hansie is our gardener, he knows the property inside out and has such a keen interest in keeping it in a good condition. Jonathan is a very capable handyman and my helper with all the renovations and maintenance.
How can we not mention all our neighbours that have accepted us and made us feel so welcome in the area? Each of our neighbours made us promise that we would call them if we needed anything and that we should pop in anytime, without making an appointment (so un-city like). We are starting to make new friends.
Even though we didn’t plan on having a Tea Garden, we have started to enjoy the interesting people that drop in for scones and coffee. Estelle is baking a scone that looks great and tastes even better (according to almost all the guests).
Our new Signage at the entrance
During this time we have made many improvements and upgrades in our bedrooms, but still have a long way to go. The new branding, website and facebook page have received many compliments. Our new signage and entrance improvements have also made a great impression.
We know that this is just the beginning of our new journey of learning and experiencing country life.