Following on from my ‘Spring Hat’ post from yesterday. A Spring Hat … By Friday, I have to confess, Spring kind of took me by surprise this year.

We’ve been living in central South Africa (the Free State, or as my husband likes to call it “the States”) for about 17 months now, and whilst we have done a full year of seasons here, last year I can honestly say was pretty much a write off.

I had two hip replacements within four months of each other, my mom had to come stay to look after us all for six weeks at a time. On top of that we were still trying to settle in to a new town, new school, new everything. It’s almost like the first nine months here were a blur.

Moving On!

Anyway, last week Monday and Tuesday we had a cold front hit us, possibly the last of the winter. It was about 6 degrees Celcius max! By Thursday afternoon it was 28 degrees!

So over the last few days I have gone into full-on spring cleaning mode:

  • changing bedding – from winter sheets and extra thick blankets to summer sheets, and no blankets, including packing away the electric blankets.
  • packing away the kids winter clothes, most of which they didn’t wear because my little Zimbabwean born zimbokids HATE clothes, and would rather run around in just their knickers come rains, snow, sleet, or hail! Thank goodness the daily fights to keep them from freezing to death and catching pneumonia might be over!
  • airing out the house by flinging ALL the windows wide open and vacuuming all the cat hair up!
  • getting the garden spruised up.
  • topping up the pool – not sure how much longer I can hold out on the whining … “mom, it’s summer, can I swim NOW!” Of course the pool takes a bit longer to warm up than the weather but kids don’t get it and knowing them they will still submerge themselves in the freezing cold water, come out blue and profess to ‘love it!’

The Change Of Seasons

It’s funny how in Africa there is almost NO spring, the same goes for autumn. It goes from hot to freezing (yes, it does actually snow in Africa – see pic below from a few weeks ago), and then back to hot – the hot where you can’t run around barefoot outside because the roads or paving will scortch your feet.

Snow on the mountains in Ceres, Western Cape
Snow on the mountains in Ceres, Western Cape, South Africa, July 2016.

My favourite times of day at the moment are 09.00 when the sun is warm, but not too hot, and 16.30. At four-thirsty my alarm goes off to turn our electric geyser back on but in my husband’s opinion it’s my wine-o’clock alarm. ?

He’s not too far off I guess.

Nothing beats sitting on the verandah having a glass of wine while the girls play in the garden.?? Spring Has Sprung – bye bye winter! Thank goodness!