Catching up

It is only when you catch up with far-flung friends that you are aware of how long it is since you last saw them.
We hadn't realised that Linda had a 7 year cycle for visiting Carol & Leo since they returned to SA from the Orient. 14 years ago, Jodie had just been born, 7 years ago Jessica was within days of arriving and this year we arrived in the middle of Jodie's birthday celebrations. We also got to meet Jared - who they adopted 4 years ago - for the first time.
After a big family dinner- with 17 at the table it could have been a pub night in Canada - we slept surprisingly well - despite the group of 14 year old girls celebrating at the other end of the house.
On the road by lunchtime - after a bit of essential shopping - and a 400km drive to Graskop which sits on the eastern edge of the Escarpment looking out over the Lowveld.
From an overcast 29C in Joburg, we arrived to misty low cloud and 16C -  felt just like a summer's day at Moyhill!