Intra muros dec by Pistachio Designs

LINDA

CONTRIBUTORS Silver Lakes HOA Silver Lakes Directors Jan de Wet Kathy O’Connor Danie Van Niekerk Sid Pretorius Theo O’Neil Corlia Mathews Seline van der Wat Runa Prinsloo Dr Koos Marais Rensche Mari Paula Oelofsen Henry Green Nefeli Valakelis Henk vd Westhuizen

PUBLISHING EDITOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Bianca Romanos Pistachio Designs GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Karin Smith Natalie-Ann Afonso Pistachio Designs

CONTENTS DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

22 32

ADVERTISING SALES info@pistachiodesigns.co.za 012 346 5027 Cornelle van den Berg advertising@pistachiodesigns.co.za 073 172 4664 Silver Lakes 27 Muirfield Boulevard, Silver Lakes, 0081 PO Box 11106 Silver Lakes 0054 Tel: +27 12 809 0142 Fax: +27 12 809 1119

pistachio designs DISCLAIMER Intra Muros is a monthly magazine of the Silver Lakes Homeowners’ Association (SL HOA). It is intended for the residents of Silver Lakes. It is published on behalf of the SL HOA by Pistachio Designs. Articles printed in the Intra Muros, do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the SL HOA or Pistachio Designs. Neither the SL HOA, nor Pistachio Designs can be held responsible for the quality of the goods and services advertised in the Intra Muros. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form without prior written permission of the publisher.

HOMEOWNERS’ ASSOCIATION Chief Executive Officer From the Estate Manager From the Liaison Manager From Environment, Social & Ethics Director The History of Christmas around the World

8 14 10 18 6

Important Contact Numbers 8 Smalls 53 Golf Mature Golfers Competition Results

24 24

Feature articles Environmental Living with Conflict

Gardening Bonsai Trees 38 The Cook on the Corner The Festivities are upon us

Psychology New Year Resolutions

Geseënde Kerfees 44 Radical Changing Weather 24 Conditions Self-Catering vs Guesthouse or Hotel 35 golf Summer Golf Golf Gift Ideas

Food Everyday recipes Christmas Trifles

DIY Something to make at home 43 How to make your own Christmas Gift Tags KIDS Kids Corner Just Nuisance

Fitness 40 Calisthenics INTRA MUROS DEC 2015 | JAN 2016 (5) DESIGNED BY

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The History of

Christmas Around the World

Christmas as we know it today, is a Victorian invention of the 1860s. Probably the most celebrated holiday in the world, our modern Christmas is a product of hundreds of years of both secular and religious traditions from around the globe. Discover the origins of Christmas traditions from around the world.

SWEDEN: ‘GOD JUL!’

luck and ward off evil spirits. During holidays in the Victorian era, the English would hang sprigs of mistletoe from ceilings and in doorways. If someone was found standing under the mistletoe, they would be kissed by someone else in the room, which was behaviour not usually demonstrated in Victorian society.

FINLAND: ‘HYVÄÄ JOULUA!’

Plum pudding is an English dish dating back to the Middle Ages. Suet, flour, sugar, raisins, nuts and spices are tied loosely in cloth and boiled until the ingredients are “plum” meaning they have enlarged enough to fill the cloth. It is then unwrapped, sliced like cake, and topped with cream.

Most people in Scandinavian countries honour St. Lucia (also known as St. Lucy) each year on 13 December. The celebration of St. Lucia Day began in Sweden, but had spread to Denmark and Finland by the mid19th century. Many Finns visit the sauna on Christmas Eve. Families gather and listen to the national “Peace of Christmas” radio broadcast. It is customary to visit the gravesites of departed family members.

NORWAY: ‘GLEDELIG JUL!’

Norway is the birthplace of the Yule log. The ancient Norse used the Yule log in their celebration of the return of the sun at winter solstice. “Yule” came from the Norse word hweol, meaning wheel. The Norse believed that the sun was a great wheel of fire that rolled towards and then away from the earth. Ever wonder why the family fireplace is such a central part of the typical Christmas scene? This tradition dates back to the Norse Yule log. It is probably also responsible for the popularity of log-shaped cheese, cakes and desserts during the holidays.

GERMANY: ‘FROEHLICHE WEIHNACHTEN!’

Decorating evergreen trees had always been a part of the German winter solstice tradition. The first “Christmas trees” explicitly decorated and named after the Christian holiday, appeared in Strasbourg, in Alsace in the beginning of the 17th century. After 1750, Christmas trees began showing up in other parts of Germany, and even more so after 1771, when Johann Wolfgang von Goethe visited Strasbourg and promptly included a Christmas tree is his novel, The Suffering of Young Werther. In the 1820s, the first German immigrants decorated Christmas trees in Pennsylvania. After Germany’s Prince Albert married Queen Victoria, he introduced the Christmas tree tradition to England. In 1848, the first American newspaper carried a picture of a Christmas tree and the custom spread to nearly every home in just a few years.

MEXICO: ‘FELIZ NAVIDAD!’

In 1828, the American minister to Mexico, Joel R. Poinsett, brought a red-and-green plant from Mexico to America. As its colouring seemed perfect for the new holiday, the plants, which were called poinsettias after Poinsett, began appearing in greenhouses as early as 1830. In 1870, New York stores began to sell them at Christmas. By 1900, they were a universal symbol of the holiday. In Mexico, paper Mache sculptures called piñatas are filled with candy and coins and hung from the ceiling. Children then take turns hitting the piñatas until it breaks, sending a shower of treats to the floor. Children race to gather as much of the loot as they can.

ENGLAND: ‘MERRY CHRISTMAS!’

An Englishman named John Calcott Horsley helped to popularize the tradition of sending Christmas greeting cards when he began producing small cards featuring festive scenes and a pre-written holiday greeting in the late 1830s. Newly efficient post offices in England and the United States made the cards nearly overnight sensations. At about the same time, similar cards were being made by R.H. Pease, the first American card maker, in Albany, New York, and Louis Prang, a German who immigrated to America in 1850. Celtic and Teutonic peoples had long considered mistletoe to have magic powers. It was said to have the ability to heal wounds and increase fertility. Celts hung mistletoe in their homes to bring themselves good

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RED TABLE

IMPORTANT CONTACT NUMBERS HOA OFFICE

Office hours: Monday to Friday 08:00 until 16:30 012 809 0142

Security access office: Hours as above Including first Saturday of every month from 08:00 until 11:00

SILVER LAKES CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER JAN DE WET CEO

SECURITY Security Control Room 24 hours 012 809 0424/5 G4S Security Shift Manager From 18h00 to 06h00, weekdays. 24 hours Sat, Sun and public holidays 072 615 5862

CLUBHOUSE Clubhouse 012 809 0281

GOLF Pro Shop 012 809 0430

2015 was a busy year for the Silver Lakes Homeowners Association and although frustrating and inconvenient at times, the extensive work done around the clubhouse is now finally at an end. This project consumed an immense amount of time and resources but it was necessary to get this focal point of the estate up to standard. We trust that our members will use this facility, that we can all justifiably be proud of. The project was somewhat delayed for a variety of reasons and it will still be a while for the new upstairs bar areas and retail areas to be fully operational, especially as we are approaching the buildersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; holiday likely delaying these renovations and shop fitting until the New Year.

we will continue to urge all residents to comply with the municipal directives and restrictions that are communicated from time to time. The golf course obviously consumes large volumes of water, but I want to assure residents, that we are managing and monitoring this usage closely and are working responsibly with the boreholes and dams that supply the golf course with its water. On behalf of the Association, I would lastly want to wish all our members, residents and staff a relaxing and enjoyable festive season and safe travelling. We look forward to welcoming you all back in the New Year. Regards , Jan

Water usage, with the near drought conditions we are currently facing, is a major cause for concern and

EMERGENCY NUMBERS 012 809 0424/5 Boschkop Police 012 802 1087/4 Netcare 911 082 911 Willows Hospital 012 807 8100 Life Medical Centre (near Hans Strijdom Entrance) 012 809 1004 Intercare Medical and Dental Centre (Hazeldean Centre) 012 809 6000 Fire Brigade 10111 Power Failure 012 339 9111 City of Tshwane Call Centre 012 358 9999 Smart Meter Call Centre 012 943 9950 INTRA MUROS DEC 2015 | JAN 2016 (8) DESIGNED BY

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Ref# PT1168015

Silver Lakes Golf Estate R9.8 million Bedrooms 4 / Bathrooms 3 / Garages 3 An immaculate English farm style house. All on one level with a separate studio apartment for a student. North facing with a beautiful garden and patio.

Should you wish to rent or sell please contact me for a free market related valuation of you property

Inge de Klerk 083 700 3911 Office: 012 365 9000 â&#x20AC;˘ pamgolding.co.za/silverlakes

DUAL

MANDATE

Ref# PT1237054

Ref# PT1221486

Ref# PT1216845

Silver Lakes Golf Estate R4.75 million

Silver Lakes Golf Estate R4.1 million

Silver Lakes Golf Estate R6.6 million

Bedrooms 4 / Bathrooms 3 / Garages 3 A stately home, with loads of open living spaces and big bedrooms. Live and entertain downstairs and sleep upstairs. Beautiful Rosewood kitchen.

Bedrooms 3 / Bathrooms 3.5 / Garages 4 An immaculate family home, with an award winning garden. 3 Living areas, study, walk-in safe, and Rosewood and glass liquor cabinet.

Bedrooms 4 / Bathrooms 4 / Garages 3 Elegant, exclusive, exquisite. Family home that offers everything. Big windows with double volume living areas with a golf course view.

/PamGoldingProperties

pamgolding.co.za

@PamGoldingGroup

KATHY O’CONNOR

LIAISON MANAGER

THANK YOU - THANKS FOR BEEN TOLERANT - THANKS FOR UNDERSTANDING - THANKS FOR OBEYING THE RULES OF THE ROAD - THANKS FOR SMILING - THANKS FOR PICKING UP AFTER YOUR DOG - THANKS FOR THE POSITIVE THOUGHTS AND WORDS - THANKS FOR BEING YOU - THANKS FOR BEING PART OF OUR SILVER LAKES FAMILY

Have a wonderful festive season, with lots of blessings and happy memories. INTRA MUROS DEC 2015 | JAN 2016 (10) DESIGNED BY

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MINI

iving in Zwavelpoort Meadows allows you to benefit from the comfort and functionality of modern-day living while rediscovering the old-fashioned value of a sense of community. Zwavelpoort Meadows offers a safe and secure environment in which children can play outside, people engage with each other while strolling through the neighbourhood and where the view from your windows is not blocked by walls but can offer you a vista of the Bronberg mountains and the surrounding areas.

PRI M E LOCATION T H E L AT E S T E S TAT E O P P O S I T E M O O I K L O O F O N AT T E R B U R Y

The development will comprise of two residential areas, office space and retail opportunities - enabling you to live, work, and shop in the same area without wasting your precious time travelling between the various aspects of your life.

MORE T HA N J UST A HOM E A R C H I T E C T D E S I G N E D B U I L D I N G PA C K A G E S A N D VA C A N T S TA N D S F O R S A L E

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W e r n e r E k stee n

08 2 41 1 3 0 8 9 / 0 8 2 5 7 7 4 5 3 1

Mooikloof_issue10_v2.indd 1

2015/10/07 4:21 PM

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IKONIC

New paving and landscaping area in front of new restaurant

DANIE VAN NIEKERK ESTATE MANAGER

UPGRADE OF CLUBHOUSE FACILITIES New shopfronts to restaurant area adjacent to Koi-fish pond area

At the time of preparing this article, construction work on the project has progressed and since the previous article, a number of works are nearing completion: • New restaurant & kitchen facilities downstairs - Operator (Café 41) in process with the re-fitment of the restaurant & kitchen facilities. • New convenient/deli facility downstairs external construction work of ramp stairs and roof was nearing completion. – Operator (Café 41) to re-fit facilities. • Re-fitment of lockers, showers & shower cubicles, doors, mirrors, ceilings to the golf changing room facilities (men’s & ladies) was

Tiling in process – new open patio upstairs

nearing completion. • Re-routing of storm water reticulation at building in process – partly completed in areas. • External seating area of restaurant nearing completion. • Civil construction work of new Kids Play Area adjacent to external seating area of restaurant was in process. To be fitted with artificial grass and play equipment by specialists in process. • Construction of new starter hut building and ramps in process nearing completion. • Excavations and construction work of new terraces & staircase at swimming pool area in process.

Ladies facility - Almost complete

• Installation of additional new golf cart parking and new golf cart/walkways in front of new starter hut area in process; nearing completion. • Upstairs patio open and closed areas tiles, re-screed to fall, waterproofing and re-tiling of new open patio (and covered patio in front of executive bar) area as well as new staircase nearing completion. • Preparation work for landscaping and new walkway in front of restaurant area nearing completion. • Construction work at new deli/convenient store – main entrance to restaurant area nearing completion.

Ladies (golf ) change room facility nearing completion

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UPGRADE OF ROOF & NEW EMERGENCY ACCESS AT THE SILVER LAKES DRIVE ENTRANCE GATE Construction work at the gate recommenced - closing of ingress and egress lanes will again be necessary at times and will be done in conjunction with our security department who will manMen’s (golf ) change facility fitting of lockers in progress

Men’s (golf ) change facility fitting of vanities nearing completion

age the access control.

Construction work re-commenced at main entrance gate – emergency gate.

REMINDER, REQUEST AND APOLOGY We would again like to request all homeowners, residents, visitors and especially children to co-operate and not to enter the building construction sites during this building period. It is out of bounds and is a dangerous area. In advance, we also apologise for all the inconvenience caused by building operations during Men’s (golf ) change facility - lockers hanging space almost complete

this period of construction work.

WATER AWARENESS We are currently going through a tough time during a heatwave. It is very dry with little summer rain and water restrictions. As an estate, we all need to stand together, be aware of unnecessary excess use of water and use water sparingly. Water consumption should please be limited to assist in this reFloor tiles in entrance to Golf (men’s) change facility

gard. Harvesting of rainwater is also something to be considered.

WATER DAMAGE With so many things in life, prevention is better than cure, also true for water damage. Prepare your home for the rainy season and by investigating existing leaks and cracks. The best way to prevent water damage from rainwater is to ensure the exterior materials of the building are properly constructed and maintained. Check the following areas for leaks or View into new restaurant area & Golf (ladies) change facility

evidence of old leaks:

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• Windows and doors: Check for leaks around your windows

is secured and in good condition. Ensure that fridge doors are

and doors, especially near the corners. Check for peeling paint,

properly closed at all times, as a fridge that defrosts can also

as it can be a sign of water leaking in somewhere. Inspect walls

cause some damage.

for stains/discolouring in paintwork or caulking, swelling of the window or doorframes or surrounding materials.

Dishwasher: Check for leaks under the unit top - often where the hose connects to the water supply. Inspect the base of the dish-

• Roof: Repair or replace roof tiles around any area that allows

washer for evidence of leaks, discolouring of paintwork; warping

water to penetrate the roof. Ensure that if you have a tile roof,

of timber and soft flooring materials or water damage to nearby

that the tiles are always in position and that they are not

cabinets.

cracked. Also, ensure that your roof is sealed properly around The sink: Taps and pipes should be checked often and fixed

chimneys and plumbing vents.

at the first sign of even the slightest leak. Also, make it priority • Foundation and exterior walls: Seal any cracks and holes in

not to stuff food and other big particles down your drain, as a

external walls, joints and foundations; in particular, examine

blocked drain can also cause some big trouble. Always turn off

locations where piping or wiring extends through the outside

the water supply to your home when encountering a leak. This

walls. Fill all cracks in these locations with applicable sealant.

will not only help save you money, but will also prevent any further flooding or water damage.

• Plumbing: Check for leaking/dripping taps or ‘sweating’ pipes, clogged drains, leaking geysers and faulty water drainage

INSPECT YOUR GARDEN & LANDSCAPING Irrigation: Inspect and adjust the spray pattern of the irrigation

systems regularly.

sprayer heads (system) to minimize the water sprayed directly onto the house to avoid excessive water near the foundation.

PREVENT FUTURE LEAKS Have irrigation pipes checked regularly and replace sprayer Maintenance is the key to protecting your home against future

heads regularly. Vehicles stopping/parking on the pavement

leaks and will save you money in the long run. You can prevent

might lead to broken or damaged pipes. Also, caution the gar-

water damage by doing the following:

dener to be careful when working near these areas.

CLEAN THE GUTTERS & DOWNPIPES

Ensure that you have proper storm water drainage: This is very

One of the most important steps you can take to preventing

important. If you notice that water tend to build up in your gar-

floods into the house is to make sure the gutters are free of leaves

den, it is time to make a plan. This will not only ruin your lawn &

& dirt. Poor roof water drainage is the number one cause of roof

garden, but can also lead to flooding into the home.

leaks. A clogged gutter will cause problems by concentrating

This problem can often be solved by installing sub-soil drainage

roof runoff water at the house’s corners close to the foundation.

systems – improve the storm water management plan.

A clogged gutter might even be the reason why the walls of the home are damp and cracked. All gutters should be connected to downpipes and discharge over a rainwater shoe. These should point away from your home and have splash blocks at the end to carry water away from the foundation.

MAINTAIN EQUIPMENT AND APPLIANCES THAT USES WATER TO FUNCTION Another interestingly finding is that many of the water damage caused to homes are not due to rain but due to malfunctioning appliances. It is important to ensure that these items are well maintained. Washing machine: Regularly clean the washing machine’s filter and replace pipes once a year. Check these hoses regularly and replace if it seems warped or lose.

FESTIVE SEASON AND YEAR END ASSESSMENTS I wish to use this opportunity to wish all our readers a happy and joyful festive season. Also, I wish all our learners, students

Fridge: Many modern fridges come with an icemaker, which requires a constant water supply. Always ensure that the hose

and especially our matriculates all the very best with the assessments (exams) during the end of the year.

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The information tabulated below has been recorded over the period indicated (since 1996 till 11/10/2015) by a Homeowner residing in Phase 1 of the estate and we appreciated the receiving the rainfall data for publishing in the Intra Muros.

RAINFALL DATA

11 Oct 2015

MONTH

YEAR MAR

FEB

JAN

TOTALS OCT

SEP

AUG

JUL

JUN

MAY

APR

NOV

DEC

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

284 122 99 123 195 57 76 187 134 236 311 58 268 205 112 219 56 96 107 110

285 58 121 31 220 110 70 134 255 40 182 41 50 224 78 65 61 56 140 27

61 361 117 86 177 21 18 57 246 66 21 4 215 68 94 243 96 34 316 57

97 33 3 37 71 9 42 0 53 81 37 61 53 6 151 64 18 99 14 40

31 102 0 37 18 67 11 0 13 0 0 0 49 15 58 0 0 0 1 0

0 0 0 20 8 3 38 20 11 0 0 38 9 33 0 20 0 0 2 0

2 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 3 0 0 10 0 0 0 5

0 0 0 0 3 0 25 0 0 0 47 0 0 18 0 15 0 3 14 0

0 44 37 4 15 9 5 2 0 0 0 68 0 25 0 112 10 3 1 62

107 72 51 50 170 72 68 99 29 18 36 197 56 84 32 106 176 114 40 53

106 155 123 88 119 179 29 84 121 117 92 57 220 146 42 64 72 123 135

215 103 207 216 97 94 156 103 286 81 150 147 176 132 255 182 172 197 172

1188 1056 758 692 1093 621 538 686 1152 639 876 671 1099 956 822 999 763 732 942 301

AVERAGE

153

112

118

136

109

165

829

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CORLIA MATHEWS

ENVIRONMENT, SOCIAL & ETHICS DIRECTOR Environmental & ESTATE REPORT In last year’s end of the year article I mentioned ‘this portfolio not only embraces the gardens and streetscapes of the estate, it also means the natural environment and the people and animals of Silver Lakes’. This year I once again realised what a privilege it is to stay in an estate with a calibre such as that of Silver Lakes. We won the Record ‘best Golf Course’ for the second year running. If one goes for walks on the golf course and in the game reserve one will know just how privileged we are. We have beautiful fauna and flora all around us. This year we had a bit of a problem with buck migrating to the golf course side of the estate. We captured most of them and are in the process of fixing any crossings they may find between the golf course and the game reserve. We are feeding the game in this time of drought, but obviously, the beautiful green grass and the wonderfully tasty flowers we plant must be very inviting to them.

after all the construction, we will be able to go full out again with the lights. THE GARDEN GROUP They have been maintaining our gardens for a year in December. We realise we still have lots to catch up with and to get our gardens to that ‘luscious’ look and feel. Especially with the drought, we have to be patient, but we will be planting some trees in the year to come and the corner planters and our signage will be built in the beginning of 2016. We are just waiting for clearance from the municipality. ENVIRONMENTAL COMMIT TEE This committee consists of our Silver Lakes operational and golf course managers, and the managers from the two service providers of the maintenance of the golf course and gardens, Servest and The Garden Group. We would like to invite any homeowner who wants to sit in on this committee, to please contact the HOA office and provide them with your information so that they can contact you regarding times and dates for the meetings. We are in the process of putting together an Environmental Plan for the whole estate. This will be the culmination of information and hard work from over the past 2 years. The importance of such a plan has been relevant over the past two years in the feedback we get from homeowners every time we do something significant on the estate that influences them or an area close to them.

In the game reserve, we have: Nyala 13 (5 female) Blesbuck 15 Impala 18 Kudu 7 Bushbuck 6 (3 male) Reedbuck 3 Mountain reedbuck 1 (male) Springbuck 14 Steenbuck 6 (2 male) Zebra 2 Grey duiker 4

This plan will make it easier for residents to understand why and when what actions will take place. Some of the contentious issues this past season were the buck roaming the golf course and the removal of reeds from the estate waterways.

And even after all our attempts; it was picked up by the capturing staff that we might still have about 3-6 bushbuck and 2 to 5 grey duiker around the golf course. The grey duiker has been with us for the more than 22 years of Silver Lake’s existence – it is only now with the drought and their cosy existence around the golf course that they have become such an ‘intrusion’ into our lives and gardens. Maybe at some stage we will have to start planting our flowering plants inside our fences, but we will persist on keeping the game inside the game reserve. We are waiting for the rain to start so that we can plant the bare and under grassed areas of the game reserve, but this year it seems we will have to wait until the new year.

These issues will be addressed in the discussions with professionals and staff regarding the right time and how much of what should be done. For example with the de-reeding program, we would like to keep that for the winter period while there are less birds breeding in the reeds. Some reeds need to be kept to act as filter for the water. But too many reeds lead to blocking and consequent over flow of waterways. All of this is a fine balance, and yes, we are going to make mistakes – but we will try and come as close to an optimum situation as we can. The Clubhouse and its gardens and fountain will be back to their former (and better) glory by the end of the year. We are putting pressure on our whole system to have all done by the end of November, but you know how construction works - there is always some or other problem that pops up.

The gardens on the estate are slowly becoming more uniform to act as background to our magnificent homes, club and golf course. You would have seen that we replanted most of the gardens. However, some still needs to be done, but we are slowly getting there.

If it is not a water leak that plagues the men’s locker rooms (and when investigated we saw that it came from a leaking fire hydrant way up in the street), then it’s foundations that had to be removed, replaced, etc. It is always a challenge to keep on running a club like ours during construction.

The two gates will be done and replanted by the end of the summer season after all construction there has ended. Our Christmas Lights will decorate a few of the palm trees and some areas at the gates. Next year

For this, we have to thank Daleen, Andrew and all their staff. The ProShop and restaurant staff was great in assisting all during the construction’s dirt and jackhammers, the changing facilities in the squash courts, the

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golf cart parking and much more. Thanks a million to all of you. We all tremendously appreciate every bit of your extra efforts. We are looking forward to joining Minas and Helen Ioannou of Café41 in our new restaurant. We welcome them and hope they will not only work hard as people tend to do in restaurants, but have a lot of fun. Welcome Minas and Helen, from all of us at Silver Lakes. I am not going to show you some photos of the building of the Clubhouse again, we all l know how that looks and hopefully by the time this Intra Muros gets published, it will look very different. Next year we will be fine streaming the Country Club part of the Clubhouse with the addition of some new tennis courts, play equipment and specialised areas. Andrew and his team will have special programmes for all, from adults to the youngest child on the estate. Keep your eyes peeled for what they have to offer.

WINNING GARDEN

The beautiful photos you will see in this article are of the Garden Competition. The garden that won was only 6 months old and was pampered to this excellence during the winter months.

ENJOY THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL AT OUR NEWLY REFURBISHED CLUB DURING THE DECEMBER HOLIDAYS AND IN THE NEW YEAR. DRIVE SAFELY TO ALL YOUR HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS AND COME BACK RESTED TO OUR WONDERFUL ‘PIECE OF HEAVEN’. ENJOY Corlia Mathews Cell: 083 448 9441

WINNING GARDENER

A LIST OF OUR ANNUAL EVENTS FOR THE YEAR 2016: Although the Club House and catering has now been outsourced into the very capable hands of Minas and Helen Ioannou of Café41, our regular annual events will still be on the calendar. Remember to keep an eye open for new events as we progress through the year. Our last event was the Trick-or-Treat on 31 October. As always, our streets were filled with children and adults. As always, there are the Clubs in Silver Lakes – squash, tennis, bridge, art and special events for our residents. If you want to find out what is happening in Silver Lakes, contact Daleen at the Club: 012 809 0281 or check out our calendar on the web site.

9. July : Winter school holidays 10. July - September : Charity Month 11. August : Woman’s day

GOLFING Andrew and his team will as always organise fantastic competitions and events for our young golfers.

12. September : Spring day - 2nd weekend in September

FISHING Henk and his Fishing Club always have something exciting up their sleeves. As you would have realised form the past month, they even team up with Andrew at the Pro-Shop and have a golf AND fishing Competition.

15. November/December : Christmas Lunch on Christmas Day

13. October : Garden Competition 14. October : Trick-or-Treat

NEW EVENTS We started with some new events such as a Pensioner’s Breakfast and a Moms-and-Tots tea. TIME TRIALS The openness of the golf course, combined with the tree rich streets makes Silver Lakes a very special place. Therefore, use it to run, walk, cycle, and join us on Tuesday afternoons at our time trials from the Club. Contact Martina on 079 049 7123 / martina@openacrerealestate.co.za for more information. DISTANCE:

4km & 8km

WHEN:

Every Tuesday

WHERE:

Silver Lakes Clubhouse

START TIME:

17h30

1. New Year’s Day 2. February :Valentine’s Day 3. March : International day 4. April : Easter Holidays 5. May : Mother’s Day 6. June : Race of Faith 7. June : Youth day – 16 June 8. June : Father’s Day

Photographs taken by Corlia Mathews

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LETS GO FISHING!!! This is what we come here for! Peter Louw fighting a smallmouth yellow fish

The result: a young smallmouth yellowfish - what a beauty!

Wading the Vaal with friends - what a way to spend a Saturday morning.....

photographs by Henk vd Westhuizen

Fred Louw with one of his yellows

The yellowfish is a hard fighting quarry on light fly tackle...

Living with conflict by Koos Marais The balancing act of nature versus culture in Silver Lakes demands sensitivity, care, knowledge, and resilience. We live in a unique environment where our quality of life equals the highest that the country and even the rest of the world can offer, if only we would take the time to open our eyes and see. It is all around us, yet we often continue life on an existential basis, plodding along from one boring day to the next, ever ready to groan about the politics and economics that seem to have the upper hand in our minds. When Pretoria’s purple ladies of the streets, the jacarandas, don their exorbitant flowers, we know that summer is well established. The first showers have fallen, but we are waiting for the regular and penetrating rain to bless our fields, gardens and dams. It is a time of preparation, to trim and to cut back, to clear and to plant, and to make way for the profuse growth that will come with deep summer. As I visit my old haunts it hurts to see the reeds protecting our dams being cut back. These were the same reeds that carried the southern red bishops’ and the thick-billed weavers’ nests, that shrouded the gurgling catfish, the moorhen, and the jacana last season. Now all that remains are

the short stubs of the freshly cut stems, like a three day old beard. From time to time I even come upon the reedbuck and the bushbuck hiding in the reeds. It is amazing to think that these shy and sensitive antelope can exist and even thrive so close to human activity. We tend to associate these rare antelope with large wilderness areas, devoid of human encroachment, but the cover of the reed beds seem to make all the difference in our corner of paradise. It seems to shield them by creating a secure cocoon for the hours of daylight, so that they can emerge at night and forage in our fields and gardens, to the dismay of certain residents even. Personally I consider it a special kind of privilege to be “raided” by these marauders of the night. The price of the few flowers, leaves and twigs pales into nothing in comparison to the almost spiritual presence of a ghostly bushbuck or reedbuck. We all know that the reeds must be trimmed back to prevent them completely overgrowing the dams. Yet, it still hurts when I think back at the pair of tiny white throated swallows perched on a low, leaning reed stem, impatiently waiting for their parents to come and feed them, and then loudly twittering for attention, once the parent appears from out of the blue with a tasty morsel in the beak. Subconsciously I wonder where they will perch now, learning about survival and I cannot help but begrudge the workers for “destroying” my feathered, furred and scaled friends’ lairs and places of rest. Will they survive the onslaught of the human race, I ask myself, over and over again. One morning I see a green shade net fence being erected and my heart sinks even further. Another new house is going up, right on the edge of a little stream where one of our duiker loves to bask in the late evening or early morning glow of the sun. Even more pressure on the wildlife. I sigh inwardly. Will it be another nail in the coffin? I dread the thought, but decide to actively forget about it. We still have a beautiful estate with very special residents of the hooved and clawed kind. One more house will not have a significant impact, I tell myself, and continue jogging in the fresh air. I focus my mind on the upcoming lambing season. Soon our game reserve will be blessed with the energy and exuberance of prancing springbok, impala and blesbuck lambs. Although the springbok breed throughout the year, there is a peak in summer, coinciding with the arrival of the new impala and blesbuck lambs. This is a time of rejoicement, almost as a precursor to Christmas. Initially the ewes hide their offspring and it is a personal challenge to see the lambs at their youngest. I increase the frequency of my visits to our game reserve, hoping to see a young lamb still wobbling on uncertain legs, but the antelope are usually too clever for me. When I finally get to see them the youngsters are already pouncing on their dainty but strong little legs. Soon they will even start to nibble on the freshest and greenest

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new leaves, full of confidence in their comfortable environment.A few weeks later I absentmindedly approach the reed beds. A familiar song in a few high pitched voices grabs my attention. I smile. The reeds have grown back. Already the southern red bishops and the thick-billed weavers are weaving their new nests on the freshly grown reed stems, alongside the village weavers on the overhanging branches of the sweet thorn trees. The heavily coloured males are puffing themselves up, vying for the attention of the females. Soon they will be raising a new generation. I look down into the water. The catfish are also back, slithering back and forth in between the protection of the reeds. My fears have been unfounded. Nature has sprung back with its customary resilience. The trimming of the reeds have not destroyed them. It has actually stimulated new growth. The reality of nature is that, if left to its own devices, it has the potential to spawn great tragedies like fires, droughts, famine and erosion. Once man had arrived on the scene and left his mark, it has become necessary for him to become involved in, and to manage nature. We all carry a heavy burden of responsibility. I cannot wait for the green shade net fence to come down and to once again see the duiker basking in the glory of the sun.

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RADICAL CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS From week to week, our weather has been changing drastically. One week we experience extremely high temperatures without a drop of rain and only a week later we receive warnings for hailstorms. In March 2014, we experienced a huge amount of flood damage. Gauteng had an estimate of R124 million worth of damage. Roads were flooded and destroyed. Golf courses, as seen in Silver Lakes had over flowing dams, which flooded the golf greens. This rain caused potholes throughout the country and repairs could only start after the rain. It is completely insane to think that Silver Lakes experienced excessive rainfall and mere 20 months later warnings of drought. Our weather has become extremely unpredictable. In the beginning of November 2015, we experienced a heat wave for most of the week.

Photographs of golf course dam slowly drying out taken by Nefeli Valakelis resident of Silver Lakes.

Maximum temperatures hit 37 degrees Celsius in Pretoria and as a result, we experienced drought conditions. Researches expect that this year will be the warmest ever experienced on a global scale. We

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT IN THE YEAR TO COME? Heat will increase Rain will fall harder Increase in floods Dry areas will experience drier times Ice will disappear Sea levels will rise Droughts and floods dangerously affect human kind. Food prices can be affected We will eventually be forced to move to greener technologies

JOBURG WATER’S HILGARD MATTHEWS SAYS, “ABOUT 46 % OF DOMESTIC USE IS GOING TOWARDS GARDENING. IF WE CAN REDUCE THAT, WE’LL HAVE ENOUGH SUPPLY.”

experienced below normal rainfall in our summer rainfall season. Dams have dropped below 55% and we need to be aware of water restrictions. These conditions are caused by a combination of factors including El Niño and global warming. A week later on 16 November, parts of Gauteng received hailstones the size of golf balls, but luckily the rain was predicted for the rest of the week. Johannesburg Emergency Services urged young children to be looked after and protected. We recommend staying off the roads during these storms, as they can cause severe damage and vehicle accidents. Warnings were given that thunderstorms, strong winds and rain could intensify across the province. We do however still need to abide by the water restrictions and we need to pay attention and not waste any water. Reservoirs have run dry and we may still experience water cuts.

Photographs of floods inside Silver Lakes taken by Sid Pretorius and Corlia Mathews

As a community, we need to change our behaviour and use less water daily. Our weather is currently unpredictable so we need to be aware.

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SILVER LAKES GOLF RESULTS

MATURE GOLFERS

André Basson

NTP # 3

MATURE GOLFERS - 22 OCTOBER 2015 NAME PLACE

MATURE GOLFERS - 1 OCTOBER 2015 NAME PLACE 2-CLUB Vincent Mascini (43)

1st

Braam Venter

Hans Schoeman (43)

1st

Braam Venter

Eugene Visagie (42)

2nd

Jannie vd Watt (42)

2nd

Eugene Visagie

NTP # 9

Jannie Duvenhage

NTP # 13

Garth Maree

NTP # 16

Vincent Mascini

NTP # 18

Hugo Pretorius

NTP # 3

2-CLUB Kobus Gouws (37)

1st

Jas Wasserman Paul Laesecke (36)

2nd

Gunther Körfer (35 c/o)

3rd

Rolf Hauter

NTP # 9

Nobody

NTP # 13

Tim Toman

NTP # 16

Jas Wasserman

NTP # 18

Frank Hlalethoa

NTP # 3

Tienie Wessels (15) 6 Mystery Holes

MATURE GOLFERS - 8 OCTOBER 2015 NAME PLACE 2-CLUB Hennie Coetzee (39)

1st

Rolf Hauter (38)

2nd

Eddie Orsmond (36)

3rd

Eugene Visagie

Tim Toman

NTP # 9

Tiaan Theron

NTP # 13

Lehan Brits

NTP # 16

Hennie Coetzee

NTP # 18

Blikkies Blignaut

NTP # 3

1 NOVEMBER SUNDAY IPS POINTS Leonard kloppers 34 J Visser 34

MATURE GOLFERS - 15 OCTOBER 2015 NAME PLACE 2-CLUB Vincent Nascini (87)

1st

Kokkie Martin

Johan Cilliers (87)

1st

Kokkie Martin

Carlos Taveras (87)

1st

Kokkie Martin

Fernando Vieira (87)

1st

Kokkie Martin

Braam Venter (84)

2nd

Jas Wasserman

FX Roome (84)

2nd

Jas Wasserman

Steve Greyling (84)

2nd

Jas Wasserman

Nick Hollander (84)

2nd

Jas Wasserman

Tim Toman

NTP # 9

Nobody

NTP # 13

Jas Wasserman

NTP # 16

Hennie Coetzee

NTP # 18

Bugs Dryburgh

NTP # 3

3rd

NTP # 18

Jose Gonsalves 44 Joe Cabaleira 44 7 NOVEMBER SATURDAY

T vd Westuizen 93

Hans Schoeman (33 c/o)

Bugs Dryburgh

Nathi Mdladla 45

Wynand Booyens 93

2nd

NTP # 16

Doc Nohg 45

Lizette Leeuwner Grobler

Pieter Botha (33 c/o)

Eddie Orsmond

Corries Leonard 46

Marius Lubbe 93

1st

NTP # 13

Andre Spies 46

Arno Vermaak 93

André Meij (35)

Jas Wasserman

BBS POINTS

Wayne Walker 93

NAME PLACE 2-CLUB

NTP # 9

4 NOVEMBER WEDNESDAY

4 BALL ALLIANCE POINTS

MATURE GOLFERS - 22 OCTOBER 2015

Nobody

COMPETITION results

FX Roome

Reyn Marais 93 Johan Marais 93 Francois Cronje 92 Stephanie Cronje 92 Werner Van Esch 92 Jerry Olivier 92 PINK BALL Deon Heunis 38 Griet Verwayen 38

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Willem Kloppers 38 Yolandi Burger Kloppers

NTP #3

Eric Rautenbach

NTP #9

Rynard Potgieter

NTP #13

Barry vd Vyver Snr

NTP #16

Marco Loubser

LONGEST DRIVE LADIES

Marli Le Roux

LONGEST DRIVE #2

Arno Vermaak

LONGEST DRIVE #18

Arno Vermaak

8 NOVEMBER SUNDAY IPS Willie booysen 38 Andre Vermeulen 36 11 NOVEMBER WEDNESDAY

POINTS

BBS Sydney Moema 46 Phillip Dzumba 46 Bernard Vertenten 46 Phillip Bronkhorst 46 Hannelie Huyser 45 Niel De Wet 45 NTP #3

Driekus Gouws

NTP #13 Shane Mclachlan

2 CLUBS 1 NOVEMBER SUNDAY RANDS Keegan Mclachlan 380 4 NOVEMBER WEDNESDAY RANDS Corrie Leonard 174 Jose Gonsalves 174 Anton Lombard 174 Adriaan Coetzee 174 Ettiene Ehlers 174 Alain Norris 174 James Walker 174 7 NOVEMBER SATURDAY RANDS Will Ferreira 100 Wayne Walker X2 200 Gerhard Olivier 100 Marco Loubser 100 Chris Mccrate 100 Rynard Potgieter 100 Griet Verwayen 100 Jacques Wilken 100 Barry vd Vyver Snr 100 Gary Pettit 100 Raoul Dippenaar 100 Eric Rautenbach 100 Marli Le Roux 100 Andries Graaff 100 Henry Roodt 100 Jaco Roestoff 100 Paul Reus 100 8 NOVEMBER SUNDAY RANDS Marlie Le Roux 130 Chase Manna 130

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Golf gift ideas With Christmas just around the corner and not knowing what to buy for your loved who is already into golf and already has all the latest gear and equipment, it may be a tricky situation. This holiday we will take you out of your misery and suggest a few items you might wish to purchase for that special person. It is important first to take into consideration the quality of golfing equipment, since a lot of golfing equipment is staged for different levels of activity and ability. Golfers are also especially particular about the equipment they use, so it might even be a better option to get a gift card at a particular golfing store that sells a broad range of golfing gear. Here are some ideas of what to purchase:

1. Golf books These are always a winner when it comes to any golfer. They come in hardback, paperback or even e-books that are commonly used today. A broad selection of books is available for any golfer, especially during the cold winter months when many golf clubs are closed. Many instruction books that range from the historical masters of the game such as Harvey Penick, to newbies such as Butch Harmon, Hank Haney and Sean Foley are available. However, most golfers prefer historical books about golf stories. Should you or the golfer be going away on holiday, it may be a wise idea to choose a book dealing with the location of where most days would be spent playing golf.

2. Golf balls OR BALL FITTING It is true that golfers always need golf balls. But in this area, golfers tend to be extremely particular about what they want. For a buyer that knows nothing about golf, this could be one of the most complex purchases as there are so many manufactures of golf balls making numerous models and with certain characteristics that it may be almost impossible to purchase the correct brand. For example, Titleist manufacturers the ProV1, ProV1x, NXT, NXT Tour, Velocity and the DT-Solo. Where do you even begin? What could be helpful is for you to have a sneak peek inside the golfer’s bag and hope to find a brand of a particular golf ball. If this were not possible, a gift card would be one of the more suitable options.

3. Tin cup ball identifier This new and exciting gadget is definitely the way to go. Just having a model golf ball with a number simply is not enough for a golfer. It is important during tournaments and even individual play to mark one’s golf ball with some kind of unique identifier. It is normal that golfers play with the same brand, which can often cause confusion. Should one player hit the wrong ball, they can be penalised. Sure, it’s easy to mark a ball freehand, but golfers like gadgets. Tin Cup markers are made from metal, fit tightly on the ball and come in a variety of different stencils and create custom designs.

4. Golf clubs When we said golf balls were difficult to purchase for a golfer, we actually mean golf clubs. Clubs are even more of a personal preference to a golfer, so be extremely careful when purchasing these. However, most good golf shops have certain return policies as long as the club has not yet been used. So if you have possibly heard your golfer hinting terms like ‘wedge’, ‘rescue’, ‘putter’ ‘driver’ or ‘fairway metal’ then you should know that it’s time to get to your nearest golf shop and enquire about the best sales. You might just make their Christmas wish come true.

5. Golf grips Golfers that play more than 50 rounds a year are advised to change their grips at least once a year. Good manufacturers of golf grips, such as Golf Pride, Lamkin and Winn, have many models as well as different sizes. The best would be to pick a brand that suits your price range. Speciality grips for putters have also become very popular, and models such as Super Stroke, Tiger Shark and any of the previously mentioned manufacturers are the best

for ease of use. Every golfer needs to clean his or her clubs, and this makes it so easy.

8. TaylorMade SLDR Golf Stand Bag This amazing new bag has a 4-point double shoulder and straps for walking comfort. Many golfers say that it’s like wearing a backpack and makes carrying your bag much easier on your shoulders. The bag also has an

bet for these items.

automatic split system that allows you to set the bag down and easily select

6. Club Glove Caddy Towel

great as it has all of these wonderful features yet is lightweight.

Microfiber has had a massive impact on the golfing world. Pants, shirts and jackets today all use microfibers and are becoming the norm in any golfer’s cupboard. The caddy towel is a unique towel, which comes in a unique packaging and size with a smaller towel that can be carried in a pocket. The caddy towel is a great size and has a hole in the centre allowing it to be placed over a club for quick access.

7. Brush Pro The Brushpro is a club-cleaning tool that can be attached to the golf bag by a retractor using a nylon card allowing the Brushpro to extend over two feet

your club. A bonus feature of the bag is an insulated cooler sleeve. This bag is

9. Zepp Golf swing analyser These wonderful devices are designed to measure the most important aspects of your swing, then analyse and improve each one. The Zepp Golf swinger offers an incredible set of 3D and video analyses features that gives instant feedback. One’s swings can even be compared to the pros. Zepp also provides an app that can record and analyse swings in real time.

10. divot tool A divot tool is a combination of a ball marker and a repair tool. It is a great combination as it is not bulky and is lightweight.

THE COOK ON THE CORNER THE FESTIVITIES ARE UPON US... I love the festive season! Everybody seems happy and there is a buzz in the air. Everybody has their own traditions over the holidays and I think that’s really important and fun. I still remember all of the dishes my mother used to make for us at Christmas time, and those smells, tastes and flavours still take me back to that beautifully decorated table. Although there are many Christmas traditions around the world, I remember that when I was very young, that I was fascinated by gingerbread houses. I don’t know if you’ve seen what people make nowadays, but it is awe-inspiring! It’s also difficult, which is partly why they made it a challenge on MasterChef Australia a few seasons back. These gingerbread houses are intricate and delicate, masterfully put together over hours and hours of hard work. It’s usually left on display in the house as part of the holiday décor, and then devoured on a special occasion. As much as I would love to make my own gingerbread house this year, who honestly has the time nowadays? So instead, I made this ice cream, which incorporates the flavours and joy of a gingerbread house, without the blood, sweat and tears. This recipe is delicious and comforting at the same time. It tastes just like spicy gingerbread, but is ice cold and smooth. Remember that the ice cream will taste like the mixture you made – so taste it before you turn it into ice cream and if you feel that it needs more of any of the spices just add a little more. I served the ice cream on sugar cones with a caramel sauce and a sprinkle of Halva, but you can serve it in whichever way you please. You can even serve it for Christmas as the dessert, with a slice of Christmas cake or a decorated gingerbread man. In whichever way you choose to serve it, make sure you make extra – I guarantee that your friends and family will want seconds. May you all have a blessed and safe festive season. Remember to cherish the time with the people you love. This means that you should not spend ALL your time in the kitchen. Think ahead. Prepare ahead. And enjoy the time as well… See you all in February. Rensche Mari Photography

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CHRISTMAS GINGERBREAD ICE CREAM Ingredients: 5 egg yolks 250ml milk 500ml cream 250ml caramel/light brown sugar 1 vanilla pod 3ml ground nutmeg 3ml ground ginger 5ml ground cinnamon 2 pinches of ground cloves Sugar cones for serving (or serve in a bowl with a gingerbread man) Method: 1. Place the milk, half of the cream, sugar and spices in a saucepan and whisk until well combined. Turn the heat on to medium and heat until steaming. 2. In a separate bowl (at least 750ml big), whisk the egg yolks until stringy. Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla pod with the tip of a knife and add to the egg yolks. 3. When the milk mixture is steaming, slowly add it to the egg yolks while whisking. When all of the milk has been added, return the mixture to the stove and stir constantly (with a spatula) on a low heat until the mixture thickens. Depending on the size of you pot (the bigger, the faster) this could take up to 25 minutes. You want the mixture to form a custard and be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Once this is achieved, remove from the heat and cover on the surface of the custard with cling wrap â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this will stop a skin from forming on the top. Cool completely. 4. Once the custard is cool, whip the remaining half of the cream to medium peak and fold the custard into it. 5. Churn in an ice cream maker until smooth (or freeze slowly, stirring every 30 minutes until set)

ANY IDEAS FOR 2016? Email or call Corlia Mathews (Mathews@iafrica.com or 083 448 9441) or your nearest representative at the Home Owners Association. Looking for a perfect Christmas gift for the foodies in your family? Buy them our cookbook, TWO and watch them go from home cook to MasterChef! Available at bookstores country wide at around R300, or as an eBook online.

Keep in contact with me on Twitter and Instagram (@SelineVW ) or by visiting my website www.EsBySeline.co.za or my MasterChef South Africa page on Facebook. INTRA MUROS DEC 2015 | JAN 2016 (33) DESIGNED BY

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• Welding Work, Centurion and Gemini gate motors • Residential Paintwork • Cutting and trimming of trees • Irrigation design & installations of Hunter, Nelson and Rainbird product. • Borehole-, Booster-, Poolpumps • Solar Photocell offgrid power replacement systems. • All maintenance, Building, Tiling. • All waterleaks • Trenching for electrical cables and waterpipes.

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SELF-CATERING VERSUS GUESTHOUSE OR HOTEL

Generally, access to an airport and highways can be a bonus, as long as the cottage offers peace, safety, lots and lots of nature, to replenish health and energy. Nearby nature reserves or botanical gardens, and the proverbial mountains, beaches and space can be experienced, by just looking at it from your cottage or by walking, running, biking, kayaking, beach combing and many other healthy things one can do, are all bonuses.

Informative article by Theresa and Louie Comrade, The Cottage Owl, George, South Cape region, South Africa

Families could have persons of three generations and different interests, so there should be things nearby for all. Often, two or three may wish to go on excursions such as golf tournaments, fishing, hiking or flying high above the mountains in a small aircraft.

We have visited many parts of Southern Africa, England, Europe, North and South America, India and China. We have discovered that, with sufficient homework, self-catering accommodation has numerous advantages over guesthouses and small hotels. This resulted in us subdividing our far too big house and garden into two complete private houses, each with its own street entrance, carports, garden and security. We worked hard to have quality but practical furnishings, books, utensils and regular amenities. We created unusual indoors and outdoors “space per person” to allow a relaxing time. We have learned that most people really enjoy their time away, when they can experience another part of the world. At the same time, they can do some homely and family things together, that they seldom find time for while at work. When staying in a boutique hotel or guesthouse, some of these things are not practical. One should also verify the actual size of the cottage, as one could easily select a unit, which has a quarter of the indoor area and limited privacy at a higher price than another with much more space and real homely attributes. If possible, one should make detailed enquiries and insist on clear pictures and description of all that is provided, before making a booking.

Others may wish to see interesting shops, taking “the girls” for a fun outing to do things involving a manicure, nature, horses or antique furniture and so forth that may not be possible back home. One person may prefer to stay bedded down for the day to finish that special novel. When one stays over in a region with several different biomes, climate and scenery, such as the Southern Cape, organised day trips in groups with a guide may be the preferred option to many. There are so many wonderful opportunities for friends to be made in a single quality 1-day outing, with no one in the group taking serious responsibility like driving or catering for different needs. We trust that the above appetiser would assist you to try another way of re-charging your energy the next time you need to, in South Africa or any other safe and beautiful part of planet earth.

A direct phone call to the owners or local agent for more details is recommended. A website alone can be misleading. A lengthy international call is much cheaper than selecting a self-catering facility that is disappointing. Some of the enjoyable things that are made possible by a “self-catering”, are shopping around in fresh produce markets for delicious food products and then returning “home” to relax and prepare meals together as a family or with some old friends from another part of the world. Doing it like this and having no fixed schedules is a great way of refreshing relationships. The house or cottage does not belong to someone in the group, which takes away pressure from anyone in the group to be the host. It makes it easy for a person to take “time out”, explore things alone and share experiences later with others. Most self-catering cottages are close to numerous restaurants. Different take-away meals can be ordered from restaurants or fast food outlets, delivered punctually, reheated and dished up as a varied and interesting feast, all from a microwave, oven or hot tray in porcelain dishes and with metal cutlery and a freshly made salad from local farms, without any stress. The area in which a self-catering unit is situated is very important to most guests. Some guests could prefer a facility close to entertainment and many local people rushing to and from to their jobs and schools and going out for sport. Others may prefer something on a farm or in a nature reserve.

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Christmas Trifles Pumpkin Spice Cake Trifle

Ingredients: 4 eggs 2 cups sugar 1 cups vegetable oil 1 can pumpkin (430g) 2 cups flour (I use 1 cup whole-wheat flour + 1 cup unbleached flour) 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Directions: In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin. Beat at medium speed until smooth. Next, mix your dry ingredients. Then add in the spice. Start pouring dry ingredients into mixer, and mix well. Spread into a pan. Bake at 180 degrees C for 2530 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. White Chocolate Whipped Topping Ingredients: 2 tubs whipped topping such as Cool Whip, thawed 2 cups white chocolate chips, I use Nestlé 1/2 tsp cinnamon Melt white chocolate chips in a glass bowl in the microwave for 1 minute on medium-high heat (70%). Stir and you’ll see how they continue melting until smooth. If needed, heat another 10 seconds on 70% and stir. Gently fold melted white chocolate into whipped topping. Sprinkle in ½ tsp

cinnamon for extra colour and flavour.

do not boil and stir continuously until the custard thickens. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Assembling Pumpkin Spice Cake Trifle Carefully break the cake into chunks. I ended up only needing about ¾ of the cake. Layer Pumpkin Spice Cake chunks on the bottom of the trifle bowl, and then lightly spread a layer of white chocolate whipped topping. Repeat two more times, ending with topping on top. Sprinkle a few cake crumbs on top as I did in the photos, or if you have graham crackers or gingersnaps on hand, those crumbs would do nicely as well.

Cut the sponge roll into 1 - 1.5cm slices, arrange in the base and sides of a glass, serving bowl. Combine the sherry and orange juice and spoon over the sponge.  Reserve a few strawberries for decoration, arrange the remaining berries over the sponge and scatter over the Amaretti biscuits. Spoon the cool custard over the fruit, cover and chill for 1-2 hours. Decorate the trifle with the remaining strawberries and whipped cream if wished.

COOKIES AND CREAM TRIFLE

Ingredients BROWNIES 1 cup butter, softened 2 cups sugar 4 eggs

CLASSIC SHERRY TRIFLE

Ingredients 280g sponge roll 1⁄4 cup sweet sherry 1⁄4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 2 chips strawberries, hulled and halved 125g packet Amaretti biscuits, crushed Egg Custard 2 cups milk 1⁄2 cup cream 1 tsp vanilla essence 2 tbsp. cornflour 4 egg yolks 1/4 cup caster sugar Method Prepare the custard. Heat the milk in a medium sized saucepan. In a small bowl, combine the cream, vanilla, cornflour, egg yolks and caster sugar, beat together lightly with a wooden spoon. Pour the hot milk over the cream mixture and stir well to combine. Return the mixture to the saucepan.  Heat the custard gently,

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1 tsp. vanilla 1⁄2 cup unsweetened cocoa 11⁄3 cups flour 1⁄2 tsp. salt Cookies and Cream Mousse 1 (120g) box Cookies and Cream Instant Jelly Pudding Mix, dry, do not prepare 1⁄2 cup water 1 (400g) can sweetened condensed milk 1 (240ml) tub cool whip, thawed to room temp Remaining Ingredients 1 (350ml) tub cool whip 1 (440g) Package Oreos, about 30 cookies. Crush cookies into both small and larger pieces. Hot fudge Instructions TO MAKE BROWNIES Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add cocoa, flour and salt and mix until well combined. DO NOT OVERBEAT! Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 180 degrees C for 20-25 minutes. Let cool COMPLETELY. TO MAKE COOKIES AND CREAM MOUSSE Whisk Cookies and Cream Instant Jelly Pudding mix, water and sweetened condensed milk together in a large bowl for about 2 minutes. Fold in 240ml tub of cool whip until no streaks are present. Stir in some extra crushed Oreo pieces as needed. I added about 5 cookies worth to the mixture. Cover and store in fridge until ready to assemble trifle. ASSEMBLY Once brownies are cool, cut them into 1-inch squares. To assemble trifle, Place half of the brownie squares at the bottom of trifle dish. Spread half of the Cookies and Cream Mousse over the top of brownies. Sprinkle half of crushed Oreos over the top of mousse. Spread half of the 350ml tub of cool whip over the top of the Oreo crumbs. Repeat layers 1 more time

only reverse the crushed Oreo layer and cool whip layer so that the Oreo crumbs garnish the top of the trifle and rest on top of the cool whip layer. Chill in fridge for at least a couple hours and until ready to serve. Scoop into bowls and top with hot fudge.

Carrot Cake Trifle

Ingredients 1 box of Carrot Cake Mix & required ingredients Carrot 230g of softened cream cheese 1.5 sticks of softened butter 3.5 cups of powdered sugar 1 tbsp. vanilla 470ml Cool Whip (two regular tubs or one big one) Chopped walnuts or pecans Instructions Prepare the carrot cake recipe as instructed (I like to add shredded carrots to the mix to make it feel a little more authentic) in a 9x13 Pyrex baking dish. Allow to cool when finished then cut into cubes. For the whipped mixture: Using an electric mixer on medium/high speed cream together the softened cream cheese and butter until it becomes light and fluffy. This will take 3-5 minutes and you will need to scrape down the sides. Turn the mixer down to a low speed and add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until combined. Pour in vanilla and mix for another 2-3 minutes as it continues to fluff. With the mixer still on low add the Cool Whip a little at a time until everything is combined. In a trifle bowl or deep glass bowl, place in one layer of carrot cake pieces/ crumbles. Then add a layer of your whipped cream cheese mixture. Repeat ending with the whipped cream cheese on top. Add the crushed walnuts or pecans to the top and refrigerate until it’s time to serve.

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Bonsai trees The bonsai is one of the most fascinating and beautiful plants to have around at home or in the office. They bring a sense of life indoors and are magical in the sense that they appear small, yet seem to be huge in our own eyes. Many find the art of the bonsai to be very meditative and great for stress-reduction, which is why we have chosen this unique plant for our December issue. It is also a great gift to give to someone and can be cherished for a long time if cared for properly.

Bonsai trees however need proper care and attention, but that should not prevent you from getting a Bonsai. Juniper bonsais (outdoor option) and the Golden Gate ficus (indoor option) are the most common options for beginners.

Here are some tips on how to care for your bonsai:

1. Water your bonsai

why this little tree makes the perfect gift for those of you that have

Although the bonsai may be deceiving, it actually has very specific watering requirements. You should water your bonsai approximately

creative friends. A source once said, â&#x20AC;&#x153; The more you learn about the art, the more interesting the bonsai becomesâ&#x20AC;?.

every week or so, when the topsoil feels completely dry. You should immerse the entire bonsai plant in a bucket of basin water. When you see that air bubbles rise to the top, the bonsai has absorbed the water. Humidity is also a very important consideration for the bonsaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health, so make sure the plant is placed where there is a fair amount of sunlight.

2. Placement of the bonsai The bonsai plant brings about a peaceful and relaxed space wherever it is placed. It is important to ensure that the plant is placed where it receives direct sunlight, so preferably either outside or near a window.

3. Prune your bonsai Having to prune plants is one of the main reasons people do not enjoy purchasing or keeping plants. However, with the bonsai, one of the greatest attractions is the calming effect of simply shaping this miniature tree.

The aim of pruning is to maintain the plants shape as it grows. Pruning also allows growth elsewhere on the plant. It is advisable to use bonsai clippers (not scissors!) to remove any dead branches. Decide which branches to trim in order to maintain the desired shape of the plant.

Yes, bonsai pruning is considered to be a form of art, which is exactly

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4. the right bonsai soil Do not just use any soil for your new special plant. The goal is to find soil that drains quickly but still manages to retain its water. It also needs to contain small particles to ensure proper aeration, allowing oxygen to reach the roots.

There are many specially formulated soils available especially for bonsais or one can simple mix your own soil (that is if you’re feeling ambitious). It is also vital to add fertilizer to your soil during the growth season (usually between early spring to autumn).

5. Become friends with Bonsai enthusiasts Engage with other bonsai lovers to learn more tricks and tips. This is a great way to pick up a new and exciting hobby such as caring for bonsais.

6. Re-planting All bonsais need to be re-potted periodically, as the roots will eventually grow and fill the pot. At this point, the tree is root-bound and cannot absorb enough moisture. Repotting the plant is an art itself.

It is best to repot during the tree’s dormancy period, as cutting the roots actually encourages new growth. It is advisable to cut off about one third of the roots from the bottom and around the sides of the root ball.

There are 5 basic bonsai styles: •

The formal upright style indicates a straight trunk.

•

The informal upright style is curved and moving

•

A slanted trunk flows gracefully to the one side and is often called “windswept”

•

A half or semi-cascade drapes over the pot.

•

A full cascade drapes over the pot’s rim.

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Calisthenics

U se your body to build your body It is December – finally. And although you should take a break and enjoy the holiday, it shouldn’t be an excuse to not look after your health. Instead of thinking you should set time aside for a workout, rather think of it as ‘moving more’, playing and having fun, wherever you are and whatever you are busy with. Whether you stay at home, travel, relax at the beach or hide out in the bush, you can seamlessly incorporate highly effective callisthenic exercises into your day for that boost of energy and sense of wellbeing. The word calisthenics comes from the ancient Greek words kalós, which means “beauty”, and sthénos, meaning “strength”. It is the art of using one’s body weight and inertia as a means to develop one’s physique – or simply put, body-weight training for a beautiful and strong body. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that these exercises are for beginners or somehow inferior to weight lifting: do a Google search on “calisthenics” or “Frank Medrano” and let the visuals speak for themselves. Have you ever seen an Olympic gymnast? That’s what body weight training does for one. Callisthenic exercises increase body strength, fitness and flexibility through pulling, pushing, bending, jumping and swinging movements using only your own body weight for resistance. In addition, body weight exercises like Plyometrics (jumping exercises) and burpees are high intensity exercises that combine cardio and strength training for maximum fitness results.

THE FREEDOM IN CONTROL Henry Green, Owner of The Personal Trainer Company, has been using body weight exercises in his clients’ training programmes for the past ten years with great success and results in terms of fat loss, strength and muscle building. “You shouldn’t let the term ‘body weight exercises’ fool you into thinking it is easy or ineffective. A simple push-

up is body weight training, and so are Olympic gymnastics. The scope and variety in bodyweight training are practically endless.” You can start with a push-up on your knees on the ground, progress to a full push-up on your toes, on to a clap push-up and then a handstand push-up. The difficulty and intensity can further be increased by adding extra repetitions, doing the exercises faster or really slowly, taking shorter breaks or adding plyometric movement like a jump to the movement. “It is very important to get the few basic movements of calisthenics 100% right. Proper technique and absolute control over the motions are everything and without it you won’t be able to add the more complex stuff. Rather do five proper push-ups than twenty incorrect ones.” As Dennis Ratano says on barista-workout.com, “The beauty of callisthenic strength training is its absolute freedom. You can work out anywhere, anytime, with a huge variety of exercises and routines. That’s wonderful, isn’t it? Well, yes and no. It’s absolutely amazing if you know what you are doing, but if you’re new to this type of training, or even to training in general, too much freedom of choice will most likely leave you confused. Especially for beginners, it’s great to have a structured programme to start building off a strength basis.” So find a good trainer and make sure you do it right from the start. Henry says even if you just hang from a pull-up bar you can reap some stunning health benefits while strengthening your grip. “Sitting at the office all day or standing on your feet all day puts stress and compression on your back. Simply hanging from a pull-up bar as long as you can is one of the most effective ways to decompress or stretch out your spine to prevent it from becoming stiff. ” Try to touch the ground with your toes while you’re hanging and keep your head up straight while tightening your core. If possible

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hang like this several times a day. This exercise also stretches a variety of upper-body muscles.

PUT A SPIN ON THINGS According to Brian Nguyen, who trains Hollywood celebrities and star athletes, a good body weight workout should include high intensity interval training (HIIT) as well as variations of each movement (body weight, plyometric/jump and isometric/hold). A good body weight circuit will look something like this: Squats: 1) Body weight squats 2) Squat jumps 3) Isometric squat hold. Push-ups: 1) Body weight push-up 2) Plyometric push-up where your hands leave the floor (like a clap push-up) 3) Isometric (mid-hold) push-up Lunges: 1) Body weight alternating lunges 2) Split squat jumps 3) Isometric lunge holds Planks: 1) Side planks 2) Front planks 3) Hip bridges You have 30 seconds for each squat exercise in which you should do as many repetitions as possible. After completing all three squat variations, rest for 3 minutes and then move on to the next set of exercises. Complete all exercises in the same 30 seconds fashion, resting 3 minutes in between. Aim to get through the whole circuit in 10-12 minutes before going through the whole circuit for a second or third time (30-35 minutes total). It’s all about pushing your muscles constantly over a brief period of time. There are endless combinations you can try, and with exercises like the ‘duck walk’, ‘dive bomber’, ‘rocking chairs’ and ‘the roof is on fire’ you’ll play like a kid again and become strong in the process. Take the ‘crab walk’ for example. You sit on the ground with your knees bent. Both feet and palms are placed on the floor and you then lift your body off the floor and walk forward and backward like a crab. This is a simple exercise that really works your core and triceps and will definitely result in some holiday fun – especially when done with family and friends. Your biggest piece of training equipment is the ground beneath your feet – use it creatively. Jump on stuff, grab a kid (preferably your own) and do some squats, or hang out with them on the jungle gym. Strength is beautiful.

The Personal Trainer Company Henry Green Tel: 084 424 5725 Email: henry@tptc.co.za Web: www.tptc.co.za

Text and Photos by Paula Oelofsen from The Personal Trainer Company

H OW

MAKE YOUR OWN

Christmas Gift Tags

WHAT YOU NEED: Scissors Glue Cardstock Glitter paper Ribbon Chord Felt

Christmas is a time of giving, and what better way to give than with these hand made tags that will only take five minutes Make holiday presents stand out by adorning them with homemade gift tags created from recycled materials and photos.

STEPS: Step 1 Get

started

tracing

Christmas cookie cutter on a piece of felt or colored paper. If you would rather like to hand cut a specific shape you have in mind, go for it! Some Christmas shapes could include a Christmas tree, a snow man, a glove, a star, a bell etc. Step 2 You can either make the card a single card or have it fold open for your message to be written in the centre. If you have beads or bells lying around, why not stick a few on your card to add some depth to it! A little jingle will add a lovely Christmas feeling to your gift!

Step 3 Now all you need to do is punch a hole at the top center of the tag and add a string to attach the tag to a gift. You may want to make the string extra long to wrap around the gift a few times and add a nice bow at the end, or you may want to keep it short and sweet, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up to you.

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GESEëNDE KERSFEES

Kan jy glo dis alweer die einde van die jaar? En Kersfees is net om die draai. Almal is in ‘n luilekker vakansie-gees. Maar soms kan die vakansie ook lank en vervelig raak vir die kleinspan. Miskien is dit juis nou ‘n goeie tyd om lekker kuns-aktiwiteite saam met jou kind aan te pak. Laat jou kind self die Kersgeskenke en kaartjies vir die familie en vriende maak. Hou die aktiwiteite goedkoop en eenvoudig. Hier is ‘n paar wenke en idees wat julle saam kan doen:

PLEKMATJIES OF “COASTERS”: Druk die kinders se handjies en voetjies met verf af op A4 papier. Groter kinders kan dit nou self verder versier met blinkers of linte. Lamineer die papier en siedaa, plekmatjies wat elke oupa en ouma se hart sal laat bly maak.

KERSVADER BOTTELTJIES: Gebruik leë Purity botteltjies en versier dit met watte en kreukelpapier om ‘n Kersvader te maak. Vul dit met badsout, lekkertjies, biltong, ens. ‘n Goedkoop en oulike geskenk.

GESKENKPAPIER: Laat die kinders self bruinpapier of koerantpapier versier met verf en blinkers. Aartappeldruk op bruinpapier werk ook lekker. Hul kan ook hul hande of voete met verf afdruk op die koerantpapier. ‘n Alternatiewe manier van toedraai is om koekboksies te gebruik. Kinders kan dit mooi versier en ‘n lint rondom dit vasbind. Waarom begin jul as gesin nie met oulike tradisies en rituele rondom Kersfees nie? Hier is ‘n paar wenke en idees om die hele gesin te betrek:

Gee verskillende mediums soos verf, vetkryt, glitter-glue of pastelle waarmee hul ‘n A4 papier kan versier. Lamineer en sny in kleiner blokkies. Gebruik dit nou as “coasters”.

POTPLANTJIES: Laat die kinders leë blikkies, bakkies of klein plastiese potjies met swartbordverf verf. Versier die blikkie met linte, klokkies of knope. Skryf ‘n naam of boodskap met bordkryt op die blikkie. Laat hul nou self grond in die potjies skep. Gee vir hul saailinge om in die potjie te plant. ‘n Oulike en maklike geskenk!

KOEKIES BAK: Wat van koekies vir geskenke? Laat die kinders self die koekies bak. Druk die koekies in verskillende vorms uit soos harte of sterre en versier dit oulik met silwer balletjies. Laat hul dit nou kreatief in silofaan toedraai of verpak in versierde koekboksies.

DIE KERSBOOM: Laat die kinders dit self versier. Maak engeltjies uit toiletrolle en balle uit foelie. Koekies kan ook gebak en mooi versier word en met linte aan die boom gehang word. Foto’s van al die familielede kan op kaartjies geplak en aan die boom gebind word.

KERSLIGGIES: Versier die tuin met kersliggies. Kies ‘n datum waarop jul as gesin altyd die liggies sal aansit en begin ‘n tradisie soos om Kersliedjies te sing en daarna piekniek in die maanlig te hou.

‘n KERSKONSERT: Gewoonlik is ons Kerstyd omring met familie en vriende. Laat die oudste kind ‘n Kerskonsert reël. Gebruik sommer lakens, handdoeke of kamerjasse vir die kleredrag. Die kinders moet self die Kersverhaal opvoer en tussenin kan daar heerlik gesing word. Chaos, maar kosbare herinneringe vir altyd.

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DIE WARE BETEKENIS VAN KERSFEES Kersfees bly tog ‘n Christusfees. Lees as familie elke Kersfees die Kersverhaal uit die Bybel saam. Deur Jesus se koms aarde toe het God se redding vir ons die ewige lewe gebring. Maak seker dat julle as gesin hierdie Geskenk saam ontdek. Geseënde Kersfees vir julle! Mag jul waarlik God se liefde en vrede in hierdie Kersgety beleef. Geniet die spesiale tyd saam met jou kinders. Ek nooi jou uit om in 2016 ‘n gratis les te kom bywoon by PIENKVOET-PRET hier in Silver Lakes, waar ons al spelende leer. Babas tussen 3 maande en 3 jaar woon die klas saam met mamma by. Klasse is ‘n uur en ‘n half lank en tydens die les word alle vlakke van ontwikkeling aangeraak. Ons leer jou hoe om jou baba speel-speel te stimuleer en gee vir jou wenke en idees wat jy tuis kan herhaal. Kontak my gerus vir meer inligting en om jou plek te bespreek. Besoek ook gerus ons webwerf by www. pienkvoetpret.co.za en gaan loer na ons oulike dvd op Facebook! Anelia Prinsloo (HOD Jnr Primêr, BA) 0822141987

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Dr I l se R u ane Psyc hol og y NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS On 2 January, many people begin the annual ritual of New Year’s

Our resolve is at its peak when we have had our fill or when our

Resolutions. Some of us may even plan them months before.

finances run low. It’s easy to think about going on a diet as we groan from a bloating holiday meal.

Memberships at gyms and diet programs soar in the following weeks. Sales of chocolate and alcohol decline and are replaced by healthier

It’s no problem to plan to quit smoking when we’ve just had a

food and drink. People take a long, hard look at their spending habits

cigarette and replenished our nicotine level. At this point we feel

as they sort through the bills coming in January’s post. “Time for a new

confident about our New Year’s resolutions because we have not yet

beginning” is the message promoted by all.

confronted any prolonged physical discomfort.

Yet despite all this, most people will find their resolutions to be

In early January, we are often so sick of rich food and drinks from the

challenging to maintain. By February, most New Year’s resolutions

festive season, and feeling so sluggish from lack of vigorous physical

will be no more than a dim memory. How can such apparently strong

activity, that it’s not difficult to abstain from overindulgence.

determination fizzle out so quickly? What can we do to increase the likelihood that our desire for change will translate into permanent

In fact, some people look forward to more structure and discipline in

positive change?

their lives upon returning home or work after the holidays. However, a few weeks into the new discipline, our appetites have returned, and

Let’s examine the psychology of the New Year’s Resolution to try to

we start to feel deprived. It is at this point that we are most at risk for

understand the situation.

reverting back to old actions of overindulgence.

During the month of December people tend to overindulge in eating,

Soon we start rationalising that this is not a good time of year to start

drinking, spending money and neglecting exercise. Rather than

the said change. After all with the cold weather approaching and

moderate these actions, we promise ourselves that after the holiday

our numerous obligations ahead there is little point to continue. We

season is over, we will take back control. In the meantime, we give

rationalise is that when spring comes, we’ll really get into shape.

ourselves permission to overindulge without guilt.

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Thus, we make another promise to ourselves, and now free of guilt,

is not to lose a specific number of kilos, but to stick to your program.

put off the change for another few months when the time for change

Such focus on your actions will help you feel in control of your life.

is more optimal than now. Chances are that when spring arrives, we

You will gain satisfaction from making sensible choices several times

will have another temporary surge of motivation, only to abandon it

throughout the day.

within a few weeks. 4. Learn to redefine physical sensations of discomfort. Whenever we Why do people abandon their resolutions? One reason is that we

restrict ourselves, we have both physical and mental reactions. For

become discouraged when results don’t come quickly enough, or

example, a smoker feels bodily sensations when his/her nicotine level

when we find that we are not necessarily happier because of them.

drops.

Change in our behaviour or actions require sustained effort and commitment. It is also typically accompanied by physical discomfort.

However, s/he has a choice as to how s/he interprets these symptoms. S/he can define them as extremely unpleasant, or alternatively s/he

For example, reducing food, alcohol or nicotine intake from a level

can interpret them as his/her body cleansing itself of the drug.

to which you have become accustomed, results in cravings. Forcing yourself to get off your cosy chair to exercise is often difficult when

Someone who is restricting food intake will also feel physical

you’re tired. It’s easy to procrastinate until tomorrow, so that we can

discomfort. However, the successful dieter tells himself/herself that

rationalise why we didn’t do it today.

his/her growling stomach is a sign that his/her body must go to the fat reserves for energy.

Therefore, if you are going to make New Year’s resolutions, here are some tips to maximise your success and get you ready for the

5. Make tasks non-negotiable. People who are most successful at

challenge:

implementing such changes are those who make their tasks nonnegotiable.

1. Examine your motivation for change. Are you just feeling full and bloated at this moment? Do you have a hangover from last night? Did

For example, if you debate with yourself at 5:30 a.m. whether you feel

your last cigarette give you have a hacking cough?

like getting up to exercise, you will probably opt for staying in bed for another half hour.

Or is there a more enduring reason for your desire to change? If you can’t think of a better reason than the fact that you’re uncomfortable

But if getting up for exercise is no more negotiable than getting up

at this moment, then it may be wiser to not make promises to yourself

for work, and then you’ll do it regardless of how you feel about it. The

that you probably won’t keep.

same goes for organising your closet or taking charge of your finances.

However, if you are realistic about the process ahead and accept the

One can almost always find an excuse not to do these things.

responsibility required for change, your motivation will be sustained

However, if you make a non-negotiable decision that’s based on a

long after the discomfort from over-indulgence has passed.

sound logical reason rather than on how you feel at the moment, you will be successful.

2. Set realistic goals. Habits, actions and behaviours that are changed gradually have a greater chance of success. Don’t rush yourself and try

6. Allow for imperfection. No one is exactly on target all the time. In

being patient with yourself.

fact you should expect to falter every now and then. If you give in to temptation, do not use this as an excuse to abandon the whole

3. Focus on the behavioural change more than on the goal. For

program. Learn from your mistake and move on.

example, if you decide to control your eating, your goal for the day 7. Do it now. If you’re waiting for a more convenient time to begin change, it won’t happen. It’s almost never convenient to change ingrained habits. Now is just as convenient as any time. And if you begin now rather than later, you’ll have a jump on a more satisfying future. Therefore create your goal and work towards them one step at a time!

FOR AN APPOINTMENT PLEASE CALL 083 376 1995

his cap on the bedside table. Since it was the last open bed, when the next officer who paid for that bed came in to claim his bed he saw that all the beds was taken, he turned around and left. But as he was passing the official at the door, he was asked why he was leaving after paying for a bed; he replied that all the beds were

KIDS STORY

- Just Nuisance The past few months we seem to focus on stuff that Just Nuisance did wrong, at the end of this month’s story and in next year’s first story Just Nuisance will have to appear in front of a special board since he committed too many mishaps. Here is another one. After Just Nuisance’s little ‘jump on the stage’ at the City hall in Cape Town, it also became necessary for the Commanding Officer (CO) of Afrikander 1 to send out a memo to all hotels, canteens and navy institutions in and around Simons Town and Cape Town which Just Nuisance frequented about his intake of alcohol. He asked that the staff and personnel not ‘let him partake in excessive amounts of alcohol’ since his regulating Staff at the Guard Room reported that Just Nuisance needed assistance from other ratings to get back home. After making enquiries, he has ascertained that this over-indulgence is the result of ratings buying him drinks. In this memo, he asks them not

taken. The official went with the officer to go and check, since according to him he still had a bed left. Arriving in the officer’s sleeping quarters he saw the Great Dane sleeping in the one bed. The officer tried to approach Just Nuisance who was just about to fall asleep. After a deep growl the officer decided he wold go and get some of the ratings who were part of Just Nuisance’s pack of friends. Three of them tried to get Just Nuisance to get up, but all it lead to, was the great dog jumping up on the officers shoulders pushing him onto the ground. The officer hit his head when falling and all Just Nuisance did, when everybody was expecting him to attack, was sniffing the officer’s head, turning around to the other ratings and joining them in their room. Obviously, this offence was reported and recorded. A wonderful Christmas to all Just Nuisances friends. We will chat again in the new Yew Year. Corlia Mathews From the book ‘Just Nuisance, His full story’ by Terence Sisson

to persist in this practice, but rather to restrict the Able Seaman Just Nuisance to only six quarts of beer. Ex-Chief Petty Officer Brown still has a copy of this memo in his possession. If Just Nuisance were too drunk, again he would be punished and denied to take shore leave and all the nice treats such as milk and chocolates! On this note, you will remember a while back we wrote how Just Nuisance accompanied drunken sailors back to their hostels. Ex-Chief Petty Officer Brown tells the story of how just nuisance helped such a soldier and in the end got another reprimand which led to the next charge against his name. One night approaching Christmas in 1941, Just Nuisance helped a newly promoted Acting Petty Officer from his place of drinking to the Simon’s Town Sailors and Soldiers Home. Just Nuisance, as he had at the Union Jack Club in Cape Town, had a bed booked here for his evenings out on the town. He took the APO by the sleeve, totally drunk after celebrating his promotion, and accompanied him to the Sailor and Soldiers Home. But Just Nuisances bed was reserved with the other ratings, and as the APO was sleeping in the beds of the officers Just Nuisance made himself at home in one of the officer beds. The other officers there helped the APO to get into bed, and did the same for the Great Dane, putting

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woodenways luxury furniture

Now open in Parkview

Parkview Shopping Centre, Garsfontein road, Pretoria 012 940 6807 / 012 809 3677

pretoria@woodenways.co.za

www.woodenways.co.za

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PROPERTY SALES & RENTALS List your own property directly on the Silver Lakes Communication Portal & Website

**Launch Special: R285 per Month per Listing** Benefits Residents now have an easy and direct channel to market property to a focused, relevant target audience; namely other people living in Silver Lakes and in estates throughout South Africa.

New property module available on the Silver Lakes Communication Portal & Website We are extremely excited to announce that we have launched a new direct property module. The new module is called “Estate Properties” and is South Africa’s premier estate property directory.

Costs: Our Portal Provider is providing this service at no additional cost to the Estate. The only cost is a listing and admin fee of R285 (VAT incl.) per 30 days, which is paid as part of the listing process.

Residents now have the chance to list their property for sale or to rent directly in the Estate Communication Portal. The listed property can then be viewed by not only residents of our Estate, but also by members of other estates (60,000+ members across 280+ communities throughout South Africa and now Mauritius). The properties will also be listed directly on our Silver Lakes website. This makes it easy for prospective buyers to find properties for rent and for sale in our Estate.

Listing your Property: Listing your property has never been easier. Just follow the simple steps below:

Fountains unit to Rent in Lombardy Estate

1. Log into our Silver Lakes Communication Portal through the Member Login area on the Silver Lakes website. 2. Select the “Estate Properties” option under the “My Lifestyle” menu item. 3. Select “List my Property” and follow the simple steps.

Price: R12 500 2 BED | 2 BATH

Estate Properties is another innovative solution aimed to enhance your living experience available through GLO-Portal the leading Community Management System. GLO-Portal is proudly developed and supported by GLOVent Solutions (Pty) Ltd. (www.glovent.co.za)

For assistance with the Estate Properties module, please contact GLOVent Support on 086 101 7424 INTRA MUROS DEC 2015 | JAN 2016 (50) DESIGNED BY

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REMAX

Expect Great Things

Silver Lakes Property

Juanita du Plessis 082 322 3407 juanita@sirpretoria.co.za â&#x2013;Ş www.sothebysrealty.co.za

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SMALLS DOMESTICS Fredah Ntuli, a 27-year-old married woman, is looking for a job (5-day sleep out). I’m very good in all household activities such as cleaning, washing, ironing, cooking and looking after children. I’m a friendly woman who can work without supervision. My employer’s wife passed away a few months ago and he’s making changes. For reference, please contact J Grobler 082 922 3623 / 012 809 1419. Fredah 072 807 8828 Violet is looking for employment as a domestic worker in Silver Lakes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. She has been working for us for the past 14 years and I can highly recommend her. She is hardworking reliable, and always friendly, good with pets and speaks Afrikaans and English. You can contact her on 079 331 6494 or Janette on 083 658 0785 for reference. Dorah is looking for a position as domestic worker in Silverlakes. She worked for her previous employer for 22 years and was the caregiver to her husband who passed away 18 months ago. She then worked and looked after her aging employer to take care of her. She even slept with her at night to see to her wellbeing. Her previous employer has now re located to Natal to be in her sons care. She is has been in my employ part time the past 7 years. She is completely trustworthy and honest. Always friendly. Excellent with children and pets. If you require any more information, you can gladly contact us. Rene 082 490 3522 Dorah 076 761 1442. Angel is looking for work in the Silver Lakes area on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as a housekeeper. Angel has worked in our home, in Silver Lakes, for the past four years. She has a warm personality, is honest, reliable and hardworking. Angel has run our home efficiently and has shown initiative. She is punctual and trustworthy and has an excellent command of the English language. Angel is excellent with pets. We recommend her gladly and confidently. Should you require any further information regarding Angel, do not hesitate to contact us. Michael 083 300 8045. Rose Nhlapo requires full-time live-in position. Current employers relocating to Cape Town in Jan 2016. Rose has been with them for the past 9 years. She is very honest, reliable and hard working. She is looking for a live-in position Monday-Fridays. For a reference and further enquiry, please contact Kevin de Kock 083 302 8949 or contact Rose on 073 355 8090. Olga Modipa is seeking live-in domestic work 3 or 5 days a week. She has been working for me for more than 5 years and is extremely reliable, trustworthy and hard working. Contact Corli for a reference at 082 334 4521 or contact Olga directly at 073 588 9042. Isabella Shikwinya is looking for live-in domestic work for 5 days a week. Please contact her at 079 299 6226. Wilhemina Matea is a very reliable and trustworthy domestic helper who requires work Mon-Fri, immediately or from Jan16 onwards. She did an amazing job in our home and we would like to ensure she gets placed in a good home. For a reference, kindly contact Johan on 083 324 5459 or you can speak to Wilhemina directly on 071 322 7002. Sanna, a South African citizen, has been working for us in our house in Phase 3, 2 days a week, for 8 years. She is English/Afrikaans bilingual, extremely reliable, conscientious, totally trustworthy and has a pleasant, happy character. As a domestic, she leaves no stone unturned and the house always looks immaculate after a day with Sanna. She is looking for one day a week in Silver Lakes- Tuesdays to fill her workweek. Additionally, effective 1 February 2016, due to our permanent relocation to the Cape, Sanna needs employment for a further 2 days, Mondays and Thursdays. Phone Bugs 082 788 9092 or 012 809 0458 to arrange to meet Sanna or find out more about her. Poppy is looking for domestic work 3 days a week as I am relocating in December. She has worked in Silver Lakes for 8 years altogether, the past 5 of which she has managed my household. She can work autonomously, and her ironing skills are excellent. Please contact Poppy directly on 083 344 0958. For reference Helen on 072 061 8955. Luoisah Molai is my current friendly, experienced and reliable domestic worker who is looking for part time work for Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. We recommend her highly. Referral: 081 259 8028. Contact her on: 0717655314

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SMALLS Excellent cleaner lady looking for work. 1 to 3 days a week. She is working in my house and worked for others in Silver Lakes before. She is friendly and honest. Please call Priscilla directly at 079 614 8068. References: Manuela 079 872 4288. Busi is looking for a full time live-in domestic housekeeping/ child minding position, avail Dec or January (negotiable). Busi has worked/lived in Silver Lakes for 6 years, and is available only because we are relocating and leaving South Africa. Busi is hardworking & honest & has become a wonderful addition to our household, we will all miss her a lot. Please contact Busi directly on 073 4719352 or myself (Suzy) 081 859 3307 or suzyosler@hotmail.com GARDENERS Koketso Modipa is a gardener seeking employment on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact him at 079 663 4198 Eric Nkukuleko Moyo, is looking for garden work on Mondays in Silver Lakes. He is currently working in Silver Lakes on other weekdays. He is very reliable and trustworthy and can work independently without supervision. He has an access-card to Silver Lakes. Please contact Eric at 074 449 4849. For a reference – Mrs Coetzee 076 318 7059. I have a very experienced and trustworthy gardener, Innocent, who is seeking garden maintenance or development work in Silver Lakes for 2 days per weekon Tuesdays and Saturdays effective 1 February, 2016. Innocent has been working for me in my garden in Phase 3 for 8 years. We are relocating to the Cape after our most enjoyable 8 years in Silver Lakes and will be sorry to have to part our ways. He worked for me initially as a full time general factotum during building my house and establishing my garden in Guinea Fowl Street from a virgin stand. Innocent is a Zimbabwean citizen with all required visas, he speaks excellent English. He is reliable, honest and hardworking, works well with minimal supervision, is experienced with pool upkeep and is ready to tackle any work around the home that is given to him such as painting and further garden development. He is happy to tackle any work around the garden and house that is given to him. Innocent lives with his family locally in Nellmapius and finds his own way to work at Silver Lakes where he is registered with HOA Security. I fully recommend Innocent. Contact Bugs on 082 788 9092 to arrange appointment with Innocent. Luckson Ndou is looking for garden work. He is available for 2 days. He is a good and honest worker and has worked in Silver Lakes since 2003. He can also assist with jobs such as painting and varnishing and small building jobs and his work is very neat. Contact Luckson at 072 343 5085 or contact Juanette at 083 410 0444 for a reference. HOUSE & PET SITTERS Going away for the holidays? We will look after your house, water your plants, feed and walk your pets, and give them some affection in your absence, and keep you updated. We are residents of Silver Lakes, and know the estate well. Give us a call for an affordable quote and for peace of mind on your welldeserved holiday Lian: 084 580 8206 JR: 084 270 6567 Are you looking for somebody to take care of your house and pets while you’re away on holiday? Well, I’m the right person for the job. I’m available throughout December and January. Please contact Elizabeth Parvess at 071 382 7752, or alternatively send an email to elizabethparvess@gmail.com for more information. SERVICES Excellent painter looking for work. Simon has painted numerous houses in Silver Lakes, and is friendly, humble, hardworking and honest. Superior workmanship. Call Simon directly at 084 318 4005. References: Delaine 082 787 6955, Annalene 082 551 7330 and Corinne 072 280 3999. Handyman – Are you too busy or need a small job done in Silver Lakes, please call me. Anything from changing a light bulb or lock to painting, waterproofing, tiling, paving, ceilings, cornice, small brick work and plaster, almost anything. Call Johan 082 4110 451 or Protus 061 0291 850 Guitar, bass and drums lessons in Silver Lakes. All Styles. All ages. 18 years’ experience. Young, energetic and fun. Please call Joel on 082 462 9620

candidate to sell magazine advertising. For more details email info@ pistachiodesigns.co.za FOR SALE Pinball Machines for sale in Silver Lakes. Many to choose from. Contact Leon for enquiries or to make an appointment to view. 082 466 4844 Due to our downsizing and retirement from Silver Lakes to the Cape at end Jan 2016, we have the following for sale from our home: 1) One full size “suede” light brown sleeper couch in mint condition, Price R2500. 2) One large “original old Cape “ carved oak, double wardrobe alongside a vertical set of open drawers, both behind two beautiful hand carved doors, and ¾ height bevelled mirror centrally located. The base comprises two deep, carved oak, drawers and “feet“, while the top is brought together by a bold carved oak cornice. This attractive and functional piece of furniture is in excellent condition. Approx. dims-2,1m high, 1,9m wide and 0,5 m deep. Price R10 000. Contact Bugs Dryburgh 082 7889092 to view. For sale or swap, all items for second hand running golf car. Husband had leg operation; can’t walk properly. 1) Quilted Cherise pink king size thick comforter satin scalloped on edges. Frilled small. 2) Quilted peach and green floral, frilled double size throw with 2p/cases also frilled and quilted 2 scattered cushions frilled also on edges at bottom. Converts into duvet cover when zipped open for winter. Cotton material. 1x cream quilted satin throw with frills to floor queen size, extra length. Cover, pillows with extra satin flap at top. Satin fabrics do not hook when cats and dogs are sleeping with you. Guaranteed 10 years. 3) Green three quarter/double size embossed green/ cream reversible fringe throw or excellent for long table as a smart high tea tablecloth. Useable both ways. Easy cleaning. All these items washable, no dry-cleaning they come with 15 years warrantee. 4) Set biggie best, girls room pink/pale green scatted cushion with matching rabbit, and 2 picture frames same colours. For smart girlish room. 5) Floral pottery picture wall decoration pink frame, pinkish flowers excellent gift, oblong wall hanging. 6) 1.50 m water painting Switzerland snow mountains picture nicely framed. 7) Food warmer with Pyrex dishes working order. 7) Counter stove with 2 plates and oven never been used still in box. Reason for selling scaling down & moving to smaller place. Please phone Burnett or Helen on 012 809 3864 or email to heleen.biddulph71@gmail.com or WhatsApp 082 224 5984. Mobile 082 425 2895. Full Kit in good condition. Comes with extra mesh heads for sound dampeningSet includes: 1X Hit hat 14”, 1x 16”Crash Cymbal, 1x 20” Ride Cymbal, 1x 14” x 5.5” snare drum, 1x Bass drum, 2x Toms (12” and 13”), 1x 16” Floor tom, 1x Drum stool. Contact at 0719400943 for more information. Full size cello with carry bag for sale. In good condition. Contact Hanlie Linde 0837600373 CAT Looking for a loving home for our cat “Minx”, he is a beautiful Burmese, 11 years of age and in excellent health. Owners are moving to Cape Town in January 2016 and will not be able to relocate him with us due to animal restrictions at new residence. Please contact Kevin de Kock on 083 302 8949

THE OWL COTTAGE SE LF-CAT E R IN G FERNRIDGE, GEORGE Secure nature lovers’ cottage. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Huge living area with fireplace and kitchen. Tiled baby-proof deck above carport. Spacious, luxurious, affordable. Botanical Garden, 200 metre south. Mountain reserve, 200 metre north. Details & photos: conradie.t@mweb.co.za. Tel: 083 276 0536

Sales Rep Needed. We are looking for full time or part time enthusiastic

INTRA MUROS DEC 2015 | JAN 2016 (54) DESIGNED BY

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