Well, it is 2011 already and our end 2010/Beginning 2011 newsletter is only peaking its head out now. For the more esoteric among us, I can always blame it on the fact that some say time as we know it is changing. Have you ever found yourself saying lately how quickly time seems to be flying by? I can recall countless times where I myself have said exactly this. Well, apparently, time really is flying by as our planet undergoes all sorts of shifts and changes. Whether this is true or not, I am going to use it as a wonderful excuse for always being so late with the newsletter.
Talking of time, for us here at Blanco, each moment of 2010 has been joyous and peaceful and we are happy to report that it was a wonderful year for us. Of course, like everyone else, we have had a few bumps in the road and the economy has slowed things down a bit but for the most part it was great and we choose to remember only the good.
The year got off to a cracker start with a wild and wonderful New Years part (as always) and then shortly after that the birth of our third child, Nicholas Laubscher.
We were warned about planting so many olive trees around Blanco because they are a sign of fertility and are meant to attract abundance to a place. This certainly is true as far as we are concerned because between the horses, the cows and the Laubschers, we popped out babies all over the place.
Nicholas it seems has come to the right place because he is as wild as the hills and needs all the space that God has allotted him. He has been a true blessing and a complete delight. Being a third child, us parents have wisened up as to how to survive the baby years so we now keep regular bribes at our bedside table that are used to entice Nicholas’s sisters to fetch, feed and play with him when he wakes up with the roosters so that mom and dad can get more sleep. Cody, our eldest started Grade 1 this year so we are now dealing with homework and nappies!!! There are some things that even peaceful country living can not shield us busy parents from. The good thing is that we do not have car pools, traffic and after school activities that consume us. Our kids version of monkeynastics is climbing a tree, Ballet is replaced by Xhoas dancing at the staff houses, music lessons are replaced by the Blanco song on the donkey cart, funball is replaced by soccer on the front lawn with the quedins etc etc.
The world cup was good to us and we were full from start to finish with all our lovely old guests who wanted to escape the city mania. We did have a touch of soccer fever at Blanco however and our guests used the excuse of celebration to yet again get the Blanco bar rocking. Thank you so much to everyone who supported us over this time.
It was a touch challenging for our team because Vuyo, our amazing front office receptionist left us to have a baby, Dolly was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, Rosie had only just joined us and I had a tiny new baby who was still being breastfed. Fortunately, by pulling together we somehow managed to get through, albeit a little frazzled at the end of it.
The positive from our small period of struggle is that Vuyo now has a beautiful baby girl called Sinayo and is back with us. Vuyo, you are an amazing person and we value and treasure you. We would be hard pressed to find another person with a smile, heart and voice as big and beautiful as yours.
Dolly, after an enormous scare from being diagnosed with a life changing disease, is responding well to the medication and is better than we have ever seen her before. She is now running around like a teenager. Dolly was such an incredible champion in July. I have never seen a person face such adversity and pain in such a brave, accepting manner. She never
Rosie is unfortunately leaving us at the end of April. We would like to thank her for the time she spent with us and we wish her well with her new venture going forward.
Ruben, our trusty old chef is still the same as ever and continues to work miracles with the 10 year old implements that he has to work with in the Blanco Kitchen. We would like to thank Ruben and the kitchen team for their continued effort, dedication and hard work. The effort that goes on behind the scenes to keep hundreds of people fed each day throughout the year is no easy feat for such a small team but they do it with grace and competence and we are always in awe of them.
And then to the rest of our team, we are not going to name them individually but we mist give a general thank you to everyone. Each and every day Chris and I are amazed at what friendly, fun loving and loyal staff we have. We are truly grateful to all of them. Without them we would not have a business at all.
And then, on the other side of the coin, we have our guests. As it amazes us how we seem to get such lovely staff, so to do we seem to attract the most incredible type of guest. I mention this every year; it is the people that come to Blanco that make it the special place it is. People often comment on how tough it is to work in the hospitality industry but for us it is a pleasure. We are honoured t o do what we do because we are fuelled by so many special, fantastic people. Thank you to everyone who has supported us. To those guests who did not enjoy Blanco, we thank you to for giving us a chance and we understand that this place is not for everyone. Hence our age old motto – “if you love Blanco tell your friends and if you hate Blanco tell your friends”.
In September this year we held a very special event at Blanco. We hosted Child Welfare’s 10 year anniversary for this district and also the 10th birthday of the gorgeous local little children’s home started and run by Jenny Van Heerden. Jenny and her team have done an incredible job over the years and we felt most privileged to have been an integral part of this celebration. The evening was a wonderful success and a very proud moment in time for all concerned.
On the topic of child welfare, Blanco has joined forces with them and we are opening a foster care home and safe house on the premises for abused and abandoned children. There is an enormous need for this in the area and seeing as though we have been so blessed with this amazing place, we need to share it and use it to protect and uplift those in need. We are going to renovate the old school and turn it into a lovely little home. Basil Buss, an architect from Queenstown has already drawn up the plans for us and social development has given us the stamp of approval. We will also be joining Jenny Van Heerden and child welfare in town to assist with all the various projects they have got going. Our Blanco guests for some reason, are extremely passionate about upliftment in this area and are constantly donating funds and clothing to help with the betterment of our staff. At times, guests have even asked us as to how we can extend our reach into the community. With this in mind, we have decided to start this project and assist with the others in town, driven by the pure faith that we will get the support, donations and funding we need just by tapping into our amazing network. To those of you who have helped spark this journey and who have been assisting us along the way, we don’t know
On the topic of upliftment, the first phase of the New Staff houses is complete and the younger generation have moved in. The older ones are delighted because they said that they now have peace and quiet again. The building of the staff community will continue slowly but surely each year. Many of our projects have slowed down with the recession hitting us but we have no doubt that in time the wheel of life will turn, as it always does.
We have also moved a few steps forward in terms of technology this year and we are happy to report that we now have a lovely new logo, are on face book, twitter and have a blog. Our website will also be upgraded shortly. Please visit us on face book and be our friend. We want your comments, thoughts, humour and pictures.
Our year finally ended on a wonderful high with Christmas and New Year being tremendous fun. The usual suspects were here and for some reason, despite the year being a tough one for many people, spirits were high and the season was fabulously festive.
A highlight over this time was when my sister Kelly (aka kabie) and her boyfriend Gareth (aka Nige) got engaged. We were so excited that Nige chose here to pop the big question. A whole lot of sneaky planning went into the event and eventually the ring and champagne were strategically placed in the Blanco Mountains waiting to surprise a most unsuspecting Kabie en route of what she thought was a normal cycle around the Blanco Mountain
With this spirit leading up to New Year, you can only imagine how much fun our New year’s party was as well, with the highlight being when Mr. Johnnie Burgess Senior, our longest standing and most loved guest (84 years old), took the floor to Frank Sinatra, shook up the champagne bottle and showed us what life is really all about.
When one can get to this age and stand in the middle of the dance floor, feeling nothing but happiness, contentment and a love for life, then you know you have lived wisely. He was truly an inspiration to us all. We love you Mr. B and we love the fact that at 84 you not only showed us all up on the dance floor, you also decided to run the New York
With this start to the New Year, how could 2011 be anything but fabulous!!! New Year was of course not without the frivolities and mania and some very unsuspecting guests found themselves being horribly harassed during the early hours of 01 January 2011 by 4 extremely unsavoury looking and smelling characters – the Barber, the Instigator, the Mohawk and the Madman – we won’t mention names seeing as you crazy idiots have day jobs to keep.
The first part of 2011 has been fairly quiet. In March this year, our new manager, Gert Havenga joined us. We are very excited to have him on our team. We hope he is going to walk a long and fruitful road with us.
Thank you to all our guests who supported us over this time. The fun and humour that you bring to our Guest Farm is just too fantastic for words.
To all our little guests, we would just like to thank you for loving this place and for bringing your moms and dads back every year. We love having you all come and visit us. Simba and the horses send their love to you all.
On a sad note, one of our very loved staff members, Mabel Booi passed away in April. She was the dearest old lady who never let a day go by without smiling at someone. She led a simple, humble life and yet was one of the happiest people I have ever met. So many of us could learn the power of happiness from people like our scullery lady, Mabel. She has now joined Sylvia, Tiesani and Caroline so our host of angels over Blanco is getting stronger.
Talking of this, we were greatly honoured this year when we were asked by Kathy and Yael Raeburn if they could sprinkle their late husband and father, Jock Raeburn’s ashes at his special place on Blanco. Blanco was Jock’s happy place and when he was battling through the toughest hours of cancer, he would get through by visualising his trip to Blanco. Jock was a most loved guest of ours and it was the most spiritually powerful experience watching his gorgeous wife and daughter, Kathy and Yael, sprinkle his ashes into the Blanco soil and fondly remembering the man they love.
“It is here in the spirit of the wind that I will find my soul”
Aunty Peggy Kendall also scattered her husband, Collin Kendall’s ashes here earlier this year. Collin loved Blanco so much that he painted an entire collection of pictures of the Blanco landscape. Aunty Peggy was so kind as to donate them to us. We cannot express our gratitude for this. Blanco was Collin’s favourite place in the whole world and it was here that he found peace. Aunty Peggy has moved from Port Elizabeth
Well everyone, that sums up most of our news. From the whole team here at Blanco, we would like to wish you all a wonderful 2011 (at least what is left of it). Remember not to sweat the small stuff, find the fun in each day, believe in your intuition and laugh loudly. Too many of us go through life constantly trying to “get more” instead of finding the beauty in “giving more”. It is when we give of ourselves that life starts to reciprocate in abundance. It may not be in ways that we initially think we want but eventually we realise that it always reciprocates in ways that we need. May you honour each and ever lesson life throws at you this year and in doing so come to know the great rewards that await once lessons are learned. When we embrace life’s lessons instead of fighting them, that is when we find peace, joy and self mastery.
So fellow Blanco friends, together lets commit to an awesome year.
So much love
The Blanco Team
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