I have a very difficult task ahead of me today. I have to put into words what a very special person in my life means to me. I'll try my best to tell you about Elouize (Botes) Stevens...
We met on the first day of Gr 1 (the old Sub A) - the tiny little black-haired girl and the loudmouth redhead. According to her (though I remember it the OTHER way around!), I came to her and asked "little girl, would you be my friend?". Obviously she agreed, because 25 years later we are still together, chatting every day!
Through Elouize and her wonderful family, who I consider to be my surrogate family, I experienced some of my most memorable times of my life. They took me along on trips where her brother Bernard rode in BMX competitions (we loved it!) and I remember we slept in their car one time because it was a two day event. Because of her father's connection to the air force, we went on a ride in a light aeroplane (and hit an air bubble and almost fell!). We went to visit her grandparents by the sea, where we picked up sea pumpkins and strung them together - I kept mine for years, until they became too brittle and I had to throw them away with a heavy heart. Once again because of her father Lukas (Loekie), we went for a two hour ride on the SAS Tafelberg, which had hunky sailors on board. Hey, we were 13/14 and noticing things like hunky sailors, ok? I was only sea sick (land sick?) when we came back, other than that it was an amazing experience.
Elouize invited me over for weekend stays regularly and we used to roller skate everywhere. She made chocolates in moulds and plaster of Paris in moulds, which we used to paint afterwards. She still does the chocolates in moulds - guess some things don't change! Her mother Belinda used to have her nails done every so often and I loved looking at them. They were long and beautiful and I specifically remember once that she had them painted with nail art in red and black, with gold stripes. This was definitely where my love affair with nails/nail art started! She also had Elouize's pitch black hair, sometimes with a blonde fringe! Elouize's parents have always been sweet and caring towards me, though uncle Loekie swore that I was the naughty one (What? No way!), while giving me a hug at a braai last year. I love them to bits! And as the story goes and you might have guessed, I wouldn't be her best friend if I didn't at SOME stage have a crush on her brother. which I did while he was riding the BMX's! So yes Bernard, if you're reading this, I smaaked u! Hahahaha! But these days I feel blessed to have another "big brother" in him and he treats me like he does her - with affection. Elouize and Bernard have an amazing relationship, though I'm sure they've had their share of tiffs!
I'll never forget the day our house in Brackenfell went onto auction. I still remember staring out the living room sliding door into the distance, with such a sadness and great loss in my heart. As I was staring, a funny little car came speeding along the road. As it came close, I saw that it was Elouize and Aunt Belinda in their beach buggy. She had worried about me and got her mother to bring her so she could see if I was ok. Wow! That meant the world to me that day! Soon after we moved to Parow and I was sure I would never see her again. I cried more for the loss of my friend than for the loss of my previous life. We promised to write and call, but as things go, we both got caught up in our new lives in high school. We did keep in touch, though not as much as we promised. But that all changed the day I got my motorbike and was able to go visit her! Soon after, she got her license, so she came to visit me! We'd lost some of our closeness along the way, but neither one was willing to admit it.
And then suddenly, we'd grown up and started working, she as a legal secretary and I as a general secretary. We both loved to "lang-arm" dance, so we found a way for us to see each other regularly by going dancing and meeting at a dance hall in Brackenfell. And so we started to pick up the treads of our thinning friendship. Along the way we found that one of the girls I went to high-school with and sat with in home economics, was the sister of the guy she was dating - so I guess we always had something connecting us. We started getting together more regularly, emailed each other and made time for each other. And our friendship grew roots that are stronger now than they've ever been! At a stage in my life when I had lost a lot of weight, I went through boyfriends quite quickly. By this time, she had met her now hubby Dick (my teddybear!). One New Year's Eve she invited me and my then beau Herman, to come for a fish braai with them. We had a wonderful time and when we left, Herman said: "see you again soon". I later found out that she and Dick had said "yeah right" to that comment! Haha to them! Herman DID see them again... and again... and again, as he's now my wonderful hubby! It's still his favourite joke to tease them with. We have since had many get togethers as a group and the guys get along very well, which of course suits us girls just fine!
Just over two years ago she dropped a bomb on me - she, Dick and baby Skyela were moving to Dubai for 5 years. Dick is a highly qualified air traffic controller and very much in demand, so this was a wonderful opportunity for them. BUT WHAT ABOUT ME???? We had a "good-bye" dance, for old time's sake... and on all the photo's I'm crying! I was sure I'd loose her... Stupid me! Never heard of something called "modern technology"?? We set up email, then msn messenger and then - what a wonder! SKYPE!! Yeah! Now we seem to chat more than we did when they were here! Strange how these "anonymous" systems also allow us to reveal more of ourselves than we would face to face. So thank you, msn and Skype, for letting me get to know my wonderful best friend so much more! We've shared each other's daily woes through our keypads for more than two years now and I'm blessed to have her inside my computer screen, just a key stroke away. Of course, we do have the odd days when both of us are too busy (or away on holiday) to chat... and then we seem to have withdrawal symptoms! Then the outdated method (haha!) of smses keep us going. They do come for visits about once a year and Elouize made a special trip with Skyela last year August, in time for my eldest Chené's 5th birthday party, so that was really special. The Stevens' are scheduled for a visit again in April... we're counting the sleeps!
If you go back to my first blog, you will read the story of how she and I recently became the "Admin Aunties", our Virtual Assistant business. I could not have asked for a more professional, understanding partner! We seem to compliment each other perfectly. Each has their own strong points, so together we're quite a team! She is my best friend, my confidant and now also my business partner. She is godmother to my eldest daughter, who she spoils rotten, while not forgetting my youngest (or me!) in the process. She is caring and loving and full of advice. She always makes time to hear if I'm doing ok (I'm the emotional one, while she's the cool and collected one!). She's a minimalist, while I'm a gatherer. She's happy with just a few good pieces of quality in her house, which she moves around EVERY MONTH! She's actually very funny like that! She gives with an open hand and never expects anything in return. She surrounds herself with friends and family and is a wonderful mother to her (now) two children, Skyela and Zach and caring wife to Dick. I recently realized that her mother, her husband and I are all August babies, Leos. how weird is that? Oh and I MUST tell u - she has the tiniest feet, a size 3! I always tease her that I'm her friend because she's the only friend I have that is shorter than I am - and I'm relatively short. And after all these years, she still laughs at that stupid joke, bless her soul!
I love her so much for always being there and for sticking with me when I really needed her in those tough years, for giving me some of the best memories of my life and for allowing me to be a part of hers. I hope to be her friend till the day we die... and after. My dearest BFF - Happy Birthday! May God bless you as you have blessed me and mine. We love you very much!
We met on the first day of Gr 1 (the old Sub A) - the tiny little black-haired girl and the loudmouth redhead. According to her (though I remember it the OTHER way around!), I came to her and asked "little girl, would you be my friend?". Obviously she agreed, because 25 years later we are still together, chatting every day!
Through Elouize and her wonderful family, who I consider to be my surrogate family, I experienced some of my most memorable times of my life. They took me along on trips where her brother Bernard rode in BMX competitions (we loved it!) and I remember we slept in their car one time because it was a two day event. Because of her father's connection to the air force, we went on a ride in a light aeroplane (and hit an air bubble and almost fell!). We went to visit her grandparents by the sea, where we picked up sea pumpkins and strung them together - I kept mine for years, until they became too brittle and I had to throw them away with a heavy heart. Once again because of her father Lukas (Loekie), we went for a two hour ride on the SAS Tafelberg, which had hunky sailors on board. Hey, we were 13/14 and noticing things like hunky sailors, ok? I was only sea sick (land sick?) when we came back, other than that it was an amazing experience.
Elouize invited me over for weekend stays regularly and we used to roller skate everywhere. She made chocolates in moulds and plaster of Paris in moulds, which we used to paint afterwards. She still does the chocolates in moulds - guess some things don't change! Her mother Belinda used to have her nails done every so often and I loved looking at them. They were long and beautiful and I specifically remember once that she had them painted with nail art in red and black, with gold stripes. This was definitely where my love affair with nails/nail art started! She also had Elouize's pitch black hair, sometimes with a blonde fringe! Elouize's parents have always been sweet and caring towards me, though uncle Loekie swore that I was the naughty one (What? No way!), while giving me a hug at a braai last year. I love them to bits! And as the story goes and you might have guessed, I wouldn't be her best friend if I didn't at SOME stage have a crush on her brother. which I did while he was riding the BMX's! So yes Bernard, if you're reading this, I smaaked u! Hahahaha! But these days I feel blessed to have another "big brother" in him and he treats me like he does her - with affection. Elouize and Bernard have an amazing relationship, though I'm sure they've had their share of tiffs!
I'll never forget the day our house in Brackenfell went onto auction. I still remember staring out the living room sliding door into the distance, with such a sadness and great loss in my heart. As I was staring, a funny little car came speeding along the road. As it came close, I saw that it was Elouize and Aunt Belinda in their beach buggy. She had worried about me and got her mother to bring her so she could see if I was ok. Wow! That meant the world to me that day! Soon after we moved to Parow and I was sure I would never see her again. I cried more for the loss of my friend than for the loss of my previous life. We promised to write and call, but as things go, we both got caught up in our new lives in high school. We did keep in touch, though not as much as we promised. But that all changed the day I got my motorbike and was able to go visit her! Soon after, she got her license, so she came to visit me! We'd lost some of our closeness along the way, but neither one was willing to admit it.
And then suddenly, we'd grown up and started working, she as a legal secretary and I as a general secretary. We both loved to "lang-arm" dance, so we found a way for us to see each other regularly by going dancing and meeting at a dance hall in Brackenfell. And so we started to pick up the treads of our thinning friendship. Along the way we found that one of the girls I went to high-school with and sat with in home economics, was the sister of the guy she was dating - so I guess we always had something connecting us. We started getting together more regularly, emailed each other and made time for each other. And our friendship grew roots that are stronger now than they've ever been! At a stage in my life when I had lost a lot of weight, I went through boyfriends quite quickly. By this time, she had met her now hubby Dick (my teddybear!). One New Year's Eve she invited me and my then beau Herman, to come for a fish braai with them. We had a wonderful time and when we left, Herman said: "see you again soon". I later found out that she and Dick had said "yeah right" to that comment! Haha to them! Herman DID see them again... and again... and again, as he's now my wonderful hubby! It's still his favourite joke to tease them with. We have since had many get togethers as a group and the guys get along very well, which of course suits us girls just fine!
Just over two years ago she dropped a bomb on me - she, Dick and baby Skyela were moving to Dubai for 5 years. Dick is a highly qualified air traffic controller and very much in demand, so this was a wonderful opportunity for them. BUT WHAT ABOUT ME???? We had a "good-bye" dance, for old time's sake... and on all the photo's I'm crying! I was sure I'd loose her... Stupid me! Never heard of something called "modern technology"?? We set up email, then msn messenger and then - what a wonder! SKYPE!! Yeah! Now we seem to chat more than we did when they were here! Strange how these "anonymous" systems also allow us to reveal more of ourselves than we would face to face. So thank you, msn and Skype, for letting me get to know my wonderful best friend so much more! We've shared each other's daily woes through our keypads for more than two years now and I'm blessed to have her inside my computer screen, just a key stroke away. Of course, we do have the odd days when both of us are too busy (or away on holiday) to chat... and then we seem to have withdrawal symptoms! Then the outdated method (haha!) of smses keep us going. They do come for visits about once a year and Elouize made a special trip with Skyela last year August, in time for my eldest Chené's 5th birthday party, so that was really special. The Stevens' are scheduled for a visit again in April... we're counting the sleeps!
If you go back to my first blog, you will read the story of how she and I recently became the "Admin Aunties", our Virtual Assistant business. I could not have asked for a more professional, understanding partner! We seem to compliment each other perfectly. Each has their own strong points, so together we're quite a team! She is my best friend, my confidant and now also my business partner. She is godmother to my eldest daughter, who she spoils rotten, while not forgetting my youngest (or me!) in the process. She is caring and loving and full of advice. She always makes time to hear if I'm doing ok (I'm the emotional one, while she's the cool and collected one!). She's a minimalist, while I'm a gatherer. She's happy with just a few good pieces of quality in her house, which she moves around EVERY MONTH! She's actually very funny like that! She gives with an open hand and never expects anything in return. She surrounds herself with friends and family and is a wonderful mother to her (now) two children, Skyela and Zach and caring wife to Dick. I recently realized that her mother, her husband and I are all August babies, Leos. how weird is that? Oh and I MUST tell u - she has the tiniest feet, a size 3! I always tease her that I'm her friend because she's the only friend I have that is shorter than I am - and I'm relatively short. And after all these years, she still laughs at that stupid joke, bless her soul!
I love her so much for always being there and for sticking with me when I really needed her in those tough years, for giving me some of the best memories of my life and for allowing me to be a part of hers. I hope to be her friend till the day we die... and after. My dearest BFF - Happy Birthday! May God bless you as you have blessed me and mine. We love you very much!
Beautiful Corne!
ReplyDeleteNou verlang ek sommer na haar!!