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Day: April 7, 2016
Ten einde ‘n mondeling vry te spring, moet ek dan seker ook maar iets bieg.
Nadat ons einde 1966 op die Bos graadgevang het, moes ek eers my (uitgestelde) 9 maande militere diens afhandel. ( Basiese opleiding op Oudtshoorn en daarna 2 “pips” gekry en by Leerhoofkwartier in Pretoria krygsrade en ander regswerk gedoen.)
Vanaf Okt 1967 het ek vir 2 jr op Cecil J. Rhodes se koste in Oxford, Engeland gaan studeer. Tydens hul lang vakansies (slegs 24 akademiese weke per annum) baie gereis in Europa, Noord-Amerika en die Midde-Ooste. Darem ook tyd gemaak om in Oxford rugby en krieket te speel en met ‘n Engelse nurse uit te gaan. Het BA Honours in Jurisprudence vermag, wat ‘n paar jaar later toe sommer vanself (maar teen betaling van 10 pond) ‘n MA (Oxon) geword het.
Weens Staatsdiensverpligtinge was ek vanaf Sept 1969 vir iets meer as 2 jr by Dept Justisie . Eers staatsaanklaer by Kuilsrivier Landdroshof (waar ek ene Helena van Eeden ontmoet het toe sy afslag kom vra het vir ‘n spoedkaartjie), daarna by Streekhof Kaapstad en ten slotte Staatsadvokaat by die PG in Kaapstad. Daardie dae ook klubrugby gespeel vir Van der Stel en Tuine en nog vir jare daarna steeds sosiale rugby vir Tuine se Cavaliers en sosiale krieket vir die Scorpions op Stellenbosch.
Ek was onseker of ek Balie of Sy-Balie toe moes beweeg en het besluit om in elk.geval eers vanaf Jan 1972 my leerklerkskap te doen by Jan S. de Villiers en Seun (nou Werksmans) in Kaapstad. Daar het ek toe vasgeval, eers as PA en toe vanaf 1966 tot 2000 as Vennoot in die Litigasie-afdeling. Het hoofsaaklik Versekeringswerk gedoen, veral MVA.
In 2000 (op 55 jr) maak ek toe ‘n loopbaanskuif en gaan uiteindelik tog Balie toe. Tot my aftrede in 2010 (op 65 jr) het ek vreugdevol as Advokaat gepraktiseer by die Kaapse Balie. (Algemene regswerk, maar met spesialisasie in Persoonlike Beseringsreg.)
In 1974 is ek met die spoedoortreder Helena van Eeden getroud. Sy slaap steeds langs my. Ons het 4 kinders (2 seuns en 2 dogters}, alvier graduandi van die US en woonagtig binne maklike bereik van ons in die Kaap. Wanneer die jongste dogter volgende maand trou, sal hul almal geholpe wees. Daar is reeds 7 kleinkinders, maar die produksielyn is nog oop.
Ons woon sedert 1977 gelukkig in Kampsbaai, met Tafelberg agter ons en die see voor ons. Ek mik egter terug na my Stellenbosse geboortegrond waar ons reeds ‘n plek so halfpad tussen Owen en Poen het.
Ek is op hierdie stadium nog hinderlik gesond (Louis van H. se ortopediese seun het net 2 keer ligweg aan my kniee geskaaf), maar jy moet maar harderig praat as jy wil he dat ek jou moet hoor. Helena het haar eie agenda, maar ek hou my besig met baie lees, gholf speel (vir eie genot en ander se geldelike voordeel), leunstoelsport beoefen, fliek, teater, lesings bywoon oor alles en nog wat, familienavorsing, reis, kampeer, voels kyk en fotografeer (al byna 700 Suider-Afrikaanse spesies ge-“tick”), soms artikels vir koerante en tydskrifte skryf oor goed wat my interesseer, soms die grasperke sny, met die kleinkinders verkeer, by ons strandhuis op Franskraal kuier …. en wag dat Dawie Uys my nooi om te kom jag.
Mits ek Afrikaans mag praat, sien ek julle die naweek op Stellenbosch.
In 1967 I made the mistake of not getting out of doing my military service and ended up as MLO at Voortrekker Hoogte which, it turned out, was probably safer than flying Cessnas in the bush. There, I was privy to information that when you do your military service in a PF unit you only needed to do one year’s service and was glad to escape.
Then I joined the Cape Bar after reading in Chambers with Werner Vivier who had taught us the Rules of Court at U.S. (Which I must say I had found so boring they were Oh so difficult to remember.)
After about 6 very interesting and exciting years at the Bar which I really cherrish I decided to see how the world really works and went into Broking property. Ended up with my own business in Somerset West and have possibly sold more properties in Somerset West in my lifetime than any other individual. In this way I figured I sort of specialised in putting deals together rather than taking them apart.
I have had a wonderful life with lots of travelling and adventure. Fishing…( In those early days we camped almost permanetly on the dunes next to the slip at Massbaai, Hangklip), Skindiving and Scubadiving, Racing Yachts (Took part in the very first Double Cape Yacht race from Gordons Bay to Cape Town and back in September in a 24′ Sweet Pea!), Gliding , (which I started again when I was over 60 years old. ) Now I am concentrating on doing Oil paintings ( and am excited I have at last finally started to be quite good at it) , and of course I’ve had lots of other exciting fun.
It has been a privilege to have lived my whole life here in this lovely Boland Mediteranean Fynbos region.
I married Ethne whom I met while at Stellenbosch ( We since divorced) and we have 2 children. Heinie is CEO of a business in the computer world in Munchen and Caron is an occupational Therapist in Rome, Georgia USA, married with Krige Schabbort the Olympic Paraplegic Marathon athlete. My successful twin brother Hans has also made his life in the USA. So unlike some of you who have all your family here I have no direct family left here, which I do miss.
I am looking forward to our reunion.
Those years at Stellenbosch were so wonderful I rememberI found myself thinking I should perhaps fail so I could spend just another year there!
My painting of Silhouette Island from the Dive School at Beau Vallon Bay