Stanford river talk august 2015

STANFORD RIVER TALK Volume 119 | AUGUST 2015 | Stanford‘s monthly newspaper | R14

r e v i R n i Kle y a d n e p o

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ed's notes

Winning shot: Richard Goldschmidt from the Cape Town Photographic Society. Read more on page 6.

contact us

• EDITOR – Phil Murray 082 667 0619 philippa.murray@gmail.com • ADVERTSING & LAYOUT – Sandra Slabbert 079 523 8453 design@stanfordrivertalk.co.za • ACCOUNTS – Michelle Hardie ed@stanfordrivertalk.co.za www.stanfordrivertalk.co.za find our business page on FACEBOOK MONTHLY CONTRIBUTORS Jennie and John Chancey, Suzanne Francois-Rossouw, Andrew Herriot, Mike Horn, Olga Koorts, Emma Kriel, Karen McKee, Don MacIver, Martin Ranger, Bryan Robertson, Tasha Saha, Naas Terblanche, Wanya van der Walt, Tania Weich and James Yeats.

COVER PHOTOGRAPH: Taken by Sandra Slabbert.

Editorial Contributions & Disclaimer Editorial contributions are welcome and should include top quality photos where relevant. Articles will be printed under the contributor‘s name or an accepted nom-de-plume if the full name and address is provided. All contributions are voluntary and not paid for. The editor reserves the right to edit, amend, abridge or reject any article. Opinions of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the editor. Copyright All material in this issue is copyrighted, and belongs to The Really Famous Publishing CC unless otherwise indicated. No part of the material may be reproduced without prior permission.

Published and printed by The Really Famous Publishing CC.

STANFORD RIVER TALK 2

August is one of my favourite months. I love the brave and serene Narcissus bulbs that push up the earth, and the sodden little lambs that shelter beneath their mom's bellies. The smell of wood fires perfumes the evening air and kids splash in puddles and poke sticks into the leiwater tunnels. Cats curl up next to heaters and kitchens fill with the rich aromas of bredies and soups.

August is also when South Africans pay special tribute to women. We remember the courageous women who marched to the Union Buildings in 1956 to protest against the Pass Laws which hobbled them and their menfolk. Women have continued to be brave in their ongoing struggle for equality in business, politics and in their communities. Stanford River Talk salutes all the women of Stanford who raise their faces to every challenge.

Our pages are filled with news from the Stanford community. Read about young local scouts (Page 7) and about the sporting achievements of some of our school girls (School Talk, page 9). Stanford Cares is a new initiative which aims to build a network between locals who need, and can offer help (News and Updates, page 6). Our regular lifestyle columnists, Martin Ranger (Soapbox, page 10) and Karen McKee (Village life, page 14) have cooked up some witty commentary while Naas Terblanche sings the praises of kelp forests (Nature Talk, page 12). Bryan Robertson keeps the homefires burning in Kitchen Talk (Page 12) while our photograph collage (Family Heirlooms, page 17) merges our sense of history with our childlike desire to keep special things safely.

Don't miss our new column by Jennie and John Chancey (Technical Talk, Page 15). They share their experiences and a healthy dose of common sense about the confusing world of social media and the internet.

letters to the editor

Brand watch Please send your letters to philippa.murray@gmail.com Try to keep letters as short as possible (100 words or less) and supply your name and address. Anonymous letters will not be published. The editor reserves the right to edit, amend, abridge or reject any letter.

What's in the pipeline?

Yay! The rains have come at last and the river is rising. However, there is cause for concern. Last year, at great expense and inconvenience, sewerage pipes were installed in Stanford North. We are told that the King Street pump station (due to lack of funds) will not be completed before the end of 2016. From the amount of water flowing from the new manholes it is painfully obvious that the installation of the said sewers was grossly defective or, at best, is far from complete. Who knows how much damage has been done by the ingress of sand and other material into the pipelines?

This appears to be another classic example of putting the cart before the horse – surely the pump station should have been completed first and then sewers added as funds became available?

Don MacIver

With regard to Harry Poortman’s comments concerning the lack of branding in Stanford (Stanford River Talk, July 2015) the Stanford Conservation Trust (SCT) wishes to reply as follows regarding existing heritage and conservation branding done by, and mostly paid for by, the SCT: HERITAGE • It is due to the foresight of the founders of the SCT that the original Stanford village area was proclaimed a heritage area and why Stanford is one of the best-preserved villages in the Western Cape.

• In 2009, R84 000 was successfully sourced from the Rowland and Leta Hill Trust for the restoration of the St Thomas Anglican church, project-managed by the SCT. • A Historical Stanford on Foot booklet is available from Stanford Tourism and provides interesting background to all houses that display the HW tile and the number that corresponds with the information in the booklet. Many tourists use this when walking through town. Guided tours are available on request.

• The heritage route map has been enlarged and can be found in the municipal display board in Queen Victoria Street.

• In 2014, three heritage signage boards were erected on municipal property along the entrance routes to Stanford. One of them is in the garden area maintained by SCT. • SCT’s Heritage Committee realised the need for the revitalisation of Queen Victoria Street – hence the information sessions over the last two years.

• All heritage buildings are documented in a municipal heritage survey, and a conservation overlay zone which provides further protection to Stanford’s streetscape and architectural guidelines is being developed at the moment.

NATURAL CONSERVATION • SCT remains responsible for the development and maintenance of the walking trail along the river and through the village. A map of the route is available from the Tourism Bureau.

• SCT maintains the garden at the main entrance.

• SCT’s budget for this purpose is approximately R24 000/p.a. This money is raised by means of various fundraising events but mainly the monthly Wine & Wisdom evenings.

Bea Whittaker Chairperson, Stanford Conservation Trust

STANFORD RIVER TALK 3

news and updates

CPF NEWS

Mandela Day On Mandela Day (18 July), people around the world are encouraged to spend at least 67 minutes doing something positive for their communities. This is in honour of the 67 years that the late South African president Nelson Mandela spent fighting for social justice and a free, democratic country.

COP OF THE QUARTER – VISIBLE POLICING AT ITS BEST Stanford’s CPF Executive Committee congratulates Warrant Officer Patrick Blayi for his outstanding police work last month. Whilst off duty in Hermanus one Sunday last month, the ever alert Warrant Officer noticed two suspects from Stanford. He immediately alerted the Hermanus police who apprehended and arrested the two men.

Expensive items including iPads and cameras, stolen from a house in Shortmarket Street, were recovered from their car. Thirty five bags of Tik were also found in the vehicle!

For his quick wit and prompt action, Stanford’s CPF awarded him the plaque for the ‘Cop of the Quarter’ – a CPF initiative which recognises and rewards excellence in police work on a quarterly basis.

QUARTERLY DETECTIVE UPDATE (APRIL – JUNE) The following figures for the 2nd quarter of the year are for ‘A’ crimes only – serious crimes such as murder, theft, burglaries, drug-related crimes and assaults. Two murders were committed during the quarter; both stabbings and both in Compacta Street.

Crimes Received:179, Crimes that went to court: 143, Guilty convictions to date: 54 FAREWELL CAPTAIN, CONGRATULATIONS COLONEL! The CPF congratulates Captain Africa on his recent promotion to Colonel. This means that he has to leave his home in Hawston and relocate to the town of Balfour in Mpumalanga, where he will serve as the town’s Station Commander. At a recent farewell function, Colonel Africa thanked his colleagues and the CPF for their support. He also said that the most rewarding part of his job was working in the community where he had met some very committed and brave people willing to stand up against crime.

Warrant Officer Blayi is currently the acting Station Commander at the police station.

MANDELA DAY Mandela Day saw the CPF and SAPS getting together to run soup kitchens at Die Kop, the Taxi Rank and Die Bron school.

Stuart Anderson

GROWING THE FUTURE ON MANDELA DAY The Fynbos Trail team joined up with Flower Valley Conservation Trust to give 67 minutes of their time as part of Mandela Day. We donated lots of beautiful fynbos plants and spent the morning creating a walkthrough mini-Fynbos Trail garden at the Flower Valley Early Learning Centre. We hope the children enjoy it. Michelle Privett

Helping out: Warrant Officer Patrick Blayi on Mandela Day.

Fynbos fun: The garden designed and built by the Fynbos Trail Team.

The Grootbos Foundation team weathered a howling storm to clean up the Main Street of Gansbaai. They were greeted by friendly faces and waves as they picked up litter, making their way to the municipal office. They handed over a petition to the ward councillors requesting that signage be installed on the town entrances to urge motorists not to litter and to respect the pristine fynbos. As a major ecotourism organisation which promotes the conservation of a pristine environment for generations to come, the Grootbos Foundation made a visible gesture to local townsfolk.

Thank you to Kat Myburgh who made the handover possible.

'What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.' Nelson Mandela.

Karin Blumer Grootbos does Madiba Day: Simone Davel, Natasha Bredekamp, Julie Cheetham and Ruth Crichton.

STANFORD

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STANFORD RIVER TALK 4

news and updates

What red tape?

• All roads, pavements, public open space, river front etc. belong to the municipality. Any improvements thereof are subject to the availability of municipal funds, and/or must be done in consultation with the municipality.

• Petronella Ferreira is the Administrative Manager for the Stanford area, which falls under Gansbaai, of which Kat Myburgh is the Area Manager. There are three municipal area offices within the Overstrand: Hermanus, Gansbaai and Kleinmond.

• The administrative structure uses the money allocated via the annual municipal budget to develop and maintain municipal infrastructure such as roads, water supply, sewerage treatment works, refuse removal, parks, etc.

• The political structure is more easily explained as being the municipality’s 'board of directors'. The mayor heads this group of people, called councillors, who are elected every five years via a general election: one councillor for every demarcated ward who has the responsibility to liaise with the voters in his/ her constituency.

• Stanford’s ward councillor is Dudley Coetzee from the Democratic Alliance.

At the monthly ward meetings he meets with publicly elected members residing in his ward to listen to community needs.

In Stanford, the elected organisations which attend these meetings are Stanford Ratepayers (Bob Broom), Stanford Conservation (Bea Whittaker), the farming community (Naas Terblanche), Food 4 Thought (Mary-Ann Ward) and the Fishermen’s Association (Salie Cyster).

Wiseman Gobeni is the individual representative.

• Petronella Ferreira and Kat Myburgh are present at each ward committee meeting, as is our area engineer, Jean de Villiers.

Bea Whittaker tries to explain due municipal process

They try to address community requests within the existing budget, or ensure that these needs become part of the Integrated Development Process (IDP), which guides the five-year budget.

The IDP is a complicated process, and the only way municipal funds are available for an area. The maintenance and development of basic municipal infrastructure receives priority as we pay for it via rates & taxes, water and electricity consumption etc. Any communityindentified ‘nice-to-have’ projects have to be motivated and remain on the ‘wish list’ until the basic needs have been addressed.

The solution for the speedy implementation of ‘nice-to-have’ projects is external or private funding, which is then done in conjunction with the municipality as the landowner. External funding can even be in the form of government grants.

THE STANFORD REVITALISATION PROJECT The aim of the Stanford Revitalisation Project is to create an environment which will improve tourism and job opportunities in Stanford and strengthen its heritage aspect. The Heritage Committee initiated the project, utilising a local resident’s skills to facilitate change. The various conceptual precinct plans required for the project is supported (and paid for) by Stanford Conservation, Stanford Tourism and Stanford Ratepayers.

The revitalisation project has four interlinking components/ precinct plans: 1. Improvement of the transit/walking facilities between Stanford South and North; 2. Improvement of tourism facilities on the river front; 3. Improvement of the Village Green and surrounding streets to protect Stanford’s heritage; and 4. Improvement of Queen Victoria Street for the upliftment of tourism.

As the municipality is 100% behind the project and because of the ward committee interaction with the municipality, the following have been achieved with regards to the above: 1. A pavement is being laid at the community centre, using funds from the Greenest Town Award. Shortmarket Street (between De Bruyn and Morton) will be tarred before the end of the year.

2. The environmental impact assessment process for various tourism facilities along Stanford’s river frontage is in progress.

3. An engineering master plan for drainage and road design of the village green and Short and Longmarket Streets is being drawn up.

4.The Queen Victoria Street revitalisation concept was presented to the (very supportive) top echelon of the Overstrand Municipality who now understand that the revitalisation is of the utmost importance.

The concept has been embraced by the Provincial Roads Department in their upgrade of the R43 and the new owners of the ex-Evergrine site.

QUEEN VICTORIA STREET REVITALISATION This project is the most complicated and will take the longest because of some of the following aspects related to the revitalisation: • De Bruyn Street has to be realigned and tarred before it can be used as the alternative heavy vehicle route.

• A master plan has to be drawn up for all the engineering services in and next to the road.

• Major funds are required which cannot be obtained by just increasing taxes.

What can Stanford do? More news will follow in the next Stanford River Talk. Please send any ideas you may have to the editor.

Neighbourhood Watch News The Stanford North Neighbourhood Watch is now fully operational and Watch Members have begun to build a network with the community.

• Please get to know your Sector Watch Members (details in July Stanford River Talk). This is critical to effective crime management and information gathering.

• Please report any crime related incident to your Sector Watch Member after you have reported to the SAPS. We need to build our own crime database and the SAPS is not permitted to report details to the NHW. • Please provide your email address and contact details to your Sector Watch Member. Fast electronic communication is essential.

• Please be vigilant and do not leave doors and windows open, or valuable items in your car. Set you alarms at night whilst you sleep.

Chris Moll

Cruising the high street: The River Rat crosses Queen Victoria street.

High and dry

This is not where you expect to see the River Rat. After six years of good service, she is on her way for a little bit of tender loving care.

After some maintenance and a facelift and she will be raring to cruise, come September.

Ernie Blommaert STANFORD RIVER TALK 5

news and updates

TOURISM TALK

Cape Town Photographic Society was in the hood Stanford Tourism would like to thank Royd and Lindsay Frith for arranging The Cape Town Photographic Society’s photographic competition, hosted at Eagleyes Guest House in Stanford. The three winners are:1st: Richard Goldschmidt, 2nd: Pat Scott, 3rd: Kim Stevens The keen photographers snapped their way around the village and have offered their photos to Stanford Tourism for general use to promote tourism.

Please don't forget our Annual General Meeting on Thursday, 27 August, 18:30 at the Birkenhead Brewery.

Tourism Committee

Toadily time for leopard toads

The breeding season of the Western Leopard Toads is at hand. We expect to hear them calling within the next few weeks. The frog monitoring group of Stanford will try to pinpoint the breeding sites this season and for that we need the help of the community.

Please listen for their call. They usually call in the evenings from about 19:30 to 23:00. Please let us know when and where you hear them. To familiarise yourself with the call go to www.vaalvlei.co.za and click on 'frogs'. The more ears we have listening the better our chance of success.

You can contact us at: www.vaalvlei.co.za 072 782 3431, 028 341 0170 The Frog Monitoring Group

Bazaar Fête

3 OCTOBER ★ 10h00 ★

★

NG Kerk Stanford

van koeksister tot banting

vleis verkope fresh produce pannekoek teagarden vars produkte tuisgebak home made treats

kinder speel area

•

kids play area

car boot sale

iets vir klein & groot

•

something for everyone

Kontak die kerkkantoor 028 3410 966 Neil Olwagen 082 960 5687 • Johan van Zyl 084 501 3789 ngkerkstanford@maxitec.co.za STANFORD RIVER TALK 6

More time for reading The Stanford Municipal Library is now open Monday – Friday, 09:00 – 16:30.

Take a stroll, pop in, browse the shelves and grab a book or magazine that piques your interest. There is something for the whole family.

Stanford Cares A new network in the village

Following recent discussions about Stanford being a caring community, Elma Hunter has initiated the formation of a group to set up a neighbourly assistance structure called Stanford Cares.

The objective of Stanford Cares is to draw together community members willing to become involved with providing support to residents who require assistance or care because they are alone, sick, injured, have no means of transport, are going through a difficult time or just need some company. This is not limited to those facing the increased difficulties of ageing, nor those facing serious or terminal illness. Stanford Cares can make a difference to any person (of any age) facing a challenge or change of circumstances.

Grandparents raising small children, women going through a difficult pregnancy, anyone going through bereavement and even joyous occasions like helping care for newborns – all would be welcome to join the network.

We have adopted a well-proven model of community care, Share The Care ™ (www.sharethecare.org) which coordinates friends and other concerned people involved in sharing the burden of care of any person or their caregiver(s).

We are looking for community members who are willing to provide assistance to others in need, in one or more areas. Participation is purely voluntary and need be no more than some of your time at your convenience. Can you help with any of the following?

• providing transport • having tea with someone shut in by illness • doing shopping • fixing small items in the home • walking a dog • arranging meals • providing some much-needed respite for a caregiver A database is being compiled with names and tasks - so if you are willing to show Stanford cares, or if you know of someone in need, please contact me at 082 652 8348 or at barbs@lonkirk.co.za Barbara Martin (A medical arm is also on the cards, organised by people in the village with medical knowledge. Further information will follow.)

New moves in Stanford Harry von der Heyden has joined Amanda Geldenhuys at Keller Williams Realty. An electronics engineer recently retired from being a project manager in, amongst other things, the satellite industry, Harry is enjoying his new life in Stanford.

'In a short space of time since moving to A new team member: Stanford from Fish Hoek at the beginning Harry von der Heyden and of April we have grown to love the village Amanda Geldenhuys. for its beautiful setting, its tranquillity and the diverse personalities of its residents. Through the local cycling group, the Stanford Bird Club and my wife’s involvement on the Stanford Ratepayers’ and Conservation committees, we have been fortunate in making new friends and having doors open to us.

'We have always been excited by houses and properties, and I look forward to this new opportunity with Keller Williams which brings with it the chance of engaging with the people of the Overberg and getting to know more of its hidden jewels. Ek is ook volkome drietalig: English, Afrikaans und Deutsch!’ says Harry with a smile.

With Amanda’s experience in the housing market and Harry’s project management background, the two form a formidable team.

Viv von der Heyden

news and updates

Japanese Jamboree

The Butterfly Centre Jami and the team would like to thank all of you for attending the official opening and unveiling of our sign on 20 July. The soup and wine went down a treat and thanks to those who so generously provided it.

More than 60 friends attended and stayed right up until loadshedding plunged the village into darkness!

Your generous donations continue to come in and we are all blown away by your genuine interest in this cause. We now have 120 Friends in our data base. Word of mouth clearly is taking place. Please contact me for more information and check our Butterfly Centre page on Facebook.

Andrew Herriot

Yay! She got it!

Stanford River Talk (June 2015) reported that Josephine Troost and her team built a tower out of pioneering poles and rope on the Village Green as part of her Springbok Scout service. She received her Springbok Scout Award from Dr Darren Robinson, the Chief Scout Commissioner of South Africa on 21 July. Thank you to everyone who participated or encouraged her along the way. Mary Troost

Well done: Dr Darren Robinson congratulates Josie Troost.

VACANCY - CHEESE MATURER PURPOSE To assist with the production and maturation of cheese DUTIES • Cheese maturation • Assist with cheese production • Assist with cheese packaging REQUIREMENTS • Must be a South African citizen • Must have a minimum of a Matric with Maths, English and Afrikaans • Must be physically fit • Prepared to work long hours and every second weekend • Prepared to work overtime Please send CV’s to marketing@kleinrivercheese.co.za 028 341 0693

Seeing them off: (From left) Josie, Rachel, Jan, Anna-Mae, Mary and Dirk Troost

The bags are packed, badges have been sewn onto uniforms and all eventualities have been planned for. They are Scouts after all, who, above all must 'Be Prepared'. On Monday, 20 July, after much work to raise their own funds, Dirk, Rachel and Josephine Troost, representing 1st Hermanus Sea Scouts, set off for the 23rd World Scout Jamboree to be held in Yamaguchi in Japan. They will be away until 9 August.

Initially they will spend two days in Johannesburg on a Shake Down Camp, getting to know the 150 scouts who make up the South African contingent. They will also have lectures from a representative from the Japanese Embassy on Japanese culture and etiquette, learn to do the Gumboot Dance and to sing 'Shosholoza', so that they can put their best foot forward whilst representing South Africa and the Scout Organisation.

Once in Japan they will spend five days touring, starting in Tokyo, followed by a stay in log cabins on Mt Fuji and then they travel by bullet train to Kyoto. On 28 July they will arrive at Kirara Hama, Yamaguchi where there is a stadium, water sports facilities, shops and a hospital ... as well as space to accommodate 32 000 scouts from all over the world camping in tents!

At the Jamboree they will participate in a daily programme which includes visiting Hiroshima, learning cultural practices from contingents of other countries, dabbling in science activities, being encouraged to consider global environmental concerns and participating in sporting events. Woven between all this busy-ness there will also be ample opportunity to meet and foster friendships with scouts from many other countries.

The theme for this year’s Jamboree is 'Wa' – a Japanese word meaning 'Spirit of Unity'. It is hoped that camping under the shadow of the 70th anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, this young generation of scouts will have an opportunity to look for common ground amongst their new international friends.

The Troost scouts are most grateful for the local support for their business endeavours embarked on to raise the funds to attend the Jamboree. Dirk has been very hard at work with pool maintenance and scanning 35mm slides. Rachel’s Paleo Crackers have proved to be very popular. They are available in Stanford at Graze, the Saturday Morning Market and the Kleinrivier Cheese Factory; and further afield at the Eatery in Hermanus and Peregrine Farmstall in Grabouw. Josie has been very busy working on her Springbok Scout Award so will only start her Office Administration business when she returns. She would like to put her desire for extreme tidiness to good use, offering a drop-and-collect administration service for small businesses, including knocking a box of papers into order, filing and capturing to produce a monthly financial report.

When this industrious trio get home from Japan, they are keen to encourage other youth by sharing their experiences.

Mary Troost

STANFORD RIVER TALK 7

Marianne 072 111 9321 marianne@stanfordvillage.co.za www.stanfordvillageproperties.co.za

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BUYING OR SELLING WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING OF ASSISTANCE STANFORD RIVER TALK 8

school talk OKKIE SMUTS KOSHUIS There is a place in Stanford that has been a haven for the less fortunate, forgotten, and neglected children over the past few decades.

It was started by the church before it was transferred to the Department of Education. This truly is a home away from home. Standing at the head of this facility for the past 15 years are two angels, Gerrie and Adanna Geldenhuys. In their very humble but strict way, they have looked after hundreds of children and fulfilled their needs emotionally and physically, sometimes seven days a week. The subsidy from the Department barely covers one meal per child per day. The koshuis is dependent on donations which are getting less and less. Oom Gerrie does fundraising constantly so if you see him selling his famous steak burgers on the Internet café stoep, please support this worthy cause.

At the moment the koshuis caters for 56 children from mostly single parent homes with very difficult socio-economic situations, from Stanford to as far away as the Eastern Cape. Tannie Adanna caters for the national feeding scheme which they host on the koshuis premises.

Tannie Adanna says, 'Every child at this koshuis is very special, has a specific need and is here for a reason.'

Any donations are welcome. Basic things like toilet paper, soap, washing powder, dishwashing liquid, basic food ingredients like onions, potatoes, coffee, tea, sugar (they go through 2,5kg a day), oats and cooking oil would be gratefully received. Your prayers are welcome and if you would like to volunteer to spend some time with the kids, please contact Gerrie or Adanna on 028 341 0720.

Wanya van der Walt SOUP AND SHERRY EVENING Come and join us for an evening of fun in which Okkie Smuts learners show off their talents. There will be a school art auction, a marimba band performance, and Jerry Fourie will entertain you while you enjoy tasting a wide variety of soups. You will receive a sherry on arrival.

14 August, Dutch Reformed Church Hall, 18:00, R50 pp (bring own drinks). Tickets available at Okkie Smuts office and from class teachers.

Tel: 028 341 0611

FUNIMFUNDO ART MATTERS

The brightly coloured room positively buzzes with excitement as the eight pre-schoolers in the Grade R class at Funimfundo pick and lick gummed paper colours to put ‘leaves’ on their trees – today’s art class.

The level of concentration is truly impressive and the little faces are joyful and animated with the job at hand.

As a learning activity, arts and crafts have often been passed over in favour of more formal academic pursuits. But craft – particularly developmentally appropriate craft activities – can aid learning in other areas like language, Mathematics and Social Science to mention a few.

Hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and the laying of foundations for future learning are just some of the recognised benefits of art and craft at preschool level. Experiencing success, being given the opportunity to make choices and handling problem solving are other educational advantages.

A thrill too for the teachers to see the array of beautiful creations, art is truly a win-win activity.

Funimfundo Pre-School is a Food 4 Thought project Marian Binder Williams

DIE BRON A RISING NETBALL STAR In response to principal Lionel Pedro's request in the July issue of Stanford River Talk, the Rotary Club of Stanford has sponsored travelling costs for Joe-Heen Cornelius to attend the Western Cape Netball Tournament in Good luck: Annie Ranger, Joe-Heen Riversdale from 7-8 August. Cornelius and Lana Coates.

Rotary also provided basic toiletries in a bag and some spending money. Joe-Heen is a promising young talent and will make Stanford proud.

Lana Coates

GANSBAAI ACADEMIA The mid-term matric results were disappointing and a special parent meeting was called for the last evening of the term to make parents aware of their child’s performance and discuss interventions. All is not lost however. The school has introduced a number of interventions to help the matric class achieve this. A compulsory holiday school was held during the last week of the winter holiday.

Extra classes are also being conducted after normal school hours this term and a similar holiday school will be held during the short September break, just before the start of the final examinations.

Professor Jansen of the University Of The Orange Free State promised bursaries for up to four deserving learners, and this alone should be a huge incentive for performing well in the final examination.

On a positive note, it was reported last month that three of our learners were included in the Boland U18 Girl’s Rugby Team for the SA tournament in Durban during the school holidays. Two of the three have been selected for an elite squad that will attend a training camp in October.

The selected two are Melandi Steynberg and Jay-Lee Swart, a Stanford resident.

Local rugby star: Jay-Lee Swart is also captain of Academia's U/18 Netball Team.

The first scheduled rugby match for our unbeaten first team this term was cancelled due to transport problems. This once again emphasised the necessity for having our transport and a special fund to purchase our own school bus is in the process of being launched. The school is aiming to purchase a twenty-two seater bus and has budgeted to deposit R100 000 of their own fund-raising money to kickstart this venture. This is of course a small drop in the ocean and we need donations from many kind sponsors. A R100 000 donation will ensure that your logo will appear on a very stylish maroon school bus.

As part of the fundraising effort, the school will be hosting a parent dance in the school hall on 7 August. The Worcester band Baccarush will be playing and everybody is welcome to attend. The tickets cost R35 each and are available by contacting Bianka at Gansbaai Academia on 028 348 2370.

It promises to be a fun-filled evening.

PLEASE SUPPORT THE RUGBY TEAM The local derby between Hermanus and Academia takes place on the picturesque Gansbaai Sports Grounds. After last year’s narrow loss in Hermanus and in light of Academia’s unbeaten 2015 record, this promises to be a humdinger.

Ernst Nieuwoudt STANFORD RIVER TALK 9

SOAPBOX

FINANCE MATTERS

Small change

Almost Famous

The Old Boar mulls over counterfeit cash and solar flares

Martin Ranger wonders whether he is fifteen minutes late

T

here I was, staring at this blue Mandela/buffalo R100 note (just enough to pay for breakfast), thinking back to the days when it represented a month’s groceries and if I remember correctly, the R100 note did not even exist. How many ‘circulations’ will this note be good for? How much did it cost to print? I have no idea of the answer to either question but I was struck with a horrifying thought; this blue ‘thing’ is not money at all – it is an instrument of tax collection. Almost every time it is deposited in the bank (before it circulates back to the ATM), 14% finds its way into the government coffers. That is what VAT does, it converts currency into a tax collection agent. If I were to get out my printing press and print a few of these notes, surely the government should reward me?

Actually it is not worth the trouble as depositing large amounts of new notes into a bank account would (or should) raise suspicion and paying cash for anything costing more than R20 000 would not work. The only benefit to a counterfeiter would be to cover his living expenses.

We are all well aware of Eskom’s problems and how they are foisted on us (to say nothing of PRASA, SAA, Telkom, SAPO, many municipalities or the SABC). Now we are going to spend R1 trillion or more on nuclear power! The source of this money remains obscure. In the meantime the ‘Greenies’ are blessing solar, wind and whatever other kind of power can be found while denigrating the smoke belching, coal fired power stations that have stood us in good stead for the past 60 or more years. The interesting thing is that scientists studying solar flares (whatever they are) predict that from about 2030 to 2040 the world will experience a mini ice-age.

The last such event ran from 1635 to 1705 – considerably longer than the ten years now predicted. Those were the times that the Thames froze over and crops failed for lack of sunlight. After ten years I wonder how many trees for firewood would remain? Perhaps those of us surviving another 15 years will be thankful for those nuclear power stations after all.

My late uncle skippered one of the ‘Little Ships’ that rescued Allied forces from the beach at Dunkirk in 1940. Almost twenty years later he recreated those momentous days appearing in Richard Attenborough’s stirring ‘Dunkirk’ movie. For the former he was recognised, for the latter rewarded. The question is: were those his Fifteen Minutes of Fame? Certainly amongst the family, Uncle Phil was very famous – and for much longer than fifteen minutes!

So what about me? When’s my moment coming? I mean time is running out; I have already missed any realistic opportunity of achieving sporting stardom and I’m too old to enter Idols.

Perhaps it passed by unnoticed? Was it that moment at the 1957 Model Railway Exhibition in London when a TV cameraman asked me to play with a Hornby layout? I remember hauling the family around our Bush 12” to watch the BBC’s regional evening news.

There I was, grinning goofily at the camera, pretending to operate a set of points.

Hang on though ... that wasn’t 15 minutes! It was more like two.

Regular readers of Stanford River Talk will remember stories of my infant life as a nude model – my dimpled derriere dusted in baby powder and exposed for all to see. Perhaps that was it?

Or am I falling into a trap here? Is fame that important? Take the ever-growing shimmer of ‘celebs’, with their vacuous opinions and shallow values. Are they today’s pinnacle of fame? Or are they just irresistible in a cringeworthy way? Surely fame should be properly earned, accorded in recognition of considerable talent, skill or wisdom. If so, that cuts me out: my talents are limited, my skills redundant and my wisdom flows from a wine bottle.

Hey, but it’s OK. I have just remembered something I used to say when my children were young: Fame is when people know who you are, but success is when they know what you are.

And you all know what I am. Tarra.

A TASTE OF WINE & WISDOM

For those who have never been to a Conservation Trust fundraiser, here is a selection of the questions posed by quizmasters Bunty and Eric Mair at July’s trivial quiz night.

1. What is novinophobia?

2. The Boston Tea Party contributed to the start of which war?

3. Who played the ‘The Horse Whisperer’ in the movie?

4. What is the colour of the black box in a commercial airplane?

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5. What is the name of the mythological river that was crossed to go to the Underworld?

6. Five years ago an explosion on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico caused the worst oil spill in U.S. history. What was the rig called?

7. What is the name of the sport played by the young wizards and witches in the Harry Potter novels?

Wine and Wisdom is held on the first Thursday of the month at the Birkenhead Brewery. The fee of R50 goes to the Stanford Conservation Trust. If you would like to join in the fun contact Annie Ranger annie@reedcottage.co.za to book your place. * Answers on page 18.

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wine talk

Wine Not? You have a headache?

Tania Weich takes the ache out of the grape

The cold and wet weather seems to be launching an attack with more vengeance than usual. I’m convinced it was raining lions and dinosaurs this morning. Lucky me! While any time is wine o’clock in my world… winter is served so much better with wine, don’t you think? The challenge, I’m told though, following the chink of glass against glass, is the morning-after-the-Merlot.

However, ‘tis the season to be reaping the benefits of drinking red wine. Evidently red wines are less likely to cause a hangover due to the difference in chemical properties in comparison to white wines. High levels of acetaldehyde, which is considered a fault in wine, has been blamed as the cause of the following day’s fog. And acetaldehyde is found in even larger proportions in sherry, brandy and some sweet wines.

Besides breaking the bank and glossing over the cheap-andcheerfuls to fill your glass, there are other ways of avoiding the cacophony of a hip hop band thumping about in your head the next day.

Between every glass of wine, drink a glass of water.

Drink reds with a lower alcohol percentage i.e. up to 13%.

Stick to varieties with moderate tannins such as popular Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvedre.

Avoid bulk and flavoured wines which contain more additives.

Here’s the deal. Red wine does not quench our thirst. The major cause of a hangover is dehydration. We drink wine because we like it and we never resort to the excuse of being thirsty. There’s water for that. Not to water down the real impact on the chill in the air…

C’mon winter! I am armed with red wine and I know how to use it.

SPECTACULAR WHALE VIEWING WITH FABULOUS WINES, AND INCREDIBLE MUSIC Join us on our now famous weekend with Malané Hofmeyr-Burger on flute, Peta Ann Holdcroft on cello, Marjan Vonk on viola and Irina Tsonif and Ivo Ivanov on violin for a musical weekend with wines from the Overberg region. Richard von Geusau’s Chocolate-making workshop, Local Wineries, High Tea, Gourmet Food & Wine Pairing. Whale presentations.

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STANFORD RIVER TALK 11

nature talk

A forest on our doorstep Naas Terblanche goes beach combing

W

e don’t always realize it, but we have a huge indigenous forest very close to us. What is amazing about this forest is that it is immune from droughts and fires, the leaves of these 'trees' are edible and can be used for fertilizer and for many food applications and they grow many times as fast as other forests. I am talking about the kelp beds that we see along our West and South-Western coastal areas.

The kelp or 'seebamboes' is in fact brown macro algae and is related to the green algae seen in ponds and streams. There are many different kinds of seaweeds, but the bulk of the biomass is made up of two species, of which the most important is the Giant Kelp, Ecklonia Maxima. This is

very common in the shallow, rocky part of the sea from Cape Algulhas to Saldanna Bay. It is the fastest growing kelp in the world with a growth rate of about one meter per month. It doubles its weight every month. These are possibly the last pure kelpbeds in the world. They are fed by the clean Bengulla current flowing from the pristine continent of Antarctica.

Giant kelp plants are anchored by 'roots' to rocks on the sea floor.

These roots extend into hollow, gas filled stems, called stipes which are up to 15 meters long.

They end in a bulb from which secondary blades grow (looking like leaves). These 'leaves' float on the surface and can easily reach a length of three meters. They make up about half of the total mass of

the plant.

The total biomass of Giant Kelp, (E Maxima) of the SouthWestern and Western coastal area is estimated to be nearly a million tons of fresh weight.

Kelp is an important feed for sea animals like abalone, which feed on the little pieces of the leaves that break off during the action of waves. It also gives shelter to fish and creates a suitable breeding habitat for shells and sea crustaceans like crayfish. It is also harvested for the production of fertilizers like Kelpak and the extraction of alginates for use in foods, toothpaste and health food products. Large quantities are harvested to feed abalone in commercial land-based abalone farms. There are guidelines set

by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for the correct, sustainable harvesting by concession holders.

Can we eat kelp? Yes, in fact related kelp species are a very important food source for people in Asian countries like Japan.

It is high in minerals, especially iodine, as well as essential amino acids.

I first got interested in kelp when Elsabe discovered her mother’s old recipe for 'seebamboes atjar'.

We promptly collected some leaves from the beach and made a few jars of kelp pickles, and what a pleasant surprise! It was delicious! Try it yourself if you are not allergic to iodine. You can also run a Google search for recipes on the internet.

seebamboes atjar

• 2 cups white vinegar • 2/3 cup water • 1 cup sugar • 4 Tbs pickling spices • 1 long firm fresh seebamboes • 1 large onion, thinly sliced • 1 garlic clove, minced (1 clove per jar) • 1 tsp lemon juice (1 tsp per jar)

METHOD

INGREDIENTS

Editor's note: Searching the internet for 'seebamboes atjar' is easier said than done. This recipe for Bullwhip Seaweed Pickle is the closest we could find, thanks to www.food.com. It certainly looks simple enough to give it a bash.

• Go beach combing to find fresh kelp.

• Cut off the fleshy hollow portion of the kelp (discarding the bulb) and wash it well in fresh water.

• Cut it into 1cm rings and rinse in fresh water again, draining it in a colander.

• Combine the brine ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Allow to boil for one minute, then remove from heat.

• Place the kelp rings into glass jars and add slices of onion, a minced clove of garlic, and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice per jar.

• Add the hot brine to the jar(s) and refrigerate for at least 48 hours before serving.

kitchen talk

Crowded House and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers Bryan Robertson shares a crowd-pleaser

It's no problem when my Honey Sunshine wants a dinner party. It usually means I have a week to plan and prepare before the event.

Occasionally, she'll only give me three days notice and then we scurry around and slap an evening together. But what does a bloke do when, very unexpectedly, his home is crowded with more people than he ever thought it was capable of hosting.

That's when I start looking through my recipes that fall into the category of peasant food. Peasant food is made with minimal ingredients and delivers huge flavour and heartiness. Always at the top of that list is a dish I was taught to prepare as a child, by a fantastic old Hungarian woman named Assanah Szabó. Her dish was called Chicken Paprikash. If you enjoy heat, add cayenne pepper and chilli powder to taste.

Chicken Paprikash

• 8 chicken thighs • Coarse salt and ground pepper • 2 teaspoons oil • 2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise • 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped • 2 tablespoons paprika • 3 tablespoons flour • 2 cups chicken stock • 1 can tomatoes chopped (410g) • 1/2 cup sour cream or thick plain yoghurt STANFORD RIVER TALK 12

• Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large heavy pot, heat oil over a high heat.

Cook chicken, skin side down, until golden and crisp (6 minutes). Flip chicken and cook until browned (6 minutes more). Transfer to a plate.

• Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and fry until softened, stirring frequently and scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon (2 minutes). Add garlic and fry, stirring frequently (3 minutes). Add paprika and flour, season with salt and pepper, and stir constantly until paprika is fragrant and mixture begins to stick (1 minute).

• Add stock and whisk until smooth. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil over high heat.

Return chicken to pot and reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook until chicken is cooked through (20 minutes).

• Stir sour cream into sauce and serve on pasta shells.

ROTARY STANFORD A HUGE THANK YOU

A NEW PRESIDENT

Thank you to all who have supported our projects in many different ways. Without your support our projects would simply not be possible. With food and clothing becoming increasingly expensive and unemployment being what it is, there are many poor families in Stanford, some living in horrendous conditions and in genuine need of assistance.

A special thank you goes to the person who left knitted items on Lana’s doorstep, as well as the ladies who regularly knit items for our Winter Warmth stock and the Swop Shop.

DAVID GRIER COMES TO STANFORD: ADVENTURE AND INSPIRATION! Well known speaker and adventurer, David Grier, will take us on an Inspirational Journey about running around the world. His message is of hope and of making a difference in people’s lives.

Join us on Saturday, 29 August, 11:00 in the NG Church Hall. Light refreshments will be served after the show. Tickets cost only R75 and are available from Antjies, Yum Eat Café, Graze or any Stanford Rotarians. Funds raised will go towards Rotary projects in Stanford.

Wednesday 24 June saw us inducting a new President of the Club. Malcolm Bury’s year of service has come to an end and the reins have been passed on to Lana Coates. Special guests at this occasion were Geraldine Nicol, incoming District Governor, and Marc Stuyck, outgoing Assistant District Governor. It was indeed an honour to have them here in Stanford.

Lana Coates Our very own Stephen Stocks has been appointed Assistant District Governor for the coming year.

Lana’s goal for the 2015/ 2016 year will be to focus on Early Childhood Development, for which there is a dire need in Stanford. Many children are starting school life directly from a home environment, which puts them at a distinct disadvantage since they haven’t been taught the basics required – colours, shapes, numbers, etc.

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS ͵ VITAL TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR PROJECTS...

We would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to our Community Workers, all of whom are a tremendous and invaluable help to both Rotary and the community. While some of them are our eyes and ears in the community, others run the soup kitchens, carry out home visits, assist with the Swop Shop, and help repack bulk food items into smaller, manageable packs ready for the soup kitchens and food bank.

These women live and work in the community and provide Rotary with valuable information about people in need, especially children, the elderly and the sick. Rotary is then able to assist wherever possible to make their lives a little easier. What every one of them has is passion, energy and a deep love of their community.

Junetta Rooi started her soup kitchen 15 years ago when she saw there was a need in her community. Junetta is very ably assisted

by Louise Prins, Anneline Rooi and Nicolene Rooi. Junetta also maintains a small food bank which people in genuine need can draw from on Fridays, and so have some food for the weekends.

From left: Carmen Otto, Nontlantla Bota, Jenny October, Nomzuzo Matyakalana and Geraldine Fortune.

Jenny October heads up a group of women who work for the Foundation of Community Workers (FCW) – the Family in Focus programme falls under their umbrella. She also still runs a soup kitchen and is assisted

by Elizabeth Barends. Others in Jenny’s team are Carmen Otto, Geraldine Fortune, Phatiswa Nikelo, Nontlantla Bota and Nomzuzo Matyakalana. Both Carmen and Geraldine are trained Rape Counsellors. Everyone in the group is a trained Early Childhood Development Practitioner.

From left: Louise Prins, Junetta Rooi and Anneline Rooi.

Doris and David Claassen run a small soup kitchen, also supported by Rotary. They primarily provide meals for the sick and elderly, as well as a small group of children.

David is a pastor and delivers meals to those people who are unable to walk to his home.

Our Swop Shop has proven to be a huge success, and couldn’t run as smoothly as it does without help. Apart from a group of women from the village who assist with unpacking, sorting, packing shelves, sourcing donations and so on, there are also a few women from the Stanford South community who assist on a regular basis. Janet Wyngaard, Cornelia Phillips, Grace Swart and Mathilda Barends are invaluable for communication with the community about the Swop Shop.

Tandeka Makhetha, who works for the Department of Environmental Affairs, is a huge help when it comes to communicating with the children in isiXhosa.

Jeaneen Williams, as Ansie Reitsma's assistant, is a woman who does a tremendous amount of behind-thescenes work. We regularly purchase dry ingredients in bulk, and Jeaneen repacks these into smaller manageable packs which are then passed on to the Jeaneen Williams soup kitchens and the food bank. She is always happily prepared to assist with extra duties whenever they come along, and always has a smile.

The Rotary Club of Stanford salutes all these women for the tremendous contribution they make to their community. Every one of them has a real love for the underprivileged and needy, always prepared to go above and beyond.

STANFORD RIVER TALK 13

village lifestyle

Ayoba in Africa Karen McKee says it is Ayoba to be African

T

he moment I started growing a brain – around 1980 – I realised how uncool it was to be South African. Everybody hated us; we weren’t allowed to play world sports and all the happening brands and bands gave us a wide berth while chanting ‘Free Nelson Mandela’. Everything overseas was cool while everything here was just stupid. The USA had 'CHiPs' and 'Dallas', we had 'Flinkdink' en 'Haas Das'. They had Michael Jackson and Bruce Springsteen, we had Face2Face and eVoid. They had John Travolta and Farah Fawcett, we had cranky old men with Brylcream and knee socks. I desperately wanted to live somewhere else, to wear civvies to school and to be part of a sorority (I still don’t know quite what that is), and I couldn’t believe that I was destined to spend my life in Stupidville instead of somewhere foreign and fabulous. It was only much later after having had the opportunity to live in the UK for a long time, that I

realised that it is actually quite lekker here.

We have since moved very far and fast up the ladder of cool, and even Bloemfontein is now considered more coolio than Idaho.

We unashamedly love Mrs Balls Chutney and Spur sauce...

I am surprised, however, at how many South Africans I encounter with foreign accents.

Introduced to a young man recently with a lovely Texan drawl, I found out that he hails from Vryheid, and only spent three months in Texas. His friend had a New Jersey accent and came from Hazyview, and had never set foot upon USA soil. Apparently having a brother in the USA justified the new dialect.

Upon enquiry I was told that the South African accent ‘just doesn’t work’ for them.

Now look, I know that we still share some embarrassment about our country promoting

institutionalised racism for decades and an inferiority complex at not being allowed to buy Reeboks back when they were kiff, but seriously, our coolness stakes have escalated tremendously since Madiba’s Ubuntu and our embrace of the melting pot. People from everywhere flock to see us, and their enthusiasm for our beloved rainbow nation is undeniable despite our idiotic tourism restrictions. Because we are certainly unique.

From load shedding to baboons ransacking our homes – we just are different, and we love it here. We unashamedly love Mrs Balls Chutney and Spur sauce, we like swearing in Afrikaans and find any excuse to braai (and if you call our braai a BBQ you will get a stiff klap upside the head). It just seems stupid to ignore these things. So please: Don’t pretend to be something else. Living in SA is much cooler than you think.

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Anti-Social Media

T

he thought of dropping off the grid for a week, or even a mere weekend, feels like bliss to many a smartphone-toting grownup. We have learnt to embrace loadshedding, read more, switch lights off, play Monopoly by candlelight and cook in hayboxes or Wonderbags. When scouring the interwebs for secret family getaway locations, we are drawn to rocket showers, solar panels and 'no cell reception' rather than being turned off by it.

Of course, we can't easily live without the internet. Real off-gridders are burly, eclectic hermits with intermittent landlines and scratchy wool jerseys.

Many of our modern jobs are done entirely remotely, through virtual offices.

Fax machines are considered prehistoric and cell phones with key pads have become childrens’ toys. Writing, reading, researching, booking and banking all take place online. But much of that is work.

Social media has changed the way

Phil Murray went off Facebook and put her nose in a book

we spend our free time. Cell phones now chirp their shrill alarms all day and night, while we are eating supper, watching television and driving. We resent being interrupted by work emails and phone calls after hours but we interrupt our own lives by repeatedly checking our Twitter feeds, Facebook messages and Instagram 'likes' tally.

I decided to go 'cold turkey' in July and drop off Facebook entirely True, working on social media has become a real job in its own right and Stanford River Talk manages a generous and helpful Community Group Wall which spreads the 'gees' of living in this village. But have we forgotten when to turn our phones off?

I decided to go 'cold turkey' in July and drop off Facebook entirely. A month of no Facebook meant no private or business access at all.

Clearly, I survived, but what did I actually learn?

➜ I felt less harried and enjoyed my off-work time more ➜ I controlled when I wanted to send messages or make phone calls, and my phone stopped pinging ➜ I read magazines and books more, and drank whole mugs of tea before they got cold ➜ I missed four events as they only existed as Facebook events ➜ I couldn't find any advertised details for the Sunday live music picnic that I wanted to attend in the KZN Midlands as they only advertised on Facebook – nowhere else ➜ I missed good news in my newsfeed, but I also missed a load of bad news which I didn't need ➜ I don't know what happened on the Stanford River Talk community wall – please forgive me if it filled up with spam. ➜ My email inbox brimmed with messages from Facebook, begging me to come back to the fold and check my notifications, photo tags, events calendar and messages. I felt so virtuous ignoring them.

Maybe the best place to hide, or go on holiday, is anywhere off social media.

technical talk

Face the truth I n a memorable scene from the 2002 film, ‘Minority Report’, Tom Cruise’s character walks through a mall after having his eyes replaced to disguise his identity. In his futuristic world, cameras take retina scans of people everywhere – in shops, on trains, etc. – tracking their movements and providing instant feedback from a central database. As Cruise walks into a store to shop for clothes, a friendly voice says, ‘Hello, Mr Yakamoto; welcome back to the GAP. How’d those assorted tank tops work out for you?’ This continues as Cruise walks through the rest of the mall, with digital signboards identifying him by his retina scan and pushing ads for various products.

What once seemed like far-fetched science fiction is now with us. We may not glance into retina scanners at the mall, but our computers, tablets, and phones are tracking where we go, what we buy, and what we

Jennie Chancey probes social media privacy

share with our contacts through social media. You may already have experienced the eerie feeling of having searched for something online a few hours ago on your phone only to see that very thing pop up in the sidebar ads on Facebook when you open your laptop. And with more online services giving themselves permission to turn on our microphones and even cameras, algorithms are processing what we listen to and forecasting what music we might want to buy or what movies and TV shows we’d be likely to watch.

I’ve been in web development for 18 years – back when websites were very basic HTML and didn’t contain much tracking information at all. I can remember when ‘cookies’ were new and only used to memorize your password or bookmark what you were reading so you could find it again. But we’ve moved far beyond those basic cookies, and

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now more and more people are concerned about increasing privacy violations – particularly as large corporations like Google (with its Chrome browser and Gmail) freely admit to listening in through our mics and tracking what we’re sharing even in private messages (see http://bit.ly/1BlWt5e).

As an early adopter of Facebook, I loved using it to chat with friends, share photos, and also promote my online business to a wider audience. But over the past 18 months, I’ve become increasingly uncomfortable with what is being harvested from my private communications – even with the strictest privacy settings in place. Over the next couple of columns, my savvy geek son, John, and I will be sharing ways to tame the ‘beast’ of social media and take precautions to protect your data, your identity, and your sanity.

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By Suzanne Francois-Rossouw

Orchids for beginners

plant talk

Most orchids are naturally in flower at this time of the year, tempting us to buy those beautiful blooms. Many may think they are not worth the trouble as they are difficult to grow. Why not start with something easy like a moth orchid? Buy just one and see if it survives.

I’ve put together a few pointers to show how simple it is to grow orchids if you follow a few basic guidelines:

• Things to look for when buying orchids are healthy, diseaseand insect-free stems, leaves and roots. If you see any rotting or browning on any part of the plant don't buy it.

• Look for plants that still have a few flower buds to open, carried on fairly strong straight stems.

•

Avoid plants grown in normal potting soil. Orchids are air plants and need to be grown in bark or peat moss.

•

When you have bought your orchid try to give it as natural an environment as possible. Place it in a room with some air movement, but

not in a strong wind.

Orchids need to be grown in a well-lit area. A room with morning or late afternoon sun is best.

Avoid direct sunlight as the plants can burn badly in a very short time.

plants must not stand in water as they can easily rot. Leave your plant to dry out until the plant feels light again. Water about once a week and make sure your plant is fed regularly with a good orchid fertilizer.

•

•

Water your plants by soaking them with water until the pot feels heavy. The

Plants need night temperatures of about 10°C in winter.

In summer they can

be placed in a cool sheltered position outside. Your plant will flower again quickly after cutting back the flower stalk.

You can find pictures of the correct method to do this online.

•

When you have had a plant for about three years it might be time to do some re-potting,

particularly if the roots are becoming cramped. Buy good quality orchid mix.

Place potting mix in the base of the new pot. Then place the plant inside the pot and fill the container with orchid mix. Try not to cover the roots or leaves with the orchid mix.

health talk Dr Wanya van der Walt strikes up a conversation about smoking

evolve GRAPHIC DESIGN

sandra slabbert | 079 523 8453 design@stanfordrivertalk.co.za STANFORD RIVER TALK 16

Hear me out for a few moments. I have given tobacco counselling for over 13 years and I’m not a judge. We are all intelligent people so we know all the pros and cons regarding smoking.

I want to share a few tricks and tips to help you through the first few weeks of quitting because that is the most difficult part. Whether you started when you were a child or to cope with stress in a work situation, lit up because of peer pressure or just to spite your parents, smoking is a social and emotional crutch and is also a financial burden. It’s an addiction and a bad habit.

• You have to have a reason for quitting, and it must be so important it becomes your beacon of hope in days when it would be easier to just light one up • Surround yourself with like minded people who will support you and not be inclined to join you in cheating • Have a visual reminder of what you are saving, like putting R20 in a glass jar each time you would’ve bought a pack • Drink lots of cold water in small sips throughout the day • Stock up on Vitamins B, folic acid and echinacea; your lungs have been in deep slumber and when they wake up they may succumb to influenza, bronchitis or another virus or bacteria • Do some exercise; just go for a walk, or up and down a few stairs • If you feel the urge to smoke, go somewhere where you aren’t allowed to like a restaurant, shop or library • Stay away from alcohol as it increases the cravings and also reduces your willpower • You may use substitutes like Nicorette patches or Nicorette gum, but do not smoke and chew gum at the same time it may have detrimental effects • Electronic cigarettes are also an option and they work for some people. You can taper down the nicotine as you progress • Don't start eating junk food as a substitute. Opting for foods high in protein will sustain you longer • Now is a good time to start a hobby like flyfishing, mountain climbing, or origami • If your emotions are running high, talk to your doctor about prescription drugs that can help you through the first few weeks. There are also natural options.

• If you slip up, don’t worry. Just make a choice to start again. Take note of what triggered the backslide and avoid this in future.

You can do it!

Family Heirlooms We asked locals to send us photographs of their family keepsakes and we got these beauties. Whether wrapped in bubble-wrap and stored in a box, or out for daily use, Stanford homes hold some sentimental treasures. The 'Antiques Roadshow' may rate them or slam them, but their value is in the memories they trigger.

The villagers Gill Ball's fiery hair usually gives her away, and soon thereafter, one is usually charmed by her sharp wit and easy laugh. Her trusty sidekick son can be seen trotting along beside her with his ice-white hair, the two of them snaffling up their favourite local treats from the Saturday Morning Market and the gelateria.

Stanford River Talk asked what brought them to this country village.

How did you end up in Stanford and what has kept you here? Jasper, my son, was about a year old when my mom asked if I could come and help with her business here in Stanford. So after about five minutes of thinking I gratefully accepted. Who wouldn’t jump at the chance to bring a child up in this glorious village?

What do you do for work, and what do you do for play?

I have a fabulous job. I work for Mom’s company called Colour Mirrors making colour therapy oils which we export all over the world – so I play with colours and bath oils really.

For fun, Stanford is such a joy and can include anything from wonderful impromptu playdates with the delicious Stanford moms to exploring the area – beaches, walks and wine farms (mainly).

With August being the month in which we celebrate Women's Day, what do you think makes a woman strong? I think strength comes in our bamboo-like flexibility. We’re strong as all hell but we’re not rigid so we can move and change without breaking.

Who are your female role models? Oooh, I have so many! My mother is just amazing and all the moms out there who silently and without praise, work, hold their families together and raise incredible children – I’m luckily surrounded by these. And Oprah obviously.

What is the most recent treat you have discovered in the Overberg? tZulu. (he made me say that)

FARM KITCHEN ART GALLERY MEADERY BREAKFAST & LUNCH: WEDNESDAY - SUNDAY 9:00-16:00 AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE FUNCTIONS FOR DIRECTIONS AND FURTHER INFO: 081 021 2313 . 083 409 8126 stanfordharvest@gmail.com STANFORD RIVER TALK 17

art talk SCREEN TALK

Paulette

James Yeats explains how French has taken his fancy For many film fans the very idea of watching a movie and reading subtitles at the same time is too much to bear, but these unfortunates are missing out on many magical pieces of cinema. Some of my favourite foreign film-making countries include Italy, Germany and Japan. All cultures have their own unique way of storytelling, but for me France leads the pack. The French have made many memorable movies, my favourite being ‘Amélie’ (2001), a simple story told with enchanting French flair. Recently I was fortunate enough to stumble across a little known French film, ‘Paulette’ (2012), and was pleasantly surprised.

Paulette (Bernadette Lafont) is a xenophobic, angry old lady living in a housing project in Paris. Her husband drank himself to death and she blames the immigrants for pretty much everything that

has gone wrong in her life. Paulette tries to survive on her meagre pension but debt collectors hound her constantly and she starts progressively to lose her possessions.

She is terribly stubborn and refuses to mend her relationship with her only daughter who, to her disgust, has married an immigrant policeman. She despises her charming little grandson whom she refers to as ‘Bamboula’ (an offensive French racist term). However, her life changes dramatically one day when she witnesses an illegal ‘herb’ transaction taking place in the building where she lives.

Paulette soon realises that there are large amounts of money to be made in this way and she visits a drug lord to propose her idea of becoming an (unlikely) dealer. The drug cartel are naturally quite surprised, but decide to give her a chance. Formerly a pastry chef, Paulette is soon baking every kind of ‘space cake’ imaginable. This

quickly makes her one of the most popular people in the city. Of course not everyone takes a liking to her new business venture and with this comes a fair share of danger and excitement.

I had high expectations for this offbeat black comedy and they were certainly met.

The story is fairly linear and takes few twists and turns, but thanks to the great dialogues and acting it is hugely entertaining.

Trivia: Bernadette Lafont described her grief over her daughter's untimely death: ‘Film and theatre saved me completely … my work is the motor of my existence. My opium, my cocaine, my Prozac.’

Tales from the Raj Part 2: The East India Company

Office space to let in Morton Square Corner of Daneel and Morton Streets - Stanford

• From 1 September 2015 • Comprises upstairs and downstairs approximately 28m2 • Close to coffee shop • WiFi Contact Peter Wolters for more information 082 449 7496, bookings@stanfordstay.co.za 1. Fear of running out of wine. 2. The American Revolution - or American Revolutionary War. 1775 – 1783. 3. Robert Redford 4. Orange. 5. Styx.

6. Deepwater Horizon. 7. Quidditch.

STANFORD RIVER TALK 18

Guy Winchester-Gould

This compilation is the second article in a series of vignettes entitled ‘Tales from the Raj’ and offers an overview of the period until 1947 when India gained Independence from Britain.

The 1670s were not without intrigue and danger for the East India Company and one event of importance needs recording. A rival French firm La Compagnie des Indes Orientales, founded in 1664, had set up agencies on the Indian coast at Chandernagore in West Bengal, and at Pondicherry. With the French challenging the English at various points in India, and with the Mogul Empire showing signs of disintegrating, the stage was set for world-shaking events!

On 29 January 1857 the great revolt now referred to as the Indian Mutiny (subject of a later article) blew up in the face of the East India Company. Without going into detail regarding the brutality, senseless massacres, executions, looting and destruction of property, towards the end of 1857 the insurrection was brought under control and the The French East India country pacified by force of arms.

Company's coat of arms.

During the Mutiny ‘Act for the better Government of India’ was promulgated in London. This provided for the supersession of the Directors and Board of Control of the Company by a Secretary of State for India with a Council of experienced persons, the appointment of a GovernorGeneral by the Crown, and transference to the Crown of the Company’s military and naval forces. On 1 November 1858 Queen Victoria (18191901) was proclaimed as sovereign in all Indian cities and a few years later became the Empress of India.

The Company’s last day of existence was 2 August 1858 when its administrative functions were formally taken over by Crown officials. On that day one of the world’s most influential trading corporations passed into history. Today, little remains of its complex and romantic history, beyond a collection of published memoirs, diaries, old minute books, despatches, inventories and accounts stored in dusty British and Indian Government archives.

LIVING SOUNDTRACK

The north wind doth blow Andrew Herriot continues to reflect on the soundtrack of his personal life

Playing in a ‘real’ band did involve fundamental adaptations in my pianoplaying style. I had to learn to vamp in the style of the 'Fats' Waller’s Stride. That meant playing the left-hand musical chords (vertical) in harmony with the lead melody (horizontal).

So different to my previous training which was classical and traditional. The band leader was a seasoned musician, and within a short period I knew exactly what to do to support the whole bands’ clipped, angular Scottish sound. This earned me 30 shillings per gig which was good pocket money in those days. The doors were now open for me to develop my first love and hobby in music – play jazz (more on that in future editions).

Those experiences occurred some sixty years ago and surprise, surprise I am still at it – freedom with tempos, melodies, rhythms and harmonies. However, a pianist in a Scottish Country Dance Band required strict discipline when Scottish reels and jigs were being performed. There were five other musicians in the line-up: two accordions, a fiddle, string double bass and drums. Woe betide

anyone who missed a beat or had not heeded the total number of bars within a complete dance routine.

A most memorable and distressing Prince's Street Garden and Edinburgh Castle event, requiring careful planning by often took place in elegant dance halls (even the band leader, occurred in the posh castles) for up to two hundred passionate Assembly Rooms of the Scottish capital highland dancers. On one summer day in city. Unfortunately the band finished a very the open spaces of Prince’s Street Gardens, special, high octane reel with a resolute dominated by the Edinburgh Castle, I flourish eight bars short of the climax of the learned a salutary lesson about the weather! dance! The perplexed dancers walked off A gust of north wind blasted across the stage quite dismayed and offering no applause. while we were playing for a gathering of A fixed glare from the band leader was sufficient warning and a plea to the assembly kilted gentlemen and tartan-skirted ladies.

The wind caused my music sheets to scatter for us to play the missing eight bars was and fly ignominiously across the bows of met by an equally disgruntled glare from the front line-up of musicians. There were all attendants – an unforgiven moment. In irritated glares, masking raw intentions and today’s context, I usually smile comfortingly followed by some new words that one does if a JazzFordian misses a beat or two which not normally associate with the sophistication more often than not are easily re-captured of such a gathering. Even today, in Stanford, by swift tempo adjustments! Proper Scottish clothes pegs are essential for open air gigs Country Dancing is based on dance patterns usually involving six to eight men and women to ensure that music sheets do not become airborne. It is a lesson I truly learned and it dancers dressed in the best Highland finery. still stands me in good stead.

The Highland Ball was a formal affair that

Life's little pleasures Emma Kriel remembers a candid chat over coffee

T

wice a week, around 10:30, when the cleaning lady's gusto reached an unbearable crescendo, my 83 year old uncle, Lois, used to say to me, 'Come, Mouse,' (a family nickname), 'we are going for coffee down the road.'

And arm-in-arm we'd go, down our lane, shuffling slowly, arriving at the 15th century converted barn, complete with thatch, stable door and cobbled floor. This comforting ritual was reserved for him and me. Just him and me. I hadn't known my Oom Lois all that well, yet we were very fond of each other: him being my late mother's glamorous baby brother.

A Holocaust survivor, and the last of a wealthy Jewish family, his had been the life of fast cars, student jaunts, fun women, before moving on to familial respectability.

Comfortable in the ancestral home, he brought up his children in security and plenty: whereas we had reared our own family on a fraction of his comfort, needing the wisdom of the universe to see us through the daily grind. We were thrown together merely because we had loved the same person - except perhaps that we'd sensed in each other something beyond the pleasures and burdens of living.

We sat down at our table, ordered the coffee and as we sipped, Lois said a curious thing, 'You know, Mouse, as you've seen, I've led a charmed life.'

'Yes, Oom Lois" I nodded. 'You have.'

That was a telling statement from one consistently disinclined to introspection and matters of the soul. He lit another cigarette. '...a devoted wife, lovely children, I earned well, delivering lectures world-wide. We enjoyed family holidays twice a year — skiing in Austria, and yachting across the Zuider Zee, stopping for leisurely lunches while the kids rode their bikes.'

Showing no more than a glimpse of emotion, he searched my face, looking for something I might know and he did not, yearning for words of wisdom and comfort.

'Why did I receive so many privileges?'

After a prolonged pause he took my hand, saying softly with trembling voice, 'I should have died along with my school friends, and you know, as I sit here before you, I do not know who to say thank you to.'

I’d never seen Lois like that: a proud man, frail with age, needing to release the burdened guilt before he goes, to me, his niece? He averted his troubled eyes as he held it together, like the brave man he was and I said the only thing I could think of.

'It’s not that you don’t know, Lois. It’s rather that you don’t dare – to say thank you, I mean.'

We held extra close then, as we shuffled back home in silence, arm-in-arm, just him and me.

In Loving Memory of Nellifer Upton who passed away peacefully at 14.51 on 18.8.2014

You were my strength, my talk,my laughter, my song and my light You meant so much to me.

You were so special.

You brightened up the darkest day with your happy smiling face.

I think about you everyday and can't believe you've gone so fast.

Until we meet again you will always be on my mind and remain the only one for me.

Simon

ADVERTISING DEADLINE FOR SEPTEMBER STANFORD RIVER TALK IS 20 AUGUST. PLEASE BOOK YOUR SPACE WITH SANDRA AT 079 523 8453 OR design@stanfordrivertalk.co.za STANFORD RIVER TALK 19

classifieds

Vintage beauty

There is an HONESTY BOX at Stanford Tourism where you can pay for your classifieds. Please enclose the amount in an envelope or design@stanfordrivertalk.co.za • cell: 079 523 8453 SMALL ADS: R1 a word • BOXED ADS: R95

pedicures, manicures, facials massages, waxes, make-up

100% natural

FOR SALE

2 ROOM WENDYHOUSE with verandah (6mx3m) 3 doors, 2 windows.

R15 500 onco Contact Calli 079 873 6811.

Jacolene 082 357 1245 Victoria Centre Stanford

INTHUSIASM NATURAL and Organic Make-up orders. p Ruby yokogirls@gmail.com 072 753 8411.

MOKORO SALE, 50% off many items until Monday 10 August.

SERVICES CAPTURE YOUR 35MM slides digitally. R1 per slide. p Dirk Troost 084 643 4504.

COMPUTER HELP Are you struggling with technology? Don’t know how to upload photos, use Windows, Facebook, etc? Call Ruby and I’ll happily come to your house to help! R50/hour. p 072 753 8411.

PET SITTER Do you need your pets to be fed or walked or loved while you are out of town? Call Sara (12 years old) 072 276 7906.

PILATES CLASSES p Jake Uys 079 468 9060.

Full time data capturing position available at Stanford Spar.

Duties include but are not limited to the capturing of invoices on a daily basis as well as general administrative duties, filing, answering the telephone etc. Please send your CV to stanfordspar@gmail.com or fax to 086 267 4748 Part time cash office clerk vacancy available at Stanford Spar. Some duties include counting of cash daily, preparing and balancing cash floats, daily cashier balancing. Please send your CV to stanfordspar@gmail.com or fax to 086 267 4748

PAUL SLABBERT B Art ET Scien, EAPSA, APHP, IAIA

phs@orcawireless.co.za www.phsconsulting.co.za ENVIRONMENTAL HERITAGE, LAND-USE

Corporate Social Investment Projects www.africanvisionfoundation.co.za

SOLAR ENERGYPumps Solar RENEWABLE Geysers, Heat CONSULTANTS SPECIALISING IN: Solar Panels, Solar Geysers, HeatEnergy Pumps, Audits Underfloor PV ( costs Electric ) Save up toheating, 40% onSolar energy & Energy Audits

Call Mike 083 316 1872 • 028 341 0028 overberg@setsa.co.za • www.solsquare.com

AFRICAN HORSE COMPANY BUSINESS HOURS • Monday - Friday: 8:00 - 17:30 • Saturday: 08h00 - 13:00 • Sunday: 10:00 - 12:00 • Public holidays: 9:00 - 13:00 CLINIC HOURS • Monday - Friday: 8:00 - 16:00 • Saturday: 08:00 - 12:00 • Public holidays: 9:00 - 12:00

T E L: 028 384 0637 FA X: 028 384 0455 epharm.gansbaai1@telkomsa.net H O O F W E F 29 ͳ G A N S BA A I. STANFORD RIVER TALK 20

guided multi-day trails & outrides along the whale coast & through unspoilt nature reserves. +27 (0) 82 667 9232 omstables@telkomsa.net www.africanhorseco.com

Private sale A large, magnificent plot is for sale in Buiten Street which retains the rural charm of Stanford’s farming days, with the convenience of being part of this wonderful village.

SIZE: 976m2 PRICE: R850 000 CONTACT DI ON 082 558 3916 OR di.mohr@iafrica.com

BOXED ADVERTS ONLY R95 PER MONTH

local services & facilities ACCOMMODATION A Stanford Country Cottage Bambi Cottage Beloftebos Cottages Morton Cottage Mosaic Farm Reiersvlei Stanford River Lodge The Country Cottage Villa on the Bay

.

List your business for just R12.50 a month (only R150/year).

Email: design@stanfordrivertalk.co.za or telephone 079 523 8453

082 320 0982 082 781 1704 082 391 5331 082 450 3970 028 313 2814 082 213 0512 028 341 0444 083 553 0663 082 336 1573

ARCHITECTURE Guy Whittle Grant Anderson Maureen Wolters

CUPBOARDS Youre Style Cupboards

weekly timetable

PLUMBING Mike Moody

083 316 1872 028 313 2814 028 341 0116 028 341 0272 028 341 0651 028 341 0662

HAIR Jeanne Retief

072 318 2478

HOTEL Stanford Hotel

082 781 1704

RESTAURANTS 1892 Stanford Spookhuis Barke Restaurant Marianas Springfontein Eats The Vine

HOUSE MANAGEMENT Stanford Country Cottages Village Laundromat

082 320 0982 072 616 0976

REMOVALS The Little Removals Company

HOME MAINTENANCE Stanford Country Cottages

082 320 0982

TELEVISION/DSTV Rod Dacre Television

073 160 4495

INTERIORS Kiwinet Maureen Wolters

028 341 0209 082 450 3970

073 318 5078

'MASSAGE & HEALTH Stanford Health Practice

082 481 8285

WEDDING VENUES Beloftebos Mosaic Farm Stanford Hotel Villa on the Bay

082 391 5331 028 313 2814 082 781 1704 082 336 1573

076 222 2063 082 327 6518

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES Klein River Picnics Platanna River Cruises River Rat Boat Cruises

028 3410 693 073 318 5078 083 310 0952

083 358 6365

COMPUTERS Compuworld SMB Solutions 084 705 6719 CONFERENCE CENTRE Mosaic Farm

028 341 0961 028 341 0961

072 825 7534

076 113 2741 072 364 3694 082 450 3970

BICYCLES Bicycle servicing and repair

028 341 0708 082 893 2282 072 111 9321

PETS & PET CARE Stanford Kennels Syringa Country Kennels

GARDEN SERVICES Earthworm Organics

ACCOUNTING & TAX SERVICES Maryke Brandt 072 172 9545 Allan Youens 082 903 4432 ALTERATIONS Cait's Sewing Services

ESTATE AGENTS Pam Golding Stanford Village Properties

WINE CELLAR & SALES Springfontein Wine Estate Stanford Hills Estate

074 381 1111

028 341 0651 072 371 7546 028 3410 841

028 313 2814

Tuesday 17:30 & Friday 08:30, Maitri Yoga, Tasha Saha, 076 968 8608.

Monday 11:00, Yoga, 084 685 2641, Viv von der Heyden, 23 Quick Street.

Monday 17:00, Running Time Trials 5km, corner Adderley and Longmarket, last Monday of each month at Stanford Hills Estate.

Monday & Wednesday, Canoeing, Slipway Church St, John Finch 028 341 0444, Jan Malan 082 452 9877.

Tuesday & Thursday 17:00 to 18:00, Tae Bo, Okkie Smuts School Hall, Ronnie 083 655 4521.

Tuesday & Thursday 17:30, Cycling, cnr de Bruin & Moore Streets, Sunday 08:00 Caltex Garage David Morrison 082 321 7996, John Finch 082 378 1935.

Wednesday, 18:30, Rotary Stanford Club Meeting, The Vine Restaurant. Everyone welcome. Malcolm 084 441 0961.

Thursday 18:30 - 21:30 Heal Your Life® Evening Group Sessions 071 382 9033.

Friday 08:30, Yoga, 084 685 2641, Viv von der Heyden, 23 Quick Street.

Friday, Canoe Time Trials, Slipway Church St, John Finch 028 341 0444, Jan Malan 082 452 9877.

Saturday, 09.30am – 12:00, Stanford Saturday Morning Market, Stanford Hotel Veranda, 028 3410 591.

WHERE TO WORSHIP IN STANFORD NG GEMEENTE STANFORD Sondae 9:00 in die kerkgebou. Office, tel 028 3410 966.

ST THOMAS ANGLICAN CHURCH Morton St, contact Father Joseph Gabriëls 028 3410588 First Sunday of the month 10:30 Communion (Afr) Second Sunday of the month 10:30 Service (Afr) Third Sunday of the month 08:00 Communion (Eng) Fourth Sunday of the month 10:30 Service (Afr) FULL GOSPEL CHURCH OF GOD cnr Queen Victoria & Bezuidenhout St. 09:30 Sunday service. Pastor Johnny van der Schyff • 028 3410 422.

VG KERK (next to De Bron School) 10:00 Sunday morning. Maureen Diedericks 028 3410 691.

STANFORD UNITED CHURCH, meets at St Thomas Church, Morton St. Interdenominational.

English service at 6pm Sunday. Bible Study, 7pm Tuesday night at 45 Queen Victoria St. Secretary Kerri Brokensha 028 341 0077.

WATER TESTING

STANFORD - RETICULATED DRINKING WATER RESULTS

STANFORD - RIVER WATER RESULTS

The treated sewerage outlet point into the Kleinriver is at the slipway at the end of Du Toit Street. The stream in the middle of town, starting in the dip in De Bruyn Street, is partly fed by the treated effluent from the waste water treatment works which gets complemented only in winter, by the overflow of the two dams in the middle of town. The two sampling points for the river are thus respectively known as under and above the treated sewerage outlet point.

Escherichia coli (E.coli) – bacteria that is a normal inhabitant of the human intestine. Its presence in a sample indicates pollution from human faeces.

Total Coliform bacteria – is the name for all the bacteria that produce gas and acid from the fermentation of lactose and its presence in a sample indicates pollution from the intestines of both humans and animals.

Heterotrophic Plate Count – is a standard microbiological method used to determine the efficiency of operations to remove or destroy organisms, good and bad, during the treatment process.

Determinant (e. Coli) Under treated Above treated Sewerage Standard Sewerage Outlet poin Outlet point (Bridge R43 0-130/100ml (Jetty next to erf 396) to Hermanus)

DETERMINANT E. coli STANDARD (0/100ml)

0

0

MAY

727

517

Total Coliform bacteria STANDARD (10/100ml)

0

0

JUNE

2419

2419

Heterotrophic Plate Count STANDARD (5000/100ml) 770

MAY

JUNE

0

STANFORD RIVER TALK 21

August

A message from the Christian Forum

The month August was named after Caesar Augustus after he defeated Anthony and Cleopatra. Christians are so named after Christ Jesus who defeated Satan and died for us, but alas for many the responsibility of carrying that name is not realised. In the Jewish culture the month of August falls within the month 'Elul' which is a time of preparation for the Day of Atonement. 'Elul' is seen as a time to search one’s heart and draw close to God, and also the time to begin the sometimes-difficult process of granting and asking for forgiveness – making right with God and fellow man. Is this not something that we as Christians should be doing, not just annually but as a daily action?

In 1 Joh.1:7, 9, the Word of God tells us: 'But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' This is a very clear picture of the path of atonement we should be following. As has often been said by many, it is most difficult to be honest with oneself. The big problem is to see ourselves from God’s perspective. To attempt to do this is a most humbling experience, but one which brings us to the point of true confession and repentance. Repentance is being sorry enough to quit doing wrong.

To search one’s heart is to truly listen to one's conscience and bring those hidden things to the fore. We then tell God about it. He knows about it but wants us to acknowledge it before He can start dealing with it, cleansing us and bringing peace. Atonement means to make amends, but we as mortals cannot do anything to make right with God all that we have done wrong.

Here is grace indeed that Jesus Christ died for us so as to make amends on our behalf before God the Father. Jesus paid for our sin and atoned on our behalf. All that we can and need to do is to acknowledge our wrong and our need for newness of heart and to ask for forgiveness. He is faithful and just to forgive, cleanse and bring us into a right standing with God the Father.

Rev. Hildie Pansegrouw

WHAT'S ON • Every Wednesday, Graze Farmers Market, 09:00 – 12:00, Get your fresh veggies at Graze Restaurant.

• Saturday Morning Market – every week 9:30 –12:00 Farmers, crafters and hobbyists have gathered together to bring you home-made and home-baked goodies from the heart!

• 6 Aug, Wine and Wisdom, 19:00, Wine & Wisdom Quiz Evening, Birkenhead Brewery. R50 pp, proceeds to Stanford Conservation Trust. Food and drink extra. Essential to book, contact Annie Ranger ranger@reedcottage.co.za • 14 Aug, Sop en Sjerrie aand. Fundraiser for Okkie Smuts Primary School. See page 9.

• Wednesday, 26 Aug, Livingston Unplugged, Stanford Hills Estate, Limited tickets available R80, please call us 072 639 6135 to reserve yours. Cash bar & food for sale.

• Thursday, 27 Aug, Stanford Tourism AGM, 18:30 at Birkenhead Brewery • Saturday 29 Aug, David Grier, 11:00, NG Church Hall, Well-known speaker and adventurer, David Grier, will take us on inspirational running journey around the world.

Light refreshments served after the show. Tickets are R75 and available from Antjies, Yum Eat Cafe, Graze or any Stanford Rotarian. Funds raised will go towards Rotary projects in Stanford.

WHAT’S ON IN HERMANUS • 6 – 10 Aug, Kalfiefees, www.kalfiefees-hermanus.co.za • 7 – 9 Aug, Hermanus Wine & Food Festival Hemel en Aarde Village, www.hermanuswineandfood.co.za COMING SOON • Friday, 4 September, Stanford Classics Join us for the return of five international musicians from the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra. They have performed around the world for numerous prestigious orchestras, as well as regular outdoor concerts in the Kruger National Park in aid of counter poaching. They are a favourite with guests at the now famous annual Wine, Whale and Music weekend at De Hoop. NG Kerk, Stanford, 19h00, R120 / R60 scholars. Food and drinks will be for sale. Tickets at Stanford Tourism 028 341 0340, book@stanfordinfo.co.za

email your events to design@stanfordrivertalk.co.za

RAINFALL STATISTICS

STANFORD RIVER TALK 22

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

ave

Jan

8.5

19

14

35

37

104

23.4

32.7

Feb

11

17.5

20

16

16

17

18.2

16.5

March

20.5

20

26

28.5

29

25

14

23

April

27.6

30

56

53.3

54

48

13.3

29.7

May

55

66.5

83

43.5

55

30

33.2

62.1

June

106.3

91.5

88

86

84

139

160

107

July

97.5

43

56

103

33

91

109.5

Aug

89

46

74

125

234

41

97

Sept

88

35.5

25.5

73

60.5

42

56.9

Oct

92

50

25

111.5

62

36

59

Nov

31

57

42

26

212

43

71.1

Dec

6

40

23.5

6

5

13

18.3

Year

632

459

533

708

881.5

629

89.5

happy birthday MarosisangTsusane 2 August

Jean Jonker 2 August

Marianne Rossouw 5 August

Lerouna Le Roux 5 August

Ursula Pietersen 9 August

Howard Krut 10 August

Olana Bozekana 13 August

Brian Brokensha 23 August

Tracey Bednall 15 August

Deon Krige 23 August

Leanne Robertson 3 August

Lilia Tsusane 5 August

If your birthday or a special occasion is coming up, please email design@stanfordrivertalk.co.za or sms 079 523 8453.

Matthew Erwee 4 August

Hildie and Jean Pansegrouw 3 & 31 August

Oyintando Bozekana 5 August

Sandra Slabbert 8 August

Anton Duivestein 11 August turns 60

Cynthia Hilton 11 August

Ruben Jacobs 12 August

Kobus Koekemoer 18 August

Josie Troost 21 August turns 18

Shannon Moody 22 August

Leigh-Ann van Dyk 24 August

Oyola Apolosi 25 August

Terry Haw 28 August

Ken Garrod 8 August

Phil Murray 12 August

Cathryn Herriot 23 August

Jasper Goss 30 August STANFORD RIVER TALK 23