The Challenge of Starting Anew
Moving to the farm was just the beginning.
We never had a cohesive dream regarding what we expected to get out of it. Ronald and I wanted to be together, leave the corporate world, and do something of our own.
Our dream grew slowly, as we grew and as our family grew. We certainly never anticipated how hard it would be at times, but then again, who does? I firmly believe that I am a better version of myself, a better person for having moved into the countryside.
The First Big Adventure: The Move
Our first big adventure was the move itself. We lived in a cluster home in Sunninghill, a lovely little two-bedroom, double-garage house with a gorgeous little garden.
Ronald sold his beloved Fred, a 1981 Porsche 911 Targa, to cover the transfer fees on the farm, and I traded my precious Audi A4 1.8T for a double-cab Hilux.
A truck belonging to John, Ronald's twin brother, left earlier in the morning with all of our larger furniture. Friends and family vehicles, along with a trailer, were loaded up with all the clutter and small stuff, ready to leave in a convoy. We'd sedated our two cats for the trip as we didn't think a four-hour car trip would be so great for them.
A Chaotic Start
As I walked out of the garden to put Pippin, my ginger tom, into the car, he, sedated and all, jumped out of my arms, ran down the road, and into a storm drain.
Thankfully, we were still in the complex, and the road and storm drain were spotless.
I had to lay in the road with my head in the drain for a good 30 minutes, talking my poor scared boy out.
Friends and John had gone on ahead, but once we had both cats in the car, we were not far behind.
What a feeling that was, leaving the city and our lives, and rural life (with once-monthly Jo'burg and Woolworths trips already planned) ahead.
Just after we passed the Kraft Road off-ramp near Boksburg, we saw a couple of garbage bags in the middle of the highway and joked, "Imagine they were ours."
They were! We arrived at the farm with no towels or pillows.
A Rough Arrival
It was a long drive, and we'd left later than planned. John's truck had been and gone, and we arrived just after 5 pm to find all of our furniture on the lawn of a very dirty house. My heart sank; I had really hoped to find the house clean, but it was quite filthy. It was late, we were tired, but we put our backs into cleaning the lounge and two of the bedrooms enough to sleep in.
It took a week or more to get the house in order and we were all exhausted.
Pippin ended up finding a hole in the roof of the house and hiding there for nearly six months, followed by another month or so in an aardvark hole in the veld before casually coming home as if nothing had happened.
Malachai, our other cat, adjusted quickly and was soon walking around the farm with us as if he were a dog.
Both of these boys are buried on the farm.
A New Beginning
Despite the challenges and the initial chaos, our first days on the farm marked the beginning of a beautiful journey. The farm started to shape not just our surroundings, but our lives as well. Every corner of the farm holds a memory, and every challenge faced together has made us stronger.
Pippin and Malachai, our two legendary boys, are forever a part of this land, reminding us of the start of this incredible adventure.
As we look back on those early days, we are filled with gratitude for the journey and excitement for the future that lies ahead.
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