NOTE: I originally wrote this post before January 6th, when pro-Trump insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol and mounted the biggest threat to American democracy since the Civil War. I’m having a hard time feeling quite so positive today, on January 7th, but this post still honors the way I felt 24 hours ago and will hopefully feel again soon.
I originally planned this to be a 2020 year-in-review post. 2020 was a crazy year for most people in the world and I was no exception.
In 2020 I celebrated ten years in South Africa and 1000 total blog posts. I took a couple of great road trips (see here and here) before covid hit. I blogged nearly every day for the first 100 days of South Africa’s lockdown. I documented an inspiring food relief program in Melville. I experienced the death of the Melville Cat. I made amazing new friends in Katlehong and helped organize a couple of walking tours there.
And of course there was the pandemic-related insanity we all experienced. I spent more time alone and did more emotional soul-searching than I’ve ever done or ever will do in a single year of life. I cried so many ugly tears of sadness, frustration, and rage. I didn’t take a single flight in 2020. I logged onto a seemingly infinite number of Zoom calls. I walked hundreds, possibly thousands, of laps around my house. I binged on Netflix and a million podcasts and listened to Fiona Apple and Taylor Swift for days on repeat.
I’ve decided the two paragraphs above are all I need to say about 2020 at this point. I’ve already written volumes about that year and there are plenty of other 2020 year-in-review posts floating around. I’d rather make this post about the start of 2021 — or rather, the magical week I just spent crossing over from one year into the next.
At the end of 2020 I met someone, in a most fortunate and unexpected way, which in hindsight feels like a winning a million-dollar lottery jackpot that I didn’t buy a ticket for. Due to a series of pandemic-related coincidences, I wound up alone with this person on a farm — super remote despite being only 30 minutes from Pretoria — for seven full days over New Years.
It was one of the most enjoyable weeks of my life, made all the more extraordinary because it occurred at the end of what was objectively a terrible year for basically everyone. I feel really lucky to have experienced such a wonderful week at such a strange time.
Here are a bunch of pretty photos from the week.
Over the course of seven days, we spent a lot of time sitting around the pool eating photogenic snacks.
We spent hours listening to the birds and admiring the sky, the clouds, the sunrises and sunsets, and the impossibly bright full moon.
The property also includes a dilapidated, beautiful-creepy old ruin that was once a house but now serves as a braai area and outdoor kitchen.
So that’s how 2020 ended and 2021 started for me. I don’t want to jinx things, but I could not have asked for a more spectacular — or improbable — ending-beginning. Aside from the continuing horrors of this pandemic, I am so freaking happy.
In case you’re wondering where this blog is headed in 2021…We’re back to a semi-strict lockdown in South Africa, with a new covid-19 variant raging and more positive cases than ever before. So I’m going to lay low and re-focus on my memoir project, which fell by the wayside at the end of 2020. I’m really excited to get started again.
For those of you who are still supporting me on Patreon — you guys are total troopers! — I sent you a voice note yesterday. Expect new written communications by the end of this week.
I wish improbable happiness to all of you in the coming year.
Heather, your positive and uplifting blog was an absolute tonic! We can still believe that good things happen to good people. May 2021 continue on the up-and-up for you and all of us!
Thanks so much, Stan. I’m happy to provide a pick-me-up 🙂
Heather a Happy New Year and all the best wishes for a new and hopefully sparkling and great 2021. Thanks for all your inspiring and lovely blogs last year and good to see that love is still in the air even due or thanks to Corona.
Thanks Maarten. Same to you!
Sounds like the perfect start to 2021, I’m so happy that you are so happy may this year just be the perfect year after all.
Thanks Gail. Yes, let’s keep hoping 🙂
Hi Heather, Happy New Year 2021 everyone!! ????
I love this place – your photos are gorgeous. You always inspire me to put more places on my “let’s go there” list – when we finally get to go again. I am so happy that you are starting this year happy, here in Ireland it is a happy beginning for us as well, at least on the personal level – and hopefully, this year will be a turning point for everybody, on all the important levels ????
Thanks so much, Dagmar. I’ve really appreciated all your comments and support over the past year. All the best in 2021 and hope to see you in SA soon.
Heather, Heather, Heather, how many times to I have to repeat myself? It’s “a million-dollar lottery jackpot for which I did not buy a ticket”! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Happy 2021, and let’s get all that trash back in their trailers.
Hahahaha. You are 100% correct. But sometimes I like to be just a little bit grammatically edgy and dumb-American-sounding to keep people like you on your toes 🙂
Have you tried Digestive biscuits? I think they’re actually the closest to Graham Crackers locally.
You are the second person to mention those! (The other person specifically mentioned oatmeal digestives.) “Digestive” is such an unappealing biscuit name to me but I will definitely be trying them for my next s’more mission.
How lovely! I’m glad you got a week like that.
Thorsten, please don’t turn into a jerk now, k?
I’ll make sure he sees this.
I’m echoing Autumn’s comment; especially the second part! A great way to start the new year 🙂
Thanks Margaret, happy belated new year 🙂
So happy for you, Heather. Smoky transitionng, Thorsten appearing. What a wonderful way to enter 2021, beautiful week in a beautiful setting. i am certain that Thorsten knows and reveres from afar, our dear Smoky, Happy 2021.
Thanks Nancy! Yes, Thorsten has gotten to know Smokey very well through his blogs ????
So glad to see you where able to get out for a trip for New Years. Beautiful photographs and looking forward to your memoir when you finish.
Thanks so much Jessica!
So glad you made a new friend and that you were able to have such a restorative getaway, lucky you 😀 xo
Thanks Lani! I was/am very lucky.
Holding thumbs that 2021 goes as well for you as it began. Happy for you!!!!