Photos of me, Ally, Jo & Antony

We had a lot of fun together. It's wonderful that we all got on so well.

Ally's 50th birthday

 Hi there Ally

Just a little note to wish you a very, very happy 50th birthday. Hope you have a very special day and that your 50's are full of love, connection, fun, laughter, wonder and adventure.

There's another very special little being who wants to say "Happy Birthday."  Mackie is now 18.  He's as beautiful as ever and doing remarkably well for his age. His days of ball chasing are over but he still adores sniffing and peeing on just about every bush.

You and I have lost contact, which is entirely natural, but know that I think of you often and it's always with a deep sense of love, affection and appreciation.  You were and always will be the great love of my life.

How wonderful to be able to spend your birthday in South Africa.  Hope you are having a beautiful time there with your family.  Thank you for staying in touch with my family too. They appreciate it so, so much and so love seeing you.

Sending lots and lots of love to you all  💛💚

Graeme & Mack

Photo from Ally's visit with Jo & Antony

Ally's reply

Hey G, 

Sorry it has taken me a while to respond. I have been trying to find the rights words....something you are so good at!

Firstly, thank you so much for your birthday wishes. I had the most awesome trip and day. It was truly special to see everyone in Cape Town including your mom and Jo. Mack crosses my mind often so I loved seeing the pics of him. Seeing his smiling face was so lovely 😍 

I too think of you and sincerely hope you are well and enjoying life. Gosh, we had some really great times together! You taught me so much. I will always be externally grateful for the time we had together - what fun, adventure and love we had. 

Your mom mentioned that you will be going to Antarctica soon. How amazing is that!  Another adventure, I have no doubt you will get the most amazing photos....have fun and hope it us not too cold.

You are a beautiful person and deserve happiness and peace. 

Please take care of yourself and Mack.

Lots of love 💙🤩💚

My reply

Hi there Ally

Thank you for your message and your lovely, affirming words. We both wish so deeply for each other's happiness, and that is such a beautiful thing.

Oh, your doggies are so gorgeous! I am sure that they are the most loved doggie pair in all of Sydney and that they were super excited to see you when you got home!

Yes, I'm feeling so blessed to be going to Antarctica. I got to see 7 polar bears in The Arctic and now I'll get to see hundreds of thousands of penguins in Antarctica. For a photographer lover, it's a dream come true.  We're spending some time in Buenos Aires on the way to Antarctica for team building, so I am sure that will bring back lots of memories of our time there.

Sending love. I hope you're settling back nicely into Sydney life after your time away.  I'm so glad you had such a wonderful birthday and trip.

G

Ally visits Jo and the family

 

Ally and John's wedding

Ally and John got married today.  It was poignant and bitter sweet for me but also kind of joyful. I really do wish them all the happiness in the world together and Ally looks so radiant.  She so deserves to be happy and John looks like a lovely guy.  Maybe I'll get to meet him one day.

Email to Ally on her wedding day

Hi there Ally

Happy wedding day!!  I wish you and John every happiness that life can bring.  I hope your lives together are rich and fun and adventurous and full of wonderful blessings.  You're such a treasure and so beautiful through and through, and I'm sure that John realises how lucky he is and will really, really cherish you.  You deserve nothing less.

I hope your big day today goes well - I am sure it will with all the planning you have done.  I hope it's wonderful day full of fun and laughter and love and family. I'm sure you'll look absolutely gorgeous in your dress - I'd love to see a photo of you in it one of these days.

I'm sure too it must be great having your dad in Sydney.  Hope they have a fabulous time in Australia.  Please send them and Susan my very best.

All speed and I will be thinking of you many times today and sending loving, positive vibes.

Much love
Graeme


Email from Ally

Hi G

Thank you for your very special wishes and your lovely thoughts.

I know that today may not be an easy day for you.....

John is a decent honourable man as you are.

I can certainly feel your postive vibes....The sun is shinning and everyone is happy.

I will send the website with the pics when I have them.

Much love and thanks again.
Ally


Email from Ally to mum and Mike

Dear Jill and Mike

Thank you very much for your kind wishes. It is nearly time for us to leave but wanted to thank you....It means a lot to me of have your message.

Our hair and make-up are done so we nearly ready for a glass of champers.

It has been really wonderful having Dad and Azia here. There have been celebrations every evening with all the guests getting to know each other. Dad has been totally amazed at our lives here. I think now he truly understands why we have moved.

I will send through a more newy email next week but I will send through some pics tomorrow. I know I still owe you pics from my b'day. I am so sorry - my camera is set on high resolution and Kerri will need to make them smaller for me. I don't have G's tech skills. I also need to reply to Jo's very kind email from before my birthday.

G sent me a very kind email today which was very special of him.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend. I will be thinking about you all tonight....what a journey we have all been on over the years.........

Much love
Ally

Ally

Ally and Graeme (1993 - 2009) - A Celebration

"Don't be sad that it's over. Be happy that it happened."  Dr Seuss

I am so very privileged to have had Ally in my life. I couldn't have asked for a more special partner, friend and soul mate. We have experienced so much together. Our official relationship is over but we are still good friends and hopefully we'll remain part of each other's lives for many years to come. Here, for when I'm old and grey, are my favourite memories and photos of our 17 years together.

.Our early years (1993 - 1995)

• Catching my first sight of Ally across a rusty old fence in a camp site in Palmiet
• When we all went for a midnight skinny dip in the Palmiet River
• That indescribably special night on New Years Eve when a feather on the beach brought us together
• Our first date when we snuck into Kirstenbosch at night and had a romantic picnic on the slopes overlooking the city lights
• Ally's 20 th birthday party on Llandadno beach
• How much fun we had at the "Kitch party"
• Getting stuck in the middle of the lake at the Yacht Club party
• Surprising Ally with Chinese dinner in my room - a very special evening
• Leaving little love notes all over Ally's room
• Our third month anniversary at Melkbos after our romantic dinner at "On The Rocks"
• The first time Ally said "I love you" and knowing that she truly meant it
• Saying "ffff- first" whenever we experienced something together for the first time
• Camping at Bain's Kloof
• Our song: "Only You"- and how it originated
• The joy on Ally's face when we bought a full set of Lanquedoc products
• Camping at Palmiet with our friends, including Eleda and Peter
• Our trip to The Graham's Town festival with Julian
• How cute Ally looked as a pirate at her 21st birthday party
• Having romantic lunches at Le Petit Ferme
• How gorgeous Ally looked at the Viennese Ball in her velvet green dress
• Calling Ally "Allykins" - then later on calling each other "My love"
• "Have I told you lately that I love you? No. Well I do. Still? Always"
• Our romantic weekends away at Mc Greggor, Montagu, Greyton, Elgin, Citrusdal, Hermanus and Franschhoek
• Rowing on the lake at Elgin Lodge
• The way that Gramps adored Ally and how she called him her "Number 2 Hug Man"
• The beautiful, creative cards that Ally made me to commemorate special occasions
• Ally moving into Willow Road with me
• Ally's delight when I took her on a surprise date to watch Madam Butterfly
• Asking a jeweller to make us a little feather out of gold to remember how we came together
• Our trip to Joberg to meet Ally's dad and Aisa
• Sleeping out on the the balcony in Willow Road
• How we used to re-affirm our love through Ally's ring by taking it off and putting it back on
• Our picnics at Jonkershoek
• Our holiday at Storms River and Natures Valley
• Watching the special bond that grew between Ally and Sally that remains to this day

Travelling together (1996 & 1997)

• Our wonderful week at Paradise Island in Mozambique - especially using candle light in our room and lazing on the tropical beach and drinking coconut milk
• How much I missed Ally when she was living in the UK and I was in Cape Town and how great it was to be re-united
• Our road trip to The Lake District and through Scotland - especially Ally reading Beatrix Potter Stories as we drove and Ally's excitement in getting in touch with her family heritage at Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye
• Our whirlwind trip through Europe to Italy - especially experiencing our first snow together on a mountain peak in Switzerland
• Our special time spent driving through Southern Ireland - especially hugging an ancient rock, peering over the spiritual Cliffs of Moher on our bellies and most of all, rowing out to our very own ruined castle on a little island in the middle of a beautiful lake
• Ally's amazing travel journals, written from the heart and crammed full of such wonderful memories
• Our memories of Turkey - especially our lazy days at Butterfly Valley and the Olympus Tree Houses
• Our memories of India - especially our very special, romantic lunch at The Lake Palace in Udaipur, having a miniature elephant painted for our printer's tray and watching the sunset from the Monsoon Palace
• Our memories of Thailand, especially the joy on Ally's face of visiting the elephant sanctuary in Lampang and our spirit replenishing time on the Island of Ko Bulane, sleeping in the forest and swimming in the moonlight

Cape Town years (1998 - 2000)

• Doing up Willow Road together when we returned from overseas, especially the beautiful curtains we chose and realising we had the same taste in things
• Our fun weekends away with the Hardcore Hiking Club
• Christmas 1998 at Willow Road - Ally put on such a magnificent spread!
• Our wonderful summer spent with Colleen, Mike and Russell, especially the day that Clifton turned warm
• Regular sundowners at Clifton Beach
• Ally's naughty streak - especially when she instigated our group skinny dip at the Houenought Hotel!
• The happiness I felt when Ally said "yes" when I proposed on New Years Eve 2000 at a party in Swellendam
• The amazing way in which Ally organised the wedding in only 6 weeks
• How I felt when I saw Ally for the first time on our wedding day - she looked so absolutely radiant and beautiful it made my heart almost burst
• Lieing in the river in Franschhoek at the B&B where we had our honeymoon and feeling like the most contented person in the world
• Signing our bill at the Franschhoek Pancake House as Graeme Myburgh loves Ally Myburgh (husband and wife)
• Finding flower petals on our bed when we returned home from our honeymoon
• Doing the Otter Trail with Mike and Colleen - and the idyllic few days we all spent at Buckaneers Backpackers in Cintsa

London years (2000 - 2003)

• Our flat at Hammersmith Grove - especially climbing out of the window and sitting on our "balcony"
• Eating delicious meals together at "The Grove" restaurant below our flat
• Our romantic dinner at The Oxo Towers for my 30th birthday - when we mistakenly ordered a bottle of dessert wine instead of a glass. I got presidedly tipsy!
• Our winter visit to Cambridge to see Amanda and Johnathon - not knowing we would live there ourselves just a few years later
• Ally's smile when she wrote "I love you" on the ice frosted window of our hired car
• Reading the Harry Potter books together
• Weekends away to visit the Davidsons
• Having Jo and Anthony and Sammy and then mum and Mike come to stay with us
• Ally's amazing, unwavering support of me when I was out of work and when I went to the Middle East as a tour leader
• The excitement I felt when Ally bought me a mini disk player for Xmas
• Our very special week in Barbados - Ally insisted we go and it was just what I needed. We had such a special time.
• How cute Ally looked in her devil horns at her 30th birthday party
• Having Adam to stay and how Ally nurtured and supported him through a difficult time
• Our wonderful holiday in Croatia - especially snorkelling with turtles and our walks together
  

Cambridge (2004 & 2005)

• Our amazing time together in Cambridge (one of the happiest times of our lives), including:
• Ally's delight when I showed her Brooklands Court, the apartment I "hunted" for us
• Punting together along the River Camb
• Weekend and evening strolls in the Cambridge Botanical Gardens and at the local nature reserve
• Our romantic evening picnic in the Cambridge fields
• Cycling along the banks of the Camb
• Dinners and lots of laughter with Amanda and Johnathon
• Our mutual love of our orchid
• Visiting the centre of Cambridge on Saturday mornings, browsing the library and stopping off to have yummy crepes for lunch
• Eating at Nandos, one of our regular haunts
• Xmas at Brooklands Court with Kerri
• Our weekend away in East Bourne with Colleen and Steve
• Our weekend in Prague - especially our romantic ride on a horse ridden carriage and our special dinner at a lovely restaurant overlooking Prague at night
• The look of delight on Ally's face as she fed the lambs at Wimpole Estate
• Working on Ally's HR plan for World Challenge together - and what a great team we made.  We wowed them!
• Our trip to Western Australia, especially snuggling up in the cosy cabin at Shannon National Park
• Our fifth year wedding anniversary when we made each other cards with exactly the same theme
• Having Ally with me on a business trip to Amsterdam - it no longer felt like work
• Experiencing the Last Night at the Proms
• Proudly showing Mum and Mike our apartment and Cambridge when they visited us
• Being able to show Ally one of my favourite places, Dahab in Egypt and learning to dive together - especially holding hands as we swam through the beautiful coral
• Our holiday to the Canadian Rockies - especially standing together looking out onto the beautiful Morraine Lake

South America and Cape Town (2006)

• Having Ally on my knee when I was the naughty Santa at The Hardcore Hiking Club Xmas party
• Signing our names at the top of Hoar Hut on the Wit Els Hike
• Our amazing adventures through South America, especially:
• tucking into our big steaks in Buenos Aires
• our special "high tea" at Bariloche
• seeing Ally's wonder at the Iguassu Falls
• meeting Doug and Claudia on our ferry trip in Chile and playing drinking games with the youngsters
• cooking our supper together (and making everyone jealous with our culinary masterpieces) near the top of Torres del Paine
• our somewhat lewd frolicking in the mud at Parati
• lazing together on the beaches of Isla Grande
• Ally looking smoking hot in her new red dress in Rio de Janeiro
• playing the fool at Uyuni Salt Pans and Ally's amazing photo of our group leap
• doing the Inca Trail with our special friend, Russell
• setting up our tent in a secluded valley below Cotapaxi and having the whole park to ourselves
• our magical, unforgettable time cruising around the Galapagos Islands and our shared joy in swimming with seals and turtles

Australia (2006 - 2009)

• Landing at Perth excited (and nervous) about our new adventure together
• Our road trip from Melbourne to Sydney in our new car, exploring along the way
• Our first taste of Sydney including seeing The Sydney Opera House for the first time and pigging out on sea food with Doug and Claudia
• Meeting Ally's family in Brisbane
• Staying in Manly Lodge and Ally's delight in its big bubble bath
• Our excitement at moving into our flat at McMahons Point with its wonderful views
• Pinching ourselves as we watched The New Year fireworks over the Sydney Harbour Bridge from our flat
• Our friendly parrots who we hand fed from our window
• Houseboating on the Hawkesbury River with Doug and Claudia and Ally cleaning us all out at poker on our "Bond Night"
• Ally's wonderful hospitality when we had Dorothy, Brendan and mum and Mike to visit
• Having Kerri to stay with us
• Ally making us a surprise cake to celebrate our blog's fifth birthday
• Ally as a beautiful bridesmaid at Colleen and Steve's wedding in Cape Town
• Special times with Brendan and Eva
• Exploring Northern Queensland together - especially our stay at Cape Tribulation and discovering Jack Reacher together
• Our road trip to Brisbane to spend Xmas with Ally's family - and how cute Ally looked with her face painted
• Exploring Tasmania together - especially our stay on Brunee Island and our walk round Dove Lake
• Our weekend trips to Capertee Valley, the Blue Mountains, Kiama and Jervis Bay
• Ally, the Queen of Photographing Myburghian Leaps
• Our regular walks at Manly and Bondi
• Exploring New Zealand with Mum and Mike - especially lazing together in the pools of hot water beach
• Our marathon TV viewings of Rome, Spooks and 24 - we were both addicted!
• Our mutual love of the movie "The Notebook. It made us both cry.
• Exploring the Northern Territories - especially swimming together in the rock pools at Litchfield National Park
• Our excitement at finding and moving into our new home in Waverton, then buying furniture and plants
• Our excitement in sharing our new home with our friends including our first dinner party, trying out the new barbecue, our house warming, our South African evening and Ally's birthday
• Sharing a canoe as we rowed down Kangaroo Valley
• Celebrating Australia Day and both feeling proud to be Australian
• Having Jo to stay in our new home and then mum and Mike
• Ally's insistence that we try out Mack for a weekend - and of course it was love at first sight for both of us
• Our ritual Saturdays at The Sydney's Farmer's market with friends

Things I will always love about Ally

• The way in which she came into my life when I so needed someone to love me for who I was.  She literally transformed me.
• Her honesty, loyalty and integrity - so much part of who she is
• Her sense of fun and ease with which she laughs (even at my jokes when she'd heard them so many times)
• Her love of hugging and her ability to show affection
• Her love of exploring new places - something she learned from her dad
• Her love of elephants and the way her eyes shine when she talks about baby ones
• Her creativity in making beautiful cards and necklaces and cross stitches
• The way she loves my family and keeps in touch with mum
• The special bond she had with my beloved Gramps
• The fact she is as comfortable in camp clothes as in smart evening dress
• Her extraordinary generosity
• Her passion for food and her wonderful cooking (especially her experiments!)
• The way she keeps her special friendships alive by always being there and always keeping in touch
• Her incredible ability to get things done when she needs to and her practical minded approach to solving everyday problems.  Oh, to have some of that!
• How she always loved and supported me exactly as I was, never demanding that I be anything different. It was the greatest gift she could ever have given me. It's something I can really learn from.
• Her passion for all things kitchen and her passion for setting up home
• The wonderful mum she will make - her children will be so very lucky to have a mum like her
• Her passion for keeping memories alive through scrap books, mementos (niknaks I used to call them), travel journals and snap shots - the true, priceless value of which I have only learned later in life
• The fact that Ally will always be part of me

Our early years (1993 - 1995).

Travelling together (1996 & 1997)

Cape Town Years  (1998 - 2000)

.

 

 

London Years (2000 - 2003)

Cambridge Years (2004 & 2005)

Cape Town and South America (2006)

Australia Years (2006 - 2009) 

..these are the memories I will cherish for a lifetime


Related links

• Ally and Graeme - our early relationship
• Meeting Ally
• Photos of  beautiful Ally
• Our wedding (Feb 2000)
• All posts tagged "Ally"