Meeting up with Julian and Juliet in Durbanville

It was wonderful to see Julian and Juliet after so many years. We drove out to there beautiful home in Durbanville with its enormous garden. We got to see Antonio and Alessandro who are all grown up. Then Julian joined Antony, Jo and I on a visit to two local wine farms for a wine tasting and a delicious cheese platter. 

Wine route

From Julian

Hi Graeme, I have recently been struck by pangs of nostalgia and have been going through your blog (again) just to try and catch a glimps of what it felt like to be a little younger and a little more in awe of life. I'm touched by how often you refer to our friendship and treasure the carefree memories. Stay in touch and see you soon. J

Wonderful to see Julian again

Farewell to Willow Road

Well, we've sold Willow Road, our Cape Town house, and it's kind of like the closing of a chapter in our lives. Home from 1990 to 2000, the place is full of special memories.


Some Highlights

• Braais on the balcony
• The view from the balcony and the views of the mountain
• Living with a range of zany, wonderful housemates like Dain, Andre, Oliver, Ben, Eleda, Peter the plumber, Peter the paramedic, Shirly, Russel, Colleen and Rory
• Romancing Ally (including suprise Chinese dinner in my room)
• Sleeping out on the balcony
• Setting the house up with Ally in 1998 when we got back from overseas
• The walk in the mountain above the house
• Strolls to nearby Kirstenbosch
• Feta, the cat
• Pikiswe, our domestic helper (ah, those were the days!)
• Judge and Niki, Eleda's pugs
• Studying for university exams with Julian
• Summer holidays
• Some great parties including my 21st birthday party
• Some fantastic dinner parties
• A couple of family Xmases
• Watching South Africa win the 1994 world cup in the lounge (ecstacy).
• Watching South Africa losing to the Australians in the world cup cricket (run, Alan, run!)
• Lots and lots of cars outside and the dispair of the poor neighbours
• Gerald and the Edwards
• Silvia, my silver monza
• Waking up to the automatic irrigation system at 6 am in the morning
• The wild garden
• Walks up the hill at night to see the amazing views of the suburbs and check out other houses
• The chocabloc garage
• Furniture olympics

Wedding day

Memories don't come more sacred and special.

Wedding Night

The next morning

Honeymoon in Franschhoek

Coming home to find flower petals on our bed

Video of our wedding ceremony

Note to Ally

Card written by Ally on our wedding anniversary

I am blessed to have you in my life
My delicious lover
My best friend
My number 1 hug man

I often tell you that I love you but I don't tell you why - well, here are just a handful of reasons:

• you listen, I mean really listen to me 
• you are interested in all I do
• you support and encourage me to achieve all my dreams
• you kiss me goodnight
• you always look at me with such love and warmth
• you laugh, shout, cry and celebrate with me
• you cuddle me, even in your sleep!
• you want me to be just me
• you kiss me just because you want to

Related links

• More photos of our wedding
• Graeme and Ally (early relationship)
• Ally and Graeme (1993 - 2009)

Julian and Juliet's wedding

Camping at Palmiet River

This is a very special photo. It's from one of our camping trips to Palmiet River. Don't we all look so young! It's one of the only photos I have that has Peter Holliday (top right) in it (he passed away tragically about 8 years ago). It also has Eleda (bottom right) who we have now lost touch with - but have wonderful memories of her exuberant personality. That's Julian Rusconi in the top middle. I wonder what's happened to Steve (top left).

Grahamstown Festival

Meeting Ally

We met in the little camp site in Kleinmond, about an hour and a half out of Cape Town. I went camping with Julian and Ivor and met Ally for the first time accross an old rusty fence. We chatted a bit, then hit it off on new year's eve, thanks to a sea gull that left us a feather on the beach.

Click here for details of our first meeting and our early relationship.

Julian

Special memories

• Studying together for exams with lots of snacks
• My 21st birthday and the "drink young" wine
• Great trips (Gramhams Town festival, Storms River, Natures Valley, Port Elizabeth)
• The pier in PE with Natalie!!
• Lifts to school with times table practice
• Julian´s special relationship with dad
• Playing lima trainds
• Camping at Palmiet and Kleinmond (where we met Ally)
• Family holidays at Pringle Bay
• Outings in Sylvia, the car
• Those Choir days
• Joking around with Kaffin at school
• Rayburn
• Scamp and Holga, their dogs
• Family Xmases
• Playing cricket at Keurboom Road and breaking the window
• Picnic at Silvermine with Juliet
• Swimming at Midway Road and Keurboom Road
• Going to the beach (many times)
• Tennis with Robert
• Roberts amazing solo for the Xmas TV show
• Julian´s 21st