HAPPY HEALTHY & PEACEFUL 2009

Sitting here in the quiet of the early morning, on the first day of a brand new Year, I am reminded of my days at boarding school some years ago! ! Autograph Books were the popular thing - I guess the precursor to Face Book; someone wrote in mine and I quote -

The future lies before you like a sheet of driven snow Be careful how you tread on it as EVERY step will show.

I never forgot that!

......and this is how I feel facing a brand new exciting Year full of fresh opportunities and exciting possibilities. Of course there is an economic down turn, there are hideous things happening in the world, but if we just start off by having time for our neighbours, or that smile at a stranger in the street or supermarket, then we can generate a happy and positive vibe and see it grow.

Anyhow enough of the homily ! We wish all our past Guests, recent Guests and future Guests, our way too much spread out family in France, Australia,(and Rorie & Isabel in Tasmania) Ireland, Switzerland (you know who you are!) happiness and health above all.

South Africa is on the cusp of a real shift politically this new Year with elections in the first half and the recent birth of the new party COPE! it is still the most diverse and really great value for money country to visit with food and wines of superb quality. - each Tourist to our beautiful land will enable us to employ more people, and they, in turn, can grow their childrens' futures by the resultant education and upliftment. You are all so welcome so make this your year to visit us. But not all at once as Johan says!

We have had the busiest time over the festive season with some really quite wonderful and appreciative Guests, we even had a Wedding on our premises out on the lawns. Our Staff have been tireless and in the middle of January, when it gets a little quieter, we will be taking time out to have mini-breaks. - but not all at once as Johan reiterates!

I hopefully shall have more time to blog as I have neglected this space horribly - the question " Is anyone out there actually reading it??"

Think Love; Work hard; and the rest will surely follow! Happy lives to you all!

Johan having a very hard day @ THE ARMAGH

Johan is supposed to be hanging the new curtains in the Rafters Restaurant but along came Jonathan from Bramon Wines, between here and Plett, and no second invitation needed!... and what beautiful wines! Of course I had a wee taste also! not bad before 11 am! The Methode Cap Classique is absolutely stunning as is their Sauvignon Blanc AND many others so our day is not all about living in paradise smiling at Guests...the even better news is that he has ordered some cases - so do look out for them when you come to Dinner at Rafters at The Armagh as they will be on our Specials board! By the way anyone can come to Dinner here it is not just residents...AND we have a really special Christmas Lunch planned - Christmas Lunch without all the frills But also particularly catering for the budget conscious Let us know by email if you are interested in Booking. We have a particularly good Menu. It was a real hit last year and this year we have thought out some new dishes for your pleasure.

Happy day!

Mini-Holidays & the NEW Candlewood Cottage

We went away up the Wild Coast for a tiny holiday - 9 hours drive - BUT what a wonderful time we had...I am putting some photos on this Blog so you may see what an absolutley beautiful place it is; peace and tranquility like a byegone era and emphatically ' far from the madding crowd'

Before we left we had virtually completed the Candlewood and I am now posting a few interior shots...Bookings are rolling in and we expect our first occupants later this week when the final tweaks have been tweaked by us and the Builders.

- we are looking forward to a very busy Holiday season.

Time flies!

Wow! Tuesday already and not a word from me this week! I was waiting to be able to report real progress on the Candlewood Cottage. But YES! there is really! - we received the Xtra length king size bed with its glamorous head board this afternoon with all the lovely bedding. The builders are still finishing off tiling and cupboards and the P G Glass man still must return to fit glass panels in the shower and by the free-standing bath - that is scheduled for tomorrow. So gradually we are getting there and tomorrow we will be in a position to load some pictures as the sun has promised to shine for a photo shoot.

Johan has just come in and reported that despite the soft rain falling on his head he has managed to make real progress with the path ( gravel and brick) leading down to the Cottage.

So we are all having a very productive day!

Lourika has been busy uploading new pics onto our website today so these will appear within 24 hours. Don't forget to keep your eyes in that direction also.

Watch tomorrow for the promised photos!

Fresh supplies of wine from the Montagu/Robertson/BonnievaleEstates

Today we have sunshine! Can you even begin to imagine how amazed and excited we are?!! I am afraid that the whole Coast has taken a battering this past 4 - 5 days. Such a huge volume of rain brings problems;- the water table rises, the Bathrooms are affected as the mud mingles with the normally pristine bore-hole water, the gutters cannot cope, and the rooms become wet at their entrances and inside on the carpets. The Guests naturally are frustrated and cross as they came ostensibly to ' sunny South Africa ' - so you can imagine the collective sigh of relief as life returns to normal.

Johan braved all that bad weather yesterday in order to visit our wine estates, driving there and back all in the one day - approx. 1000 kms - just to put that wine back on the wine list. So here is a picture of Gordon, the Gardener and multitasker extraordinaire helping to bring those precious wine boxes from the bakkie.

The stairs leading up to the new Cottage I shall feature in my next posting. Meanwhile we are all out in the sunshine !!

Candlewood Cottage Update!!

I promised some word on the Candlewood - no photos - as it is a wee bit wet here in the Tsitsikamma. How else do you expect it to be such a lush green area!?

The electrification work is complete and the carpentry work is well on its way, shelving is being installed in the dressing room, cupboards in the mini-kitchen, and by the fireplace, mirrors and glass panels are being fitted in the bathroom, and the stairs for the outside access to the patio have arrived...very very exciting!! Hopefully tomorrow we shall have the sun again and the photo of the new stairs can then be featured.

And when you ask will this Cottage be ready for occupation? We are now thinking that it will be the middle of next week so keep your eye on developments here!

We are so fortunate here to have such lovely builders; 2 local guys Willie and Stoof and their team who are really dedicated efficient and professional.

More tomorrow as we are very busy here in the Guest House and the Rafters Restaurant with full houses every night..in both! How thankful we are as we can hire and keep hiring the locals and ensure that their children have a better future.

Damage Control Birthday Cake!

I just could not resist sharing this with you all out there.

My son Stephen, wife Charlotte, and the 3 grand-children; Hubert Rufus and Ferdi were visiting from France for a very short school holiday. Stephen celebrated his Birthday while with us in the Tsitskamma, and here Johan is trying to prevent two over eager boys from stealing Stephen's moment at the Candle Blowing ceremony.....!

Natalie opening her present!

I was not sure how to show 2 pictures so I am doing a separate posting so that we can have the 2nd picture!

We wish Natalie well in her new position at the Spa!

Natalie,our Manager, moves across to Spa

Yesterday, Sunday 09 Nov 2008 we had a little farewell for Natalie who has decided that the Spa needs her more that we do at the Armagh! Tsitsikamma Mountain Spa has indeed been very busy and so Robyn will have Natalie to assist with the Bookings and the admin as well as learning some of the Beauty Treatments herself.

Our new Manager, Kathryn, arrived today and she is being trained by Johan and is already slotting is very nicely indeed but more of that later!

I am posting the pictures of our Staff at the farewell party and Natalie about to open her present.

Tomorrow I shall give you all an update on the progress of the Candlewood Cottage!

Wow! it has been a busy time for us so no postings on our site!

Things are moving on with the new Cottage and I shall have more photos later in the week so you may share the progress with us; we do think we shall be open for Business around 15 November 2008! The Builders have popped in over the week-end to varnish all the freshly sanded wooden floors and soon the cupboards and fireplace will be fitted to it is now getting very exciting. The Big King size extra length bed has arrived at The Bedroom Shop in Plettenberg Bay and has duly gone off to Bay Decor where the upholstering will take place.

I am attaching a wonderful photo showing how much we are surrounded by fynbos and forest in our stunning area. Our swimming Pool is just set in the middle! This photo was taken from our Africa Loft by Dawie van Wyk who has just completed a Virtual Tour of our Guest House. This will shortly be flighted on our website and will give you all a better idea of how things really are at The Armagh....

Piano has been exchanged for a Bath Essenhout Room

Here is the picture promised to all of those Guests who stayed in the Essenhout Room over the years where the piano occupied pride of place - a lovely story of Piano Rescue - it has been placed in the Rafters Restaurant, and now we have the most romantic set up in the middle of the Essenhout Room - we look forward to you, our Guests, past and future, enjoying this recent upgrade and innovative bathing arrangement!

Touching Base Again

I have been so busy that the blog has been a bit neglected (to say the very least!) so today I am featuring the Builders caught on camera last night as they left the Candlewood Cottage site!

I know that you are going to say that it is dangerous them sitting on the back of the Bakkie but it is just a sort distance - a matter of one Km to their homes; this is how we do it on the rural areas of South Africa!

The Cottage has had a bit if a set-back as one of the Builders, Stoof, has become ill so delays can now be expected. We have become very philosophical about this, feeling that it will work out and we shall still set the deadline for 15 November 2008.

In the actual Guest House, Armagh, we have had busy days and nights with the Guests booking both into the rooms and the Restaurant so we are happy and busy and the weather is absolutely gorgeous which keeps everyone in a very good mood!

The Waterfall Trail, at the start of the Otter Trail, is now open again - it had been affected by recent severe seas two weeks ago but thankfully is now back in action; it is a stupendous walk all along the coast just getting a wee bit difficult as one actually approaches the Waterfall itself; so strong shoes and caution is recommended.

The other news is that we have had a film crew for the past two days; the purpose to show-case our Guest hosue and lovely natural gardens, Pool, and Spa in a new Virtual Tour on our website -so watch this space - we hope that this will be flighted within about 10 days so then you can actually revel in the space that we have and no surprises await.

Johnson, our Night Porter cum Handyman, is presently painting the stoeps on the right wing of the Guest House, so I cannot gain access to show what we have done in the Essenhout Room where a free standing bath has been installed - will update on that new look tomorrow!

Opening of Armagh Country Lodge Storms river Tsitsikamma South Africa

There I was so amazed at becoming a Blogger I wrote the wrong date for the opening of the Armagh - The Armagh opened for business in August 1994 so we have been going strong now for 14 years...sorry about that mistake.

Candlewood Cottage @ Armagh Storms river South Africa

This is our first ever Armagh Blog and it is very exciting - we are very busy and happy at the Armagh, and as the days and years progress we look forward to letting you share with us our highs and lows. Lets hope there won't be too many of the latter! Thousands of Guests have stayed at The Armagh since we opened our doors in August 2004 and change and development has always been in the air as the tourism demand has increased in our lovely area in the Tsitsikamma, Garden Route.

Our latest acquisition is the Candle wood Cottage set in the heart of the fynbos with mountain views peace and quiet, this is on the same site as the new Tsitsikamma Mountain Spa - on cannot see the spa so dense is the indigenous grwoth surrounding it.

The Cottage will be open,Builders permitting! on around November 05 2008 so every few days we shall be uploading pictures of the progress and then very soon we shall be taking your Bookings