Perhaps for the last time for a while, I’m spending this fourth of July away from the USA. {My Dad and I were trying to remember last night when last I spent one in the USA!} This is my second Fourth in good ol’ South Africa. (I can’t remember how many I spent in Scotland.)

Now. In case Geography isn’t your strong suit, South Africa is in the southern hemisphere.

And in case Weather and Climate aren’t up there too high on your skills list either, that means it’s winter here.

And in case you just don’t know, just because we’re in Africa doesn’t mean it’s always hot.

The Free State (the province where Bloemfontein proudly presides) is known for its cold winters. It’s on the “high veld” at a high altitude {Goo-Goo says 5-odd-thousand feet}. On a high note, the highs can reach the teens on winter days (50s and 60s Fahrenheit). On a low note, the nights tend to below f-f-f-freezing.

Meaning: It could snow. On the fourth of July. What?

All the flags, Hermanus
{Our flags, flying in Hermanus: South Africa, America, and the UK — but we’d prefer the Scottish flag! Can you believe the Bear has a passport for each?}

So I’m celebrating this F-F-F-Fourth of July by honouring the memory of the Boston Tea Party. A hot cup of non-British tea (or six) is warming me up today, and mayhaps I’ll switch over to coffee as often as is reasonable.

Next year I’m having an extra hot dog. Blackened on the grill. With ketchup instead of tomato sauce.

In other news, I only briefly braved a glimpse at these here internets last night to let you know we’d safely arrived in Bloem. I want to more thoroughly report that the trip was fantastic. On our first day of travel we took off at about half past ten in the morning and arrived at our first destination around six in the evening, and the boys handled the travelling beautifully.

The Tank snoozed and played in his little car seat and chose very convenient times to be hungry or to need a change. The Bear enjoyed colouring in a specially-chosen-for-this-trip colouring book (about Pirates) and enjoyed stickering in a specially-chosen-for-this-trip sticker book about trains. Arrrrggggh and choo-choo! And he took a lekker nap in the afternoon.

With the presence of road works delays and the fact that we had to get back in the car, day two was a little tougher. We nevertheless persevered, taking off early and arriving comfortably in Bloem in the mid-afternoon. And e’erbody said Amen.

Thank you for your prayers. HH and I marvelled on more than one occasion at how smoothly things have gone this past week. A week ago we were packing suitcases and selling most of our stuff and trying to decide what to send to the States and tying up a dozen other loose ends. Now here we are, safely a thousand kilometres away with the logistical challenges (and some hard goodbyes) behind us, and two months of recovery and peaceful days (and then some transition!) ahead of us.

The Bear has asked a couple more times about going home and sleeping in his own bed, but he is handling things very, very well. We believe in the power of prayer, and during this season, as we were sometimes too exhausted to pray much, we’re so thankful for friends bring requests before the throne of our behalf.

What a good God we have, Who decided at the beginning we’d be able to speak to Him on behalf of one another.

And for the freedom we enjoy to exercise that gift from heaven as and how we choose, with gratefulness I wish my fellow Americans a Happy Fourth of July. And I wish my dear British friends a Happy Rebellion Day. {Call it what you will, I’m pleased with the outcome. 😉 } And to everybody else, Happy Monday!

xCC