In a fit of bizarre enthusiasm I booked Liz and I onto a sailing yacht for New Year’s Eve. Not perhaps the best idea but I had visions of bobbling about watching the fireworks as a cooling light breeze ruffled the sails above our champagne-filled heads. It was not to be: the breeze [...]
Now I (Phil) used to work for Intel (don’t say ‘who?’) in an interesting town called Swindon the UK. When I say that the staff Christmas function was terrible and this was one of the world’s largest companies, I would be understating it greatly! Here at Parker, we take staff Christmas functions very [...]
Now perhaps this isn’t the most exciting or sexy topic on this blog but why is it that you can’t get decent wooden toilet seats in Cape Town? We had the great embarrassment of buying what we thought were seats from managed forests in South Africa, seemed strong and sturdy and then promptly snapped [...]
Really can’t quite believe it but after no less than a year of legal wrangling, No 1 Carstens, the second half of Parker Cottage, is finally OURS! In case you didn’t know, only No 3 belonged to us from last year and so to know that we’re now the official proud owners is just [...]
With great regret we`ve had to let Anton, Parker`s manager since way before Liz and I arrived on the scene go on to greener pastures. Being the head trainer of South Africa`s waiters at SABA (South African Butler`s Academy) is simply too much competition for Parker. But luckily we`ve managed to find a [...]
Liz and I took a day off yesterday (well, a few hours…) to go and explore the Western Cape a bit. There is an annual horse show at Tulbagh, about an hour’s drive from Cape Town which is really sensational. There are all sorts of categories, saddle and carriage included which are all very exciting [...]
We’ve taken on the daunting task of upgrading our Family Suite (Saskia, you forced us into it!) and boy, is it becoming ‘interesting’! First mistake: never believe that installing something modern in something new will work. (Putting a new socket into 100 year old plaster does not work, unless you like replastering the [...]
You know that feeling when you get back from holiday and even though you’re back home, you still feel like you’re there? Liz and I just got back from a holiday in Klienemonde, Eastern Cape. Definitely a place that anyone who likes rivers and oceans needs to visit. There are no less [...]
