New Dimensions

This is Maggie's quilt. A while ago she made one for a friend and chose a pattern for a future project. Last year we received some material off-cuts from someone and she had the bright idea to start with her project. Just looking at all those pieces of material made me wonder what she was going to do with them. It took her 4 months of hard work and lots of creativity to come up with the end product. Maggie stuck to her guns and never gave up. Hundreds of blocks were laboriously sized and cut, then pieced together, resulting in this beautiful design. She was even told that it wasn't a quilt and that she was just creating patchwork. Who cares. It looks fabulous and is cosey and warm to sleep under during the cold winter nights. One friend even asked her to make one when she saw the photo. The great benefit of having this quilt on our bed is that it isn't heavy like a lot of our other bedding. Awesome work Maggie.

As the sun kissed the distant rooftops, we set out on our bicycles, eager to experience the freedom and escape from the day's stress that cycling brings. The gentle breeze made everything feel lighter, and the world seemed to slow down. At the first corner of the field, two tiny chihuahuas burst out barking and chased after me. I picked up speed, laughing at their determination, and they eventually gave up the pursuit. When I told Maggie (my wife) I was going to ride to get some fresh air, she didn’t hesitate—she switched off her computer and started pulling on her riding gear. She needs no invitation when it comes to cycling. At the next corner, we entered a tunnel of shade beneath the trees and felt the temperature drop considerably. Maggie called it the cold road, and we both shivered with delight. Next, we cruised slightly downhill and accelerated, picking up speed as laughter echoed between us. Another corner brought us back into a sunny patch as we passed Java, our dog, ...

The first time I came across the term cherry picker I pictured workers in a field picking cherries with the sun high in a blue sky, similar to what I have seen in the movies. Somehow I had it wrong because a cherry picker is a magnificent piece of technology that people use to access objects high above the ground, sometimes in maintenance and sometimes in construction - not just limited to those. The picture on the left gives you an idea of just how high these cherry pickers can lift working crew above the ground - it makes me dizzy just thinking of being in that cage at the top. Well, that's how some people make a living being hoisted high up in the air to reach the structures they are building, cleaning or fixing. There are many types of cherry picker machines, some of which are trailer mounted and driven by diesel motors or electric or even both. To get a better idea of some of the most popular machines you can go to http://www.saplatforms.co.za to have a look. The compan...

A swimming pool offers a great way to relax and have fun with friends and family. In South Africa, many homes feature a pool—but is yours safe? Does it have a net or protective covering? S A Pool Nets and Covers is the company to contact for a quotation on a pool net or cover. Their prices are highly competitive, and they ensure that each net is fitted properly to keep your guests and pets safe. S A Pool Nets and Covers also supports the Rhino Fund—a cause that is especially important today. To view examples of their work, visit http://www.sapoolnetsandcovers.co.za . I originally wrote this short blog post on 4 April 2013, just after I created a website for the owner who was obsessed with pool safety. That was over 13 years ago, and he is still my client. In all that time, not a single person or pet has drowned in pools equipped with his safety nets or covers. These few words carry a lot of weight. Thirteen years feels like a lifetime. During this time, the owner has tirelessly advert...

Today is an important day for us in South Africa because our Minister of Finance is going to read his budget speech. I expect him to follow the usual path that he has been travelling for the last couple of years. No big surprises and no big innovations and really no great news. If we are not too critical we will realise that life is like that anyway - it costs. We all love getting something for nothing, but life really isn't like that at all. The vegetables in my garden didn't just appear from nowhere just because I desired them. No, it took hard work to get them there and now all I need to do is to water them and add a little earthworm tea now and then. So then if we approach life expecting to pay the price to get what we want instead of wanting it for nothing, then we will appreciate what we get. On the other hand we need good, responsible leadership to look after this magnificent country called South Africa. We want to be proud of living here again.

When deciding on a name for my blog, I came up with the title “New Dimensions” in 2011. That was 15 years ago. It was something new that I challenged myself to do. I wanted to see whether people would like to read what I wrote. Boy, was I surprised. People from all over the world visited my blog to read my articles. Sometimes I just wrote about my thoughts on life or experiences I had. On other occasions, I wrote about what other people did for a living - the businesses they started. It was a wonderful experience that helped me grow. I did not try to impress people or monetize my blog to enrich myself. I just intended to share my thoughts and experiences with others. They came from places I never imagined, from every continent. I found that amazing, and it inspired me to keep going. All the time, I was desperate to improve my writing skills. My son bought me a book on the subject. Recently, I wrote to the author to tell her how her writing prompt exercises motivated me to keep tr...

This is a new day and New Dimensions is the right place to start my journey into 2013 which is going to be a fantastic year of achievements and experiences.