McGregor News
Volume 2, Issue 1 January / February 2011
Christmas came and went....we drove through the Ou Dorp and found these houses decorated so beautifully for Christmas!

New Year's Eve - the whole village participates!

Oliebollen in McGregor
When I was a child in Utrecht my mother made oliebollen every Old Year’s Eve. She make enough so that we could share it with friends and neighbours. in cold European winters this treat used to warm us from top to toe.

We seem to have developed the Oliebollen tradition at Old Year in McGregor! As you have noticed, we do it with an South African twist – ginger beer in stead of ordinary beer. It is nice when two traditions hold hands.

2010 was the tenth time we took to Bree Street. It is also the tenth year that we have been living in this most beautiful village we love so much. This time we could not bake the oliebollen in the street as usual but the strong wind forced us to do it in the shelter of our house. Unfortunately this did rob you of the pleasure of watching the oliebollen popping up from the hot oil.

We have collected R 500.00 for the Heritage Housing Project. Thank you for showing that you care. Also thanks to all who contributed in kind and who helped to make this such a success. You know who you are . We thank you for your spirit of goodwill. It is good to see how friends and strangers meet and wish each another well for the new year.

Enjoy looking at the photographs!

Happy New Year!!
Lies and Hester

and the junior band in McGregor plays too!

      then we were surprised by fireworks on the edge of the Krans on New Year's Eve -

Annemarie van Zijl wrote the letter below in response -
(to see other letters from various residents - Click Here)
9th January 2011

The recent fireworks display in McGregorThis letter is not a personal attack on anyone, but a plea for consideration.

Clearly there is still a need to educate people about the negative aspects of fireworks, in spite of concerted efforts to date by numerous concerned parties and organisations.

A disturbing aspect of the event in McGregor on the night of 31st December 2010, is that our Municipality granted permission for this display.   The Municipality too, needs to be reminded of the disturbance of the peace, distress, anguish and pollution caused.

Why do those of us who can, choose to settle in McGregor?   Surely the peacefulness and simplicity of life here is a drawcard.   I have an abiding memory of midnight at the turn of the century, with candles safely lit in the gardens of Temenos, the church clock chiming twelve, and the utter peace and stillness that reigned:  not a firework or drunken revelry to be heard!   This is a memory that will never leave me.

Other memories that will never leave me, are of the hours I spent in a shower cubicle or the bottom of a wardrobe, pacifying our traumatised, terrified dogs, during fireworks when we lived elsewhere.   Ours were lucky dogs – safe at home.   I invite proponents of fireworks to come with me to any animal care organisation or individual of their choice, to hear first-hand of the effects on domestic animals.  We usually do not even know of the effects on wild creatures.

The decision to hold the fireworks display is also disappointing, in view of the hours of time, energy and expense incurred by caring individuals and organisations to teach the youngsters in our area that animals too, have feelings and suffer pain and fear.   Many of us try to engender a culture of caring and compassion for all aspects of creation, only to have this negated in an instant with thoughtless action and bad example.

I implore villagers and the Municipality to consider the broader effects of fireworks and I sincerely hope that such ill-considered events will never be allowed to be repeated in our very special village.

Sincerely

Annemarie van Zijl
25 Plein Street
McGregor

This year we have 4 unusual dates....

1/1/11......1/11/11.....11/1/11..........11/11/11 

NOW go figure this out.... Take the last 2 digits of the year you were born, plus the age you will be on your birthday this year, and it WILL EQUAL TO 111... if you were born before the year 2000

__________________________________________________________

CONGRATULATIONS André & Kurt !see Country Life Magazine February 2011 You might think eating in McGregor to be a somewhat parochial affair. Far from it. Here, just behind the dusty main street of this Klein Karoo town, is a tiny gem of a restaurant where you can sup on salmon flown in fresh from Norway, succulent bush-fed lamb from Victoria West and the latest ocean catches hauled out of Gordon’s Bay. There was a time, too, when kangaroo, listed of course as kangaroux, just hopped off the menu.To view the article on line click on the link below http://www.countrylife.co.za/index.php?p[IGcms_nodes][IGcms_nodesUID=080134d2ac8460cd89f46c2d09ceab48
_______________________________________________________the new Municipality website - http://www.langeberg.gov.za/

 This interesting report on SOUTHERN AFRICAN FLOODS may be of general interest to the residents of McGregor - Click  here
______________________________________________

The S.W.D. Christmas Choir Union Band Competition

---

Contact McGregor News with your news! ....023 625 1380 or e-mail here