Welcome to the incredible journey of Penny and Andrew:

Universe and Angels:

One of my stories was called Joie de vivre and was set in 2013, it is about my friend Penny.  She opened her heart, the gate and magic unfolded.

In January of 2014, after an incredible 2013, Penny decided to have a workshop to motivate herself and some friends.  She had decided that she needed to focus on money, personal growth, home and travel.  To do this exercise successfully, you have to have a vision board. With passion and emotion you then manifest your dreams and desires and a path should become clear.

Well, Penny’s board turned out to be an emotionally charged dream board about a man.  Astonished, she placed it next to her bed (as per instruction)so that every morning she would awaken to the reminder.  By now, however, it was all she had on her mind.  She was gymming and loving her new firm body, her self awareness had grown and thoughts of men preoccupied her mind.  Internet dating had proved not to work for her, so she just sat back and waited.

On Thursday the 13 February, Andrew McRobert checked into her guesthouse for 2 nights.  Shortly after checking in, he tells her, he will only be staying for 1 as he would like to go and have a look at Clarens, which has been recommended.  This is Valentines Day in South Africa, so Penny of course graciously says that all is well, but he is unlikely to get into Clarens.  She also encourages him to dine at her restaurant Traffords that night.  He leaves seemingly unconvinced.

With Traffords running so well, Penny only goes into the restaurant when it is fuller and the eve of Valentine’s Day is a quiet night, but for some reason, Penny threw on a little dress, fixed her make up and arrived in time for the evening shift.  The first person she sees on entering is, Andrew McRoberts, cleaned up and dashing.  He invites her to join him for a drink. “I don’t normally have drinks with guests, I’m sorry”, and off she goes.  Halfway down the passage, she stops. Why not?  Its quiet?  She proceeds to pour herself a whiskey and sits down opposite him.

Hours pass, stories flow between them, a common line is “I can’t believe I just told you that!” Their eyes are alight, their body language has begun to mimic the other.  The restaurant is now totally empty and they are still engrossed in each other. Andrew eventually says, “I think we should go to bed now.”

“Yes, she says, “I guess we should”.

“Together,” he says.

“Oh no, I could never go to bed with my guest, I just don’t do this!”

“Neither do I, but I think we should”

They didn’t, they went separate ways, both to endure agonising tossing and turning and not a wink of sleep. Valentines morning eventually dawned and Penny went straight to her garden to pick flowers for the day’s events. The window of Andrew’s room opened and he greeted her warmly.  His face was ashen and he looked exhausted.  “Sleep well?”

“No, I didn’t, and I blame you” were his words.

She delivered good strong coffee to him at breakfast and he asked to see her afterwards.

Once again they are totally drawn to each other.  “Is there something between us, or did I just imagine it Penny?”  She confesses the same feelings.  He proposes that she go away with him for the day and night to be delivered home the next day, or spend the morning together and then return for work later, or lastly the most unattractive proposal, he leaves right now so that she can get on with Valentine’s Day. Reluctantly, she is committed to the work.  He leaves with contact details. She spends the 14 February frantic in the restaurant.

Magic

Ronel, Penny’s spiritual “go to” mentor and dear friend gets asked what the cards are saying.  Are the angels in agreement or is this a fleeting muse…..

‘KNIGHT OF AIR’

‘INTELLIGENT, DECISIVE, IDEALISTIC, TIRELESS”

“EVENTS THAT OCCUR WITH GREAT SPEED, TAKE TAIME CAREFULLY TO REVIEW YOUR OPTIONS”

“CREATIVE SOLUTIONS”

“SITUATION: EVENTS IN YOUR LIFE GO INTO HIGH SPEED. YOUR PLANS CAN NOW BE IMPLEMENTED AND YOU SHOULD SEE A GREAT DEAL OF ACTIVITY.  INTELLECT AND CREATIVITY RULE THE DAY, SO ADOPT NONTRADITIONAL VIEWPOINTS. TAKE TIME TO CONSIDER YOUR CHOICES CAREFULLY”

“PEOPLE:  AN EXTREMELY INTELLIGENT PERSON WHO HAS THE ABILITY TO ACT FAST AND THINK EVEN FASTER.  TIRELESS AND ASSERTIVE, SOMETIMES TACTLESS.

ADDITIONAL MEANINGS OF THIS CARD:  AN UNANTICIPATED SITUATION OR CONFLICT.  AN IMPULSIVE DECISION. “A KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR”

Universe and Angels

Phone calls and emails fly between them, and Andrew is scheduled to come to Durban the next week for a two day course. Dinner is arranged for Wednesday.  With much excitement the dinner date happens, but Penny leaves feeling a little flat.  The next date is scheduled for Pietermaritzburg at her guesthouse the next Friday.  Penny checks him in to no 1.  A romantic dinner for two unfolds, bubbly is shared and all the familiarity, warmth and attraction is back.  They eventually retire to his bedroom, and have a beautifully intimate, sensitive, joyous evening.  Both not used to the other in their beds, she eventually falls asleep in her bed, but creeps back with him in the morning.  They spend the day meandering through Botanical Gardens, the Tatham Art Gallery and lunching at a local restaurant.

He leaves that day to return to Sydney.

The intensity of their feeling continues to grow in this time and they Skype every day.  The next thing he has landed work in Manila and has booked Penny a flight to Singapore.  It is a week together and they decide to devote it to their “love research” of each other.  Her heart is now completely “a flutter”.

Magic

As you can see from earlier in this story, Penny does keep various channels open.  So opening her computer the Tuesday before she is due to be whisked off to Singapore she finds this message:

“Penny, sometimes, when it seems your wings have suddenly and unexpectedly been clipped, maybe, just maybe, there’s more to learn by staying where you are.

Maybe not

Tallyho,

The Universe”

Universe and Angels

What the hell now?  THAT very day Penny developed very sore legs and before she knew it she was in hospital with deep vein thromboses all over her body.  Oh my god, now Singapore was in jeopardy as she has been warned that flying is not a good idea.  She desperately lets Andrew know and awaits the worst.  Well her Knight in Shining Armor does not disappoint.  Flights are changed and he alters everything to come to South African and take Penny to Clarens for a week.

In this time apart there were many true confessions between them; anxiety of the week ahead,  hope and excitement and then just coming to terms with the absolute fabulousness of this journey that was only just beginning.

Clarens finally arrived.  It was a wonderful week for both of them and both felt relaxed and bonded.  Both overwhelmed with the passion of being loved.

However, life catches up again, and for Penny the following week is sheer torture.  Alone and empty and full of self doubt with the reality of the distance between them and how a relationship can work longterm.  How would Andrew adapt his life, would he love her dogs, what about her mother and children? Questions, questions questions.

Magic

“Everything in your life, right now, Penny, is awesome.  Everything is in its right place, under grace, and whether or not this makes perfect sense yet, one day it will.  And the time swiftly approaches when you’ll be exceedingly grateful for all that has brought you to this day and contributed to who you’ve become, because it is exactly that person who is poised to live as you have always dreamed you would one day live.

Happy Friday,

The Universe”

How fabulous is this story?  The next news is that the SA Banks were interested in interviewing Andrew for a two year contract.  If the  interview is successful Andrew will work in  Johannesburg from Mondays – Fridays leaving the weekends open for the two of them.  The day that Andrew arrives from Sydney to be with Penny, five days before his interview, she opens her email to find:

Magic

“Something wonderful is happening Penny.

For you.

Right now.

From me,

The Universe”

Well, Andrew got the position and that in itself was amazing.  He relocated to Johannesburg and would commute to Penny every weekend.  The Knight in Shining Armor made each weekend magical and Penny for the first time travelled and truly lived life.  Their love for each other just grew and grew and each discovery was more magical.

The Proposal

The Proposal was a very casual affair.  As was their norm, they were chatting on the phone animatedly about their day, when Andrew casually said, “What would you say if I asked you to marry me?”  Too which she responded, “I would probably say YES”.

Universe and Angels

So, many months, trips to Cape Town, wondering where they could make a home together, Penny is once again chatting to her friend Ronel (see beginning of this journey)who is desperate to leave Pietermaritzburg.  “Where do you want to live?”  asks Penny.  “Greyton,” she says, “why don’t you google it?”

Onto the computer Penny goes and almost immediately finds the perfect home for Ronel, she sends this off and Ronel is delighted.  As she is paging through the homes, one stands out and talks to Penny.  She opens it, reads the contents, loves the pictures and is totally smitten.  It ticks every box and Greyton looks and feels good.  Andrew is open to the idea.  Blow me down it is the Easter Weekend, Candi, (Penny’s daughter) is in Pringle Bay with family and friends and Penny excitedly tells her about the house in Greyton and asks her to go and view it.  “Ah Mom, its so far and we are settled in Pringle Bay”

Penny…”Candi, the weather in Pringle Bay won’t hold up…..”

Well the weather was shocking and the next thing Candi was on a jaunt to Greyton.

Candi drives into Greyton, she immediately feels what her mother feels, she arrives at the house, and falls in love.  On the phone she says “just buy all the furniture too, its perfect”

House and site unseen, Penny and Andrew put in their offer to purchase.

Where they will  live happily forever..