A little update from our KuierKos family

Dear KuierKos Family,

I hope you are all keeping warm! There is definitely a bite in the air. I can handle the cold, no problem, but cold AND wet? That's a whole different ball game!

First of all, we would like to thank you for all the lovely messages, emails, WhatsApps and phone calls. We have been overwhelmed by your kindness and support, and we truly appreciate every single one of them.

Today is Andreas's first cancer treatment day. It won't necessarily be an easy journey, but we are staying positive and, by the grace of God, we will face it together and fight it one day at a time.

A little trip down memory lane... and the South African winter survival kit!

With the colder weather arriving, it got me thinking about how my mom always tried to prepare us five children for winter.

Growing up in a farmhouse, winter was always something you felt! Those old farmhouses could get pretty chilly, and keeping five children warm was a mission of its own. My mom was always on our case: "Put on a jersey!" But getting my brothers to actually listen was another story altogether. And shoes? Well, that was a battle all on its own! I don't think my mom ever quite won that one. There was always someone running around barefoot, no matter how cold it was.

Looking back, I think she spent half her winter telling us to put on jerseys, find our shoes and stay warm!

She firmly believed that molasses and fish oil were the secret to getting us through the colder months. A little boost for the immune system, she would say.

Now, I wasn't quite as convinced!

That thick, dark molasses was absolutely awful to swallow. And the aftertaste? Goodness, it lingered for what felt like hours. The fish oil was slightly more bearable because it had a little orange flavour, but let's say it wasn't something I looked forward to.

As we got older, things moved on to those little multivitamin tablets. Oh man, that was a whole different challenge! Especially when one got stuck in your throat. I still haven't quite recovered from my childhood vitamin experiences. I think I might have been traumatised!

And when one of us eventually got sick, all hands were on deck. My mom knew very well that if one child went down, the other four would probably follow.

First came the warm bath, Vicks rubbed on our chests and backs, and of course, a generous amount under our feet, followed by a pair of socks. No fancy medicine cabinet full of remedies. We had Disprin, and that was pretty much it!

Mom also used to steam us. No nebulisers in those days. Just Vicks in a bowl of warm water, a towel over your head and off you went. You can imagine how much we loved that!

It was only later that we discovered the wonders of Corenza C and ACC 200. And honestly, I think if you visit almost any South African home, you will find at least one of those tucked away in the medicine cupboard. Even after living in the Netherlands for almost 20 years, we still make sure to squeeze in a good old Dis-Chem shopping trip whenever we visit South Africa. Some things never change!

I wonder how many of you have similar childhood memories? I bet some of you can still taste that fish oil! And the other Boererate... but that is a story for another day!

Liefde groete,

Marnella, Andreas and the KuierKos Team