< Building in Betty's Bay[/caption]This has been a ten-year period of intense work during which I, amongst other projects, relocated to Cape Town from Johannesburg, published “Miracles of Hope: Surviving and Thriving in the 21st Century” as a wake-up call for people; researched, wrote, marketed and published over 30 broadsheets on sustainability, emerging trends and corporate leadership in the Cape Argus and Cape Times, the Western Cape’s foremost daily newspapers; and sustainably owner-built and moved into a house in Betty’s Bay (during which I was way too busy to blog). This new phase will be about intentionally creating a new future in one of the world’s most beautiful and inspiring places …

It’s really wonderful when a plan comes together and in the case of the Cape Argus Sustainability Series, it’s truly wonderful to see what you have pictured in your mind’s eye being transferred onto the written page. The Sustainability Series also represents vindication as I have been on the path for a long time, long before these were mainstream issues and people thought I was c-r-a-z-y for worrying about the planet – didn’t I have better things to worry about, some of the people close to me wondered. Well I didn’t!! And it appears for good reason!!! As the planet really needs saving and every bit helps. The Sustainability Series is my way of making sure there is a good home for my children’s children one day – and what more important work could there be than that!!

I < have just taken a significant next step with regard to having the book published internationally!!! I have posted off a copy to an agent in London who hopefully will be wowed by it and find a publisher who will also be wowed. Seemingly a small step but potentially a huge one - here's hoping!!!

Yesterday < evening we had rain, real pouring-down, getting wet cold Autumn rain. Not piddly drops here and there that dirty everything but do nothing much else. What a relief for the Western Cape in South Africa. We have been gasping for months now in the unrelenting heat of an African summer and the downpour brought home in a very vivid way, how reliant we are on water. All our media have been carrying articles on water saving and there has been real anxiety about our dwindling supplies. Water has been called “Blue Gold”. It has also been described as a “liquid more important than oil”. I’ll say …