The “lounge” was pretty well-made and lined with tongue and groove but the windows were very small, making the room dark. On one visit to Knysna I found a lot of timber window frames for almost nothing in a second-hand store and so with the aid of the trusty chain-saw I carved a hole in one wall and inserted one of the frames into the gap. It took a very short time to effect this miraculous transformation of the room and we are delighted with the result. I have to say though that while I was doing it, I wondered what my father and grandfather – both skilled woodworkers – would have said if they’d seen my crude efforts!

Electricity changed everything on the farm. Every time we have load shedding, we cast our minds back to our pre-Eskom days and give thanks. The biggest luxury is hot water to shower and to do the washing-up in, but it is also luxurious to read in bed and boil a kettle in a minute. Power tools, electric water-pumps, fridge and freezer, computers – the list goes on and we feel lucky to have all of these. It goes without saying that those tough times when we didn’t have any of the modern comforts have enriched us by giving us a deep appreciation for what many people today take for granted. My description of our house might make it sound really unattractive but we love it.