I don’t know if it’s just us, but this weather change has brought something strange with it. Belinda and I have been stuck in this weird “not flu, but not fine” limbo for the past couple of weeks. You know what I mean? Waking up tired, bit of a headache, feeling short of breath, and just… drained. It’s not enough to say you’re sick, but definitely enough to make you feel like you’ve hit a wall.

It’s been dragging on and on, but this week, it finally feels like things are starting to shift (about time!). Maybe it’s something in the air? Either way, it’s been a bit of a slow couple of weeks for us—just trying to keep going while we wait to feel like proper humans again.

So, I’m keeping the newsletter a little shorter this week while I get back to full steam. If you’ve been feeling the same, you’re not alone—take it easy, rest up, and hopefully we’ll all be back to our usual selves soon.

In Todays Newsletter

• Upcoming Events

• TheSouthAfricanShop.ca At Least One Thing Got Done…

Upcoming Events

On Monday, December 23rd at 6 p.m., we’re having a bit of a South African guys’ get-together at Sailor Hagar’s Pub in North Vancouver. It’s one of those little dive bars (in the best way), with a pool table, dart boards, dominoes, and all sorts of ways to keep busy while having a beer and catching up.

Nothing too fancy—just a chilled evening to hang out, shoot some pool, maybe play a game of darts, and catch up with other Saffas. Things usually wrap up by 10 p.m., so you won’t be stuck out too late.

If you’re keen to join, reply to this email with your phone number, and I’ll add you to the little WhatsApp group we use to coordinate. While it’s mostly a guys’ night, feel free to bring your wife or partner along if they’d like to join.

This is our last event for the year, but 2025 is shaping up to be a big one! We’ve got some exciting plans, including the Big South African Festival in Saskatoon (expected to draw 5,000 people!) and a bunch of other events in the works.

For now, let’s wrap up the year with a cold one, a game or two, and some lekker company. See you there!

TheSouthAfricanShop.ca Update: At Least One Thing Got Done…

While I’ve been stuck at home these past couple of weeks, not exactly full of energy or enthusiasm, I did manage to get something done—I gave TheSouthAfricanShop.ca a fresh new look. It’s live now, and I’m still busy loading a few last products, but we’re getting there.

The whole reason this little shop exists is because we get it. Missing the taste of home is hard enough—you shouldn’t have to pay ridiculous prices for it too. So, we keep things as affordable as we can, so anyone missing a bit of South Africa can actually afford the things they love.

If you feel like testing out the new site, let me know what you think. I’m picking up stock tomorrow, so if you’re in Vancouver and place an order, I’ll drop it off for you myself.

Take a look when you have a chance: TheSouthAfricanShop.ca. Even if you don’t need anything right now, I’d love to hear your thoughts—it helps us to keep improving.

PS: If you want to see something a little weird about how this whole website upgrade has been going, check out this video: Watch it here.

Wrapping It Up

That’s it for this week, folks—short and sweet while we get back to feeling human again!

If you’re up for a beer and a bit of fun, we’d love to see you at Sailor Hagar’s on the 23rd. And if you get a chance, check out TheSouthAfricanShop.ca and let me know what you think—it’s always great to hear from you.

Take care, rest up, and let’s tackle the end of the year with some good vibes and even better company.

Cheers,

Callie