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I do not live in a castle, but have found much happiness and peace in a place called PIONEER LODGE, which is situated on Durban's beach front. It is a semi-retirement lodge where folk who still work but the children have flown the nest live. We moved to Pioneer Lodge shortly after my husband had his stroke almost 2 years ago.

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In the photo below there is a man standing at the entrance. The front is safely floor to roof burglar guarded. My flat is on the second floor towards the end of the building. For people who know Durban, that is Point Road at the bottom.

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The reason the street is so clean is because I managed to catch it just after the police had got all the drug addicts and muggers off the street (joke). Actually, when I look at the rest of the world, South Africa rates pretty high as a good place to live, but hasn't always been awarded that reputation.

Below is the veranda which is a favourite gathering place and the only place to be during this our hottest and most humid time of the year. The doorlady has a pink top on and she controls the "board" or "squawk box" so no one can just come in off the street into the building, they fill their names in a book and the resident is then buzzed before the visitor is allowed up.
Another picture of the veranda, we have quite a collection of plants at the far end.
Walking into the building we cross a foyer and the light at the end is a lounge for residents if they wish to use it.
Below is where meeting are held by the Directors, Bible studies are also carried out here.
Another shot of the lounge....
and another......
here's another corner....

In the outer courtyard, I am now surrounded by the building. On the left is the side you have just seen, this is the middle section facing towards the sea...
and the far side I call it, South facing. It takes up an entire block.
This the surrounding flora in the court yard which is very pretty with all the blossoms always in bloom, ours is a tropical climate and does not get very cold, even in winter. I am standing on the ramp which is used for wheelchairs.
Now I am in the inner courtyard. Looking up. The pillars must have at one time been part of a fountain feature as the white tops which are visible, are lions heads and there are holes in their mouths where I can imagine water gushing from at one time. My flat is two floor up from where I am standing
Coming back into the outer courtyard you see the ramp I was standing on with steps next to it, this door leads into the lounges we were in earlier.
Some more flora...
and still more.....
different view....
Now I am in my flat and that is Widget on his stand. He is now easy to see in this picture, he is on the plate next to his food dish.
My children will recognise some of their children on this wall!! This is only one side of the wall, on the other side of many pictures of them as babies and small children, my mom, dad, sisters and friends, and they are all with me everyday.
The pictures above and below are of the bedroom area.
And here is Widget on his stand, eating an apple. There is a story behind this picture. We tried to get him to do his many aerobics tricks and swing around by one leg as he does so often, he is very funny and I wanted to share some of it with you and all he did was stare with suspicion at the camera and do nothing.
It was like trying to make a baby do what you want it to do for the camera, cajoling, encouraging, making fools of ourselves, bribing him with apple etc and although we have the clip it would not successfully upload.
So, from all of us at Pioneer Lodge, we hope that you too will find your place in the sun when the time comes!!