17/05/2026
Babbelishes Home Cooked Meals 🥘
A week of chaos, sadness, and an emotional rollercoaster.
At first, I doubted whether I should write anything at all, but Babbelishes is a part of my life. I decided that maybe it’s time to share what has been bubbling up inside me all week.
The week arrived with massive windstorms and rain. Little did we think it would bring back a feeling of desolation and emotional exhaustion so close to what we felt during Covid. I felt completely overwhelmed by the power outages and the lack of signal—especially since social media shapes my entire business.
But my biggest shock was driving through our beautiful town. Seeing the trees lying down, the river in the kloof, and the unbelievable, churning masses of water... my heart goes out to every farm, every farmer and their family, every farmworker, and everyone in our area who has suffered such incredible damage.
It took me back to my childhood years living on Romanrivier. When the river came down back then, all the farmworkers would move up to the main homestead. Big fires were lit, and Ouma would cook pots and pots of soup. Everyone had to be fed. It was a rollercoaster of memories... remembering how my dad would have to collect us from school in the lorry, bringing all the neighborhood children home with us.
My emotions really began to storm inside me when I saw the waters rising higher and higher at Wolseley and I knew around Malgas it was choas.
Malagas Hotel and Malgas was part of my heeling process after Paddagang —places that will always hold my heartstrings. It breaks my heart to see all those beautiful, special places looking like this now.
But through this emotional struggle, I also realized just how deeply you should cherish your people, your environment, and everything around you:
✨ APPRECIATE THE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE.
✨ WATCH OUT FOR THE BIG ROCKS THAT COME ACROSS YOUR PATH, BUT KNOW: WITH GRACE, WE CAN ALWAYS FIND A DETOUR TO KEEP GOING.
There is still so much to be thankful for. I felt that so clearly when I was finally able to start cooking again last Thursday.
Wishing everyone strength for the new week ahead.
Our valley has been washed clean, and everything is looking green once more. I am so grateful we can begin a new week.
To those who have to start over from scratch: the Greater Hand is with you. XX
