edith happy to be 59 - cos 58 was "kak"

"Age only matters if you are a cheese. And Edith isn't a cheese. She's a biscuit. And she's my biscuit!"

Johnny Schwartz's words about his wife of one year brought the house down at Edith Venter (Schwartz)'s 59th birthday party at boutique hotel Le Chatelat in Sandton last night. Edith had invited all the people who had shown her stalwart support through her brief departure from the social scene after legal wrangles between herself and a former business partner. "Its good to be 59,"she quipped, "cos being 58 was kak!"

Even us media were included on the list of supporters and got mentioned by name. No one could ever remember a bad word or unkind moment from Edth in all the years they had known her, even though some of us sometimes took the mickey. She had been sadly missed at all the occasions that she reigned over and people took a secret vow of loyalty. Karma never was more apparent, but in this case it was of the good variety!

It was a really happy occasion and guests toasted with glasses of elegant Franschhoek sparkles from estate Morena and canapes in the lobby of the hotel. The hotel had had a chequered history too, dating back to its inception. Nina Morris filled us in while we were mingling before dinner. Her children had been friends with the owner's children and often came to the house which was under construction for a long time. Eventually it cost so much to build and maintain the owners wanted to dispose of it but found it difficult so they turned it into a B&B which did tremendously well. Unfortunately the owners were fed up with Joburg and wanted to have a Le Chatelat by the sea in Cape Town instead. It's now a boutique hotel which finds itself transformed into a venure for occasions such as this.

Most of the people there had attended Edith's wedding at Thornybush, including Nic Griffin and his team. Quite a few ex Miss South Africas, from Amy Kleynhans-Curd to Thuli Sithole and her boyfriend Prince Dlamini (maybe the next married couple?). It was almost like being at another wedding. The love was palpable and the food divine. The hotel had outdone itself.

Santana brought the pair together and Santana songs were played, along with croooner Jacques's songs, SA's answer to Michael Buble! But it was the Black Eyed Peas song that really brought th house down, BOOM BOOM BOOM, as this was the song which greeted Edith as she woke up to her 59th birthday.

Bravo EDith for not only celebrating your age but for overcoming all the malice and adversity that the year threw at you. This lady is a survivor ...