My conquering cohort

Her husband's adventurous spirit knows no bounds, says Anita Homann. But this time he may have gone too far.

- Anita Homann

Christo and I have been married for 37 years. There's a saying he uses all the time: "Now I don't need anything else." But that's only until he gets another bee in his bonnet...

I sometimes wonder whether some of these notions can be ascribed to a midlife crisis, or whether they're simply still manifestations of his adventurousness and love for nature. Because as soon as I think his extreme desire for a new adventure has been quenched, not only does a new craving make itself known, it's also bigger than previous ones.

Sometimes my 59-year-old husband's adventurousness leads to enormous challenges. I can usually handle it because I manage to see the bigger picture. But perhaps my strength is waning and can no longer keep up. Christo, on the other hand, don't see problems and I fear my husband is still far from done.

THIS PAST DECEMBER, our family camped on the Breede River outside Robertson. By the last week we had scouted, visited, tasted and walked every corner of the valley. Just when I started to think we might finally get some rest, my darling wanted us to try out the canoes for rent at the resort.

Look, I don't like to enter any form of deep water. My bath water I can handle, but I have a deep-seated fear of water after almost drowning in the Vaal River decades ago. I have zero desire to overcome that fear. Give me a flotation device, and you'll find me happily floating around in the shallow side of any swimming pool.