in vino veritas

What a day!!  Working at Coulter & Company and later Coulters van Gend & Kotze has been my job since 17 July 1977, when I left college.  After school I did a 6 month secretarial course (which, I convinced my parents,would stand me in good stead for a career in journalism) mainly because I had a serious boyfriend at UCT and did not want to leave Cape Town to study in Grahamstown.  I started off as the receptionist in the Groote Kerk Building in Strand Street, I resigned once for a stint at Capital Radio.  It was in their heydays in 1979 and where the directors picked money,from the Transkei Government,off the trees.  After some travels, I went back to Coulter & Co. to work for Mr Hardie in the collections department and then left again after I got married in 1981.  John and I moved to Pretoria for a couple of months while he was doing an officer's course in the air force, we moved back to Cape Town and I did some temporary work for them while I was pregnant with Gareth. I was at home, playing Mummy, for the next 5 or 6 years, going in on occasions to help out for a few days here and there.  When Matthew started at pre-school I went back for 2 mornings a week and when they were all at school, 3 mornings a week.  Mr Hardie was a lovely man and called me "his little (sic) luxury".They amalgamated with another firm (van Gend & Kotze) and moved to offices in Claremont, which again suited me down to the ground.  Basically since then the job has been tailored to suit my needs but has been pretty much full time since I got divorced in 1998.  

There are many stories to tell and Gill and I have been reminiscing about our years in conveyancing together. There is so much history and I don't feel sad because Coulters is certainly not over for me.  Coulters is a part of me, not forgetting that I am now married to the senior partner, so removing myself completely from the office and it's staff will be impossible.  It was hard enough throwing the contents of my drawers into a suitcase this evening.  It was almost as hard pressing "send" on an email which I sent out to friends on my email list this afternoon.  It seemed somehow pretty final, and I suppose, in a way, it is.

For those of you who are not on my list, this was my email.

From: Jenny Kotze [mailto:jenny@coulters.co.za] 
Sent: 31 October 2012 15:50
To: "Undisclosed-Recipient"
Subject: JENNY + WINE = WINE TIME

Hi there

I have an announcement to make about exciting times ahead for me.  I am joining a partner "in wine" Steve Ackermann in a new business venture called "Wine Time".   After years in the business, he has many contacts for wines and sources great wines at very reasonable prices.  His business has grown and he has taken me on as a partner to help meet the demands.  I am going to be doing his promoting, selling and distributing. 

I cannot believe this opportunity has come my way.  A change of direction, is just what I need after so many years behind a desk doing legal work, and into a field that I am passionate about - What a bonus!   I have so many ideas and plans in store but will not hit you with all the excitement in this initial email.

This is really to advise you of my new venture (which starts tomorrow with an 8.30 appointment with the bank manager) and to ask you to look out for the next email (from sawinetraders@gmail.com) giving you the details of the wines which we have available.  Tomorrow is going to be a busy day sorting through cases of wine.  I can't wait.

Watch this space!!

InVinoVeritas
Jenny (Kotze / Rosslee / Pay / The Wine Lady)

InVinoVeritas was one of the names that came up to call the business - "in wine there is truth".  However, it is a bit of a mouthful and I thought it better to get away from the latin/legal stuff.  The saying goes on further to say  "in vino veritas, in aqua sanitas", i.e., "in wine there is truth, in water there is health".  

So "Wine Time"it is!!

Two (of the many) wines available

For those of you who are interested in getting my newsletter and who are not on my present email list, please won't you send me your email address and I will add you to the mailing list (jenny@coulters.co.za - I am keeping this address until the website is up and running).

My big day starts early tomorrow. My first meeting is with a Bank Manager.  I have never met with such a person before and he has the title of "Business Banking Manager".  I will have to negotiate traffic, find parking and get to the bank promptly at 8.30 tomorrow (usually the time that I start preparing to leave home for office so that I miss the traffic).

You are never too old to act "grown up".

As I have said before "Watch this space"

Secret:  I really do have a new pad and pen for tomorrow.