Changes

I have interacted with people for the last 33 years. People from all walks of life, rich, poor, young, old, all colours, shapes and sizes. Most really good people, peppered with the occasional nasty.
It has been a wonderful experience, from the solomn to the outright nutty.

All this ended in May when I was relocated to the quiet of my once Reiki room, now office.
Not because I wanted it but because it was needed.

It has been quite an adjustment.

I feel some days that I'm under house-arrest and welcome with open arms a chance to slip out for an hour, I miss the Saturday mornings with Rowland, even if it's just off to the shops, it's a real treat,
it always was a treat but now extra special.

I believe the separation has taken its toll on Rowland but we have both managed to adjust to our new
lifestyle, I see no change on the horizon.

We, as a couple, are an optimistic pair and have weathered many storms together. Many! but throughout we've had each other for support and comfort and now is no different.

I believe the way forward is to go to plan b or c or w but always have a plan for a good future.

More on this to follow.

Time flies

So, it's just on a year since my last post, sorry but you know the old expression about life throwing a curveball (never understood the curveball thing), such is life.
Tomorrow number one son will be 46 - yikes it's only ten years ago that he was born - or so it seems. Life has changed so much since Sion, Samantha and Timothy enriched our lives forever, spouses, grandchildren life ever-expanding. Such joy.
We were chatting about lousy television yesterday and it brought back memories of the stuff we loved. Marleze pointed out that there are hardly any T.V. programmes they can watch as a family, not so when our kids were young.
Magnum PI, McGuiver, Knightrider, The A Team, that helicopter pilot thingy and lots more, so much more good entertainment that would no doubt be considered silly by today's standards. But standards were set, honesty, the good guys winning, hard work, initiative and so on. What kind of example are any of the "sports" we see? Sledging on the cricket field - do they kiss their mothers with those lips? poor losers ganging up on the winner and stomping him to the ground in wrestling, it may be fake but it's still the wrong message.Doping, apparently across the board so what's the point in hard work if you can take a performance enhancer and whine about it when you're caught out?
In fact, nothing much has changed in a year so how do we bring about change? I honestly don't know but perhaps the best way is the old fashioned way, by example.
There are still so many people the world over who live good lives, who think of others, not in a do-gooder way but by actually doing good. Let them be the sportsmen and women of the future, let's see the banks endorsing them rather than golfers and rugby players. I know the banks do in fact support many but they don't brag about it the way they brag about sport sponsorship.
Let's not allow the media to manipulate us any longer, why watch junk on T.V. when you can read a book, carry on with a hobby or project and save T.V. time for the quality programmes we are occasionally shown.
Say BOO to big fat gypsey, home dinner, secret island tribe, worm eating, rib kicking, weight losing, spouse cheating, kinky soapie, gyrating soft porn music making people and say WELCOME BACK to life.
I'll try to pop in again soon xxx

Oh The times They are a Changing

We bought a Bob Dillon CD at the weekend - yes folks, we do still pay for music and movies, quaint I know. It's good listening but it also started me thinking how different life is now.

I read the on-line newspapers most days so you can imagine my shock when I clicked on to one of the "overseas" papers only to be confronted by silly schoolgirls baring their boobs.

Why do they do that? are we moving back in time to when girls were so undervalued?  I read an article, probably 15 years ago, about the scantily clad singers of the day. Well, they were quite modest compared to modern standards although I hear there may be a return to the less revealing styles.

Over the years I watched Sally Fields campaign for a tampon machine in the ladies restrooms, Charleze Theron being dumped in pooh, the ladies of the Ford factory striking for equal pay. What do we have now, after all the real effort put in to equality? silly girls who place no value on themselves, eager to do anything to get a boyfriend. Sad.They seem only to aspire to be another fat-ass reality star. As if the world needs any more.

I imagine that's how Madiba feels, years in jail being rewarded by greedy upstarts who think only of themselves.

We watch reruns of That 70's Show. It's good fun and illustrates how turned around modern times are.. Respect for elders, respect for others and respect for self are really high on my agenda and I get really angry when I hear of young girls doing the stuff grungy old porn movies were made of as easily as buying a new tshirt.

Or so I'm told.

We had a big family function recently. Rowland's Mom's 90th Birthday. A sit down lunch for 38. I was immensly proud when one of the guests praised our grandchildren

"I've never seen such well behaved teenagers at a do like this, well done"

"Well done kids, we're always proud of you"

I hope that there are many, many more level headed youngsters than stupid ones like the bare boob girls, our future needs leaders of substance who can live a fun life but still have the sense to think before they act and consider the consequences of their actions. I'm fortunate to know many fine young people, hard working, intelligent, silly sometimes but seemingly honest people, I salute them and hope that the few won't spoil the future for the many so, cover that chest and get on with life - it's well worth living.

Colour Me Disillusioned

Or naive.
I had assumed that the competitors in the Olympics, talented thought they may be, were all amature sportsmen and women. In fact I had bemoned the fact that professional tennis and soccer players were entered, it seemed rather unfair, why not allow the young amatures a chance?
How wrong I am. It seems all the contestants can be classed as professionals, they receive pay for what I had foolishly believed was the honour of representing your country.
This morning on our local radio station the opinion seemed to be that if the cricket and rugby players earn so much, why not the athletes.
My take on that is why do the sportsmen earn so much money to begin with? I consider it shocking that a man is paid upwards of $1 000 000.00 for playing a round of golf and as much as I love Man United really, what outrageous wages.
I understand that coaches are needed to help the young athlete and that coaching may be his bread and butter, what I don't understand is the absurd amount of money it take to raise a swimmer (for example).
Does it, in fact, boil down to  the country with the most money  always being the winner? or the country that directs more of it's resources toward sport?
Don't get me wrong, I'd rather see nations direct their spare cash toward sport rather than war but what happened to the glory of wearing the green and gold, the pride in representing your nation, 100 000 British Pounds is a cool bonus but I didn't expect to see such large "prizes" going around.
O.K. I'm off to brush up on my shopping skills, perhaps one day it'll be an Olympic sport.

Guilty as charged

Well, Susan is right, I have fallen off lately and Rowland was the one to point out her blog to me last night. Congratulations Susie, well deserved. Actually, well deserved doesn't quite cut it because Susan's blog is more like a chronicle of her and Jake's life which should surely be printed and put onto the bookshelf. You know I'm not totally into this newfangled cloud storage stuff - what if it rains?
I was going to do a blog last week, "to tweet or not to tweet" but sadly life took over and now it's another 7 days  just gone in a flash.
Where do people find the time to email, blog, tweet, watch UTube, read all their contacts on Linkedin, catch up on Facebook, read (as I do) IOL, Sky News, Perth Now, check the weather report, delete junk mail, read newsletters from various worthy causes - Treehugger, Greenpeace, Avaaz, Hempster, Green Times, Rawlicious, Reiki News - and still get on with the job they're being paid to carry out????
I resolve to be a good blogger, I shall post at least once every ten days and will do my best to do my duty to the blogging community.

Really I will.

But don't expect photos, I'm not in Susan's league :-)

What a strange world

We have been watching and listening to news about the Euro bail-out plans. It's hard for me to understand how such huge figures are bandied about, surely only figures on paper, not paper money.
 Greece, with a population of 10 million wants 110 BILLION Euros, Spain with a population of 43 million needs a mere 100 BILLION.
I'm not the best there is when it comes to budgeting and saving but really, billions?
. I've asked before, how much money is there in the world? How can the world Bank have a bail-out budget of 500 Billion (I believe). where does the money come from? Is there an undisclosed Fort Knox somewhere filled with gold bars?
And, if there's so much money in this world, why are people starving to death in Africa?
According to "100 People: A World Portrait"  if there were but 100 people in the world 21 would be overweight (we know where they live), 15 would be under nourished. What does that mean, under nourished? it sounds scary, I just ate my lunch, it's only 11 a.m. but I was feeling peckish. Under nourished sounds far, far beyond peckish.
1 person of those 100 would be dying of starvation.
Yet there's a 500 billion stash to bail out Europe.

Nobody does it like the Brits

I wasn't able to watch the whole four days of celebration, Queen Elizabeth 2nd, her Diamond Jubilee. What a long weekend!
What struck me most was the sheer joy on the faces of the crowds who followed HM's every move. I thought the flotilla was marvelous and we're a quarter way through the concert. Some sad, jaded critic thought the flotilla abysmal (I think he wrote) and why have Lang Lang perform when there are British pianists available. No doubt there are and probably as good but it was the Queen's party and perhaps he's the one she wanted, perhaps she wanted to hear Cliff again, creaking though he is although, I'm not sure she requested Cheryl Cole
One person remarked that without the royal family Great Britain would just be Britain, I agree because no one else seems to understand and carry off the pomp and circumstance that fascinates the rest of the world.
How about the car ride? no dozen or so, black clad security persons running along side the car, presumably no heavily armed "peace" officers on standby. Just a jolly good weekend, which would be exhausting for any 86 year old lady and which showed the warm and loving side of (most of) the nation.
She's my Queen and I was gosh darned proud of her and her family, just sorry I couldn't be there.

My other family

Just like millions around the world I have two families. Here in South Africa my dear husband, children, their spouses and our wonderful grandchildren. we're truly blessed. Sorry, our wonderful children :)
In Australia my birth family, my mum, sister, brother, nieces, nephews, spouses, significant others, great niece and nephews. So many people to love - no problem there - and so many to miss.
It's painful sometimes but just like those millions of compadres I just go with the flow of life.
When I was eighteen I chose to leave my birth family and travel to South Africa to join my one true love and start our life together.
I don't ever regret my choice but be warned, would -be adventurers, it hurts a lot some days and you have to set aside a little corner of your mind as a treasure chest where you keep memories and pictures of the ones you cherish.
As my sister's and brother's families have grown so I have missed out on getting to know them, to most of them I'm just an aunt living in Cape Town, another stranger. When times have been tough for the ones in Perth they've been tough for me, not being able to give a shoulder to cry on or a helping hand.
 For my mother the hurt has been harsh, she has three grandchildren and six great grandchildren here, the two youngest she's never met and there's no immediate prospect of them visiting her.
Tomorrow, 01 hundred Perth time, my niece Ella leaves for Europe on a three month adventure. she's leaving her sister and mum and dad behind but, she'll be back after having a ball overseas.
So the circle of life continues, all children should leave home, even if it's (hopefully) just down the street and all parents need their new senior time together. For us the last child left home when I was about 42 or so, we were so young. One came back, as they do and left again for another go at life.
I love both my families, and wish, as my mum does that I could just say
           "Beam me up Scottie" 
and I'd land in Perth for a quick visit - maybe one day.

Rowland and Louise's most excellent holiday

We had a wonderful time! Seven days in Perth, visiting my mum to help celebrate her 90th birthday. Mummy lives in a wonderful place `Moline House where she's really well cared for while having any freedom she would like (I'd guess male guests after lights-out would be a no-no). We stayed with my brother Martin and his lovely daughters, Ella and Gina and were also entertained by my sister Jane and her husband Bruce. Jane lent us her funky Volkswagen which was really good, it meant we didn't have to ask for a lift all the time. We visited the fairy shop in Freemantle, I tried to sneak into the special fairy room but I think I'm too tall. Another day we were taken to York, a small town about an hour or so outside Perth, I had one of the best lunches I've had in many a year. As you know, I was indeed "born to shop" and went into a sweet habby store where lo and behold, the owner had two embroidery machines, Brothers just like ours and so I had a lovely embroidery chat and bought a twirly glizzy scarf. YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY SCARVES OR SHAWLS Singapore is just as much fun as ever. Rowland rode The Singapore Flyer, a ferris wheel even higher than The London Eye. I was too chicken, I'm not shy to own up, heights give me the creeps. There was a huge mix up with our hotel accomodation, first we weren't booked in for early arrival (7a.m.) which didn't matter really as the hotel had double booked not only our room but I believe around 15 in total. We were farmed out to the hotel across the road after I was (unforgivably) rude and given a room on the tenth floor, windows making up the entire outside wall, ceiling to floor. I almost threw up and was forced to be rude once again. We were moved to the fourth floor, a pleasant room leading out to the pool deck. The kid in both of us loved Universal Studios and we had photos taken with all the movie characters and bought just a few souveniers. I had two other Singapore wishes Victorias Secret - done Jimmy Choo - done No bras for sale at the VS shop and no photos allowed when I tried on a fabulous pair of shoes, a mere S$1100.00 (that's R6000) but no worries, I was happy. We went to the Titanic Exhibit at one of the museums, what a moving display, if it comes to a town near you I urge you to pay a visit. The big expense jaw dropper was cupcakes at a swanky tea room for a mere S$12 each, that's R72 each folks! The best take aways, a small place at the La Salle Art Centre - Fifteen Minutes, good food, friendly staff and a knock out Frappe Before we knew it we were on our way home. Singapore Airlines just can't be faulted. Changi Airport is huge and so efficient and good old Cape Town International Airport doesn't miss a beat. Friendly, efficient and a pleasure to pass through. I love Cape Town. There's just no place like home. Family, Daisy, kittens, Merlin, we want for nothing more..

If you love something, set it free

Well, we really love Merlin but, to be safe, we clip his wings so that he won't be tempted to leave the safety of the office and fly into a lathe or passing motor car. As we're going on holiday soon (Yay, smiles and cheers)  I'd been extending the due date for wing clipping. While we're away visiting family Merlin will be staying with his brother Phoenix and a weird hyperactive bird, I forget his name but I call him Cardinal.
After two exciting episodes of flying across the office and scaring the crunchies out of his "parents" I realised ( with much prodding from the love of my life) that the time had come to visit the vet and have those wings disabled.
We were the only ones there and went straight through to the surgery, I put the cage on to the operating table, Merlin eyed the vet and the scissors and thought "Aye,aye".
As I opened the cage door, with a deep breath and a birdy Tally Ho Merlin flew out of the cage, out of the surgery, across the waiting room and out of the door.
Yikes Rowland's going to kill me!
I don't wear heels every day but wouldn't you know, this was one of those days. It's amazing how fast you can run in them..
Merlin flew across the road and then made a graceful arc, returning to our side and gently landing on the driveway a few doors down.  I put my hand down, he hopped on and then buried his head into my chest. He has a little sound he makes, a sort of "Choo,choo" which basically means "Shit, did you see that?", he didn't say a word. I think it was a mixture of exhileration and fear, I imagine a bungi jump leaves you feeling that way, "Wow, amazing but I'll never do it again"
When we walked back inside Merlin wouldn't let go of my blouse, I was his Terra Firma and he wasn't leaving again.
So, wings are clipped, nails trimmed and Merlin is feeling quite manly after almost soaring up into the clouds.What a tale he'll have to tell when he goes visiting. I'm just happy the love of my life didn't have to kill me.

Man-code

I believe I'm close to cracking the enigma of "man-speak". It's taken time and a lot of dedication but so far I believe I can understand just a handful (or would that be mouthful?) of phrases.
Husband Speak should not be confused with Man Speak as each husband has a different dialect, not all grunts sound the same and endearments differ. In my case, the love of my life has evolved a way of saying yes, no and maybe as one word that pops out at well timed intervals during my conversation.
Love that guy!

Man Speak is such things as
"Sorry I can't make it on Wednesday, I'll be on a (golf) course"
"Saturday's out, I'll be at a (car race) meeting all day".
"Mr Smith is unavailable for a week as he has to fly to New Zealand to attend a very important (rugby) conference".
I wonder if there's such a thing as Woman Speak? Nothing comes to mind :-)

Purpose

I'm at an age when many of my contempories are retiring, either from work or life. We've been "in business" for almost 28 years and so many of the faceless people I interact with over the 'phone are now choosing to retire or being forced to as their employer doesn't wany anyone over 62 or so on the books.
Attitudes differ. One lady, 64 years of age, is so excited at the prospect of staying at home after so many years in her job that she loves."I'm going to spend a month cleaning and fixing up my home (sheesh, it would take me much more than a month) and then she has a new project lined up.
The other, a gentleman, about 63 I believe, knows that next year he'll be "asked" to leave the job he's had for almost 30 years. He has no plans, no idea of the future and is already feeling depressed.
You have to have a purpose in life else why wake up in the morning. For some it's the freedom to travel, cook, learn a new craft, revamp the house, whatever but it's the very act of planning for the future, looking forward to something new that keeps us on an even keel.
I would chat to a fun old guy, he was about 70, always refered to Rowland as The Captain, his bosses felt they wanted to project a younger image so told him to leave. I spoke to him a few months later and it was as if his body had been taken over by misery, looking for company.
"What do you do with your days?" I asked
"Nothing" was the sad reply, "my wife leaves for work, I go to buy the newspaper and that's it!" So sad. Happily after a year or so he has a new lease on life, a purpose, whatever it may be.
What troubles me is that so many young school leavers seem to be the same. No idea what to do with their lives, no argument there, after all how can you know if you haven't tested the waters? but, no desire to find out. Like my neighbours son who so enjoyed his gap year doing absolutely nothing that he's decided to take another, a sort of  course in "layabout".
We had the TV on in the background yesterday afternoon while we worked, sorry if I'm about to offend anyone but after listening to half an hour of American Idol or something I felt sorry for the folk who have no purpose in life other than to watch "reality" TV. Really? There are great movies to be watched, travel programmes, cooking, animal life, history, the list goes on but you must be sad if your only purpose is to watch a few fat brides dis. their friends.
Please take each day as a gift and enjoy choosing how to spend it purposefully.

A Tale of Two Kitties

It was the best of times, it was the - sorry, wrong tale.
On 21 December,  a shoe box containing four kittens, barely five weeks old, was dumped in a driveway. No judgement. Our friend rang Rowland as she knew we were needing a cat, our home being without one for the first time in about 40 years. .
I was sent to choose. A foolish idea. Three boys and a girl, not being at all sexist I declared that I only wanted a female, boys can be naughty you know. She gave a tiny meeow and snuggled in when I lifted her out of the (copy paper ) box.
"O.K. we would love to give this sweet thing a good home, I'll be going now".
Oh but, "just look at that sweet face, such big eyes, so adorable"
Which is why we have two kittens, Alice and Tom and they are so gosh darned cute.
You don't just "get" a cat, well we don't anyway. Off to the vet we went for a check up, deworming and de fleaing, a basket, two free sample sets of kitten food, kitty litter and I was on my way.
For the first three days our new babies came to work with us, we made a tiny playroom for them and a discreet area to hold the sandbox. After eating I would pop each one into the box, scratch the paws through the sand to send the right message and so far we have two very well behaved children.
What a joy to watch, it's rather like having new babies but not nearly as much work. The timing is right, the (human) children are all grown up (and some), the grandchildren are wonderful but it's kinda nice to watch babies grow up once again.
It's an education in observation, Alice and Tom started out in one tiny area of the house, not locked in by us but restricted to what they were able to cope with at the time, slowly the horizons became bigger, currently they're at the stage where they bravely play outside in the garden but will still come charging inside to use the sandbox. Sweetypies.
We're not the only ones fascinated by these tiny bundles, Daisy and Zoe couldn't believe their eyes when two fluffy toys were dumped on the floor, Zoe ( a Yorkie) followed silently and still sneaks in to see if they're still around. Daisy (Spaniel) seems to have shed a couple of years and allows them to walk between her front legs, rubbing up as cats do. She's showing amazing restraint where the food bowls are concerned, cleaning our (the sadly deceased) Amber's bowl was one of her fun things to do. I'm pretty certain Merlin thinks the kittens are wind-up toys, boy is he in for a shock.
At food time I find the two of them sitting patiently in the empty spot where the food bowls should be, play time after eating and then its time to snuggle the humans, purr as loudly as possible and just relax.
Thanks to the person who felt she had to dump those babies, the other two kittens found homes the same day and we'll all be having our companions spayed (no, not the human ones) as soon as we can.
So here's to Alice and Tom, new companions for a new year, I hope they enjoy 2012 as much as we intend to and I hope that you and yours have an outstanding year, happy, healthy and if it should be so, wealthy and wise..

like a virgin

I do yoga at the gym, it's different. The setting is nice, a large, airy room, fake wooden floor, a wall covered in woodland paper, soft music. It's just............it's a gym.
Our teacher is lovely, soft spoken, limber and explains the positions well. She will start a pose at my level (-2) and then gradually add variations to suit the more agile. But there's no continuity, one week 12 eager yogis, next week 3 and somehow I doubt we'll hear Mr Patanjali's name in class because it is after all a gym, not a  retreat.
 As you know, I miss the old ways, perhaps Caroline was a once-off, but her classes weren't just about flexing the body, there was a whole lifestyle involved and a permanence brought about by seeing the same friendly faces each week.. Now I don't know if I'll be peering at a plumber's crack or a tramp-stamp, a full class or just me.
Perhaps I hanker too much after a gentler way. There's a wonderful studio in Gardens, unfortunately too far for me, perhaps one day I'll find something similar close by.
Until then it's yoga to the sounds of the Boot Camp Dance Class next door and the chemical smell of the swimming pool. The silver lining is our yoga teacher, I hope she stays around for a long time.
As an aside, when I joined the gym the young man who signed me up seemed so excited, I think I'm the oldest person he's had on his books. However, the chap who showed me around seemed determined to steer me away from physical activity into the swimming pool for water aerobics. Hmm, he just didn't understand when I tried to explain that I only swim in February.


.

But there's more

and it's good news.
Yesterday, 21 November 2011, in The Hague, the International Children's Peace Prize 2011 was awarded to Michaela Mycroft, age 17, from Cape Town, South Africa.
Chaeli was born with Cerebral Palsy. At the age of 9, she, her sister and friends started a project to raise money to buy a motorized wheelchair for Chaeli. In just seven weeks they had raised enough money so Chaeli decided to help other disabled children and  The Chaeli Campaign was born. This (now) professional organization helps children with disabilities, supplying equipment and therapy and defending the rights and acceptance of disabled children.
Reading the blurb about this remarkable young woman I love the description
"where others see limitations, she sees possibilities; with her positive attitude, she is an inspiration to many"
To find out more about some of the ones who don't just sit around tut-tutting but get off their butts and do, Google KidsRights, (a Dutch organization) and be inspired.

Suffer the little children........

Four young children died this week, walking in blistering heat to find food. Ages, 2, 6, 7 and 9 years old. I expect the young one was the first to go.
You know how it is, you're carrying a little too much weight but it's okay, the diet starts on Monday. By lunch time Monday you're really feeling peckish but you steadfastly wait until 1pm to have your Provitas and skimmed milk. By Thursday, you've had enough of this tough regime and slip back into the old ways.
Just imagine, that strict regime would feel like absolute luxury to someone who is starving. They had only a small bowl of porridge, the night before, and set off to search for their mother, granny or food.
How does it feel to starve to death? Thankfully I doubt anyone reading this will ever know.
We cried, we were outraged but will we do anything about it, probably not. Oh, we make our teddy bears, Christmas gift boxes and make certain that our old clothes go to those we know of who need them. We feel rather good about it. We recycle and care for our planet and yes, I think we're helping but, we're only scratching the surface.
A Hong Kong business man has set up a fund to help the impoverished people of the Northern Province, we can all contribute and hopefully it's going to benefit the ones it's intended for but, they're not the only ones. Drive the back roads of the Free State and be saddened by the extreme poverty there. Once the small towns had railways and busy roads keeping them going but "progress" robbed them and they are dying. It's not just here in South Africa, the extremes of lifestyle exist the world over, the old saying "The rich get richer and the poor get poorer" is achingly true but when will THEY do something about it?
But wait, someone threw a racial slur during a soccer match. By god, heads must roll! We'll all jump onto the bandwagon and condemn the man who dared utter those words. You see, posturing and blustering by politicians and celebs. means they don't actually have to do anything. They are seen to be caring but really, are they? Our fat cats seem more intent on buying trendy purple suits and building mansions than caring for the plight of their own.OMG the 12th  wife of the king of Swaziland has been kicked out! Twelve wives!!
I wonder what the food bill is per month in that household, a tad more than the folk in the Northern Cape will see in ten years, assuming they don't starve to death first!
Please say a prayer for those four children and millions like them who have starved to death because those who CAN do something are too preoccupied with status to notice their plight.

Hush, hush

My favourite T.V. programme is NCIS. They can take the sinister and flavour it with good humour. I presume it's true that all the American letters dislike and distrust one another. NCIS, CIA, FBI, OMG, LOL. Sibling rivalry. But, it's not just on T.V. My private life is affected by the same wierd need for secrecy.
We all need passwords, digitags, code numbers to allow us access to our own.
I receive an email and lo and behold, I can't open it because my adobe hut apparently has cracks and I have to upgrade to a better, more swanky one.
A statement arrives in my "in box" but I don't know what it's about because you see I have to download something that sounds like an Italian ice cream, vanilla with chocolate stripes - stracaccia I think. Or perhaps it's my brand of coffee that doesn't work, almost every day I'm offered a new and improved version. Can't they get it right first time?
I miss out on warbling frogs and squirrels on tightropes because my windows can't see the language they're presented in - some housewife I am.
Furthermore, when I sign up for something, the computer has the cheek to tell me my user name is taken.
Yikes! all the stuff that was delivered by the post office, safely is apparently at risk now on the big, wide web.
It doesn't end there, it seems people are becoming almost paranoid about their privacy, we're not all celebs you know. I've tried to make contact with a possible cousin, for the family tree, on FaceBook. clearly she thinks I'm a stalker, grooming her for sinister things. Yes, teach the kids about stranger danger but really, about 12 family members on FB with the same (unusual) surname would have to be a pretty elaborate plot. Get over yourself Connecticut.
So when the page I'm on has a message telling me that my browser isn't compatible with gobbleygook etc. I feel just like Jethro Gibbs when the geeks talk IT.

Monkey See, Monkey Do

On my way to work today I sang along to Deva Premal, the Gayatri Mantra, in Sanskrit, I know all the words and it leaves me with a great feeling of peace. But I have no English translation.
I love to watch the Russian or Japanese pop music fans, they sing along Karaoke style to songs whose words they don't understand but they enjoy them nonetheless. I believe the ABBA ladies knew no English and were taught the songs phonetically, gosh all that and the numerous key changes, they were indeed talented.
We learn so much in life by example.
For example, a child sees a parent throw the KFC wrapper out of the car window and, because mom and dad know EVERYTHING, the child assumes this is the thing to do. Likewise, dad gives mum a clip around the ear and we have a budding spouse beater growing up.
Kelly (number 5) lost a tooth and along with said tooth she put a thank-you note into her slipper for the tooth fairy. How polite! and one hopes, learned from her parents.
Raising kids without a handbook is a huge responsibility, look around and clearly some parents lost the plot but, many did a wonderful job and have given us good, honest, hardworking citizens.
Lead by example, not just for your children but for all of us. If a politician dips his hand too deep into the honey jar, how many will follow suit? Your favourite celeb sets up shelters for quake victims, please, go with the flow.
Let's try to be the example our world needs, like the young man in Pay It Forward, set the ball rolling and watch things go well.

New kid on the block

There's a new granny in the neighbourhood, I saw her out walking her (obligatory) small dog and appearing to be familiarising herself with the area.
How difficult it must be to reach a stage where you move into "the granny flat". Do you feel old? less in control? or is it a feeling of relief to be with loved ones.
My mother once pointed out that it's a sad time of life when you have to ride in the back of the car with the kids. No more front seat for you, you are no longer in control. My dad died 45 years ago today, it means that my mum is just a few months short of spending half of her life without him, her soul mate. She's been through it all, single mother, granny, great granny, granny flat and finally a lovely assisted living facility where she is very happy.
She talks about the ladies (for most of the residents are female) who have wonderful family visits and the ones who are forgotten and neglected. Not even the back seat of the car for them!
I wish our new kid all the very best that Edgemead has to offer, it may perhaps take a while for her to settle in but it's a very friendly area and there's nothing wrong with starting the road to old age here.

Growing up

I was stuck in a traffic jam this morning, most unusual because my route to work is against the traffic, I'm glad I don't have that every day. It got me to thinking (sorry Sandra) about my childhood, a sure sign that we're getting older.
I grew up in a small Welsh town and my parents didn't own a car, in fact as I recall there were only two cars in our street, the puddle jumper across the road and the black taxi owned by John James, a man with a most interesting vocabulary and a lovely black spaniel called Mickey James.
But I digress.
We walked to school and the shops and only took the train when visiting Manchester. Everyone walked or so it seemed unless they took the bus or train. The man from the Prudential rode a bicycle as did the District Nurse.
I don't recall any traffic jams.
Later we lived alongside the Chester Bypass and yet crossing the road was not a serious mission although when my dad bravely bought a silver Volkwagen (pronounced vokes wagon) they would sit in heavy traffic when visiting family in Rhyl or Colwyn Bay.
In the early days of our marriage, living in Pinelands, if I had a need to go to Claremont I would gather the brood, probably aged around 2 and 4, we would walk the half mile or so to the main road, catch a bus to Mowbray and then another to Claremont. It was nothing out of the ordinary but, the traffic was certainly getting heavier. (I wasn't, with all that walking).
Edgemead in the seventies had no bus service but we had splashed out and bought a bakkie (LDV) for Rowland and I had the use of the mean gold Cortina. I ran out of petrol three times, just couldn't learn!
 Our children either rode their bikes or walked to school, Fairbairn is about 5kms away. We all survived this healthy lifestyle. I remember a friend of Rowland's, he lived at the YMCA and walked everywhere, miles and miles.
Today, it's all about personal transport. From the parking boom on the roof of Canal Walk to my front door takes about 4 minutes by car, how could I waste the hour or so that it would take me on foot.
That's just it, we have to chase around far too much, our grandchildren have schedules that would make Barac Obama even greyer than he is now. It's rush to school, sport, dancing, music, art and for the grown-ups, rush to work, to the shops, to  home, rush around the house.
I don't believe there was any road rage when I was growing up, perhaps this generation needs a more relaxed pace, after all, the baby boomers created so much with, I think, far less stress.