Life in the suburbs

In the left corner, Scottish folk, holding a farewell party for friends returning to the UK. In the right corner, screaming girls having a pool party. It's great fun and the superior sound system on the left is pounding out oldies like Ballroom Blitz while the girls scream on. Finally to bed and then they pulled out the stops.
First we had I'm Going Home, Rod Stewart in his prime, followed by Sailing. I almost ran outside to wave a cigarette lighter but sanity prevailed. But, the Coup de Gras, Mull of Kintyre.
The screaming girls didn't stand a chance and between the pool party and the farewell party I reckon there wasn't a dry eye to be seen.

A mind is so easily lost

Mine wanders off all the time, especially when I'm driving to work in the morning, relaxed and ready to face the day - ho hum.
I enjoyed John Scotts column, yesterday I think, where he noted that we can always expect the same annual events, the minstrels will threaten not to march and Zuma will get married again. On Sky news countdown for the year they spoke about an annual event that everyone looks forward to, George Michael being arrested in public toilets. I wonder if they have a GM squad?
And I listen to music.
As an aside, I always wondered why we're not supposed to start a sentence with the word and (Sandra??)
This week in the car I'm listening to Deva Premal, I sing along even though I don't know what I'm saying. In the office I'm listening to enchanted egypt (in lower case), I really love this music, I think it takes me back to a previous life. At home it's Sacred Spirit, another life revisited I think.
However, the festive season wasn't too kind to the love handles so I think next week will have to be more upbeat. It's hard to do the Cha Cha Slide in the car so I'll save Bump 497 for home and perhaps go for Queen in the car and I'll find a perky combination for the office.
And so the mind meanders along until it has to jump to attention at work, past the house with racing pigeons and a superb rose garden - pigeon pooh perhaps, over Harley Street where I would surely live if I was a GP. And the petrol price has dropped.
Life is good.

Opposites attract

Last night, the love of my life was watching wrestling while I sat, quietly reading a Reiki book and listening to Spirits - Music for the Soul (on my iPod Touch, one of the other loves of my life).
Crazy wrestling man said "I want all of you to get up, jump up and down on your sofa and Yell"
Well, fortunately my man is way too smart for that which just as well because if he'd jumped up and down (knee replacement allowing) he would have been decapitated by the ceiling fan and there would have been blood everywhere, totally inconveniencing my plan to watch CSI (although quite appropriate).
I wonder who is in charge of wardrobe for wrestling. There's quite a sweet looking boy, he looks as if he's going to do some Tribal Belly Dancing and I quite like his eye make up - Jeff I think. Then, there's the angry Russian in his Tighty Whities, no doubt angry because he looked in the mirror. Another strange fellow with a blue band aid on his nose appeared to be wearing a wet suit with black bobby sox. Go figure!
Well, to each his own, I'm thoroughly enjoying my book.

Melancholy

Well, that's that. Last night I took down all the Christmas decorations, packed them into their boxes and into the cupboard. Dusted the tree and packed it away, ditto for the singing santas and harley davidson santa - yes, kitch reigns over the festive season.
It's a sad occasion, not least because I always do it alone. Setting up is such fun. There's always someone there to help, the Christmas CDs are playing and it's all about anticipation, now it's just a fond memory.
So, only 352 shopping days to Christmas!

Things change, things stay the same

I've lived in Cape Town since I was 15 so I am indeed a proud Capetonian, the best city in the world. My formative years were spent in Wales and England and no matter how Cape Town I feel, I'm still a Brit at heart. That's why it's sad watching the demise of old familiar places. Woolworths (UK), how can they be gone, just like that. I haven't been so astonished since CNA went on the skids. Some things are meant to last. I see Wedgewood/Waterford is going under administration, how can this be? and so the list is growing.
My mother, grandmother and probably great grandmother worked in the mills in Lancashire - cotton mills. I believe there isn't one cotton mill left in the UK, no more toy factories and don't get me started on the fabrics that are no longer available.
But it's progress. We are no longer personel, now we're resources, human resources, yuch.
It's common knowledge among friends and family that I don't have much time for cell 'phones. They have their uses, a few. Shia LaBoeuf is quoted as saying that cell 'phones were supposed to bring us closer together but in fact we're further apart, we no longer talk on the 'phone, we text.
But to each her own, I LOVE my IPod touch, I think the internet is AMAZING and I'm still gobsmacked when I have a conversation with my mum in Perth just like that.
Who would ever have thought that we would watch the planes hit the twin towers - live - from the office, stand in the kitchen and watch a tsunami wipe out hundreds of thousands of people?? We're watching the Gaza war each night as if it's a soapie. I hope we don't become desensitised.
I do still want to find joy in the gentle face of a baby, wonder at the sight of whales out at sea, be awestruck by a waterfall and saddened by the plight of the needy.
But life is a circle, we're back to the old natural ways of eating, self medicating, growing food. At @Home you can buy a nifty gadget which will core and peel an apple. One of the original ones can be seen at the Tulbagh museum, I believe it dates from Victorian times.
Which is why I throw nothing away!

RIP

Rest in Peace Mrs Suzman

Peace and Love, Peace and Love

May all the followers of all religions and
spiritual paths work together to create
peace among all people on Earth.

Inscription on the World Peace Crystal Grid
by William Lee Rand