Blog 13: “Dizabeth, the rewards for you are rich.”

Many years ago, whilst in advertising, our company went through quite a slump – it was actually a blessing considering how bad that slump was, that we were never retrenched. It really was an exceptionally quiet time. Because I was a Media Buyer one of the huge perks of my position was receiving all the magazines (free of charge obviously) each month. They were for tear sheets. (Proof of  the adverts appearance.) However, the company would also get a tear sheet copy so we all scooped hugely each month. You take the cost of a magazine these days that is if it is still even in print (or even online for that matter??) I, as we all know, I love and definitely support YOU each week, I think if I remember correctly it used to be R15, it is now R36 but hey let’s remember one extremely pertinent issue here, if it is in YOU well hell then it must be true – just like when you see it on Facebook – correct?!

Dear reader I am afraid I couldn’t find an old YOU cover.

So, yip digressing already, as work was so quiet, each month when our magazines arrived I would (I have no idea why I ever started but I did – yes I can hear you questioning yourself, why is she asking, she has no idea why when she told us work was quiet – what I am meaning is – I could have read the articles – hmmm I suppose did that too and then entered – who knows??) I entered competitions. I only ever entered if I wanted to win the prize.  I would enter them and then completely forgot I had submitted an entry. What a pleasure it was, I will always remember the first notification I received that I had won! It was still back in the day when we received letters in a white envelope in the post box. We lived with my in-laws, we were going through quite a hard time in our lives, and they had very kindly offered to add onto their existing property for us. These were exceptionally hard days. I am not dissing anyone or talking behind anyone’s back, it was/still is public knowledge that my sister-in-law, certainly was not the easiest of people. God rest her soul she has since passed. As much as my folks in law were accepting and patient having the two young mischievous boys she most certainly was not. I recall the boys were not allowed to play soccer, they were not allowed to do this or that, it is amazing she even allowed them to blady breath. She really made their lives and mine hell. I only mentioned her to try and paint a picture for you dear reader. To depict how stressful it was.  Obviously for us to have moved in with my in-laws, we were in financial stress so yip – it was a bleak time. But since I have said this a trillion times and painted a real Van Gogh here –

Fun fact: · Vincent van Gogh was a Dutch post-Impressionist painter of landscapes, still, life works, and self-portraits. He was not commercially successful during his lifetime, and his death at 37 from a self-inflicted gunshot came after years of mental illness, depression, and poverty.

Made this picture as small as possible as we don’t want Van Gogh’s bleak mood hijacking our BLOG do we, dear reader?

 you no doubt all get the idea. I do try and keep my BLOG light and uplifting so this isn’t the case at all here – is it?!! I am very sure you all get the idea, bleak, dark times – “blah dee blah” Dizabeth goes on as only she can! So, here comes the sun dear reader, bright and sun shiny. I received that letter in the post. It was from Caxton who is a printing and publishing house. So, first thought, why are they sending me work letters to my home address. I continued cooking the dinner (which was dried, stale bread with heavily chlorinated water) kidding😊😊😊 but since I was in a Van Gogh frame of mind, I thought I would set the scene further😊 and be a drama queen of note.  I actually don’t recall what I was cooking but at that stage, we were all rather podgy! Some of “us” still are 😊.  Anyhow so I opened it and you know when it is the last thing you expecting to read? Well, there was this letter. It was informing me I had won a weekend for two at the Royal Livingstone Hotel in Zambia! What a wonderful first win. Oh! wait a minute, just thinking it started just before this win! We had an awards ceremony in the Advertising industry. In fact, the SABC radio division had an awards ceremony, on the, hmm I think the actual event was the 14^{th of} February 2000? It was welcoming in the new century (gosh remember how we all stressed that computers would shut down, cars would come to a complete stop and we even had those that, no, no, no I definitely wasn’t one of them who stocked up on food!) so we were invited and flew to Johannesburg to some fancy hotel and they had an awards ceremony and totally TOTALLY out the blue, I won a prize for the highest radio sales in the Coastal region. I used to handle the Department of Health and at that stage the health hazards were (still are) Cholera. So yes, dear reader that was the start of my wins. I won a TAG Heuer, that to this day I still wear and honestly it is still in such beautiful condition after all these years. (Gosh 21 now years now) the only hectic issue though with this watch, oh my word does it put you in the poor house when it needs battery replacing! You need to courier it to Picot & Moss they service it and replace the battery and that dear reader costs a small frikken fortune! Digressed again. Ah, I will never forget that night! I was in a party pooper mood. I had said that I was ready to board the first bus back to our hotel. I jokingly mentioned to a work colleague that once I had received my watch – I would board the bus. So of course, wasn’t I blown away when I actually won?

Right back to opening the letter whilst cooking dinner …. Gary and I went off for our Zambia weekend in the November. Oh, wow it was fantastic. The world-class treatment we received was mind-blowing. The prize included an activity. So, we chose to go white water river rafting. The morning we were set to go there obviously was a whole room of other guests listening to the dos and don’ts before we set off. Once the instructor had completed his talk he asked if there were any questions. It was at this point; I raised my arm and asked, “can I please back out of this activity?” – Gary was a true champ and took it on the chin – I know though he secretly was more than disappointed. Little did I know in years to come I would go on a conference and have no option and would do white water rafting. Oh, my word now that is really another story for another day. That was the day I thought I would be leaving our beloved planet. I am not the strongest in the exercise or endurance department, I will leave it at that. We did book and go on an Elephant outride on the Zimbabwean border – it was lovely. The huge issue here was – yikes I cringe when I think of it to this day. We didn’t have monies on us at the time to purchase the video of the elephant ride, there was another couple coincidentally also from Durban and they did have a copy. I buddied up with them – got their details and asked once we all returned home would they mind since I was in advertising if I loaned their copy and got a copy made for ourselves as I had connections in the SABC. And what dear reader was the blady outcome of that?? The contact wiped out their video instead of making a copy for us! Yip – I know – it was some of the worst news I have had to break to someone!

We truly have been blessed with some amazing wins through the years. I was blessed to win a quad bike not once but twice 😊 And both were such blessings. When we needed them the most – not only to the delight of the boys, it also ensured Ryan’s was birthday one of the most memorable. I was also extremely fortunate to win a weekend away for eight. That was a fantastic weekend with super close friends and we took the quad with. The kids had a true ball. As I say, I have ALWAYS believed everything happens as it should. My dearest friend Mausie always says “Its written in stars” – it sure is Mausie – it sure is 😊.

When we felt it was time to move out from the in-laws – I sold the quad and we used that as our deposit for our last home we would live in before settling here in Nelspruit. I adored that house, it had the worst kitchen, in fact I do believe in this lifetime I am destined to always have a truly crappy kitchen (why the Frik don’t I ever win a blady kitchen re-make. Hmmmmm let me get my wishing charm …I wish I wish…..) but it had sunshine streaming through each window, and the most gorgeous wooden floors and a verandah with those old red floors. Ah I loved that home. See what I mean – it all ALLL works out as it should. Even when things don’t work out how we imagined them to – when we look back even that that we dreamed of but that didn’t transpire – there was a reason why it didn’t – and always a good reason. There have been times to when I have been “close but no cigar” so to speak – twice I was in line to win a real biggy – once a car and once frikken hell don’t know why I didn’t win this one?? It was to go see Robbie Williams Live at Knebworth, UK. The closest I got here was I won the DVD. I was a HUGE, THE HUGEST Robbie Williams fan (Jane and I oh my word we were devoted to ol Robbie) I would put the video on every Friday night, pour my first of many glasses of vino and watch, watch and re- watch Robbie again (and again). Gosh when I think back – our poor, poor neighbours! Gary and the boys would get takeaways and have a beer with Oupa as we no longer resided with him. It was almost a tradition. Yip – I digressed yet again! Now the problem here was – the more sips (glasses or maybe even bottles!!!) of vino I had, the more – I don’t know if any of you have ever watched Robbie Williams Live at Knebworth? You would most certainly have noticed his dancers. They are the most beautiful, sexist ladies – and so the more I had to drink – I would sing along and envision myself transforming from this fat dancing donut into a beeeeaaaauuutttiiiful, sexy gorgeous back up singer and dancer!”

You remember the morning I drove into the back of the garden service? That was after a night out (on video in Jane’s lounge!). So yes, I have been unbelievably blessed through the years – even now I am still very fortunate in winning. Earlier this year my dear friend Jackie rang me frantically the one night – “Have you seen Facebook?” she asked after she had phoned three times! At the time I was cooking dinner. “Nope I have not”. I replied. “Well go look and phone me back!” she said excitedly. Turns out I had won a R5 000 manufacturing voucher from our own proudly, home grown jeweler Violet & Rose for being their most positive and kindest supporter during COVID. I was gob-smacked and over the moon. I had a pendant made with all my specials birthstones – I still treasure it (and wear it always) Melissa Skinner, the owner is the most beautiful soul, with the calmest aura. She went way over budget and never had a sark with it 😊 I love this pendant truly do, it remind’s me each and every day of my specials. Thank you Melissa. My Nellies readers – if ever you need anything designed or even just to buy – make it a definite one stop at Violet & Rose, Ilanga Mall or Crossings 😊.  

About two years back, in fact, it was when Ryan and Michelle got married. We packed our car, and off we tootled to Durban, Chad was at Uni so flew in from Cape Town. After the wedding (we had omitted one very, very important factor when we packed the car to go to Durban – Chad was coming home with us, we also had his luggage – all his clothes, Playstation and, and, and …everything a fine young uni student needs back at home for the holidays!) so I was literally squashed – no jokes – squashed into the back seat, there was “stuff” next to me I could only look out the window on my right. I couldn’t see the driver nor Chad – nor could I see behind me or to the left of me. Yip, it was worse than any transport we have all seen on their way to Mozambique! We stopped at a garage and I bought – shucks what was it now man – um its one word and not published anymore?? Um! Um…..I think it was “essentials”? Ah anyhow the crux of the story is the win not the blady title Dizabeth! So, I sat scrunched up in the back – and there was a competition to win a weekend away for a family of four to Silversands Casino. And yip! Bobs your uncle – I won!!! It was worth every agonizing scrunched up second in the back of the car. We had a ball, Chad took Josh, oh my word it was fancy, fancy, fannnnncccy! Everything was included.

I have also won through default. It was Christmas and Gary had always wanted a Weber. Now if you purchased a certain make of bread from Pick n Pay and dropped your till slip in the little competition box – you had a fair chance of being the lucky winner (as it was a lucky draw – stating the frikken obvious here Dizabeth). The “inconsequential” issue however in this case – there was no competition box! I would traverse to this particular Pick n Pay every frikken day to buy my bread to enter – and everyday there was no sign of the blady competition box – everyday I would enquire – and I do believe in the end the staff – everyday would disperse when they saw me entering the store. No problem I started collecting my till slips – and one fine day I entered the store, marched up to the enquiry desk, like an elephant calf harumphing and mock charging your car in the Kruger. You haven’t seen that – whhhhaaaat? Well, well, dear reader it is something you really don’t want to see! Yikes its frikken scary stuff. Wait till mama bear comes to see what Junior is ha-rumphing about! Jeez O Johnny I cannot explain how one literally sees your whole life playing out in front of you for that split second. And then mama bear ever so casually changes direction and heads into the boondies with baby! Whilst you wonder whether you should continue scrambling through your contacts on your cell for your therapist or decide all is good – you safe till the next blady baby ellie. So I was – actually I was ha-rumping to the store manager about the no competition box issue and… – that’s it – just recalled the actual sequence of events that led to this default win. So, I noticed that the Weber that had been on display for the month was no longer there. That is when I retrieved my pile of till slips and marched to the enquiry desk. Well, after much to-ing and fro-ing they phoned the bread rep – I continued ha-rumphing to him over the phone. After “much to ado about nothing” he asked to speak with the store manager again. The store manager (calmly yet with a definite irritated stance) placed the phone receiver down and asked me to please wait a minute He returned with the “missing” Weber. I was the winner! Now that same blady Weber, still lives on our verandah and the only time it ever sees a fire is when Ryan visits – he is the only one who actually loves to place a chicken in it – I know – who knew! Both Gary and I have won some amazing prizes. From holidays to perfume, weekends away, quad bikes, cutlery and crockery for my crappy kitchens, even televisions and DVD players oh and if I recall I think I did win a Playstation, hm, or did I? The further I write this week the more I recall winning. It is actually incredible how much we have won. It is probaly easier to mention what I/we haven’t won. Gary has even been lucky to win more than pounds once or twice in our lotto.

So in conclusion I (we) have been and continue to be incredibly blessed in winning. In fact not just winning material objects but winning in my life. I have two amazing young men that I am immensely proud of each and every day. An incredible little grandson Tide, who is just the most precious little boy ever. Gary and I have been blessed workwise in these COVID times. We have a really lovely life and are blessed with truly special friends both here and in Durban (around the world in fact).  Guess who digressed again?  So not all my readers are going to be impressed with this I have been pondering all this time whether to confess and decided I am going to confess. I did tend to be a bit of a “fortune teller” stalker in those Van Gogh days. As I mentioned they were very bleak, dark times and I literally chased “the light at the end of our very dark tunnel”. This time I recall the lady saying as she flicked her pack of cards over like a professional poker player and some Goddess was displayed on her card. “The rewards for you are rich”. It would appear she was right. She was correct in the fact that each day we awaken – again I reiterate, especially in these COVID times. Each day we awaken to a new healthy day, a job to go to, to banter with my friends every day, to cooking a dinner every night, to watch the sunset and the sun rise EVERYDAY.

The everyday joys of life. Thank you for our rewards – thank you. Lastly to you my amazingly, encouraging Blog readers – thank you for believing in me and being with me each week as I continue living my dream. I love, in fact cherish tap, tap, tapping away (yes I know I am a bit slack with the publishing of it ☹ ) but I luuuuurrrrrve this blog and I love you all.

Stay safe, be blessed and thank you for believing in me.

Mwah Mwah