Blog 24: The week that was…..

None of us ever imagined (or frikken wished) for COVID. And here we are what is it two and half or there about years later? Still wearing masks not recognizing people (in some cases I think people do recognize one another and use the mask as an excuse as to why they didn’t recognize you) …what? Me! No, jolly gosh never, I don’t do that! I can recall as clear as day the night I was once again lying horizontally on the couch simulating the movements of a sloth as I watched whatever “crap” as Gary (and after his recent stay Chad!) like to call it. Pam, I know her hubby says the – shucks cannot remember what term he uses now – but let’s put it this way – both hubbies certainly do not use an endearing term. When Chad was here – Ok I am gonna come out with it as you all know I love YOU magazine so I guess that does hint a certain amount of what I would enjoy television wise hey? So, I wouldn’t go so far as to say I am “addicted” but since it is on every night at the set time, I happen to be perched on the couch and I watch “Legacy”. I know right! How good is it – absobladalutely hey frikken move over Showtime/HBO (erm…NOT!) riveting stuff locally produced and world class acting standards of course (not)! So Chad comes in and comments how he cannot believe the crap I still watch and at this point Michelle Botes is on the screen and he mentions that she used to be in Egoli. To which I replied “No way! Really boy?” “Yip mom how can you not remember her from Egoli?” to which I emphatically replied, I didn’t watch it – well, long story short – seems I did indeed! I know embarrassing but well I will concede defeat dear reader. Now this was a total digression from the point I was getting at it in the beginning of this conversation. I was lying reminiscent of a sloth all those months ago and Gary casually mentioned “Some guy ate a bat and has died” he said it with not much concern and me, well I answered with zero concern. And now look at where we are! Whether it was in fact a bat or man himself that created or did not create this pandemic who knows where it is from but let’s face it – it certainly isn’t going to change the various effects it has had on all of us thus far!

And there you have me! God I wish! I could NEVER balance on a branch like this chap.

Thanks to Facebook we can keep track of our life path thus far. This week 4 years ago myself, Jacks, Michelle and Cheryl were visiting Marcel for her 40th.

PS: Happy Birthday for the 9th Marcel (who in fact does not read – never mind reading my blog!)

Who would have imagined four years later I would be spending this week with Chad before he heads off for the USA.  Life: at times wonderous, challenging, fun, hectic, sad. A pinch of salt in the huge ocean of words that describe this thing we call life. At this point though I do need to mention what with the tumultuous waves (no, no this wasn’t meant to be a pun not meaning COVID at all – but hmmm pretty fitting so I am going to leave it in!) So those waves I was mentioning, Chad was going to visit us before he left. I did flick flacks all over Nelspruit and mentioned it to blady strangers in the SPAR. Until it changed and he wasn’t so I was incredibly bleak. The next day nope he was on his way – in fact he was driving – there I went again – flick flacking all around the house this time and not mentioning a word to anyone in the SPAR! But chatting to God quietly big time! Counting the days till he arrived home. Then his car broke down – so he was no longer coming. Oh my giddy aunt! The emotional roller coaster I was on – I know! I know dramatic much Dizabeth? But yip you all know me – can be over, blady, board, dramatic and that I most surely was! So, he finally arrived. I was over the moon. We all were.

One of the many meals – this one – oxtail – our Christmas dinner evening.

That first evening he was home it was black Friday, so I booked a “movie special” shucks and what a movie special it was. Ster Kinekor movie (usually over the blady top expensive don’t you think?) and popcorn and Canada Dry (cooldrink) R50! Good hey! So, we off to the movies. We are standing in the line for our popcorn when Chad received an sms that let him pop his own frikken corn. Bam! Just like that South Africa was persona non grata ! Borders closed yip you guessed America being one! Now if you ask me, did I enjoy the movie? I would have to say from what I saw it seemed good. However, with the news that Chad had received his flight for the next Wednesday canceled, you can imagine how it certainly wasn’t the best idea to set foot into the movie house and watch the movie! And this dear readers occurred twice! Going forward I am going to check that all is clear in my life when next I book a movie ticket! Chad and I have always loved movies – not the usual Netflix and chill – although yip we do enjoy those. But rather the actual movie houses! That ginormous screen the surround around sound – and for me first prize – no one I mean no one is asking me where the toilet rolls are kept (yip they just guests in their own home and tend to ask house keeping when they need something!) or if the kettle has boiled or do I know where such and such is as they stand there looking forlorn! Nope, none of that in those big ass movie houses! That is until – whamo – no jokes – no blady jokes at all. We had just sat down – mind you I say that no one interrupts you – but whom of you have been to movies and fellow frikken patrons – they are on their phones yip I kid you not – either on an actual call – or on what’s app – so if you do need the loo you most certainly don’t have to worry about the blady darkness as their screens light up the whole frikken cinema! Oh and that call they on – well their voices – also surround around sound! I swear so many times I have wanted to step out the cinema to report them, but it would seem to be pointless as no one really cares and all that would happen – I would miss the whole plot of the movie whilst I searched for someone who did give a continental as to why I was actually lodging a complaint! So, another major digression there! So, as I am rambling on as I always do, just to be clear dear reader, the first movie was the canceling of the flight this was the second movie. Chad and I were heading into the cinema when I turned around and it was just little ol’ me Chad nowhere to be seen. I knew he obviously had received a call. So as the movie commenced, I sat pondering this or that – I can’t say I missed the whole plot of the movie as it wasn’t a who dunn it – but I was distracted – anyhow when Chad sat down – he whispered that the call was the agency – he would be flying out on Monday! Well, this dear reader is when I did well and truly lose total focus on the movie as my mind steamed ahead of all I would need to do – and no jokes at all I was pondering big time on what I intended to still cook before my boy flew! Now I must mention Gary hasn’t eaten this well in the past two years – I cooked everything I knew Chad loved, and then I cooked his second and third favourites! When he left on Sunday I was still wrapping little food parcels for him to take for the trip to the airport as we headed out the front door. (Like there isn’t a single garage shop on the way!)

Why did I include this – nah I know you know what a cinema looks like – this is for effect.

I was adamant I had to buy him a little gift – my mind raced ahead – and now – thinking back (too late as he has gone!) I can think of a thousand useful things I could have bought him. Like a travel pillow and what did I frikken buy – a shirt! Yip a shirt! Anyhow hopefully every time he wears it – he will think of his mama bear back home.

So in-between movies that were interrupted, cooking and buying shirts I just wallowed in the fact that my boy was home. It was lovely. The not soo lovely part – I bought him a sweetie pie and some Chuckles that I placed on his pillow the day he arrived home – a little welcome and sweet spoil as I know it is something he wouldn’t buy himself. Well, turns out it was something he wouldn’t eat either – so yup whilst I have been consoling myself guess what happened to the sweetie pie and Chuckles! What really touched my heart?  Our fur babies – Rosie and Bandit love, love, ADORE riding in the car. One day after gym – that sweet child of mine (Guns n Roses – who can hear it belting out right now as you read this – love that song!) even took the fur babies for a drive around the block. How adorable is that!

These two adore – absobladalutely love the car!

The two movies we went to see for those wondering – they were both based on true stories (my absolute best!) King Richard – the story of the Williams sisters – Serena and Venus and The House of Gucci. From what I did see – both are worth all the interruptions of fellow patrons on their phones! It is at this point talking about disruptions in movie houses. I read in the paper last night. A movie crit paid over R500 for the popcorn, chewing gum and Canada Dry to see House of Gucci – and….ta da ….this awesome country we live in – yip dear reader – you have guessed – Load shedding. And can you believe you don’t get a refund! How hectic is that!!!

And that dear readers was the week that was. Chad is quarantining in a fancy assed hotel in Nairobi their national park (Game reserve?) is across the road from their hotel – so whilst he enjoys his quarantine and counts the sleeps till he is in the USA this mama bear thanks God for his expected/unexpected/expected/unexpected visit home and I am counting my own sleeps until I am definitely expecting Ryan, Michelle and our precious little Tide. All my Santas are on display, the Christmas tree and décor are all up and ready for our precious little chap. Cant wait!

Till next week. As Tam from The Block said: “That’s all she wrote” (how good am I – remembering this little titbit each week!)😊 Stay safe, healthy and always be kind to yourself.  Mwah mwah.

Rosie in her element