Blog 36: To the tune of Bob Dylan: The times they are a changing.

As the year commenced, I had a very strong feeling about changes occurring. Now for those of you grabbing your cellular device to contact me for a reading, erm slow down. If I am honest, it’s not because I am psychic and more because my friends/family have told me of their plans.  Some of them could possibly even affect my life path! So nope it isn’t a hidden talent that I am yet to expose – nothing as romantic as that!  Interesting fact that though hey – I know there are those that are not into “that” type of belief. In fact, I do know some people feel it is not at all acceptable. The interesting fact is even those that are totally, I mean totally against it – the funniest – you tell them you went to a fortune teller – and they poo poo it. However in the next breath they very excitedly ask you to share detail by detail what the hocus Pocus lady (or man) said to you! It is intriguing, well, I find the subject quite intriguing I have to admit. For those of you that are like minded and have Netflix – go take a peek at “Tyler Henry”. Obviously, you cannot live your life according to “it” but how the heck do “they” know all that info. Before I go any further – for those that could be offended – I apologise but hey these days the world accepts the most bizarre as the new norm – I definitely am not going to go into the long scary list of the bizarre bits that are now an everyday part of this world we live in. All I will say – no, in fact I won’t even say that – however these days to be a kid is a scary reality. So yes, let’s leave it at that – let’s just agree to disagree.

Trish who was only my friend it would appear for – oh and ONE of my bestfriends for 79&77! – and look how I wrote an F

 Anyhow so I totally digressed there. What I was saying is it seems every month these days, friends (and families) lives are changing more so than they ever did in recent years. I think we can safely blame COVID. Being humans, have you noticed that? There must always be a responsible party! It rarely is “thanks to me” that you in a particular situation – especially when it’s a bad situation – we could never have possibly done anything for it for be our fault. What! Never! And the main culprit in the history of the world thus far – let’s face it – without a doubt – its COVID! You misplaced your diary (I really did and to this day have never found it!) but it isn’t my fault – nope it’s because I am so distracted with all the goings on surrounding COVID that I misplaced it. I have a sore throat –  simple sore throat – two years ago I would have said “ah shucks I have a sore throat” and that would have been the end of the conversation, these days – firstly if you even brave enough to admit you have a sore throat – those that you have shared your sore throat news with – very – ever so casually step back – and then step back again – until they are the required 1.5m away from you (in some cases even further back from you). Then they suddenly need the loo and you know they are going to wash their hands, faces, masks, clothes, probably even step into that tray of treated water so that their shoes are even good to go! Why? Because of COVID! I remember the very, very early days – when it was still “rumoured” remember there was that guy that ate a bat and died in China – and hell man China was so, so far away it wasn’t a biggy. I remember when I first decided to wear a mask. Sitting in the car – should I? Shouldn’t I? On .Off. On. Ok step out the car – ah goodness no, no everyone will stare – quickly Liz whip it off before anyone notices!!! Now if you dare get out the car and you haven’t got your mask on – those looks you are given!! Although I am sure you have heard that Uncle Cyril has changed the wearing of the mask rules – not as vital as it was. Which my two cents worth – with winter coming – doesn’t it make sense for us all to continue wearing our masks?

My dearest Trish

Do you dear reader also battle with concentration? I am so sure it is an age thing (frik if it is and I am this bad now, what the heck will I be like in twenty years’ time!!)I love reading, in fact my mom, dad and my dearest sister – all of us (my brother – not so much) passionate readers. Give us a book anytime. Oh! my personal favourite – a new – just off the printer – that new, new book. The smell of a new book. Oh my giddy aunt – my absolute bestest! I am a book exchange fan but, but, but there is nothing more off putting than an old book. You know the one – crusty, yellowing pages. Even worse you are more than halfway through the book and there are pages missing!  Ah how awful. Anyhow of late, I am finding it quite bizarre. I read a few pages before nid-nodding off to LaLa land each night. But more often than not, these nights I am having to back track, I mean blady chapters as I cannot remember what the heck happened. The worst is when you reading about a character and you are totally, totally lost – who the heck is this now?? Meanwhile they were introduced to you on  page 1. In fact, with my luck they are the main blady character!

Whilst we on the subject of reading dear reader. I don’t know if I ever shared with you. I found a truly dilapidated copy of “Fiela se kind” in Chads room. It was that bad that I had to sticky tape it together and in the end it did fall apart, but the reason I bring this up. it was the english copy. So “Fiela’s child” – all those weeks (yip, was more than likely months!) I was reading it. My beloved hubby was so, so, so very, but quietly, impressed. He thought I was actually reading the Afrikaans copy. Did I lose many, many points when he realised it was the english version!

As you know, I started this week’s blog with that feeling of changes happening this year. It got me looking at my house – taking off my rose-tinted glasses and really looking at my house and all the crap that we have collected and continue to collect! Oh my giddy aunt – Gary and blady brochures. Now bear in mind we live in one of the most touristy parts of South Africa – so every second person has a B&B or a lodge or whatever it is that attracts tourists. These establishments are on our blady doorstep! But nope Gary always, always finds it necessary to pick up their brochure. We live in Nelspruit – why the heck would we be looking to stay in their B&B? So now when he brings them home, once he sets off to work (or walks out the room after placing it on the pool table – yip the pool table is our go to for everything everything that is, except my 2021 Diary!) – in the bin it goes! I sit and watch TV at night looking around at the (and there are plenty of them!) un-opened cupboards that are jam blady packed with stuff! The other day I opened a drawer. Inside the draw was a puzzle. It is the size of a match box – in fact it came in a match box. It was cute (years ago) it was – I say “was” because a piece is missing – it is Winnie the Pooh but its no longer Winnie the pooh since that particular piece was lost ions ago – so why the heck is it still in that drawer? Its not as if I am going to suddenly find the missing piece. I have no doubt that piece was dropped centuries ago and swept away the next day. Landed in the thingy that you pick up all the sweepings with – probably noticed by whomever swept – but never given a second thought rather just chucked in the bin! So throw the blady thing away the rest of the puzzle I am meaning here dear reader! Pens, there are more pens in this drawer than in CNA ….and the beauty of these pens : none, not one of them work! So why the heck are they there? A key ring – interestingly it is from Florida – whenever it was given to me – I have no, not an inkling or recollection as to who visited Florida and bought me back a keyring. But now its on my car key! Yip after all these years – and why – because of course my little chap is there – so now it bears significance to me! When whomever (thank you whomever you were) gave it to me – it meant nothing. But in saying that – this lonesome key ring is probably the only thing that has lived in that drawer for the last ten years and only now it means something to me. What about the single BROKEN key that is in that drawer? What the hell did I ever think I was going to do with a BROKEN key! What was amazing is I came upon photos.  Friends that are still in my life – the one I had to smile to myself. I had written on the photo “My best friend 1977 – 1979” – so what……   did her friendship contract expire and not get renewed at the end of 1979? Nah, it didn’t, she is still a big part of my life. In fact, she is one of my keenest and kindest readers. Patty Pancake its YOU. I also found plenty of my dearest Charmaine and her sister Debbie. In fact, I remember the day we took the photos – as clear as day. Remember, we used to take the most random photos – and then we would get the spool developed. In my case it would be frikken months later (sometimes even years) and what a delight it was to look back on those photos you had totally forgotten you had taken.  One or two of the photos I found – it made me seriously question whether as a younger young lady, when I met Gary in fact:  a) was he blind? B) did I not have any love for myself? C)Did Gary not love me enough yet to say “babe WTF is with your hair???” My hair style! AND to make it worse the colour, it was a blue black colour!!

And you thought I was exaggerating!

I also found a whole heap, in fact a lifetime of CD’s. What a treat finding them – Ronan Keating, Blondie, I even found a cassette  – Fine Young cannibals! The beauty here is dearest Dizabeth still has a CD player in her car! So, I will be pumping up the volume as I beetle here and there around our little Nellies 😊 I have promised myself – well, I wouldn’t say “promised” myself as that is a true crappy promise to make to oneself – but I guess it is a bitter sweet “promise” – as as much as I am covered in dust when finished in the cupboard I decide to tidy – it is also a true treat discovering hidden treasures and re-awakening the fondest of memories. So, the aim is to at least get through a cupboard or two before each weekend ends. In all this tidying – who agrees – somewhere in all this mayhem I am sure to find my 2021 diary!😊

And that dear reader is all she wrote.

Thanks for loving my blog the way you do.

Be safe, healthy and always be kind to you.

Mwah mwah.