Another Whirr of a Week

Sunday morning – 15^th December 2019 

A week of sorting, saving and sharing -

Bringing increasing order and familiarity to my home and world.

This week I shared some more things with the Charity Shop.

Then I thought “I wonder if anyone in the Ward needs any of this…”

I’m not on the Relief Society WhatsApp group yet…

So that is what I will be sure to have happen today.

I asked to be put on last Sunday… it’s not been done yet.

On Wednesday I went to the hair-dresser.

I always feel better after taking care of my hair…

Somehow or other I have developed a breath-gasping back-ache.

That’s required flat bed rest when it gets too intrusive.

On Friday I sought a chiropractor.

The one I used to go to was going on leave.

So was another I know.

I found one up the road, near the Junction Spar.

I went to him of Friday.

A work-out of note…

Today I feel more comfortable than I have for a week.

Here’s hoping my comfort level increases to my normal soon.

Friday evening we gathered at Doug and Nadia.

After a simple supper, and family socializing,

Ethan was ordained an Elder by Doug, assisted by Glenn and

Sheldon Torr representing the Soweto Stake.

Jarom was able to be “there” via phone.

It was a heart-warming experience.

I joined my WeighLess group in Weltevreden Park on Saturday.

I will be checking in every Saturday at 8am.

That just reminds me of accountability for maintaining my goal weight.

I made a resolution about 48 years ago to maintain a healthy weight.

It saves money on clothes!  And saves pain and discomfort…  I hope.

I’ve been in my goal-weight range for many years – thanks to checking-in

almost weekly with WeightWatchers (now pulled out of the country.)

and now WeighLess – a South African programme.  Better than WeightWatchers –

though I prefer the name WeightWatchers I must say...

(Last Saturday morning we were at the Temple with Richard and Emily.)

(Another Emily in the ‘family!’)

I have now found a dry-cleaner to take Glenn’s suit to…

I bought and put together a dual rail for the spare-room store-room.

I’m proud of myself!  I thought along the way “Not all the pieces are here…”

But they were… and I found a way to put it together…

(Glenn was at the chiropractor on Saturday morning.)

We joined Arthur and Denise Butterfield and the Dessert Club for lunch on Saturday.

We enjoyed a delicious meal – thank you Arthur and Denise.

I enjoyed catching-up with those whom we have met with monthly for many years.

I’m shocked I must say.  They all look so much older…

Sobering…  I wonder if we look “so much older…” to them.

Food for thought…  

I don’t feel older… except for the recovering back-ache…

Glenn and I both spoke in our Discovery Ward Sacrament meeting this morning.

Monday Morning (public holiday - Day of Reconciliation)

This morning I feel a little tearful.  Not sure why.

Maybe I’m just peopled-out.

Time to go and spend a couple of hours in the Botanic Garden.

I’ll go and visit my Dad’s grave too.

I have stones to add to those probably still there.

(I take stones from where I have been and lay them there when I can.)

I did a Tai Chi routine this morning in the front garden

Then spent 10 minutes in the garden.

One patch is a little clearer.

I will do ten minutes when I can – back permitting.

My back feels a little easier this morning.

I will take care of it so it can take care of me!

Have a good week!

Sunday Afternoon - Home Again!

We had a peaceful and delicious breakfast on Thursday at The Little Church in Van Reenen… we were on our way home…

 And yes, we are home again…

We had thunder and lightning and rain Thursday night when we arrived, and after Ethan, Daena, Cabryn and Roisin (Nadia’s sister) helped carry all the stuff in…  
We are home!

I walk around bare-foot on our carpets… We are home!

I bathed in my own bath… We are home!

The church bells rang this morning…  We are home!

The peaches and apricots are ripe… We are home!

The birds are chirping and chirping outside… We are home!

And we have room!

Douglas has built upstairs in the property behind us and moved some of his stuff there. 

This week we will move more there to clear the front room off the entrance hall and prepare it for Les and Sally who arrive next weekend.

Richard, their youngest, is marrying and being sealed in the Temple on Saturday.

I am looking forward to that precious time with Les and Sally.

I enjoy having my brothers to stay, when they come to Gauteng for whatever reason.

Actually, I just enjoy visitors – and I prefer them shortish-term, whenever possible.

The other front room, Doug’s office, will be next on the list to clear to next door behind, then we’ll be all on our own in our part of the house.

And we’ll make that front room and the adjoining ‘piano room’ into what we need them to be for this stage of our lives.

(The piano room is already transformed – we did that before we left - it has a new built-in-cupboard which is very useful.)

(I’ll share pictures when all the new stuff is closer to ‘finished’ than it is right now.)

I to Glenn "If one of us is alone in the future we might well end up in one room."

We have much to share now with those less fortunate than we are.

I will take a load of our many clothes to the charity shop tomorrow.

Other items will be sure to follow.

We’ve been packing in La Lucia for weeks now.

A bit at a time…

By the time Thursday came, we were ready – just about.

I realized when I was in Pietermaritzburg that I’d left a few items in the fridge…

Ah well, the movers will have 6 eggs, delicious bean soup (which I meant to leave for those who clean and tend the estate) and probably a few other this’s and that’s…

I loved being there for the three years and five months that our home was there.
I loved being closer to John, Brenda, Vi, Craig, Roxane, Madi and Kirsty.

I mastered more technology… what a blessing!

I met and got to know many people I never would have otherwise.

We lived where we would never have otherwise.

We went places and did things we never would have otherwise.

I’m glad we went.

As I said to one of my colleagues who commented that I really enjoyed being there, 
“I enjoy my life… wherever I am.  Each day that passes will never come again.  I want as few regrets as possible when it is my time to die.”

I’m glad to be home…

I love my home…

We’ve spent many years making it very comfortable, functional, and pleasing to me/us.

Interesting – I don’t even miss the other side of the house.

This part is very suitable.

I’ll spend ten early minutes a day in the garden, and ten minutes a day on a ‘hotspot.’

FlyLady terminology… Finally Love Yourself Lady.

FlyLady has been very useful in ‘liberating’ me to a greater degree.

Do you know about it?

I look forward to going to the Botanical Gardens again.

One of my places of refuge/refreshing/being.

It’s good to be home!

It’s good to be alive!  See, hear, smell, taste, touch, think, move, be, LIVE!

We have a heat wave this weekend – it is hot.

We have the fan on, and the doors and windows wide open.

Most tolerable, most pleasant, when that is possible.

Northerners… Enjoy your deepening December.

Somehow Christmas in Winter is “the way it should be…”

“We” in the South have been indoctrinated by the Northern countries – 
through many years!

Somehow Christmas Dinner (hot) is just not right here…

And Christmas cake/pudding here needs to be ice-cream…

To each their own. We’ll have a swim on Christmas day to cool down.

That’s appropriate here.

This little bird, big actually, was by our front gate when I drove in from shopping yesterday…

Black Friday weekend… What was I thinking?!

I was glad to see this at-ease bird!
Do any of you know what it is?