My walking park
I sat here on the diametrically opposite side of the world on Wednesday, 6 January 2021 and was appalled at the events live streaming into my granny flat in South Africa. In real time, I watched as rioters and what people are calling domestic terrorists heeded the call of the person still in the White House. It’s the place I called home for almost 50 years, where my boys and grandkids are. Where my friends from those years are. A place always considered safe and until 4 years ago, sane.
People here shake their heads, joking that the US is taking lessons from the so-called Banana Republics around the world. But most are gob-smacked by his attitude towards everyone other than himself and I can’t wait for him to be gone before he has the opportunity to cause any more damage.
I’m trying to limit my news intake now as it just puts me a bad mood!
It’s a Small World After All (sorry)
Zoey, the gorgeous Rhodesian Ridgeback hanging out with me
As I sat here late into the night (we are 10 hours ahead of California) and now thinking back, it’s amazing how small this world is now. Thousands of miles away, the events there could have been happening just down the road. There was no lag, no buffering, no delays. And all coming in on small, handheld device that was simply a Star Trek futuristic device not many years ago! Pretty soon we will be getting “beamed up” and land in a different country without having to spend hours and hours on a plane.
For me and my local friends, life goes on the same, with an extended and more restrictive lockdown that up until Wednesday, was starting to feel, at least to me, almost normal. Even though the virus is running rampant here, with several friends and acquaintances being infected, and so far, all doing ok. But maybe it’s just accepting what is and not expecting anything different. Forget about making any plans, as there is so much uncertainty about the future. It certainly is a more settled feeling for me (once I get over being so pissed off at what happened in the States).
There is talk of the lockdown level here increasing, which may or may not slow down the spread. Apparently the government finally sorted out getting the vaccines here, but as with just about everything here, there’s no guarantee that it will happen. But I would be in the second tranche to get a jab being in “that age group!”
As there are no little adventures on the horizon, my entertainment consists of a lot of reading, working on the underwear site, walks in the park, uploading pix to stock photos, learning to use my Instant Pot… and watching the troops of monkeys that barrel through here every other day or so. They are so much fun to watch, with whole families swinging through the trees, feeding on the myrtle berries that are in season. Unfortunately, my “real” camera has given up the ghost so am shooting with my iPhone which does a good job most of the time, but without a real zoom, it’s tricky. But still better than nothing.
Ping snoozing on my lap
Ping, the household kitty is a regular visitor and Zoey, the gorgeous Rhodesian Ridgeback also spends time with me, so I have company during the day. And Adele, my landlady who is a sweetie, and I have chats out in the garden most days. So I am not nearly as isolated as I was in Westville and I thank heaven I didn’t stay there!
I hope everyone is staying safe, wherever you are. It’s a drag, but the alternative is not an option!