3 DAYS FROM HELL

HANNES AND GESI (how lucky to have 2 two "special's" like this in my life JC AND SONJA

LAURIKA ( been in my life the last 10 years.)
PRINCESS ( been in my life for 14 years)

I was propelled being back from Dubai and into "handling" the SA side of things with such a bang, that I am still shell shocked....

I went to Richards bay on Monday after being absent for 3 weeks. There was so much work to be done........ I started at home to check the pool and garden and house. Well it was chaos. We had a locum the previous week (the doctor we pay to look after the practise while Hannes is away). This man and his wife had nearly destroyed my pristine house....I was so shocked t see the state of the my Persian carpets and the bedding. to name but a few.

The wife thought it good to allow my dog to sleep in the house and even on my bed......I have only cream bedding and he sharpei is a little slobbery.....The dog was also allowed, and encouraged, to romp on the carpets. I did phone the kind doctor and gave him a very good peice of my mind .....I did not like it but I felt better as he was a liar too and insisted the dog was NEVER in the house....... O well he is out of my life now as he also "dropped" me with a curve ball (before the talking to) and he cancelled his next week working. So I am without a doctor for the last week of this month. Also the last days the practise has to work......

My staff at home also took the fact that I am not there to heart and really let the house run down. I put them straight quickly very frimly and for the rest of the day they cleaned and did gardening at the speed of lightning......When they left the house looked so much better. I have to wonder why one always has to be a super bitch to just get what originally was agreed upon. (Job descriptions.)

On a nicer note I took the girls who work for us at the surgery for dinner on Monday nigh. We had "lekker" chats and had a most enjoyable evening. One which makes memories for me to take to Dubai. In the foto's above Laurika is one of the girls. She is so very special to me as she is so loyal and love able that she feels more like a daughter to me than a staff member. She did such a marvelous job at the surgery and ran the show like a pro. After dinner we went to my hotel and I showed them foto's of Dubai and they wanted to now more and more. I was a real tour guide with the laptop and foto's. Marlise was the other girl but I do not have a photo of her to add. Princess (foto supplied) is another staff member but was not able to join us she did not have transport home after dinner and with the crime situation as it is here I did not want to drive her home alone .. she stays about 30 km out of town in a rural area.

I will miss the 3 of them dearly and luckily we can keep contact via technology..... I encouraged them to save and come and visit next year when I hopefully will be settled and living in Dubai.

I also went to my Hairdresser and had a snazzy cut and colour...In Dubai I might not be able to do my hair so often as it is a very expensive number.

The hotel I stayed in has only be open for 2 months and in the best setting.....Looking over the yacht bay.....How ever the hotel still has lots and lots of teething problems before they will be worthy of their beautiful setting.

I read all the regional newspapers to catch up on the news. I wish I never did that. All the articles were of violence and crime in our area.......It is so disturbing to see this beautiful country go to a not a safe place to be. What is most unsettling is that the crime is so violent. Just deaths and shooting.....No respect for human life at all. In one paper there were at least four police men and security guards shot in the process of robberies........This paper also comes out twice a week...... I stopped reading as it depresses me.

Am I an ostrich for putting my head in the sand ??????????????????

The next day I went home again to continue with my admin work and thought maybe my other car should be washed.............The battery died a silent death......So that will force me to buy a new battery only to hopefully sell the car.............At least the new owner will get a superb car with a spankingly new battery......

The whole day was riddled with small problems that needed urgent attention. Later the afternoon I had a decent emotional cry.....Realising that Pierre is really dead and will never talk to me again was devastating.........Also sad for my Dad's cancer that is so aggressive and will take him from us very very soon....... My boys are also not coping well with the situation.... They really love their "oupa dad"....

Today I had a lovely surprise and Sonja (foto supplied) phoned me form Australia where she now lives (also left SA for the same reasons) and we had a real "expat" chat. Things I am going through she also experienced with their move to Auz. She is also a huge knowledge bank as she "been there, done that got the T-shirt" with relocation to another country.

I did more work and rushed back to the surgery to send a fax which Hannes needed urgently. Rushed back home to finish up so that I could leave back to Umdloti before it gets dark.. I was not successful and in the end had to do the journey in the dark. Luckily I have a very reliable vehicle..

I had dinner with Gesi my bestest friend (gees I am so lucky as I have so many best friends to rely on ) at La Casa Nostra in Umdloti. This restaurant is Italian (wow the name really did not give you a clue hey !!!!!!!!!!!). Their food is soooo good and I will miss their Gnocci Gorgonzola...

The two of us shared tears of sadness, sympathy and joy....... We were the last to leave the restaurant. Luckily it is just down the road form home....

I unpacked and added all the must do's to my diary.....My diary is choc a block full every day. I think I only have a nothing on the diary day in 2 weeks. Every day until then has items to give attention to and finalise. I am very glad for this as it makes my time here busy and make it go fast. On the not nice side I have to handle then by myself..... BUT I read Hannes's comment on the previous blog entry and the nicest words he added as a comment. I bleive that respect is the most important factor for a successful relationship. Love is important but not number one on my list as it varies form day to day. Hannes said he loves and admires me....Don't you just think that is such a huge compliment. It gave me "petrol" to run a couple more problems into the ground.

Strange how one needs acknowledgement so badly.......and so very nice to receive it in writing....

I feel so draind , emoionally and phsically, after these 3 days that this blog might seem seriously serious and mouning BUT LIVE WTH IT THIS ....THIS MY DIArY TO DO AS I PLEASE....................(Cheecky hey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

This week end the boys and myself are going to a family wedding. I am so glad as I think the four of us need each others company now. We can have lots of quality moments together.

All for know

L