ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE ! ? ! ?

HANNES AND MYSELF

Just for the record I miss him so much..................... This photo was taken on our last holiday to my most special place........................MAURITIUS. This was before we even knew about this relocation and Dubai.
The whole Dubai number happened shortly after this holiday. Even now looking back I am still pleased with the Dubai move although it is tough at times, and tough on both of us in different aspects. Common ground is both of us are alone and hate it...... but it is in the last straight now.


RITA (ON THE LEFT) AND PROMISE ON THE RIGHT

These are my 2 house keepers. Rita does the house work and promise is the gardener. I had such a giggle today and I will miss that so much. Promise speaks only Zulu. How on earth we understand and communicate to each other is a mystery but some how we get the message through. Promise is also very "old school" and keeps to all the old traditions. For instance she never addresses me directly. She works through the "Numzaan" in Zulu that is "boss" Rita is regarded as the boss of the workers. So Rita comes to me today and says Promise want tablets for her stomach. I ask what the problem is, thinking cramps or gastro etc. promise informs Rita her stomach is "itching" !!!!!!!!!!! Now I beg of anyone not from Africa to understand this number...Itching, I mean hello, should I get the allergy creams? Maybe tell her to scratch it? ....However I ask the next question "Is her stomach running (thinking gastro) I am told (with a dead pan face and serious expression) no the legs have not grown yet and only itching......
I now knew I had lost the plot completely as I wanted to keel over and laugh myself sick.......but did not want to embarass Promise or Rita as this is said with the utmost respect....
I turned on my heels and went to the medicine cabinet. (In this house it is a drawer with lots of bits and bobs of medicine.....) I selected the combination I thought suited the situation....
Promise will not be nauseous, have pain, fart, burp or have a stool for the next week...... I covered all the bases. I also (just to make sure) gave her some multi vite's ( They just had a good colour and are foul tasting....) Makes the muti stronger hey.................
Only in Africa as they say..........................

GESI AND BOBBY

This photo is actually for Bobby...He is our "PRADO" advisor. Thanks Bob great car BUT he also in a very quiet way looks after me in many ways. He phoned to hear if maybe I want to let the house to fishing friends who will be down for a big competition for a few days.....Thanks so much Bob for looking out for me. Unfortunately i cannot accept this as I think I might be packing if all goes as I wish... here I am being very positive as I do not have anything signed sealed and delivered......
he makes the best "tea"...pink in colour and boy oh boy it makes you feel so good. You are special Bob and I am very lucky to call you a true friend........ He will not like this in the blog as he does not like attention BUT hey it's my blog I can do as I please......................

CLYDENE


ERMANNO

These two might come down and visit over the weekend..... I thought of going to Umdloti for the weekend BUT ............CHUBB got in the way.

Chubb and I are not the best of friends at the moment............in fact I told them to get out of my life............

A few months ago we had a burglary at home.....Chubb was the security response company.... We learned the next day that 5 of their clients had the exact same "modus opperandi" burglaries.... We told Chubb it is an inside job, cancelled our contract with them and Hannes wrote an article in the local newspaper. The manager then came and asked very nicely to reconsider as we have been clients for 12 years blah die blah die blah........ We then stayed with conditions that we can cancel the contract in 1 months notice (normally you need 3 months) and we told chubb what service we expect. We were promised the sun moon and stars....................

Since Thursday last week I realised that every time the alarm is activated I have NO response from Chubb. It went like that over the weekend as well. On Monday morning bright and early ( as I do not sleep well and am a little scared on my own.....) I phoned the manger personally who made all those promises and stated my problem. he checked my "file or system"and reported back that they do not receive any signals from me since the 21st of January............

He said he will send a technician to rectify the problem. I stressed that I am very scared and alone at home very often and reminded him of our history with chubb. He remembered this all too clearly and even said his own wife is also very scared when she is alone at home and he completely understands and promised to give it urgent attention blah die blah die blah bullshit....

OK so hear starts the drama.... At 19h30 last night my "pressure gauge" was "off the charts" for empty promises, another night of can't sleep and fear.......

I sent him and his MD of Chubb South Africa an e-mail and a fax to terminate my relationship with the company with immediate effect.................

The MD of Chubb South Africa replied to my e-mail in about 10 words. He just stated that he will forward this to Chubb manger Richards bay to handle.........So much for caring about a customer complaint hey..............................

Chubb Richards bay had a sweet voiced female staff member phone me and she asks...Mrs van Dijk I believe you need a technician............. She has not heard of Attila the Hun has she!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I told her sternly but politely to go away ..... next call a very polite man and asks again if I need a technician.....................I little more firmly but still polite!!!!!!!I told him to take a hike......... At 17h00 a call from the manger to apologise for his negligence and to ask me to basically give them another chance......................... I had such a fun time in telling him personally (but still politely) to go to hell and I am sure he will enjoy the ride and take photo's along the way. I had a few very smart quirks which I told him..... I think I would have been an excellent defence lawyer............

OK so why do I then let this keep me from going to Umdloti. I think that Chubb might be involved in planning the next burglary and "they" are seeing if there is some one home and with the alarm going off 3 or 4 times per night "the baddies" want to see if I get tired of re setting the alarm............. I have news for them..............I cannot sleep and it keeps me occupied...... I have very interesting "toys" to "amuse" any one who enters this house.....

Enough of them.....

I had a removal company come in today for the first of 4 quotes to pack and store the house furniture and stuff....... That I think will be a pleasant surprise.....

It is so freaking hot in Zululand and the humidity is killing me........... This house is also so open plan and big that the air cons do not make a dent in the heat.

I had to call an electrician in today as the study light switch made a very beautiful spark and lots of smoke and died........... Luckily it was only a loose wire and was fixed very quickly ...... I do not have any patience to fix anything here...................... I am being tested.......

Dedre ( Hannes's brother daughter) had a little boy today... 4,030kg WOW a big baby.... She sent me and MMS just after her was delivered by Cesarean..... technology is just fantastic.

Dian has settled well and seems happy. He bought a desk today as he will need big space for all his drawings and projects.

JC phoned and was just having a off day......... No good reason he was just NAFI.....

Rossouw is doing Rugby trials tomorrow and the next day and he seems to be very excited...

The economy is hitting everybody hard... Richards Bay families who left for Australia have been told to return as their visa's are being withdrawn due to mining closures and job losses.....Their furniture has not even arrived and they have to leave again....That must be terrible. Dubai construction companies are doing the same as new projects are being "put on ice"

Ok enough from me

L