COUNT DOWN 7....6.....5

AT LAST THE COUNT DOWN BEGINS...
7............
The arrangements for the house to move was so easy..ELLIOTS INTERNATIONAL did all the planning and packing. It took but a phone call to their rep in my area and she was there to measure up and give a quote. I phoned 4 other moving companies as well and all the others took days to quote and I was not impressed with the service. It is amazing that in this economical time the other companies were so slack BUT Elliots came through well.
Luckily I had to move very quickly as the new owners needed to move in immediately.
It took 10 days to get me out and them in.
It was very funny at times but hey I was very busy and had very little sleep. As you all know by now I am a coffee-holic. More about this later.....
The few days I had before the movers arrived I had to do the sorting. This move went in 8 directions. 1 to Elliots for storage. 2 boxes to Dubai. 3 to JC. 4 to Rossuw. 5 to Dian. 6 to an orphanage. 7 to home staff and 8 to the rubbish heap. Now the decisions come again hard and fast. I took tape and taped areas in the garage for the different areas and I only left in the house what Elliots must pack as they are like locusts.......they clean a path like the speed of lightning....
The team arrived on the monday morning and started immediately . Now I supervise every where and give instructions all over.
JC came down from Johannesburg to help and to collect his stuff and to take Rambo (my Parrot) We had a fantastic time and chatted until late at night and worked our nilly's off in the day. He was a huge help and good to have him there. Rambo was packed as well with new toys in his cage and on his out-of-cage area.
JC packed his car (a Golf) to he max. He did a superb job...BUT the two of us ended up with Rambo and his cage and no more space in the car................I am not a good packer so I called the Elliots team that were busy in the house and asked them to put the cage in the car.......I walked away like a true a "Marina Mary" nose in the air (mind you I was wearing a T-Shirt and gym pants......................................) We returned 10 inutes later and they had packed all and JC was ready to go.
He had Rambo in his cage BUT he found a way out and spent the whole trip on top of his cage talking and wistling to JC.... I asked JC to give him water along the way as it was a sweltering hot day. Jc ried his best but Rambo would have none of the water...........He insisted on JC's coke a cola.....So Rambo asked and so he received. I was emotional to say goodbye to Rambo BUT so glad he is with JC. Heis in very good hands and I am sure will have a new vocab soon.....
The pcking went on well and every evening I had less furniture to sit on......The imagination went wild and I came to he conclution that we have way too much stuff we do not really need..... I found stuff in cupboards which when i bought them I thought I could not do with out BUT I hardly ever or even never used...................Just think of the money I could have saved.............but so we learn. Thank heavens the Dubai apparment is so small as I alway think first where will I put it and then I do not buy it as I have no space.
The next bad curve ball in this move (I thnk it was he worst....) was Colonel my dog. This dog was so protective of me. He NEVER left my side when strangers were near. He looked at me with absolute adoration and love always....... I could not find a home for him, and I tried everything....,and had to make the worst decision of having him euthenased by the vet. I phoned the vet who we know very well and explained my situation. He was so caring...... He fetched Colonel on the last morning I was there ,he took him away and phoned an hour later just to say all over and done. I cried my eyes out the whole day. I felt to bad and my heart was broken..........
Now the coffee issue hits me hard. I have nothing in the house to make coffee. I find a kettle going to the orphanage and a mug and a teaspoon and perculated coffee.............. Now how to make the coffee as I have no plunger of coffee machine. In the pantry I left all the pool equipment and cleaning stuff for the new owners. In that I find a small pool filter bag. VOILLA.......One spoon filter coffee in bag. Put in cup and hold top end of filter. Pour on boiling water and wait 2 minutes. By now your fingers are a little hot as the filter draws the boiling water to the hand...... Lift out filter and drink wonderful filter coffee.....problem solved and agin I realise I can make do with much less and that I am a survivor no matter what the odds.....Also I am a camper......................
The house was handed to the new owners in perfect condition. I had the inside painted after all nails and scews were removed from where i had all my framongs hanging on the walls.. The domestic staff and myself scrubbed us to the bone to hand over a perfectly clean house. The new owners were very pleased and impressed.
On Friday morning I had a rental car deliverd to take me to Durban with the boxes packed to go to Dubai as I am delivering them to a company called Rohig-Grinod who are handling the air freight of these items.............(Thanks for that tip Sonja......It worked well)
I originaly thought it will be 2 or 3 boxes. It ends with 18 boxes. (212kg) My car size was too small......and I tok a big car......Now what.I have to get this to Durban today.......... I grab the phone book and call Kwa-ki-jima (in Zulu it means This or that fast) It is our local couries between Richards bay and Durban. Remeber this is Zululand and it is Friday about lunch time.... Well all went well and boxes and Kwa ki jima and I in Avis rent a car left for Durban. I had to say good bye to my domestic staff and that was also again tearful. Rita and Promise I will miss the 2 of you a lot. Not only when I am cleaning and ironing BUT we were 3 woman who lived in each others lives the last 10 years.
6.............
DURBAN
I went to Zimbali and spent 3 nights with her and Bobby and family. It was so nice. Infact it was like being in a five star hotel. I had my own suite in their beautiful home. I slept normally for he first time in months. We ate, chatted, swam, had drinks around the pool and wizzed al over Zimbali in the golf cart...... Gesi and I are like 2 peas in a pod in the kitchen. We have absolute silent language and can do all ogether without getting under each others feet.
Bobby was so special to me and clucked aound me like a protective brother without crowding my space.
Gesi invited the whole dinner club for dinner for the Saturday night. It was so good to have the "family", as we call ourselves, all together. JUST Hannes was not there and dearly missed by all.... Infact a lot of the conversation was abut him ....It was freaking hot so we were in the pool by 22h30 and floating around like fat happy hippo's. Marietjie I wll never forget what you think of hippo's in a pool and how dearly you always wanted to be one until some startling expose on hippo's burst your bubble........................
The Sunday all of us vegetated at home and it was wonderful. The weather had changed from hot and sunny to rainy and then more rain.
I received a call from the new owners of the house and guess what...........the bleddie roof was leaking........ Early Monday I phone the roof fixers (they had done a huge job on the roof 6 mnths ago) and out they go to check. It turns out a small portion of the roof has to be fixed again (luckily under guarantee) AND a down pipe is very badly blocked. So I have to phone the plumbers to sort out. It all was done so now all ok again. I just don't need this small sticky stuff to come my way now............
I then proceeded to the freight company and got al the Dubai cargo sorted out.....The biggest problem will be where to pack all that stuff....... but that can wait for Dubai to be sorted out.
I went to our flat for 3 days and it was good to see the state of the flat after all the holiday letings we have had there. Compliments to Clydene and Pricilla who look after our flat like gold and also the agency doing the rentals for me.
These 3 days were one big social event. Clydene invited me to dinner and we looked at Gia"s wedding photo's. What a beautiful wedding album. Well done my friend you did a superb job. Clydene served a zuccini dish that was to die for. Will give it a try in Dubai......
I had a lovely dinner with Barry and Karen and a lekker chat and catch up... Karen thanks for my favourite cake you baked for me. The 3 slices you gave me in a "human" bag home was such a lekker breakfast....
The Tuesday the whole dinnerclub family and Alfie and Sandra went out for dinner at La Casa Nostra in Umdloti. Was yummy food and good banter around that table. We left when the owners locked up..... Thusday night Ouboet and Ousus (Mario and Marietjie) invited me fo a braai and food and convesation was good once again.
I greeted all the dear friends and could not find a tear in my heart at all. Clydene was in tears and I felt like a traitor for not crying as well BUT I have so much to look forward to and to be with Hannes again I could not find tears. Love you lots Maietjie,Gesi and Clydene and keep the good spirit going. See you in July......................
I left for the airport in Durban very early on Friday morning for my flight to Port Elizabeth. Now my reality set in and I cried myself silly at the flat on closing the door and all the way to the airport. The flight was a blur of emotions. Between excited, happy and very sad. memories kept flooding my thoughts
5..............
PORT ELIZABETH
I arrived in Port Elizabeth to see Dian for 3 days. I had to check on my youngest at University before I left. I was so surprised as he was waiting at the airport to greet me. I thought he was at class. He did not want his mommy to go by taxi to the hotel in PE. I thought it was a great idea on his part.
I am staying at the beach hotel in PE. Fantastic. Old colonial service and warmth. It was so good to see him. I hugged and kissed him until he said ok enugh now..............
Dian looks so well and so happy. I will say goodbye to him with a good feeling in my heart. We chatted and ate a lot. I took him and his flatmates to dinner last night and was so good to see how good the 3 of them get along. Dian has his head on right and is very serious about being succesful at University as he is so happy here. His flat is bigger than ours is in Dubai. The flat is on the Hobie beach beachfront. Big airy and spacious. He is so lucky. He is fantastic with his money matters and does well within his budget. Very good to see.
Today Dian and I went to Port Alfred to go and see Leo (my late dad's wife) She is so depressed as she misses him so much. She has moved into an old age home but has her own cottage. We took her to lunch and she seemed to have lifted spirits when we left. She took us to their house, and that is were I saw my dad alive for the last time. I kept on waiting for him to call my name or come into the room. I made sure we left there very quickly. To see his photo's displayed around was vey disturbing as I have not been confronted with that before today. But there is always a first for everything.
Dian and I had the drive back to PE in his BB (bouncing bubble) car with his music on his volume level. You see in my car they were never aloud to adjust the music at all. So now I have to repay the respect. So there he two of us were listening to Bok van Blerk and Dian's other funny music at top volume and lots of bass. Even my brain was vibrating............But good fun. The 2 of us went for a snack in the hotel tonight and he will join me for breakfast tomorrow morning and then the big greeting number........ARGH..................again.....
OK all news for now. Will keep you in suspense for count down 4 that happens next.
Chow
L
PS. Spel check is not working so sorry for spelling and typing mistakes. DEAL WITH IT!!!!!!!!!!!