Bemused

Have You Lost Your Head?

Adjusting with bemused disbelief, some categorically decide think it wise to give up on themselves leaving another to take care of them clean up your mess. Dammit think for yourself no such thing as unmet expectation syndrome, don't lay blame at the door of others, do your bit. Personal sin is not being mindful of health, both mental and physical when reaching latter yardstick years in life.

Growing up we were taught either you’re a Leader, or your job is to help your Leaders. You have to be one or the other to keep everything on track.

Very apt at this point in life is to listen to those in the know, Vusi who has been assisting me since May, started projects around the home, flatlet on the property using tiles left over from maintenance in house fifteen years ago.

Coastal living is unforgiving, damp in walls, after specialized treatment, repairs and repainting it all looks good to go for another ten to fifteen....

Vusi pointed out the roof has never been done, my retort most probably never will either infamous last words. Vusi popped onto the roof (still agile) to reveal how worn tiles actually were, yikes we moved immediately to the roof. Shopping for paint is expensive..., another mind blast is how everything has escalated in pricing.

Hadeda inspection appeared to glide through smoothly, now sending a request to him not to spray paint my roof! Patched with membrane, quality paint all looking good!

Bemused at how much has been neglected when other half went on a rampage eight years ago 'fixing and painting', currently does not notice how much deterioration is taking place.

Thank goodness I was introduced to Vusi who is assisting me, while my son and I purchase everything, pay him for his excellent work ethic (no outsider works without remuneration, obviously). While pressure hose cleaning teaching his niece the ropes, perhaps one day she will join him more permanently with work not being available for many in the land.

Strangers Become Friends

Vusi not only knows his craft of which he is extremely proud, also comes from a unique background. A Zulu father and Xhosa mother, remembers as a child during Zulu/Pondo strife being taken to Lusikisiki, formerly capital of Eastern Pondoland now known as the Eastern Cape Province where he lived ten years of his life.

This period of turmoil was in the 1990s, living in this same house, watching from the windows Zulu Impi march down the main road chasing Pondo to get out of Natal now known as KwaZulu-Natal. Train to sugar mill in valley below was protected by army at the time, ensuring safe passage was made for the Pondo people at the time to main train connection down the coast into what at the time we knew as Transkei.

Twists and turns throughout life leave us bemused, one minute friends the next foe, always be alert there are many very good people out there to learn more from as we negotiate the time of our lives.

We've only just begun! Next project house walls, with two young daughters and wife I am sure to have made a new friend for some time to come, my helping hand.... No such thing as retirement!

PS: We had some rain to wash the plants clean after roof washing, it looks great, lawn might chirp up from brown to slightly greener, for all the rain in the Cape we have been exceptionally dry!

Thought for Today: "Every head must do its own thinking." - African Proverbs