Today, my 28 year old cousin Robyn is been buried. After a battle with cancer, she passed away at 8:27am on Friday 15 October 2010. She leaves behind her Mom, Dad and brother. Just over two years ago she attended the funeral of my niece, Kirstin, who was tragically killed in a car accident at the age of 18.
I remember when she was a little girl, she always had an answer for everything! There's something about the Mackrill girls, they're all arty, free spirited and never have to dig to deep for a chirpy answer, but they have the softest hearts.
For me this just brings home how temporary our existence is on this earth. Our move to Australia has been one of the most difficult life experiences I had. I really dislike my job at the moment and things like this highlight how important it is to stay focused on what's important in life. When we are young, we believe we are indestructible and that we'll live forever. When a young life is extinguished, we come to realise that each day is a gift and we need to make the most of it.
After the birth of our daughter Abigail, I realised that not much else matters. Yes, we need to earn a living to survive, but it's really not important. How you live your life, bring up your children, love your family and friends is what matters. I don't know how parents survive the death of a child, as it is unnatural and incredibly cruel.
Roby, I'm sure you're partying with Kirst and Aunt Ellen and Uncle Gerald. RIP my cousin. God Bless.
Love
Rich
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Life changing moments
People always speak about life changing moments. We moved to the UK, moved back to SA and then finally (hopefully) to Australia. Moves like these are one thing and have some challenges like missing our family and friends, but we adapt and settle eventually.
In July 2008, we lost my beloved niece Kirstin in a tragic accident. I think of her everyday and will probably never fully understand the reason for this. Why God decided it was time to take her when she had so much to offer, I don't know. The saying goes time heals.. but we are left with deep scars from events like these, and it changes your outlook on life, making you acutely aware of what is truly important.
Tonight was another life changing moment - my daughter Abigail Kirstin Mackrill was born today Wendesday 31 March 2010 at 17:36. To see the result of the love between my wife and myself expressed in such a beautiful little person is just astounding. This little lady who is completely dependant on us for everything now, will develop and grow into her own independent person with her own aspirations and dreams.
We have been happily married for almost nine years and parents always told us that everything changes when you have children and my parents say the same for grandchildren. I didn't realise the gravity of their statement or how instantanious that change is. Nothing else matters anymore, only the wellbeing of your child matters. The instictive feeling that makes you want to care and protect them at any cost.
In retrospect, I realise now that at the time I couldn't have known what my sister was going through when my niece passed away. We were and still are broken hearted, but to some extent, I can now understand the gravity of her sadness.
Holding that little new life in my hands today wipes out all the pain and suffering that goes on in the world today. I do not look forward to her first scratched elbow or knee, but I know that it will all turn out alright in the end as it's all in God's plan for her.
In July 2008, we lost my beloved niece Kirstin in a tragic accident. I think of her everyday and will probably never fully understand the reason for this. Why God decided it was time to take her when she had so much to offer, I don't know. The saying goes time heals.. but we are left with deep scars from events like these, and it changes your outlook on life, making you acutely aware of what is truly important.
Tonight was another life changing moment - my daughter Abigail Kirstin Mackrill was born today Wendesday 31 March 2010 at 17:36. To see the result of the love between my wife and myself expressed in such a beautiful little person is just astounding. This little lady who is completely dependant on us for everything now, will develop and grow into her own independent person with her own aspirations and dreams.
We have been happily married for almost nine years and parents always told us that everything changes when you have children and my parents say the same for grandchildren. I didn't realise the gravity of their statement or how instantanious that change is. Nothing else matters anymore, only the wellbeing of your child matters. The instictive feeling that makes you want to care and protect them at any cost.
In retrospect, I realise now that at the time I couldn't have known what my sister was going through when my niece passed away. We were and still are broken hearted, but to some extent, I can now understand the gravity of her sadness.
Holding that little new life in my hands today wipes out all the pain and suffering that goes on in the world today. I do not look forward to her first scratched elbow or knee, but I know that it will all turn out alright in the end as it's all in God's plan for her.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Hartenbos.. last visit for a while ...
We finally received our PR visa for Aus last month and are due to fly out on the 30 August.. Suddenly the months of waiting are past and the impeding "deadline" is looming!
My brother and his wife left on the 3 August for Sydney and seem to already have settled quite nicely. He starts his job tomorrow and his wife will continue her job hunting, this time from within Aus.
Life seems to be flying by and so much needs to be done in such a little time. I will be working up to the day before we fly, so I'm lucky to have a very efficient PA ;-) to organise everything!
As a last get away with our friends C&M, we decided to visit Hartenbos for the last time for a while.. We took a drive to the Cango Wildlife Ranch and I have posted some pics I took..
Monday, May 04, 2009
Barton Le Clay, 650km on....
We arrived in Barton Le Clay last night at around 9pm, after driving from Amsterdam through Belgium, France and the Euro tunnel.. The campervan tops out at about 120km/h, doesn't exactly handle like a Quattro, so it's built for comfort not for speed!
more details here.. http://www.fromthetipofafrica.com
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Time goes by..
It’s been almost 10 months since my niece passed away and about the same since I have blogged, partly due to time constraints, but more so due to not being in the right frame of mind to blog.
Over the last few months so much has happened I don’t where to start. The bad: my 27 year cousin has been diagnosed with stage 3 cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy. A friends eight year old child with Marfan’s syndrome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marfan_syndrome ) passed away last week. She has suffered badly over the past six months and things like these just don’t make sense to me. It just seems so pointless and cruel to the parents and families.. What can you say to the parents to even attempt to console them?
The good: we have been assigned a case officer for our immigration into Australia and have completed our medicals. The only thing left is our police clearance certificate from the UK, so things after 9 months of waiting, things are finally moving along..
On a happy note my brother, his wife, my wife and I are off to Europe later tonight for a campervan holiday and I thought I'd use the opportunity to restart my blogging, so I will attempt to post a short blog and photo daily, for duration of the trip – i.e. the next two weeks. My brother will post some somewhat deeper, more meaningful blogs via his one at http://fromthetipofafrica.blogspot.com and I will try and take some half descent photo's.. Hopefully somewhat better than these old ones in this post taken with my old digital. My new baby is a Canon 450D :-).. We leave from Johannesburg tonight and arrive in Amsterdam tomorrow morning, we then drive to Calais, cross the channel via the Eurotunnel and head up to my wife’s family in Barton Le Clay. We then go from the UK -> Brussels -> Paris -> Lyon -> Rome -> Venice -> Zurich -> Munich -> Stuttgart and finally back to Amsterdam! We’re generally not people who rough it on holiday’s, so we begin this trip with some scepticism! It should be interesting staying in a campervan having to clean the chemical loo (still looking for volunteers ;-) )...I especially look forward to the German autobahns ..not
The one photo is a shot of Table Mountain from Robben Island taken in December and the other one is of Russ with our passports – one day I will explain his inclusion in the trip... it’s complicated ;-)
Today Johannesburg... tomorrow Amsterdam..
Friday, July 25, 2008
Kirstin - my dearest niece...
When something lousy happened to me, my dad always said:"What's the worst thing that could happen - you could die - you're alive so let's take it from there!"... That has always put things into perspective for me and I often draw comfort from this, but I now believe that the worst thing that can happen is losing someone close to you.
On the 5 July my 18 year old niece was tragically killed in a car accident. I have a void in my life that will never be filled. Somehow life seems to be so empty. Until now, I had never lost someone truly close, but almost three weeks later, I still feel a sadness so deep I cannot put it into words. I watched her grow from a newborn baby into a beautiful articulate (stubborn ;-) ) woman..
Kirsty's funeral was on the 11 July and I never experienced such a moving experience in my life - somehow so healing, a view shared by so many other people I spoke to. The support of Kirstin's friends and people who knew her has been overwhelming and of great comfort to all of us. They created two groups for her on Facebook within hours of her passing and her funeral was testament to her short but amazing life. I have always been cynical of Facebook, but this was one time I craved it; just reading the comments left by her friends and people who knew her gave me such a sense of comfort. I have learnt about aspects of her life I had little or no knowledge of; her passion for photography, the intimate deep friendships she had and her ability to write so well.
I think everyone believes there child/grandchild/niece/nephew to be the brightest around, but from a the age of five she was reading time magazine and anything else she could get her hands on. She had a gift of hunger for knowledge second to none and questioned everything. As my brother said - she searched for truth, brutal as it may be.. Complacency or indifference had no place in her life.
I still cannot get the image of her fine limp body lying on the ground out of my mind. The feeling of utter helplessness to protect and comfort her.. I would have and would still trade anything including my life for hers. It's just not right.
If touching people's lives and leaving a legacy is what life is about then she has done her duty.
I will never forget you Kirst, I loved you then and I love you even more now. I will do my best to live a good and full life, but I cannot wait until my life is done here, so that I can see you again.
On the 5 July my 18 year old niece was tragically killed in a car accident. I have a void in my life that will never be filled. Somehow life seems to be so empty. Until now, I had never lost someone truly close, but almost three weeks later, I still feel a sadness so deep I cannot put it into words. I watched her grow from a newborn baby into a beautiful articulate (stubborn ;-) ) woman..
Suddenly, my job, gadgets and worldly crap seem even more insignificant, and God, my wife and family so vitally important. I am not an overly holier than though person and can't stand overpowering "holier than thou" people, but if I didn't believe in God, I would have jumped over my balcony by now.. I cannot begin to think how people who do not believe in God survive things like this - it must be unbearable.
Kirsty's funeral was on the 11 July and I never experienced such a moving experience in my life - somehow so healing, a view shared by so many other people I spoke to. The support of Kirstin's friends and people who knew her has been overwhelming and of great comfort to all of us. They created two groups for her on Facebook within hours of her passing and her funeral was testament to her short but amazing life. I have always been cynical of Facebook, but this was one time I craved it; just reading the comments left by her friends and people who knew her gave me such a sense of comfort. I have learnt about aspects of her life I had little or no knowledge of; her passion for photography, the intimate deep friendships she had and her ability to write so well.
I think everyone believes there child/grandchild/niece/nephew to be the brightest around, but from a the age of five she was reading time magazine and anything else she could get her hands on. She had a gift of hunger for knowledge second to none and questioned everything. As my brother said - she searched for truth, brutal as it may be.. Complacency or indifference had no place in her life.
I still cannot get the image of her fine limp body lying on the ground out of my mind. The feeling of utter helplessness to protect and comfort her.. I would have and would still trade anything including my life for hers. It's just not right.
If touching people's lives and leaving a legacy is what life is about then she has done her duty.
I will never forget you Kirst, I loved you then and I love you even more now. I will do my best to live a good and full life, but I cannot wait until my life is done here, so that I can see you again.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Back for good?... not quite..
We've been back in South Africa for just on two months and have come to the realisation that something’s aren't going to change here in SA. To be honest they're just getting worse.
The blatant arrogance of the ANC government including the disbanding of the scorpions (independent crime fighting unit), as well as a 50% increase in emigration in the last six months says it's time to leave for good.. The hijackings, literally down the road from us, murders and senseless violence... if you can't see the writing on the wall, you'd have to be blind, deaf and dumb...and I'm deaf (some would say dumb too ;-) ).. My feeling is of utter hopelessness, but how do you curb the endless cycle of poverty with a bunch of arrogant, self-serving, corrupt morons in control..
We are in some ways shattered - we have always dreamed of building our home and our life here in South Africa, but our family's safety is of utmost importance. We have applied for a skilled visa for Australia and failing that, will return to the UK.. As much as the UK's weather and attitude of the youth bug us, it's not the worst place to be, and the quality of life is good along with the opportunity to travel!
It is quite ironic - in my previous blog, I expressed my concerns with the fact the twelve year olds could get the pill in the UK, without any parental consent.. They just passed the same law here - need I say more.
All I want to do is put down roots and settle somewhere - I have a taproot hanging out of my backside, but even with that I still think this needs to be done.. We have my brother and his wife, her brother and wife and my folks on board with the move.. Even my father-in-law and my sister are also considering the move.. I just want to make sure we get the family out as soon as possible and (African) nature can take it's course here, just like it has in Zim.. The people I feel most for are the poor - they have no options..
Anyway, let me end on that happy note..
The blatant arrogance of the ANC government including the disbanding of the scorpions (independent crime fighting unit), as well as a 50% increase in emigration in the last six months says it's time to leave for good.. The hijackings, literally down the road from us, murders and senseless violence... if you can't see the writing on the wall, you'd have to be blind, deaf and dumb...and I'm deaf (some would say dumb too ;-) ).. My feeling is of utter hopelessness, but how do you curb the endless cycle of poverty with a bunch of arrogant, self-serving, corrupt morons in control..
We are in some ways shattered - we have always dreamed of building our home and our life here in South Africa, but our family's safety is of utmost importance. We have applied for a skilled visa for Australia and failing that, will return to the UK.. As much as the UK's weather and attitude of the youth bug us, it's not the worst place to be, and the quality of life is good along with the opportunity to travel!
It is quite ironic - in my previous blog, I expressed my concerns with the fact the twelve year olds could get the pill in the UK, without any parental consent.. They just passed the same law here - need I say more.
All I want to do is put down roots and settle somewhere - I have a taproot hanging out of my backside, but even with that I still think this needs to be done.. We have my brother and his wife, her brother and wife and my folks on board with the move.. Even my father-in-law and my sister are also considering the move.. I just want to make sure we get the family out as soon as possible and (African) nature can take it's course here, just like it has in Zim.. The people I feel most for are the poor - they have no options..
Anyway, let me end on that happy note..
Friday, December 14, 2007
Moving on...
So much has happened since I last blogged - we have sold and completed on our house. We have been to and returned from the Caribbean where we did a 10 day cruise and I am on the way back to Cape Town and my wife and family.
Our house was basically a miracle sale - buyers offered, we accepted and put tight deadlines in place and they held up their part of the deal nicely. We completed bang on time and we couldn't be happier!
On the holiday side - we had the most amazing holiday.. that is seriously "the life". We had no real expectations before going on it, but it was just awesome. We saw Antigua, St Lucia, Barbados, St Kitts, St Thomas and Princess Cays. What a relaxing holiday - just what we wanted and needed! We went with http://www.princess.com and can't fault them - I'm sure experienced cruisers could but as far as we were concerned it was near perfect! I repeated said to my wife - it really doesn't get any better than this. What a life! We met some lovely people - two elderly sisters from Florida that had left their husbands at home and were clearly having a ball, Bruce(the barber) with his lovely wife Shirley, and four female friends from Toronto - Carol, Val, Barbs and I can't remember...
My wife returned to Cape Town on Monday, so I am alone here, the weather is crap and cold and I am missing her badly.. Just one week tomorrow until I climb on the plane and kick the salt of the sidewalk from my shoes :-).. counting sleeps.. 7 to go tomorrow..
We are ready to have another holiday for ~three weeks before I start my new(old) job! We will also start planning and building our house which has been in the "plan" for years..
Today, I heard on the radio that they are going to start giving the pill to twelve year old girls should they ask for it. It will be freely available from any pharmacy without the parents consent.. So now you have your local pharmacist deciding what's best for your kid.. What bullshit.. No wonder the youth in this country are in the state they're in.
On a really sad note - our friends dad is taking strain with cancer. It's just not fair and I battle to see what lesson comes from situations like this. It feels so helpless and we cannot do anything to help. My wife saw him last night and all she could say what - "it's heart-breaking".. We are praying for a miracle.
Our house was basically a miracle sale - buyers offered, we accepted and put tight deadlines in place and they held up their part of the deal nicely. We completed bang on time and we couldn't be happier!
On the holiday side - we had the most amazing holiday.. that is seriously "the life". We had no real expectations before going on it, but it was just awesome. We saw Antigua, St Lucia, Barbados, St Kitts, St Thomas and Princess Cays. What a relaxing holiday - just what we wanted and needed! We went with http://www.princess.com and can't fault them - I'm sure experienced cruisers could but as far as we were concerned it was near perfect! I repeated said to my wife - it really doesn't get any better than this. What a life! We met some lovely people - two elderly sisters from Florida that had left their husbands at home and were clearly having a ball, Bruce(the barber) with his lovely wife Shirley, and four female friends from Toronto - Carol, Val, Barbs and I can't remember...
My wife returned to Cape Town on Monday, so I am alone here, the weather is crap and cold and I am missing her badly.. Just one week tomorrow until I climb on the plane and kick the salt of the sidewalk from my shoes :-).. counting sleeps.. 7 to go tomorrow..
We are ready to have another holiday for ~three weeks before I start my new(old) job! We will also start planning and building our house which has been in the "plan" for years..
Today, I heard on the radio that they are going to start giving the pill to twelve year old girls should they ask for it. It will be freely available from any pharmacy without the parents consent.. So now you have your local pharmacist deciding what's best for your kid.. What bullshit.. No wonder the youth in this country are in the state they're in.
On a really sad note - our friends dad is taking strain with cancer. It's just not fair and I battle to see what lesson comes from situations like this. It feels so helpless and we cannot do anything to help. My wife saw him last night and all she could say what - "it's heart-breaking".. We are praying for a miracle.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
And there's a glimmer of hope...
So, we have sold our house - yet again.. well in theory anyway. We have yet to exchange contracts and until the money's in the bank I am Mr Eeyore...
We have literally two weeks before we go on holiday now and we've taken a leap of faith and are moving our stuff back home one day before we exchange! Hopefully it all goes through and we can relax on this holiday.
Work is just unbelievable - I am leaving soon, but it's just not easing up.. working tonight and then part of the rest of the weekend.. Hopefully this will be the last. I really shouldn't care but if no-one else besides my direct boss seems to!
A few days ago we heard that a close friends father's cancer has returned. It really puts things in perspective. We worry about the biggest load of shit under the sun, but when all is said and done, not much of it matters does it? Apparently it's operable, so we're praying and holding thumbs for him.
Speaking to another friend, a friend of hers is in hospital with bleeding ulcers.. is it really worth it? His pushing seventy, still runs his own company and works like a Trojan.. I suppose the question is, what are the options - to sit in an old age home drooling and muttering to yourself? Maybe he's chosen the lesser of two evils.. ;-).. They're going to see how he goes and operate if the bleeding stops.
I know it's an age-old clichéd question, but I still can't understand why bad things happen to good people. It would be great if those conniving bastard criminals got there due, but they don't or at least not in this life anyway.. My friends Dad has only done good and helped people when and wherever possible. Maybe my boet will blog the reason for this?.. hint hint - like - I want to know why my mother-in-law is still around?..oops did I say that out loud.
Anyway.. enough happiness for one night - I need to get back to work. On the bright side - hey, hey, it's Friday!
We have literally two weeks before we go on holiday now and we've taken a leap of faith and are moving our stuff back home one day before we exchange! Hopefully it all goes through and we can relax on this holiday.
Work is just unbelievable - I am leaving soon, but it's just not easing up.. working tonight and then part of the rest of the weekend.. Hopefully this will be the last. I really shouldn't care but if no-one else besides my direct boss seems to!
A few days ago we heard that a close friends father's cancer has returned. It really puts things in perspective. We worry about the biggest load of shit under the sun, but when all is said and done, not much of it matters does it? Apparently it's operable, so we're praying and holding thumbs for him.
Speaking to another friend, a friend of hers is in hospital with bleeding ulcers.. is it really worth it? His pushing seventy, still runs his own company and works like a Trojan.. I suppose the question is, what are the options - to sit in an old age home drooling and muttering to yourself? Maybe he's chosen the lesser of two evils.. ;-).. They're going to see how he goes and operate if the bleeding stops.
I know it's an age-old clichéd question, but I still can't understand why bad things happen to good people. It would be great if those conniving bastard criminals got there due, but they don't or at least not in this life anyway.. My friends Dad has only done good and helped people when and wherever possible. Maybe my boet will blog the reason for this?.. hint hint - like - I want to know why my mother-in-law is still around?..oops did I say that out loud.
Anyway.. enough happiness for one night - I need to get back to work. On the bright side - hey, hey, it's Friday!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Still waiting... not so patiently
So, we have three weeks of work left before our cruise in the Caribbean, after which my wife, goes back to SA and I stay on to work for another two weeks before following..
Regarding the work issue, it's the oddest feeling - a cross between complete panic and numbness at the lack of control we have over our future. We just keep hoping and trying to believe that there's a plan somewhere in among the chaos.
We have yet to have another offer on our house - we've had a couple of viewings and they all say the same "you have a lovely house".... It makes me want to puke and say "you do know it's for sale don't you? Go figure. Yes, I know they're trying to be nice, but it would be nicer if they opened there wallet and made us an offer!
The support we've gotten from our family and friends has been great as usual and without them it would be even more difficult.. all the more reason to go home ;-).. It just makes us appreciate them all the more.. I'm going to end up in jail if my Dad passes away before me, he along with his PA( Mom ;-) ) looks after our tax and generally the running of our SA lives while we're living here...The taxman would be after my ass if it wasn't for him.. eish - it's just too confusing!
All I can say is that if our plane goes on the way to the US, I am going to be thoroughly PO. The last few months have been to say the least - pretty stressful. We both need a "do nothing" holiday and that's what it's hopefully going to be aside from one or days snorkeling and swimming with rays :-)..
The weather here is now winter and with the daylight-saving time change happening last Sunday, it's just about dark by 16h00.. what a lovely place to be..
...and so the happy story continues... ;-)
Regarding the work issue, it's the oddest feeling - a cross between complete panic and numbness at the lack of control we have over our future. We just keep hoping and trying to believe that there's a plan somewhere in among the chaos.
We have yet to have another offer on our house - we've had a couple of viewings and they all say the same "you have a lovely house".... It makes me want to puke and say "you do know it's for sale don't you? Go figure. Yes, I know they're trying to be nice, but it would be nicer if they opened there wallet and made us an offer!
The support we've gotten from our family and friends has been great as usual and without them it would be even more difficult.. all the more reason to go home ;-).. It just makes us appreciate them all the more.. I'm going to end up in jail if my Dad passes away before me, he along with his PA( Mom ;-) ) looks after our tax and generally the running of our SA lives while we're living here...The taxman would be after my ass if it wasn't for him.. eish - it's just too confusing!
All I can say is that if our plane goes on the way to the US, I am going to be thoroughly PO. The last few months have been to say the least - pretty stressful. We both need a "do nothing" holiday and that's what it's hopefully going to be aside from one or days snorkeling and swimming with rays :-)..
The weather here is now winter and with the daylight-saving time change happening last Sunday, it's just about dark by 16h00.. what a lovely place to be..
...and so the happy story continues... ;-)
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Trying to stay positive...
Well, what can I say - hooray - we won the rugby!! What an absolute cracker of a game.. Quite strange how sport can affect a country and it's people's outlook on life. If only the government would use it and build on the huge positive vibes that come out of things like that... Truth is -they won't. They have their heads so far up their own arse it unbelievable, they are too busy worrying about balancing the quota's in the rugby team and forget about the people getting shot dead every heaven knows how many minutes..
In the UK there are literally thousands of camera's and people feel they are invasion of privacy.. I believe in a little pain for the benefit of the greater good, so what if the police and powers that be can monitor your movements, you shouldn't be concerned if you're a law abiding citizen anyway.. Here, when filling up your car at the local petrol station, your registration is run through a database verifying that the car is not stolen etc.. Why can't we bring systems like that in SA? Even criminals need to fill their cars ;-).. unless they hijack and petrol tanker..
Our house is still not sold, and with literally four weeks to go until we finish our jobs, we're seriously losing hope of selling anytime soon. It really sucks. We're due to go on a twelve day cruise and return to SA four days after that.. The reality looks like an extended stay in this cold, sun deprived place.. and all because people are so pathetically flaky they can't stick to their word. I can't face staying here and away from our family and friends especially over December, but unless a miracle happens quickly, we screwed..
Sorry - no happy stories tonight ;-).. read http://fromthetipofafrica.blogspot.com/ - maybe he's got some happy news ;-)..... waiting patiently for the next chapter.. come on...
In the UK there are literally thousands of camera's and people feel they are invasion of privacy.. I believe in a little pain for the benefit of the greater good, so what if the police and powers that be can monitor your movements, you shouldn't be concerned if you're a law abiding citizen anyway.. Here, when filling up your car at the local petrol station, your registration is run through a database verifying that the car is not stolen etc.. Why can't we bring systems like that in SA? Even criminals need to fill their cars ;-).. unless they hijack and petrol tanker..
Our house is still not sold, and with literally four weeks to go until we finish our jobs, we're seriously losing hope of selling anytime soon. It really sucks. We're due to go on a twelve day cruise and return to SA four days after that.. The reality looks like an extended stay in this cold, sun deprived place.. and all because people are so pathetically flaky they can't stick to their word. I can't face staying here and away from our family and friends especially over December, but unless a miracle happens quickly, we screwed..
Sorry - no happy stories tonight ;-).. read http://fromthetipofafrica.blogspot.com/ - maybe he's got some happy news ;-)..... waiting patiently for the next chapter.. come on...
Friday, October 12, 2007
Heading towards shit street...
People say time flies when you're having fun... I think it also flies when you're heading towards shit street at breakneck speed.
Well, at least we have some hope of selling our house - we have a viewing on Saturday, not to say that they'll even offer or, if they do, pullout a day before exchange as the last clowns just did. What a crap system... and we thought SA was a third world country!
On a positive note - yes I have one - we went to Grand Designs show (http://www.granddesignslive.com/) last Friday and besides getting some good ideas for our house we hope to build (when some numpty buys our one in the UK), we met Sarah Beeny (http://www.channel4.com/4homes/ontv/property-ladder/index.html and http://www.channel4.com/4homes/ontv/presenters/sarah_beeny.html).. Must say she is very cool ;-) and like she probably says to everyone she meets - she asked why we don't come onto her show? :-) Depending on how arse-up this sale goes, maybe we will!
Have I mentioned it's almost Friday... and England play France and SA play Argentina :-)...
That's all for now... roll on Friday
Well, at least we have some hope of selling our house - we have a viewing on Saturday, not to say that they'll even offer or, if they do, pullout a day before exchange as the last clowns just did. What a crap system... and we thought SA was a third world country!
On a positive note - yes I have one - we went to Grand Designs show (http://www.granddesignslive.com/) last Friday and besides getting some good ideas for our house we hope to build (when some numpty buys our one in the UK), we met Sarah Beeny (http://www.channel4.com/4homes/ontv/property-ladder/index.html and http://www.channel4.com/4homes/ontv/presenters/sarah_beeny.html).. Must say she is very cool ;-) and like she probably says to everyone she meets - she asked why we don't come onto her show? :-) Depending on how arse-up this sale goes, maybe we will!
Have I mentioned it's almost Friday... and England play France and SA play Argentina :-)...
That's all for now... roll on Friday
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Mr Pessimistic
After a really good weekend with some of my wife's family, we heard yesterday that the sale of our house had fallen through, basically two weeks before we were due to complete. People are so irresponsible and it drives me mad.
We were due to return home early December and unless a miracle happens, there's no way we can. It's one of the most frustrating things I have ever experienced. My wife is always on at me being pessimistic, but I would like to think of myself as a realist.. It's things like this where we have no control of that solidify my sometimes not-so-positive outlook on life!
In the scheme of things, no-one has died and and we're all healthy, so I suppose it'll be ok -we're just struggling to be optimistic at the moment. We have friends and family who care and that carries us through. At the moment all we want to do to finish our jobs, go on our cruise and go home..
The fact that South Africa stands a fairly descent chance of winning the world cup, goes a little way to helping...
Let me stop writing on before I get even more depro... At least tomorrow's hump day.
We were due to return home early December and unless a miracle happens, there's no way we can. It's one of the most frustrating things I have ever experienced. My wife is always on at me being pessimistic, but I would like to think of myself as a realist.. It's things like this where we have no control of that solidify my sometimes not-so-positive outlook on life!
In the scheme of things, no-one has died and and we're all healthy, so I suppose it'll be ok -we're just struggling to be optimistic at the moment. We have friends and family who care and that carries us through. At the moment all we want to do to finish our jobs, go on our cruise and go home..
The fact that South Africa stands a fairly descent chance of winning the world cup, goes a little way to helping...
Let me stop writing on before I get even more depro... At least tomorrow's hump day.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
At least Monday's over..
Thanks heavens Monday's over.. Admittedly, I've had worse, but it's always good to have it behind you.
Spoke to my brother this evening and a friends father passed away after a short battle with cancer. I say short, but to him and his family, it must have felt like forever. We met him just late last year. He was around 70 years old, but worked like a Trojan on his business and was so positive about life.. Life is short. Too short to worry about the shit we worry about like acquiring as many earthly possessions as possible.. This is not to say that it's pointless to have ambition and to work towards a better quality of life, but more to do with figuring out what "quality of life" means.. We have always been cautious and made reasonably good decisions financially, not too say we're wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, but we're comfortable, at least by our humble standards. I often think of what I have contributed to the greater good of human life.. I work in a technology field and my job is as abstract as they come. I look at people who have contributed to saving lives, easing human suffering and actually make a difference to someones daily life and think to myself.. At the end of the day what will my life have meant? At the moment, I sorry to say - not much.
Hey, at least Monday's over.
Spoke to my brother this evening and a friends father passed away after a short battle with cancer. I say short, but to him and his family, it must have felt like forever. We met him just late last year. He was around 70 years old, but worked like a Trojan on his business and was so positive about life.. Life is short. Too short to worry about the shit we worry about like acquiring as many earthly possessions as possible.. This is not to say that it's pointless to have ambition and to work towards a better quality of life, but more to do with figuring out what "quality of life" means.. We have always been cautious and made reasonably good decisions financially, not too say we're wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, but we're comfortable, at least by our humble standards. I often think of what I have contributed to the greater good of human life.. I work in a technology field and my job is as abstract as they come. I look at people who have contributed to saving lives, easing human suffering and actually make a difference to someones daily life and think to myself.. At the end of the day what will my life have meant? At the moment, I sorry to say - not much.
Hey, at least Monday's over.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Hey, hey it's almost Friday..
Thank heavens it's almost the weekend.. Work has been manic for the past month, upgrades and more upgrades. I feel brain dead and exhausted and I can't seem to sleep properly.
It's strange how people affect your life without you actually intending for it to happen. When we came to this country, my initial intention was not to make real friends, but to travel and see as many places as possible. My working environment was incidental to the plan, but it didn't really turn out that way. I have made two genuinely good friends. One Indian lady living here together with her really genuinely good husband for 6 years, and an Irish lady married to a great English, rugby loving guy.. The rugby banter is great ;-).. Work permitting, we go for coffee almost daily, meeting my wife at lunch time at the local book/coffee shop.
It's almost become a ritual and a time of the day I have grown to love. Somehow, no matter how crappy the days been, the coffee and company soothes and seen my wife brightens my day..
Last week the one friend had a baby boy.. one week and one day old today :-). We saw him the day after he was born - absolutely perfect. Another chapter in their lives begins.
The other friend, has been trying to have a baby for as long as I've known her.. It seems so unfair how people who are indifferent to having children end up with them, and people who yearn for them cannot, for whatever reason have.. She's had two miscarriage's and is understandably shattered by them. Her family doesn't even support her and seem to engrossed in their own lives to give a shit.. If that was us, half our family would be on the plane to support us.. Life stinks that way.
My wife and I never always agreed on the children issue, but sorted our differences out by compromising, before we got married. It confuses me how people just don't bother to discuss things like that.. I suppose, then again, to some people marriage is nothing more than a casual convenience.. go figure...
It's strange how people affect your life without you actually intending for it to happen. When we came to this country, my initial intention was not to make real friends, but to travel and see as many places as possible. My working environment was incidental to the plan, but it didn't really turn out that way. I have made two genuinely good friends. One Indian lady living here together with her really genuinely good husband for 6 years, and an Irish lady married to a great English, rugby loving guy.. The rugby banter is great ;-).. Work permitting, we go for coffee almost daily, meeting my wife at lunch time at the local book/coffee shop.
It's almost become a ritual and a time of the day I have grown to love. Somehow, no matter how crappy the days been, the coffee and company soothes and seen my wife brightens my day..
Last week the one friend had a baby boy.. one week and one day old today :-). We saw him the day after he was born - absolutely perfect. Another chapter in their lives begins.
The other friend, has been trying to have a baby for as long as I've known her.. It seems so unfair how people who are indifferent to having children end up with them, and people who yearn for them cannot, for whatever reason have.. She's had two miscarriage's and is understandably shattered by them. Her family doesn't even support her and seem to engrossed in their own lives to give a shit.. If that was us, half our family would be on the plane to support us.. Life stinks that way.
My wife and I never always agreed on the children issue, but sorted our differences out by compromising, before we got married. It confuses me how people just don't bother to discuss things like that.. I suppose, then again, to some people marriage is nothing more than a casual convenience.. go figure...
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Back after five years
So, after 5 years of registering this blog, I have finally decided to start publishing my rambling and rants. Not sure why, as it no-one will probably read it anyway, but somehow it gets it off my chest. Before I start, I'll apologise for my amateur writing style, I don't profess to be and probably never will a descent writer - I'm just here to tell my story..
Where do I start.. well I am 33, happily married and a Cape Townian living in the UK (for now).. The idea was to do the UK for a few years and see where we got to, in terms of travel and life experience(yes - all to cliché). Somehow living away from our families has redefined what is important and what's just "noise" for us. In many ways I think my wife and I have grown so much closer and independent in our thinking.. It's not that we weren't allowed free thinking at home, but living here has opened our perspective somehow.
Even after living here for almost two and a half years, we are still really close to our families.. My brother and I used to gym daily together and are still best friends.. It's the weirdest thing, but against the odds and distance, we still talk almost daily. Being human, we don't appreciate what we have until it's taken away, and I struggle to conceive how people can survive years and years of family feuds or just resign themselves to merely tolerate each other.. What is the point of our existence, without loving or been loved by other people?
Ok, enough puke for now...
Where do I start.. well I am 33, happily married and a Cape Townian living in the UK (for now).. The idea was to do the UK for a few years and see where we got to, in terms of travel and life experience(yes - all to cliché). Somehow living away from our families has redefined what is important and what's just "noise" for us. In many ways I think my wife and I have grown so much closer and independent in our thinking.. It's not that we weren't allowed free thinking at home, but living here has opened our perspective somehow.
Even after living here for almost two and a half years, we are still really close to our families.. My brother and I used to gym daily together and are still best friends.. It's the weirdest thing, but against the odds and distance, we still talk almost daily. Being human, we don't appreciate what we have until it's taken away, and I struggle to conceive how people can survive years and years of family feuds or just resign themselves to merely tolerate each other.. What is the point of our existence, without loving or been loved by other people?
Ok, enough puke for now...
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