Memories from Words: Crepuscular

It could mean anything. From curmudgeonly to describing toe fungus.
I saw it for the second time ever today, in Newman’s Birds. I was checking to see what has been attacking the White-eyes at the feeding bottle. It’s an African Goshawk.
‘Crepuscular’ took me back to the first time I read it, [...]

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FAS and the Dop System

We all know how widespread the Dop System is, right?
Wrong.
Fewer than ten per cent of labourers interviewed have been ever been exposed to this system. But these aren’t facts that sell newspapers.
Neither are the other, harsher truths about Foetal Alcohol Syndrome:
De Aar has an 80% unemployment rate and almost 100 [...]

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Watchers versus Do-ers

Neil Simon once said that the world is made up of Watchers and
Do-ers. The Watchers sit around watching the Do-ers do. And sometimes it is harder to watch what is being done than to do what is being watched.
Directing a play is much like that.
I sit in the empty auditorium, watching actors ‘do’ [...]

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On Punctuality

I often battle to get anywhere on time. Even if it’s something important. Or something I really want to do.
It’s taken years, but I’m slowly coming right. I slip up occasionally; but nowadays I get it right more often that I get it wrong.
So, knowing this weakness of mine, why do I think I have [...]

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Dear Agony Aunt

I’ve been accused of being anal about control of the family diary.
So when we were invited to a party by one of Hun’s friends, I thought this an ideal opportunity to relinquish control. He told me it was a party with the theme of Crazy Shoes. The New Me believed him.
So last night he donned [...]

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“I’ll do it”

Because volunteers do something for nothing, ‘voluntors’ can’t crap on them if they do something badly. Because they’ll say, “Fine!”
And leave.
And then you’re stuffed.
So you learn the art of the Schmooze.
You’re fabulous, but…
This isn’t working, I don’t know what to do. You’re so clever, what do you [...]

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I Had a Dream

The leather uppers and soles of my favourite Green Cross slip-ons are parting company.
My ‘friends’ find this particularly amusing when I am wearing white socks. I’ve usually found it easy to shrug off their derogatory comments; but this morning I realised that their chirps may be cutting deeper that I know.
Because last night [...]

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Patent Pending

This is getting ridiculous.
I’ve had a bird feeder in my garden for a few years now. On Sunday I added a sugar-water feeder. Since then, the bush telegraph has advised every single White-eye in Cape Town that Dinner is Served.
500ml of sugar water was consumed today. That’s 100g of sugar. These birds are going to [...]

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On Ageing

43. An inconsequential number. I feel anything but inconsequential.
An ideal birthday today. I spent the morning pottering in my pyjamas; and the afternoon doing errands (not in my pyjamas). The ones I wanted to do.
Hun offered me a night on the town: dinner and a show. Thanks, I said. [...]

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My Room with a View: The Soapie in my Garden.

We open on the never-ending squabble between White-Eyes and Sunbirds for the bouganvillea-impaled apple. The male Sunbird takes time out only to berate his drab mate if she dares sip from the feeding bottle.
Upstage left, Narcissus the Bulbul concusses himself repeatedly on his reflection, startling the dog; who in turn, sees off the bandit [...]

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You’re so Vain…

“Hey, not too shabby…!”
When last did you see a photo of yourself that made you say that?
Over the past ten years or so I have recoiled whenever somebody has taken a picture of me. I’ve preferred to be the ‘photographer;’ getting away with having no pictures taken.
So yesterday I thought, [...]

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Send in the Clowns

I’m passionate about my theatre, and I love what I do. But not today. We had photo call for the show that I’m directing. The one that is opening in three weeks time. It was chaotic. The cast wanted to chatter and have fun. I wanted to get done [...]

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Arguing with myself

I can’t keep biscuits in the house.
I’ve tried eating only one or two, but invariably eat the whole packet if there’s no one around to share my gluttony. I’ve tried telling myself that if I don’t open the packet, then I won’t be tempted. But then I know that I’m going [...]

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DIY Conflict Resolution

I attended a funeral of a man who died too young. The fact that his wife could give a eulogy three days after her husband’s death astounded me. But it was what she said that really blew me away.
Gwen told us that her husband often travelled – for business and pleasure. [...]

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90 tomorrow

It was about five years ago when I heard about his funeral. Or at least the plans for it.
Companies in all sectors of the economy have been appointed to snap into action when the unthinkable happens. From caterers in Cape Town to security guards in Soweto; hundreds of businesses have been [...]

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