iamsam … ithink…

Daily Prompt: Burning Down the House

Your home is on fire. Grab five items (assume all people and animals are safe). What did you grab?

Grab 5 Items.  Wow.  Where to begin!  Knowing that my cat is safe – she would be priority number one for sure!

Doing a mental scan of the cottage :-

My Desert Island Book Stock.

This would be essential.  I have a collection of 10 books that i will never get rid of.  I can go back to them again and again, read them over and over.  They are like friends to me.  I can get lost in the plots over and over again, let my imagination run wild with the characters.  They are somewhere i can go when i am down, depressed, stressed and looking for a little bit of soothing.

My laptop.

This is kind of like my life.  I have everything stored on there.  Music I haven’t found the energy to transfer to my External Drive, photos of the family (who I never get to see!), emails and correspondence dating back years, stories that I have written (or attempted to), the many projects that I have attempted to start and never finished, my plethora of recipes that I have collected over the years (that I will probably never attempt to try!) and a whole shitload of other ‘stuff’ that I want to keep.

My External Hard Drive.

This would be an extension of the above.  Years and years of music stealing collecting and owning.  Nothing much else on it really, besides my music, but my music kind of rules my life.  Without it I would be a lost soul for sure!

My pictures.

Yeah, I know.  I own a handful of small original works of art from a few close people that are invaluable to me.  A pencil sketch of a Rose that my mom did about 40 years ago for my Gran which I inherited.  It is the only hand drawn sketch I have that my mom did, which is sad as she is a really good artist.  I have 2 Joan Evans oils, both not the norm that she usually did, also inherited from my Gran.  And a couple of others that have great sentimental value to me.

My Teddy.

Yes, I know.

He is called Red Ted.  I was given him the day I was born by some relative, can’t remember whom.  But he goes everywhere with me.  He travelled to boarding school with me for 7 years.  Sat on the passenger seat of my beat up old Mazda 323 when I travelled across the country in Zim to set up home in a completely new town.  Spent 3 days squashed into 1 of the 2 suitcases I had to my name when I left Zim and moved to South Africa.  The number of tears that that Ted has soaked up over the years, the number of secrets he holds, the number of stories he has been told.  I swear if he could talk…

I am here.  somewhere.  i think.

*looks under the desk. couch. bed. in the cupboard….*

Or at least, so i perceive to be!

I forgot to check the date of my last post.  probably done sub-consciously so that i don’t blush deeply and try and hide further.

Life is hectic at the moment.  it is already the end of January (eek!) and i still haven’t got myself sorted out properly.  so much to do, so much i want to do, so much to think about.  and i don’t really know where to start.

Still having major issues with my mother.  Whats new.  sigh.

Went up to Zim for a week between Xmas and New Year.  first time i have been home in 4 years.  Managed to find a lift with friends of my (a DJ) also from Zim, heading back to play a gig on New Years Eve, so transport was sorted at least.  Driving up was just magnificent.  We went through the Martins Drift/Botswana boarder post, stayed overnight half way through the drive at a little secluded lodge, somewhere, don’t ask me where!  the boarders we both fine.  no hassles given, except at the Bots/Zim boarder, where just the general attitude of hte officials there was nothing short of rude.  But have learnt.  Sit Stand back, relax, and just go with the flow.  Everything comes to he(she) who waits.

Byo itself has not changed.  At all.  Still the same people, doing the same things, going to the same places, and waiting for something to happen that is never going happen.  No new buildings, no new growth, nothing.  no wonder i haven’t had the ‘need’ to go home for a while.  and i do admit the need never arose whilst i was there!  it was great to see old friends again.  Got up to no end of mischief with one of my BFF’s!  and that didn’t even involve the New Years Eve party!  But that’s another story *wink!*

Mother, of course, being the entire reason i went up there.  As harsh and mean and disgusting as it may sound, there is just no way that i will ever be able to move back home to help ‘look after’ her.  if i had to do that, my Daily Prompt Post (to come) would need to be on standby for urgent printing!  You see, i don’t think i would last that long in a Zim prison for murder!

The trip back, of course, was absolute hell.  As i knew it would be.  14-15 hours at the Beit Bridge Boarder Post is not something to be sneezed at.  i just thank every God/Deity/Angel whatever that i no longer have a Zim Passport.  i could probably still be sitting there today *gasp!*  Needless to say, it took 28 hours in total to get home – a distance of about 900kms.  of course, being a typical chick, i decide to not wash my hair that morning, but will do it when i get back here.  Well, by the time i did get home, my hair felt and looked like straw!  I have also coloured a large portion of my naturally dark brown hair blonde, which didn’t really work out too well, and that did not help matters at all!  it took all of a 5 minute decision to drive through to my trusty hairdresser (all the way to Fourways!) and beg on bended knee for a wash and style.  Only to find that she no longer works there!  What a way to start the year!!!  I must have looked stricken as the dude at the front counter asked if i could be helped by anyone else.  he got a nodded approval!  The poor chick who was landed with me too one look at my hair, muttered something unintelligible and disappeared to find deep treatment shampoo and conditioner!  Guess it was worse than it looked.  After an hour and a half of treatments and such, i walked out feeling 100 times better and a lot more normal.  Headed home and slept the rest of the day away!

My cat, naturally, was overly chuffed to see me … for about an hour.  then i was complete persona non grata!

Gonna blog off here.  Will try and finish the above drivel during the weekend  if i get there!

xxx