Happy Anniversary Sorta - and Halloween of course!
1 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 31 October 2007 at 10/31/2007 10:27:00 am.
We always consider Halloween as our "Anniversary of Meeting", even though we technically met for the first time a week or so earlier. But that was just what you might call "cordial introductions" (Roy introducing me to his new roommates at McGinty's Pub and having a few drinks together - nothing earth shaking). Whereas Halloween was when a whole gang of us (including the Mr.) had a big Halloween Party at Maartje and Marije and Doug's house and we ended up hooking up.
I remember that back then if there was a party in the neighbourhood, me & Mili were THERE. No questions asked. So when we heard about the Halloween bash, we naturally cleared our busy schedule of drinking tequila and orange juice at Cool Runnings, and headed over. I remember telling her while we were walking down the road "I think these 2 new dutch guys will be there, you can meet them. Their names are Johan and Johannes" to which she was obviously asking "are either of them hot" and I *think* I said something like well the latter seems nicer than the former, but see what you think. HAHA!
Anyway we got to the party and we were soooooo early and I remember being a wee bit disappointed that there were only like 3 people there (the 2 new ones not included) and then M. was like "this is boring, let's go to the square and get wasted" but we stuck it out with the crowd who was there for a little while (I stuck it out with Oli and she stuck it out with some crazy American chick that I can't remember the name of at the moment but it was something like Shilo or Sherry or Shavone or ??? we all thought she was gay) and soon the party heated up and lots of our friends showed up and lo and behold the Mr. was one of them.
He and I ended up talking up a storm and hanging out by a map discussing geography (woo hoo! good times!) maybe even the geography of Holland which I knew nothing about. I think I decided I liked him about halfway through the party and by the end of the night we were perched up on the kitchen counter slugging down a whole box of no-name generic white wine (yes, I said "box"... class!) and flirting up a storm. The only other subject of conversation I can remember discussing was motorcycles, but basically we talked all frickin night long.
At the end of the night when we were like, the last people at the party, there was this whole song & dance about "walking home". In South Africa, no one walks home alone at night. Nobody. And of course being a chick, this went double for me. And naturally, as I always did, I announced I would be walking home alone. Oli offered to escort me and I was sorta like "uh, great." But then at the last minute, the Mr. remembered his balls and offered to do it instead.
Well, we walked home and ended up shacking up that night. Of course there was that queer awkward "front door moment" and I believe the premise of him coming inside to my place was to listen to some music we'd been talking about on the way home as we held hands and continued the flirty flirty. I remember thinking "man this guy is pretty nice and cool and everything... but he's a smoker, so oh well I guess it ain't going anywhere huh." Not to mention I was going to be leaving SA in just over 2 months, and had just gotten out of a serious (bad) relationship ending in severe heartbreak. Funny how my rule about not dating smokers ended up getting me a husband! (the up shot being that about 8 months later he was 100% smoke free - obviously after I launched the cigarette smack down. What a champ!)
In the morning we ate Jungle Oats (his first time eating porridge ever) at our kitchen table and M. figured it all out by walking in on us sitting at the kitchen table with him in his boxers looking (as she put it) "like a hedgehog". Unfortunately he had to go to do his thing on campus early, and was late, which would prove to begin the slippery slope to resentment of me by his uber-possessive colleague/roommate, but oh well.
And that was the story of Halloween 2000!
And I have the best most beautiful sweetest perfect husband in the world.
Happy Halloween indeed!
I remember that back then if there was a party in the neighbourhood, me & Mili were THERE. No questions asked. So when we heard about the Halloween bash, we naturally cleared our busy schedule of drinking tequila and orange juice at Cool Runnings, and headed over. I remember telling her while we were walking down the road "I think these 2 new dutch guys will be there, you can meet them. Their names are Johan and Johannes" to which she was obviously asking "are either of them hot" and I *think* I said something like well the latter seems nicer than the former, but see what you think. HAHA!
Anyway we got to the party and we were soooooo early and I remember being a wee bit disappointed that there were only like 3 people there (the 2 new ones not included) and then M. was like "this is boring, let's go to the square and get wasted" but we stuck it out with the crowd who was there for a little while (I stuck it out with Oli and she stuck it out with some crazy American chick that I can't remember the name of at the moment but it was something like Shilo or Sherry or Shavone or ??? we all thought she was gay) and soon the party heated up and lots of our friends showed up and lo and behold the Mr. was one of them.
He and I ended up talking up a storm and hanging out by a map discussing geography (woo hoo! good times!) maybe even the geography of Holland which I knew nothing about. I think I decided I liked him about halfway through the party and by the end of the night we were perched up on the kitchen counter slugging down a whole box of no-name generic white wine (yes, I said "box"... class!) and flirting up a storm. The only other subject of conversation I can remember discussing was motorcycles, but basically we talked all frickin night long.
At the end of the night when we were like, the last people at the party, there was this whole song & dance about "walking home". In South Africa, no one walks home alone at night. Nobody. And of course being a chick, this went double for me. And naturally, as I always did, I announced I would be walking home alone. Oli offered to escort me and I was sorta like "uh, great." But then at the last minute, the Mr. remembered his balls and offered to do it instead.
Well, we walked home and ended up shacking up that night. Of course there was that queer awkward "front door moment" and I believe the premise of him coming inside to my place was to listen to some music we'd been talking about on the way home as we held hands and continued the flirty flirty. I remember thinking "man this guy is pretty nice and cool and everything... but he's a smoker, so oh well I guess it ain't going anywhere huh." Not to mention I was going to be leaving SA in just over 2 months, and had just gotten out of a serious (bad) relationship ending in severe heartbreak. Funny how my rule about not dating smokers ended up getting me a husband! (the up shot being that about 8 months later he was 100% smoke free - obviously after I launched the cigarette smack down. What a champ!)
In the morning we ate Jungle Oats (his first time eating porridge ever) at our kitchen table and M. figured it all out by walking in on us sitting at the kitchen table with him in his boxers looking (as she put it) "like a hedgehog". Unfortunately he had to go to do his thing on campus early, and was late, which would prove to begin the slippery slope to resentment of me by his uber-possessive colleague/roommate, but oh well.
And that was the story of Halloween 2000!
And I have the best most beautiful sweetest perfect husband in the world.
Happy Halloween indeed!
Cable-free Monday
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 29 October 2007 at 10/29/2007 11:55:00 am.
Well they came back. The damn cable thieves came back this morning at appx. 2.45 in the a.m. and tuk ar cablezzzzzz!
Damn!
This time we've got all the right moves (from experience) so if all goes well, we should have electricity back by tonight. Steve & Madge are here now and I think the Mr. and S. are going to leave work early to go home and re-lay the new cables that the sparky is currently laying, in a nice safe bed of concrete. We'll see if THAT helps!!
'cept the last time our neighbour up the road had thieves at his place, he laid them in concrete (3rd time's a charm???) and lo and behold the thieves came back that very night, before the concrete had dried, and pulled 'em right out of the wet stuff!!! DOH!
Anyway we've had a great week with the posse. Basically we went down and hung out with J&A in Jozi on wednesday night and went to the big fat S.A. Wine Expo at the convention centre and tasted loaaddddddddddds of lovely, lovely wine. Even Mr. N/A himself (Alan) tasted (and spat) and sniffed up a storm. Then dinner at Sandton square and then home to get a few hours' sleep before the S&M unit arrived stupid early in the morning. Our days in Jozi were awash with RAIN (WTF!?!?) that they must have brought from Ireland, traffic, and several near-death car accidents because Alan drives like a maniac. But then we got him back by blowing up his new engine in his new (used) car while he was at work one day whilst we were sight-seeing S&M around. Gotcha! But dinner in Soi in Melville was a highlight (best Thai + Vietnamese food I've had in Aaaaages, and J selected mad crazy amazing wine).
Then on the way back we hit the game park between here and there and lo and behold it was STILL RAINING. It was THE first time I've ever camped in the rain in Africa. WTF?!?! S. got some good photos so maybe I can pinch some of them. We had a great braai and drank more wine and cider and it was great. Still not sure what the hell this weather crap is all about.
Then back to Gabs and the sunshine again. ahhhh! the long walk to Gabane yesterday and the best steaks in the country with some nice beers and then back home for an early night that turned out being the night of cable thieves. greaaaaaat.
But the highlight of today was that it was Tara's birthday over yonder in Aus which gave me the most perfect excuse to ring her and talk for a whole 15 minutes for like the first time in . . . . a year?!?
aussies aussies everywhere.
Damn!
This time we've got all the right moves (from experience) so if all goes well, we should have electricity back by tonight. Steve & Madge are here now and I think the Mr. and S. are going to leave work early to go home and re-lay the new cables that the sparky is currently laying, in a nice safe bed of concrete. We'll see if THAT helps!!
'cept the last time our neighbour up the road had thieves at his place, he laid them in concrete (3rd time's a charm???) and lo and behold the thieves came back that very night, before the concrete had dried, and pulled 'em right out of the wet stuff!!! DOH!
Anyway we've had a great week with the posse. Basically we went down and hung out with J&A in Jozi on wednesday night and went to the big fat S.A. Wine Expo at the convention centre and tasted loaaddddddddddds of lovely, lovely wine. Even Mr. N/A himself (Alan) tasted (and spat) and sniffed up a storm. Then dinner at Sandton square and then home to get a few hours' sleep before the S&M unit arrived stupid early in the morning. Our days in Jozi were awash with RAIN (WTF!?!?) that they must have brought from Ireland, traffic, and several near-death car accidents because Alan drives like a maniac. But then we got him back by blowing up his new engine in his new (used) car while he was at work one day whilst we were sight-seeing S&M around. Gotcha! But dinner in Soi in Melville was a highlight (best Thai + Vietnamese food I've had in Aaaaages, and J selected mad crazy amazing wine).
Then on the way back we hit the game park between here and there and lo and behold it was STILL RAINING. It was THE first time I've ever camped in the rain in Africa. WTF?!?! S. got some good photos so maybe I can pinch some of them. We had a great braai and drank more wine and cider and it was great. Still not sure what the hell this weather crap is all about.
Then back to Gabs and the sunshine again. ahhhh! the long walk to Gabane yesterday and the best steaks in the country with some nice beers and then back home for an early night that turned out being the night of cable thieves. greaaaaaat.
But the highlight of today was that it was Tara's birthday over yonder in Aus which gave me the most perfect excuse to ring her and talk for a whole 15 minutes for like the first time in . . . . a year?!?
aussies aussies everywhere.
Fly-through blogging....
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 24 October 2007 at 10/24/2007 11:20:00 am.
OK Stinkville (aka Letlhakane, or "biggest S***hole in Botswana") wasnt actually that bad this time around- the gig is, you gotta stay in the best hotel in town and that will make your trip all the much better.
Staying in this hotel, as opposed to the last one, was the difference between night and day. First of all we even found out that there were one or two other white people travelling through town or there on business. And when I say "one or two" I mean, "one or two". Literally. But also the rooms were clean and the bedding not to be described as "questionable" for once. woo hoo! Anyway the forecasted 7 hour drive actually turned out to be a lot shorter, which was great. The food was pretty nice... which is also great. The dudes that we had to meet with were cooperative and totally bearable... even better than great. Work got done efficiently and the drive back was short and uneventful. Drove straight to the gym and had a much-needed workout, then back home and turbo-pack for today.
Last weekend was great- Lucy's party was fantastic and then the Polson's visit was nice albeit a wee bit hurried and we made Ma P. sick in the rig when we took her offroading through the bush, looking for animals for like, WAY too long. (by her standards not ours) but I just have to remind myself that not everyone gets their rocks off the same way we do. No drama, I think they enjoyed themselves. I always feel guilty when I have "really nice house people" staying in my "really humble and not near as nice" abode. But I know that's just me.
Now we're leaving (literally, I mean NOW.... ) for Joburg. SA Wine Tasting Expo tonight with the boys and possibly one of J.'s friends... dinner on the square (Greek! please Greek!)... then hopefully not too much to drink as The Mr. and I have to be at the airport at butt-ass-crack-of-dawn tomorrow morning to pick up S&M.
I like this whole 3-hours in the office-all-week thing.
What I don't like is missing the challenge with my dear CSK. Don't worry my girl, I'm back in business on Monday and it's your turn!!!
Staying in this hotel, as opposed to the last one, was the difference between night and day. First of all we even found out that there were one or two other white people travelling through town or there on business. And when I say "one or two" I mean, "one or two". Literally. But also the rooms were clean and the bedding not to be described as "questionable" for once. woo hoo! Anyway the forecasted 7 hour drive actually turned out to be a lot shorter, which was great. The food was pretty nice... which is also great. The dudes that we had to meet with were cooperative and totally bearable... even better than great. Work got done efficiently and the drive back was short and uneventful. Drove straight to the gym and had a much-needed workout, then back home and turbo-pack for today.
Last weekend was great- Lucy's party was fantastic and then the Polson's visit was nice albeit a wee bit hurried and we made Ma P. sick in the rig when we took her offroading through the bush, looking for animals for like, WAY too long. (by her standards not ours) but I just have to remind myself that not everyone gets their rocks off the same way we do. No drama, I think they enjoyed themselves. I always feel guilty when I have "really nice house people" staying in my "really humble and not near as nice" abode. But I know that's just me.
Now we're leaving (literally, I mean NOW.... ) for Joburg. SA Wine Tasting Expo tonight with the boys and possibly one of J.'s friends... dinner on the square (Greek! please Greek!)... then hopefully not too much to drink as The Mr. and I have to be at the airport at butt-ass-crack-of-dawn tomorrow morning to pick up S&M.
I like this whole 3-hours in the office-all-week thing.
What I don't like is missing the challenge with my dear CSK. Don't worry my girl, I'm back in business on Monday and it's your turn!!!
Blogging before hiatus of fun and not-so-fun
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 19 October 2007 at 10/19/2007 09:04:00 am.
Since it may be awhile before I'm back with lots of Internet leisure time, I thought I'd pull a big post out of my ass.
Starting tomorrow it's gonna be all-hands-on-deck at Planet W., and I'd say that this could conceivably run well into the month of November. But then there's not a whole helluva lot going on in November so the volume should be turned down to audible decibels for a good long while, then.
Fun: Tomorrow Ma & Pa P. descend on us til Monday morning. This combined with the Rugby WC final is going to make for an action-packed weekend. As it's England vs. South Africa in the final, and what with nearly 48% of the expats in Botswana being South African and probably 48% being English, this whole city is on fire, I tell you, on FIRE! It's a whole wave of panic sweeping through Gabz-city at the moment trying to decide where the best venue with the most craic will be... WHO's got dibs on the Cricket Club, WHO called the Yacht Club, HOW big will the screen be at the Gabs Rugby Club, will the English get the rights to the Bull+Bush bar or will the SAfricans be at The Dros??? agh! The Ma & Pa are even up for a night on the town for it, rather than watching from the couch in our ever-so-subdued TV room. Should be exciting... I'm just so nervous for SA...
Not-so-fun: Anyway, then they leave Monday morning, and so do we. The Mr. and myself have to go back up to shithole, BW (7 hrs away) where we were on our long site visit a couple months ago- probably the worst part of the country to have to go on a site visit- to interview a few schools and health clinics about sewerage. NOBODY in that village speaks english. That village is where I got my 1st cellphone pinched. Niiiiiice. Luckily we managed to get a room in the one "decent" hotel this time. Maybe there won't even be any used condom wrappers waiting for us in the bathroom this time... or even a tv with more than one channel??? Whilst there we also have to map out the village for our project team to do interviews in next week WITHOUT US. That's gonna be scary, but I'll just have to keep my phone on. I'm pretty sure they'll be able to pull it off but sending these guys up there with no supervision and trusting them to get the work done and get it done RIGHT kinda scares me. Fingers crossed.
Not-so-fun: Then Tuesday evening we have to haul ass back down here, spend the night, PACK, come into the office on Wednesday for a 1/2 day, then off to Joburg. Dinner with the boys Wednesday night and then fetching Steve & Madge at the airport at 6 &%$£ing 50 in the morning on Thursday. Tour guide, tour guide, tour guide through til Sunday when it's back up here with them (& possibly Alan in tow) and show them around BW for the next week. With intermittent stops into the office I guess. Maybe? Then camping in the bush with those guys PLUS Alan PLUS Jéan probably that next weekend, and then send S&M back down to Jozi with J&A on that sunday evening so they can fly to Cape Town. I'm gonna have to get a trailer for our rig for that camping trip because there is NO WAY all that crap is fitting in the Pajero with 6 people!!! But the more the merrier and this will be our last hoo-ha with J. before he flees the country and moves to Scotland. :-(
Whew!
Not-so-fun: Then the shit will somewhat hit the fan work-wise, that week in November, but whatever.
Fun: I'm looking forward to S&M's visit- they'll be our first friends from Ireland (Alan doesn't count) and they'll surely be coming with all the stories and goss from our best mates over yonder in Cork. I don't know how Madge is gonna handle the African cuisine what with her eating habits but hey I know a Chinese store in town that sells tofu. The problem being the 11th Commandment in Africa is "Thou Shalt Not Braai Without Boerwors and Lamb Chops".
I took a "Sound of Music" trivia quiz on facebook and got 100%. That made me strangely, strangely proud.
Going to the gym is becoming one of my favorite parts of the day. Not only does it exhaust me way more than just running alone, I'm starting to see those visible changes (albeit small ones) that make you even more enthusiastic about fitness. Now knowing that it may be 16 days or so before we get back in the gym, I'm in one of those obnoxious fitness-fiend panics. Not happy, Jan.
Apparently in Feb when our Irish buds are coming down for the visit, there will be no fewer than 4 of them which makes 6 in total with me & the Mr. and of course 7 when Alan comes up for the party which means for the first time in our BW house, all spare beds will be used PLUS even a couch!! It's amazing!!
I think in a month or so I am going to sign up to do that 2nd Masters degree by correspondence from University of Portsmouth UK. I really really really feel like I could burn out if I keep on doing JUST the EIA and L&V fields and think that having a 3rd area of expertise on offer could save me by spreading the love across 3 different spectras instead of 2 (that are like, so closely related they're nearly the same damn spectrum). And the programme I'm looking at is a 3 year one but with the extra added bonus that each year you finish gives you a separate certificate that even gives you letters behind your name and everything. HA! Plus, I need a challenge and I admire the way the Mr. is doing his course right now so it fills me with inspiration. The curriculum will be boring (Environmental Health and Safety) but most likely easy and do-able.
Birthday party at Lucy's tonight WOOOOOOO HOOOOOO! Time to dance the night away before the shit hits the fan.
Starting tomorrow it's gonna be all-hands-on-deck at Planet W., and I'd say that this could conceivably run well into the month of November. But then there's not a whole helluva lot going on in November so the volume should be turned down to audible decibels for a good long while, then.
Fun: Tomorrow Ma & Pa P. descend on us til Monday morning. This combined with the Rugby WC final is going to make for an action-packed weekend. As it's England vs. South Africa in the final, and what with nearly 48% of the expats in Botswana being South African and probably 48% being English, this whole city is on fire, I tell you, on FIRE! It's a whole wave of panic sweeping through Gabz-city at the moment trying to decide where the best venue with the most craic will be... WHO's got dibs on the Cricket Club, WHO called the Yacht Club, HOW big will the screen be at the Gabs Rugby Club, will the English get the rights to the Bull+Bush bar or will the SAfricans be at The Dros??? agh! The Ma & Pa are even up for a night on the town for it, rather than watching from the couch in our ever-so-subdued TV room. Should be exciting... I'm just so nervous for SA...
Not-so-fun: Anyway, then they leave Monday morning, and so do we. The Mr. and myself have to go back up to shithole, BW (7 hrs away) where we were on our long site visit a couple months ago- probably the worst part of the country to have to go on a site visit- to interview a few schools and health clinics about sewerage. NOBODY in that village speaks english. That village is where I got my 1st cellphone pinched. Niiiiiice. Luckily we managed to get a room in the one "decent" hotel this time. Maybe there won't even be any used condom wrappers waiting for us in the bathroom this time... or even a tv with more than one channel??? Whilst there we also have to map out the village for our project team to do interviews in next week WITHOUT US. That's gonna be scary, but I'll just have to keep my phone on. I'm pretty sure they'll be able to pull it off but sending these guys up there with no supervision and trusting them to get the work done and get it done RIGHT kinda scares me. Fingers crossed.
Not-so-fun: Then Tuesday evening we have to haul ass back down here, spend the night, PACK, come into the office on Wednesday for a 1/2 day, then off to Joburg. Dinner with the boys Wednesday night and then fetching Steve & Madge at the airport at 6 &%$£ing 50 in the morning on Thursday. Tour guide, tour guide, tour guide through til Sunday when it's back up here with them (& possibly Alan in tow) and show them around BW for the next week. With intermittent stops into the office I guess. Maybe? Then camping in the bush with those guys PLUS Alan PLUS Jéan probably that next weekend, and then send S&M back down to Jozi with J&A on that sunday evening so they can fly to Cape Town. I'm gonna have to get a trailer for our rig for that camping trip because there is NO WAY all that crap is fitting in the Pajero with 6 people!!! But the more the merrier and this will be our last hoo-ha with J. before he flees the country and moves to Scotland. :-(
Whew!
Not-so-fun: Then the shit will somewhat hit the fan work-wise, that week in November, but whatever.
Fun: I'm looking forward to S&M's visit- they'll be our first friends from Ireland (Alan doesn't count) and they'll surely be coming with all the stories and goss from our best mates over yonder in Cork. I don't know how Madge is gonna handle the African cuisine what with her eating habits but hey I know a Chinese store in town that sells tofu. The problem being the 11th Commandment in Africa is "Thou Shalt Not Braai Without Boerwors and Lamb Chops".
I took a "Sound of Music" trivia quiz on facebook and got 100%. That made me strangely, strangely proud.
Going to the gym is becoming one of my favorite parts of the day. Not only does it exhaust me way more than just running alone, I'm starting to see those visible changes (albeit small ones) that make you even more enthusiastic about fitness. Now knowing that it may be 16 days or so before we get back in the gym, I'm in one of those obnoxious fitness-fiend panics. Not happy, Jan.
Apparently in Feb when our Irish buds are coming down for the visit, there will be no fewer than 4 of them which makes 6 in total with me & the Mr. and of course 7 when Alan comes up for the party which means for the first time in our BW house, all spare beds will be used PLUS even a couch!! It's amazing!!
I think in a month or so I am going to sign up to do that 2nd Masters degree by correspondence from University of Portsmouth UK. I really really really feel like I could burn out if I keep on doing JUST the EIA and L&V fields and think that having a 3rd area of expertise on offer could save me by spreading the love across 3 different spectras instead of 2 (that are like, so closely related they're nearly the same damn spectrum). And the programme I'm looking at is a 3 year one but with the extra added bonus that each year you finish gives you a separate certificate that even gives you letters behind your name and everything. HA! Plus, I need a challenge and I admire the way the Mr. is doing his course right now so it fills me with inspiration. The curriculum will be boring (Environmental Health and Safety) but most likely easy and do-able.
Birthday party at Lucy's tonight WOOOOOOO HOOOOOO! Time to dance the night away before the shit hits the fan.
I just realized it's time to go but hell I opened up the web page so I might as well put something in here!
Weekend was fabulous. Best workout ever at the gym friday night, followed by best indian food at best restaurant ever.
Saturday really chill and fun party at P's house. We brought Sech but he ended up back in the truck coming home with us. :( / :) Oh yes and we found a great (albeit insanely rocky) 4x4 shortcut to her new place so now it's really like we can hook up the bush telegraph. Nice wine, great food, great weather for sitting out on the veranda and watching the sky. MAN I gotta get a photo of her place.
Sunday was even better- the 3 of us played squash at posh hotel in town, and worked out in posh hotel's gym on rotation: whichever 2 were playing squash, the other one would be on the treadmill or weights. Excellent system. Anyway after that P. came back to our place and the Mr. and I made her an amazing 3 course dinner which we ate out on our stoop in a fantastic thunderstorm by candlelight, before the rugby started. South Africa won the game which means now we're in the final and WOO HOO how could you possibly finish off a weekend better than that.
Puff adder spotted by the puppies in the backyard on sunday evening though. They just barked at it insanely for about 10 mins before we got the idea that maybe we should go out and investigate. this thing was massive. At least a good few inches in diameter (the width of a coffee mug?) and maybe a metre long? If it had been a rock python maybe i'd gotten in there and taken a better look, but puff adders are FAST and will strike at you way faster than you can get away, and of course kill you. So in the several (MANY MANY) minutes it took us to get the puppies under control and back to the house, we all 3 tried to stay as far away as possible. It was pretty nutty.
Best news of the day: Ma and Pa P. are postponing their trip up here this wknd by 1 day. Coming on Saturday, leaving on Monday. That means... FRIDAY we're free to go to the bday party of Lovely Lucy the Yoga Teacher. Woo hoo!
Weekend was fabulous. Best workout ever at the gym friday night, followed by best indian food at best restaurant ever.
Saturday really chill and fun party at P's house. We brought Sech but he ended up back in the truck coming home with us. :( / :) Oh yes and we found a great (albeit insanely rocky) 4x4 shortcut to her new place so now it's really like we can hook up the bush telegraph. Nice wine, great food, great weather for sitting out on the veranda and watching the sky. MAN I gotta get a photo of her place.
Sunday was even better- the 3 of us played squash at posh hotel in town, and worked out in posh hotel's gym on rotation: whichever 2 were playing squash, the other one would be on the treadmill or weights. Excellent system. Anyway after that P. came back to our place and the Mr. and I made her an amazing 3 course dinner which we ate out on our stoop in a fantastic thunderstorm by candlelight, before the rugby started. South Africa won the game which means now we're in the final and WOO HOO how could you possibly finish off a weekend better than that.
Puff adder spotted by the puppies in the backyard on sunday evening though. They just barked at it insanely for about 10 mins before we got the idea that maybe we should go out and investigate. this thing was massive. At least a good few inches in diameter (the width of a coffee mug?) and maybe a metre long? If it had been a rock python maybe i'd gotten in there and taken a better look, but puff adders are FAST and will strike at you way faster than you can get away, and of course kill you. So in the several (MANY MANY) minutes it took us to get the puppies under control and back to the house, we all 3 tried to stay as far away as possible. It was pretty nutty.
Best news of the day: Ma and Pa P. are postponing their trip up here this wknd by 1 day. Coming on Saturday, leaving on Monday. That means... FRIDAY we're free to go to the bday party of Lovely Lucy the Yoga Teacher. Woo hoo!
Happy Friday n all that
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 12 October 2007 at 10/12/2007 02:22:00 pm.
2nd really good friday in a row that I find myself blogging with all good things on the mind.
1. Favorite aunt & uncle (and even potentially favorite cousin J) could quite possibly be joining us in January for a visit!!! I am sooooooo excited, and the significance is not lost on me that this crowd from Hooterville, MO who doesn't have even half of the disposable income that my own parents have, will be our first family visitors in Africa JUST as they were our first family visitors in Ireland as well!!! They will be coming less than a year after we arrived here, whereas the biological parental unit will not be making their appearance until what, over a year and a half since we moved.
2. Just had lovely lunch at the craft centre with the Mr. and never felt so popular-- (this kinda thing hasn't happened to me since I was in High School) First we walk in and see Skyler our neighbour buddy. Chatty chat chat. We place our order, turn around and see HH too. More chatty chat chat. Walk outside to pick a table and there's Pauline stopping to say howdy to us. More talky talk talk. Less than 10 minutes into lunch, along comes Lu my lovely yoga teacher and more blah dee blah blah as well as a follow-up on her previous invitation to her big bday party next week. For the first time in ages I had this real feeling of . . . not being just an anonymous face in the new crowd.
3. Have never been more stoked to get to the gym and plug up with the earphones. Tonight between the hours of 5-6:30 I will be listening to the first NEW RELEASE album I will have gotten my hands on in over 2 years! All thanks to my beloved CrazySK who is kind enough to bestow upon me gifts of mp3 goodness for GOD - the new Kid Rock release which Ive been tentatively anticipating for what seems like eons. Fingers crossed....
4. Had an amazing evening for no good reason last night-- now that my girl P. has moved out to our neck of the woods it's like insta-hang out land. Of course all our friends are dying to see her new gaff so NOW they're all coming out and sundowners and dinners and general hanging outs galore have arrived. Last night the Mr. and myself headed over there with her after the 3 of us were denied entry to the squash courts :-O and I cooked fajitas in her amazingly spacious new kitchen while she baked a cheesecake and we all drank wine and listened to Powderfinger (!? explain that!?) and then ate dinner out on her amazing veranda which overlooks the bush and the hills. It's like a holiday lodge or something. And we sat there and listened to the jackals carry on and it was great.
5. Speaking of P. tomorrow afternoon we're gonna try and bush-bash our way to her pad through a "back way". Haven't quite figured it out yet but I'm damn well sure we can get there without going on the main road and cut half the time off the trip between our places. Oh yeah we're also gonna attempt the Sech-drop as well. Now that she has this big bush plot all to herself she DEFINITELY needs a dog, and I reckon Sech is just the one for her. She just doesn't know it yet. We'll take him over and then "accidentally" forget him. (oh yes and some food too, of course)
6. The brother that I wrote off a couple of weeks ago just phoned me on his cellphone from work. That was bizarre. He's such a freak- he asked "so are you coming home for thanksgiving or xmas???" Good lord if that boy doesn't make an art out of playing the naive card.
7. Tonight after gym we're going to eat indian food at Chutney and I've already figured out what I'll be ordering- something with paneer. I haven't been this excited about a restaurant in so long and now I am because for the last 2 days I have already been dreaming of EXACTLY what I'm going to be ordering. I think that makes the anticipation even more delectable.
Dude, did I just use the word "delectable"?!?!?!
Definitely time to stop blogging.
Heaven help me keep my wits about me on Saturday night during the South Africa vs. Argentina playoff game for the rugby world cup....
1. Favorite aunt & uncle (and even potentially favorite cousin J) could quite possibly be joining us in January for a visit!!! I am sooooooo excited, and the significance is not lost on me that this crowd from Hooterville, MO who doesn't have even half of the disposable income that my own parents have, will be our first family visitors in Africa JUST as they were our first family visitors in Ireland as well!!! They will be coming less than a year after we arrived here, whereas the biological parental unit will not be making their appearance until what, over a year and a half since we moved.
2. Just had lovely lunch at the craft centre with the Mr. and never felt so popular-- (this kinda thing hasn't happened to me since I was in High School) First we walk in and see Skyler our neighbour buddy. Chatty chat chat. We place our order, turn around and see HH too. More chatty chat chat. Walk outside to pick a table and there's Pauline stopping to say howdy to us. More talky talk talk. Less than 10 minutes into lunch, along comes Lu my lovely yoga teacher and more blah dee blah blah as well as a follow-up on her previous invitation to her big bday party next week. For the first time in ages I had this real feeling of . . . not being just an anonymous face in the new crowd.
3. Have never been more stoked to get to the gym and plug up with the earphones. Tonight between the hours of 5-6:30 I will be listening to the first NEW RELEASE album I will have gotten my hands on in over 2 years! All thanks to my beloved CrazySK who is kind enough to bestow upon me gifts of mp3 goodness for GOD - the new Kid Rock release which Ive been tentatively anticipating for what seems like eons. Fingers crossed....
4. Had an amazing evening for no good reason last night-- now that my girl P. has moved out to our neck of the woods it's like insta-hang out land. Of course all our friends are dying to see her new gaff so NOW they're all coming out and sundowners and dinners and general hanging outs galore have arrived. Last night the Mr. and myself headed over there with her after the 3 of us were denied entry to the squash courts :-O and I cooked fajitas in her amazingly spacious new kitchen while she baked a cheesecake and we all drank wine and listened to Powderfinger (!? explain that!?) and then ate dinner out on her amazing veranda which overlooks the bush and the hills. It's like a holiday lodge or something. And we sat there and listened to the jackals carry on and it was great.
5. Speaking of P. tomorrow afternoon we're gonna try and bush-bash our way to her pad through a "back way". Haven't quite figured it out yet but I'm damn well sure we can get there without going on the main road and cut half the time off the trip between our places. Oh yeah we're also gonna attempt the Sech-drop as well. Now that she has this big bush plot all to herself she DEFINITELY needs a dog, and I reckon Sech is just the one for her. She just doesn't know it yet. We'll take him over and then "accidentally" forget him. (oh yes and some food too, of course)
6. The brother that I wrote off a couple of weeks ago just phoned me on his cellphone from work. That was bizarre. He's such a freak- he asked "so are you coming home for thanksgiving or xmas???" Good lord if that boy doesn't make an art out of playing the naive card.
7. Tonight after gym we're going to eat indian food at Chutney and I've already figured out what I'll be ordering- something with paneer. I haven't been this excited about a restaurant in so long and now I am because for the last 2 days I have already been dreaming of EXACTLY what I'm going to be ordering. I think that makes the anticipation even more delectable.
Dude, did I just use the word "delectable"?!?!?!
Definitely time to stop blogging.
Heaven help me keep my wits about me on Saturday night during the South Africa vs. Argentina playoff game for the rugby world cup....
Something about living here has successfully enabled my "bitch mode" to be engaged, and I didn't even know my system offered that option!!!
I was always the nice pushover who let bad customer service slide because either (a) I couldn't be bothered, or (b) I felt sorry for the schlep with the bad customer service. Not anymore, children, not anymore. I used to always cringe when I'd hear the expats bolloxing out the local service providers or tradesmen for doing shoddy work/offering shoddy excuses/being general all-around pains to deal with in one way or another. But I've always been a champion of the little guy and the biggest bleeding-heart, culturally-sensitive, benefit-of-the-doubter... also, I think all my previous years in the service industry being abused by ASSHOLES gives me empathy towards people who have to be subservient in their careers just to bring home the bacon.
NOW I'VE JUST HAD ENOUGH. I'm starting to *insist* on reporting rude secretaries to their employers, I just made the Mr. send a nasty email to our Insurance/Pension company in response to one of their "salesmen" who doesn't even know the FIRST THING about pensions and is in NO WAY qualified to advise us on jack shit... the Mr. called to ask for advice on pensions, and ended up having to tell this guy how a pension scheme works!!!! Not to mention the secretary of the same company speaks so softly into the phone (a typical Botswana-thing) that you can't hear a word she says even after 3 times repeating it WHY WOULD A WOMAN LIKE THAT GET HIRED AS A SECRETARY FOR A GIANT MULTINATIONAL BROKERAGE!?!?!?
And over at a different company, I just had some OTHER secretary with a TOTAL attitude get all huffy & sarcastic with me on the phone :-O and let me tell you as soon as I get a hold of her boss... boy howdy!!!
And don't get me started on the misogyny.... now this is something that is turning around big time in BW at the moment- women's empowerment has been Priority No. 1 for like, the last 10 years now in everything from implementing ubiquitous affirmative action (maybe that's how they get all the bitchy useless secretaries????) to advertising campaigns ad nauseum and information overload/propaganda on all levels. Nothing wrong there! But it seems to have back lashed in a bunch of misogynist pig men who resent the concept, and that we have to deal with in business who just won't play ball with me 'cause I'm a chick. Well let's just say they're generally rude and pushy to me, but not to the Mr. I already had to verbally abuse some dickhead architect for giving me unnecessary attitude and just generally being a big fat douchebag, and mark my words I'll do it again. Go ahead, asshole, stamp my forehead with the "stupid white self righteous expat overprivileged bitch" stamp... BRING IT.
I am just SO SICK of people having jobs that they can't do, and then providing absolute SHIT service with no motivation or drive to get it right, and then rolling their eyes at ME when I call them out on it.
For the record, out of all the Southern African countries, BW has the reputation (albeit a stereotype and you know how I typically resent stereotypes) of having the laziest and work-phobic inhabitants, which brings a lot of friction between the locals and the imports. Therein lies the "attitude" factor sometimes. Also the "I'm doing just enough to get by- stop pushing me!" mentality. Zimbabweans, on the other hand, are known as stereotypically being the hardest working, and therefore it's like every gardener and maid and domestic worker that you'll find in peoples' houses, even the locals, are always from Zim. Most of my Motswana friends will even come right out and say "oh god no, I'd never have a Motswana maid!!" Eh, I suppose in fairness they are a desert people- going from a life/culture of herding and self-subsistence to being thrown into the big world of capitalism and globalization isn't all that easy but my generation definitely has no excuse- they all want to be "modern" kids with their ipods and 3G phones SO THEN ACT LIKE IT.
There's about a microscopic molecule of hope on the horizon as BW develops though - the local radio station (see link to right) does one of these "Props for/Caught Napping" segments on the morning drive where they give props to service providers or workers who have been nominated by a member of the public for showing outstanding service or being of special help in the service industry. Conversely, if so-and-so at such-and-such a restaurant was of no help whatsoever or just plain nasty and useless, they name and shame those people as well. I dont know how well it's working so far but we can hope, I guess.
Actually- I did send a steak back to the kitchen in Ireland more than once when the chef was obviously just taking the piss. So in that respect I guess this isn't totally a new wild streak or anything - but as far as giving people a piece of my mind (verbally) because they're not performing, this is the new liberation of yours truly, the bitch. And I'm on the warpath.
I was always the nice pushover who let bad customer service slide because either (a) I couldn't be bothered, or (b) I felt sorry for the schlep with the bad customer service. Not anymore, children, not anymore. I used to always cringe when I'd hear the expats bolloxing out the local service providers or tradesmen for doing shoddy work/offering shoddy excuses/being general all-around pains to deal with in one way or another. But I've always been a champion of the little guy and the biggest bleeding-heart, culturally-sensitive, benefit-of-the-doubter... also, I think all my previous years in the service industry being abused by ASSHOLES gives me empathy towards people who have to be subservient in their careers just to bring home the bacon.
NOW I'VE JUST HAD ENOUGH. I'm starting to *insist* on reporting rude secretaries to their employers, I just made the Mr. send a nasty email to our Insurance/Pension company in response to one of their "salesmen" who doesn't even know the FIRST THING about pensions and is in NO WAY qualified to advise us on jack shit... the Mr. called to ask for advice on pensions, and ended up having to tell this guy how a pension scheme works!!!! Not to mention the secretary of the same company speaks so softly into the phone (a typical Botswana-thing) that you can't hear a word she says even after 3 times repeating it WHY WOULD A WOMAN LIKE THAT GET HIRED AS A SECRETARY FOR A GIANT MULTINATIONAL BROKERAGE!?!?!?
And over at a different company, I just had some OTHER secretary with a TOTAL attitude get all huffy & sarcastic with me on the phone :-O and let me tell you as soon as I get a hold of her boss... boy howdy!!!
And don't get me started on the misogyny.... now this is something that is turning around big time in BW at the moment- women's empowerment has been Priority No. 1 for like, the last 10 years now in everything from implementing ubiquitous affirmative action (maybe that's how they get all the bitchy useless secretaries????) to advertising campaigns ad nauseum and information overload/propaganda on all levels. Nothing wrong there! But it seems to have back lashed in a bunch of misogynist pig men who resent the concept, and that we have to deal with in business who just won't play ball with me 'cause I'm a chick. Well let's just say they're generally rude and pushy to me, but not to the Mr. I already had to verbally abuse some dickhead architect for giving me unnecessary attitude and just generally being a big fat douchebag, and mark my words I'll do it again. Go ahead, asshole, stamp my forehead with the "stupid white self righteous expat overprivileged bitch" stamp... BRING IT.
I am just SO SICK of people having jobs that they can't do, and then providing absolute SHIT service with no motivation or drive to get it right, and then rolling their eyes at ME when I call them out on it.
For the record, out of all the Southern African countries, BW has the reputation (albeit a stereotype and you know how I typically resent stereotypes) of having the laziest and work-phobic inhabitants, which brings a lot of friction between the locals and the imports. Therein lies the "attitude" factor sometimes. Also the "I'm doing just enough to get by- stop pushing me!" mentality. Zimbabweans, on the other hand, are known as stereotypically being the hardest working, and therefore it's like every gardener and maid and domestic worker that you'll find in peoples' houses, even the locals, are always from Zim. Most of my Motswana friends will even come right out and say "oh god no, I'd never have a Motswana maid!!" Eh, I suppose in fairness they are a desert people- going from a life/culture of herding and self-subsistence to being thrown into the big world of capitalism and globalization isn't all that easy but my generation definitely has no excuse- they all want to be "modern" kids with their ipods and 3G phones SO THEN ACT LIKE IT.
There's about a microscopic molecule of hope on the horizon as BW develops though - the local radio station (see link to right) does one of these "Props for/Caught Napping" segments on the morning drive where they give props to service providers or workers who have been nominated by a member of the public for showing outstanding service or being of special help in the service industry. Conversely, if so-and-so at such-and-such a restaurant was of no help whatsoever or just plain nasty and useless, they name and shame those people as well. I dont know how well it's working so far but we can hope, I guess.
Actually- I did send a steak back to the kitchen in Ireland more than once when the chef was obviously just taking the piss. So in that respect I guess this isn't totally a new wild streak or anything - but as far as giving people a piece of my mind (verbally) because they're not performing, this is the new liberation of yours truly, the bitch. And I'm on the warpath.
~sigh~
Right. Pádraig is "NOT" a skirt chaser.
happy?
Right. Pádraig is "NOT" a skirt chaser.
happy?
Friday blabbbbbbberrrrrsss
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 05 October 2007 at 10/05/2007 01:47:00 pm.
Woo hoo! Friday! After only a 3 day week. Exxxxxcellent.
And so much to be in a good mood about.
And so much to be in a good mood about.
- Crazy S. finally crossed the acquired-taste line into gin territory. I finally have a partner in gin. Thank god! I was beginning to think I was the only one out there with a so-called "mature palate". Oh, the glory days that will be had the next time we are geographically re-united and I come bearing a large bottle of duty-free imported Bombay Sapphire.
- One of my best friends in the world got a girlfriend (finally) and I am sooooooo happy because my gut feeling tells me she's a winner (not a douche bag) and even better yet - she's a far-eigner! A north american. Now how frickin cool is that? Do you even know how difficult it is to get your doofus mates to actually select high-quality chicks these days? Especially the Irish boys. Damn skirt chasers.
- We go to gym now and it's fun and the Mr. likes it so that means we're in business as far as summer fitness this year goes.
- I just had the best toasted ciabatta with beef and onion marmalade and some sort of nice mild cheese for lunch at our favourite café.
- Alan got his permit sorted, is happy with his new job, new digs, even already being social with new people, etc. He couldn't have been more lucky in his first ever overseas move, and that makes me so happy. When people move overseas sometimes it can be a total circus. For him, it's like total destiny. I'm just so happy for that boy, it's stupid.
- This weekend is the big "Open Day" at the SPCA and the Mr. and I are volunteering (I think we got the coveted "ticket sales" positions - whoo hoo!) and that means an entire morning of being surrounded by puppies, hot dogs and all that good stuff. It could be a good chance to find Sech a new home too.
- The weather is eerily autumn-ish. I know it won't last long but the rain season seems to have come early and that means the awesome storms that I love as well as tonnes of rain being dumped down and bringing an end to the terrible drought that has been threatening the cattle for nearly a year now.
- Podgey and AlanM & I have been talking a lot lately about their upcoming trip to visit me in February and that just gets me so excited it's ridiculous. It's like it's just around the corner and I can't waaaaaaaait. Guests in general man, they're gonna be pouring in soon. Ma&Pa P. in a couple weeks, then S&M the Aussies at the end of this month, S&C the Dutchies in December, and the Irish posse ( A, A, P, and maybe even said gf from bullet point no. 2) in Feb. Who woulda thought that you flee the northern hemisphere to the end of the earth and you still manage to get the revolving-door thing going on!? Sweet.
The end of the bullets.
Independance Weekend
1 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 03 October 2007 at 10/03/2007 11:58:00 am.
wow. it was a crazy 4 days hiatus.
friday night we had a blast with David in what started out as sundowners and ended up as a magnificent Indian food feast. Dave is a contractor of ours who we work with but never really meet, b/c he lives in Namibia. Oddly enough he, too, is American and has been living/working in Africa for over 20 years. Love that guy. Couldn't find another like-minded dude on this whole continent. And can hold his own with the red wine, that's for sure. Best indian food in town too, can't beat that.
Anyway saturday morning it was up at the butt-ass-crack of dawn to drive 2 hours south and meet the guys (Jéan & Alan) for the big hiking trip in the Magaliesburg mountains. I've got amazing photos of this... maybe saving those for the OTHER blog as all the old folks at home like to see pretty pictures. We hiked miles and miles and miles along an amazing canyon that rivals everything I've ever hiked before. The boys were in good spirits, we only got lost/off trail once, and just before dusk when we were nearing camp we ran into a big trip of well-mannered baboons who let us sit down and just watch them in peace as they... well, watched us... for like 30 minutes. Sundowners by the fire, huge feast of lamb and wors, and klippies+coke to round off the day. Couldn't have been nicer. Exhausted.
Sunday it was more hiking, but only a half a day since the boys had to be back in Joburg for work on Monday. But the Mr. and I had 2 MORE DAYS OFF to look forward to!!! God I love BW public holidays when they give you 2 in a row!!! So it was back to Gabz-city for us. :-( I always love being in SA, and I love hanging out with my buddies. The drive back always makes me a wee bit heartsore but hell we had 2 more days off to look forward to!!!
So Exhausted and in physical pain, we arrived back in G-town, and didn't do much that night except for take showers and collapse. It would've been a lovely sleep-in day on Monday except........
.......the cable thieves finally took it upon themselves to hit us. It was our turn. Nearly everyone in our neighbourhood has had their cables stolen over the last year, except for us. Not sure why they left us out and hadn't given us the honor yet, but Monday night they sure made up for it. What they do here is they hook up a bakkie (truck) to your cable out at the meter, sneak up to your house and cut it at the end, and start driving. Pulling out metre after metre of your cable. Then they sell it to the scrap yard because copper is in HUGE demand and they pay big time for it. So there's us, waking up at 6am on our day off, to Mary going "the thieves! They took the electricity! We have no power or water!" And when, prey tell, would be the absolute WORST time all year to have this happen? Why on a public holiday twofer, of COURSE! How the hell does one get out an electrician on Independence Day hols???
Luckily we have some connections, and were able to sort the main power source out to OUR house, but poor Mary's couldn't get fixed. Plus the booster pump that gets us our water from the borehole couldn't be fixed til today. So as of today, we've been without water for 3 days, and electricity for 2. Hopefully that shit will be sorted out by the time we get home today. Damn thieves. The worst part is that they're cheeky.... they know it's something you're going to get fixed IMMEDIATELY, so they wait til it gets fixed and then they rock up a week later and take your new stuff! Bastards!!! We're getting the electrician to dig this stuff down super, super deep, but that doesn't necessarily stop them when they have the strength of a truck pulling the cables out. Oh well, such is life in Botswana.
But seriously, having no water SUCKS. Thank god for the swimming pool. Thank god that it didn't happen to the neighbours so we can go over with 10-gallon jugs and fill them up with clean water. The electricity is a bitch too. For a few hours, it's one thing. But for DAYS it's another.
friday night we had a blast with David in what started out as sundowners and ended up as a magnificent Indian food feast. Dave is a contractor of ours who we work with but never really meet, b/c he lives in Namibia. Oddly enough he, too, is American and has been living/working in Africa for over 20 years. Love that guy. Couldn't find another like-minded dude on this whole continent. And can hold his own with the red wine, that's for sure. Best indian food in town too, can't beat that.
Anyway saturday morning it was up at the butt-ass-crack of dawn to drive 2 hours south and meet the guys (Jéan & Alan) for the big hiking trip in the Magaliesburg mountains. I've got amazing photos of this... maybe saving those for the OTHER blog as all the old folks at home like to see pretty pictures. We hiked miles and miles and miles along an amazing canyon that rivals everything I've ever hiked before. The boys were in good spirits, we only got lost/off trail once, and just before dusk when we were nearing camp we ran into a big trip of well-mannered baboons who let us sit down and just watch them in peace as they... well, watched us... for like 30 minutes. Sundowners by the fire, huge feast of lamb and wors, and klippies+coke to round off the day. Couldn't have been nicer. Exhausted.
Sunday it was more hiking, but only a half a day since the boys had to be back in Joburg for work on Monday. But the Mr. and I had 2 MORE DAYS OFF to look forward to!!! God I love BW public holidays when they give you 2 in a row!!! So it was back to Gabz-city for us. :-( I always love being in SA, and I love hanging out with my buddies. The drive back always makes me a wee bit heartsore but hell we had 2 more days off to look forward to!!!
So Exhausted and in physical pain, we arrived back in G-town, and didn't do much that night except for take showers and collapse. It would've been a lovely sleep-in day on Monday except........
.......the cable thieves finally took it upon themselves to hit us. It was our turn. Nearly everyone in our neighbourhood has had their cables stolen over the last year, except for us. Not sure why they left us out and hadn't given us the honor yet, but Monday night they sure made up for it. What they do here is they hook up a bakkie (truck) to your cable out at the meter, sneak up to your house and cut it at the end, and start driving. Pulling out metre after metre of your cable. Then they sell it to the scrap yard because copper is in HUGE demand and they pay big time for it. So there's us, waking up at 6am on our day off, to Mary going "the thieves! They took the electricity! We have no power or water!" And when, prey tell, would be the absolute WORST time all year to have this happen? Why on a public holiday twofer, of COURSE! How the hell does one get out an electrician on Independence Day hols???
Luckily we have some connections, and were able to sort the main power source out to OUR house, but poor Mary's couldn't get fixed. Plus the booster pump that gets us our water from the borehole couldn't be fixed til today. So as of today, we've been without water for 3 days, and electricity for 2. Hopefully that shit will be sorted out by the time we get home today. Damn thieves. The worst part is that they're cheeky.... they know it's something you're going to get fixed IMMEDIATELY, so they wait til it gets fixed and then they rock up a week later and take your new stuff! Bastards!!! We're getting the electrician to dig this stuff down super, super deep, but that doesn't necessarily stop them when they have the strength of a truck pulling the cables out. Oh well, such is life in Botswana.
But seriously, having no water SUCKS. Thank god for the swimming pool. Thank god that it didn't happen to the neighbours so we can go over with 10-gallon jugs and fill them up with clean water. The electricity is a bitch too. For a few hours, it's one thing. But for DAYS it's another.
