Hello friends and family and neighbours and passers-by
My new and personal domain is now up and running – my blog has been moved here and I will be adding so much more to the experience
Please join me there for future updates and a selection of photography, health and lifestyle information, and FOOD PORN!
love
A
Yesterday, was a surreal and sad day.
My uncle, who has been fighting so bravely for months now, passed away.
He went down very quickly, in the space of a few hours.
I arrived, and said hello, but he was by that point, already slipping in and out.
I am hoping he registered my presence. And the presence of all those that loved him, standing around his bed.
We held his hand. Cracked jokes. Talked about the good times. Sarcasm runs deep in our family. It’s our Force.
We use it well.
Every now and then, my cousin would say “everyone who loves you is here, dad” or “keep fighting, dad” and my heart would just break.
He was so strong.
My uncle went from a giant sized figure in my life, to this pale, fragile, thin, delicate and quiet person in the bed. His skin matched the sheets, and his beard and hair were grey and soft.
There was a lot of love in that room. It was an overwhelming energy at times.
But my cousin had it right: he was surrounded by those who truly love him. Right till the end.
He went quickly, and silently, around 6:20pm.
The pain I feel can be nothing compared to what my cousin feels right now. He has spent 24/7 of the last 6 months with his dad. Taking care of him in every way imaginable. He fought so hard for him. And it was only at the last that my uncle just couldn’t fight any more. He was so tired.
My heart goes out to my cousin and his family. And to the other brothers, who were not there.
And my mom. My steadfast mom.
There was so much love in that room.
1 month away from 47 years, for my aunt and uncle.
but he just couldn’t fight anymore.
I love you Uncle B.
Rest easy. Rest in peace. Sort those angels out up there.
Coffee and cupcakes.
love,
A
RIP Uncle B. Monday 24 January 2011 @ approx 18:20.
You slipped away.
Got a letter from Lulu Publishing to tell me that my book, The Photographer’s Choice, is still published and available on Amazon.com (and eBay too apparently)
Pretty cool! Didn’t have to do a thing – was selected a few years ago and voila…
Now I need to get my butt in gear and make a new and updated Volume 2, and maybe some personalised ones for people.
Can still make calendars too. Just haven’t had the time – but will have it soon!!!
I *heart* Lulu.com…
One: The babe and I have decided that we absolutely positively MUST have 2 or 3 of these:
http://www.fatsak.co.za/products/view/fatsak/size:1
And B:
This is probably one of my all time favourite photos of my amazing man:
Don’t know why, but it just is.
Goodbye my darling cat
My furry little supermodel
my ditzy dear
heartbreaking decision
necessary
but so so so heartbreaking
all the trees in heaven will be waiting for you, and all the tuna you can eat
love you
loved you
will always
(today – Monday 3 January 2011 – around 3:15)
My wee and feisty friend, Gonzo.
Little black and white Jack Russell cross with something.
You gave Cath a good long run. With her through thick and thin. You were her first child. And her most beloved.
And you were my first “dog sitting” attempt.
Luckily, you liked me, because I took you for 2 walks a day and paid as much attention to you as your mum did.
So you treated me well, and when Cath got some new family members, you put them in their place and taught them how to love me too.
I cannot even begin to explain how sad I am.
This is a deep, aching void that you create.
Not just in me, but most especially for Cath.
And it had to be her decision. Which could not have been easy.
RIP my charismatic little friend.
You will also be sorely missed.
Gonzo Deare – Saturday 11th September 2010.
Gonzo the Magnificent.
Thank goodness for boyfriend clothes. And the fact that i fit into his.
Early the next morning, we gathered our stuff (after another hot shower and a good breakfast downstairs) and i wore some of his clothes. We went back to the airport, to the lost baggage office.
I scanned the suitcases in the office and the ones outside in the security sections, but my ERS was nowhere.
I spoke to yet another person at the desk, and he said that Atlanta was having huge delays as an enormous storm was rolling in over this side of the country. I asked if they even knew where it was right now – it had not even been scanned in Atlanta.
I was, once again, furious. My ERS had made it all the way from the damn tip of AFRICA, through Frankfurt international, on to another plane, and all the way to Atlanta. And now it was lost in the domestic section. And they had NO IDEA where it was in the airport.
I got offered another breakfast voucher (woohoo.) and told that they could offer compensation up to a whopping $25 for my belongings. I asked if he was joking with me. He wasn't. Thankfully, the lady I had spoken to the previous evening arrived at that point and said that I just needed to keep any slips for clothing and gifts (she knew the whole story about my wedding gifts and clothes and Christmas presents being in that ERS) and I could (most likely) claim it back later.
I gave them all the details of where I would be for the next few days, and my eventual address in New Mexico. I had no cellphone number to give her, as my man's phone was from Germany, and we hadn't had a chance to buy a prepaid one in the States yet.
That wasn't high on our list of things to do. Well, it hadn't been until then.
We gave her the hotel number in Princeton and she promised to let us know as soon as it arrived. She said they would send it to the hotel, if it arrived during the next few days.
That was all we could do.
We then went to see about getting a car to hire, for the drive to Princeton. Luckily my man always takes his GPS with him! He's always prepared!
While hiring our car, the lady asked if we wanted 4X4 capability and we were going to say no, but then we were told that apparently that rather large storm that had closed Atlanta, was now heading this way and there would be snow for the next 3 days at least… so we hired a rather nice SUV with 4X4. It was rather snazzy, with satellite radio and i think it had seat warmers. But we didn't use them, as we were NOT cold (as i mentioned – when i'm around him, i generate heat enough to warm a small country) even with all the snow coming, it was not cold yet.
We began our drive down to Princeton – getting a little turned around in all the loops and turnpikes, at first, but finally finding a way out of there! – enjoying each others company, good music, and the sights and sounds of New Jersey.
I'd, obviously, never been there. My man had been there once when he was very young and didn't remember too much.
I can't say it's the prettiest place. In fact, it's a bit grey and ugly. Lots of factories and steam towers and chimneys belching grey smoke. And so many cars. No wonder people complain about the traffic in Jersey.
Luckily, we had pretty smooth sailing all the way down to Princeton – perhaps we just timed it right, as we were told this trip should take over an hour, possibly two, but it only took us just on 45 minutes I think.
People in Jersey drive like maniacs. Road rules? What road rules? Speed limits? Hah! They are just guidelines, apparently.
Well, the taxis in South Africa still outdo any bad drivers anywhere else in the world that I've been.
We made it down to Princeton, to the Hyatt Regency. A gorgeous 5 star hotel. That is luxury. We got there late afternoon and let the reception know about the lost luggage etc. They did warn us that there were loads of flight cancellations out of Atlanta, and that the storm was following us down the way. But they promised to let us know if it arrived while we were there.
First order of business – get me some clothes. I couldn't wear my mans boxers and tshirts to a wedding… much as i loved being in his clothes!
We went down to the closest mall. I discoverd the wonder that is TJ Maxx. It's pretty much like PeP or Ackermans here in .za. It looked like the storm had already hit here – clothes littered everywhere, hangers and shoes all over the place. There must have been a 5 minute sale or something just before we arrived! It was messy and chaotic.
I scrounged up and down the lines of clothes, looking for something smart and sophisticated. i found a lot of fake fur and leopard print. and pleather. and feathers. and bright pink.
My man saw my face and suggested we look elsewhere – this was not the only place around! (he reads me so well sometimes) I was nearly in tears, actually. It was all catching up with me. I had had great clothes in my suitcase, and all those gifts. and here i was just trying to find something "nice" and i had to meet all his friends and Army people for the first time, and everyone would be dressed up and looking beautiful and i was the scraggly girl from Africa. I just didn't want to show my face and make a bad first impression, and embarrass my man by being the Dull of the Ball.
So we went next door to another store… i forget the name of it right now… *thinks*
Oh yes! Ross's!
They had some really good clothes, for very reasonable prices. I picked up some Liz Claireborn pants, and a shiny grey top. And my man bought me these GORGEOUS black stilleto knee high boots.
So that was it for the wedding.
And some knickers and socks, and I was set.
I forgot to mention the hat. I was also carrying one of my fedoras with me – well, wearing it, not carrying it, as i didn't want to scrunch it in my bag. My man asked me to bring it – he looks so damn good in it – so of course i complied.
So maybe i looked European, i don't know – but i was treated really politely by the German airport staff and security people – and they all immediately spoke German to me. Thankfully it was simple enough German that I usually understood what they were saying! So i nodded or shook my head – didn't say anything except Danke or Bitte. Compared to last time where they mostly ignored me, or pretended they didn't understand English, even on the plane, it was pretty cool. Maybe this time i was just not nervous (about meeting my man) so i paid more attention and looked more relaxed?
I guess i'm also more "well traveled" now. i'm still pretty OCD about things, but i'm not panicked or wide eyed and confused.
So i wore my hat, carried my big soft jacket, a plastic bag with the vuvuzela sticking up out of it (THAT got some weird looks from people, including security!) and my backpack. i trundled slowly to the departure gate. stood in the line to get my boarding pass there. got asked a lot of security questions by the Delta people. but they let me through and put the little red tags everywhere (including the plastic bag with the vuvuzela – after i explained what it was). i found a spot on a chair so i could watch the entry point to see when my man arrived. plonked my stuff down and tried to stay awake and aware. i hadn't slept on the plane, and i didn't sleep much the Tuesday night before either. i was tired. very tired.
about 40 minutes before boarding, i started to worry that he wasn't going to make it in time. but it seems Delta only board 20 minutes before. my heart sank as i thought i would have to face the flight to the US without him. and what would i do when i got to Atlanta? Would i have to rush to the next flight without him too?
but then i saw him being let through (with no fuss of course, if he flashed his military pass) and my heart leapt and a stupid smile appeared on my face. nice jacket. wow. his belt in his hand as he'd just cleared security. he looked at me, but didn't see me and he made his way to a block of seats a few rows ahead of me. i waited to see if he'd seen me, but he clearly hadn't. so i gathered all my crap up and carried it over to where he was. a lady a few seats down watched us and i saw her smile when we hugged our hello.
i even got a kiss this time. my heart was pounding. i sometimes wonder if he notices that.
i got very warm too. when i'm with him – instant ignition of the inner furnace. he just has that effect on me.
he put his belt on and settled himself next to me. was so good to hold his hand and just _smell_ him and feel him near. everything was ok again.
he had lots of extra bits and pieces (a garment bag with his dress blues. *swoon*) and his backpack.
finally we boarded and settled ourselves in our seats – he let me have the window seat. such a gentleman.
it was a shorter flight than the one to Frankfurt – and made easier by having him there as company. We watched movies and he slept and i watched over him. I tried to sleep a bit too. but my neck got sore pretty fast. i'm not made for economy class! my lot in life.
We landed at Atlanta (with rumours of delays and a major storm coming in – but we didn't pay too much attention) and dashed off to get our luggage and recheck it. found my ERS, handed it over to the dude at the conveyer belts, made our way through the next security line (took about 20 minutes) and then on to the next flight (after finding our new gate) to Newark NJ. We walked to the other terminal just for fun and a chance to stretch our legs.
We boarded for the 5 hour flight to Newark and squished into the tiny seats, next to a large business man who overflowed into my seat. We were incredibly tired and stressed and we both tried to sleep. my legs were cramping and my back was aching, and my mans knees were killing him from being so folded up all the time.
And then we landed in Newark, and went down to get our baggage.
It was ICY cold in the airport and we stood there waiting. Out came my mans baggage, almost first on the carousel.
My ERS nowhere to be seen.
We waited and watched the luggage go around a few times. Checked the OTHER carousel. No luck.
So i went and stood in the long line at the baggage claim office.
Took me about 25 minutes to get to the front of the queue (bear in mind i have not slept in 2 days and i am now severely PISSED OFF) and i explained my situation, where the luggage came from, when i last saw it, described it in detail. Lady could not help much but said hang around a few more minutes (she meant 30.) for the final plane from Atlanta to come in and see if my luggage was not perhaps on that one.
We waited. We looked at the luggage that came in. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero.
So I went back to her. I explained that everything was in there including wedding clothes and gifts. She was sympathetic. she gave me a voucher for $14 for breakfast.
i was underwhelmed. another trend.
By this time i was on the point of tears i was so unbelievably tired, and incredibly angry. i don't like people seeing me cry, so i bit down on my savage words and took my claim number and left. My man was reeling where he was standing, he was also very tired. so we decided to check in to a local hotel for the night before embarking on our trip to Princeton as we could hardly keep our eyes open.
We called around and finally found a reasonably priced room at the Holiday Inn Express just down the road. (I like Holiday Inn Express)
We waited in the freezing cold (the icy air helped me cool my temper a bit) for the hotel shuttle and then packed in and drove to the hotel with everyone else.
Checking in took a few minutes and we went up to our room. threw down our stuff.
i'd been in the same clothes for 2 days and i felt really shitty.
we showered, felt better.
and then we just fell on each other.
can't put it any other way.
i had waited and waited and i couldn't wait any more.
US visa – check (10 years!! wooooooo!!)
The Harmonious Crow 