Monday is usually Aqua day and today was no exception.  The water was meant to be nice and warm and my favourite trainer was to do the class.  I stayed in bed a little longer than I should have, so when I eventually got up and ready, I didn’t have time to make the bed.

It was a super class, plenty of movement and  a jolly good workout.

After arriving home, for some reason, I felt my right ear lobe.  I got a really sick feeling in my tummy.  My earing was gone!  All my jewelry that I wear is special  to me. The little sterling silver ones I had on today were given to me by my late friend, Nikki, on her return from the UK about 30 years ago. 

They have the Celtic Knot design and, although I seldom wear them as they are rather tiny, I had decided to do so yesterday when I wore a scarf around my neck and didn’t need dangly ones.

My first thought was that the missing earring might be in my top that I got changed into at the gym.  It wasn’t there.  Then I shook out my towel, costume and swimming cap, praying that it would be there.  No luck.

At this stage I phoned my gym friend who I knew was going to be going later on in the morning and sent her the photo of the remaining earring, asking her to please go and look for it at reception and in the change rooms.  She was willing to do this.

After this disaster I decided to make my bed that I hurriedly jumped out of this morning.  And there, below the pillow, I found the earring!  What a lucky break was that.  So messaged the friend and admitted that I was responsible after all and she need not go looking for it.  Disaster averted.

Sunday is always a lovely day for me and today was no exception.  A friend and I had plans to go out to lunch and chose what used to be called, RJ’s Restaurant, but is now known as 19 Beach Road Restaurant.  But what you will know it as, is the same place where I always have my cappuccino after tenpin bowling each Tuesday.

As the Tenpin Girls sit and enjoy our coffee and snacks, we quite often have wondered how the establishment keeps going as most of the time there are only a handful of people around.

However, today was different.  Being a Sunday, it was absolutely packed.  The section downstairs was pumping with the sounds of all the slot machines and other arcade games and I was grateful to know that this sound would not carry upstairs into the seating area of the restaurant.  

I was right – but what I didn’t know was that there were a couple of children’s parties taking place in the upstairs section.  Oh my word how times have changed.  I can remember when we took children anywhere in “the olden days”, one made sure that one controlled the volume and the way in which the kids behaved around others.

This is no longer the case.  The one table must have had approximately twenty pre teens around it.  Each one shouting as loudly as they could, parents sitting around them, totally oblivious to the ruckus, nor the trouble it was causing to the other patrons at the restaurant.

Both Priscilla and I agreed that we would have preferred to have been at Lords and Legends where the music is played loudly but there were breaks in-between.

The food was a little overcooked as well, but the wine, a Robertson, was absolutely delicious and made us both feel a little more relaxed!

Petros has a Saturday landscaping job in Amanzimtoti.  It is not that far from where we stay, but it is right at the top of a very long, steep hill.  He has been putting in extra time during the week completing the bamboo pathway that he designed, and his health, right now,  is not that robust.  

I offer to give him a lift to his job on the Saturday mornings, just to help him to get there fresh, to work for the day.  As usual I got out the car just before 7:15, closed the gate of my garage and waited.  Eventually at 7:30 Bianca was put back in the garage and I went upstairs to get on with my day.

He had overslept – and was so apologetic when he eventually surfaced at 8 a.m that I took him anyway. 

I feel so sorry for all the people around here who only have Shanks Pony to ride.  There is no bus service and the taxi operators obviously don’t do a drive around the suburbs looking for passengers!

Even if there were these additional forms of transport available, the cost would make it difficult to justify.

I see the old and the lame walking up Adams Road on their way back to their homes after being in the CBD.  Until you experience the discomfort of trying to use a crutch to move around on when you are in desperate pain, it means nothing to you to drive past them without a second thought.  

Before the crime became so prevalent, I would stop the car and offer to take the old Gran or Grandad up the hill to their destination.  We all used to do it.  Now, none of us are prepared to stop the car and offer someone a lift.  This is just another way that the crime has affected each and every one of us.

My mother and I had a lot in common.  As I think back on her at the age I am now, I can see the likeness in a number of ways.  Neither of us very social.  Content to spend time alone, being the main similarity.  I fall very short regarding charity work.  Mom excelled at this and involved herself in the church.  She was amazing in that way.

While in her alone time she would sit in front of the TV doing crochet or knitting, like most of my friends do, I do things on my iPad.  Producing nothing of lasting value.  I should get back to crocheting again.  However, I have all the cloths I need from Mom’s work and have made double bed blankets for all the family, and we don’t need more.

When mom died and I had to clear out her bedroom, there were three full shelves of hand knitted jerseys to find homes for.  Countless times I would suggest that she give some away, but she loved each and every one of them and could just not decide which ones to keep.

What I am experiencing now, she went through as well.  The illnesses  affecting friends and the loss of others.  Lets face it, this is not a very exciting stage we find ourselves in, but the way we approach each of these challenges, find strength from adversity and humour wherever possible is the best way to go forward.