A sunny day in Hilton

It may be a beautiful, sunny day in Hilton when all the people are out and about on their bikes and pushing prams or just walking and soaking up the sun but there is a swirling, sneaky breeze that is whistling around corners and rustling up the fallen leaves.   The breeze is icy!

July in Hilton has not been as cold as I thought it would be.   Last year seemed much colder.  June has come and gone and I did not get my yearly dose of flu - touch wood.   Maybe it is because I am taking my Vit C tablets regularly or maybe it is because I am doing water aerobics in the heated swimming pool at Garlington.
Whatever it is I am most grateful.

I am off to the beach for a week tomorrow and hopefully I will get a good rest.   I realy need a bit of R and R,

More questions than answers!

Where are we going to?
Where have we been?
So much is happening
so much has been seen.

Life is more difficult
day after day.
Shouldn't it be getting easier
the older - they say?

Everyone has their problems.
Everyone has their pain.
Trying to make ends meet.
Trying to train.

Some people crash
Some people burn.
I look around
will it be my turn?

God, you are good
you have always helped me.
Help those around
who cant see the wood for the tree.

I have faith
that all will be well.
Why cant others have the faith
I have tried to instill?

Reach out to me
Reach out to them.
Hold us together
to form a strong hem.

Where are we going?
Where have we been?
Some people never
see what we have seen.

Have a grateful heart
no matter what lies ahead.
Life can be tough
but we are tougher instead!

It is a very sad time

The past month has been very sad for me as I lost my brother.   He meant the world to me as he has been there for me all the days of my life.   He was four years older than me and for as long as I can remember he was always there with a word of advice, a funny story, a helping hand and a very, very strong faith.

I know that he is at peace at last and I hope to see him one day but there is a void in my heart that will never be filled.
Rest in Peace dear one.

Short Story

NOT BLACK AND WHITE BUT PUCE RED!

A short story written by

Marilyn Mills

For the

Open Category of The Witness Short Story Competition.

0825572801

15 Keans Drive

Hilton.

3201

NOT BLACK AND WHITE BUT PUCE RED!

Picture the scene – King’s Park Stadium on a balmy, wintery Durban afternoon.   Thousands upon thousands of rugby enthusiasts thronging the stands for a Curry Cup final!  The year – unimportant!  The teams – Sharks versus some poor unfortunates!

Black and white everywhere!  Beanies, scarves, T-shirts, tracksuits, hats, you name it, they wore it and it was all black and white!   The carnival atmosphere was enjoyed by all the members of our rainbow nation.   Coloured, Indian, Black, White, Brown and Yellow!   All differences forgotten or put aside for a few hours!  All joined together by one national sport –Rugby!   Joined together to support their team – The Sharks!

An invitation to join younger brother and his wife at the Curry Cup final that year was a high prize indeed.   As an avid supporter he had season tickets and his ‘after the game‘ braais in the car park were legendary.   His white Kombi always a landmark for family and friends and the wonderful aromas emanating from the braai attracted many new ‘friends’ from the surrounding cars.   They celebrated their wins and commiserated with each other over their losses but most of all a fun time was had by all.   We were in for a real treat.

With our black and white beanies and scarves firmly in place we wove our way through the surging masses to find our seats.  They were up in the ‘God’s’ and although a real energetic climb to get there, it was well worthwhile as they were wonderful. We had a ‘bird’s eye’ view of the whole field.   All the seats were slowly beginning to fill up as fans with their afternoon’s supply of snacks, most of which were huge, plastic jugs of beer for the men and plastic bottles of water for the ladies, made their way into the stands.   The hawkers were doing a brisk trade of their wares as packets of chips, popcorn and biltong were being passed along the rows and money returned to the hawker in the same way.   The rhythmic music of the local DJ pounded through the speakers.  The anticipation was palpable.

A burst of loud music and heralding by the Master of Ceremonies preceded the ‘flashers’ as they ran on to the field.   Immediately a roar went up.  The girls danced in front of each section of the crowd and there was a great sound of appreciation as the men clapped enthusiastically when the girls opened their great black cloaks to reveal the skimpiest of black and white bikinis barely covering their wonderfully toned assets. When the ‘flashers’ came to dance in front of our stand, I noticed some women playfully covering their men’s eyes with their hands and mother’s shielding their little one’s eyes for fun.   Wolf whistles and lurid remarks rang out left, right and centre.   Then with a flash of their black cloaks and a toss of their long, lustrous locks, they disappeared off the field.

The Master of Ceremonies announced the teams and slow clapping started before the opposing team ran on to the field.  Sharkie, the team mascot, ran around the field trying to generate a Mexican Wave and generally stirring up the crowd.

-2-

Gradually the clapping grew faster and when the Sharks team hit the turf all hell broke loose.   Cheering, waving, whistling resounded around that stadium.   I had to put my hands over my ears.  

The whistle blew.   Time stood still.

Eyes were riveted on the game!

Each and every one of the enthusiastic crowd became involved.

‘Ref –where are your glasses?’

‘Ref – that was off sides’.

‘Come on Ref – that was a penalty’

‘Go Sharks go’

Every person an expert!  Each member with a strong opinion and not afraid to voice it!

Every time a try was scored or a penalty converted another great roar went up from the crowds.

The mood was electric.

The Sharks were giving the other team a run for their money.   Slowly but consistently they were putting points on the board.   Their opponents were not about to lie down and die.  They were not going to take a beating.   Not in a Curry Cup final! They came back hard and strong, all guns blazing, making the home team work for their points.

All of a sudden my bladder started conveying urgent sms messages to my brain.   Hurry, hurry, hurry!   Quick, quick, quick!  Damn. It was still 10 minutes to half time.   I jiggled from side to side thinking that if I did not listen to the sms’s they would go away.   I jiggled until I could jiggle no longer so I negotiated with ‘the one who knows all things’ to show me the way to the ladies a few minutes before the whistle blew so as to be ahead of the masses.

We started moving through the agitated crowd until we hit the aisle.  As you can imagine we were not very popular. There was mumbling and snide remarks behind our backs.   I pretended I hadn’t heard.  The urgency of my pursuit was all consuming now! Unfortunately my other half had his eyes riveted to the game while I led him as a dutiful blind dog would do.

Just then the Sharks got the ball and the crowd exploded.   The team had a wonderful back line and was using it to the fullest.   The ball swung out and was deftly picked up and swung out again.   All this time the team was moving forward, pushing their opponents backwards.   One goal in mind!

The atmosphere was on fire!

3.

A member of the Sharks team got hold of the ball and then must have done something incredibly stupid as the crowd groaned collectively.   There was an enormous amount of verbal abuse being hurled at the poor team player.

My man was rooted to the spot watching with huge eyes and also groaning.   No amount of nudging would move him.   By this stage I was desperate and considered abandoning him, I had already abandoned the game as my brain was drowning!   This was a really desperate action on my part as my sense of direction is not very good and I could have got lost forever!

Luckily for me the game resumed and my other half saw the pools of water in my eyes.   Not tears!

We started moving down the stairs again. This time with much more urgency!   But still with eyes riveted on the game!

Suddenly a man roared, ‘Where do you think you’re going?’

Thinking it was my brother who had just noticed our absence I turned and without any cohesive thought, I shouted back in a very loud voice–

‘Just to the loo ..!’

My voice rang out over the whole stadium, which had suddenly hushed to watch the game of play at hand,  and the man who had shouted the question –obviously to one of the players on the field who had made a move in the wrong direction – then looked at me in astonishment as did thousands of round startled eyes.

Then another great roar rose from the stands, this time it wasn’t from enthusiasm.   It was LAUGHTER!

‘Well hurry back’ he retorted and the laughter grew louder.

The blood roared in my ears as I became the object of much hilarity.   Time stood incredibly still.

I put my head down and ran, no, I scuttled like a crab to the nearest ‘ladies’.   Chose the closest booth and locked the door.

The heat from my face was more embarrassing than the heat emanating from my bladder.

I wanted to crawl up and die!

No thoughts of black and white then – just PUCE RED!

The colour subsided as coherent thoughts returned when bladder was relieved.   Then laughter took over.   Luckily my man had missed it all by being so engrossed in the game, or so I thought, and made no mention of my dilemma.

4.

Sweet thing had bought me a coldrink and a bar of chocolate.  I Just love him!  

With tail firmly tucked I made my way back to our seats.   By this time the game had started all over again so nobody was the least bit interested in me.   The rest of the afternoon passed very amiably.   The Sharks were on top form and won the Curry Cup that yea r.  The euphoria was contagious and the party began.   The crowds spilled out of the stadium chanting and waving their black and white paraphernalia.   I held on to the arm of my man tightly as he led me back to the car park.   Head firmly downcast, beanie pulled low, just in case anyone would recognize me!

While enjoying the braai afterwards at younger brother’s Kombi I related my story to the guests and joined them in laughing at my ‘indiscretion’.  Luckily it was dark and they could not see my face.   What a tale for ‘Was my face red?’  

At least I had given all the members of our stand a chance to have a good old laugh and to forget their troubles.  I was fortunate to be part of the black and white brigade even though it was infused with  a shade of PUCE for a moment.

Did I go back to more rugby matches?

You bet!

THE END

   

It is January 2013 and we are living at Garlington.   Our dream has come true!   All the years of planning, saving, choosing and sweating blood, sweat and tears have paid off and now we are well and truly estalished in our new, beautiful home.   This is our retirement home and we have put into it everything we really want.   We have not been extravagant but we have surrounded ourselves with quality things and all set in a beautiful, secure environment.   Heaven on earth!   A place our children will treat as a retreat.   A home from home and  a balm for their souls.   Just as it is for us.   We have created a legacy for our children and our grandchildren present and to come.   God is good.

It is June again!

It feels like just yesterday when I wrote about Biorythmns and how mine are at their lowst in June. It was June 2011!!!  I must remember to take immue boosters in May to prevent CRACKED HEELS and the flu.   I am man down again with a chest infection.   Not fun!

There is so much happening in June.   St Nicholas is collecting blankets for winter warmth.   World Environmnt Day on the 5th June.  What am I doing?  Recycling, recyling and more recycling!   Than you Wildlands for your recycling villages all over the place.   A dream come true for me.   I am trying not to use the underfloor heating system in this rented house we are living in but the temptation gets to me sometimes.  I hope our new house in Garlington will be cosy and warm.

Keep yourselves warm this June because I think it is going to be a very cold one!!!!

OLD FRIENDS

There is nothing more beautiful than old friends.   Yesterday a group of friends got togehter to celebrate Jill's 65th birthday.   Most of us had known one another for over 30 years.   It was a very grand celebration.   Not only of Jill's special day but also the celebration of lasting friendships.

We had all been there for Jill when her husband died of terrible pancriatic cancer.   They had all been there when two of my children were born.   Most of us had shared our troubles and our triumphs with each other all through the years of bringing up our children, teenage traumas, weddings, deaths,  following our careers and slowly coming into the autumn of our years.   As a group we are a force to be reckoned with.

We have catered for school functions - never to be matched over the years!   We have played hard and loved hard and we have overcome diversities and diversions.   But all through these years we have remained the friends we can rely on.

We were a motely crew on the day each bearing a hat that spoke volumes!   I had on the hat I had bought for my daughter's wedding 6 years ago.   Sadly her marraige broke up and her heart was broken but yesterday the hat came out for a happy celebration.   Millie wore a minute little top hat made of red felt and black tuille.   It matched her red, white and blue outfit and she looked very chic.   Candy had made cardboard cut out flowers on her  new computer and her husband had sewn them onto her sun hat as Candy is not that domisticated.   It was a riot of colour.   Tony wore a children's Mr Plod the Policeman hat and Lizzie wore a jester's cap in brilliant shades of red, blue and yellow.   The best hat of all, in my mind, was Jill's.   She had on a classic white panama trimmed with black and white.   The hat had originally belonged to her daughter, Candy, when she had belonged to the church choir many years ago.   It was just the right hat to wear to a wonderful morning tea party in the garden.   It was just Jill!

What a wonderful way to spend a morning.   All embraced by the love and warmth of old friends!