Week ending 1 Aug 2021

New decision is to try to record at least 1 thing that made me happy on each day of the week.

On Monday the children went back to school. One thing that we missed was listening to our current Terry Pratchett Diskworld audiobook Mort. I think that if I could only read (or listen to) one item of fiction forever, it would be his books. Almost every line is a gem here are 2 samples from Mort. ““History isn’t like that. History unravels gently, like an old sweater. It has been patched and darned many times, reknitted to suit different people, shoved in a box under the sink of censorship to be cut up for the dusters of propaganda, yet it always – eventually – manages to spring back into its old familar shape. History has a habit of changing the people who think they are changing it. History always has a few tricks up its frayed sleeve. It’s been around a long time.” and ““Oh. I see. People don’t want to see what can’t possibly exist.” What the heck let me throw in a 3rd “Mort was already aware that love made you feel hot and cold and cruel and weak, but he hadn’t realized that it could make you stupid.” Our morning dose of Terry Pratchett starts our day with a smile.

Tuesday was stressful and good. It started off at Randburg Magistrates court. I went to quietly support (I was not able to enter the court but sat outside) 14 good people who were arrested on Saturday from the Gauteng contingent of the 3rd Worldwide freedom rally holding a peaceful protest against lockdowns and associated nonsense. There were rallies in 120 cities worldwide some attracting 1000s of supporters. Below is a video clip from Italy where I believe some police joined in. What is most sickening about the arrests here is that they stand in sharp relief against the utter ineptitude of police during the violence, destruction and mayhem of the recent riots in South Africa. It seems that picking on soft targets like peaceful protestors, beach goers or doctors without the right piece of paper on them, driving after curfew is the ceiling of the skill set of some law enforcers. Incidentally 2 of the 14 arrested were bystanders who stopped to take a pic of the protestors. The case has been delayed. What made me happy on Tuesday was their positive attitude and bravery. After court I visited with Blanche, a school friend from Maris Stella who is visiting from Ireland. While that side of Jo’burg I also spent a lovely hour with my aunt Maeve.

On Friday it was lovely to go out for supper at Casa Do Campo, we haven’t been there in over 18 months. The children enjoyed watching a bit of Olympic gymnastics on the TV there.

Saturday was back to Youth Orchestra at last for Fjord. The conductor is fully recovered from Covid which is wonderful, he had several risk factors which could have weighed against him. Every little bit of normal is cause for celebration.

The weekend was so much warmer, at last winter is retracting its teeth. Warm weather is so much more cheerful.

In the rona diary for this week, thank God J seems to be recovering well and it seems likely that she will be out of hospital soon. More good news is that I haven’t heard of any new cases in people who I know. I was livid when one of the children’s extra mural teachers told us that a parent has told him that if he does not get injected her child will stop lessons. Not only is that illogical , what about all the child’s peers? or the fact that those who make that choice can still catch and pass on the virus, but it’s downright rude. Whatever happened to personal boundaries, what gives a person the right to demand personal medical information from another, that is next level wrong and discriminatory. It’s not unlike demanding a person’s keys to their home and unlimited access to their personal space.

Here’s my song for the week. Domi sent it to me recently, really beautiful.