Monday, October 3, 2005

Less is NOT more; Less is less

So yeah, that was May, June and July. Throw in a few week-long trips: two to Jo’burg, including the ill-fated househunting trip (more on that later), one to Majorca for “business”, and madness begins to set in.

By mid-July, I was starting to lose my grip a little. Not so you’d notice, really. (Don’t say anyyyything, Miss T!) But I started playing even more tennis, often just hitting balls with a girlfriend of mine. Ronalee was moving over the summer too, and both of us just needed to wear ourselves out so we could sleep at night. So three or four hours a day of exercise... would that do it? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. And then I still needed to fit in all the stupid and exasperating chores like getting estimates from moving companies, getting pages added to my passport, arranging for carpet cleaning and online banking and selling a car and .. and ... and... the list was endless and unrewarding.

And then, at last, it was August. We thought we’d found a house to rent in Jo’burg -- just the details of the lease needed to be finalized. Now, it was time to pack up our house in Ascot. The removals company showed up Monday, August 8th, worked all week,and by Friday the 12th, I was sitting all alone in a completely empty house. Once more. Not even a tissue around to blow my nose in. (Crying again? Oh, come, come now... stiff upper lip, girl!)

Phew. Another chapter finished. The household goods would go off by sea and we’d meet up with them in late September, when we’d unload everything into the South African house. What a great plan!

But of course, this is MY life you’re reading about, so did it go to plan? Again, are you JOKING? We flew off to the United States, to see friends and family, and when I opened my emails in Portland Oregon on Tuesday the 16th, I read that the lease agreement for the Jo’burg house had fallen through, and it was all off.

Well, didn’t that just take the cake?!?! Because if I’d known I wouldn’t have any of my “stuff” for three months, I certainly would have packed differently. Too late now. Surprise, you’re screwed!! Ah well, one can certainly get along with less. Less is more, right?

No comments: