Sell

Another chapter begins. I’ll be leaving the home I’ve lived in the longest in my life – sixteen years. The kids were eight and four when we moved in.

How hard can it be, right? You sell, bank the cash and drive off into the sunset. So I called Aitch’s friend and colleague in her four-year stint as an estate agent, Pam.

Pam, You Know What You’re Doing, You Come And Do This.

So you know what she does? She gives me a list as long as your arm! You do this, then you do this, then . . she’s as bad as Aitch was!

So she tells me: Sell your furniture; sell your books; sell the many wall hangings which haven’t hung on a wall for ten years since Aitch went; Fix the cracks, the windows, the doors, the ceilings; Paint – a lot; Rip up those carpets; New light bulbs;

Yes, Pam.

Mow the lawn – WHAT!? Now you’ve gone too far!

Hell, if I didn’t do all those things for us, why should I do them for strangers? Cos you want to sell the house, Pete.

Sold!

I decided I’ll never get this done, so we put the house on the market “as is” – its called voetstoots in South Africa. And on that very day we got two offers for the full asking price. A week later their finance was approved and so I asked ‘Must I Leave Now?’ No, they said, it takes about three months before you’ll have your money! Damn!

Now it is very real and I sat Jess and Tom down and broke the news. They picked what they wanted from the house, a truckload went off to Tom’s rented rooms:

Jess wants less, but the other fridge and microwave will go to her.

(later: Have now gone to her).

~~oo0oo~~

I Know

When you’re trying with little success to rid your place of stuff and when the stuff fills a double garage and at least one room, with other rooms a bit crowded, you should not accumulate any more stuff, but I can explain.

There was a damsel in distress. I was on my horse. She asked ‘would you?’ What was a gallant knight errant to say? Or to do? There’s only one thing a knight can do in such circumstances:

– knight in the background knows this is mistaken logic –

Actually quite chuffed: Check those armrests as drinks platforms: These are practical, serviceable, lekker chairs. And comfy.

– the plastic furniture can go now . . –

I do suppose Louis knew Petrea was divesting them of assets while he was far away in Gurugram . . .

~~~oo0oo~~~

This acquisition is made worse as just the day before I was rolling my eyes at my Dad (96) who in one breath was stating his absolute determination – ‘this time’ – to get rid of stuff; and in the next breath was mulling over buying two new armchairs for the room he wants to add on to his house ‘for her (that’s Mom Mary) to sit in the sun as the room will have big windows.’

Right. Alone in a three bedroom house with Mom now in a home, he thinks what he needs is an extra room and two new chairs.

~~~oo0oo~~~

knight errant – a medieval knight who traveled around doing brave things and helping people who were in trouble – Cambridge

knight – a man given a rank of honour by a British king or queen because of his special achievements, and who has the right to be called “Sir”

medieval – related to the Middle Ages (the period in European history from about 600 CE to 1500 CE)

special achievements – usually helping said king or queen keep their ill-gotten gains

hie kom ek – here I come!!

Our Woodworker

The old man made a beautiful riempie bench, modeled after an old one he bought. He made two, so that along with the old one he’d have three, the thought being to give one to each of his three beloved children.

Made of blackwood; thickness’d and planed; legs and olive wood turnings for the backrest uprights turned in his lathe; yellow wood inlays routed into the backrest; dovetail joins to hang it all together. The leather riempies were from a kudu he had shot in old South West Africa, where he skinned it and brought the skin and the horns home. Then he took the skin to Marianhill monastery where it was tanned and cut into riempies. Apparently the monks n nuns like them some leather.

Quite something! No wonder he wants it back. Here he is with Mom in his woodwork shop/haven/retreat.

=======ooo000ooo=======

He’d be so proud to see his grandson following in his footsteps, ably taught by his talented son:

While watching the riempies being cut he decided ‘I can do that’ so he had a riempie cutter made for future use:

Sold!

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