Reflections on 2024 ... what a year. (Part 1)

  2024

I know I need to reflect on 2024, Why it was a Milestone year and I noticed that I only blogged less than a hand full of times.
I meant to have at least one post every single month, but as always life got in the way & work of course.

Let me go back to the beginning, 

January .... Sick and tired you've been hanging on me 

Not too much happened on the Social Scene, we played Tennis (Workclub) and we started a brand new project that was going to take the guts of over a year to complete, we are finishing Milestone 3 at the end of Jan '25 and will have the final hurdle before we go live ... exciting times. 

February .... google says  - the second month of the year in the northern hemisphere, usually considered the last month of winter ... really???  

We have a bank holiday the first Monday in Feb, it's a new one they brought in from 2023, St. Brigid's day.   So we took the day and went off to Kilkenny with my half grand niece (long story) and her husband to have lunch and do some exploring. 

March - Britannica says "March, 3rd month of the Gregorian Calendar.  It was named after Mars, the Roman god of war. Originally March was the first month of the Roman calendar. 

The month before I was due to take the whole of April off, my birthday month!  It snowed on the 1st, it always seems to snow at the start of March!  

Played more tennis, and it was Mothers day and St. Patrick's day.   The VP came over from the US and we had a night out at the Church, free bar (haven't had those in a while). 

We also took the opportunity to go up to Newcastle in Northern Ireland for a night at a lovely 5 star hotel that was having a special deal, the Slieve Donard hotel. 

We then left for South Africa on the 30th of March and arrived on the Sunday 31st. 

April -  April is a spring month in the northern half of the world and a fall month in the southern half. It might be named after Aphrodite, the goddess of love.

1st of April, I had arranged a "Birthday Brunch" at "Proud Mary" in Rosebank my favorite restaurant when I come to Jo'burg.  A group of my old life long school friends as well as my Best friend and her mum and sister, my MIL and a few other friends.   It was a great day catching up with everyone. 

We did so much in the April we were there, a few days in Mabalingwe Nature reserve, and another birthday party at the Greek restaurant.   My BFF's mum who was supposed to come away with us to Mabalingwe was diagnosed the day we left with liver cancer, so she could not join us which was so disappointing. 

We went down to Mossel Bay and onto Cape Town, did the helicopter ride, caught up with so many friends and family members and had an awesome time.  Stayed in the Winchester Hotel in Sea point, that was amazing, not so much the service but lovely hotel. The place we stayed at in Mossel Bay was amazing, do try it if ever you are down that way ... it's called "Baylodge" and if you pre book and pay with them they give you a special rate, you step out from the boutique hotel straight onto the beach. 

We got back to Jo'burg on Friday 19th of April, so we had a week to relax and see friends, before leaving to go back to Ireland.   The week whizzed past.  It was Irene's 86th Birthday on the 21st of April, and had it not been for us taking over my late father in laws wheelchair she would not have managed to join us even for the brief time she did. 

We then went over to her on the Wednesday to spend time with Irene, it was probably the most amazing time I had with her on a one to one basis even though we had, had plenty, we spoke about everything.   She had a nurse looking after her, and when the nurse told her it was time for her to rest, she told her to sod off as she had guests... us.   We eventually left.    The next day on the way to the airport G did a video call with Irene and the way she was speaking was like she was saying Goodbye permanently - I was so upset I cried all the way back to Ireland. 

On Tuesday morning the 30th of April at 2:30 am I got the dreaded call from Gwen to say she had passed away.

I knew right then I had to go back. 

May ... It was named after Maia, a Roman fertility goddess.

Luckily while I was away for the month of April, the project at work had been put on hold due to a Security issue which had to be rectified with all the current systems, so I hadn't really missed much, and we would really only be starting again later in May, it was my opportunity to tell my boss that I was going back to South Africa for 2 weeks.  

The 2 weeks flew, it was eventful - I flew EgyptAir and managed to get an upgrade so it wasn't too bad, but no, never do Cairo on my own again.  I spent the first few days helping Sheila with the memorial service arrangements and then took my MIL through to the memorial service.   I had gone with G & A to the crematorium a few days previously which was probably worse than the service. 

I spent another week, just being with the family - too much happened that wasn't great so I am not going to reflect on that period anymore.   

Oh I forgot to mention, I met cousins and family I had never met before, through the My heritage DNA match I found some family on my mother's side "de Villiers" and had the great pleasure of meeting them.  Antoinette, Ollie, Caryn and Megan from the "Botes" side of my moms family. 

The rest of May was just work, work, work. 

June ... Named after Juno, the goddess of youth.

My Baby's 21st birthday!  Wow, what a lady she has become and started Uni this year as well. 

We played more tennis ... then my cousin's wife and her nephew arrived from SA for a couple of days, it was awesome, I took them sightseeing and we had such a great time.

I then thought I would have a nice break before my MIL was due to arrive from SA in July, however there were other secret plans happening...

I had been out with the guys from Tennis for dinner and got back home around 8:30 or 9:00 pm only to be surprised by my BFF from Australia sitting in my lounge all the way from Perth, I had not seen her in 5 years, what a surprise.   

It was the most amazing visit, unfortunately I could not take leave but I was able to spend loads of time with her, and because of the long summer nights we just had the most amazing time.   I don't know how my liver coped, we had at least 1 bottle of wine every single night for the entire time she visited, which was about 10 days if I remember correctly.   Long story but her daughter Dani was in England visiting her boyfriend who was playing cricket and so she came over for a few nights too.

I was so sorry to see them go!  The best visitors ever. 

to be continued ... 

Blood & Water

 

If you have never seen the Netflix Series "Blood & Water" - I am not going to tell you to go and watch it, but I did find it good.  One of the best series to come out of the New South Africa in many years. 

The first 3 series were really about these kids in a private school in Cape Town and about a child who was kidnapped and trafficked as a baby and in the end lead up to the perpetrators being caught and arrested and everyone being exposed and how it affected some of these children whose wealthy parents were involved in the whole scandal.   Just a brief synopsis. 

So yesterday I was off sick, I am so tired of looking for something decent to watch on TV and Netflix, but I went straight to Netflix and what was there waiting for me - YES series 4 of Blood & Water, a good way to kill 4 hours (6 episodes in a series & no advertisements).

I had thought that after Series 3 there would not be another one, but of course you are always left on a cliff hanger after every series. 

They gave you a recap on what had happened previously, but this series spoke about cheating in Matric exams (kids stealing test papers) and a blackmailing incident and sex tapes which eventually led down to a pupil at this private school who had been bullied and how it affected his whole future and ruined his life. 

It's something that I brought up a few years ago when someone was trying to organize a school reunion, and suddenly the school bullies got involved and started deleting people they did not want to attend the reunion from the WhatsApp group. 

It took me back 40 years and reminded me how this person bullied me and I decided to walk away leave the slack channel - the next thing I got a private message from this person and I just had to let everything out that had been supressed for over 40 years, they said they can't believe I am saying these things as they don't remember every bullying me.  But I guess I wasn't the only person they bullied.  

It reminded me of something I read one day:

People may not remember what you said, but they will always remember how you make them feel!  

And I totally agree, I don't remember what was said to me, but I do remember being excluded and how I felt on many occasions. 

If you don't want to watch all 4 series and you were a bully at school, just do yourself a favour and watch Series number 4. 

I am grateful to work for a company where Mental Health is so important and there is always someone to help you.  Gone are the days where you had to leave your problems at home and not bring them to the office and great that companies are prepared to help their workers through all their mental issues they have. 

Top Hits of 1964 - Spotify

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Milestones ... Growing Older

 I guess having a Milestone birthday this year has made me think about life and ponder on everything.  

Growing up we have our Music Idols, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones etc and you never really put an age on any of them ... then all of a sudden you hear "Mick Jagger" is turning 80 .... Whaaaat that means that I must be turning ... I mean after all these guys have been around playing music since before I was born, the rolling stones started playing in 1962. 

Last week on BBC4 they started re-running shows from when "Top of the Pops" started airing back in 1964 yes it's 60 years old!  

What happened to the years we lived, for some of us our 20's we spent partying, then 30's got a bit more responsible got married, had a kid, in our 40's raised the kid - did a bit of travelling, and all the time worked!  Suddenly we get to our 50's and you can see the end is getting closer, I mean face it as Freddie Mercury said - "Who wants to live forever"?  Especially as your body gets older, sure I would love to live forever if I could say be 55 healthy and strong ... forever!  But of course that won't happen. 

I know I hate the fact that I am turning that big six O number, a lot of our friends never even made it to 50 - I have had a good life, despite all the ups and downs, and I have learnt so much and then you have to find answers to those questions that nag you (I mean me)?

Why was I born?
What have I accomplished in my life?
Why is there so much sadness in the world, why was I born into a white family and not into a family who lives in a township?
Why, Why, Why, as Johnny Nash said - "There are more questions than answers".

This post is going to be very long, so I will break it up and leave you with one of my favourite videos of Marc Bolan, with Elton John on Piano and Ringo Starr playing the drums.