How often do we not lament about the days when your Yes was your Yes, and your No was your No. “Jou woord is jou woord.” Once you made someone a promise you kept it. People would RSVP to an invitation, and keep to it, and not cancel on short notice, because something better came up. You could rely on people, and not worry about being betrayed or double crossed. There was no need to wonder if someone had your back, you just knew that there was no reason for them to not have it. But, in many ways, those days are history. Today, you lock your security gate and you most certainly do not stop to help someone next to the road. You guard your drink in a pub, so substances can’t end up in it, and your wallet and car keys are kept in your deepest pocket. Oh, and do not forget the cell phone in your bra. We would rather risk health issues, than have your phone visible. Don’t forget the paper trail. Always keep a paper trail of all the emails you have sent. You never know when you may need it.

My Mom has had a few health and wellness issues that I had to help her with. As always when these things happen, first stop is the doctor (or the priest – depending on the emergency), so off we went. We arrived at the doctor, and promptly on time we were called personally by the doctor – not the receptionist! Being from the big city, where you have a 15-minute slot with the doctor (who often will try and turn it into a 10-minute slot, as he/she is running behind time), I was utilising the 15 minutes very well, to fit all the ailments in. Why in such a hurry? – the doctor asked. We have an hour. Wow. An ordinary GP, and she allows 1-hour slots for her patients. She patiently sat and had a conversation with her patient, asking questions that not only relate to what the prescription would require, but also asking about her emotional wellbeing, and how is your daughter in America, you must miss her terribly. We drove home, my mother feeling much better having had such a nice talk with her doctor, and I drove home stunned at the level of personal care I had just witnessed.

Next day, same Mother had to get to the shops for some groceries, and we set off together. At some point, my Mom had to use the public bathroom, and you guessed it: she left her purse in the bathroom. I rushed back, hoping by some miracle to find it, and of course it was nowhere. 2 ladies, noticing the distress, offered to help and as much as you know that they too will not find it, the help was forthcoming. Well, believe it or not. One of the impromptu Search and Rescue team, is a cashier at the grocery store we were in, and soon enough called us, as somebody had handed a found purse in at the counter, and is this the one we are looking for? And my Mom was handed her purse with all her money and valuables still in it. No Ma’am. No reward needed, just glad we could help, she said with a smile on her face. Just go tell God how great He is.

But sometimes, the Devil wants to be greater in creating mischief, and so this past Sunday, sitting at home, minding my own business, we heard a great commotion outside. I tried my best to ignore it, but eventually said to Colin that maybe I should just check on what is happening. It turns out, that the Artist and the Actress (remember me telling you about them? How they sit in their silk night gowns and have Sundowners, starting at 10H00 in the morning? Nothing wrong with a good head start) had been out to lunch at the local joint, and there they discovered shooters, which they sipped! Life lesson one: Shooters are more potent when sipped. A few sipped “Springbokkies” later (with no lunch in the end, by the way), the two tried to find their way home and ended up outside the railway ticket office trying to get their keys to fit the door lock. A kindly person recognized the two and brought them home, dropping them at the entrance gate to the estate we all live in. And that was the commotion. One tripped and fell at the gate, the other went in search of help and promptly tripped and fell a few steps away, and at this point neither could get themselves up and through the gate. To make matters worse, by now they could not find each other anymore either. Long story short: Colin carried old ladies in, and Sjarlene put them to bed. As for the hang over: they were on their own. Actress wears a very interesting vintage ring. Despite all their unplanned adventures, she woke up with her ring on her finger. Their handbags were delivered the next day. With everything in it. So having lost no more than their dignity, both have now promised that in future, they will not sip their shooters. I tried to get them to make a few more responsible promises (such as going forward I will order Rock Shandy), but No. At their age, they told me, friends don’t let friends drink bad drinks. (I was being a bad friend with my Rock Shandies. So much for wanting to be the responsible friend.) With the hangover out the way, a few more injuries were discovered. A sprained ancle, and a knee that is still trying to decide if it is injured, or just out of sorts. They are both under self-imposed house arrest. Actress says, give it a few days and somebody else will do something silly, and then the town gossips will move on to greater pastures. Until then, they will keep a low profile. Let sleeping dogs lie.

The Devil also slipped into our detail. Our builder has also had a little hiccup, which could delay our building work for longer than we wish. And then: God was great, and we may have found another builder. Maybe now, things can move along again. But as you all know by now: Colin and I are star Batsmen. And our God is a great God, so bring it on, we do not journey alone.