The Story Teller: Holidays are done!

Whew. It's been a wet winter here in Cape Town, though lovely to have the mountains gushing and the grass all green. We've had more rain than I can remember for years, and every sunny day I rush to get about 4 loads of washing out to dry quickly.

Kids are just back at school after holidays - long ones, as they were home for two weeks before with tonsilitis (Jessica) and colds (Luke). Our "extended holiday" culminated at hospital with Jessica getting her tonsils and adenoids out, and grommets in for the second time. Yikes. She's all recovered and very chipper now, in time for her fifth birthday. A highlight of the first day back at school was show and tell. You can guess what she took with her to show off proudly (and yes, I did forewarn the teacher NOT to open the grisly bottle). Jessica, if you ever wonder what happened to those tonsils, they got flushed straight after you brought them home. Uck!

It's been quite a memorable two weeks or so. Permit me to elucidate.... tonsils came out on Monday, recovered at home all week, but did go to Canal Walk on Friday for the Little Mermaid, a burst geyser erupted all over the courtyard on Saturday at 8.10am. No hot water. School began again on Monday (hooray)! Debbie asked Jessica what she did for her holidays. Somber answer: We played at home. Yes, that was FIVE weeks at home.

The geyser people finally arrived on Monday late afternoon, Jessica's birthday was on Tuesday (28 cupcakes for school birthday ring and 14 for birthday afternoon tea with a few friends), we were at hospital from 11pm to 2am with Luke for croup on Wednesday night, Mom arrived on Thursday, Dad arrived on Friday, Jessica had her Aristocat 5th birthday party on Saturday (another 24 cupcakes plus party cake etc. and still no hot water) and Dad left on Sunday afternoon. Luke will be home on Monday with a very snotty nose (on antibiotics for a few more days). The new solar geyser should go in on Tuesday (hooray - hot water on Tuesday night??) and Mom leaves Wednesday.

What else can happen? :)

Despite a lack of sleep we're all doing ok. I do miss my hot showers though friend Lynette has been a star and we have descended on her for bathtime twice already. And planning to hit their bath again tomorrow. Yay for the kettle and the bucket in the meantime...

Well, onto the week ahead. Starting with Live Under the Line (max of R10 per day per person for all food). You might think that's not much. Jah, but then there are 13 million suffricans who do that every day. Yay for Jungle Oats! R10 per day for food. And just think, on Tuesday we are paying R10,000 for our solar geyser. 'Nuff said.

Presenting the ROGUES GALLERY - JULY 2012