Grammatical Glitches was a bridge too far for me (read about my self-talk here) so, as suggested by a fellow blogger…I’ve changed the theme to something that doesn’t need as much prep and research.
Instead, I’ll be writing about the cities I’ve travelled to and through, and even some that I’ve lived in. At least for those, I have many many photos upon which I’ll rely.
Wishing you all a wonderful Easter! I’ve just arrived home from spending time with my family. I spent a relaxing few days with my sister and niece and today we all came together for lunch at my folks’s place. This is our usual tradition although last year was the exception – we were at the start of a strict level 5 lockdown and no travel between locales was allowed. So each family unit celebrated in their own homes and we connected virtually later. So, last year no chocolate; this year chocolate 🙂
How has your Easter been, in whichever form?
Unmet expectation
I set an expectation a couple of weeks ago. That of participating in the A to Z Challenge with the theme of Grammatical Glitches. Yesterday was day 3 of the challenge and I’m yet to post anything.
“Why did you pick that theme?” my self-talk demanded.
“What do you really know about teaching grammar to other people?” it continued, “English is not even your first language.”
The second-guessing continues. And writer’s block ensues.
Winterising
Otherwise known as ‘preparing for winter’ (air quotes on purpose). Although yesterday was a hot day with the heat blending into the evening, overall temperatures are dropping. I’ve reluctantly put away my summer sandals and slip slops, and brought out my sneakers. In another month or two, the sneakers will be stored away and the boots brought out. I’m going through my cold weather clothes and laundering them.
Rogue tomatoes
We have a rogue tomato plant. It’s rather huge and has yielded dozens of tomatoes. It’s still yielding tomatoes, and I’m holding thumbs that the warm weather holds enough for the green ones to ripen. You see, it’s rogue because we didn’t plant it. It emerged in a bed at the front of the garden in an area reserved for indigenous plants that don’t need much watering. Chè fed it some lawn fertilizer and the results have been astounding.
Juggling fewer timezones
European and US clocks moved by an hour so my day starts one hour earlier. This is a great pity because I rather liked my day to start at 10 am. This doesn’t mean that my day finishes earlier though. I think I’m getting the raw deal here (South Africa doesn’t practice daylight saving). On the plus side, I have one less timezone to juggle! Yay (not) … or maybe yes … or not …
Lockdown
South Africa is still on lockdown level 1, the least strict level. I am rather concerned about this: people swarmed to beaches, held street parties and many eschewed masking and social distancing this long weekend. Vaccinations are proceeding slowly – at the moment only health care providers are getting vaccinated. Vaccination for the public hasn’t started. So I’m worried. Our numbers are low and test positivity in the region of 5% so it’s easy to be lulled into a false sense of security. Police have been kept busy this Easter weekend, breaking up the street parties.
Let me leave you today with a funny cartoon about coffee.
Mozambican-born Portuguese South African; reflecting on travel, writing, editing, life, family and change that has social impact; chief wide eyed in wanderer, wonderer and bottlewasher