I found myself in deep domestic trouble last week.......
It was only when I started to colour code the pegs and the washing on the washing line,
that I established the truth ........ it is a fact that I had suspected all along ... housework is
addictive.
We have been away from Zim just too long ... HEEHOO MUST FISH has been a tad poorly
and so we have had an enforced holiday in Joburg where I found to my horror that unless
one is a total slattern, domestic chores have to be done on a fairly regular basis ....
I know my Sister- in- Law Litty also had a problem when she first left Zimbabwe, we
found her secretly polishing the floors at all hours of the night !!
At first it is fun, washing, ironing, cleaning, dusting, and then it becomes a bit of a
chore.... but having lived in spotless shining houses our whole lives thanks to our very
spoilt and privileged lifestyle, suddenly there is dust !!
Suddenly there are beds to make, floors to wash, clothes to iron, and suddenly we are
totally addicted if we want to do it at all properly.
I gather one does grow out of it fortunately, but at the moment I am unconsciously using
green pegs for green knickers, blue pegs for blue sox and so on and so forth ad nauseum.
It will pass .... this syndrome, I have been assured by generations of Zimbabweans who
moved out into the real world just recently.
Just as the washing is an addiction, making the bed too is an addiction, the house rule is
"last lying in makes the bed"
HeeHoo is exhausted he tells me, he lies on his side in bed when the Hadedas start calling
at first light, keeping a watchful eye on my eyelids.
As soon as there is the slightest flicker, he shoots out of bed, making sure that he is never
the last in bed in the morning !!
I used to dread the shoe cleaning story after I had watched Charlie year after year,
whistling away happily buffing HeeHoos best lace-ups, polishing them to such a gleam
that they could double as a mirror.
I tried it once using that lovely old shoe polish in the round tin, first applying the thick
black goo with a brush, then buffing them like mad to rub the polish in, then a soft cloth
to make them really shine.
THE I DISCOVERED KIWI LEATHER INSTANT WAX SHINE !! No mess no fuss, no elbow grease
at all, and much the same effect with far less effort.
Oh that Nugget shoe polish had me in a black smutty mess the first time I used it, but the
Kiwi is as easy as falling off a log. Our floor polish was called Cobra but our shoe polish
was called Nuggett and I am glad to say that Cobra plays no part in my life at all when I
am not in Bulawayo.
Our homes have traditionally had parquet flooring, tiny neat oblong blocks, laid
beautifully, always gleaming, always polished to perfection, how on earth was I going to
emulate that particular little domestic trick ?
Luckily there is not a parquet block to be seen this side of the Tropic of Capricorn !!
Oops the spin dryer calls, oh frabjous day, calloo callay, time to hang out the washing,
hope I have some purple pegs to use with my new purple tee shirt !!
CAROL DENISON -(Nee Kotze)
- Carol was tragically taken away from us on 16/11/08
after being attacked in Witbank R.S.A. a fortnight before. To all of those who loved her, we
shall always remember her jovial ways and her ability to always be there when she was
needed in times of crisis. She was a loving niece and cousin to our family and became a
dear friend who shall be missed forever. We shall never forget the wonderful fishing &
camping trips we shared. R.I.P. Carol.
Love Rob, Lyne, Richard, Craig & Charmaine Harris.
DEATHS
BIRKIN Melville Essex Henry passed away in Bulawayo November 29th 2008. Beloved
husband and life long friend of Marian Gone in peace to be with the Lord Jesus
BIRKIN Melville Essex Henry passed away in Bulawayo November 29th 2008. Beloved father
of Anne Wawn , Corinna Scott and Antony Birkin. Gone to be in the arms of our King and
Saviour Lord Jesus
The members of the Bulawayo Philharmonic Chorus send their very sincere sympathy to
their conductor, Margot Morgan, on the sudden loss of her husband Lyn on 25 November,
after a long and painful illness. Their thoughts and prayers are with the family in
Haverfordwest, and her children Jeanne, Dave and Paul and their families in Australia.
TROLLOPE - Charles Leslie King
Our beloved Charlie passed away peacefully on 08 Nov 2008. You were the light of our
lives and shall be greatly missed by your everloving family.
Our grateful thanks for the wonderful support to the staff at Edith Duly Nursing Home, our
dear friends and the staff and parents of Whitestone School.
CHRISTMAS is coming...
And it comes once a year...
But dear Father Christmas, we desperately need gifts the whole year round !
Here is the SPCA " WISH LIST " ....
1) Fuel coupons for our vehicles so that we can rescue injured or lost animals.
2) Basic food supplies ( mealiemeal / dried beans / kapenta ) for our invaluable workers
as we lack the funds to pay them the wages they deserve.
3) Food for the animals ( meat / vegetables / dog cubes )
4) Bleach and disinfectant to clean our cages and kennels.
Purr - lease ( from the cats !), don't be "a dog in the manger" ( obviously from the dogs
who share the Christmas spirit ! ) when planning your Christmas festivities this year,
REMEMBER THE BULAWAYO SPCA :
Send us
Practically anything useful to help us
Care, in these very difficult times, for
Animals in distress.
Kindly take any donations to the SPCA shop on Robert Mugabe Way
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