It is almost the end of August, and we have been in Cape Town since the end of May. Time? Wa? Huh? Hm? lots to catch up on.
We've been here three months and I'm still landing… what I do know is that I'm in the right place at the right time… I get to be a full time mum and not work. When people ask me about Canada and Israel, I can barely get my head around the fact that im in South Africa, so as far as future plans… not yet. I'm here for a few months and really not sure about how many.
Daisy seems to draw a lot of attention wherever we go.. established favorites include flirting, reading, dancing and singing. Oh yes, we have a car, newest car I've ever had and were both happy to be able to drive beyond our little world of Sea Point and explore. Having a little pumpkin with me has inspired me to take walks and get out more than I have previously.
Sometimes when we are at a large family dinner or in Louise's office, Daisy will blurt out the largest sounds a little Daisy can make. DADADADA seems to be the favorite right now and crawling backwards and doing the "chameleon" pose, oh, she has also started doing "plank position" i kid you not!
Back at the folks, we used to wake up most days and go the folks’ room for what I call the “morning show”. My father has his routine of preparing dogs food, insulin shots (charlie’s ), then preparing coffee and breakfast etc. this with daisy watching his every move and watching over his shoulder (to his delight) and then theres hanging with the parents, playing or watching a kid show on louises beloved I-phone. It is winter so although we do wrap up pretty well before going out daily, sun still abounds and we head out on most days. The first month was spent in my father and stepmum, louises home, they and their three dogs Schnapsi, the aging deaf Jack Russell, Charlie, the aging and diabetic mutt, and Coco, the overweight fluffy spaniel mix who has decided that he is Daisys babysitter. Bella the white goatdog (she looks just like a goat to me), Ronit's dog, joins them for daytime hours. These four bark at any passers by and run the show and my father is at their service. They eat better than I do and my father’s nabbing at leftovers at any meal is the picture of absolute dedication. Gym is my father’s second daily endeavor and he will challenge any young male to pushups or situps at any given opportunity. While Louise runs their real estate business like a Chinese dynasty and employs many of her family, my father helps with chores, shopping for the house and upkeep of properties.
My sister Debbie lives in Johannesburg and visits regularly enough to spin through town, make a colorful splash, spend lots of money and fly off with a smile, sometimes barely making her flight. Ronit, my middle sister and Bella’s mama, lives very close by, wears lots of black and knows how to bake like a mofo but remains a rare sighting on most days. Bonnie, the baby among us, is religious, married and has birthed her second child. Louise spends her after work hours helping with the grandchildren before coming home for dinner.
One of my favorite people is Lena, my parents' housekeeper. In our short time here, Daisy has fallen as much in love with Lena as I am and it is mutual. Lena has taught me most of what I know about kids, life and logic. Weekly highlights include sharing a meal or tea/coffee (milk and three sugars) and chatting or dancing with daisy or doing something together that often leaves me howling with laughter… and of course Lena is always complaining that she should be working and I'm keeping her from her chores, but I don’t care… I love this shit….and so does she.
Friday nights are a tradition for as long as I can remember. Its not a religious thing you understand, cuz if you had to hear some of the conversation on the Sabbath, you'd know, but it’s a family evening that includes blessing the wine and bread and lighting candles as good Jews do. Sabbath meals take place alternately at my parents, diane (her sis), or her fathers house and family friends, the Levines.
Diane herself is worth mentioning… while Daisy seems to favor men and/or Black people (I hope this is politically correct). Well she is definitely “cooked” when it comes to little Daisy… Diane will spontaneously do the hokey pockey or sing gibberish with an accent if Daisy is nearby. The woman likes my child and shows it. Daisy loves it and the onlookers get a good show and no work gets done for a spell. Visiting Louises office where Daisy passes around visiting with agents, secretaries and other staff (Angel her definite favorite, maybe because she speaks to Daisy in xhosa) is a daily event. She seems to love many and is adored by many and often there is a blanket spread on the floor with something to play with and someone to watch her while mum runs to the bathroom, grabs a snack or tea or uses the internet for a quickie. Once in a while Louise has a bad day and roars out load at all who will hear that “this is an office” and we all go scurrying like busted cockroaches for safety and I pick up Daisy and run for cover. The funniest thing is that on these occasions Daisy seems to find it in her mind to open her mouth and make squeely noises and talk to anyone who will listen. It isn’t funny at the time. Feeding and diaper changes happen in the calm and quiet of the boardroom.
As it was offered, Daisy and I moved into a small apartment not far from everything I have mentioned above as well as the glorious Cape Town beachfront. It's been wonderful spending time at the folks, but it is even more glorious having our own space. Daisy seems to feel right at home in our new home. It's cold and damp but summer is upon us and we have made our little pad as cozy as can be. If you had to visit, you would see that the hippie/eco-earthmama lives here.
Our days include walks, visits to the biz, an errand or two, naps, nursing, hanging with sabba Aron or Lena and the dogs, and an assortment of other activities. Visiting old school friends has been great. I was worried that I'd be bored what with people being busy with their own lives but being a first time mum has shown me that what I used to get done in ten minutes now takes me four hours so no, I'm never bored and if I get done with 2% in a day of what I intended, we're doing great….
