The Blog that Got Away

I discovered a completed yet unposted blog in among my files this evening. I was rather bemused at how I had forgotten about it and put it down to a recurrence of “porridge brain” one of the last remaining afflictions left over from pregnancy. It is a few months out of date, but still worth sharing, I think. So grab yourselves a beverage and settle in for a ramble.

This blog started on a Friday morning in mid May at around 2am with the Butterfly climbing over me elbow to rib cage, knee to breast bone so she could “sleep” between her favourite parent and her Mum. Two hours later I banished her back to her own bed and threatened her with a life time of no nakedness if she made the slightest sound for the next four hours. To my delight and surprise, it worked, and with the Mauritian on a day’s leave we were able to sleep in past the sunrise. Breakfast was an unrushed feast complimented with oodles of coffee and conversation, rounded off with a trip to the local “zoo” and a run about the park for the Butterfly. Wrapped up warmly against the cold wind and keeping a wary eye on the heavy rain clouds overhead the Mauritian and I ambled behind the Butterfly as she charged about from place to place never quite sure where she wanted to be. Two hours, frozen noses and blue fingers later we made our way home for lunch, tea and a half hour “cat nap” on the couch.

Somewhere between clearing away the lunch paraphernalia and starting dinner the Mauritian was dragged to the Butterfly’s bedroom to build “Lego” houses and cars so with no one to talk to I decided to check my emails other social sites. It was while trolling through cyber space that I discovered that our “Residence Application” had finally been approved, of course it wasn't long before the Mauritian had phoned everyone he could to tell the news. Then he was gone, off to buy a celebratory bottle of wine and maybe stop in at gym! With the Mauritian out the house and supper bubbling on the stove it was time to wrestle the Butterfly into the bath. That was when everything went dark and I watched my heart jump out of my chest at the loudest clap of thunder I have ever heard as instantly the heavens opened, literally! I was inside looking out onto a majestic thunder storm. So there I was, once I was brought back to my senses, running about switching off and disconnecting computers, telephones, DStv decoders, Hi-Fi’s and bathroom taps. Once all safety precautions had been taken I went looking for the Butterfly to settle down and watch my first real thunderstorm here at the end of the world. I couldn’t find her, inside that is. The Butterfly, of course, at the first sign of rain, while her mother ran about frantically, had “stripped down to nakedness” and charged out into the sheeting rain running up and down the front yard yelling “This is fun!” and then jumping gleefully into a very muddy puddle, never mind the thunder and lightning that rumbled around her. Then, as so often happens with these sudden storms it ended as instantly as it had begun, the curtain of clouds was drawn aside and the sun shone brightly, smiling on the earth like nothing had happened the only proof was the soaking wet and muddy Butterfly running down the garden path followed by a beaming Mauritian sporting a bottle of Nederberg Merlot and a “Manth, how was that storm?” I topped off my Friday watching “American Idol,” yes I admit I followed it this season. I started watching out of curiosity as one of the contestants listed one of her musical influences as Melissa Etheridge and I wanted to see if she would do an M.E. number. She did, but only when she was in the final three, so I watch the entire season. Unfortunately, Crystal Bowersox did not win, and I have again gone back to thinking “Idols” is a crock of sh... And I won’t be watching next season! Thus ends my “soapbox” moment.

Saturday dawned cold and wet after a stormy night. I was awoken at 4am by a Butterfly wanting chocolate milk and a text message from my favourite school friend telling me of the death of her father. This news after the previous nights high sent me plummeting into the depth of despair. Okay, that’s a tad bit dramatic, even for me, but the news did make me very sad. I always had a soft spot for her dad, he was a happy, smiling man who was very difficult not to like. It was all made worse by the fact that I could not be there to support my favourite friend as she has been for me in the past. She has been my “sounding block,” my “punching bag,” and my “positive injection” whenever I have needed her for the last twenty or so years, this would’ve been a chance for me to return the favour but I was only able to show my support in an email. My favourite friend of course made it all better when she replied and told me to “...keep writing, it’s people like me who don’t have the words that need your words to get us through...” It seems strange to me that she should feel this way when she always knows exactly what to say and how to say it at just the right moment and I, with my love and appreciation of the written word seem to ramble on aimlessly.

Sad though my day began, it did improve with a delightful email from an uncle about the merits and demerits of “Face book” and emails and the “friendship” destroying abilities of those horrid time wasting chain emails. His delightful account did lighten my mood and gave me the positive boost I needed to start my Saturday in earnest and tackle that horror called housework and breakfast.

It’s almost a month and a half ago since I wrote this blog and reading over it now I am amazed at just how many emotions one can experience in just twenty four hours. The anger at been woken up at two in the morning, the satisfaction of getting to sleep in, the contentedness of a lazy start to the day and the euphoria at the end of a long wait. At being unaware of cold or discomfort because I’m so wrapped up in the love of a husband and child. Awed by the power and beauty of nature and the delight of a child in the simple things like rain and jumping in puddles. Being saddened by death, rendered helpless by distance and relieved of useless guilt by wise words of gratitude. Then up back into smiles and the positive because of an email from family. In twenty four hours we experience a myriad of emotion, a roller coaster ride of ups and downs all caused or influenced by the circumstances and people in our lives. We can deal with them or ignore them, we can feel them or suppress them, me, I choose to embrace my emotions and share them in my rambling wordy way.