A year in an hour

The lady seems friendly, she clambered into the coach with her large suitcase then tried to sit down next to an English lady who bluntly said ‘Umm, no I’m getting off at the next stop’ (in 20 min time). She asked me if Newbury was the following stop, so I told her I’d make sure she gets off at the right town. Once we’d arrived she asked me, in broken English with a Latvian accent, for directions to “King Burger?!”. Ahhh, Burgerking, yeah it’s just up the hill … with that big suitcase, righto - here’s my dad, we’ll give you a lift.

So we drive to Burgerking, wait in line then ask if her son is working there. No. “Tatenda” I say to the Zimbabwean manager. He gives me the ‘sharp’ gesture!
She gets out her address book, King Burger Chivley.
Oh, Chievley! So we drive there, no fastfood shops in sight. Then I remember a good cup of coffee I’d once had at the motorway services centre, and I vaguely remember a Burgerking there. So we drive there, ask around and …

She spots her son. He spots her. Tears appear in her eyes. He puts his head in his hands and mutters something about it being crazy. Hugs. More hugs. Happiness!
We walk to the car to fetch her bag and she tries to pay us ‘£20 oil’. Hah, no chance, I tell her the experience of seeing her reunited with her son was priceless.

It’s been a crazy year for me. I’ve never been so lost as I was at the beginning of this year. On the night before I left Edinburgh I remember sitting in my flat, no lights on, lying on the floor with my head inches away from the stereo… listening to this song over and over. And knowing that things were about to change …

And they have!

Wooohooo. Yippeee. Wah wah Wah!

I’ve learnt to live with much uncertainty and thrive on it. I’ve met so many amazing characters, visited different towns … and received so many Christmas cards - thank you!!! And most importantly, I’ve discovered my family and friends again. What a pleasure that has been.
Like all parent child relationships there are moments when I want to ring my parents necks, and them mine. My mother still worries too much, and my dad still doesn’t say much … but hey, my parents are indeed my heroes! New places are an adventure for me, but my folks had to walk away from their lives and have started again. Not exactly fun, but they’re doing it - like many other Zimbabweans.

I don’t miss Zimbabwe, or Edinburgh, but I am so thankful for what they have provided me with … and from Zimbabwe it’s the ability to ‘make a plan’ no matter the circumstances.

Photography. My passion. I bought the camera that I’d looked at last year and thought ‘wow’. I’ve got weddings booked and am doing freelancing for an entertainment company in Reading. I’m getting paid to quite literally have fun!!! Thanks to Brian Sweeney for just being him, a real inspiration to me, and to Jennifer Gough-Cooper for letting me stay at her wonderful home and introducing me to the works and words of Auguste Rodin!

Thank you to everyone who’s told me that they miss my old blog. I have continued to write, though it’s all scribbled down on paper. Most of it would bore even Plato. Philosophy, lots and lots of it, I am an old soul.

So, blah di blah di blah!

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas … wherever you are, whoever you’re with it will be wonderful If you have the Christmas spirit.

Merry Merriment x