Over the next few days I shall be out taking photos to update the blog...for such an inhospitable climate,there are wonderful vibrant splashes of colour against the dry deserty sands...Its as if the land is shrieking "I`m awake".
Little and I set out from the farm on Wednesday morning at around 6.45 in order to catch the 8.20 flight to Cape Town. Both of us miserable from having slept so little .Little justifiably as a result of the pain and me just from worrying about navigating around C.T . I bow to Little's bravery and accept my self as the wimp that I am!
What did cheer both of us up mid drive to UP was the most spectacular sunrise...gobsmakingly utterly "In your face" beautiful.
We drove down a steep dip in semi darkness and as we climbed up the next hill . The sun was just cresting...electric blues and oranges and reds...casting firey shadows across the desert landscape.
Within a very few minutes a pale yet intense magenta orb was hovering above yellow dunes and sitting in front of a turqoise sky...shockingly wonderful ...and both Little and I were well and truly put in our place by it!
I worried about how constrained he was in the tiny jet but Little insisted he was fine and seemed very taken by the Tuna sandwiches [at 8.35 a.m!]
Arriving in C.T, Cecilia [the lady who handles much of Big E`s freight forwarding from C.T] was waiting to hand me the keys of a loaned car.
Marica had loaned me her rather quirky satnav the night before so we decided to check me into the hotel.Not the Mansions for once!..I chose to stay at The Vineyard in Newlands as it is so close to the school.
Little was due to go back to school after his 2.00p.m doctors appointment at the hospital. So we had time for a quick bite of lunch.
Managed to get to the hospital and Little was put through his paces by the Dr..who threw off the thick surgical pink ,elastic binding..The look of horror on Little's face ...This bandage had become his comfort blanket...in his eyes it was the only thing that stood between his very sore knee and the rest of the world. He really did blanch when the doctor attempted to throw it away,looking at me urgently from where he was incapa on a Doctors couch.... [I rescued it from the bin.]
We were sent down to MRI suite to beg for an appointment before I flew home the following day,[ success 9.30 tomorrow morning]then to the physio department to be fitted for a leg brace and to get him booked into weekly physio.
We dropped into the school and Matron made it clear that he should stay with me until the hospital had finished with him the following day.
So Little came back to the hotel and after a much needed rest on our beds we decided a "comfort supper" was needed.
Finding a comfy bar in the HUGE hotel ,we ordered sirloin steaks African style...so delicious..and so filling that Little couldn't be tempted by desert.
Both of us hit the sack at 10.00 feeling shattered.
Early wake up and an energising struggle through a rainy rush hour traffic for the hospital scan.
Throughout this entire Knee saga Little has been incredibly brave and adult about everything...The thing that snapped his stoical nature, was one of those infuriating hospital gowns ,the ones that are designed so that you cannot cover your bits regardless of which way round you wear them .
I tried very hard to make him see the funny side...Which bits would he most prefer to conceal?..in the end he opted for an exposed rear end .
I know that they need rapid access in case of emergencies..but in cases which are not likely to become emergencies...can no one design something more comfortable ? [both physically and emotionally!]
Half an hour later and I had sweet talked the radiographer who said she couldn't see any problems that looked like they needed surgery..but not to quote her and to wait for the Dr's call.
So exiting the hospital at 12.30 we wended our way to school. Awful farewells...even more awful when you are handing your beloved and injured child over to the Matron from hell...
Was I Bothered?......... Yes!
Trying to focus on the job in hand I decided to make straight for the airport...the sat nav told me it was a diminutive 20 kilometers away and should take appx half an hour.
I don't know how but I got lost and found myself in Delft...one of Cape Towns suburbs.If you look it up on Wikepedia it is described thus :Delft...suburb of Cape Town known for its high crime rate, substandard schools, lack of jobs, government housing.
I began to fret when a diversion pulled me away from the main highway and I began to find myself heading towards cities of ramshackle houses made of corrugated iron and all manner of Heath Robinson devices to ensure water and electricity.
After only a few moments and caught in slow traffic,I realised that mine was perhaps the only white face within a 3 kilometer radius, clearly the crowds on the dusty roadsides were quite fascinated by an extremely fretful lady in a borrowed Corsa and a sat nav throwing a hissy fit.
I pulled off the road in a break between ramshackle houses and rapidly reset the sat nav....deciding I just had to trust its directions now.....to my great relief within 10 or so minutes I was back on a major highway and after another few minutes I saw a sign for the airport...PHEW!
I checked in for my flight 2 hours early!!!..preferring to rest in the safe cocoon of SAA`s frequent Flyers lounge [ You wont be surprised to know that I will have progressed from a silver surfer to a golden eagle by the time I return to ZA in November]
Once again the flight to UP was delayed..6.30pm found me safely in the Raisin and heading into the now dropping sun,for the hours drive back to the farm.
Where was Big during all of this. In the Tuareg [ with brand new tyres] On his way to a golfing bash in Joburg..due to return on Sunday with a house guest who I have never met..and who is meant to be spending a couple of months with us.....!
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