Gosh! Bikes are expensive!

Hi Guys

Trying to write this blog but computer won’t let me login – very frustrating. So typing into word and will upload asap.!

An upsy downsy week again – seems to be the same for all my friends – guess it is called Life! Had some feedback from my friend Caroline who said she enjoys reading my blog! Yeah! Now post a comment please! Must just make sure it doesn’t get too gloomy with all the dying and illness that seems to be around at the moment. Come on everybody – more feedback please – why don’t you contribute to it as well?

My mom came out of hospital last week after having been in there for almost 3 weeks. The social workers had spoken to her but she is still determined to stay home. So be it. However, 2 days after she came out I got a call from her accountant, who had had a call from her neighbour.. (the English grapevine is very effective) to say that the carer and the Dr were there and now would be a good time for me to phone to find out what is going on! So I did – she had gone all hypo so they were bringing her round – no hospital required. So, we go from day to day hoping she keeps OK. She sounds pretty chipper on the phone, just complains that every time she turns around there is somebody there to give her a tablet – thank goodness for the British Social service!

Am getting excited about the trip now – have booked a B+B in Cumbria for 2 nights so that we can attend a “Woolfest” ( http://www.woolfest.co.uk/ ) (and we plan to take my mom to James Herriots home in Thirsk – its only a couple of hours away so hopefully she can do that trip, will have to wait and see.

Poor Sarah & Charlie are still being dragged through the emotional turmoil of selling their house – their house was sold 2 months ago and they have struggled to find somewhere suitable – finally their offer was accepted on a place they like last Thursday and NOW the buyer of their house has had his bond withdrawn! So now what??? Jeepers – whatever could go wrong has gone wrong for them, selling a house can be a quick way to have a nervous breakdown!

We went shopping to replace the stolen camping equipment and the kids bikes – wow bikes are expensive! My old bike in Grahamstown cost me R40 – can’t get anything under R700 nowadays! Chatted about it to a friend – she said they weren’t buying bikes for their kids, too expensive, they can walk – seems mean – there’s a lot of fun riding a bike – Sam rides round and round the garden and they use them to visit friends down the road – it’s not always just about utility, there’s the fun and freedom aspect too.

Johan arrived back from Upington on Friday with some exciting news – the company for which he does a lot of work have offered him a partnership – this has quite a few advantages, there would be people to take care of the admin (he never has time for it) and he could use the services of junior geologists for some things. He would also get an office – which means all the files currently in the caravan could be moved out again – and the piles of rocks all over the place. At first he would be in charge of the Upington project – it would just mean that he has some backup as well. So, he needs to decide. Will have to wait and see!