Does the grass look greener on the other side?

In the name of Allah the most gracious the most merciful.

new fence

14 November 2014.

I can’t believe that this year has gone so fast. I realize it as I type the date, hey been off the grid for ten days. I realize that I have not blogged for a while and I find the last one (6 Nov) in my recent Word list just at the bottom called “Not cool Eskom”, but no matter.  All of my recent files are readings on case studies and reflective narrative journals.

This week the house was abuzz with my daughter revising questions for the Qur’an Quiz on Sunday in Ottery and she drags us all in to question her. Its 5.00 in the afternoon and everyone is napping except me and my son who I can hear tapping the mallet on chisel. Today was a good day for a vegetarian meal so I opened Nicola Graimes encyclopedia for whole foods and the recipes were scrumptious, only I had none of the main ingredients for any of the meals. No haloumi, no pastry, no artichokes (yet), no goats cheese, no wild rice or couscous and low supplies for oven bakes.

So I thought go with what I know and have a look in the cupboards and garden, there is lots of celery and parsley and much more leeks. I have some carrots in the drawers and dried split peas in the cupboard.  I settled on a hearty vegetable soup and some bajias on the side (chilli bites made with chana flour and spinach) and because Abu likes something sweet with his soup we made some bollas too.

windsweptf oxgloves

I look outside and the wind is still blowing so hard that the fox gloves look like whirling dervishes, the wind ripples through their skirts and then they take a bow. The sweetpeas on the other hand are flexible - niks maak aan hulle vere!

I have been outside periodically to have a look at the new fence Shaheen is putting up and I am so happy - I click my feet in the air. And peep over and see that the potato plants are lush and purple flowers abundant - talk about it being greener on the other side. Just kidding, it looks really beautiful and Peter's worked really hard with potatoes.

baby makataans

There are small little teeny water melons and squash and butternut fetuses lying in the lush undergrowth. InshaAllah, the tomatoes will ripen soon. Although there are blooms everywhere, my hayfever is abating. I am replanting eggplant plugs into larger grow bags and pots because their roots are outgrowing their space. The strawberries continue to fruit and their runners are criss crossing in the paths. The property is neatly trimmed, all of the wild grass and thorn bushes cut to the ground and dug out, now Mikaeel and lie on our backs, look up into the sky and guess shapes in the clouds.

I have been so excited to see the first delphinium blossoms and am so disappointed they are a deep purple instead of an electric blue. I planted them because they reminded me that Abu bought some for me many years ago as a peace offering. I remember it so distinctly because they could fill my widest vase and light up my bedroom and cheer me up no end.

I was working from home and Luqmaan was still in nappies, so we’re talking about 16 and a bit years ago. I was transcribing the stories of the Swartkop susters for the ‡Khomani San land claim in the Kalahari. The stories were particularly heart-breaking and I had to maintain its confidentiality, we were living in Taronga Road at the time.

 Abubakr was busy at the office with deadlines; the children were at school and I had two little ones to take care of with no help. I really did not mind the mind the cleaning and cooking and the little ones were no bother really, but I think I just got duk of the clearing up every morning and the routine of getting babies seen to and home and then the interviews was getting a bit much for me. One of my daughters who I think shall remain anonymous would try on different outfits every morning unable to make up her mind of what to wear. When she left in the morning all of the clothing and shoes would be lying on the bed. If any of you have seen the movie “About Time” you would know what I mean.

So that day I just took all of the clothing of everyone, marched through the French doors and chucked it outside. I tidied up my bedroom but left everything else as messy as it was left. I fed the baby; settled the toddler; put on my earphones and started typing. When everyone got home I gave the speech. It was not even the cleaning and tidying up it was about consideration for each other and in this case for me. I had to clean up, and everything else and do my work. I never claimed to be Superwoman.  So there stood Abu with an olive branch or should I say delphinium bunch, armfuls of flowers and they were too beautiful to resist. But I still needed the consideration of everyone to rinse out cups and bowls; to make beds (properly); to hang out wet towels and to offer me a cup of tea, of course.

delphinium

So now you understand why I am so disappointed about the delphiniums – it was the day of my consideration speech. When I look over at the flowers I do think they are beautiful after all, maybe I should be a bit more considerate.

As for the kitties – Leo and the Wolverine they are growing marvelously and beautifully with healthy pelts. We have found a way to rid them of fleas. They are starting to explore the outdoors on their own and scurry inside every time a truck passes. The Wolverine has a more macho personality jumping on the Leo in mock fight all the time. Standing there with fur raised as if to fend off an attack and purring when he sits on our laps. Little Leo is more kind and patient with bigger brother and uses his wiles (sweet innocent face and kitty eyes) to get what he wants. We know they’re growing up because they have started to jump onto the tables to sniff out what is edible. I’m relieved because it gets the tables to be cleared off and everything wrapped up and refrigerated pronto.  I know they will off into the outdoors soon and don’t look forward to the gifts they may bring us – a dead bird or a grass snake. Eek! Leo is the one who loves watching series with his head moving from side so side and the Wolverine loves the soothing sound of Qur’an and cuddles up underfoot during salaah. Talk about different strokes.

Jumuah Mubarak!

Grow food and grow beautiful flowers for loved ones

Yasmine