Sleepless in Schaapkraal

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

5 February 2015

3.30am

Ever have that idea in your head that you have a load of work and come end of week after long nights of reading texts and drafting text and puffy eyes you going to kick out your shoes and just sleep?!

Here I am once more, sleepless in Schaapkraal. Yesterday, I was so bombed out that I slept late this morning and Abu fetched the Leo from PDSA. I wondered whether he was mewing in the basket on the back seat and Abu replied "I just whistled and he was quiet". He does whistle like a bird and we know cats can't resist. So when Leo came home I rushed to open the basket and he hopped out tentatively, shukran Allah. With a small limp but completely recovered sniffing everything and licking his brother's face.

Its been hard finding a house, calling and emailing and viewing and checking at least twice a day. But we persevere Insha'Allah there is something good in store for us. Friends have made offerings but a bit too far out of Cape Town. A house in Malmesbury, Grabouw maybe a farm in McGregor. I must say that it sounds attractive to me, we could come in to Cape Town early Friday mornings and leave for home on Saturdays after our lectures. But our children's schooling. To travel in everyday would be a nightmare of fuel costs.

It is so quiet outside and I am tempted to go and sit under the stars. They sky is cloudy but everything is stark. I have started to prepare new seedlings and plants for wherever we will continue our projects. I am glad that the asparagus and garlic plants are doing well in pots and can be transplanted in their new home soon. We may have found the perfect place for our iLABS offices and gardens but await a board decision, so make duah.

Next week Insha'Allah, we will replenish soils with top up compost and aerating the soil for our next round of veggies and we plan to extend the gourmet gardens at IPSA. But right now I am tweaking my research proposal to send off, but everytime a section looks like it can do with a tweak.

6 Feb
3.30pm

Jumuah Mubarak all. I was tired this morning that I warned students not to crack jokes when I am so exhausted I cant stop laughing. At 11 I had to go to campus for administrative stuff, reregistration and all that buzz. I felt thoroughly whacked.

My mind was all over the place chatting with Abu about case study theory and then I looked out of the window in the thick traffic and somehow the mountain looming so stable and majestic made me feel calm and grounded. I think of the Quranic verses:

 

 

We placed firmly embedded mountains on the earth, so it would not move under them...(Qur'an, 21:31)

Have we not made the earth as a bed and the mountains as pegs?(Qur'an, 78:6-7)

I grabbed the camera so I could share, driving through Claremont is so beautiful even when you sit in traffic and cast your eyes up no to the hills, fresh air from the trees and the giants in the background creates this out of world sensation. Wished I could throw out the blanket and lie under the trees and just sleep. Every night so far I have been working until after 2 and somehow I used to be able to do this but no more. I mean the next day I feel like a truck ran over me.

But alas had to go up the hill it to do chores, back to pick up children and then mosque. Who has energy to cook? Panini's and cheese and salads from the garden and a much deserved cuppa. Then I thought now for a nap but sleep evades me and I want to stay away from theoretical texts so I let loose my mind and fingers and write.

I must say I am absolutely thankful for all of our new students both on the leadership programme as well as the IHYA ITEP. The GLO leaders are on time and work well in groups and love the ten minute inspirational/motivational skits we show them. This year we thought we would have them shoot their own skits in groups as part of their course work and they are delighted when I say start thinking about a good topic to be interpreted in a short visual skit.

Tomorrow Abu kicks off his module on the IHYA ITEP programme and I get to relax a bit. This group of teachers from different institutions are a lively bunch Alhamdulilah.

Anyway, have you ever felt lekker tired, but too tired to fall asleep? that's how I am feeling right now. Everyone looks at me and retires to their respective dens. So its me, you the PC and the cats sleeping at my feet.

Have a wonderful Jumuah.

later

Plant food and contemplate the mountains and trees.

Yasmine