Yesterday and today were two of the hottest days in a long time. Unlike KwaZulu Natal, which has a tropical climate, the Western Cape enjoys a rather moderate Mediterranean climate. For us, a very hot day is about 30 degrees Celsius. The past two days have been 38, with a few inland areas experiencing temperatures above 40 degrees.
I think that our temperatures
have become more extreme, over the years. Our winters have seen much lower
temperatures than I remember as a child, and we’ve even had annual snow in some
areas. February is supposed to be our hottest month, after which we start to
feel the nip of autumn. If this heat is anything to go by, we’re in for an
uncomfortably hot month ahead.
That’s the only way I can
describe this heat: uncomfortable. The only real relief I felt today was when I
took a short drive to the shops and switched on the car’s aircon. And, of
course, the shop had aircon, as well. Other than that, I’ve been having a very
uncomfortable day – my energy’s drained and I’m unmotivated. Typing this blog
post is the most effort I’ve put into anything other than the drive to the
shop.
Yesterday, we waited for the sun
to set, thinking it would be cooler then. We ate our supper outside, trying to feel
the relief from the heat, but it was actually a very warm evening, as well. We
sat outside until it was dark, then made our way inside, trying to find the
balance between leaving windows and doors open and keeping bugs out.
January’s always an interesting
month. I choose to see it as a new beginning, even if I’m continuing some
things I did the previous year. Job-wise, I’m continuing my research job, which
is part-time, and waiting for confirmation on a second part-time job. All I
know is that I want to generate my income doing things that make me happy. I’m
60 years old and I believe it’s time for me to stop expecting life to be as
complicated as it’s been for so many years. I feel like I’ve started a whole
new phase of my life and I need to shed some of my old fears and insecurities,
and start saying YES to offers that spark joy, without over-thinking
everything. If I can’t find one job that will pay me what I need, I will find
more than one job and have the combined income cover my expenses. It’s
different to how things were done traditionally in my family and community, but
I’ve been an independent adult for many years now, and I’ve taken many detours
that were frowned upon, but that felt right for me. I’m still that person.
Recently, my music world became a
lot more exciting. Last week, I was offered a duo gig with guitarist Rudy
Burns, at a restaurant in Muizenberg, called Urban Soul Café and Bar. We
started on Friday night and will be there for the next three Fridays. Wow! Just
like that, I have a weekly gig! Our first night was really good. The staff
welcomed us and helped us carry our equipment, were very flexible as we set up, moving some furniture to fit us in. The place had a Bohemian vibe and,
just up the road from the beach, a lovely holiday atmosphere. The owners were
there and received our music very positively. At the start of our last set, one
of the owners introduced us, telling the diners a bit about each of us. This
was new to me. Very cool, actually. I was relieved to find that much parking
nearby, with parking guards in attendance. It can be quite scary, in Cape Town,
carrying your equipment to your car and being approached by drifters.
Especially for a woman.
Last week, just before we got the
gig offer, I’d decided to spruce up my music files, which I’d started
assembling in 2003! I know that I could’ve dragged the process out (I’m a
procrastinator of note!), but once we got the gig offer, I worked on the files for a few hours every evening, completing everything well before the Friday
gig. It felt like a new beginning within a new beginning. You know me – I love
new beginnings. As much as I love structure, I get easily bored.
I'm also doing a duo gig with Keith Tabisher at a friend's 60th birthday party, in February. I'm excited about doing live gigs again. Lockdown had a devastating impact on our industry.
I look forward to the year ahead.
I hope to blog as much as – if not more than – I did last year. We’ll see. My
blogging’s been quite random, but maybe I’ll write in a more structured way,
this year. We’ll see.
I wish you a good year. As we
assimilate the Covid protocols into our everyday lives, I hope we still find
opportunities to celebrate life and all its magic.
What’s my motto for the year? Not
sure, but it’s something like this: Plan, Act, Enjoy. Essentially, when I look
back at my life, the things that have felt the best, or the most successful,
have entailed planning (being intentional and detailed), taking action (with a
strong belief that I will succeed), and enjoying the success that follows. Somewhere in that process, I’ll ensure I
review and assess. I enjoy tweaking what I do, to do it better each time.
May this be a memorable and
magical year. Thank you, Universe, in advance.
