Firstly, the busy week - we decided to employ a sales rep for our Cape Town based business. That took some organising long distance and has kept me frantically busy for too many days. But, no gain, no pain - so I guess I shouldn't grumble.
Then, on Thursday last week I read on kymbers blog that SciFi Chick of Bacon and Eggs blog had suddenly passed away. So incredibly sad - she was a lovely lady and was so amped to get all of her harvest preserved in her last posting. Her passing was the first "death" of a blogger I have experienced. It shook me.
Then, I woke up one morning early last week and realised that I hadn't heard from my very oldest friend, Brat, in a while.
Brat has blown me away with her commitment, energy, drive and enthusiasm. She was a draughtswoman (who even did work for RMan and I when we were first married) for many years, but due to the downturn in the economy, and the sometimes unreasonable demands of her clients, she decided to have a change of employment and launched herself into a recycling business - and doing this all on her own and in her late 50's!! Full marks to her - her recycling business is growing from strength to strength - and that is solely due to her personal involvement in actually sourcing customers, and physically climbing in with an assistant and loading / offloading all the recyclable goods, etc. into the back of her bakkie. Where she gets the energy from I have no idea.
Brat has blown me away with her commitment, energy, drive and enthusiasm. She was a draughtswoman (who even did work for RMan and I when we were first married) for many years, but due to the downturn in the economy, and the sometimes unreasonable demands of her clients, she decided to have a change of employment and launched herself into a recycling business - and doing this all on her own and in her late 50's!! Full marks to her - her recycling business is growing from strength to strength - and that is solely due to her personal involvement in actually sourcing customers, and physically climbing in with an assistant and loading / offloading all the recyclable goods, etc. into the back of her bakkie. Where she gets the energy from I have no idea.
So, leaving her a Facebook message got no results, e-mailing her - Nada - and calling the two cell phone numbers that I had resulted in complete strangers answering and unable to help me. I was worried.
Then I thought of phoning a relative of hers - searching for the number yielded no solution, so, digging deep into my grey matter I recalled that he'd had a restaurant in Sandton - and I successfully Googled his contact details. He told me that at the beginning of August, whilst collecting recycling, she had had an accident and was in hospital with a broken leg - a break high up in the femur.
Relief - I had feared the worst, especially as her house in Gauteng had recently been broken into - twice - by a gun-toting individual. But, she has a heart condition, and because of that the doctors were wary of putting her through a general anaesthetic in order to operate. So the hospital has had her leg in traction for over two weeks!! I can't imagine how painful that has been for her. But, the doctors finally operated last week and she handled the op OK and is on the road to recovery - thank goodness.
Relief - I had feared the worst, especially as her house in Gauteng had recently been broken into - twice - by a gun-toting individual. But, she has a heart condition, and because of that the doctors were wary of putting her through a general anaesthetic in order to operate. So the hospital has had her leg in traction for over two weeks!! I can't imagine how painful that has been for her. But, the doctors finally operated last week and she handled the op OK and is on the road to recovery - thank goodness.
But, all of this highlights the shortfall in our modern communications. I thought I had everything covered, but as you can see above, I didn't. I need to revisit this for all the important people in my life LOL
The same applies to this blog.
 |
| Sunset |
Although I started this blog to share any eco-friendly tips, sources and methods with anyone in this country who was interested, I am not sure that I want it to hang in space indefinitely when I leave this mortal coil. I know that whatever info I have provided will be available elsewhere on the net if people take the time (and use the right keywords ;) )
So, I need to give my Blogger password to my kids, and ask my daughter or son to delete it when the time comes - obviously in the future LOL There is no point in advocating eco-friendly anything / recycling / not wasting, and then letting my blog clutter up the Net indefinitely, not so? I feel it's the responsible thing to do.
So, I need to give my Blogger password to my kids, and ask my daughter or son to delete it when the time comes - obviously in the future LOL There is no point in advocating eco-friendly anything / recycling / not wasting, and then letting my blog clutter up the Net indefinitely, not so? I feel it's the responsible thing to do.
Never fear though - until then you're stuck with me - waffling on, having a soap box moment, or just sharing whatever interests me... :)
Dani, since the blog does't consume any physical resources, and does't have any physical existence, I don't think you need to delete it. I have found good information on some blogs that people haven't updated in many years. I never know if they died, or just got tired of writing, but the information itself was still valid. Also, I think it's like writing a book. Someone, somewhere down the line in the future, may read your book and do something positive that changes their life.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you found your friend, although she was not in good shape.
Harry - I dunno - I'm a Leo and like loose ends tied up. Leaving my blog to float ad infinitum on the technologial waves isn't tidy LOL
DeleteI understand what you mean, though, and I'll give it some thought ;)
Odd you should mention the reasons for giving your password for Blogger to your kids. Just before my son left for Arizona, I asked him to do something for me. I told him that should I get run over by a bus or anything else equally silly, I wanted him to post a comment on my last blog post telling my blogging friends what happened to me. It's not like there are vast throngs of admiring fans waiting with for word of what happened to me, but those few that I read regularly and communicate with, are important to me. If they just disappeared, I would worry.
ReplyDeleteLeave your blog up. Harry is right. And sometimes I will remember a post someone did that is of interest to me and I will go back and re-read it. You have lots of good stuff here, and it shouldn't be lost.
Vicki - Planning - good for you :) Yeah, that's also an idea I hadn't formulated, and someone, somewhere, might be grateful to know that my physical body is no more... (giggle)
DeleteThis must be on everybody's mind cuz I told my hubby to be sure to not leave people hangin if they don't hear nothing from my blog. He said he wouldn't leave people hangin! luv my man
ReplyDeleteI look forward to lots more info from ya...Ps sorry to hear about your friend do hope she heals up nicely. Makes a girl wonder if she is so active what she must be feeling in that hospital bed by now!!
MEM - Yeah, I think Scifi's passing has brought this topic to everyone's mind.
DeleteNever fear - I have no intention of closing my blog anytime soon :)
My friend is healing nicely - thanks for the wishes.
Dani - i think you hit the nail right on the head with this statement: "But, all of this highlights the shortfall in our modern communications."
ReplyDeleteit is sooo true. Harry Flashman wrote on a post that when you live remotely and don't socialize too much, that blogging and internet friends become very important. i couldn't agree more. i will admit that when i first found your blog, i was happy for all of the information! but after a few years of blogging, you have become a friend. i still love all of your information but i come here for friendship as well.
i am terrified that someone will take down Sci's blog and i truly agree with Harry - your blog is too filled with information for it to go away. i would want you to leave it up for eternity because who knows how many people can learn from your blog - my kids (don't have any but you know what i mean), my grandkids - who knows how many people will come here after you have left us and learn??? you are a pioneer and i sure do wish the early pioneers of north america and africa and australia had have kept blogs - you know what i mean?
i wish our grandparents had have kept blogs!
anyway, i am rambling. i, too, have felt strange for the last week and a bit. canning my first tomatoes yesterday was both a heavy but joyous thing to do.
i am so glad that you found your friend. i will pray for a full recovery for her. she sounds tough as nails so i am thinking she will bounce back from this probably stronger than she is now. please let her know that 2 naked canadians have her in their prayers. if that doesn't heal her up quick - nothing will - bahahahahah!
oh i just had to try and think of something funny to say. lighten the mood, ya know.
Dani - it's your decision whether you keep the blog up or not, but if you decide to delete it, please have someone write a last post so that all of your internet friends will know.
much love Dani, to you and yours, always. your friend,
kymber
kymber - we don;t socialize much either - our sand road would put anyone but the most determined from visiting us :)
DeleteYeah, my friend is tough - but any injury like this beyond the age of 55 is not condusive to rapid healing, and she needs to be fully "operational' for her work. I have passed on your comment to her :)
If I do decide to delete my blog I will, naturally, get either my daughter or son to let y'all know...
I was going to make a quick comment here that we were reading each other's blogs at the same time. Somehow I find that rather comforting - another person in a far off place interested in my life and me interested in theirs. I think I'll leave my blog in the Blogosphere when my time comes. It won't be doing any harm and it might even be enlightening for my family or others to read. Please don't think of 'disappearing' any time soon.
ReplyDeletexx
Mum - Great minds, and all that LOL
DeleteI am not thinking of disappearing, but, as with Scifi, these things sometimes happen when we least expect it :)
Yes, I, too, treasure all my blogging friends and am blown away by their interest in my ramblings, and their words of celebration, comfort / upliftment when I need it most.
I'm the opposite and I think that it would be nice that if I did get hit by a truck tomorrow, my children could read my posts in the future and learn a little bit more about me.
ReplyDeleteKevin - There is that side to it - you're right. Perhaps my grandson will be interested in what I've written when the time is appropriate for him...? ;)
DeleteHello! It is so true how our means of communication have changed nowadays.
ReplyDeleteI am of the 'leave the blog up' mindset. I actually have written a final post. I update it once a year or so. I know, it's weird, somewhat morbid perhaps, but I want to be able to thank people that mean a lot to me (like you). 2nd Man has instructions to post my final entry and leave the blog up. I like to think of it as someday being the modern day equivalent of finding an old, dusty book at a garage sale, sitting down with a cup of coffee and reading the story of someone else's life.
I've given 2nd Man carte blanche to continue it of course, if he so desires, or he can let my post be the end of it. We have no children and not much family that will want to go back and read but maybe someday it will be of interest, give someone some info they needed, and in a way, isn't that another kind of legacy of sorts?
Of course, let us all hope all of our thoughts on these matters are a LONG way off.
Glad you found your friend, she must be pretty special.
1st Man - Eeeeeeeeek! I haven't gone that far LOL
DeleteThat's a lovely idea - 2nd Man continuing your blog and taking over the reins, so to speak :)
1st Man - Brat is a one of a kind :)
Some countries store chosen blogs in a digital archive, a layer of today's social history. As we once had diaries and letters. I'm spending this year editing thru my posts. Some should and will stay, others are gone with the wind. Aiming to keep my digital footprint, like our home, as small as possible and as large as necessary.
ReplyDeleteDiana - That's a good idea to edit out what you feel is not relevant anymore.
DeleteI agree - the less mess we leave behind, the less it becomes someone else's responsibility to clean it up ;)
So glad you figured out how to contact your friend, Dani! Bet she was glad to hear from you, too. I can't imagine being in traction with a bad break for weeks. Whew.
ReplyDeleteQuinn - I can't imagine the pain / discomfort she must have gone through... Thankfully, she is on the mend :)
Delete