Quick Update

OK, so LuclyL went for his big bike license today, and passed first time! Well done my boy. Now that's sorted, we will get his South African passport renewed, and we are done with all his "legal" stuff for a while!
Jayne with a Why has started to post again, and what a good read this is. Go take a look. She's really gifted, and good for a lot of laughs!

On the work front, things are moving along. Have had a couple of really good calls on clients, and if I can land one of the big opportunities I have in hand, will make my number for the year. Land 2 of them, and I can call the shots around here for a while!
Seems like this whole "Restructuring" think is / was a bit of a farce. They knew exactly who they wanted to get rid of, and it seems they will be. Why make everyone go through the trauma though, if you already have a list of "deletes"? I'm sure they misread the guidelines for retrenchment. Anyway, it's basically done and dusted - for now.

Back home, things are fine. The Princess, bless her, is working her arse off. At least we have a new maid - on probation - but seems to be of better stuff than the last one that just never came back. Stupid bitch! Oh well, if she can get a better job, good for her.

I've been a bit slow with my personal projects, but figure I have most of the winter to work on it before I need to finish "creating" my vegetable gardens, so will work on it as / when I have time. Have got another project though, to finish first. Recently GMan and his girlfriend, who he now shacks up with, moved into a house in our neighbourhood. Whilst transporting their stuff, the single bed from their spare room fell off the truck. Literally 1 block from their new home! Whats the odds? Anyway, the frame kind of shattered, and they were going to throw it out. me and my big mouth "No way, I can fix it". So I am.
Will take some photos and post here, along with progress reports.
Fishman, if I sand down the wood (to remove / break the varnish finish) what do I need to paint it with first, so that I can give it a gloss black final coat?

Mother in Law - is, well, mother in law.
Mom is fine, still a bit stressed about her new washing machine. Damn, why cant they just believe us when we say "That's how it works, and no, you cant get a 1979 model anymore!"

And in closing. A close friend of mine has been going through some seriously testing times in the past 3 - 4 years. If it's not retrenchments, it's employers going under, or job offers which take him from a good place to a better one, only to fold 3 moths later. A car that burned out in the driveway, with an insurance claim that took 8 months to sort out. Then his motorbike getting stolen and then his son (one of them) writing of another car.....

two of his boys live with him. One is a complete drop out - not really wanting to work. The other, with a drug problem, was unemployed for a year. Seemed to get over the drug problem during this time as he was living on the farm, had no transport and no money. (Probably just the right situation to get weaned off the shit).
Anyway, so he lands a good job, with good pay. Gets a car (via a friend who was going to lose it anyway) and takes over the payments.
Problem is the job can be demanding, and stressful, and yup, you guessed it - as soon as he stressed, and had some money in his pocket - drugs. So my mate had some trouble with him for a few nights in a row, and then last Friday the kid got completely out of hand, and kicked down a door in the house. What to do? Well, he did what most of us would probably never consider an option, called the SAPS and had his son arrested!!!! Geeez, that must be so hard!

Anyway, he was still behind bars by Monday evening, as no one was going to post bails for him, he couldn't afford to bail himself out, and hey, at least there he cant get his hands on any dope! Well, in theory he shouldn't! The down side is he has lost his job, will lose the car, and is back to square one. My mate has had enough, but like he says, they his boys, he can't abandon them. Well,, maybe easy for me to say, but at some point........

And in closing. My slight change of attitude has made the world of difference to my life. Work seems to be smoother, home life is better. LuckyL still tries his luck, but instead of trying to throw him over the balcony, I now sort hi out in a more sedate manner, with controlled voice, and just make him understand that if he's not happy with stuff, he;s welcome to pack and leave, any time he wants. hey, don't let me be the cause for your unhappiness!!!

Oh, remember I posted here that my little brother had got pissed off with me, and had left my home in a huff, and how we had not spoken in over a year, and all that stuff?
Well, about a month ago I got an SMS from him, basically apologising, and asking if we can rebuild out relationship. My respnse was "Apology accepted. As for our relationship, we are born brothers, and that will never change. However, as for being friends again, that will take some time".

Anyway, we have been communication on and off, mostly through "Whats App" (He does not have a Blackberry), and a bit over the phone, and things seem to be going better. So, maybe I have a little brother again in my life, and we will share moments which I may, or may not, report on here agan in future.

Salagatle!