Monday ...... oh goody .... I love Mondays, but then I love Tuesdays as well !!
Monday and every day means a sojourn to the bank. Oh what a challenge that is... some
folk have an hour's ride in the subway, others have to walk for miles every day, so when I
"grits" my teeth, and think banking, I bear in mind all the other folk with their own daily
grind.
In Zim one needs to go to the bank on a daily basis as the powers that be limit ones cash
drawing capabilities so strenuously that the day's drawings can possibly just buy one a
loaf of bread !!
Picture the scene ... first a telephone call ... now bear in mind HeeHoo, God Bless his
Cotton Socks, has made provision for me to visit the Executive Service of the bank which
means a comfy chair in which to queue, a cup of coffee and a smiling face, all in air
conditioned comfort.
Not so my poor countrymen who have actually been spending many nights sleeping on the
pavement outside the banks in queues....
Picture my average morning call to the bank ...
"Good morning" do you have cash today ? Oh good, you have cash I will pop along ... oh
dear ... but you have no power ... oh well I shall call again later.....
later
Good morning do you have power yet ? Oh good, but what is that ? Your computers are
offline ? Oh dear ... how troublesome .. oh well I shall call again later.
later
Good morning do you have power ? Oh good ... are you online yet ? Oh splendid .. I shall
call around ... sorry what was that ? Oh (pregnant pause ) you have run out of cash ????
And so on and so forth, Monday to Saturday this continues as I grit my teeth and gnash
them as well, BUT - I am not standing in a queue in the boiling hot sun, so I keep smiling.
When one does hit the jackpot and one gets power, computers and cash all at the same
time, the ambiance at the bank is so very pleasant. They have newspapers for one to read
while one waits, smiling ladies offer coffee tea or juice (even champers at Christmas !!)
Everyone who is anyone banks at my friendly platinum lined bank, and a jolly hour can be
spent swopping war stories with the many friends who frequent the same bank as HeeHoo
and I.
The fuel problem is similarly fraught.
"Good morning I have a coupon do you have fuel today?'
Cash is out of the question, it is a coupon or forex, even if forex is illegal in Zimbabwe...
Oh good thats just spiffing, I shall pop along, oh, what was that ? no power ?, oh golly
gosh, I shall call again later.
later
Good morning do you have power yet ? Oh wonderful, thank you ZESA, I shall call by
shortly, oh what was that ? You have diesel but not petrol ? Tut tut .....
"OK Kriel make a plan" .... Nothing daunted I hunt HeeHoo down and wrest the diesel car
from him and rush off gleefully, only to find that in those precious few moments, the fuel
has run out.......or I am proffering the incorrect coupon at the incorrect garage, or that the
diesel has now run out and the petrol bowser has arrived and is disgorging petrol....
Now month-end has its own particular charm. Somehow or other, around the 24th of the
month, alarm bells in my head tell me that it is time to pay the bills.
Accounts are rarely sent out in Zimbabwe. I have not seen a ZESA (electricity ) account in
months, I seldom see our rates, water and sewage accounts, I occasionally see the phone
bills...... but only well after the due date has expired ....
ZESA is by far the worst, one can phone seven numbers seventy times and it is pot luck if
you find anyone at all, let alone anyone coherent enough to tell you how much you owe for
the month.
Taking a stab at calculating one's bill is fearsomely difficult with runaway inflation figures
as we have. It could be ten dollars, it could be ten million dollars, best to try and call them
to avoid discontinuation of a service. Mind you, we have so many power cuts one would
probably not even know if ones service had been discontinued.
Paying for the trash bins to be collected is still reflected on the municipal statements
however the garbage is never collected and one has to trundle off to the dump carrying
one's own fly ridden trash.
Just as I designed my new range of Prison Garb, so I am working on a range of Trendy
Trash Togs.. I can just see an outfit with pockets for a peg that can be secured firmly over
the nose, and the headgear apparel encompasses one of those hats they wear in the Aussi
outback, with the corks dangling around the brim to keep away the flies !!
BUT ...... I still love Mondays, I also love Tuesdays cos it is the Drinking Club with the
Bridge Problem and Wednesday means yet another glorious tussle with life in Zimbabwe.
CONGRATULATIONS
Kay Watts (formerly Gray) is delighted to announce the arrival of a beautiful granddaughter
born to Shaun & Kate Hardy in Poole, Dorset. Kay is a very happy Grandma again!
Email
address : denkay@ telkomsa. net
CONDOLENCES
Robert M Park (Jnr.)
Son of Robbie and Dinkie Park. Father of Bobby and Andre.
It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of Robert Park, on 9th October 2008
while in hospital in Johannesburg.
A memorial service will be held for Robert, at the Bishopstone Packshed on Saturday, at
10:00am on 18th October 2008.
Friends kindly accept this intimation. (Changed from Beitbridge Club).
If you are unable to contact any of the Park family, please feel free to contact me, on
email, pbristow@iwayafrica .com or 086-22332 work or home 086-22465, and I will relay
the messages.
Many thanks,
Patty Bristow
CONDOLENCE MESSAGE.
TOM JONES
WITH DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO SALLY, CRAIG, NEL AND FAMILY. TOM'S COURAGE AND
CHEERFULNESS IN ADVERSITY WERE MUCH ADMIRED BY ALL HIS COLLEAGUES AT THE ACOL
CHEMICAL GROUP OF COMPANIES.
TOM JONES, RESPECTED COLLEAGUE AND LONG STANDING FRIEND,
PASSED AWAY 8/10/08.OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO SALLY, CRAIG, MEL AND FAMILY.
FROM ALL AT BANCROFT NEIL & CO.
Tom's funeral is at 10am at the Presbyterian Church 5 th ave / Jason Moyo on Tuesday
14th Oct.
Xavier Begemann. My name is Laurette Schmidt (nee Begemann) and I wanted to let you know that my Dad
Xavier Begemann died peacefully last Saturday morning 27th September 2008 in Cape
Town after a relatively short illness and battle with cancer. I am in the USA right now so
am very far removed and dont have all the details but my brother Wade who lives in
Johannesburg SA was with him during his last days and could provide more information.
We grew up in Bradfield Bulawayo and attended school at Hillside Junior School and then
Wade at Gifford High and me at Townsend High.
I know that my Dad was a very active figure in sports all his life, in Bulawayo mainly
cricket & soccer, he worked on the Rhodesian Railways most of his life before moving to
SA and was known and loved by many people so thought it would be great if you could
mention him in your next publication in your condolences section. He was 78 years old.
We have not decided what to do with his ashes yet and this is going to be my second
question. We did not have a funeral for him and are planning a "celebration of Life" for
him on 24th of this month, not sure of the specific details yet.
My mother Lynnette Begemann (nee Fincham) passed away in Bulawayo in 1980 and her
ashes were put into one of the Walls at the Garden of Remembrance, along with my Dad's
second wife Marie van Vuuren. I am more interested in what the situation is at this
garden, is it still there or has it suffered neglect or damage during all these turbulent
years and if it would be possible to find out what would be involved with getting her ashes
so that we might think about putting them with my Dad's. I was hoping that with your
contacts etc. that you may be able to shed some light on the situation and would be very
grateful for any news you may be able to give me. I have a general idea of where the
plaques for my Mom and Marie are but it was a very long time ago that I went there and
only visited once, maybe 20 years ago.
Thank you in advance for any help you may be able to give me. Your name is so familiar, I
know that we have probably crossed paths in the past. All of you in Zim are always in my
thoughts, I miss our heritage and it makes me so sad to think of how it was and how it is
there now, the few of the real Rhodies that are still there sticking it out have my respect
and admiration.
Lori Schmidt
www.prophotobylori.net
http://prophotobylori.blogspot.com/
loriprophoto@sbcglobal.net
TIDBITS
Nobel Peace Prize shortlist includes Morgan Tsvangirai !!
The Nobel Peace Prize committee has announced the shortlist for this year's award, which
includes two Chinese dissidents and the head of Zimbabwe's opposition.
In the race for quality, there is no finish line
- Unknown-
If you have requested that we send you the Mirror, but you are not receiving it, it might
have been directed to your "Spam" filter/inbox. You will need to authorise it (with your ISP supplier) before it will be
delivered to your In-mail box.
I promise we are trying very hard to get your copy of the Morning Mirror to you. !!
MacMish found this in newspaper in SA recently;
An American advertising company has done a good job of putting the figure of a "billion"
into perspective.
· A billion seconds ago it was 1959
· A billion minutes ago, Jesus was alive
· A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the stone age
· A billion days ago no human walked on two feet
· A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes - the rate at which the US
government is spending it (in Zimbabwe, read 8 milliseconds! )
And this...
Tax his land
Tax his wage
Tax the bed in which he lays.
Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes are the rule.
Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Most of all, tax his work.
Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt
We can even tax his dirt.
Tax his ciggies,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he tries to think.
Tax his booze,
Tax his beers,
If he cries,
Tax his tears.
If he hollers,
Tax him more,
Tax him till he's good and sore.
Tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod under which he lays.
And when he's gone
We won't relax,
We'll still be after his inheritance tax.
Where do you keep your Cellphone normally?
This morning I heard a true and sad story from a colleague
of mine. She told me one of her friends is always having abortions,
against what she believes in but has no choice.
When the foetus gets to be 2-3 months old she loses it. This
happened several times over. The couple went to check with many doctors
and at last one of The doctors examined the dead baby and found that the
baby's body cells kept dying as the baby was growing in the womb until
he/she could not survive. This was because her uterus was affected by
Cellphone Radiation.
The doctor told her she now has no chance to give birth to a
healthy baby because the radiation has affected her uterus so that the
major portion of the cells in her uterus have already died.
This happened because she has been keeping her cellphone in
her working jacket so that the phone rested against just the right spot
of the uterus. She had been wearing it like this for a few years
Please beware of this and take note if you don't want what
has happened to this woman to happen to you.
Dearest friends & family members,
Please do not ignore cellphone radiation which will damage
our health or body organs. Please put away your cellphone when ever you
don't need it.
Guys, Please do not keep your cellphone near the kidney
position and pants pocket as this will damage your genital area and
affect your ability to father a baby.
The other doctor also advised another friend to keep her
cellphone away from her new born baby to avoid radiation damage to the
baby's brain cells.
Do not let the baby or toddler play with the cellphone.
This is because the small young baby or toddler is still very fragile
and growing, so he/she is much more vulnerable to radiation damage.
Please remember not to sleep with your cellphone or put it
next to your bed. Keep any other electronic goods (such as
tvs) which also give off radiation away from your bedroom to reduce
risk.
Further, do not think that if you switch off the TV there
will be no radiation. Actually it is still around in your room. It is
not advisable to have even a small digital alarm clock close to your
head while sleeping.
Please pass this on to your friends and family.
I would rather be careful than regret not knowing
