Friday, July 13, 2007

lets do the time warp!

I think I may have entered a time warp. Two weeks back in my hometown and it's like I never left. It's really relaxing to be in a place where you don't have to think so hard about everything... you just know, because your surroundings have been there your whole life. I don't have to choose my words carefully to make myself understood to people. I can go to the till and ask for some potato salad in a bakkie, just enough to take to a bring-and-braai, and the lady behind the counter knows exactly what I'm looking for (as opposed to asking for about 500grams (?) of potato salad in a plastic container please, to take to a barbeque).
It turns out, too, that I haven't forgotten how to drive a manual car and I don't have to plan my journeys - I know exactly where everything is in this town and how to get there.
I'm still trying to figure out where all the people are though. We have these great big wide roads here and hardly any traffic; the Irish could take a lesson there somewhere, teehee.

Earlier this week we drove out to a little seaside hamlet called Cannon Rocks to visit our friends, who have recently returned here from their own stint in Ireland. Are there beaches this beautiful anywhere else in the world?
Take it as a challenge, I dare you... and I want photographic proof, 'kay? *

I know I've been harping a bit on how wonderful it is to be home and all but as much as I'm already dreading having to leave again next weekend, this visit has also reinforced our decision not to return permanently. This place, and the people in it, haven't changed much and I guess we haven't either, except... we've moved forward and coming back would be like moving backwards again. I know I'm going to be an emotional wreck when we leave but I also know that my life is not here anymore.
Onwards and upwards, as my good buddy Buzz would say.

And on a completely different note may I just add that I'm really missing my blogging buddies a LOT - I'm afraid blogging by dial-up is just not a viable option. It takes ages to load any of the pages and I'm awfully conscious of my poor Ma's phone bill. so I guess I'm going to have stacks of catching up to do when I get back to Ireland.

~

* OK so this challenge has lost some of its impact as a result of me not being able to get the photo uploaded. Yay dial-up. I'll try again tomorrow. Pfft!

13 comments:

DelBoy said...

Three weeks in the Friendly/Windy city! I'm soooo jealous. I sometimes get homesick too but, like you, when I'm there I am reminded why I do not return for good.

The weather sure beats the hell out of the UK & Ireland summers though! ;-)

laurie said...

that sounds so lovely and a little wistful, terri. i know that feeling of going home and having everything FIT again. it's a lovely feeling, but it also feels like it can't last.

i have a lovely beach photo to rival yours, whatever yours is--i'll post it on the afp-ballgirl blog for you to look at whenever you can.

it's great to have you check in. we miss you.

Anonymous said...

Hi Terri!

Just wanted to say thanks to you guys for yesterday! Had an absolute ball!

X

Katt

Terri said...

Del - Hi Cuz, hows the globetrotting going?! And ain't you lucky? No more miserable winters for you, lucky sod.

Laurie - Cool, I'll go check it out :)

Katt - Us too; and do drop in for coffee next time you're in Dublin :-D

L said...

Hands down more beautiful than our beach. They allow cars to drive on our beach. :(

Ben O. said...

Love the pictures - nice poem too a couple of posts down.

Ben O.

AngelConradie said...

i'm so glad you've had such fun visiting old haunts and such terri! but onward and upward is indeed a good way to go...

AngelConradie said...

the pic looks perfect- and its spectacular!

Anonymous said...

I don't live anywhere near the sea, so I will have to pass up on the challenge.
Seems you are having a great time and I can understand the nostalgia and the dread at the impending return.
Rest assured, PE will always be there for you to return to.

Anonymous said...

PS: if I could take up the challenge , this would be it

LiVEwiRe said...

Sounds like there is great comfort for you there but you can also see that you aren't at the same place in your life. Moving back may indeed be moving 'back'. I would like to test that beach out, though!

Anonymous said...

Dial up????

Tell your mom to give me a call, and I'll set her up with broadband.

You make it sound like we are still in the stone age.

Sorry I missed you guys though. I did get a missedcall from Dave, but by the time I replied, you guys had gone out.

Cheers then

Vaughan

Terri said...

Lori - Cars shouldn't be allowed on beaches. Period.

Ben O. - Thanks, Dude. More pics should be forthcoming shortly now I'm back in the real world.

Angel - Now I'm home, it looks OK from my laptop too. My mom's PC does weird stuff sometimes (yes I know I "work with computers" but I was on holiday OK?!)

Chitty - Fair enough; Noordhoek could be a contender.

LiVEwiRe - I tested the beach out for you. Soft, fine sand... but freakin' cold at sunrise in the middle of winter I can tell you - oh wait, I haven't posted those yet. Patience, dear...

Vaughan - Sorry we missed you too. I'm still trying to figure out where 3 weeks went! Will be in touch about the broadband, thanks!