Blouwillemaandag: Van kol-centre tot kol-girl vir lênnes

(posted by Elizma)

Firstly I have to apologise to all our English speaking friends, be it Australian, Spanish, Canadian, British... The following was an article in an Afrikaans paper in South Africa. Translating it will be meaningless as the soul of the article lies in the language. For our Afrikaans speaking/understanding friends: enjoy!

Blou Willem se rubriek in Beeld 25 Junie

Ek het ná my Joef Day-kuier in Boshoff besluit om so gou as wat ek dit kan bekostig na die Diep-Vrystaat te emigreer.

Hier by ons kan jy mos net sien dis skaapvleis maar dan proe dit soos iets tussen blouwillebees, hoender en strandwolf. O ja, en as julle my daar met n geweer sien rondloop in die maande wat kom, wil ek net sê ek hoort daar want ek het by die manne-aand gebie op n jagpakket en dit gekry.

Die ander rede waarom ek dringend Vrystaat toe sal moet trek, is om vir my seun n leerlingrybewys te probeer kry want ek het moed opgegee hier in Tshwanetoria en omstreke.

Ek bel nou vir meer as twee weke elke dag na die sogenaamde oproepsentrum (oftewel n kol-centre want hulle antwoord net so kol-kol maar meestal bokkerol) en ek het nou al in dié proses n blomkooloor ontwikkel. Ek het die nommer by my huishulp gekry want sy is baie beter ingelig oor goewermentsake as ek. En toe begin ek bel. En bel.

Eers bel ek n Jansberg-nommer en hou 14 min. aan met musiek in my ore en n dametjie wat vir my sê my oproep en belangstelling word hoog op prys gestel (wat my baie goed laat voel het en toe hou ek maar aan). Uiteindelik antwoord iemand toe en sê ek moet die nuwe 086-kol-kol-nommer bel wat ek toe terstond doen.

Ná 8 min. kom ek by die skakelbord uit wat my 15 simfonieë later deursit na lênnes licences toe. Hulle vat my seun se ID- en doopseëlnommer, veeartsverslag en gr. 11-wiskundepunt en begin kastig op die rekenaarskerm kyk vir n lênnes-afspraak op enige plek behalwe Moskou-Suid. En dan kom die slegte nuus, naamlik dat daar geen afspraak op enige plek is nie maar hulle kry van tyd tot tyd nuwe afsprake, so ek moet net gereeld bel.

Wanneer kan ek weer probeer?

The whole time or if you want to, any time, kom die antwoord van Thandi, wat so goed opgelei is dat sy selfs opreg jammer klink.

Maar, sê Thandi, as ek wil, kan ek die Oos-Rand-nommer ook probeer. En toe begin die hele proses weer van voor af behalwe dat ek nog nie weer vir Thandi in die hande kon kry nie, maar wel vir Sipho, Tebogo, Agnes, Sylvia, Thabo, Pulani en Khotso wat almal ewe jammer geklink het oor hulle nie kon help nie. O ja, die Oos-Rand-nommer het met tien probeerslae vir my nege verskillende resultate wat wissel van suising, piep-geluide, n besettoon, panfluitmusiek en n gekruisde lyn met n vloekende antie wat klink soos n kol-girl gegee en toe ek Vrydag 10:00 uiteindelik deurkom, was daar n boodskap wat sê dat lênnes-licences net tussen twaalf en vier hanteer word (vermoedelik snags). En skielik is ek bitter bekommerd dat as my seun eendag 35 is, ek hom nog steeds elke dag sal moet werk toe vat in Johannesburg of Boksburg of Springs.

Sy matriekuitslae lyk nou skielik vir my soos n vulletjie teen die hele rybewysvraagstuk. Oom Johnny sê hy het n sterk vermoede dat n ou met n rybewys in die toekoms makliker werk sal kry as een met n CA-kwalifikasie.

Is daar nie dalk iemand in Amersfoort of Dwaalboom wat vir my n lênnes-afspraak kan kry in ruil vir my jagpakket nie?

Blou Willem

Celebrating Leon's Birthday

(posted by Elizma)

We had some friends over yesterday to celebrate Leon's birthday. It was really great to catch up with everyone again as we've been out of the loop a bit with various groups of family visiting including Leon's parents and my brother-in-law, David. It was very interesting to realise that we've reached the next phase of our lives as there were quite a few little ones running around... My tiny garden will never be the same again, but the entertainment they provided more than made up for it. They were even drinking the water at one stage. I did warn the parents that the water has been in there for quite some time. Next time I will have indemnity forms ready as soon as they walk in the front door ;-)

Advertising at its best

(posted by Elizma)

For those of you who have seen the Sony Bravia ad - you will enjoy this. It is an actual ad - Leon and I saw it on television last night. They might get into trouble for this, but we think it's brilliant! like no other (It might take some time to download, but it's worth it.)

Picnic in Great Windsor Park

(posted by Elizma)

The weather over here is fantastic! It has been for the last two weeks or so. So on the spur of the moment our friends Colin and Lizl invited us to have a picnic with them in Great Windsor Park. It was their 7 week old baby, Hannah's first picnic as well. We had a really great time.

Finished at Last

(posted by Elizma)

Leon's parents left yesterday and despite knowing that we will see them in August, both of us had to wipe a tear or two when they disappeared into the departures lounge. But we smiled broadly when we arrived home and again saw our beautiful bathroom. Dad Bill did a fantastic job! Leon will have to post the photo album as I'm quite useless. This is the best I can do.

Bradford on Avon

(posted by Elizma)

We went to Bath yesterday with Leon's parents and had a really great day. The weather was spectacular and Bath as always really beautiful. We also by chance discovered a little village called Bradford on Avon. Well worth the visit and I would really love to go back there again. (Especially since we stumbled across it too late and all the pretty shops were already closed. Leon was relieved though ;-))

Almost There!

(posted by Elizma)

The redecorating of our bathroom is almost done. I'm not sure if we blogged about it, but in the end we did not go with the very expensive quote. Instead we flew Leon's parents over so that his very handy dad could do the job for us for a quarter of the price. He is doing a really good job. We're also enjoying the time we can spend with them.