Of Unicorns, Boerewors and Unplugged Bliss (Mostly)
This year-end pause was a whirlwind of absurdity and joy, a somewhat chaotic symphony of the mundane and the magical. Much like those "My Holiday" comprehensions we all endured in primary school (remember those?!), it was a lekker jumble of experiences, a haphazard collection of memories scribbled down in the heat of the moment.
First, there was Idriez. My rainbow farting unicorn friend. Yes, you read that right. Idriez, in all his multi-colored glory, demanded constant attention...not! To the contrary: he gave me the gift of lols and time ~ couch potato QT watching Queens of Cape Town in our holiday PJ’s aka swimwear, photo shoots and savoury cheese boards. Guys, I’m out here hiding from the jar of preserved figs (until there’s more brie to be had).
Then came the street dancing on NYE. It felt like a childhood memory relived – staying out past curfew, the streetlights our only guide, the music pulsing through the night. I danced with friends from way back to my earliest memories! That’s roughly 40 years of friendship.
Neighbourliness reached new heights. Pool noodle surfing became a daily ritual and shared meals were a constant stream of delight. Boerewors, oh glorious Boerewors from Busy Corner because it had to by Busy Corner, reigned supreme. Braaied, air-fried, sliced as an alternative to biltong (thanks, Anthea for the holiday hack) and smoortjied with beans – It’s a culinary chameleon, a blank canvas for culinary creativity. It was all the decadence minus the endless hours in a hot kitchen slaving over stove tops.
And then there was the "unplugging" - all notifications on my devices were switched off. Blissful, yes, but also a tad terrifying. I missed birthdays, deadlines and even the occasional meteor shower. Apparently, living in the moment means occasionally missing some moments entirely.
The dancing! Oh, the dancing. Hours upon hours of it! At the Ostrich Farm, no less. Turns out, 8-hour disco marathons are best left to the professional athletes, because eina! Let’s just say the dance-a-while then rest-a-while was a helluva humbling experience 😅
And the peaches. Sweet, juicy peaches with a generous drizzle of ideal milk. A simple pleasure, a tribute to Uncle Rodney/Mr. Mulligan, a quiet but ‘lagbol’ soul who shared my love for this heavenly combination. The Colour Peach was also the favourite colour of an incredibly special woman who always had a mischievous twinkle in her eye for me, always a big question and always updating me even though so little had changed in some ways…I digressed as one does when you’re living in a dream state, but here I am ~ I’m back from a wonderful wandering on the mind. What I meant to say was the 🍑 dessert is reserved for my last day out of office and it’ll be served chilled.
This year-end pause was a reminder that life is messy, unpredictable, and gloriously imperfect. It was a time for laughter, for connection, for the simple joy of perfectly braai’d Boerewors. And while I may have missed a few motorcycles rides, beach days and reading sessions (whoops!), I learned one invaluable skill: iced latte, made with my own two hands. It’s about the only way I truly enjoy a shot of good coffee.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think Idriez needs another photo shoot. And maybe a small mountain of charcuterie.
