The whole time while I am working, I am thinking about this month’s scripture. A tough one I think to understand fully without taking offence so to speak from what God is trying to tell us here. But in the same breath, I want to say it is actually very simple.
Well, as I have said many times before, February is our busiest month, which means I work longer hours than usual to get everything that is required to be done, done and submitted on time. It is nothing new to me. I just feel sorry for my kids, because time with them is few and far between at the beginning of a year. Time to write feels even less. I decided, unofficially, the other day, that the first term of the year is just busy and NOTHING that I try to do about this, is going to change that fact.
Unless I do a career change of course, but, who wants to, at almost 42, take on something new and start from scratch? Ok, I admit, I DID start something new with Beroepsvrou, but not to replace my day job. Ok, back to the realities of being BUSY at work. Now, for us it is really very busy. It is financial year end for majority of our clients. There are important calculations that need to be done before 28 (or 29) February. Of course, the extra day in a leap year helps, only if it falls on a weekday though. None the less, we have 28 days available for 3 out of 4 years to do these tasks.
This scripture makes me think of what we do for a living, day in and day out and what we have stumbled across in our lives. People that are not always honest, not declaring everything. Potential new clients with ridiculous requests, that we stop in the first meeting, only to never hear of them again. We stand for righteousness. Tax must be paid, if you like it or not. I know I am wandering off, but I am trying to put everything into perspective about how things are in my life, what the expectations are and what the legal implications of everything is.
Back to the scripture. It can also be taken back to the smallest thing that you are dishonest about. I worked at a firm, years ago, where a senior staff member explained it to me once about how a timesheet works. His words were something to the effect of: When you work at Pick n Pay, and you steal sugar, you are stealing. When you work here, and you steal time, doing private things when you should be working, you are also stealing. I will NEVER forget this. Such a good example about what an employee is trusted with. Actually anyone doing work, whether for yourself or an employer. Theft is not restricted to physical items, but can also go to something like time – time billed on timesheets, invoices issued. The list of things feels endless.
Now I can sit here for days talking and debating about what is big and small and what one can be dishonest about. The long and the short is, if you do something private for 15 minutes, and you are actually stealing your employer or the client’s time for whom you are doing the tasks, or if you take one teaspoon of sugar from the canteen, well, it remains theft. I reckon that is what THIS verse is about. Now that we are caught up in financial year end, the following also comes up with me – what is really declared on returns? Are people truly honest about EVERYTHING in their lives?
If you can be dishonest about something small, then you can easily be dishonest with bigger things. This is the exhortation (I had to Google this word the English version of vermaan in Afrikaans – I have NEVER heard of it before) from God. Then, there is the proverbial tap on the shoulder in the first part of the verse – if you can be honest with small things, then you can be trusted with many bigger things. What image are you portraying to the world? People’s reputations usually go ahead of them. What is your reputation? Honest or dishonest?
Die heeltyd terwyl ek werk, dink ek na oor die maand se skrifvers. ‘n Taai een dink ek om eintlik behoorlik te verstaan sonder om offence te vat van wat die Here hier vir ons probeer sê. Maar in dieselfde asem, wil ek eintlik sê is dit heel eenvoudig.
Nou ja, Februarie is ons besigste maand, wat noodwendig beteken dat ek langer ure as normaal werk net om alles wat vereis word gedoen te kry. Dis niks nuuts vir my nie. Ek kry net my kinders jammer, want tyd saam met hulle is maar min so aan die begin van die jaar. Tyd vir skryf, voel vir my, is ook nog minder. Ek het eintlik, nie-amptelik, die ander dag besluit dat die eerste kwartaal van ‘n nuwe jaar besig is, en NIKS wat ek omtrent dit eers probeer doen gaan daardie feit verander nie.
Tensy ek my beroep verander natuurlik, maar, wie wil nou op amper 42 iets heeltemal nuuts aanpak en van voor af begin? Ok, ek erken, ek HET iets nuuts begin met Beroepsvrou, maar nie om my day job te vervang nie. Goed, terug by realiteite van BESIG wees met werk. Nou dit is vir ons so verskriklik besig, want dis finansiële jaareinde vir meerderheid van ons kliënte. Dus is daar belangrike berekeninge wat gedoen moet word en ingedien moet word voor 28 (of 29) Februarie. Natuurlik help die ekstra dag in skrikkeljaar – slegs as dit op ‘n werksdag val. Maar nie te min, dis 3 uit 4 jare net 28 dae wat ons het om hierdie te kan doen.
Die skrifvers laat my dink aan wat ons elke dag van ons lewe doen, wat ons al teë gekom het in ons lewens. Mense wat nie altyd eerlik is nie, nie alles verklaar nie. Potensiële nuwe kliënte met belaglike vereistes, wat ons sommer in die eerste vergadering in die kiem smoor en dan hoor ons net nooit weer van hulle nie. Ons staan vir reg en geregtigheid. Belasting moet betaal word, of jy nou daarvan hou of nie. Ek weet ek dwaal af, maar, ek probeer net alles in perspektief plaas van hoe dit gaan in my lewe, waarmee ek werk, wat daar verwag word en wat die wetlike aspek van alles is.
Maar terug by die vers. Dit kan ook terug getrek word na die kleinste dingetjie waarin jy oneerlik kan wees en oorkom. Ek het destyds by ‘n firma gewerk, waar die een senior personneellid eenkeer vir my verduidelik het oor hoe ‘n tydstaat werk. Sy woorde, in Engels, was iets in die lyn van die volgende: When you work at Pick n Pay, and you steal sugar, you are stealing. When you work here, and you steal time, doing private things when you should be working, you are also stealing. Ek sal dit in my lewe NOOIT vergeet nie. So ‘n goeie vergelyking van waarmee ‘n werknemer en werkgewer wat tyd verkoop, vertrou word. Diefstal is nie beperk tot fisiese items nie, maar tyd ook – tyd wat geboek word, fakture wat uitgereik word. Die lys voel, soos altyd, eindeloos.
Nou ek kan vir dae hier sit en redeneer oor alles wat groot en klein is, waaroor mens oneerlik kan wees. Die lang en die kort is, as jy 15 minute iets privaat doen, en eintlik maar net jou werkgewer of kliënt se tyd waarvoor jy vergoed word, steel; of jy steel een teelepel se suiker by die kantien, bly dit steel. En ek reken DIS waaroor hierdie versie gaan. Noudat ons so vasgevang is in finansiële jaareinde, kom die ook by my op – wat word werklik verklaar op opgawes? Is mense werklik getrou en eerlik oor ALLES in hul lewens?
As jy oor ietsie kleins oneerlik is, dan kan jy maklik oor baie goed oneerlik wees. Dis die vermaning van God af. Dan, is die spreekwoordelike klop op die skouer, die eerste deel van die vers – as jy oor ietsie kleins eerlik is en mee vertrou kan word, dan kan jy oor baie goed eerlik wees en mee vertrou word. Watter beeld straal jy uit vir die wêreld? Mens se reputasie loop hulle gewoonlik vooruit. Wat is jou reputasie? Eerlik of oneerlik?
The distinct smell of Creosote (I had to google this spelling) always takes me back to my childhood. Why? You may ask. Growing up with a Wendy Hut in the back yard, converted into a Craft Room, the wood of the wendy was treated with Creosote. I was exposed to crafting at a young age. I will always associate that smell to crafting.
I grew up, having a mother who always did something creative, teaching her three girls to escape from the real world through crafting. I am guessing that is why she crafted, because that is why I craft. To me, crafting does not have rules. It has rules, but it is not like my day job you know? If you make a mistake, you repaint it or start over again, or you wing it and see where the project goes and what it lands up looking like.
With my day job it is not that simple, and I feel obliged to do things perfectly and correctly the first time round. At this point in writing this article, I do want to point out that now is the time to switch on the kettle and make yourself a nice cup of coffee (or tea) before continuing.
You see, I cannot break this article up into smaller chapters as I will lose the essence of what I feel is being pressed on my heart to say. February is a busy month. Probably my least favourite month of the year, if one is allowed to have a least favourite month.
For many reasons I am not a Feb Fan. One of the biggest reasons, is the fact that I am always exhausted by the time it is my daughter’s birthday on the 7th. Yes I know, it is only the beginning of the month, but I know what lies ahead, I know the hours I am required to work, I just know what is waiting for me work wise. My little EMP201 (for those who don’t know – it is one of the many tax returns due on the 7th of each month) is such an enthusiast when it comes to her birthday.
I feel guilty that I cannot always share her excitement with her. Even more so, that I only had until around the 14th of February in 2014, the year she was born in, to spend undivided attention on her, before reverting back to my laptop to work, do calculations and submit returns. It was almost breastfeeding while typing and filing returns. It is like I do not have ample time available to just be in the moment, enjoying the preparations coming up to her birthday. Does this make sense? Or am I so caught up in my little work world, that I forget to stop and smell the roses?
The other reason for the lack of love for the Month of Love is, there is just NO TIME for anything else. The kids are growing up, their schedules are starting to pick up pace, something I never get right at budgeting for time-wise. I mean, I feel like I do not have time to purchase groceries (it is a frustration because fresh salad on a weekly basis is a MUST for us but getting around to Woollies is a challenge), let alone to get the kids on time to their additional maths classes, taking them food before their art classes start and exercise.
Exercise I refuse to skip. That is the one thing that keeps me sane. I cannot do all the funky moves associated with Cross Fit, but I arrive twice a week and I try them – I can see how I have grown stronger and am amazed at what I can do compared to when I just started. I then attend another day of exercise, and on that day I do spinning, which is something my son loves doing, so this is our time together. The extracurricular activities of the kids are also a no-go zone when it comes to deciding whether to not do it. We have to do it and work around that.
You see, in 2020, before the lock down and before the Pandemic, I made a conscious decision to stop putting work ahead of everything. I was missing out on life, because we lived a motto of Let’s just get through this month. Twelve months of the year, year in and year out. And that is how we lived for many years. I even felt that time was stolen from me, for years, because of this motto that we lived by. Actually, it may have been 2019 already that I made this decision. Anyway. In the middle of February 2020, at the busiest time of all, I started to Cross Fit, (after praying for years to God to make me love exercise, I finally found the thing that I can do and enjoy while getting back into shape).
Yes you can laugh. I am just complaining about how hectic February is and then I take on something like that. Is there ever a good time? No there is not. Now you may wonder how I am connecting the dots with this entry. I started with crafts, sang my moan songs about work and this month of Love which I do not love so much and now I am talking about exercise. But wait, you will see…. everything is intertwined in my life.
Back to the crafts. For months I had been dreaming about a Cricut machine. I was torn between the Joy and the Maker. My final decision was the Joy – due to size and price. In February (you see the trend here…?) I decided to make the purchase.
I knew it was the wrong month to make the purchase, because I knew that I would want to craft more than work in this crazy month. I decided to make the purchase from Kelirosh Studio. Her prices were the best (I missed the Takealot specials and could not get to Makro). I have also only heard good things about this online shop and this was enough to convince me to make the purchase there.
The guilt that I experienced after making the purchase was insane. But when the box arrived, it was as if God showed me that it is ok. It is ok to want to have a life, wanting to do things and not only work. On the box, I noticed two Flamingos. Now the whole thing that my blog and ministry revolves around is Flamingos. This is mind blowing and insane – the Flamingos on the box.
Even the posture of the Flamingos on the box were similar to two used in my designs. Immediately I felt as if God was talking to me here. Confirming that it is ok to make this purchase in the month which I consider to be not the best month for me personally.
I realise too, that we are raising a new generation of crafters. I grew up with things like making candles, cards with stamps and embossing powder, little wire trees with gemstones stuck on them, to name only a few. The next generation of crafters involves technology like this little Joy machine. As you can gather, both my children have hi-jacked the machine, fighting over who is going to use it next. Taking the pressure off me to use it so that I can focus on work for now – but when this busy period is over, I am going to jump in and do stuff with it.
A week or so after the purchase of the Joy, I received a phone call from a Mrs. SA semi-finalist, Nicky Kruger, asking if I would like to consider being a sponsor to her for this pageant or competition (not sure how we are supposed to refer to this?). Now this is a longish story of how we “know” each other, but the long and the short is, she is a teacher at a school where I served last year, handing out aprons to students.
I was dumb-struck, overwhelmed and excited all at the same time. My initial response was that it is CRAZY mad at work, I can only answer her mid-March after all my deadlines have been tended to. Of course, curiosity got the better of me, I read through the information she sent me and made up my mind. This is such a wonderful opportunity, I cannot decline.
Now you see, again this is February. Again there seems to be little time to think things through and get things done. I am starting to wonder if God is not pushing me in a direction and allowing all these things to happen in the Month of Love, just so that I can start loving Feb again?
Who knows, but, it seems that big things happen in February. The birth of a child, the need to exercise, the need to craft more and now the sponsorship for a HUGE event like Mrs. SA. I think God is giving back my Joy for the month when I experience it the least.
I just have to love the puns from God. The Joy represented by a physical tangible little machine, literally bringing Joy to those using it. Because is that not how we as humans are? We want to SEE it and KNOW it is there…. and don’t get me wrong – I am not placing my Joy in the Joy, it is just God’s way of talking to me, giving me a tangible reminder of things that I need reminding of.
Die skerp reuk van Creosote (ek moes dit gaan google – die spelling en dit word uitgespreek as Kreesout – dis hoe ek al die jare die woord in my kop gesien het) vat my altyd terug na my kinderjare. Hoekom? Vra jy dalk. Ek het groot geword met ‘n Wendy huis in die agtertuin, wat omskep was in ‘n Kuns Kamer, die hout van die Wendy huis was met Creosote behandel. Ek was blootgestel aan kuns en crafting op ‘n jong ouderdom. Ek sal altyd hierdie reuk assosieër met kuns en crafting.
Ek het groot geword met ‘n ma wat altyd iets kreatiefs gedoen het, iemand wat haar drie dogters geleer het om so bietjie die realiteite van die wêreld te ontsnap deur kuns en crafting te doen. Ek raai maar of dit is hoekom sy kuns en crafting gedoen het, want dis hoekom ek dit doen. Met crafting is daar vir my geen reëls nie. Ok dit het reëls, maar, dis nie soos my day job nie jy weet? As jy ‘n fout maak, verf jy oor dit of jy begin van voor af, of jy wing dit net en sien hoe die projek gaan en hoe dit gaan opeindig om te lyk.
Met my day job is dit nie so eenvoudig nie, en ek voel verplig om dinge perfek te doen en reg te doen die eerste keer. Op hierdie tydstip terwyl ek die artikel skryf, reken ek dis tyd om die ketel aan te sit en vir jou ‘n lekker koppie koffie of tee te maak voor jy verder lees.
Jy sien, ek kan nie die artikel opbreek in kleiner hoofstukke nie, anders verloor ek die kruks van die saak wat op my hart geplaas was om te sê. Februarie is ‘n besige maand. Seker my minder gunsteling maand van die jaar, as mens nou toegelaat is om ‘n swart skaap maand te hê.
Vir soveel redes is ek nie ‘n Feb aanhanger nie. Een van die grootste redes is, die feit dat ek altyd uitgeput voel teen die tyd dat dit my dogter se verjaarsdag is op die 7de van die maand. Ja, ek weet, dis net aan die begin van die maand, maar ek weet wat voor lê, ek weet die ure wat ek vereis word om te werk, ek weet net wat lê vir my voor werksgewys. My klein EMP201 (vir die wat nie weet nie – dis een van die vele belastingopgawes wat op die 7de van elke maand ingedien moet word) is so entoesiasties wanneer dit kom by haar verjaarsdag.
Ek voel skuldig omdat ek nie haar opgewondenheid altyd met haar kan deel nie. En ek voel nog meer so, omdat ek ongeveer net tot die 14de Februarie 2014 gehad het, die jaar wat sy gebore was, om onverdeelde aandag aan haar te gee, voordat ek weer terug gekeer het na my skootrekenaar (hoe is dit vir ‘n mooi Afrikaanse woord?), om berekeninge te doen en opgawes in te dien. Dit was amper borsvoeding terwyl ek getik het op die rekenaar en opgawes ingedien het. Dit is asof ek net nooit genoeg tyd beskikbaar het om die oomblik en die voorbereiding vir haar verjaarsdag te geniet nie. Maak dit sin? Of is ek so vasgevang in my klein werk wêreld, dat ek vergeet om te stop en bietjie die rose se geur te geniet? (Die klink net beter in Engels – to stop and smell the roses).
Die ander rede vir die gebrek aan liefde vir die Maand van Liefde, is, daar is net NIKS TYD vir enige iets anders nie. Die kinders word groter, hul skedules begin voller raak, iets wat ek voel of ek nooit reg kry om voor te begroot tydsgewys nie. Ek meen, ek het nie eens tyd om inkopies te gaan doen nie (dit is ‘n frustrasie want vars slaai op ‘n weeklikse basis is ‘n MOET vir ons en om by Woollies uit te kom is ‘n uitdaging), nie eens te praat van om die kinders betyds by hul ander dinge te kry soos ekstra Wiskunde klasse, kos te neem voor kuns klasse en oefening nie.
Ek weier om oefening te mis. Dis die een ding wat maak dat ek nie dit verloor nie. Ek kan nie al die funky bewegings van Cross Fit altyd reg kry en uitvoer nie, maar, ek daag twee maal per week op en ek probeer hulle doen – ek kan sien hoeveel sterker ek geword het en is verbaas oor wat ek nou al kan doen teenoor wat ek kon doen toe ek net begin het. Dan woon ek nog ‘n dag van oefening by en daar doen ek spinning, iets wat my seun mal oor is, so dis ons tyd saam. Die buitemuurse aktiwiteite van die kinders is ook ‘n no-go zone as dit kom by besluit om dit te doen of nie. Ons moet dit net laat gebeur en dit maak werk, en beplan maar alles rondom dit.
Jy sien, in 2020, voor die grendeltyd en voor die Pandemie, het ek ‘n doelbewuste besluit geneem om op te hou om werk voor alles te plaas in my lewe. Ek het uitgemis op die lewe, want, ons het ‘n slagspreuk geleef van Kom ons kom net deur hierdie maand. En dit is hoe ons geleef het vir baie jare. Ek het selfs op ‘n kol gevoel of tyd gesteel was by my, weens hierdie slagspreuk waarby ons gehou het. 12 maande van die jaar, jaar in en jaar uit. Eintlik was dit dalk al in 2019 wat ek daardie besluit geneem het. Elkgeval. Middel Februarie 2020, in die besigste tyd ooit, het ek begin om te Cross Fit (na ek vir jare gebid het vir die Here om my lief te maak vir oefening, het ek uiteindelik die ding gekry waarvan ek hou en om my lyf weer in shape te kry).
Ja jy kan maar lag. Ek het nou net gekla oor hoe besig Februarie is en dan vat ek iets soos dit aan. Is daar ooit ‘n goeie tyd? Nee daar is nie. Nou jy kan dalk nou wonder hoe ek die kolle gaan verbind met die inskrywing. Ek begin met crafts, sing dan my klaagliedere oor werk en die Maand van Liefde, waarvoor ek nie so lief is nie en nou praat ek van oefening. Maar wag, jy sal sien…. alles is in een geweef in my lewe.
Terug by die crafts. Vir maande het ek gedroom van ‘n Cricut masjien. Ek was geskeur tussen die Joy en die Maker. My finale besluit was toe die Joy – weens die grootte en die prys. In Februarie (sien jy die trend hier…?) besluit ek toe om die aankoop te maak.
Ek het geweet dit was die verkeerde maand om so iets aan te koop, want ek weet ook dat ek eerder met die nuwe speelding gaan wil eksperimenteer as om te werk in die besige maand. Ek het toe verder besluit om dit by Kelirosh Studio aan te koop. Haar pryse was die beste (ek het die Takealot winskopies gemis en kon nie by Makro uitkom nie). Ek het ook net goeie goed gehoor van hierdie aanlyn winkel en dit was genoeg om my te oortuig om die aankoop daar te maak.
Die skuldgevoel wat ek ervaar het na ek die aankoop gedoen het was belaglik. Maar, toe die boks arriveer, was dit asof die Here vir my gewys het dat dit ok is. Dit is ok om ook ‘n lewe te wil hê, om te wil dinge doen en nie net te werk nie. Op die boks sien ek toe twee Flaminke. Nou die hele ding waaroor my bediening en blog gaan is Flaminke. Dit was net mind blowing en amper belaglik, met respek gesê – die Flaminke op die boks.
Selfs die postuur van die Flaminke op die boks was soortgelyk aan twee wat ek in my ontwerpe gebruik. Onmiddellik voel ek asof die Here met my hier praat. Bevestig dat dit ok is om hierdie aankoop te maak in die maand wat ek sien as die minder lekker maand vir my persoonlik.
Ek besef ook, dat ons ‘n nuwe generasie crafters hier groot maak. Ek het groot geword met goed soos om kerse te maak, kaartjies met stempeltjies en embossing poeier, klein draad boompies met mooi klippies op geplak, om maar net ‘n paar te noem. Die volgende generasie van crafters betrek tegnologie soos hierdie klein Joy masjientjie. Soos jy kan aflei, het beide my kinders besluit om die masjien te hi-jack, hulle baklei oor wie dit volgende gaan gebruik. Dit maak die druk so bietjie ligter vir my om die masjien te gebruik sodat ek nou op werk kan fokus – maar wanneer hierdie besige tyd verby is, gaan ek vir seker inspring en goed doen met hom.
‘n Week of so na die aankoop van die Joy, ontvang ek ‘n oproep van ‘n Mev. SA semi-finalis, Nicky Kruger. Sy vra my of ek dit sal oorweeg om ‘n borg te wees vir hierdie kompetisie (ek is nou nie seker of ek reg hierna verwys nie?). Nou dit is ‘n langerige storie van hoe ons mekaar “ken”, maar die lang en die kort is, sy is ‘n juffrou by ‘n skool waar ek laas jaar gaan bedien het en voorskote uitgedeel het aan studente.
Ek was stom geslaan, oorweldig en opgewonde, alles op dieselfde tyd. My aanvanklike reaksie was dat dit MAL besig is by die werk en ek sal eers haar middel Maart kan beantwoord, wanneer ek al my sperdatums gehaal het. Natuurlik het nuuskierigheid die oorhand gekry, ek het gelees deur die inligting wat sy my gestuur het en ek het my besluit geneem. Dit is so ‘n wonderlike geleentheid, ek kan nie dit van die hand wys nie.
Sien jy nou weer – dis alweer Februarie. Weer lyk dit of daar so min tyd is om dinge deur te dink en goed te doen. Ek begin te wonder of die Here my nie in ‘n rigting druk en toelaat dat al hierdie dinge gebeur, in die Maand van Liefde, net sodat ek weer lief kan word vir Februarie nie?
Wie weet, maar, dit lyk of groot dinge in Februarie gebeur. Die geboorte van ‘n kind, die behoefte om te oefen en crafting te doen en nou hierdie borgskap van ‘n GROOT ding soos Mev. SA. Ek dink God is besig om my Joy vir my terug te gee in die maand wat ek dit die minste ervaar.
Ek moet bieg – ek is lief vir die puns van God af. Die Joy wat verteenwoordig word deur ‘n fisiese, tasbare klein masjientjie, wat letterlik Joy bring vir díe wat dit gebruik. Want, is dit nie hoe ons as mense is nie? Ons wil SIEN en HOOR dis daar – en moet my nie verkeerd verstaan nie – ek plaas nie my Joy in die Joy nie, dis net God se manier om met my te praat, om vir my ‘n tasbare herinnering te gee aan dinge waaraan ek herinner moet word.
Waking up a bit earlier than planned this morning, on a Saturday morning nogal, I head out to Harties. I have an early, 7 am nail appointment with my other Sister from another mister, Irene. I just love early morning drives, especially those on a Saturday. It is as if they have this mystical something to it that makes it special. The Magalies mountains sets the tone for the day with clear blue skies, washed clean after some rain this week, shortly after one of THE hottest January months ever.
None-the-less, the plan was to go and do my nails, run some errands at our local shopping centre, Village Mall and then return home to do some day job tasks. Leaving while the whole household was sleeping, meant I could not whip up my shake in the blender. I leave with only coffee to fill my stomach and off I go.
One of my stops in Village Mall was Woolworths Food, to acquire the fresh salad and fruit for the week. On the way out, my stomach reminded me that it STILL only has had coffee to consume. I stop at the recently installed coffee counter (and with recent I mean towards the end of 2022 – somewhere in the last quarter of the year, Woolworths decided that those in Harties can be spoilt with a coffee counter). Now I am doubting whether it was 2022 or 2021? The days fly past so quickly, I cannot tell. Anyway.
Since the installation and erection of that particular coffee bar, I have only walked past, smelling the very lovely smell of freshly ground coffee beans. Always in a hurry and never having time to stop and just buy one. Today I stopped there, actually wanting to purchase a muffin or something and a coffee. Whilst inspecting the muffins on display and without looking up at the Barista, I asked what muffins they have, I am hungry.
She answers me saying she has plenty of nice things. I ask about the coffee. My question was Is it Lekker? Her reply? Lekker is an understatement. It is Coffee e Monate. I look at her, almost saying HUH? but decide to politely ask her to repeat what she said asking for an explanation of what she meant. She says it is Coffee that slaps. Now she has my attention. Coffee that slaps. What IS that supposed to mean? I guess very much more than Lekker coffee. I LOVE coffee. I consume too much coffee I think.
This convinced me to continue with my decision made a few seconds earlier to purchase and try some of Woolworths’ coffee on this particular Saturday morning. Because, boy oh boy, I need some caffeine to stay awake! We have a pleasant and loud conversation, laughing, talking all the while she is making the coffee. Somewhere during this time, I decided to write about my experience, and I asked her to write down the phrase, because, for the life of me, I am NOT going to remember coffee e Monate until I return home.
During our conversation, I learnt that the lady, with the ever so lovely smile and personality that is also e Monate (if I can use a part of the phrase she taught me with something else – not sure if this is how it works in Tshwana. With this I mean her personality cannot be described with a word like Lekker as that would just be an understatement). Anyway, I learnt that the lady has just returned from leave. She explains that is the reason why she is in a good mood today. Tomalo (I think that was her name – the picture on my phone does not show the name tag clear enough) asks me what coffee I want and do I want to add something extra like sugar, honey or sweetner. I give through my order for a Grande Cappuccino with one brown sugar.
The other Barista calls me to the till to pay. I swipe my Woolworths card more than once and miraculously I get a discount of more than 10% on a Grande coffee at Woollies. Before I leave, Tomalo (sorry if I have your name wrong) says I MUST taste the coffee before I leave, to be sure it is nice. I asked her in Afrikaans Het jy die suiker geroer ook? She explains that while on leave her Afrikaans became a bit rusty, I laugh at this and repeat the question in English.
She stirred it, like a good Barista would do. I take a sip, and gesture with my hand to my face that it IS Coffee e Monate (Coffee that slaps). For the life of me I cannot pronounce the gentlemen’s name, but I ask him and Tomalo to smile, I want to take a picture for my blog entry. Ever so excited they pose and laugh for this picture. Eventually I have a photo that is to my liking, showing everyone’s smiles and excitement.
Before leaving, Tomalo tells me to say hashtag best_baristas_in_harties with my entry. People will comment is her response. We continue to joke and I added a few hashtags to this – #coffee_e_monate and #best_coffee to name a few. She even said that I must return for a second date, this was now the first date. And I must say, I may just make a Woollies Grande Cappuccino a part of my weekly shopping list. Sadly, my coffee did not last as long as the lekker feeling after having this discussion with these two people! It was finished before I got to the dam wall, heading back home to the lovely Skeerpoort.
Ek word vroeër as beplan wakker vanoggend, op ‘n Saterdagoggend nogal, om Harties toe te gaan. Ek het ‘n vroeë nael afspraak, 7 uur die oggend om presies te wees, by my ander Sister from another mister, Irene. Ek is mal oor vroeë oggend ritte, veral op ‘n Saterdagoggend. Dit het hierdie gevoel en iets wat dit net spesiaal maak. Die Magaliesberge vertoon pragtig voor my soos wat ek ry, wat die mood vir die dag stel. Met die lug mooi blou en skoon gewas na die reën hierdie week, kort na een van DIE warmste Januarie maande ooit.
Nie te min, die plan was om te gaan en my naels te doen, so bietjie goedjies en inkopies te doen by die plaaslike inkopiesentrum Village Mall en dan terug te keer huis toe om so bietjie day job take te verrig. Omdat ek so vroeg moes ry, terwyl die huishouding nog in droomland was, kon ek nie my oggend shake maak in die blender nie. Met net koffie om die hol kol te vul, klim ek in my kar en ry na my afspraak toe.
Een van die winkels wat ek besoek in Village Mall was Woolworths Food, om so bietjie vars groente, vrugte en slaai goed aan te koop. Oppad uit herinner my maag my dat dit STEEDS net koffie gehad het om te verteer. Ek besluit om by die koffie toonbank, wat redelik onlangs geinstalleer was te stop. En met onlangs bedoel ek iewers aan die einde van 2022, iewers in die laaste kwartaal van die jaar, het Woolworths besluit dat diegene in Harties ook bederf kan word met so ‘n koffie toonbank. Altans – ek DINK dit was 2022, miskien was dit 2021 al? Die dae vlieg so, ek kan nie seker wees nie. Elkgeval.
Sedert die installasie en oprigting van daardie einste toonbank, het ek nog net verby geloop. Elke keer ruik ek die heerlike aroma van vars gemaalde koffie bone. Ek is altyd haastig en het nooit tyd om te stop en een te koop nie. Maar vandag is anders en vandag besluit ek om een te koop. Ek wou eintlik ‘n muffin of iets koop saam met die koffie. Terwyl ek die muffins wat uitgesprei is bekyk, vra ek die Barista (sonder om op te kyk) watter muffins hulle het, ek is honger (in Engels). Ek verduidelik dat ek net een soek nie 4 nie.
Sy antwoord my deur te sê sy het baie lekker goed. Ek vra uit oor die koffie. My vraag was (in Engels) Is it Lekker? Haar antwoord? Lekker is an understatement. It is Coffee e Monate. Ek kyk na haar en sê ampertjies HUH? maar besluit om ordentlik te vra om te herhaal wat sy gesê het en te verduidelik wat dit beteken. Sy sê dit beteken Coffee that slaps. Nou het sy my aandag. Coffee that slaps. Wat IS dit veronderstel om te beteken? Ek reken iets beter and groter as Lekker koffie. Ek is MAL oor koffie. Ek dink ek drink te veel koffie.
Dit was die oortuiging wat ek nodig gehad het, na my besluit etlike sekondes vroeër om van die Woolworths koffie te probeer. Op hierdie einste Saterdagoggend, want o vet, ek het kaffeine nodig om wakker te bly! Ons het ‘n aangename luidrugtige gesprek, ons lag terwyl sy die koffie maak. Iewers gedurende hierdie gesprek, besluit ek om oor my ervaring te skryf. Ek vra haar toe om die frase wat sy gesê het neer te skryf vir my, want ek gaan om die dood nie Coffee e Monate onthou tot ek by die huis is nie.
Gedurende ons gesprek, leer ek dat die dame, met die pragtige, stralende en aansteeklike glimlag, en wie se persoonlikheid ook e Monate is (as ek nou deel van ‘n frase wat elders gebruik word hier kan invoeg – ek is nie seker of dit so werk in Tshwana nie – maar ek bedoel eintlik haar persoonlikheid kan nie as LEKKER beskryf word nie – dis ‘n understatement), pas terug gekom het van verlof af. Sy verduidelik dat dit die rede is hoekom sy in ‘n goeie bui is vandag. Tomalo (ek dink dis haar naam – die foto op my foon vertoon nie haar naam op haar hemp duidelik genoeg nie) vra my watter koffie ek wil hê en of ek iets ekstra in wil hê soos suiker, heuning of versoeter. Ek gee my bestelling deur vir ‘n Grande Cappuccino met een bruin suiker.
Die ander Barista roep my na die till om te betaal. Ek swipe (wat is die woord in Afrikaans tog?) my Woolworths kaart meer as een keer en wonderbaarlik kry ek meer as 10% afslag op ‘n Grande coffee by Woollies. Voor ek loop, beveel Tomalo aan (skuus as ek nou die naam verkeerd het hier) dat ek die koffie MOET proe voor ek loop, om seker te maak dis lekker. Ek vra haar, in Afrikaans, Het jy die suiker geroer ook? Sy verduidelik vir my dat haar Afrikaans so bietjie verroes het terwyl sy op verlof was. Ek lag vir dit en herhaal die vraag in Engels.
Sy HET dit geroer, soos dit ‘n goeie Barista betaam om te doen. Ek vat ‘n slukkie en maak ‘n gebaar met my hand na my gesig toe dat dit wel ‘n Coffee e Monate IS (koffie wat klap soos direk vertaal). Om die dood toe kan ek nie die man se naam uitspreek (of onthou) nie, maar ek vra hom en Tomalo om te glimlag, ek wil ‘n foto neem vir my blog inskrywing. Ewe opgewonde glimlag hulle mooi terwyl hulle pose vir die foto. Uiteindelik het ek ‘n foto wat vir my werk, wat almal se glimlagte en opgewondenheid wys.
Voor ek gaan, sê Tomalo dat ek by my inskrywing moet voeg hashtag best_baristas_in_harties. Sy gaan voort deur te sê People will comment. Ons gaan voort met ons grappies en ek sê ek sal nog ‘n paar hashtags by hierdie inskrywing sit soos #coffee_e_monate en #best_coffee om net ‘n paar te noem. Sy het ook gesê ek moet terug kom vir ‘n tweede date, hierdie was nou my eerste date. Ek moet sê, ek mag dalk net ‘n Woollies Grande Cappuccino deel maak van my weeklikse inkopielys. Dis jammer dat my koffie nie so lank gehou het soos die lekkergevoel na hierdie gesprek met hierdie twee mense nie. Dit was klaar nog voor ek by die damwal was, oppad terug na die pragtige Skeerpoort toe.
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