Lockdown 317

Lockdown Day 317 - 6 February 2021

Our day started out with a heavy rainfall, so walking was out of the question. 

I had an ongoing feud with my cellphone company that had to be sorted out and arrived just as the doors opened. Hats off to Bernard and his manager who turned an otherwise frustrating session into a solution. 

We decided to celebrate our house registration with a breakfast out, after which the morning turned out to be a morning of testimony to special people in their trades. To me, special people are those who push against odds to achieve the impossible. They are not the wealthy shop owners or rich celebrities we see on TV screens and in magazines. They are the lesser known people working to make a life against all odds, pushing against all the "ain't gonna happen" scenarios and sticking with their gut.

We decided to take the scenic route home, detouring through a suburb my parents lived in for a year in the late 1980's'.  I remember distinctly in later years we would frequent an Italian Restaurant close-by when our children were in primary school. We drove to the little shopping centre and found it had made way for an Indian restaurant. 

We also found the Jack Rabbit Chocolate Studio, and decided to go see what it's all about. We met Stephanie, with Makhulu Boss embroidered on her chocolate coloured Chef's jacket. We tasted a bonbon and heard stories about a large delivery to Japan. And left with a small sample of 6 bonbons and choccie-slathered dates. Her Tonka-and-Honey and Salted Caramel deserves a special mention. What makes these people so special is the skill and expertise people have stopped appreciating, not to mention the incredible cost of starting up and carrying on such a business in times such as these. To continue to push into a market locals don't necessarily want to support and to successfully manage to create a sterling product worth the stars and the moon gets my vote for sure. You go Steph!

On our way home whe saw a coffee wagon next to one of the busiest roads and sure enough, an Afrikaans singer was the man serving the coffee! Of course, we had to stop and support him. My heart goes out to all of these lesser known artists who are struggling to make a living in lockdown, who had South Africans at their feet with all the Music festivals that used to be the in-thing for a weekend getaway. Today Robbie used his name and devised a plan. Hats off to you and we hope for the revival of festivals for you guys soon!

Today I take inspiration from these people who believed they could and who just got up and did it. Against all odds. In Lockdown. And shine in a world where clients feel mostly disgruntled, depressed and cheated by the system. Like all the little stars in the night sky, every single one has a purpose and a place. And every single one shines. I vow to always try and single out these special people who are a silent testimony that God's definitely got this.