September | 2019 | Adventuring into Retirement

Great questions from Sparks this week. Here is my contribution.

What’s the first thing you’d do if you won the lottery or came into a huge fortune?

First I’d have to buy a ticket to win the lottery – so hopefully there is a very wealthy long lost relative that’s pissed off with his offspring and would rather leave his fortune to me!

My generous side says I would use it to alleviate the poverty around me BUT you can’t help others until you’ve helped yourself

The first thing I would do is buy property in Greece or Italy and start the ball rolling to get permanent residence/citizenship there. Then I would become a human swallow – summer in Europe April to September and Summer in Africa – October to March

THEN

while I languished in the lap of luxury I would consider how I could help the poor! The more you give the more you get, Right?

Which decade do you think had the best sense of style?

I rather like the 1920s fashions. Stunning hairstyles for men and women and the clothes were awesome.

Would you rather be half your height or double your weight?

Well – if I were half my height of 165cm I would be 82.5cm which is probably what I measured at 18 months old. And then I would have weighed between 11 and 12kg. I weigh 52kg now and if I understand the question correctly, I can’t adjust both height and weight so I would be 82.5cm tall and 52kg fat. That simply wouldn’t work. I would be 5 times as fat as I should be and probably unable to move or lead a normal life.

Doubling my weight to 104kg would at least be manageable if not desirable. I could still function as an adult and live a reasonable life. The possibility of doubling my weight is definitely there – halving my height – that can’t happen. Thank Goodness I am in control of the former! With a healthy lifestyle, I guess I can stay in the fifties for a long time yet to come!

If you wanted to get away from everyone totally, where would you hide?

Probably the best place to hide would be somewhere in the bush. My choice would be The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. There is no internet connection in most of the camps and I could hide out there without anybody being able to contact me. At the same time, I would be in a place that I simply love. Usually, I go with my husband but if even he is excluded from this question then I could survive perfectly well on my own for a while. I would take the Ford Everest, pack a pup tent and what I needed to survive and enjoy the peace until I started to miss him and then return home!

What do you do that you love?

I try to enjoy everything I do while I am doing it. If it’s doing chores that are boring, I listen to a BBC Podcast while I’m doing them and then I have the added pleasure from the completed task that I hardly noticed doing as I was distracted.

I love interacting with my family and friends. I love bird watching and going to game parks. I love blogging and reading blogs. I love going to Yoga. The list goes on. Basically, I’ve reached an age where I am just very happy with my life. I am full of awe and wonder that I am privileged enough to live in a beautiful place, have a comfortable lifestyle and good health that allows me to travel both locally and abroad. I feel very lucky and grateful that Life is Good.

Right now we are camping in Addo Elephant Park! I adore my caravan!

Some great questions from Sparks

When you’re 90 years old, what do you suppose will matter most to you?

I have warned my children and grandchildren that I plan to be a burden to them when I’m old! Of course, this is a joke! I will probably still be looking after them at 90!

What will matter is that I am NOT a burden to anybody and that I still have all my marbles. My independence will matter the most.

What’s the best way to spend a rainy afternoon?

When I was teaching, rainy day procedure was a nightmare. We had to keep the children in and take turns with a colleague to fetch a cup of coffee. It wasn’t missing the coffee break that was so traumatic – although it was irksome – it was the behaviour of the poor kids – they would be desperate to get out there and PLAY! It was up to the teacher to invent active indoor games for their motoric release – but it was just not the same. When the rain let up I would take the kids out for a walk. Oh, the fun of splashing in the puddles and smelling the cold, fresh air! Their shoes would get wet – but we didn’t care.

Here in the post-drought Western Cape we are very grateful for the rainy days we are having. I can’t say I do anything special on such days – I just do what I normally do – housework, Duolingo, hobbies. I even quite enjoy a drive out on a rainy day.

What is one thing you don’t understand about yourself?

I understand myself perfectly. It’s other people that I don’t understand – and perhaps that’s what I don’t understand about myself – Why don’t I understand other people?

When was the last time you tried something to look ‘cool’ (hip), but it ended in utter embarrassment? Details?

I had spiky hair and maybe it was embarrassing to some people but I didn’t care.

GRATITUDE/I’M SO THANKFUL!

This is an opportunity to share a picture, a story or event that shows your gratitude.

I am grateful for my Gecko and that I can explore so many amazing places in my country with it.

I am grateful for this lot – They bring me so much joy!

Adventuring into Retirement

Making the most of The South African LIfestyle

Monthly Archives: September 2019

Share this:

Share this: