watering the food garden this morning & nur invites me next door to hear his latest dj mixes. we hang out once every blue moon & he de-briefs me about his life story updates – entrepreneur studies; dj'ing & club bouncering; gym techniques & marital stress. he gives me, my promised second lesson on virtual dj & we watch some porn. nur worked as a chef – he breakfasts me on his enterprise fund-raiser experiment .

my older cousins 'laura' & yvonne visit my grandmother this evening during her sunday radio church broadcast. lorraine's husband, titus & small son, tyrone & adolescent daughter, sherna accompany them. we spend most of the time discussing sherna having to repeat grade 11. lorraine & yvonne have surprisingly progressive ideas about child rearing (but i don't like the way sherna talks to her mother - she says her mother is very understanding toward other children but not toward her; i feel i can relate). tyrone & his father are enamored with my barbells & sherna with godfrey's new whitney houston cd. before they leave we have a quick family prayer (sherna doesn't participate - she reads a fashion magazine). the matriarch's in my family are very x-tian even if most of the rest of us are irreligious alcoholics
godfrey arrives late evening. he says the white gays at the "boerewors curtain" square-dance, so-called 'gat' (arse) party were very unfriendly towards lucy them.

"Hi,ek oefen gou om daai Electro Rec.te maak.(Nur)" nur/"dj angelo", 14h56, 31 jan 10

this morning I hum (attempt to aum r.j.stewart's elemental chants) while watering godfrey's food garden.

i fetch milk from the salon to make coffee for the librarians on duty, carol & fatima...

the 2 sci-fi novels i'm reading 'hidden empire' & 'matter' ("...Life needs living, no matter what our station in it"), both feature advanced intelligence voyeuristically spying on everyday life...

dan brown's analysis of the word "sacrifice" ('sacra facere' : holy making) i'd read earlier is still lingering in the back of my mind...

all afternoon long there's engine roaring filling the neighbourhood air from a car show on some nearby sports ground...

dion & his house dj, master cash have quarreled a few times in the past but this time they seem to split because of master cash using his premises, 'la reference' for private ventures excluding dion. master cash is using his own facebook account with the username 'la reference' as a weapon, withholding publicity to the venue.

'batman begins' on tv - i never knew morgan freeman, liam neeson, gary oldman & katie holmes played in it (cloistered snob); i think the re-branded batman franchise is partly a ploy by warner bros to excise prince from his royalties ('the future' was a cool post-apocalypse anthem)... even the relaunched 'superman' could've used some prince treatment : i've always thought 'if i was your girlfriend' was the perfect song for lois to sing to supes...

"Hi skat how u? please cum 2morrow, we going to the "Gat! party we'd love to hav u, please cum love u x" lucy, 01:16, 30 january 2010

godfrey is on his way to an interview this morning, from lucy's place in town.
i finish assisting sydney with alterations my mother wanted done to the security gate. we work in his garage - his domain. his dobermann threatens me but after i assume alpha male he presents himself to me - if homosexuality is supposedly unnatural, then why do animals detect it & respond; if it didn't exist in nature, they wouldn't have it in their response repertoire (!?).

carol buys us ice-cream cones pass the beach on our way to pick up sean from the station - he's silent.



my mother bought new crockery on her staff discount & i get a very early easter gift : (now i should eat only fish today to go with it & that'll be very cultic).

"?... say "hello" to Lucy.Good Luck."to godfrey/lucy's phone, 07:03, 29 january 2010

"Hi sindy!Where in blaauwberg should i meet you? Ill be there around 12. Godfrey" lucy's phone, 06:51, 29 january 2010

"So sorry for the late texting. Godfrey feel free to come around at 12 for lunch induction. Sindy" fwd.'ed to godfrey/lucy's phone, 02:17, 29 january 2010

"So sorry for the late texting. Godfrey feel free to come around at 12 for lunch induction. Sindy" X, 23:54, 28 january 2010

"Pse sms sindy's number urgently! Thanks" lucy's phone, 21:21, 28 january 2010

... continued from yesterday, i help sydney weld fix the boutique's security gate. sydney used to be the grumpy old man who scares neighbourhood kids. he's more talkative these days. i'm impressed by his machine skill - with his arc welder & solder gun he looks like a rock musician with an amped guitar. he has big hands.

morning at the store i'm dissed by a dreadlocked boy walking in a gang of 4 past the shoppe. i felt insulted for an instant until i realise that he felt threatened enough by a dreadlocked guy with blue nail polish to lash out - i feel better.

godfrey off to stay over with lucy - who called earlier inviting me but i was busy. he has an interview tomorrow & is helpng lucy with her website.

i help fatima with a little bit of research for her information sciences assignment. she & carol gave me some ampules of salve for eye sore.

my mother insists on taking me to the chemist for burn salve ....

"Hi Luce! /just got up. See u later in the afternoon" godfrey to lucy, 06:58, 28 january 2010

"Die faksnommer is X. Sal j die report more-oggend oppad werk toe by my kom drop asb? BAIE DANKIE, LOLS. MWAH" godfrey (on my handset) to lolla, 22:16, 27 january 2010

"OK. ek wag vi j. Sal saam jo afloep sodra j kom." godfrey on my handset to sandra, 18:50, 27 january 2010

"Gota ekt pille gdrink vmidag o eki leka gvoeliti n tu bietji gn le n anislp graak,David ngi hi ni ma sodra hy km sl ek af km.kani bell,air no op:-(mwah!" sandra, 18:38 27 january 2010

assisted uncle sydney, from down the block, making the security fencing for my mother's boutique. help welding - sparks flying; metal grinding,,, i burn my left hand picking up a just welded frame - hot rod = palm swollen.

at the library, fatima is back after 2 days off-sick.

tonight i have arc eyes fom staring at the arc welder without sunglasses - it feels like my eyelids have caluses underneath, their burning & teary...

"WiL j nie n drai ko makie? GODFREY" to sandra, 14:41, 27 january 2010

"Hallo my engel!sure,c u neto,mwah"sandra, 14:33, 27 january 2010

"Please call" mother, 14:16, 27 january 2010

i overhear my mother's morning prayers through her bedroom door... she prays for my sister to find a good husband now that ricardo & her are apart; she prays for godfrey's health & my well-being. i scuttle off when my sister bustles past...

carol leaves after work but i abandon her (i usually accompany her to fetch er eldest, sean from the train station) to stay on & play on the library ‘puters.

"Dankie vir die boodskap. Het dit gisteraand gekry. Godfrey" lucy, 13:25, 26 january 2010

"Hi Godfrey. Sindy and Mnaemeka here... if we could pls move ur induction to Friday as we're having to meet clients in the west coast this week. Regards" fwd.'ed to godfrey/lucy's phone, 22:40, 25 january 2010

"Hi Godfrey. Sindy and Mnaemeka here... if we could pls move ur induction to Friday as we're having to meet clients in the west coast this week. Regards" X, 22:04, 25 january 2010

freaked out! after pre x-mas fumigation still find big cockroach scuttle in my room -i'm not easily scared by insects, the insect kingdom is intriguingly beautiful but now i'm disturbed.

see ali, off to interview, before I step into the library, early morning.

at home we eat watermelon for the 1st time this season.

godfrey comes home after 2 days absence, having helped lucy with her web-site.

"Lucy't gevra ek moet hier slaap. Ons wil die website klaar he by maandag. Het jy die koppie rys gekook en die 2 tamaties by die slaai gesny? Stuur plse call me om te beaam. G" lucy's phone, 17:44, 25 january 2010

sandra & lolla visit for lunch. we watch 'departed'.
godfrey says he's not as peevish as me after i playfully (but inconsiderately) insulted him.

he says he starts a new job tuesday.
'funny girl' on tv - the idea of a jewish girl & an arab man falling in love seems world changing.

twin blade gives a smoother shave than my usual triple blade disposable.
early morning in the library. reading sci-fi @ home.
i don't go to help my mother @ her shoppe.

godfrey very lovey-dovey.

escort carol to a librarian meeting in mamre
View Larger Map .
first time here. the rural 'platteland' ("flat earth") looks beautifully expansive.

she treats me to coffee & lunch & insightful ("informative") conversation when we fetch her unisa textbooks on our way back thru town.

homeward, pick up sean from the train station.

sandra & lolla watch the start of "avant" doccie tele-serial, 'man', when they come to pick up godfrey (we're still remote)...

into town along with carol taking her son. stefan to college 2nd year registration. i haven't been in , in ages. along the way i see solar panels & wind generators on the 'lectronic notice boards - did south africa leap (partially) high tech overnight? stefan plays dj & 50cent asks me to have his baby with johnny gill smooth - impressed.

... i finally visit the scientology church to witness new year's presentation - finally all l. ron hubbard's books are released to the public (revelation seems to be the theme of the week after reading dan brown's 'the lost symbol'). i see angela; ellen; reuben & a'sea.

i visit health4men & meet the health-worker who posed nude for their safe sex campaign, renaldo .cool bonus tote bag along with the free condoms . bump into glen on my way out.

the cape quarter complex is impressive - i go to see the small patch of shopping centre that basil stringer interiors built. strange, to be intimate & removed from something.

the train station is still being upgraded but it does seem sleeker (especially the too smooth floor).

"Great" lucy, 09:50, 20 january 2010

carol takes me & godfrey along for ice-cream on the beach. carol likes caramel. me godfrey & have chocolate cones. godfrey & me are still emotionally distant.

i like the musical hum & cloud doodle on the serviettes.

liam neeson plays 'kinsey' on tv late-night...

"Halo julle!sowi x laat ma x noda!mwah" sandra, 09:28, 20 january 2010

i felt emasculated. i never thought i could go there - i consider myself so enlightened & full of acceptance. i think godfrey doesn't respect me anymore.

1st season of 'ugly betty' starts on public tv ...

in 'future shock' alvin toffler suggests enclaves of the future & retreats catering to nostalgia to help individuals adjust to the culture shock of accelerating cultural change. the sabc channel 3 seems to be doing this with screening back-to-back tele-serial episodes from recent hit americana. not sure what moral education they're trying to achieve with the jaded 'nip/tuck'...

we play fight & godfrey calls me a coward!! but he emotes it with such force, i'm stunned & turned off.

late night i've picked up a cold.

return looong overdue items to library & find dan brown's "the lost symbol" ...

... finally finish reading: (very long-winded!!). contains godfrey's favourite bible quote : ecclesiastes 4"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken(!)".

silent, distant lighting flashes all thru the nite...

this morning my sister guzzling milk in the kitchen next-door; out of sight her disembodied swallowing cognitizes me about the notion of intelligence removed from a body (!)...

earth light at sunset - reminds me of the enigma song 'gravity of love'...

"I stay in Cape Town. Does this mean I can apply without having to pay theapplication fee? I have emailed u my certificates. Will this b in time for this Sept enrolment? Do u offer bursaries? If not can I work it off? THANK U!" to X, 19:08, 14 january 2010

"Great. Thatsounds good.Peter M. will invite youtocome visitMaharishi Institute." X, 17:37, 14 january 2010

"I passed matric with an exemption.I got a B&C+ in Afrikaans&English respectively.My other subjects were Maths,Science,Biology&Geography.Ill email u a copy of my certificate." godfrey to X, 11:07, 14 january 2010

'heroes' season finale...

"Thanks Godfrey. How were your matric result"X, 20:25, 13 january 2010

"Please Call @)h" veronica, 20:34, 11 january 2010

...i finally finish reading ... 'pax romana as a (double-speak) cultural ideology' (very interesting considering later x-tian expansionist & european imperialist methods).

today candace & david had tattoos done by hayley's cousin, denzil.

sandra introduced us to kevin, her new love interest & godfrey performed as the centre of attention, camp drama queen.

candace is terrified of her conservative x-tian mother's coming response...

"THANK U so much mr Bletcher. Warmest regards, Godfrey" to X, 14:30, 09 january 2010

"Hi Godfrey,email is X@gmail.com Regards" UNK, 14:18 09 january 2010

sandra ()& lolla both had tats done on their lower backs by denzil.
sandra has a set of eyes & lolla has a tribal tat...

"Hi Mr X, my name is Godfrey. I spoke to u last year some time after i saw u on Journey to the Core. May I have ur email address please? I'd like to enrol 4 a degree in Creative Writing at ur university, but i cant afford the application fee as I'm unemployed. It is my dream to study literature. Ive been writing poetry 4 over 20 years. I would like to start a literacy project after my studies. Ur university encapsulates all Im standing for. PLEASE help me. Id like to change my life and that of my communityTHANK YOU. My email is X@gmail.com" to X, 12:08, 08 january 2010

godfrey begins regimen on exercise cycle.

":) no net gekm om jo te bel om te hoor of j veilig bydie huis is, toe sien ek joboodskp.groete vir david&zach. lekker slp,Godfrey" to sandra, 22:10, 06 january 2010

"X byri hys:-)mwah" sandra, 21:40, 06 january 2010

godfrey slept peacefully - no rolling around & hogging the bedsheets - for the first time in ages.

i arrive @ the library & carol has a short haircut.
i arrive home & godfrey has a bald head. he puhsed my grandmother to the hairsalon in her wheelchair for her haircut... (what's up with the militarism?)

ali visits (he's recently released from prison and hangs out with a suspicious looking older boy) ...

godfrey & me walk to town to shop for light-bulbs. boys playing beach rugby. ali's sister, shahieda @ the beach... sea-water strangely luke-warm...

sandra dines with us. godfrey made extra-delicious chicken curry...
i don't thank him enough for putting up with my family stresses - my greedy, selfish extravagant sister & constantly nagging, often thankless grandmother...

off to fetch my grandmother's pills & meds from the district clinic in the morning (her friend from the senior citizen's group usually does this but she's away visiting family. the day clinic feels like an alien environment to me - everyone else seems to automatically know what to do & where to go. i find my bearings & some old acquaintances) ... drop by sandra's house nearby and find david alone, housecleaning. we chat about david's fairweather friends & gym while he washes dishes. he's happy to be starting a new job next week working for a solar panel installation company...
late afternoon godfrey & me start new gym routine before sitcoms.

... godfrey & me are off with chimezie to fetch their stuff at ntswake's old place. we have to return chimie's lap-top. my brief first time in town this year. in the rail station i get the evil eye, up & down from an apparently envious oriental guy - i feel sooo smug (dressed in the formal jacket/(open-chested) sport top combo my mother gave me for x-mas ).
we take a train ride back to the strand & i introduce godfrey to hayley on the train.

... finally finished reading . i feel very privileged to have grown up in a relatively secular society with a very progressive mother.

(2 adolescent arab boys having lived in a religious conservative community, hung after being caught engaged in homosexual practices :
)...

bamboozled – hustled twice last year bi a double-cossing xtian & a hypocrite, poseur muslim who both used their fake religiosity as covers. angry musing; bustling...

gay icon, macedonian 'Alexander' on tv tonight...

me & godfrey skip going with sandra's posse to the beach because the cars are overloaded...
braai at home while the rest of the family is off to camping terrain for the day. 80's orient-mania, blaxploitation schlock 'the last dragon' on tv.

"Ek het 2008 laas gesien,Wiena se kind raak oor 5 dae 1jaar oud en jy het hom nog nooit ontmoet." (brent?, 08h27, 01 Jan 2010)

"Here's wishing all my friends, acquaintances, enemies & family a blessed, healthy, enlightening & prosperous 2010. Love. Carol." (carol, 07h46, 01 Jan 2010)

yellow full moon midnight new year's eve. my aunt yvonne, her husband 'dullah, son dylan & baby cousin giovanni visit after midnight mass. myself & mother drive to sandra when we drop them off to wish her & pick up godfrey. visit my second cousin brent's renovated house on our way – he's not there but my second cousins garth, carmen & their mother, let now lives with brent & his mother, magdalene. I haven't seen any of them in ages.

"Blessings to you+your loved oneslots of ove lucy+melissa x" (lucelle, 1h49, 01 Jan 2010)