shirley manson from garbage is in the new terminator series on tv (quite a few actors who've played queer characters on this episode)...

i go along with carol to help her with a course assignment. we meet giselle, her new tenant. she treats us to supper. sean gives me some manga...

"Hi Marcellino ek kom Donderdag huis toe die  dokter het my indie bed gesit ek sal jou bel as Dion kom dankie", sms from my mother...

godfrey helps xa with his homework projects. xe talks with me in the garden about her schoolwork & boys. tonight 
godfrey & i watch "the mummy returns"...

today is david's funeral... 

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the service is held in a minimalist cathedral-like church hall off firgrove main rd. the obnoxious minister rants against his family problems & problem children; obsessive sport-playing (!?) gay marriage (!! even tho' david was a straight yet gay-friendly rugby player) & selfishly eats up all the service time before sandra gets to sing david farewell with celine dion's "fly" 
"Fly, fly little wing
Fly beyond imagining
The softest cloud, the whitest dove
Upon the wind of heaven's love
Past the planets and the stars
Leave this lonely world of ours
Escape the sorrow and the pain
And fly again

Fly, fly precious one
Your endless journey has begun
Take your gentle happiness
Far too beautiful for this
Cross over to the other shore
There is peace forevermore
But hold this mem'ry bittersweet
Until we meet

Fly, fly do not fear
Don't waste a breath, don't shed a tear
Your heart is pure, your soul is free
Be on your way, don't wait for me
Above the universe you'll climb
On beyond the hands of time
The moon will rise, the sun will set
But I won't forget

Fly, fly little wing
Fly where only angels sing
Fly away, the time is right
Go now, find the light" 

- she initially reads but breaks into song & there's not a dry eye in the church. godfrey reads aa afrikaans praise poem he wrote for david: "dawidster" (star of david). 

he's interred @ sir lowry's pass cemetary
View Larger Map. 

"R u dead?", sms from sean...

"Sori, i tort da funeral in da morn." sms from sean...

"If u too upset abt da funeral,I stay here,u mus lt me kno" sms from sean...

"Cn i cum ova der by u guys?" sms from sean...

"U guys der?-i mite cum ova,ima bring sum cd.s" from sean...

"Hear ye hear ye... THE BIGGEST EVENT IN CAPE TOWN IS HAPPENING TOMORROW night!! International Management Executive Guest Speaker Carol Nolan is here to speak to us about the completion of OUR building and the creation of the next great civilization! You've got tobe part of this. BMW Pavillion, 6:30 for 7pm. RSVP this number. :-)!"sms from angela...

xa & xe visit. xe hasn't visited us in a long while....

"Jammer r r r r ! Ek het vergeet", sms from carol about a lunchtime appointment.

"Ek weet nie meer wat om te se nie... Ek los maar nou alles in jou hande.", sms from godfrey...

i'm so blessed: i get up to feed the dogs & they're all over me playing & begging for food & attention. dion slept over last nite & my mother & him are off to work early as usual. after visiting the library i bought a pair of lavender bushes at the hardware store. today i plant the rose cuttings sandra's step-dad gave me. when i go to buy coffee & tea (5 roses) at the general dealer, the owner & his wife are both dressed in violet shirts. they hadn't realised & she comically threatens to go change clothes. i make up the bed late. the cat plays & boxes with the covers. 

i almost forget today is sandra's b-day but me & my mother are off to visit her well after we finish @ the boutique.sandra's eldest son david's wake was held earlier in the evening & we just miss godfrey who's already returned home.

godfrey & me escort sandra to visit & bathe her son, david. her cousin olivia drives us along with her younger brother jared.. david's corpse @ the funeral parlour. he looks like he's just in a deep sleep. 

godfrey gets car-sick on our way back. he asks to be dropped off in town centre to visit his children...

"Hi marcelino. There's a special fundraising event at bmw pavilion this weekend. You are invited. 6:30pm. Ml ellen" sms from ellen...

"Hear ye hear ye... BMW Pavilion at the Waterfront this weekend... 6:30 for 7pm...There is a special message fro Management and Chairman of the Board to be delivered regarding our Building...RSVP this number." sms from angela...

godfrey complains to lorraine that carol is unfair towards him & other patrons in allowing me extra internet time on the public computers... maureen is holidaying in durban.

we spend the morning with sandra, who's amazingly calm & composed, asde from the odd welling of tears... 

we spend the evening @ carol's place hanging out with sean so sandra can have a change of scenery. carol used to be her high school teacher @ tafelsig high. they reminisce... sean d.j.'s & entertains us in his garage haunt. 
the posse leaves to party elsewhere, after sean and carol have an argument about drinking & driving, but i want to go home to rest.sandra's niece, candace carts them off in her car.

@ home i watch the end of 'mystery men' & 'cellular' with my mother who's thoroughly entertained (?).

"Wheres the seatbelt in a car?"... sms from sean.

"Ok.il jus go to da usual house" sms, sean...

"Il cum down if u say its ok", sms from sean...

"Is Godfrey der?", sms from sean...

"..mw im anxious and gesuip.. go figure",,,sms, sean.

"I ws feeling anxious, so i bought sum booze."sms, sean.

it's a beautiful sunny morning. 

i'm @ the library when i get the call from sandra that david has passed away - killed in a motor accident... 

godfrey cries... 

on godfrey & my way to sandra's we meet sharon, my old factory colleague "nu-nu" 's wife, who used to car pool with my mother driving...
@ sandra's house later, it's my 1st meeting with her mother, aunt marlene & stepfather, uncle brian, who teaches me about roses... 

we drive to the scene of the accident. i find an arum lily for sandra's beautiful home garden.

my mother unknowingly drove past the accident scene earlier & felt creepily disoriented...

marlon visits to guide us (flower power)... i feel catatonic - i have the distinct urge to incubate. 
falling asleep, it's hard to accept: the "king" is dead.

"Greetings, SHUMBA, A Friend of Ours passed away. We are commemorating @ sunset. Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings but your attendance & special services would be appreciated. If possible? Marcellino", sms...

"hiers n koevert vir jou. ons is BAIE  lief vir jou! g en m" sms to sandra...

"Thnx Gotta,ek salit later kry:-)mwah!lief vir julle ook!", sms from sandra...

"im with her at her house now. shes in excrutiating pain, but shes strong (x) godfrey"sms from godfrey to lucy...

"OMG!:-DGOU GEHARDLOOP VIR AIRTIME!:-OEK KAN DIT AMPER NIE GLO NIE!!! DANKIE VIR ALLES MY LINO!!!P.S 2 songs geskryf:-Phulle beter vir ons keer!lmk,mwah!" sms, sandra...

"Lucky number13!", sms to sandra about her reverbnation chart status...

"Ek voel eensaam. Sterkte met die knipwerk. Lekker aand! G...", sms from godfrey.

"Hi All! We are doing an anti-drug booklet drop down long street on friday night with the Police Station. We meet at the org at 9pm on first floor. Would be great to have you contribute as we have about 20 police officers who will be helping so need your support. Let me know please. ML Angela", sms...

"Baie jammer dat ek jou gemis het. Ons kan more aan jou taak werk . Na my Ouma van kliniek af kom is ek met jou. Lekker dag verder. Marcellino", sms to fatima...

"Dus ok", sms reply from fatima...

dorianne takes me out to coffee to thank me for almost finishing her google site. 

we go to a pleasantly, artsy cafe on strand, beach road 

View Larger Map... 

marlon visits to talk about designing his company emblem  (butterflies on our front lawn)...

godfrey calls to tell craig fell ill this morning. 

godfrey insisted i read 'the four agreements' (the book i took out of the library) & "apply it" to my life. listening to O(+> ("what u say, loving one another is the only way." - 'da,da,da', disk 3 of the 'emancipation' album) while reading 'the four agreements' (p.50 "What you say, what you do, and the opinions you have are according to the agreements you have made - and these opinionshave nothing to do with me")...

godfrey & sandra return from town in the evening. 

i'm off to help carol e-mail her unisa assignment - have to push start her car because we were chatting sooo long outside. bond on tv. sean lends me 'return of the jedi' on video...

all black today, along with fatima & shahieda @ the library (late commemoration of friday 13th)... 

work @ the boutique on outfits for our british customers (mayrum & her daughters)... 
ramadan migrates around the almanac like a caravan & once again surprises me unawares... i won't be fasting this year.

"C u nex time den!", sms from sean...

"Sean Goossen (x)", sms to sandra (& godfrey)...

"Sms Sean se nr asb?mwah:-)", sms from sandra...

"10mins then", sms from sean...

"Is godfrey der? Cn i cum?i wont make a habit guys",sms from sean...

"K,wosup man!", sms from sean...

"i'm working @ mother's shop. godfrey in cape town. letchu know when available. l8r.", sms to sean - sending failed...

"U mus send a please call me if dats n inconvenience." sms from sean...

"Cn i cum der?", sms from sean...

"Enjoy die dag. groete vir Craig.", sms to godfrey...

":-DO engel ek hey jo no-no,air laag:-(" sms, sandra...

"hello SAN. hoe gaanit? oe ja! wat is vandag se datum nou weer?... 14. dis vreemd, want 14 is jou position oppie local reverbnation chart! haai sjoe, Blommie! we've stARTed making our DREAMs REAL, have U?", sms to sandra...

friday 13th, 

my uncle "haasie" (afrikaans - "rabbit")'s 60th birthday. my mother attends after we finish off @ the boutique (they send me & my grandmother @ home very nice food packages)... 

godfrey is visiting craig.

"Hi M. Hope u feeling better? I can only do da business cards if website are up&running. U think we could meet 2mor morning? Dorianne.", sms...

"Get better. See tomorrow." sms...

"morning Dorianne.we have to postpone today. i have to be in town. we can meet tomorrow morning, if that's fine? enjoy your day. Marcellino" sms to dorianne... 

"Hi M. Da flu has me. Its ok 4 2mor. I now have fax2email 2 add to Appl form.Have u found out about annual fee if i personalised da web address? Talk 2mor. Bye", sms...

... godfrey & me off to triangle projects to enquire about couple's counseling. 

we walk thru a pet store & godfrey is amused by the blue-eyed husky when a white store attendant tells him that  huskies are harvested by nigerians for their magical blue eyes. 

@ the library, there's new tai chi classes for senior citizens...

tonight sean gives us a copy of pet shop boys 'introspective'.

we attend a red door sponsored business planning workshop... 
later @ the library we chat to carol & her youth reading education friend, carol; fatima & maureen. lorraine is on leave....

"Het jy my groen kosbakkie gekry?", sms from carol...

"Ek gaan met konsultant in n werkswinkel deur die plan gaan. Dit het baie werk nodig. Kan Cynthia uitstel totvolgende week? DANKIE! Godfrey" sms from godfrey to cynthea...

"Marcelino ek het dringend my besigheidsplan nodig ek het tienuur by die bank 'n afspraak", sms from cynthea...

"perfect. rest well." sms reply...

" "sms from +248510066

"Hi. Pls lets rather meet on Wed mor. Thanx. Dorianne.", sms...

women's day... 

laying-in late in the master bedroom (my mother's visiting dion), 
reading (among other things)... 

singing soprano (muffled in pillows)... 

flower power/fire-power...

sandra visits...

"Baie dankie SHUMBA. GODFREY se dit was baie lekker! Geniet jou dag.", sms to marlon...

sociophobic sean visits me & godfrey @ home. we are duly impressed... sit outside driking & smoking... he reminisces about him & his sister listening to madonna & prince in "love song"...

sandra also visits later evening...

sandra gives me 5 rose cuttings as a gift...

... "[T-Boz:]
Communication is the key to life
Communication is the key to love
Communication is the key to us

[Left Eye:]
There's over a thousand ways
To communicate in our world today
And it's a shame
That we don't connect

[Chilli:]
So if you also feel the need
For us to come together
Will you communicate with me?"tlc, 'communicate interlude'... 

(...allimesnes) 

'raising helen' on tv. tonight we skip watching 'bad education' which s.a. launch we waitered @...

"Very cool." .sms from angela...

"Planning to do STCC end of the month." sms to angela...

"Thank you. When can we get you in again? For your next step? What about a life improvement course?", sms from angela...

"Thank you for inspiring my donation. I received the Ideal magazine. Thank you for being a positive influence. Marcellino", sms to ellen...

"Sorrry for missing the last function but thank you for the invite. See again soon & good luck with your good work. Marcellino", sms to angela...

"Hello Dorianne . Let's postpone our meeting 'til Monday.", sms ...

the cat is now called garfield because godfrey enjoyed the tv movies so much. this morning garfield eats a praying mantis in our room (ominous?)... 

the mist clears as we leave the library this morning...

...post: (i don't expect spelling errors from scientology pub.'s - "willl")...

i acompany lorraine into the night working on stats @ the library...
tonight godfrey & i have a long overdue heart-to-heart.

at the library dorianne accuses carol of being too strict. carol tells dorianne that i'm her best friend, to act as character witness before she quietly goes ghetto: "take it 2 the street!"...

if i'm tight-assed apollo; godfrey is no doubt psychotic/manic-depressive dionysos while carol manifests prim & proper athena...

shortly before the library closes a thick mist settles everywhere...

tonight i watch basetsane khumalo (tswelopele productions)'s 'no reservations' lifestyle prog for their "green issue" episode - very interesting. i try to watch 'gossip girl' to see what the hype is about but don't make it past 5 minutes (nauseated)...

late nite godfrey asks me if i still love him...

sandra visits in the evening with her infatuated driving instructor colleague, samson in tow. sam is a herculanean pakistani who's usually very political & morose. he surprises us by picking up my acoustic, tuning it & strumming gospel tunes in urdu - i assumed he was hindi but his grandfather was apparently a x-tian reverand...

"Hi. Can we meet 2mor mor so 10h at lib? Havemoney 4 u and now done with final web! Dorianne x x", sms...

"Hi.Haal french polony uit freezer asb.Perservernc:d ats how i got ere.If U want2 2,thers a gr8 futur4us:u&I.Stand in my shoes&c if u like how u treat"urself"", sms from godfrey...

"Angel it is me! Your sister! Please do not forget about the letter domi is arrivin in 2 weeks it needs to be a affidavit... Xxx craig", sms to godfrey from his cousin craig about godfrey's witness duties @ craig's gay wedding ceremony...

... mist all morning.

@ the library marlon announces his wife is expecting twins.

the sun clears the mist by midday as i escort carol to place a 'room to let' ad in the local newspaper...

(sensimilla)...

tonight my mother & i make a cream faux-fur jacket for a bridal outfit in record time.

... this morning i'm again without boyfriend [he moves out of our room & takes the ornamental plastic banjo-strumming minstrel figure along]...

this afternoon he gets sandra & lolla to visit our home for sundowners in the backyard...

... this evening we're tentatively reconciled:
"eye guess U know me well, eye don't like winter
but eye seem 2 get a kick out of doing U cold
oh, what the hell, U always surrender
what's this strange relationship that we hold on 2?

baby, eye just can't stand 2 see U happy
more than that, eye hate 2 see U sad
honey, if U left me eye just might do something rash
what's this strange relationship ..ship ..ship ..ship?

eye came and took your love, eye took your body
eye took the self-respect U ever had
eye took U 4 a ride and baby, eye'm sorry
the more U love me, sugar, the more it makes me mad

cuz baby, eye just can't stand 2 see U happy "prince/camille "strange relationship"...