Preface

“Ja”, - that is the Afrikaans, or “Kitchen Dutch” word for “Yes”.

The phrase “Kitchen Dutch” at some point no doubt was
politically incorrectly used by superior minded people when
looking down on the “drosters” who spoke this new language -
Afrikaans. Funny how the wheel turns. Anyway, “Ja”, used in
this context has an at-last-I-got-around-to-doing-this-finally-feel
to it, which is a very different feel to the English word “Yes”,
but that’s Afrikaans for you. You see, for years, I have wanted to
write a book, or should I say that the blood that passes by my
heart has wanted to express itself. I currently reading “To War
with Whitaker”, the wartime diaries of the Countess of Ranfurly
1935-45, which she began just before World War 2 began. What
timing! So, I thought, well why not get down to it then, since
this has been your yearning. Besides, what better time to start
writing, as this opportunity will be forever lost and who knows
when and how soon, and we are really at the point where we are
straddling two worlds. So, those are the reasons for this diary,
one, the heart needs to talk, and two, what better time to do so.
This diary, which is essentially a journal of everything, will be
completed somewhere near the end of Armageddon, depending,
of course on many factors we do not know yet, but hopefully this
diary will become a friend to all those who will come and visit
her at some point in the future, to understand this particular time
in man’s universal history when he was being assisted to cross
the bridge from an unwanted past to a desired future.
Saturday June 5, 2021
Today we attended Graham Tagg’s Memorial via Zoom along
with brothers and sisters from all over the globe, happy to say
that despite the sad circumstances in this particular instance, it
gifts us an opportunity to see our dear known brothers and sisters
again, and to appreciate all their faithfulness as they continue to
walk along the straight and narrow, and not only that, we see
many new faces, brothers and sisters we do not even know yet
and whom we will meet and get to know fully in the not too far
distant future. We hope. Each one with his own life story, his
own series of experiences reaching back to his first baby steps.
Although I never knew Graham that well, I always felt that he
was a kind of a “kindred spirit”, not particularly impressed by
showy and pretentious worldly things, which is an unwrapped
gift in itself to those who live entirely comfortably in their own
skin, content with the simple things that honest life provides,
…..like the bush, just being able to touch the fringes of nature, to
taste it’s inherent satisfaction just like a toddler setting out on its’
journey, with so much more to learn, to experience, and without
the fear of those who walk the broad road. Bush! That sounds
like such a current world heatheny thing. Ex-world by now.
These wild-land-rover-you-only-live-your-life-once type of
people clothed in neutral colored attire, so honestly at odds with
a gadgety, plastic, branded and heartless world, also gone by
now for probably a while. He was definitely spot on with the one
life idea, even though his was interrupted by a quiet period of
time-out on his front porch, with the warm rays of sun bending
down to soothe him, and we know what is going to happen, don’t
we? …..like music that caresses loving memories from the
headiest highs and depressive downs, which is not something I
care to talk about even though some razor memories cut us all to
the bone. Actually, I never knew that Graham liked Roger
Whitaker, I knew that the family were into The Shadows and that
kind of thing, and there too, we have another brother Hank
Marvin, I think? to get to know. And what about getting to
know Roger, who according to the Internet, is currently “alive
and kicking” which now raises another series of what-will-
eventually-happen-scenarios, but we will have to wait-and-see-
what-happened. Won’t we, but I do can understand why Graham
liked Roger’s songs, probably because of the dusty hopefulness
of his gravely voice. I hope Graham will be able to meet Roger
one day.
Luke de Freitas gave the memorial talk.
Friday December 15, 2023
On a thundershowery Friday morning at 9:30 am, Umnyama
suddenly receives a message from the king: “Good morning
Umnyama. Please draft an agenda point recommending OL to
serve as the assistant to the king. Thank you.” Umnyama duly
complies with a thumbs-up emoji, knowing from many
discussions that this would logically happen in time, but surely a
human touch and a more dignified approach would have been to
gently pass it by Umnyama verbally first before firing a cold
Teams message, knowing that he was agreeable in any case. But
as is the general case in the tribe, the glory line is lined with
kudo beggars at every opportunity, at the expense of the slaves.
Umnyama suspects the timing is excellent for the king as the
man from over the sea arrives soon to inspect the land.
Meanwhile Umnyama waits patiently for the king to deliver his
next message not knowing what it would be. Previously the king
had said things like, “wouldn’t you like to cross the river?”
There’s a place there where fruit and vegetables grow super
abundantly and life is sweet. In fact, he even mentioned that he
would like the join the sweet life over the sea but Umnyama was
not fooled. He then asked if Unmyama would like to cross the
big sea to go and look after his wife’s family but you guessed it,
Umnyama was not falling for that either. Then the king surely
encouraged Umnyama when he said that they would be together
for a long time and that he especially appreciated all the insight
from his dear rainbow friend. Then the king suggested that
Umnyama could assist the fluffy impi because their warriors had
become a bit flabby and out of touch. Then in time, he could also
become a prince, and together, they could work along with the
big men from over the sea to conquer Africa and make a great
name for themselves, but, as you guessed, just somehow
Umnyama was not falling for that. Then in time the king
changed his mind and said that that the fluffy impi prince will
decide if Unmyama should become a prince. Through all of this
Umnyama was never even vaguely interested in being a prince?
Why?