Dec

Bye Bye Tata

Monday morning was hugely exciting – it was my final day of school and my “Celebrating Me” school concert. I had a stunning time and I sang my heart out. Afterward Mom and Dad collected my report card and we met Tammy and Granny at the Wimpy in Sandton for my graduation breakfast. As a graduation present Daddy got me a Silver Lightning McQueen character for my Disney Infinity. It’s see-through, so it’s a little confusing at first. Back home I chilled in the study while Daddy worked and then late afternoon he headed out for a meeting.

On Tuesday Mommy took me to Eastgate where there is a Funtumbles, just like the one at the Gateway in Umhlanga. It was awesome. I played and played on the rides, and I even rode the bumper cars on my own. It was such amazing fun. We bought Daddy a bobble-head Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory, which he absolutely loves. I got Archie the Scare Pig from Monster’s University. Dad and I played and played with Archie during the evening, making as if he got away and then we caught him. I giggled and giggled.

During the afternoon on Wednesday Shelli, Naomi and tiny little Noa, our neighbours, popped by for a visit. We had a wonderful play, and when Daddy arrived home, the play just continued even longer. We had such a nice play time.

Thursday proved to be a very sad day for South Africa, and I think for the world. I can’t really remember what I did during the day, but it was at 23:45 when Daddy woke Mommy and I up to tell us the news that President Nelson Mandela had passed away at 20:50 that evening. We were both very saddened, and although we went back to sleep, Daddy stayed up until the early hours of the morning watching and reading the news updates.

Friday morning we were all very sombre. Mom and I had to go to Eastgate. Everywhere flags were at half-mast and people drove with their headlights on. Advertising banners everywhere were being updated with wishes and condolences for Mr Nelson Mandela. In the afternoon Daddy had a doctor’s appointment as he had a really sore throat. I decided to go with him, and we really had a fun afternoon together.

In the evening we were invited to Shabbat at our neighbour’s Shelli and Joseph. We were all super thrilled and felt very honoured. Unfortunately I just couldn’t stay awake, so Mom and Dad left me in Granny’s care and went without me. They got home after midnight and on Saturday morning Mom and Dad told me what an amazing evening they had and how interesting all the rituals were.

Mom had to go out for a meeting in the morning so Dad and I stayed home and played, but not before making a fruit smoothie. It was such a lot of fun! Dad’s fluey symptoms were starting to get the better of him, and once Mom arrived home we all had a team snooze for the rest of the afternoon.

Sunday was declared a day of prayer and reflection, and to show our respects we headed off to the Nelson Mandela Square to lay down a flower bouquet and a card that we’d written in for Nelson Mandela. The Square was packed with people and stanchions had been erected to manage the flow of people. Mom, Dad and I went right up to the edge of all the flowers, balloons, candles, drawings, cards, teddy bears and even a boat, where we found a nice little gap for our bouquet. I placed it gently on the ground and we all then shared a moment of silence.

In the afternoon we decided it would be the perfect time to wander through the Rose Garden’s but unfortunately the heavens opened up and it poured with rain. In the evening we popped into the Spur at Morning Glen for dinner. I had a great time playing with the other kids there. At one point though I took too big a jump and landed skew, spraining my ankle. It was really sore, and I howled and howled, but pretty soon I felt ok again. Back home after a hot shower it was off to bed.

Until next week!

Love

Jarrod