The Dell

Just living

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Living. And all that jazz. Asking the real questions and getting the real answers. Love reading, writing, books, food, wine, art, flowers, plants,silk, linen, velvet, cotton, handbags, cars, travel, and more…

  • A work in progress.

    How do you manage screen time for yourself?

    Calling scrolling and being a slave to your device, screen time, is a misnomer.

    Me time, quality time, healing time, alone time, family time – these are positive concepts. And you are encouraged to make use of all this time – to your own benefit!

    As I am writing this on my phone, I feel like a fraud for the above statement. However, having the convenience of a phone or other device is wonderful. And I will not give mine up.

    It’s about the way you use your time with the screens that matters.

    I have put my phone in the lounge so that I do not have it at hand for the first thing in the morning. I have an analogue alarm clock.

    The socials are my downfall. And i have been known to spend 0coyntless hours listening and watching other people’s lives unfold. And then there are the tips, hacks and hints for a more productive life. Is it only ne that sees the irony in that?

    I have made a commitment to myself – in my me time, to limit my access to socials. Using my phone. Still loading on this one.

    Perhaps it should be called what it is- time theft.

  • Lights that hold

    Invent a holiday! Explain how and why everyone should celebrate.

    What gives a feeling of quiet celebration like strings of fairy lights? I would venture that one would have to go a far way to find its equal. Candlelight would be the perfect addition to create a pocket of light.

    My holiday suggestion would involve a lot of fairy lights. And it’s close cousin candlelight. The soft quality of the light that these two elements bring to your living room or bedroom or bathroom would allow time for reflection and gentle and expansive celebrations. If you choose to celebrate solo.

    Imagine a crowd standing in a park amongst trees in their autumn glory of gold and red. Each person is holding a candle. The trees are bedecked with fairy lights wound around trunks and branches. Tall pillar candles are placed all around the park. The light is soft, gentle and all encompassing, holding the people in its cupped hands.

    And everybody is smiling.

    They are celebrating Joy Day. A holiday to celebrate the joys of life, big and small, that we all experience. A pause for gratitude.

  • Trust the timing of your life

    What’s something you believe everyone should know.

  • Up close and personal with Jack.

    Threading is the ancient skill of removing unwanted hair- face or body- by means of a cotton thread. The thread is wound around fingers on both hands and kept in the teeth. The action is of bobbing the head as the fingers twist the cotton around the hair, thus removing the hair.  Not completely pleasant, but an excellent result. Razor sharp eyebrows with nary a hair out of place.

    I have my face threaded. Every 6 weeks or so. Now, I have been subjecting myself to this treatment for a long time, and so am familiar with the modus. I have recently moved to a new little town and needed to find a threading magician.

    I found a men’s barber shop that offers threading. Threaders are mostly to be found at a barber shop or a gentleman’s grooming outfit.

    I arrived and was shown to a wonderfully retro barber’s chair. I settled in and girded my loins for the inevitable slight unpleasantness.

    The gentleman does not speak much English so communication is vague and very limited. He did understand what I needed, though.

    He started the process of de-hairing my face and it all went according to the familiar modus operandi.

    Except that, once done with the threading, he whipped out some warm wax and proceeded to apply it to the area around my mouth and chin. He was conscientious in his application. A departure from the familiar. As the wax hardened I could not open my mouth. Luckily I am a nose breather.

    Having removed the wax he brought out a device that looked like a lathe. He turned it on and placed it on my forehead. To say I was surprised would be an understatement. The instrument vibrated enthusiastically, relaxing my forehead.

    Then it was the turn of my shoulders and neck. What a wonderful sensation! A relaxing deep tissue massage. Albeit rather noisy.

    So there I was, face hairless and eyebrows perfectly defined. Relaxed by what reminded me of a jackhammer. A tiny jackhammer, but a jackhammer nevertheless.

    A new more enjoyable modus for threading. I didn’t catch the gentleman’s name. I will call him Jack.

    It is all in the eyebrows!

  • Awe and Joy

    What does it mean to be a kid at heart?

    One word- awe! To be in awe of everything. The sunrise, that sunset, that range of mountains, and everything else.

    A characteristic of this kind of heart is the willingness to be awed. To be surprised. And to be fascinated.

    Having the curiosity to keep asking questions is to have a childlike heart. Exploring always.

    And choosing to feel the joy in the myriad minutia of life.

  • Three little wishes

    You have three magic genie wishes, what are you asking for?

    I am not going to wish for word peace or an end to hunger. Although a wish of this nature would be an essential for the mess the world is in today. I am going to be entirely selfish and tell you about my wishes for myself. Silly, I know. But fun.

    First off, I wish the genie to grant me a fabulous wardrobe. Now, not the actual wardrobe, but the contents.  All coordinated, functional elegant and inspired.   The time I spend picking out my daily outfits would be better spent reading.

    Secondly, I wish for great reading glasses. Funky and chic. Statement pieces to wear daily as part of my look. Distinctive enough to round off a unique style. Searching the Web has fruitlessly occupied many hours. Time I would rather be writing.

    My final request would be for self-styling hair. Imagine the angst and effort that I would save if my hairstyle just was. Such a luxury would please my silly soul. The time that I save will be better spent indulging in cooking fabulous food.

    Come on, Genie. I am waiting…

  • Love you to the moon and back.

    How much would you pay to go to the moon?

    Not much, really.

    I prefer to look up to the moon and bask in her soft light. She washes away the dirt and grit that accumulate  when you are living a full life.

    She gives home and hearth to the wanderer, who weary with a day’s travel can rest in her gentle gaze.

    Up close and personal would seem disrespectful of the lunar jewel. She is shy, majestic, sometimes away and cheeky as she cycles through her phases.

    Love you to the moon and back would lose all meaning.

  • What food would you say is your specialty?

    Food. That is my speciality. I have a special place in my heart for great and good food.

    Great food is that which wows you in presentation and taste. I also call this food sublime. Nothing like allowing the dish to absorb you and all five senses – sometimes even your 6th sense too.

    Good food is that which fills your stomach and your heart. The old recipes from way back when. The new recipes that hit that sweet spot of comfort and joy. The dishes that sustain you in challenging times. The dishes that celebrate you.

    All of these are my special friends. And each and every kind fills my soul with joy.

  • South Africa : Sunday Along the West Coast

    The breathtaking Table Mountain from Blaauwberg
    YZERFONTEIN

    Yesterday, for the first time, we meandered from Cape Town towards Yzerfontein on the West Coast.

    We drove right alongside the sea through Blaauwberg- where you will see the iconic Table Mountain across the bay. Blaauwberg is a favourite spot for surfing and kite surfing. There are many quirky shops and cafes. The area was bustling with Sunday visitors, out for walks along the sea, browsing, and having a cup of coffee.

    Melkbos is the next small town along the Atlantic seaboard. It is beautiful and is host to one of the best seafood restaurants in the fair Cape. The Orca Cafe offers a variety of sea food which is all sourced locally. The menu boasts line fish done three ways – grilled, Thai and Blue cheese. Prawns, calamari, mussels and oysters are just a few of the offerings. A must visit.

    Next stop was Yzerfontein. The views are spectacular and the town has experienced significant growth. There are many very beautiful holiday homes.

    We had lunch at the Beach House restaurant. And as it’s name suggests it is located on the beach front. The menu is small and specialised. Seafood- prawns, hake, mussels. I had the prawns and they were of a decent size and grilled to perfection. The fries are something to write home about. The cheesecake dessert was sublime. Obviously accompanied by a glass of Chardonnay.

    My soul had been fed. It was time to go home.

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  • Escape

    Daily writing prompt
    What was the hardest personal goal you’ve set for yourself?
    View all responses

    The goal was to survive. Literally that simple.

    The only way that I could survive was to escape my marriage. It had all started out so well. He was a qualified lawyer with all the accouterments and seemed fascinated by me. There were compliments by the score. And I was flattered and believed that this man was the One. I submerged myself in the joy of being wanted for all of me.

    We got married. And then he changed. Psychological and emotional abuse was his weapon of choice. I managed a total of 10 years with this monster. I lost myself completely and reached a point where I knew that I needed to leave him to survive.

    This was the hardest and most frightening journey for me. And I experienced many false starts. Failing many times.

    I finally managed to leave him completely. I painstakingly rebuilt myself and rediscovered my soul. The toughest period of my life. And I celebrate my liberation every day.

    A personal goal reached and a happy soul.