Crazy Hectic Week–Heart to Art

Well this week didn’t go as expected.

The same could be said for the past six weeks. Just when I’m all ready to settle down and take a breather from traveling, I end up being more an uncertain gypsy than ever.

This past week’s little travel has been more emotional and stressful that usual because of family. In particular, my grandmother.

With her 82^nd birthday just a few months away, last weekend saw her heart throwing a tantrum again.

We’re kinda used to such cardiac events occurring at infrequent intervals. She’s always shrugged off heart attacks, water in the lungs, related infections and anginas with her determined will and down-right stubbornness.

But this time is different.

This time she seems much more frail and has less energy. This time we came closer than ever to losing her.

So a quick trip down to Durban, straight to the hospital, brought back memories long dormant.
Having to help navigate through familiar roads with changed names (why Durban, why?) didn’t make things any easier.
I tried not to shout at my cousin, but somethings can’t be helped. (She was really good, though–she didn’t shout back.)

I find it odd that I’ve gotten so used to being in hospitals, both as a patient and as a visitor; and with that, my faith in doctors and nurses to care for and heal my family (as well as myself). It shouldn’t be natural. But it seems to work. Or maybe I’m just lucky that way.

My grandmother had her first ever stent put in. It’s a little thingy that holds open the artery. She’s back home, and me with her–for just a short while.

And so here I am, back at home, helping my grandmother convalesce.

She’ll soon be shouting at me (I hope). And teaching me how to bake and cook.
It will be fun, because my gran’s English can really be quite funny. We’ll be ‘flashing‘ oil on the stove; ‘splashing‘ dough instead of slapping it, and ‘put‘ putting the ingredients. It will all end up delicious, of course; even with my gran going: “What you laughing for?” with genuine puzzlement.

And through it all, we’ll know that time is precious–for us both.

About August:

Here at Inbetweener, August will be Art Month.

I’ll be interviewing some fabulous artists with some unusual backgrounds and approaches to art.

This is something that is close to my heart and that I’ve been wanting to do for a long time.

And there’s no time like the present.

Catch you in August 😀