The power of the Stars!

We’ve got the power!

so I’m standing in my kitchen listening to the generator humming along, the orders being called, the buzz outside of the customers, the washing of the dishes... a usual Saturday trading, or so it seems...

driving here I notice the tolerance of the traffic chaos - day seven without electricity... I also notice the intolerance at some corners, the impatience whilst filling jerry-cans with diesel for the generators, the bargaining for fire-wood next to the road, the friendliness of the tar-rolling crew building a new slip-way in Lynnwood road... the willingness of the taxi drivers to help regulate the crossings where we suddenly expect at least some points-men’s presence to be.. - all of this on a cold morning with the creeping cold-front on far sky-line...

I passed the huge banner stating “when South Africa calls we answer #answerthecall” ...somehow what we aim for every day here at the shop...

I instruct the hostess, doorman, waiters, managers to give lots of love, care, support, understanding - life may seem a bit of a mess for most of our local patrons this week... and for some here just another day in Africa, and its challenges and struggles and beauty...

years ago, (many many years ago!) I cooked a lamb shank dish in a black pot on the fire under the African stars and thought to myself “The Naked Chef” would’ve been proud!

these days I don’t know if

Mr. Jamie Oliver feels the struggles we feel now that he is finally

trading in Gauteng, but like him we’ve all come a long long way...

last night looking at my “Le Creuset kettle” on the braai-rooster next to the black pot, this week filled with water for washing, I am proud this time... proud to be able to teach my neighbors how to camp inside their house, make a washing line across the lawn, how to use a solar panel to charge up the electric toothbrushes, watches, camp-lights (sigh!), do washing in the bath, cook on fire (who would've thought that we could ever get tired of braaing!), but most of all, how to do all this under Africa’s stars...

I am grateful for children finally playing in the streets around the house again, the tech-stations rendered incapacitated at least for another day or so,

grateful for our generator at the shop,

grateful for the sight of black pots on fire, but mostly grateful that we still have all of this under Africa’s stars