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Jorge had to go into the village yesterday to resolve a tax issue. It was hot again. We've had a couple of days of what I consider typical Brazil weather, blazingly hot day with temperatures around 97°F (37°C) and thunderstorms in the late afternoon, early evening. He took very long coming home, which surprised me, as we've all been pretty much staying indoors to escape the heat. It turns out, he had met up with a buddy of his who asked him about English classes. It's well known around here that we're English speaking. He told this friend that I was the one who taught and that I'd give him a call later to arrange classes.
This is where the "do I or don't I" comes in. When we moved here, I gave up my students. The travel time and cost made it impractical to continue, as they were all right in town. One student would require 3 buses. For the amount I earned, it wouldn't be worth it at all. At first, I thought of taking up with an English school here, but once we'd moved in, I got hopeful that I could earn a living with my photo restoration and photography. I've been trying to phone this prospective student, but so far haven't managed to catch him at home. Typically, they only want an hour a week anyway, so its not such a big deal. We'll see how that goes.
Today, we got caught in a heavy storm rainfall when going into the village. We got thoroughly soaked and enjoyed it immensely. This evening, while figuring out the colour codes for my page here, I was listening to Andy Stewart (courtesy of Paula) who I found quite by accident.
I grew up listening to Andy Stewart. My grandad, Jim, as many of you know already, was a Scot. I think he would listen to Scottish Soldier when he was feeling homesick. He must surely have been homesick at some point. I can understand that. Hm.... perhaps I'll put some music in here. Everyone knows "Scottish soldier", but who of you know what this song is all about.......
James Campbell Miller, my granddad, Jim. I called him Jim from when I was two bricks and a ticky high. He was the one who carried me on his shoulders, introduced me to the wonderland of books, taught me how to fix a toaster and an iron, took me to the beach, walked me to the park on weekends. A quiet, gentle man with a sense of humor and a permanent smile. He wasn't one for laughing. I have no memory even of his laugh. He'd just raise the corners of his mouth and you'd see the laugh in his body and in his eyes. I have never seen anyone's eyes laugh the way his did.
I have a photo of his first prize on board the Edinburgh Castle. When crossing the equator, they had a costume party. His prize was for his Scotsman costume. He had borrowed a pair of my gran's pantyhose, wore nothing but that and pinned his kilt across the front, much like an apron. On his back was a sign saying "Now you know". Ok, so his sense of humor was on the wicked side ;)
He immigrated to South Africa from Scotland in the late 40's to early 50's along with his daughters. I'm not sure what year he married my gran in, but her wedding dress is reminiscent of the 50's. They worked together and they worked hard. They traveled and gloried in every free moment. Come weekend, they'd shut the shops, pack the van and be off on a new adventure. If they stayed home, it was to go out to one of Port Elizabeth's many beaches or outlying attractions. I think Jim was determined to absorb the entire country in his last years.
For a man to immigrate, marry and take on his new wife's family, especially the kind of family I came from, is nothing short of incredible. He was generosity and patience to a fault. When my gran was tearing her hair out and bewailing her ungrateful daughter, Jim just gave more and did more. I think he loved my gran a great deal and I was his little girl. Time and again, people would see this tall, white haired man walking with his slight limp with a very talkative blonde child holding his hand. He would just look down, lift the corners of his mouth, but his eyes would smile.
He died when I was 12. I still remember being called out of class and seeing our maid, Sophie at the door. I knew something terrible had happened. The principle broke the news. Everyone mourned his passing, as he was highly respected at the school. Sophie just took my hand and walked me home. It was a turning point in my life. My first exposure to death. Nothing was ever the same again. My biggest regret.... the last time I saw him, Ouma told me to kiss him and I couldn't. He just looked at me past the tubes, his eyes as alive as always, but his body frail and useless. I couldn't kiss him. I wish I had.
When I was a little girl, my grandad, Jim, bought me a glook. I brushed the glook and fluffed him out and brushed him again. He was definitely a novelty. Why I call him a 'he', is beyond me, as Glook was pink! I think Glook left our lives when we moved after Jim's death. I was around 12 at the time.
Time went by, naturally... One day I was out shopping with young Tatiana, aged around 2, when I saw this bright green glook in the toy store. Not a moment was spent on 'should I or shouldn't I'. Glook2 has been with us ever since :)
I struggled to find anything on the glook online. The best history I could find was an Australian site that seems to specialise in Christmas tinsel, though their beginnings were with the glook: Glook Australia. They have some pictures of the original Glooks. Just in case some have difficulty with the page, this is what they have to say:
"Glook has a rich and exciting history stemming back to its inception in 1966. Our company took its name from the 'The Glook Doll' - a fuzzy ball of acrylic fibre with distinctive eyes and two black feet. The Glook Doll, with its bright colourful hair that could be combed in any style, became a favourite toy for many young children and adults throughout the world.
The Glook Doll was developed and manufactured in Leeds, Great Britain in the 1960's and when it first went on sale in Britain it sold as many as 75 000 units per week. We were licensed to sell the Glook Doll in Australia.
In its early days, Glook (Australia) had a proud history of designing and supplying Christmas display and street decorations. Our records reveal that nearly every regional town and capital city in eastern Australian were Glook customers from 1967 to 1985. The Christmas 1968 cover of Walkabout magazine carries the 1967 Melbourne Christmas decorations stretching from Queen Street to Spring Street, designed and supplied by Glook (Australia).
After the 1960's, banners and flags have taken a special place in the Glook historical archives. Photographs reveal that over the years many diverse contracts have been undertaken, from the banners provided for the opening of the Sydney Opera House, to street banners for the 1988 Bicentennial celebrations."
