Bucket List

Bucket List
8 October 2012

I have no immediate intention to leave this earthly world – in fact far from it.  My work here is not done yet, and there is too much I would still like to accomplish.  So, I thought, rather than having all of these vague wishy-washy type ideas floating around in my head (there’s not much brain in my head, so there’s plenty of place for floating – loads of vacant area), perhaps I should put it all together in one place.  And then, rather than just ambling along aimlessly, I should start tackling my bucket-list, so to speak.  Ticking things off along the way.  Now, just to clarify – this is my bucket list.  And I am not a very grounded person at times.  So this is not a “the-sky-is-the-limit” thing for me.  The sky is far too close and I don’t particularly like being contained.  For me it’s more of a “beyond-our-milky-way-and-the-next” type of thing.  Trivialities like expense and practicality are of no concern and consideration.  Some things may seem piddly and easily achievable, and those I’ll have to start with presto pronto.  And though appearing insignificant, I can assure you, that all have equal value to me.  I might even list some things that I have already done, just so that I can tick them off.  Makes me feel way better and as though I’ve already made a start.  So, here goes:

·         I have to, have to, have to go in a gondola in Venice.  I need one of those little Italian dudes, with the stripy shirts, pushing me along.  I would need a little fringed velvet umbrella and a cosy two-seater.  And I would definitely need my gondolier to serenade me, so best he have a good voice.  I don’t care that the water is supposedly very dirty and polluted.  Through my rose tinted glasses, all will be sparkling and magnificent.

·         As long as I can remember, I have wanted to go on a Hot Air Balloon ride.  It just evokes such wonderful feelings of glorious freedom – being unbounded and weightless.  I would like to look down upon lush fields, and expanses of water stretching as far as the eye can see.  I suppose I should blame Phileas Fogg for this one.  I have always enjoyed the marvellous travels he went on in “Around the world in 80 days”.

·         I can’t recall ever dancing on a table.  How is this even possible?  Everyone should have at least one table dancing experience in their life and I think mine is long overdue – perhaps I can indulge in this one at my 40th.

·         I want to sit and dine al fresco at a little pavement café in gay Pareee, watching Parisians walking by - for authenticity, all of the men simply have to wear berets and suck on Gauloises Plain cigarettes - oh yes, and they’d need to wear stripy shirts as well

·         On a scorching hot summer’s day, I would like to try and fry an egg on my ridiculously washboard flat stomach (wishful thinking with the flat stomach thing – blegh!)

·         I would like to dress up in an insanely gorgeous and sexy glamorous evening dress, have my hair and make-up professionally done and go to the theatre – and yes, I will be wearing long gloves and have a pair of those funny little glasses on a stick thingy so I can see real close, from way up in my box.

·         I would like a fireplace in my lounge and bedroom – it just sounds so cosy and romantic – and I have always been able to stare into a fireplace for ages – it has the same soporific effect as the sound of the waves.

·         All my life, I have wanted a double story home – it just sounds so marvellous.  Cloetenberg is a double story, and we lived there for a few years and I absolutely loved it.  And growing up, when we lived in St James Street, I had a loft bedroom, so I have no illusions about the stairs.  Still I would love it.  And just think of the added benefit of shapely legs due to trotting up and down all of the time.

·         My hearts dearest desire is for another baby.  Yes, truly it is.  In fact another child.  Going through another pregnancy first would be an extra bonus as I simply love being pregnant.  I love teeny tiny little babies, bigger babies, toddlers, small children, in fact children of all ages – well no, that’s not entirely truthful as the jury is still out on whether I like teenagers.  Just give me another child already!  I know I’m stretched thin, but I could make it work.  Now, to just try and convince Grant.  I’ve asked him if we could Kanga, but he saw through my ploy, as he knows I’ll never be able to give a baby back again.  But, I won’t give up on the dream.  And even if it just stays a dream and never gets ticked off my list, I’ll still enjoy the dream and the what-ifs.  Just imagine a world without dreams and pie-in-the-sky.

·         I would love to walk around the little farmer’s market with my sister in Melton Mowbray.  I’ve seen the pictures and it looks like a scene straight out of Notting Hill.  In fact, I’m sure if one looked hard enough, you’d be able to spot Hugh Grant ambling about and toddling off into his house with the blue door once he’s finished.

·         I would like to touch an elephant.  I don’t want to ride one, I’ll just feel too sorry for it and don’t like the thought of using one for my amusement alone.  I would just like to look into its wise eyes and stroke my hands down it’s rough skin.

·         I would like to successfully grow a veggie patch or even flowers for that matter.  Surely this is not an impossible task?  However, given my penchant for killing anything even vaguely organic and green, chances are I’d do just that.

·         I would absolutely love to have something that I’ve written published – being paid for said writing would be a marvellous bonus and a treat.

·         I would love to sing on stage or even do a bit of acting.  I loved drama when I was at school.  The fact that I don’t sing all that well is entirely beside the point.

·         I would love to have a huge canopied bed.  They just look so classic and timeless to me, and I would just love to have beautiful material draped along the top, and perhaps some fairy lights too.

·         I would love to have a little pond in my garden, not for Khoi fish or anything so smart.  I have far humbler tastes.  All I require are floating lilly pads, dragon flies hovering about, tadpoles and ordinary little fishies.

·         I would like to have a proper facial.  Believe it or not (actually I’m sure one can see visible proof), I have never had a proper facial or spa treatment.  Never had a massage either.  Or a pedicure for that matter.

·         I would like to receive a proper box of chocolates like you see in the movies.  You know the type – heart shaped box, red and with a big velvet bow.

·         I would like to be lounging in a pool in an exotic location and have a fully dressed waiter wade into the water to serve me with an equally exotic cocktail in a pineapple or coconut, complete with little umbrella and bits of fruit on the side – utterly decadent and uber indulgent.

·         I would love to go to the Amazon.  I don’t do snakes and I know the Amazon is rife with them.  Yet I still want to go.  I would love to go on a little homemade canoe, made by tribesman, and go ambling down the river, swatting mosquito’s away, whilst admiring the beauty all around me.

·         I would like to let little Chinese lanterns free in the sky – they are just so beautiful and it takes my breath away when you see a whole lot together.

·         I would like a declaration of love, by means of a banner over a fly-over bridge.  There for all the world to see.  Don’t think this one’s going to happen though.  It’s not that my Grantie doesn’t love me madly, because he does – it’s just not his style and that’s actually okay with me.

·         I have always had a fascination with the idea of a message in a bottle, floating and lost at sea for years and years.  And this one, I’m happy to tick off.  A year ago or so I wrote my dad a letter and stuck it in a Welvanpas (family farm) wine bottle at Kleinbaai.  I filled it with little stones, so that it would sink to the very bottom of the ocean.  I don’t like the thought of it getting smashed to smithereens and causing glass shards everywhere.  And then Grant, my mom and I went to the very highest outcrop of rocks and at high tide I flung it into the ocean.  It was beautiful and an utterly lovely thing to do.  Something I had been wanting to do for ages and ages.  And it intrigues me to this day.

·         I would like to have a proper martini, shaken and not stirred in one of those funny little triangle shaped glasses, with the obligatory olive on the side – the fact that I don’t drink is not really important.  I shall definitely consume, if the opportunity ever arises.

·         I would love to walk through a vineyard in France, in the heat of summer.

·         I would love to walk through an olive grove in Spain, in the heat of summer.

·         I would like to go into one of the many magnificent and majestic chapels in Europe.

·         I would like to renew my vows with Grant.  Sixteen years later, we are not the same people that we were when we first exchanged our vows.  We have both stretched and grown as people, and I would like to marry him again.  I chose him as a naïve 17 year old and after being together for 22 years, I would chose him again.

·         I simply have to see Peter Gabriel performing live.  He is one of the most amazing and talented musicians and performers and I love all of his live DVD’s.  This one is a must, so best he hurry up and come to SA already.

·         I have never, ever, ever received a medal or even a little trophy.  Firstly, I didn’t really excel at anything at school, barring my piano and the time I won the prize for being the most bilingual pupil in Beaumont.  But those days, they were very stingy with their medals and trophies.  And truth be told, though I can easily buy myself one, it would be a rather hollow “victory” if I awarded one to myself.  Now, the question begs, what could I possibly receive a medal for?  Oi vey?  Perhaps this one will never get ticked off either.

·         I would simply love to have awesome fake nails all of the time.  My own ones are pathetic and weak.  The fake ones are sadly way too expensive and I can’t imagine having either the time or the money to spend on maintaining them.  And given my work with the Jumping Castles, they’re just way too impractical.  But on the two occasions that I’ve had them, I’ve felt like a million bucks.  All feminine and pretty.  And I’m pretty sure I was taller too.

·         I would love to buy both Kleinbaai and Cloetenberg.  The inescapable fact is that my grandparents are outliving their money, and will eventually have to sell one of the two.  I have a soul deep connection to both homes and would love to be able to keep them in the family.  My heart will physically ache if either home gets sold.

·         I would love to walk in the sea on a little island in a faraway exotic land, with my sandals in my hand, palm trees on the beach – and amazingly enough I’ve had this experience and can tick it off my list.  When Grant and I went to China and Singapore in 2007, we went on a boat cruise in Pirate Alley, off Singapore.  We docked at a little Island called Kusu Island, a turtle sanctuary.  I promptly took off my sandals and amazingly enough we were the only people on the beach.  Truly magical!  And looking out across the water I could see Malaysia and Indonesia in the distance.  Incredible!

·         I would love to go to Newlands cricket grounds with Grant and the kids to watch a One Day game in which South Africa whips absolutely anyone – not too discerning as to who we play, as long as we win – luckily I’m not shallow or anything…

·         I would love to go zip-lining in the Knysna forest – “floating” through the trees – what an amazing experience it must be.

·         I would love to experience an awesome white Christmas, complete with the whole big Douglas Fir tree, making snow angels outside and a monstrously big snowman with a carrot for a nose and wearing a scarf in the front yard.

·         I would love to be automatically thin, looking gorgeous and skinny all of the time, whilst still being able to eat Zinger Wings (greatest food ever made) at least once a week – as mentioned before, at least I’m not shallow or anything…

·         I would love to drive on a long stretch of road in a little red MG, with the top off and a long scarf draped around my neck, blowing in the wind.

·         I don’t know the first thing about baseball, yet I would love to watch a match at Yankee stadium and take it all in – eating corn dogs, hot dogs, drinking soda and eating popcorn.

·         I would love to have a huge tower of Ferrero Rocher chocolates all to myself – well, I suppose I could share with Grant and the kids as well, but it would have to be a big tower.

·         I would love to have a proper holiday at Kleinbaai with my whole extended family, without having to leave early due to Jumping Castles, or other responsibilities and commitments – I can’t remember ever having more than three nights off in a row, for the last few years.

·         I would love to experience a proper hotel holiday with my kids – ordering room service and with those awesome little bar fridges, filled to the brim with yummy treats.

·         I would love to have fruit trees in my garden, so I can simply go and help myself to delicious fruit all of the time.

·         I would love to wind my way through a hedge maze – they just look so mystical and enchanting.

Clearly, I have lots and lots to still do.  And though most of my dreams are probably unattainable, the dreaming alone is actually perfectly fine with me.  I have an awesome imagination, and can picture most of these with utter clarity – as if I’ve lived through the experiences already.

But given the above, it would still seriously rock my world if I could tick some of my dreams off my bucket list.  Perhaps I should start with something simple, like the gondola in Venice?

 

About to fling the bottle

 

 

Still visible, but barely

 

 

Message in a bottle - tick!