SYW | Diary of an Adventurous Retiree

These are my answers to Cee’s Share Your World Questions

What are you a “natural” at doing?

This is a difficult one. There is nothing that I am really very good at. I throw myself into all sorts of things and enjoy them but I don’t ever reach very high levels. The one thing I do find is natural to me is relating to children.

I also find all things computer related easy to learn and I enjoy teaching others how to use their devices.

Would you prefer a one floor house or multiple levels?

When I was a child I always wanted to live in a double story house and my wish came true at age 13 and I loved the house on the mountainside that we lived in. It’s the only double story I’ve lived in and it had a view of the sea.

What was your favorite subject in school?

English and Typing. The most important and useful things I ever learnt at school was how to read and how to type. But I also enjoyed History and Accountancy.

Complete this sentence: If only the rain..

If only the rain would fall in the drought stricken areas of South Africa. It’s the worst drought we’ve had in 30 years. The crops are failing and the food prices are rising. People travelling to the worst affected areas are taking drinking water with them. Hopefully relief will come soon. In South Africa we don’t complain about rainy days – well hardly ever.

“What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?”

I am grateful for new friends made and old friends who remain good friends.

I am looking forward to whatever the new week brings – hopefully a drop in the galing south easterly wind so that the fishermen can go out and compete in the Marlin competition here in Struisbaai, Western Cape, South Africa

Do you believe in extraterrestrials or life on other planets?

I know some fascinating people who do not fit the bill of human characteristics – but seriously – no – I don’t think they’re aliens. They’re just highly evolved and interesting people who have their own agenda and way of dealing with life on Earth.

It is easy to blame all the unexplained phenomena on Earth to extraterrestrials but just because we don’t know the answers doesn’t mean there are beings with higher intelligence out there is space who come down to Earth to tease us – why would they?

Not to say I don’t think there is life on other planets. Most likely there is and probably very different to what we see here – or maybe very much the same. To me though, it doesn’t matter. There is so much to discover right here on Earth that I couldn’t care if there is something else out there or not. It is fun to think about it though.

How many places have you lived? You can share the number of physical residences and/or the number of cities.

When I count it up it seems that I have lived in many different addresses – 17 at last count but I have lived most of my life in Fish Hoek, Western Cape, South Africa and now I’m in Stuisbaai, Western Cape South Africa. How lucky I am to have found myself in the most beautiful parts of the world.

If you given $22 million tax free dollars (any currency), what is the first thing you would do?

The first thing I would do is buy each of my kids their dream homes or give them the means to pay off what they have and to improve it to their needs.

I would also like to do something charitable but not just to give it away. I would prefer to invest in someone or a group of people to be trained and in some skill that would benefit others when they’re done.

The Never List: What are things you’ve never done? Or things you know you never will do?

I have never Bungee jumped, skydived, paraglided, flown in a hot air balloon, committed murder, arson or grand larceny and hopefully I never will!

Well – I might think about the hot air balloon.

Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I am grateful that my grandson’s surgery was successful and that nothing serious was found in his MRI. I am looking forward to settling back into my home in Struisbaai. The weather is stunning, the sea is warm and my garden is growing!