Friday, March 29, 2019

Fool me Once!

Shipping for my eBay store
One of the things I love about living in America is that I don't need to go all the way to The Post Office, which is always within a 1 mile (20 min) walk, so not back, but I can always just pay for shipping online, print out my label and put the package in the mailbox for the mailman to pick it up at no extra charge. Wow, that was a long
sentence! Haha! I have a new work permit and suddenly, I feel like I have a new lease on life! Speaking of leases, my tenant send me her notice. She was moving back to her home country. My heart skipped a beat to hear this news. This had been my favorite tenant since her move in. We hadn't gotten so close. I had to do a lot of deep breathing and tell myself that there was going to be a happy ending to this as well.

My tenant was so amazingly sweet, she agreed to help me find her replacement. That process turned out to be a very positive one with her helping me out so much. She was willing to show the place to anyone at any time convenient to them. I had to be the one setting boundaries, telling her I would not arrange appointments at certain hours of the day and Sundays. I wanted her to still enjoy her privacy and still feel like that was still her home. Towards the end of my tenant's time there, things were going the right direction. This lady was great until the very last minute. I gave her a commission for helping me out and a bonus for being great. I have to tell you, I was a little not happy the day she made her final goodbyes. If you've ever trusted someone you have never met and they did everything they said they would until the very last minute, that was the case between this lady and I. I am forever thankful to have been blessed with that experience being so far away from home.

An old friend had linked me up with a handyman, who painted my place up for me. Tenant was in charge of going to the bank with the guy, paying for everything and paying the guy and sending me receipts. Everything went very smoothly.
__________
One of my walks in San Gabriel Valley, California
I went for my walks whenever I could sneak one in. In fact, the more I went, the more imperative that I kept going for them. Kind of addictive in a very good way. I walked minimum of 5km per day. Usually more. And because of the itch / tingling I sometimes get when I walk, I found it more enjoyable to walk when the sun is out.
____________
Zumba Day at LA Fitness gym
I alternated Zumba and yoga at the gym and long walks in the Southern Californian sun.
_____________
Now that I have my paperwork, I was going to make sure I visited my people in Africa. Last time I had this opportunity, I waited to get my green card, not wanting to risk not being allowed back in. Look what happened to that green card idea! After my tenant moved out, I remember having a conversation with my sister one morning, I got frustrated about something at my place. Tenant was no longer there to help me out. I was too far to just pop in! As we were talking, I had an aha! moment! Why don't I put the tenant idea on ice until I am back in Africa? That idea made my heart smile. I was not to stress about occupying the place for a while. Thank you, stars! 
________________

Speaking of home, when we were young, all seven of us were taught to crochet by mom. She would then sell the beanies, berets and scarves we made to put food on the table. 
I'd forgotten about this special talent of mine. One day, I decided to buy yarn and see if I still remembered how to do it. 
In progress...

My husband, Calvin, saw this brown had, loved the color and asked me to make him one. He's very creative, so he wanted it in a different stitch. I had already started a pink one in a different stitch, so  he asked for a brown one in a similar stitch to the pink. 

Calvin's beanie
If you see a tall, dark and handsome man with the bluest blue eyes wearing the above hat, it's probably Calv!

Nail life! I do my own nails and love it!

One of my favorite things ever, are taking care of my nails and painting them all kinds of fun colors.

Set Life. #ActorLife

Speaking of acting, I booked a job that was shot in Long Beach. I got to be inside the Queen Mary! It was such a big deal for me. I had seen it outside, remember the night, 'daddy' took me on a special date out there? Click here to read about that ridiculous night, smdh. 
__________________
Wifing

Whenever there are this much dishes in the sink, know that Calvin cooked. He's a great cook but makes A LOT OF DISHES! I hear his dad was the same way. R.I.P. Jim.
________________

I didn't waste much time after my Aha! moment; I got on that internet and started looking at flights to South Africa. This wasn't something I hadn't done before. As someone who practices visualization and manifestation, I had been visualizing myself on a plane back to Africa and back to The US. I actually haven't thought about this for a while! Anyway, I knew, I was going to sit by the window, I was going to be wearing leggings and UGG boots for comfort. I was going to be skinnier than I was when I moved to The US. 

I picked two random dates to fly out and back and stuck to them. At first, I wanted to fly from  LA, to Cape Town and fly back from Johannesburg. I was told that that wouldn't be treated as a return trip. In order for it to be a round trip, I'd have to fly back from where I landed. Fine! Everything happens for a good reason. Knowing what I know now, I just realized how great it is that this was not a possibility for me at the time. Whew! Small miracles! 

I felt good about the dates and the fare, so I went ahead and locked it in! I booked my first flight to South Africa, yall! Getting the actual ticket in hand was not withoout it's hiccups. I did fly an African airline after all. This was a fast reminder of how things are going to be when I get back to my third world mother land. It helped me prepare myself... kinda.

Calvin BBQ'ed

Blood orange from Calvin's mom's house
Blood oranges are delicious! Really sweet! Have you had them?
______________

I didn't tell Calvin that I had planned a trip to Africa. I hardly shared with him at this point. Fool me once! He found out from me forgetting my ticket in the printer in his bedroom! When he confronted me, I just told him I was planning a trip but wasn't going to tell him where to. He tried to find out more, I tried to hide it! It was a game of cat and mouse.

We were still cool, we went to shoot hoops in the park one afternoon. He rode his bike there. . .

In Calvin's camouflage and bike
_____________

Crocheting and eating breakfast in bed. Calvin cooked

Another hat.
I was putting these hats out faster than you can say hat. I was surprised at how quickly it was taking me to finish one up! When I was young, my mom used to tell me my stitch needed to be tightened up a bit. I also hold the crotchet hook in my own strange way, different to others. What surprised her was how my hats sold the quickest. She would be at my neck about always having one ready to sell, because it was a guaranteed sale. I guess that's how I learned to be so fast. I was probably not even a teenager when all this happened by the way. I been putting food on the table since I was a babe, haha!
_____________________
White nails

Gray nails, grey tiles
_______________________________

I told one of my siblings that I was coming home. The one who was going to pick me up at the airport. Everyone else was going to be surprised. Knock on wood, this doesn't backfire!

@BabalwaBrook on all social media and Youtube. Please subscribe to my channel

Thanks for reading
xo





No comments:

Post a Comment