Today is gray, cold and gloomy. The news is all grim: Libya, Syria, Ivory Coast, Japan ..... So much fear and suffering. An uncertain future.
I continued to organize for my big trip. Charged batteries, downloaded old photos from my camera. Found a burst of pink. Magnificent magnolias. These photos were taken 10 days ago in the Sarah Duke Gardens. A lift of Spring.
My friend, Nancy, is coming with me to South Africa. This will be her first time there. She’s very excited. When I asked her what she wanted to see, she began naming places along the Garden Route -- Nature’s Valley, Plettenberg Bay, Keurboom’s Strand -- places I had gone on holiday with my family when I was growing up. Turns out she remembered the names from my nostalgic descriptions years ago when she and I worked together in Boston. We go back over 35 years. Nancy was one of the first people I met when I moved to the United States in 1975. I was newlywed, living in cramped university housing in Cambridge, Mass while my husband went to grad school. She hired me to work at The Gillette Company. Subsequently the two of us established our own consumer research company and have remained good friends ever since. She visited me after I moved to Canada (where I had my children) and much later made it to Nairobi during the 12 years we lived in Kenya. She has seen some of the places I’ve gone to. And now she will see where I come from.
AlthoughI am allowed two suitcases flying from Atlanta to Johannesburg, I can only check a single 20kg bag when I travel on to Cape Town. I have booked on Kulula which is modeled a bit like Southwest Airlines – budget with humor. Only Kulula is a lot funnier. Check out their new plane— Flying 101. Such a giggle!
The first time I flew Kulula we were about to take off when the pilot announced, with a heavy foreign accent, that he was so happy to be in beautiful South Africa flying this plane. We could then hear him asking someone in the cockpit to hand him the manual so he could study take-off procedures as he hadn’t flown this type of plane before. The passengers, looking taken aback at first, quickly realized the joke and collapsed in laughter. The humor continued unabated and had passengers grinning and chatting to each other about it. Possibly my most fun flight ever.
But, far less fun, will be trying to keep the weight down as I pack my bags. I am hoping to pack flippers (for my daughter), a large plastic art tube to bring back two of my sister’s etchings (one was her birthday gift to me), the kindle I am bringing my sister-in-law and an iPod speaker system to leave in Cape Town. This of course is before the shoes and sneakers, before the clothes for hot and cool weather, before the toiletries and make up, the meds, the books (I don’t have a Kindle). And, most importantly, before the jewelry.
I design necklaces. Many are quite large and dramatic. And rather heavy. I use hand-blown glass, old amber, Ethiopian silver, camel bone, intricate trade-beads…. I have made necklaces for every one of my outfits. I buy most of my clothes in Thrift Stores (so I can afford an extensive wardrobe). But consequentially I have an embarrassingly large collection of necklaces. Paring them down for a trip is one of my least favorite tasks. Should I take the chunky necklace with the stunning amber I found in an outdoor market in Nairobi? How about the pendant with the Baoule Bronze from Ghana? Oh, and I mustn't forget the little necklace with beautiful recycled glass beads -- it looks great with jeans. And the multi-strand red.... and the ... ???
The dogwood tree outside my window is just coming into bloom. A cardinal trills red in the branches. A fresh breeze wafts in with that smell of spring -- all growth and green and promise. Emma Shapplin is playing on iTunes. I am sitting at my computer in Durham, North Carolina and on the desk in front of me lies a daunting disarray of "to do" lists. There is much to be done before I fly.
Deborah Bell, my sister the artist
In exactly two weeks I will be in Johannesburg, South Africa at my sister's exhibition. This exhibition of her sculptures, paintings and etchings opened last week to huge attendance, rave reviews and impressive sales. She is my younger sister. I am so proud.
Our friend Liane said she was not the only one moved to tears by the power and beauty of the work. The title of Deborah's show is Presence. I love it! And just think, my presence will be there two weeks today.
The "to do" lists glare at me but are no match for the scent of spring which calls me out to work the soil.
