The death of Otis and my sanity

I'll start this with a photo Rog took of last nights so called Super moon. I think that might have something to do with my more than usual jumpiness. This is going to sound more like a rant than a blog but so be it. I'm feeling homesick and the death of Otis isn't helping.

In case you don't know, Otis is the elevator in our building. We rented an apartment as close to the Indian ocean as humanly possible. Thinking back, it would have been better to be a few streets off the main beach and have a nicer place. The view is spectacular but the apartment is ancient and fragile, like my nerves. Not to mention that the sea is surprisingly loud. I often wake up thinking we are in the middle of the biggest rainstorm ever and then I remember that I'm living at the beach.

When we moved in, I blogged about the elevator and the fact that it was acting weird. Somehow I didn't have the good sense to realize that it might actually die, cease to be, finito. We don't have a car either so what used to be a simple walk to the store is now more difficult.

Rog and I are on the fourth floor and we hardly see anyone in this ghost ship of a building. There is a handyman who doesn't speak much English but he told us enough to let us know we won't be getting a new Otis any time soon.

We contacted our real estate agent who rented the place to us. He's been less than forthcoming and distracted with other clients I guess. So, fighting this homesickness just got harder because every time I leave my house it's 77 steps to the outside world. It's beautiful here but I want to make a point of saying that a beautiful place alone isn't enough to make a life fulfilling.

I think what I really want is to go back to having a shop again. Shop keeping was what I was best at and I miss it. So, at the end of our stay in South Africa, I will be anxious to get back to America and start doing something productive. I want to start painting again and making jewelry and I want Rog to get back to making his pottery.

On a positive note, I am making the most of my time here. I am trying to get the third book in the Closet Door series finished and I'm also going to be taking a master level Reiki class to round out my education in that area. After the course, I'll be able to teach if I want to.

Cheers from South Africa