Life is forever throwing us curve balls and we never know if we will hit it for a six or strike out. I guess our attitude really determines that.
This morning I got one of my curve balls. The dogs were barking early hours but being a Sunday morning I didn't think much of it as the paper is delivered and they usually go crazy. As my little Daxie is an indoor dog and was restless early I decided she could go out. It must have been shortly before 4.30am and dawn was breaking. Peaked my head out the bedroom window as I usually do and the sky was a beautiful blue with streaks of yellow and some stunning clouds. Ah to shoot or not to shoot.
My cellphone had died during the night so I couldn't do any Instagram so it would have to be with my Nikon instead. Of course by this stage Eva was bouncing all over my bedroom in anticipation of getting out and I was still half asleep so I thought I'd let her out first and then get my camera. Some sixth sense though said to me to rather go back to my room and do my Morning Pages first before going out to shoot.... logic though being that by the time I was done the sun would be long up and the beautiful blue of the early dawn long gone. I just followed my instincts.
An hour later after catching up on Facebook and Instagram and doing my journalling I thought well I'll go do some macro shooting instead. It was a beautiful cool morning. Plenty of dew and I should get some bugs. Gathered my camera, gave the dogs water (who by the way were still chasing up and down like mad things) and decided I'd go around the carport side of the house, instead of up to the top of the garden which is my usual spot.
Well luckily I'm not a person who shocks easily... as I came around the corner I thought "hmmmm my car looks odd".... 2 steps closer and I realised it was resting on a brick and the window was broken and resting on 2 bricks on the other side.... ah the victim of affirmative action shopping as the saying goes in SA....
Now I don't know if I disturbed them when I put Eva out a hour earlier or when I came outside myself. All I know is that my guardian angel yet again protected me from walking into the midst of them removing the wheels where I would have likely been hit over the head with a spanner or worse. As I do lock the security door behind me the house keys would have been on me and they would have gained access to the house.
Now before anyone says anything about South Africa :
- I do not feel anymore unsafe in this country then I would in any other country.
- Theft and burglary is NOT unique to South Africa. Lots of home invasions, break-ins, whatever you want to call it, world over.
- Living in a house and NOT a complex does NOT make me any safer - I know of plenty of people who have had been held up in their homes in secure complex estates
- Moving does NOT solve the problem - I am as much at risk in this house as I could possibly be anywhere else. The difference in this house is that in the 5 years we've been here and the breakins we've had, in comparison with the rest in the area, our interior of our home has never been breached and it has never been attempted. I'm not sure why but we have a pretty good security gate system and you can't really see into the house to assess entry and exit points so clearly they don't want to take that risk.
I am very aware that it is going to be a big insurance claim to repair the damage. Three tyres and mags, plus my spare, a smashed window and radio gone. HOWEVER it is THINGS. I am safe. My children and mother are safe. Things are replaceable, people are not.
Like I said it isn't the first time and it won't be the last, regardless of where I live.
And in the scheme of things yes it was shocking and horrible and I had a crappy day because of it but to put it into perspective :
- somewhere in Indonesia 162 families are anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones after the plane they were flying in vanished (the 3rd one this year)
- 10 years a terrible tsunami devastated 14 countries and killed 230 000 people, today 10 years ago those people were starting to try and pick up their lives again
- a 5 year old little girl was raped by her teenage uncle last night
So yes I'm immobile for a few days while I get it sorted by I've got people who were already on it by 6.30am this morning and I should be mobile either tomorrow or Tuesday. In the grand scheme of things it really isn't a big deal and while it is frustrating and irritating and costs money it is life. Here is South Africa and the world over.