Pain

I am definitely not a friend of pain, and my left foot has been literally been excruciatingly sore. I know pain is reative, but if I have pain, I am the literal bear with a sore head!

I know (believe with the very marrow of my bones) that I have to endure my accident injuries whilst alive, and that this is best done with a smile! Since my MVA accident I have learned to discern between polite smiles by whoever is listening to you, but I can tell when people only have a smile to improve their makeup do, and feel nothing - if not loathing - beneath the veneer of skin!

My ex smiles, but I genuinely feel that she is only putting on a happy face! You can see when a smile comes from deep within! The person kind of glows! I far prefer people who glow (and not as "Men at Work from Australia say - kind of perspire like a pig!) with genuine feelings than people who carefully portray a smile that is only skin deep.

My painful foot:-
I know this is becaus of 2 things - 1. The cold weather (seems to freeze my bones and as the sun crosses the range of hills just inland, the temperature plummets and 2. My MVA left my muscles techincally spastic! (they dont respond correctly to brain stimuli!)

I was recently engaged in a service project at our Chapel building a braai - where we light fires and cook raw meat for a crowd. This was my idea thank you very much, as a member bent my ear on how the fires from a small braai that we made, was burning "her" grass! To keep her happy and to do 2 other things:-
Build Quorum Unity by the males congregating and building a braai
Build Branch (and it turns out District) unity by having communal braais
I resolved to suggest that we build a braai! I envisaged one or maybe 2 sections for fire, maybe 2 meters wide, but the one we are busy with now is on a far granger scale - maybe 10 meters of divisions where we can cook the meat - including a sheep or pig on the spit! I swear that the next time Google Maps updates the photograps of Richards Bay, it will be clearly visible, if it is not already visible from space, much like the Great Wall of China is!

Anyway, without realising it, I had strained the tendon in my foot and all of the muscles that run off this (to your ankle and toes) was cramped up and would not release. I have been told that there is an injection of Cortizone that will (Most likely!) work, but the GP was not happy to go ahead with this as a first resport as apparently the injections are really painful. The way I see it, can he not give a local anaesthetic so that it is not so sore! Even if it is sore for hours, it is better than weeks of discomfort! My foot is so much better than it was 2 weeks ago, but really, enough is enough! If it is not right now, do something!

Sure it will affect the foot that I depress the clutch to change gears, but as 2 of my fleet of 4 cars, have Automatic gearboxes, it really does not matter!

My daughter had pain in her foot (coincidence?) and the doctor there went straight for the "fast fix" - mine is more conservative and if anything, this makes him a better doctor - at least in my book! I did explain to Christine that muscular pain CANNOT be hereditary, especially as mine is from the brain damage that I endured when I flew - after being struck by a load of bread!
She seemed unconvinced! If anything my awkward way of walking (comes from brain damage AND structural damage to my pelvis!) aggravates any trouble that I have with my feet! Cold weather does not help and apart from making my muscles stiff, makes they tight where they were damaged - which as far as I can tell, was pretty well all over! I was hit (by my own sports car) from the left (I must have turned just as the truck ploughed into my dream car) so I battle with brain control over the right of my body! Thank Heavens I can - and do - survive, happily most of the time. When the swarm of bees attacked me, I could not run for shelter, because I CANNOT run. Still 4 days in the Intensive Care unit at the hospital fixed that - and I have now lost HUGE weight - and am still losing weight! When I bought my watch a month ago, the strap was fairly tight, but now is very loose! How can this be a motivation for my nemesis at Church telling me that I am getting fat!

Welfare concerns

At present, the weather in Zululand is REALLY COLD -at around 16 degrees celsius at mid day! In a fridge, the temperature is generally only around 5 degrees celsius, so that means practically that outside is only 3 times as warm as it gets in the fridge. In summer, it gets so much warmer - up to 38 degrees - much hotter if you add in the humiture index!

If it gets colder here than 20 degrees celsius (I dont think in farenheight!) it is painful to move around, especially lately when I strained the ligament in my foot! After my MVA, I have technically spastic muscles. Unlike kids who say "Dont be so spastic!" I actually have spastic muscles. Dont worry, this is not contagious, but means that your brain does not connect correctly with your muscles. They cramp up when told by my brain to do so, but as soon as they are told to relax, they dont fully. The effect can end up fairly painful to say the least! Anyway my foot was AGONY - enough for me to seek medical treatment! The muscles are still tight, but are relaxed a bit. Next step is for the GP to give me a really painful injection in the ligament (Plantar Fasciatus? - I think) of cortizone.

The doctor is not happy to do this, but if it eases the pain that I felt - even if it is painful to start with - it is worth the agony! Nothing can be as painful as:-
A truck landing on you
Being stabbed 8 times
Being stung by thousands of bees!
Pain is really kind of relative!

At Church, the Branch President has a serious problem at the moment. He has 2 counsellors, one of whom has gone less active and the other who lives in the back of beyond on a farm. I feel that maybe the BP needs to shake up his Presidency. The BP is taking strain, and is starting to realise that he can call on me - as First Counsellor on the Branch Elders Quorum - to help him out! I am so grateful that I can be there to provide assistance!

As a District Council member, this last week, I was assigned to give the members at Port Durnford branch a talk. I felt inspired at our last Council meeting to recommend that we talk on the concept of "sustain your leaders" since I have noted on several occasions where the members fail to sustain their called leaders. I spoke easily for 20 minutes and was heard - and understood - by the congregation. Unfortunately because it is cold for now, not all of the usual members were there! If it rains, or is cold, then they seem to have difficulty in getting their acts into gear! The Branch President really appreciates me as a District Speaker, and he announced me that "now we will be entertained by the Brother Killick!" When I talk, I introduce humour into my talk as that suits my personality, and I think makes the message that I deliver, more acceptable! Anyway, it works for me and I it seems to work for the congregations! I intend to educate, not entertain, but if looking at a concept with humour helps to get the point across, then I feel that it is not inappropriate! Sure it is not "Knock knock jokes" but if what I say is heard by the congregation, then it has a better chance of sinking in! At least when I am speaking, if I can see smiles on faces, I know that what I have said has been heard - even if it is not immediately understood!

Something we had to pass onto the Branch Presidents is that the Branch has been donated a number of blankets, to be distributed. I see that the BPs have the divine authority to decide which - if any - of their members need food assistance. Surely a warm blanket is just as much a welfare need as is a packet of maize meal to cook and eat? If someone is worried about an empty - or cold - stomach, then Church Attendance is really low on their list of priorities! That is easy to say when I have 3 cars in my garage and 1 more for sale, and I have a full freezer and 2 fridges! If I buy soup, it is generally pre-cooked soup from Woolworths, and not powdered soup. I know what I like and luckily I can afford the best! That makes me more sensative to some members whose ONLY meal of the day is the lunch provided by the school.

Kind of makes me feel really spoilt because last week, I was sleeping terribly. I decided that this was as a result of my mattrass being old (and had lost its spring!) so I went out and bought a new bed and mattrass - no turn variety! Since then, I have had no disturbed nights. All I need to do now is to repaint the walls of my bedroom. In my one lounge I have bought a lounge suite that comes from Indonesia! Sad fact with South Africa is it is cheaper to import furniture from Indonesia than it is to produce it locally! And the workers that are employed, still strike for higher than inflation increases? What of the 1 in 4 people out there who dont have jobs, but 1 of the other 3 who do have jobs, dont actually want them! Someone has their priorities really skewed!

Archaeology

How come the search for history's ancient secrets, ALWAYS involves digging - sometimes (most times) for meters into the dirt? What the "experts" seem to overlook is, if ancient civilisation is buried under tons of deposits from somewhere, where did the dust (soil and rocks and stuff!) come from?

New "theory" is that the Sahara used to - 4 000 years ago - be lush verdant savannah, and that dust storms blew dust in, that covered the grass - and wood -land. What they dont say is where this soil came from to start with? A legendary island called Atlantis? That is tantamount to a fairy tale - and they say that they dont believe in fantasy?

The general theory is that this was a result of climate change - caused by Global Warming! If Man has survived GW over the last 4 millenia, why is the theory that modern man - with his V8 Landrover Petrol driven - responsible for Global Warming? I understood that the Pharoes used horse drawn chariots, not V8 petrol powered machines! No-where have they dug meters down and found skeletons of ancient motor vehicles?

I think that - like a woman at my branch of the LDS (Mormon) Church - they like the sound of their own voices, and when they open their mouths, garbage spews out! Maybe this is where the layers of mud came from? Layers of verbal garbage?

At present, Zululand is C-O-L-D which - if you know Zululand - is not usual. Last year we had no winter, and I only remember wearing a suit jacket to our weekly meetings. I do remember owning a jersey, but where it is, is a mystery! Do I need to excavate in the driveway for evidence of previous civilisations in my garden, to find my "lost jersey" - and if I find it, can I conclude that 4 000 years ago, Zululand was a wintery wasteland? In the last 30 years, I do not recall really cold weather for longer than 2 or 3 days! Surely if my V8 Landrover is responsible for Global Warming - even localised GW - why are we colder this year than we have been in the last 30 years?

Learning building

Behind the old part of the Church buildings, is the satellite dish - inside the green fence above. As an Elders Quorum (EQ), the EQ Presidency has initiated a project where we have started to build a braai - inclusive of enough space to have a spit at the end!

This started about 3 weeks ago, when as an EQ, we started to make the blocks from cement, sand and water. We created foundations. As an EQ Presidency, we are concerned about a few things:-

We have a braai (barbeque) unit that can accommodate fires to cook meat for starving hoardes (nohing can touch a Mormon Missionery Elder when it comes to eating!)

We have learned how to mix cement and "stuff" to create workeable concrete.

The blocks we made from the raw material, are enough to build the braai

We are going to have a unit that can give us entertainment as a branch (branch unity)

The Elders Quorum has developed a sense of togetherness and a sense of pride that we have crafted - and are busy crafting - something worthwhile!

I know that there are members who say that Pride is a sin, but how sinful can it be to stand around a braai that we created from the dust (literally)

I know that one member was completely against the creation of the braai, as it was enough to ruin the grass that she is proud to say is her creation. She freaked that when we held a braai the one evening, the fire burnt the grass. Now we are busy building a unit to contain the fires, and she is not happy! To build the braai, we have dug up the foundations and poured concrete., replacing grass with concrete.

I had a wicked (unvoiced) thought that as an EQ we need to wind her up a bit (or a lot) bu digging in her precious flower beds in front of the chapel and building Koi Ponds! Maybe that will teach her not to create a fuss when the Elders of the Church do something useful.

The Physical Facilities guy in Durban knows what we want to do, and as no-one has ever done this in Natal before, he has no guideline to give his consent! We - as an EQ - kind of feel that we need this, and even if he does not like it, it is kind of too late to prevent it! If he objects, we can trot out the excuses of:-

We are learning

We have somewhere that can enhance branch and quorum unity

We have done it all ourselves. No-where else in the Church have they done this, and we can use the braai to burn meat (cooking meat over an open fire is tricky at the best of times)

We can use the Church facilities in the chapel to show suitable films (there are a lot of suitable films out on DVD) on the screen in the chapel, using the projector and sound system. It is kind of crazy to have these at our disposal and not to create branch unity by holding evenings where we watch a DVD and cook our food! Richards Bay can be kind of an entertainment desert unless you take the initiative and DO SOMETHING!

If the world out there sees that we are normal people, burning steak like any other red blooded citizen - and having fun whilst we do this! - maybe the general opinion of the crazy Mormons will be moderated. We have some unusual beliefs, but we are still citizens. We are in fact, no less strange than some crazies out there!

Sense of Humour

A friend recently sent me an SMS where she stated that she hoped that Heavenly Father has a sense of humour. I know (not just believe) that He does!

Why else would I have survived 4 or 5 near death experiences, or why would He create something like a Warthog (Pumbaa of Disneys Lion King fame) that is so ugly that it is cute? If we - as humans - have a sense of humour (warped as it may get sometimes!) and this MUST have come from somewhere. Looking around in the Game Reserve, you cannot but believe that this world was created by an incredible artist - with a real sense of humour - and was not some kind of cosmic accident. Sure "learned man" has tried to "explain" our existance by such wierd notions as "Big Bangs" and "evolution" as an explanation when they really dont know!

I have always felt uncomfortable with the idea that life was an "accident" after a "big bang" because I have seen what damage a tiny bang - from exploding hand grenades - is done. How much more devastating can an atomic explosion be? It is inconceivable then that an incredibly powerful bang can create life, rather than desolation! That just DOES NOT make any sense, and thinking about it, creation HAS to make more sense!

A common arguement as to "How can one being create an environment and all life" but I truly believe that before mortality, we helped to build where we live! That is why some of us feel so "at home" where we choose to live!

When my brother and I built a home, we "built" the home, with massive assistance from an architect first then from a builder. We did not actually pour concrete or pile bricks on top of each other, but we "built" the house!

At Church, the Quorum for the male adults - "Elders Quorum" - are busy with construction of a braai area - out the back next to the satellite dish! Then we can have braais of an evening where the Elders can socialise (with the families) and can develop unity - around a braai (barbeque for those who dont speak "pure" English!) that we created from sand, stone and cement! So far we have put in the foundations and cast the bricks. That was really a trial in faith for me, since I rather overdid my involvement, and I have only just recovered from the strain to my body Next week is when we get together and pile the bricks we made in a construction where we can set fire to firelighters, wood and charcoal brickettes, and barbeque the raw meat for a braai. I really want us to show a film at the same time, and have a social gathering.

I still think that it may be an idea for the Elders Quorum to organise a course where we all learn to do ballroom dancing! 2 weeks ago, I was invited to a wedding reception where the bride and groom married on the friday in the LDS Temple in Johannesburg (the Sealing Room holds maybe 10 people to witness the sealing!) so that friends could celebrate with the couple.

Their First Dance was technically a shuffle because they did not know ballroom dancing. I first learned to ballroom dance when I was in highschool. Then when I was engaged, my fiancee and I took lessons in Durban, so that when we had our First Dance, we did not just cling to each other and shuffle! I enjoyed both of my education stints, and can actually do Ballroom, and in fact my ex and I went to the Berg and took part in a weekend of competition, and WON a weekend in the hotel. I kind of feel that it was because I am disabled and because I tried. I have to acknowlege that I really had fun in learning to ballroom dance - even if I am no longer so able to move so freely.

Are we "Changeing the Cimate?"

There is a documentary on DSTV at present that is talking about climate change! They talk of a "Big Chill" or Little Ice Age in the mit 1300s. They "think" that this caused absolute chaos, but have no idea why it occurred. For sure it was not CFCs or "environment damage" by cars. I have an idea that it is kind of s cyclical thing that happens every now and then and puny little man is not able to do ANYTHING to stop or reverse it! How then can Man think that in his ignorance, he is greater than our creator? That is dependant on which side of the fence you sit - creation or evolution? I know where I am comfortable sitting.

It appears that in the 1300s, ills were blamed on witchcraft and today they are blamed on "Climate Change!" Seems that anything is acceptable to blame downturns in environment on absurd ideas, rather than having faith in an omnipotent creator!

It kind of awes me that humanity can be so dense sometimes! There is a Fuel Delivery Tankers strike at present. The drivers are holding out for an increase of 13% as opposed to the offer of 10% - up from the 7%. I thoght negotiation was so that you met in the middle, not that one party holds out for demands and is not prepared to move! Sad thing is that the strikers are not being paid anything whilst they are on strike, so any offer HAS to be an improvement on nil income.

They are prepared to hold out for 13% irrespective of how much damage it does to the economy - or themselves personally! They canot see that increased costs HAVE to have an effect on the inflation rate! Zimbabwe found that it was not good to just print larger and larger denomination notes. They had to abandon a worthless currency - just like the Germans had to after the fall of Hitler, and their currency was valueless! Man refuses to learn from example! I often think that in the 1700s, Africa was well off in that wealth was counted in the number of cattle you owned, not so much in the numbers of Zeros on your bank account! Huge problem is that I have a bank account with a string of zeroes on the balance - but these unfortunately appear BEFORE the other numbers. My balance shows 0000004000, instead of 40000000000.

Such is life. The bible says "by the sweat of your brow" which means that we have to work for our money, and not just to strike and get it! Sad thing is that the workers on strike cannot see what damage they are doing to themselves, more than they are influencing their employers! Britain was a powerhouse economy before they were plagued by strikes! The average coal miner had so little education that he could not see beyond the rantings of the Union bosses. It is the same in South Africa - the Union Bosses get paid insane salaries, live in fancy homes and drive the latest executive cars, and if their union members have to go without income
(law says No work = no pay), it does not concern them one iota. They get paid obscene amounts irrespective!

Family

I have had to excuse myself from a District Council meeting this week, on account of Christine is with me for a whole 5 days! Still bugs the bejeebers out of me when Michele allows her to fly into Durban on Monday, then flies her out - also from Durban, on Saturday! To my mind, that makes 5 days when she has arranged that Christine is with her for the remainder of her holidays!

Still, what does that make me, other than the sperm donor for Christine?

We went to a film in Durbans Gateway Mall. It was not my choice, but I did kind of enjoy it - Transformers - 3D. Boy was it loud and somewhat violent - and the 3D effect was amazing. It was what Christine chose. We would have seen the final instalment of the Harry Potter films, but that is only coming out next Friday. I generally dont go for her choice of films, but I have managed to buy a copy of each of the other 6 or so films in the Harry Potter series! Call me strange and you would hardly be alone!

It would be kind of a shame not to complete the set. I was lucky enough to purchase each of the Star Wars films. I am impressed that the concept of the Melchezidek Priesthood (LDS Church) is so well put forward, although the Science Fantasy setting is not everyones taste! Sure it is called "the Force" but what the "chosen ones" do with it, is kind of like the Priesthood in the Church, although it is kind of exaggerated. I understand that George Lucas is a Latter-day Saint, and can see what his inspiration was. I was introduced to the films by my Bishop friend, and bought the films on DVD as and when they were released.

We dropped in at a furniture outlet nearby, where I decided on a cane suite - 1 x 2 seater and 2 x 1 seaters. I am attempting to negotiate delivery soon. I am not one to go overboard on furniture, but it will not be a waste of money!

I have been lucky enough to locate some films that I heard of whilst I was still at school, so very long ago! Films like "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Little Shop of Horrors" as well as all (3) of the Monty Python films! True the humour is not everyones cup of tea (not that I drink tea!) but it suits me and I am so grateful that I have them in my collection.

I rather like the Disney films, in that they are very clean (no suggestive notes) and the humour is very clever. I bought a copy of the film "Gnomeo and Juliette" and almost from the start was killing myself laughing. The neighbors in dispute lived at "2B" and "2B (crossed out)" in the street. This sense of humour is just up my street, and is definitely not understandable by many people that I associate with! They laugh at slapstick, but try and get them to think and it is kind of a lost cause!