Long nights and no FOMO

On Monday and Friday nights, my area of town has load rotation from 19h00 to 22h00. Sometimes the power may only come on a while after 22h00. This makes for a long, quiet, dark night.

I don't always remember to think about dinner and then next minute it is 7pm. But, I do have gas so I can cook. My laptop battery only lasts for about 90 minutes, so I can do some work. I do have a rechargeable light (thank you for SANBS - it was a regular-donor gift last year) that I use for illumination - and the odd candle. My wifi router has a battery that lasts for a few hours - so I'm connected.

While inconvenient, this three-hour period of no electricity slows things down a bit. I do odds and ends, catch up on messages, do random tasks that just need to be done, crochet while watching Netflix on my phone...

While I was not exactly out every night these recent years, I have definitely been a hermit this winter. Even without the covid restrictions, lockdown and curfew, I'm quite happy being at home at night - and on weekends.

I haven't participated in many events for the last five years and I have done little visiting in Jo'burg.

Parys is well located being not too far from Jo'burg (just over an hour's drive - 130km) but it is not quite down-the-road either. I've also been buried in my start-ups for the last 3.5 years so my free time has been limited. Spending three-plus hours just driving to get to something... well, it hasn't been possible.

Being just this bit away from Jo'burg and all that was familiar is a bit like living in a parallel universe. You're living one life but you watch your 'other life' going on through activities that your friends are doing that were so much a part of your life before. Of course one is not better than the other. They're different. There are benefits to both life versions. I had the one; now I have the other.

(In my old life, Rusty would not have come across my path!)

Late afternoon out with Rusty, Rocksy (black-and-white next to Rusty) and Skally (in the background). Karen was standing off to the side.

What has been great is that I love living in Parys for the small-town lifestyle and access to activities on my doorstep. So, while I may have had twinges of FOMO and I've also missed seeing friends, for the most part I've been content with what I get up to (time is lacking more than activities!) and I have made lovely friends here.

With covid... There is no chance for FOMO because there is nothing to miss out on and I count my blessings that my activities picked up where they left off after lockdown and that I've had enjoyed more contact with friends in South Africa and other countries these past weeks.