Zimbabwe: It's actually quite simple

Everyone else has an opinion so I'm going to cast my own pearls of wisdom...

When my children needed to divide a treat the younger ones always seemed to come up second best until I came up with this very simple solution: the oldest divides and then they all choose from youngest to oldest.

Bob is the oldest and wisest. Give him a day to divide up the cabinet posts into two teams. Head of the one team is president, head of the other is prime minister; then let Morgan have first choice of team on the second day. On the third day they all go home and start putting this poor, poor country back together again and save a few million (real money) in conference costs.

Happy Year of the OX

We wish all our colleagues and friends who celebrate the Chinese New Year a joyful and prosperous Year of the Ox.

Health Update - Judith and Terry: Deo Gratias

Some of you have been asking so let me tell you all that while Judith was home for the Christmas/New Year break she had her six-monthly visit with the Oncologist following her tests and he told her to come back again in six months - so that is good news.

I went to my urologist today following my prostate biopsy a few weeks ago. The pathology report shows no change after more than 18 months, confirming my PSA results, so that is excellent news too.

We thank you all for your prayers and concern - time for a bit of thanksgiving. Actually we had Mark and Luisa for dinner this evening and they brought us a bottle of 2005 Castillo de Almansa at Luisa's parents' request. Thanks, Luis and Connie. An excellent wine for a quiet celebration.

Mary Foot (nee Bellio), R.I.P.

Surrounded by her family, after a courageous battle with cancer, on Friday, January 2, 2009 in her 43rd year.

Toronto Star, 4 Jan 2009

Ingrid & I met Mary and her husband, Barry, in the days that Judith was in cadets with their son, David, and Joshua was a little baby. I will always remember her as a lovely, gentle, cheerful mother and wife - always welcoming of Judith and us - but, especially, courageous in her battle with breast cancer.

If desired, donations to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation or the Southlake Regional Hospital Cancer Foundation would be appreciated by the family.

Helen Suzman, R.I.P.

Helen Suzman has always been an inspiration for me, confirmed by the wisdom of hindsight, that a single, lone voice speaking out in opposition to injustice, is better than no voice - even if you do not seem to be effecting any change. I remember reading many newspaper reports where she was ridiculed and vilified by both United Party and Nationalist Party M.P.'s because of her opposition to apartheid - and this went on for years and years; credit to the despised "upper" classes of Houghton who voted her back in year after year.

May Helen Suzman rest in peace and may her memory long be an inspiration to all who hunger and thirst after justice who are tempted to give up in the face of overwhelming odds.

Links: 

Helen Suzman Foundation

Wikipedia

Photos

Happy New Year

To all our aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews in South Africa, Canada, Scotland and the Netherlands, and to all our friends in those places and everywhere else, and to you, the stranger, who just happens to be dropping on to this blog, all of us in Kwa-McCann wish you a very happy, blessed, peaceful and prosperous year for 2009.

Visit to Oom Joop and Tante Ria
On Monday Dec 29 Ingrid and I paid a visit to Oom Joop and Tante Ria. Oom Joop is the brother of Ingrid's dad, Louis, and uncle, Cor, both of whom passed away many years ago. Not able to learn from our mistakes we took the long way to get there - taking the 403 into West Hamilton instead of staying on the QEW - adding about 30 minutes to what should have been a 90 minute drive.