I am an African. Not because of my skin colour, that is not an issue. My parents came from the UK at a time when my country of my birth invited them. We have been afforded a life of hard work, but with opportunities. And sunshine and scenery that I soak up whenever I get the opportunity. I have written about the country north of us, Zimbabwe, with great affection. My father was stationed there in 1951, in the Royal Air Force and he was just 20 years old when he and my mother from almost the same part of London were married in Bulawayo. Their love story and adventures made me love Africa. They travelled across the seas on Union Castle ocean liners, and through from the Cape to the then Rhodesia by train. They started with no money and virtually no parental support. Their love affair and subsequent marriage of 50 years began on board ship. My older brother crossed the equator on a ship under the age of one. Then came me, a South African with roots that settled immediately. I love the expression "pushing an elephant upstairs" because the problems in this beautiful country are pointless. Of course they exist, but stop pushing the elephant.... we can be one big happy family, in Paradise. There is so much political upheaval that many of my friends and colleagues are trying to sell their homes and emigrate. My mother in her actual first-hand experience of this told me that it takes a lifetime to settle in a new country. It is not for the fainthearted. So here we will stay. If someone drags me from my car and shoots me for a silly cell-phone, so be it. My home is too important to me. And the bad things people run away from have happened to us already. My daughter molested by a respectable teacher and attempting to take her life as a result, and my brother who took his life for personal and work reasons....... no-one can escape destiny.

I salute my President, who is under fire right now for his stance about Zimbabwe. He is a true gentleman and diplomat of great integrity. I do not blame him for what happened to our daughter and in my heart I know my efforts to change the way these issues are dealt with will pay off. It is better to deal with matters in a practical manner and not throw a hissy fit. Even less gets accomplished. So he gets my vote. I am praying with all Africans that the mad man up north will bow out and lives will be spared. Violence only begets violence.

As for myself, I am 5 days past my own date with destiny. An operation to the sinuses, three hours under. It was the day of my late brother's would be 47th birthday, and I was kinda hoping to see him during the "small death" one has under anaesthetic. Of course it was less than a minute seemingly and I was awake, breathing as in a desert with sand in my mouth. I have to be insanely still, and not bend down, not do physical labour or even leave the house until at least ten days are past. The actual surgery over, and voila, visiting time. I was thrust a magazine and a chocolate by my sweet daughter and son and my hubby was keeling over next to me with stomach cramps. All this at 7pm on a Friday evening. What happened to pub night lol....He was whisked away and had all kinds of treatment and my kids had to wander between the parents who were clearly in distress of varying degrees. Thankfully he took them home, and I am happily back relaxing and getting my privileges back slowly. Life is never dull in "Paradise". Take care, love from Eve