Lots of Luck

I still have more to say about Lesotho, but I’ve been home for almost a week and I want to share a couple of stories from the home front.

First, a word on furniture. Our house is filled with Joe’s furniture because, as you know, I brought almost nothing with me. I’ve been trying to accumulate as little as possible since I arrived; I just worked hard to divest myself of things and I’m not quite ready to start investing again.

However, when we got back from Lesotho last weekend, I discovered that I had actual work to do and nowhere to do it. It was time for a purchase. I needed a small desk, or at least something to put my computer on other than my lap.

I’ve never been much for furniture shopping. But I swallowed my dread and Joe drove us to a neighborhood called Newlands. There is a road there called Long Street, which is filled with used furniture dealers.

It was unexpectedly fun. We wandered up and down the street and poked into various shops. I was a little bewildered – some of the things we looked at were antique (meaning expensive) and other things were just old (meaning cheap). I had a hard time figuring out the difference.

We eventually found a drop-leaf table that can serve as my desk by day and a dining table by night. I think it’s quite lovely, and somewhere between antique and old. We even managed to get an (old) wooden chest thrown into the deal, which serves a dual purpose of coffee table and storage unit. Four pieces of furniture for the price of two.

I still needed a chair and spotted just the one I wanted. But alas, it was clearly an antique (R2200 – more than the chest and table combined). So we didn’t buy it (I’m sitting on a kitchen chair instead), but we did have a pleasant conversation with the salesman at the shop. The shop had a great name – Cowboys and Angels Antiques – and so did the salesman – Lucky. The second Lucky in my life.

I promised furniture-salesman Lucky that I would include him and his store in my blog. Luckily (pun intended) I got a good picture. Maybe when I strike it rich I will go back for the chair.

Speaking of luck, my other piece of Joburg news is that Lucky (of Lucky 5 Star fame) took the test to get his driving learner’s permit today. He’s been studying hard and he was extremely nervous before he left this morning. We were nervous for him.

He came and found me as soon as he got home. I was sitting on the deck. The moment I saw his face, I knew.

I’ve never seen Lucky so happy before, and this is saying a lot. I’m looking forward to my first ride.

Now Lucky and I face a formidable task – convincing Joe to hand over the keys to his Landrover.