BROOMS AND DUSTERS, BROOMS AND DUSTERS, CHEAP CHEAP

Riiiiing, riiiing, riiiiing ............. the bell at the gate intercom goes. Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrggghh, I was just busy with something, now what? A delivery or someone trying to sell me something or a beggar, needing money for the taxi, or a hungry man or woman ............they all seem to land up at my door. 

Several times I have checked the perimeters, to make sure no one put a sign up "sucker lives here" or maybe "friendly lady" ................. hhhhhhhhhmmmmrrrrhhhh

"yes" I answer cautiously "Hello Madam" ............oh yes, a beggar, I am sure. " How are you, Madam?"   "fine" I answer in a gruff voice "Ma, it is Israel here, you know, I sell the broom and feather duster, you know me good and ............" I stop him short " Hang on Israel, I am coming down," I shout "Beatrice ........... please come with me, Israel is here" then shout at Russell "please give me money for the duster, Israel is here"   Back to the intercom "Wait Israel, how much the feather duster?"  "for you my madam, only R 65.00" jaaaaaah jaaaaah jaaaah "Israel, I have R 60.00, wait for me"






Israel is positively beaming at me. He originates from Zimbabwe I am sure of it, but he denies it vehemently, he is from Port Shepstone, south of Durban on the coast. He is up here because work is so scarce and the people not enough to buy his wares. 

We only buy from Israel, he is one of our regular trades men that comes to the door and always pleasant and friendly.

He agrees to a photo session and Beatrice is only too willing to jump in and choose her feather duster. 


She is not very happy with the selection today, but Israel needs money for the taxi and for 
dinner. 








So eventually she agrees to take the uncoloured one. These dusters are handmade from Ostrich feathers and then bound together, you can normally get short or long handles,



 but today he has only 2 left and then some synthetic dusters, which Beatrice do not like. 



Israel tells Beatrice he will come back on Wednesday and give her a nicer one, but for now she can keep that one ( seems we are having 2 for the price of one, today)



When I tell Israel he can then buzz the gate and I will give him a  print of the photo, he beams again and now want to look at selection to choose which one I must print. 

I admire the brooms, he makes them himself "My design" and allows me to take a photograph. Beatrice reckons maybe Nicholas ( our gardener) needs a new one. I am not so sure, we bought him a leaf blower, shame, he is also getting old (like all of us) and I noticed he at times, touches his back when he bends down.



A deal is made with Israel, he is bringing another feather duster, Wednesday and then I will give him photograph and special price R 50.00 for a new broom for Nicholas. 

Beatrice and I giggle all the way up the driveway at our encounter and pleasant break in our afternoon. Now for some tea. 

PROGRESS ON WIRE CAR by LEE

Hi all, I have not been out too much or seeing anything interesting, so no new blog except I went past to say hello to Lee and Washington and managed to get a photograph of the progress on the wire car. 

This car is actually an order from Afcon,  the Africa Cup of Nations Cup which was  hosted here in South Africa, during January this year.   It went totally wrong as originally they had ordered 2 cars for the FNB Johannesburg stadium, for a competition by one of the sponsors Nissan South Africa. 

Other artists apparently was also approached and the winning wire car, closest to the design given them by Nissan or the picture, I am not so sure. Language barriers.But the winning price would be a car. So obviiously great excitement. 

I could not quite understand the way that Washington explained it but seems as if the order was cancelled though a deposit had been paid so he could buy the wire and get it going. One of the Nissan branches has now agreed to take the one car, they are building at the original price. 

They arrived while I was there, a couple of very elegant ladies, looking totally out of place on that pavement and not too happy to see me chatting to the guys, with my camera. 

Washington told me to please come see him, he has a business proposition for me .............. yes, sounds interesting so will keep you updated.