Carla woke me up after a leisurely sleep-in on this Saturday morning. She kindly agreed to my request for an extra day of stay as I desperately needed to catch up on some reports, columns, and backend tasks for my website. An extra day wouldn’t hurt at all.
After a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, tomatoes, and toast, with Carla’s parents enjoying the sun outside, we prepared to drive to Carla’s office in Durbanville.
The drive was calm with little traffic and absolutely brilliant weather. Unfortunately, we both opted to work inside with the air conditioning on. I spent the day writing while Carla was grateful for the chance to catch up on her own work and attend to the content provider’s office.
We spent about six hours there, and I managed to get up to speed. During a few breaks, Carla read what I was working on and found it sometimes quite political. However, she was inspired by my “strong opinions, open-mindedness, and dedication,” as she later noted on my message board. Thanks, Carla!
To unwind after a day of ‘hard work,’ Carla and her younger sister Suzie took me to see Moulin Rouge at the local movie theater. I didn’t know much about the film, except that it starred Nicole Kidman and was directed by the Australian Baz Luhrmann, known for his flamboyant style. Despite its fascinating visuals, the film’s anachronistic elements—like Kidman singing Madonna’s “Like A Virgin” and Queen’s “The Show Must Go On”—felt out of place in a setting supposedly from 1900. It was undeniably Luhrmann.
My female companions thoroughly enjoyed the movie, though I concluded that I’d just seen a “women’s movie”—you can watch the trailer here.
Back at home, everyone was pretty tired. Carla’s parents had already gone to bed, and I settled in to continue writing behind their computer. Suddenly, Suzie burst into the room, breathless and panicked. “What’s the matter?” I asked, but she could barely explain. She gestured toward the bathroom, clearly disturbed by something.
I went in to find a hand-sized hairy spider lounging on the window curtain. “Wow, nice thingy,” I said, though I had to be cautious with Suzie, who looked like she might faint.
I’m not particularly afraid of spiders, but unfamiliar creatures are always a bit unsettling. We decided to call Carla for help.
She swiftly became the heroine of the night, grabbing a broom and dealing with the spider decisively. With a combination of broom-pounding and insect spray, the hairy intruder was soon dealt with.
Suzie claimed she wouldn’t be able to sleep, but after the commotion settled, I didn’t hear any more breathless screaming. It seemed to be alright.
I couldn’t stay up too late, as we needed to rise early the next morning. Carla is taking me to a paradise spot in the nearby mountains. Better get some sleep before the adventure begins.
Good night, Somerset West!
Ramon
