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Hi all!
Right, the excitement of the week is over. Cape Town and back in two days! But flying SAA is not all what it was. Both ways with Airbus A320 aircraft. And I hate their seats. It looks like camping seats and not the ones I am used to. You can’t even set the recline function on the seats! I was sure to book the extra seat on our way back. No big fat Annie condensing me into the middle seat like on the flight out to CT! No, Sir! I made sure I had all three seats booked. The Red Head got the window seat, and I took the aisle seat, sticking my legs under the middle seat in front of me. Yes, I even got in a little snooze.
I wish the SAA brings back the Boeing aircraft. At least the seats were better than this stupid Airbus plastic camping chairs! Grrrrrr!
The pilot in command was a woman, and she had no illusion about flying. She took off on time and when I thought she was still climbing to FL320, she announced, “Cabin Crew, Flight level 20000.” And there she sat until descending to runway 3L at ORT, landing us 20 minutes early! I thought: “Okay Sweetness... you are burning fuel, but who cares...” Maybe she wanted to get home too...
The flight out was just that. A flight. No problem. But the flight back I had a scrap with the airport security. I had my pipe, scraper, Zippo lighter and a standby cheap gas lighter with me. No, I can’t take my Zippo or my scraper. HELL! What is the difference between a Gas lighter and a Zippo lighter? And how the hell am I going to hi-jack an aircraft with a pipe tobacco scraper?
I used just four words: “Where’s your supervisor? Now!” (I did not add: “Idiot”...)
Needless to say, three minutes later I was boarding flight SA372 to Johannesburg WITH my Zippo and scraper! I think the Supervisor did manage to realize through the fog in his 3 Brain Cell brain that I came to CT with the lighters and scraper and that if I was allowed to bring it, I was allowed to leave with it. Afterwords I realized that lucky this was not TWA in the USA. LOL!!!! (I believe they, TWA, are several levels below “Idiots”.)
Here is Chapter 12 of “Playing Solitaire.” Enjoy!
All the best and God bless!
Bye 4 now!
Jody.
(2026-09-28, 06:48 SAST) (04:48 ZULU)
Hi all!
Good afternoon! It is Sunday 20 September 2026, 15:13 SAST (14:13 ZULU) as I write this. Due to that I would not be available tomorrow to upload chapter 11, I am doing it now. I hope you don’t mind me being a little out of schedule, but I believe a little early would be no problem for you.
The rest of the week is going to hectic, but I will be on par again by Saturday next week and the normal schedule will continue.
Thank you for understanding.
Here is Chapter 11 of “Playing Solitaire.” Enjoy!
All the best and God bless!
Bye 4 now!
Jody.
Hi all!
And so the week went to pieces before I could say “SouthernHemisphereUnionOfPotatoGrowersAssociation”!!! Just like that. One moment all was fine and I was getting chapter 10 ready for publishing on Thursday past. But it was not to be.
And it all started with an invitation to an Official Farewell Function for the retirement of an Officer. My redhead just put her foot down with the words: “You have to go! No excuses!”
Oh goody! I get to wear my ceremonial togs again. Medals and all! LOL! Lucky the ceremonial sword is not part of the step-outs anymore. I just don’t know how I would have got that past airport security.
And so started the rat race of getting airline tickets, booking a rental car, find and secure accommodation in... (I’m not allowed to say as it is a surprise for the retiring Officer. He reads Jody Daniel stories too. (LOL!!!) Securing kenneling for the two cats. Secure an UBER to the airport and back. Just for two days! Phew! I wish I still had my Cessna 210. Then I could have flown the way in 5 or 6 hours, including a fuel stop halfway to the destination. And it would be cheaper than South African Airways anyway.
So, the bad news is that I will miss another Thursday posting, but the good news is that the Monday postings will go ahead as per schedule. I hope you guys and girls will forgive me for that.
Here is Chapter 10 of “Playing Solitaire.” Enjoy!
All the best and God bless!
Bye 4 now!
Jody.
(2026-09-14, 06:42 SAST) (04:42 ZULU)
Hi all!
And so the week starts off again. Monday, Monday – So good to me. I just love Mondays. No rush hour traffic! No boss to reschedule my to-do list.
Well, not entirely true. I need to get the next chapter uploaded to SOL before 07:00 AM SAST. Why? Because it is nearly midnight in Canada, and if I upload before the Canadian Midnight, the chapter gets published around 10 or 11 am SAST, so I can check to see if all is as it is supposed to be before the USA wakes up.
THEN it is time to stop and smell the roses. Sit out on the patio in the slanting winter sun and have my 3rd mug of coffee.
Isn’t life just great in retirement?
Here is Chapter 009 of “Playing Solitaire.” Enjoy!
All the best and God bless!
Bye 4 now!
Jody.
(2026-09-07, 06:58 SAST) (04:58 ZULU)
Hi all!
What a ride since Monday! Let me explain.
For those of you that do read the comments at the end of the chapters, will recall a comment by 10R2007 to what I responded with draft lyrics for a song called “Play Misty for Me.” (I found out there was never a song by that title, only Clint Eastwood’s movie that featured the song “Misty.”)
Well, big was my surprise when my long-time reader in the south states of the USA, (Not 10R2007 that sparked that silly moment of inspiration.), responded with a full studio recording of “Play Misty for Me”. AND a request for permission, from me, to include it on his next album! I returned; “YESYESYES !!!!” (One word.)
Thank you, 10R2007, for that comment, and thank you to my friend, wherever in the USA you are, for taking the time to set that lyrics to music with the full instrument backing and producing one outstanding brilliant track! I just love the country / blues / Rock vibe!
Here is Chapter 008 of “Playing Solitaire.” Enjoy!
All the best and God bless!
Bye 4 now!
Jody.
(2026-09-03, 06:48 SAST) (04:48 ZULU)
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