EACH CHANGING PATTERN

Good morning

Exciting news. 

On the 21st of January, I set out some milestones that need to be achieved for the year. The first of which was selling our house so that we could start our emigration process.

Our house had been on the market for far too long and I was reaching a state of despair that we would ever get her sold. Several understandable factors influenced the non-sale but that hasn't made it easier to bear. Some of these are: 

• South Africa's general election was in May
• Although no one voted for it, three of the parties unilaterally decided that they would form a Government of National Unity. To understand how bizarre this concept is in the South African context, the two main parties have diametrically opposed viewpoints with voters who subscribe to either one being fiercely loyal to those viewpoints. All voters have now been thrown into the same pot and this has caused more division amongst the populace than ever before.
• As a result of the ensuing turmoil, anyone who was considering buying a house, held off until they were a bit more sure of how the political climate would affect them personally.
• June is the start of winter here. Not a good time for house viewings or sales.
• With the approach of summer, there was a spate of violent crime in the area and agents held off on marketing.
• To add to the mix, the house had already been on the market for a few months, which is never good for sales.

Miraculously, we then had two firm offers in quick succession. However, the first was unable to secure finance and the second looked to be heading the same way as they requested an extension to continue petitioning banks for a mortgage. This process has taken us to where we are now. 

On the 24th of January, on what would have been our mother's birthday, we were notified that the sale had gone through. What a birthday present from Heaven for us.

We can now concentrate on the next step in the journey to our new life in Portugal as well as ensuring that we are providing everything that Portugal needs for  immigration purpose:.

• Getting all South African documentation finalised 

Of course, there's a poem to complete the picture. 

View from our new home in Portugal

EACH CHANGING PATTERN

Can we ever know

What our futures 

May hold?

Time 

And 

Times 

Change

And we with them

Each changing pattern

Forms 

Its own 

Unique 

Thread 

Within and of

The knowledge of ages 

An intrinsic 

Pliant interchange

In 

Life’s 

Kaleidoscope

As time 

Moves forward

As times 

Spin around

As we each 

Meld ourselves

Within 

The filigree 

Of 

Consciousness

Each pattern changes