I am not going to go too far back......
I spent 30 years in Cape Town South Africa manufacturing in my CMT workshops/factories for numerous brand names, mentoring many upcoming designers, training/uplifting 100’s of machinists absorbing so much knowledge along the way.
In March 2010 we felt our creativity was going to implode if we didn't do something. We decided we needed our own creative brand of products sooooo BIG HEART COMPANY was born. Due to political restraints and unworkable labour restrictions (I choose not to go into it all) we decided to keep ourselves small and specialized only working with and for the most amazing creative humans. We got involved in the most incredible franchise in SA “Kamers vol Geskenke” it in itself has it's own wonderful story. It is a very successful platform for small local businesses. Product can only be made in SA. They create “markets” beautifully curated at beautiful venues 4 Times a year in different cities in SA. We were part of the franchise for 11 years.
Any who.... Life changing..... in 2011 my best friend and husband of 36 years has a heart attack and chose to leave us. Life continues in a haze for a while. My son Julian already many years in the UK. My daughter Tracy moves to the UK....
Life happens... I add a dog to my life Trilby the love of my life.. I have amazing friends around me. I add more layers of security to my home. I don't open the window of my car anymore. I can't walk down to the most delicious restaurants in my village. A young women is murdered in my little post office in my village. Oh! They discover the post box outside the post office has not been opened for 4 years... They lost the key and this does not seem to bother anyone. A young and upcoming wonderful teacher, husband and father in my village is bludgeoned with a hammer leaving him brain damaged. I fear that the “crowbar gang” are going to choose my home and heaven forbid I am in it. I have some weeks with no electricity for 4 hours everyday, I still have to meet deadlines and pay my staff. I am told who I can and who I can not train or employ. I can go on and on......I am beginning to feel very unwanted and afraid in my own country. I miss my children, grand children are growing up and I am not with them.
We started looking for a visa the moment Tracy left. The only visa I had was a visitors visa which I took for 10 years I could only come 3 months at a time (we knew I was going to travel frequently) We tried everything to get me here.
COVID...HIT.... hard in SA Tracy, her husband and 7 month baby got stuck with me from March to June. A growing 7month old we were not able to get out and buy a thing in shops or online was not working. It was a night mare.... And NO WINE...
I decided in 2019 I could just not do this anymore. I had the visitors visa and I felt I just needed to wing it - I really didn't know how. Staying in the UK for 90 days leaving and coming back.... who knows ... I could perhaps get away with it 3 times.... after that???? I relied very heavily on the universe and my angels. I started getting my stuff in order. The wonderful people that took over my business I basically gave it away the only thing I wanted was that my staff that had been with me for 30years were looked after until the day they choose to stop. I packed up gave away or sold most of my possessions. Leaving precious things and the stuff I had collected to play with in my retirement (ha ha) in a garage.
I booked my return flight in August to fly on the 12th December 2019 and to return in the May. In the September we found a visa (these change all the time and one just has to keep searching.) "Representative of an overseas business" It was not a cheap visa. I was sitting perfectly for the visa we put everything together. WITH my passport sent it off end September. It said it would take 6 weeks - OH BOY! I was cutting it fine. But hey! what did I have to lose. Did my final packing up, packed my machine in my hand luggage packed my suitcase (mostly sewing stuff). Went off and said my final good byes. I was flying on the 12th, I was notified on the 10th that my passport was ready for collection on the 11th. I was staying with my most wonderful friend Su Wolf in her beautiful home in a lovely village Stanford which was food for the soul. I drove back on the morning of the 12 collected my passport.... AND.... the visa was in it.... OMG.... no one will ever know that feeling of relief. I sat in the car called the kids...we could not believe....I sobbed like a baby....I think out of sheer relief....
Oh!!! I have not been back...
Story to be continued.....
Comments (0)