Stock Car Racing, Balancing Rocks and the Agricultural Show

11-32am

There are several Rhodesian Facebook groups, that reflect upon days gone by, when this Southern African country was still Rhodesia and carried with it a culture that was unique to the white  population of the day. We were not of British culture. We were not an Afrikaner culture. We were white English Africans. The black Africans had a complete different view of what the country was like. We were not right. They were not wrong. But for us, who were children at the time, and had no knowledge or control of the politics during those years, we can’t obliterate from our memories what our childhood was like. It wasn’t a political or race thing. It was just how we were. Formative years are intense and the memories formed during them are deeply ingrained – you cannot ignore them. They will always be there, whether we like it or not. Some happy childhood memories came to mind this morning.

If you were born in the 60s, you’ll identify with milk being delivered in glass bottles, ‘bread boys’  selling fresh bread (as well as donuts) and the pungent smell of jacaranda flowers carpeting the streets.

From www.experiencezimbabwe.com

I subscribe to one or two of the Rhodesian sites on Facebook and from time to time see words I have not seen for decades. I am reminded of scenes that I can almost smell — amazing memories come flooding back….like going to the annual Salisbury Agricultural show. Generally, we were given special pocket money for this….I don’t think it was as much as…

Picture from: http://lastrhodesian.blogspot.com

…more likely to have been $2, but whatever it was, it was enough to get us in to the show and buy a few little things. We would wander round the show grounds, collecting as many free stickers, as we could. We would also visit this place…

Picture from Facebook

…which were the animal stalls. Smelling of fresh hay and farm smells, they contained  pigs and goats and hens and horses and of course cows…which were proudly displayed and judged…

Picture from Facebook

The show would not be complete without sampling much loved, chocolate flavoured Bengal juice in a plastic packet. I just LOVED the stuff. I searched and searched for a picture of the packet, without success. Bengal juice! I’ll never forget that.

And then it would be off to Lunar Park for a go on the dodgems, which I could handle. The danglers were there, but I was far too scared to go onto those. I did venture onto the Big Wheel, but not too much else. There was lots to do and see and the entire show was greatly anticipated and for a young girl, hugely enjoyed.

There were other things that came to mind as I perused the internet. Quite often, when I was not yet 10, my parents used to take the 4 of us to the Balancing Rocks, near Epworth. I loved going….it was so adventurous…it looked rural and bushy and we could climb and clamber up the rocks to our hearts content…

Photo from Swazi Rose

The last memory that came to mind this morning was of STOCK CARS!! The closest I found to my experience was this You Tube video posted by Mega Video Zimbabwe of the 1988 Donnybook Park Shell Handicap Race…I remember the noise and the smell of exhaust fumes….late nights….lots of people. Donnybrook was familiar but so was Speedway and Glamis Stadium….

Aaah, good memories!!

It’s not a bad thing to look back and reminisce a bit. It’s hard not to, but it’s not ideal to stay there! We can’t get the past back. We have to make good memories today! Regardless of what is behind, there is always hope for the future.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Keep the smile going.

God bless you!

In His Grip,

Helga xx 🙂

Gratitude Pic….gone is the dry bushveld and baobab tree…it’s been 30 years of Cape Town mountains and sea…