cannot believe how long i haven't written

Have had a pretty calamatous time but all is well. Last time I wrote I was on my way to Lesotho for the weekend. Well, I INSISTED on going in my car, and guess what? It broke down outside Kroonstad which is about half way, and I had to be towed into town, not ideal when it's after 5pm on a Friday and all the towing places are shut down for the night. And I am not a member of the AA cos in Joburg, you can phone at 11pm, join, and they will come and help you. Outside Kroonstad, however, you are f..., as there is no AA in Kroonstad. So I phoned a Dirk, then an Abraham, who referred me to a Pieter who sent out another Pieter - and all the time I am gooi-ing die taal (speaking Afrikaans) and thanking everyone for their country hospitality.
With no car to hire in the broader area (oh, the local Ford dealership Porters was great and met me at their outlet in town with a mechanic who then declared it was the clutch and about a five hour job), ended up spending the night in a hotel. And what an hotel. The Hacienda. "The ugliest place I have ever seen!" shrieked my friend. We had to restrain ourselves in the dining area with its high booths of blue fabric covered in plastic, all set off by fake brick-looking walls and a wine list of quite the worst wines imaginable. But seeing it's the only hotel in Kroonstad, where that night it was the venue for a matric dance and the next night was booked for a Rotary function, we did not have much choice on where to stay, especially since I had asked for a hotel (am allergic to guest houses where you stay with people who interfere with your life and want to be your best friends forever).
Anyway, got a lift to Lesotho the next morning, was frustrated at being there without a car, Porters sent their sales manager to Joburg to collect a part, and I fetched the car at midday on the Monday, after a good meal at Squirrels cafe in town.
But the dramas since I have last written do not end there. They just ended well though, thank goodness!