reluctantmemsahib
| Forum role | Member since | Last activity | Topics created | Replies created |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Mar 18, 2007 (19 years) |
- | 3 | 0 |
- Forum role
- Member
- Member since
Mar 18, 2007 (19 years)
- Last activity
- -
- Topics created
- 3
- Replies created
- 0
Bio
That I am a third generation Celt in Africa, means I am a Memsahib, like it or not. I’d rather be mama or dada (sister) or – especially – plain old Anthea. None would bear bloodycolonial connotation. But no, third generation and white, African logic (or quiet humour) dictates I am memsahib.
Reluctant because – like my grandmother and my mother before me – I do not believe one’s staff should be trussed up in uniform, I balk at their waiting at table and I never lock up the sugar. No, I’d far rather everybody wear what they want, motley and colourful as it may be, I’d hate anybody to wait on me, but especially somebody who mightn’t have had their own supper and everybody’s happier when their tea’s sweet enough.
I live here – on a farm, in Tanzania – with Anthony and our children: Ben, Amelia and Hattie, and – over the years – an assortment of dogs, cats, geese, ducks, chickens, cows, a couple of pigs (been and gone), an orphaned dik dik, numerous hamsters (eaten by assorted cats) and a hornbill that looked like a French tart. I write, I walk, I do the school run and I try not to mind being memsahib.