Whew my head is so busy that it makes me tired. Good afternoon all, I trust this finds you all well and looking forward to the weekend and everything that comes with it. I feel like I am on the 'warpath' on a couple of fronts, the first being my darling cats and TICKS aaargghhhh. About ten days ago I dosed all the animals and naively thought that was the end of it, how wrong can one be? There are literally dozens of these infernal little pests which, I will admit are mostly dead, but there are still many teeny tiny little ones every time I look, the entire situation is not being helped by the fact that Kiko and Gemma love being outside and are quite vocal when they are kept in. Just now I spent quite a bit of time on the internet looking for safe home remedies to use in conjunction with the drops we've already used and have a couple I am going to try, but if anyone has any suggestions please let me know. Whilst on the subject of Kiko, I don't know if I mentioned that she lost her collar more than a week ago. We looked everywhere and even asked the builders next door to keep a look out, then kind of stopped expecting to find it. Well this week one of the chaps next door called Hubby darling and holding up the collar asked if it was ours, he had been for a walk and saw it on the side of the road in the bushes....... who would have guessed ?
My other 'battlefront' is mould which I am seeing much quicker results in winning. I think due to the constantly damp weather etc, I noticed that our shower was busy with a 'science project' all of its own. Always the optimist I quickly found my new high power steamer (which I bought just before we moved) and after some initial frustration due to the fact that it has an international plug, I got it steaming away and climbed into said shower and got busy. It is having the desired effect I am delighted to say and the mould is going and gone. Wooohooo. Hubby dearest is busy with his personal battlefield which is working on keeping Max in the yard, that dog is untiring in his efforts to get out. We have raised the fence four times now, this last time being with chicken wire above the initial plastic mesh....... and each time we've said "well that should keep him in" only to be proved wrong so here's hoping we can put this one to bed now as well.
Only two more sleeps until our little Princess arrives which is so exciting, I keep thinking of things she needs to bring with and between the two of us there has been a fair amount of scheming because Mommy's birthday is on Monday and Grandpa is on Wednesday, there are a number of secrets floating around I can assure you hehe. I can't wait to see her, it feels like forever and I am sure she has grown inches since we left. Apart from all that, this morning I got a bee in my bonnet about making a crocheted summer cover up, similar to a cardigan but a much more open stitch. After having priced them in the shops I decided I would try and make one and went into the haberdashery shop this morning to price cotton etc, imagine my delight when I discovered that they sell crochet lace, ready made by the metre. I can make it for about a quarter of the price of the shop ones so guess where I am going tomorrow morning ? Yep, right back to the store to get my lace, if it turns out well I will post a photo in due course.
The Hermanus Whale Festival started today which is apparently quite a huge event taking place over the next few days. I am told it draws over 100 000 people so being the crazy people we are, tomorrow morning will find us on our way to Hermanus to the Festival as my dear Hubby wants to see the vintage car show and then we will meander a bit, hopefully we might even spot a whale. On that note folks, I am going to bid you goodbye and wish you a magnificent weekend doing what makes you happy and always friends please be safe wherever you go.
Friday 30 September 2016
Monday 26 September 2016
Blowing our way into the week
Well our week started with a blast today in the sense that the wind started blowing, and I do mean blowing a gale, definitely not beach weather. After having fought my way to the washing line and wrestling the washing to hang it up, about an hour later found me doggedly plodding back out to rescue it all. I was quite expecting to find half the garments missing and on their way to Pringle Bay, it was like trying to calm down ten hyperactive, irate octopuses just trying to get everything unraveled and off the line. As we say in South Africa .... EISHH. Well folks I hope you all had a good weekend and for those readers in South Africa that you enjoyed Heritage Day.
As predicted our weekend was a very busy but thoroughly enjoyable. On Saturday we had to collect something in Stellenbosch so decided to kind of make a day of it. We did all the necessary and then went off in search of a little restaurant we had read about called Basic Bistro. For those who don't know Stellenbosch it is a very busy small town which centers around the wine farms, University and Schools, it is also one of the only towns in SA that has not modernized with tall buildings, lots of glass and open space. Stellenbosch has managed to stay true to its heritage and kept the narrow tree lined streets, traditional architecture and generally olde world quaintness. There are so many eating establishments there that it is hard to choose but I digress, we found our little Bistro and being a cold and wet day opted for indoor seating. Basic Bistro is a tiny little place which is literally jam packed with tables and atmosphere, I take my hat off to the waitron staff being able to negotiate their way in and out so well. After a truly lovely, well priced meal we then meandered back to Strand and spent the afternoon with friends of ours arriving home in the early evening. Yesterday we had BigBear and BabyBear come over for lunch which was super and we all said that it still feels strange that they can just pop in for a meal because we actually live close, it was just what I needed to see some of the family, yes I admit I miss them all like crazy. If it wasn't for our Family chat group I would feel totally lost. Once we get going on that it just escalates. The other day Hubby came in from working and looked at his phone, the look of shock on his face as he said "38 messages? What on earth have I missed?" The extra nice thing about it is that Miss Muffet in the UK gets to join in and be part of the whole family dynamic. One of the boys told me awhile back that when he is extremely busy and looks down seeing 30+ messages, he quickly scans to see if there are smiley faces and no drama and will then read at a later stage haha.
Speaking of 'drama' we had a mild dose on Saturday which thankfully was resolved quickly. Princess had gone to a sleepover on Friday night, something she very seldom does and they planned on going ice skating in the afternoon. Apparently the arrangement was the hosting parent would take and fetch to ice skating between a certain time. When we got home in the early evening Poppet phoned me sounding extremely stressed, She had been waiting for two hours to fetch our Princess and could not reach any of the kids or the parent on the phone. She had been to the house and waited and eventually went back and spoke to the eldest son to get him to raise his parent on the phone. Next thing she gets a call from said parent to say they are at the ice rink and can't find the girls..............hmmmm we did some really quick and urgent praying at the same time taking captive the immediate thoughts that jump into ones head. About ten minutes later Poppet got another call to say the girls were on the way they had been at the rink the entire time, Princess's phone had run out of data and the other parent had for some reason fetched them two hours late (let me not 'g o there'). Great relief but you can rest assured new boundaries were in place immediately together with new rules. Jelly Bean walked into the lounge when we got the call to say that they were safe and looked at me and said "Gee this parenting thing is hard." I burst out laughing and immediately said "you should try having FOUR". Hahaha parenting it definitely not for sissies at any age, I sometimes think that the older they get the more you 'worry' about them which results in much prayer.
Yesterday we set the date for our family 'Express Christmas' which means we have a small Christmas get together on the years when not everybody can be in the same place on Christmas Day. This results in those who will be 'away' on the day get to open all their presents from everybody and the rest of us open one present each. Apart from the family time it also means we all get two Christmasses. Wooohooo now we can start planning and if I am not mistaken it will be the first time this year that we will all be in the same house at the same time - can't wait.
Friends that is all the goings on at this particular point in my Life's journey, I trust and pray that you all have a week filled with good health, peace, creativity, wisdom, love and lots of laughter. Be safe as you journey through the week and until next time Ciao ciao.
The beautiful view on our way home Saturday afternoon.
As predicted our weekend was a very busy but thoroughly enjoyable. On Saturday we had to collect something in Stellenbosch so decided to kind of make a day of it. We did all the necessary and then went off in search of a little restaurant we had read about called Basic Bistro. For those who don't know Stellenbosch it is a very busy small town which centers around the wine farms, University and Schools, it is also one of the only towns in SA that has not modernized with tall buildings, lots of glass and open space. Stellenbosch has managed to stay true to its heritage and kept the narrow tree lined streets, traditional architecture and generally olde world quaintness. There are so many eating establishments there that it is hard to choose but I digress, we found our little Bistro and being a cold and wet day opted for indoor seating. Basic Bistro is a tiny little place which is literally jam packed with tables and atmosphere, I take my hat off to the waitron staff being able to negotiate their way in and out so well. After a truly lovely, well priced meal we then meandered back to Strand and spent the afternoon with friends of ours arriving home in the early evening. Yesterday we had BigBear and BabyBear come over for lunch which was super and we all said that it still feels strange that they can just pop in for a meal because we actually live close, it was just what I needed to see some of the family, yes I admit I miss them all like crazy. If it wasn't for our Family chat group I would feel totally lost. Once we get going on that it just escalates. The other day Hubby came in from working and looked at his phone, the look of shock on his face as he said "38 messages? What on earth have I missed?" The extra nice thing about it is that Miss Muffet in the UK gets to join in and be part of the whole family dynamic. One of the boys told me awhile back that when he is extremely busy and looks down seeing 30+ messages, he quickly scans to see if there are smiley faces and no drama and will then read at a later stage haha.
Speaking of 'drama' we had a mild dose on Saturday which thankfully was resolved quickly. Princess had gone to a sleepover on Friday night, something she very seldom does and they planned on going ice skating in the afternoon. Apparently the arrangement was the hosting parent would take and fetch to ice skating between a certain time. When we got home in the early evening Poppet phoned me sounding extremely stressed, She had been waiting for two hours to fetch our Princess and could not reach any of the kids or the parent on the phone. She had been to the house and waited and eventually went back and spoke to the eldest son to get him to raise his parent on the phone. Next thing she gets a call from said parent to say they are at the ice rink and can't find the girls..............hmmmm we did some really quick and urgent praying at the same time taking captive the immediate thoughts that jump into ones head. About ten minutes later Poppet got another call to say the girls were on the way they had been at the rink the entire time, Princess's phone had run out of data and the other parent had for some reason fetched them two hours late (let me not 'g o there'). Great relief but you can rest assured new boundaries were in place immediately together with new rules. Jelly Bean walked into the lounge when we got the call to say that they were safe and looked at me and said "Gee this parenting thing is hard." I burst out laughing and immediately said "you should try having FOUR". Hahaha parenting it definitely not for sissies at any age, I sometimes think that the older they get the more you 'worry' about them which results in much prayer.
Yesterday we set the date for our family 'Express Christmas' which means we have a small Christmas get together on the years when not everybody can be in the same place on Christmas Day. This results in those who will be 'away' on the day get to open all their presents from everybody and the rest of us open one present each. Apart from the family time it also means we all get two Christmasses. Wooohooo now we can start planning and if I am not mistaken it will be the first time this year that we will all be in the same house at the same time - can't wait.
Friends that is all the goings on at this particular point in my Life's journey, I trust and pray that you all have a week filled with good health, peace, creativity, wisdom, love and lots of laughter. Be safe as you journey through the week and until next time Ciao ciao.
The beautiful view on our way home Saturday afternoon.
Friday 23 September 2016
Busy week, exciting weekend.
Woohoo it's Friday which means we get to see some of the family this weekend and in nine sleeps Princess arrives for a week long visit which all adds up to a happy Friday. Somehow retirement seems to mean life is busier than ever, I'm not quite sure how that works but for us it is a fact. This week has flown past in a very satisfying way, what I mean by that is we have completed so many little tasks and projects which seem negligible but actually add up and make the 'To Do List' really long. After much huffing and puffing with the original installation (by the installer - Hubby Dearest) and then a good few fires made before finding the correct method we now have our anthracite heater up and running, ensuring some lovely cosy evenings and on the cold days it really heats up the whole house. One of the things I've been on the lookout for is a Coal Scuttle or suitable container, but being me I didn't want just any scuttle. This morning when Jelly Bean and I went into Kleinmond to do the weekly shopping we popped into a Second Hand shop which none of us had been into, we walked around having a good look and just as I was asking the owner if she had any Coal Scuttles my eye caught THE one. It is exactly what we wanted - an antique brass scuttle with wooden handles and just oozing character and history, never mind that it only cost R100 now thats what I call a good shopping trip.
We've done lots of little touch up jobs, I restrung the Roman Blinds which now look much better, Hubby got stuck into the garden, rearranging of things here and there and the house is really now looking and feeling like home. It's funny how new routines happen without planning and things that felt awkward to begin with are now perfectly normal. We also took a walk on the 'big' Silversands beach which was absolutely amazing. The water was crystal clear especially in the little rock pools, it was so clear that a group of guys wanting to fish left because the water was just too clear, the colours were magnificent and none of my photos actually did them justice. The beach is pristine, flat and long, everything I love for a good walk.
On the pet front there is never a dull moment either. After yet more escapes, one as far as the main road, we stood around the corner watching Max and he actually jumps up and down until he gets a foothold high enough then climbs over the top of the fence. We have now tied a light plastic ball on a lead to his harness which means he can around as much as he wants but the ball stops him getting through any small spaces, it certainly hasn't slowed him down for a second haha. We also discovered that there is quite a problem with ticks and fleas down here so yesterday found me dosing all four of them in a row, if there is one thing I cannot handle is ticks and fleas especially as the cats sleep on and in our bed, just the thought of them makes me itch haha. Kiko on one of her adventures this week managed to lose her collar which had her name tag and bell on, look as hard as we have there is still no sign of it so she is wearing a different collar and bell with a duplicate name tag of Gemma's, at least it has my phone number on it. Suffice to say she was highly unimpressed with us pulling ticks off her although thankfully doesn't bear grudges. In fact last night at dinner time for some reason she decreed my lap the place to sit which caused much hilarity during the meal as she exuded curiosity and cuteness.
Gee I miss the family so much, if feels like all the little ones are growing up so fast and all the 'big' ones are so busy - I just miss them all. I have Sunday lunch all planned (as requested by BigBear) and whatever the weather decides we will be comfortable and together. Hubby is also getting ready to set up the fishing rods for Princess' visit, whilst I am planning some shell and pebble collecting amongst other things. Amongst all of this activity Jelly Bean is learning to drive so her and I have been taking regular practice rides all around our immediate vicinity and I am happy to say she is doing extremely well. All in all friends as I've said - it is always busy around here. On that note I am going to wish you all a wonderful weekend filled with love and laughter. Wherever you go please stay alert and safe.
A yield sign at the penguin colony that made us laugh
One of the rock pools on our walk with a school of little fish
Our gorgeous antique coal scuttle.
Kiko eyeing my dinner
We've done lots of little touch up jobs, I restrung the Roman Blinds which now look much better, Hubby got stuck into the garden, rearranging of things here and there and the house is really now looking and feeling like home. It's funny how new routines happen without planning and things that felt awkward to begin with are now perfectly normal. We also took a walk on the 'big' Silversands beach which was absolutely amazing. The water was crystal clear especially in the little rock pools, it was so clear that a group of guys wanting to fish left because the water was just too clear, the colours were magnificent and none of my photos actually did them justice. The beach is pristine, flat and long, everything I love for a good walk.
On the pet front there is never a dull moment either. After yet more escapes, one as far as the main road, we stood around the corner watching Max and he actually jumps up and down until he gets a foothold high enough then climbs over the top of the fence. We have now tied a light plastic ball on a lead to his harness which means he can around as much as he wants but the ball stops him getting through any small spaces, it certainly hasn't slowed him down for a second haha. We also discovered that there is quite a problem with ticks and fleas down here so yesterday found me dosing all four of them in a row, if there is one thing I cannot handle is ticks and fleas especially as the cats sleep on and in our bed, just the thought of them makes me itch haha. Kiko on one of her adventures this week managed to lose her collar which had her name tag and bell on, look as hard as we have there is still no sign of it so she is wearing a different collar and bell with a duplicate name tag of Gemma's, at least it has my phone number on it. Suffice to say she was highly unimpressed with us pulling ticks off her although thankfully doesn't bear grudges. In fact last night at dinner time for some reason she decreed my lap the place to sit which caused much hilarity during the meal as she exuded curiosity and cuteness.
Gee I miss the family so much, if feels like all the little ones are growing up so fast and all the 'big' ones are so busy - I just miss them all. I have Sunday lunch all planned (as requested by BigBear) and whatever the weather decides we will be comfortable and together. Hubby is also getting ready to set up the fishing rods for Princess' visit, whilst I am planning some shell and pebble collecting amongst other things. Amongst all of this activity Jelly Bean is learning to drive so her and I have been taking regular practice rides all around our immediate vicinity and I am happy to say she is doing extremely well. All in all friends as I've said - it is always busy around here. On that note I am going to wish you all a wonderful weekend filled with love and laughter. Wherever you go please stay alert and safe.
A yield sign at the penguin colony that made us laugh
One of the rock pools on our walk with a school of little fish
Our gorgeous antique coal scuttle.
Kiko eyeing my dinner
Monday 19 September 2016
A bit of this and that
Hi folks from a sunny Betty's Bay, what a gorgeous day we are having, no wind, hardly any clouds and the sun isn't too hot. This morning for the first time we sat out on the deck and had our morning coffee and breakfast listening to the birds and watching the ocean - absolute paradise. So much for the 'wild weather' that was predicted, apart from some heavy rain on Friday it was a very mild weekend and we enjoyed it accordingly, in other words a chilled quiet weekend. On Saturday morning we went into Somerset West and bought a 'much talked about, long dreamed of' anthracite heater and Hubby dearest spent most of the weekend busy converting the fireplace and is now finishing off the installation, so the cold weather can come back whenever it wants we are ready. A little bit of feedback as promised, I am delighted to tell you that the rusks turned out perfectly and the family has given it the thumbs up to being 'our' rusk recipe as long as I don't change it. If anyone would like the recipe please let me know and I will happily pass it on or print it here on the Blog, one rusk and a cup of tea is breakfast nom nom.
One of the things we've discovered with all the handyman work taking place is that Kiko's new favourite toy is Hubby's retractable metal tape measure. She has had us in stitches with the way she jumps around trying to catch it but where it comes in most handy is when she is outside and we can't see her, which is often because she loves being outdoors and exploring, so this morning I took the tape measure and pulled it out a bit and shook it around, well the result was almost instantaneous. She was in the next door yard and literally flew up the tree and jumped over the fence to get to the 'toy' so now when I need to get her inside we shake the tape measure, and she comes running from wherever she has been. Happily Gemma does not seem too interested in exploring and stays close to the house, maybe she is getting old hehe, we will not go down the 'houdini' path as he is still finding ways of climbing the fence.
Friends there is something on my heart that I would like to share with you. As a result of my 'Fibro Pain Relief Remedy' that I put up on Friday I had a phone call from one of my oldest friends who knows of someone who has Fribromyalgia, and she was asking me some questions about the condition and how it affects those who have it. I do not profess in ANY way to be an expert on it or the treatment of Fibro, I can only share how it affects me and what I do to relieve the symptoms. Fibromyalgia is a very misunderstood condition and if often called a 'hidden disease', I was very blessed in that my local GP who first diagnosed me was a very good diagnostician and clued up on the condition and the symptoms. When he passed away last December I was able to find a Specialist Doctor who is just as well informed and understanding in treating it, I know that for many people this is not the case and they get bounced from one medical practioner to another. Fibro has many different symptoms the most debilitating being pain, sleeplessness, fatigue and fibro fog. That is the shortest list to give you and the reason I am posting this today is for those of you who may have Fibromyalgia or know someone who does, it would help you immensely if you could have some understanding of what they go through on a daily basis, and the guilt they feel when unable to do even mundane things. I am not going to go into all the explanations but if you are interested to learn more about how to support someone who has Fibro please go and have a look at the 'The Fibromyalgia Letter', it can be found on Google, Facebook and Pinterest. This is not a medical breakdown of the condition and I know some of you may be saying why don't I pray, let me assure you I trust God daily for healing in my body and as I said in Friday's Blog I refuse to allow this or any other condition to take over and rule my life. Yes there are days when just getting out of bed takes all the energy I have, but for me, if I give in there then I have lost the battle. I am learning to pace myself and when I need it, to take a day of rest. I have the things that work for me ie. Heating pad, hot bath, big soft fluffy heated blanket, strong painkillers etc. It is very much a case of finding what works for what symptoms and then doing it.
Our excitement levels are rising as the clock ticks down to Princess arriving for her week of holiday with us, it is now just under two weeks so much planning and preparing going on, maybe we will make rusks together. I am sure that in the two months we haven't seen her she has grown up so much, it will also be a week of two more family birthdays and on that note folks I wish you a wonderful week in every way and until next time keep safe and well.
Buttermilk Muesli Rusks.
One of the things we've discovered with all the handyman work taking place is that Kiko's new favourite toy is Hubby's retractable metal tape measure. She has had us in stitches with the way she jumps around trying to catch it but where it comes in most handy is when she is outside and we can't see her, which is often because she loves being outdoors and exploring, so this morning I took the tape measure and pulled it out a bit and shook it around, well the result was almost instantaneous. She was in the next door yard and literally flew up the tree and jumped over the fence to get to the 'toy' so now when I need to get her inside we shake the tape measure, and she comes running from wherever she has been. Happily Gemma does not seem too interested in exploring and stays close to the house, maybe she is getting old hehe, we will not go down the 'houdini' path as he is still finding ways of climbing the fence.
Friends there is something on my heart that I would like to share with you. As a result of my 'Fibro Pain Relief Remedy' that I put up on Friday I had a phone call from one of my oldest friends who knows of someone who has Fribromyalgia, and she was asking me some questions about the condition and how it affects those who have it. I do not profess in ANY way to be an expert on it or the treatment of Fibro, I can only share how it affects me and what I do to relieve the symptoms. Fibromyalgia is a very misunderstood condition and if often called a 'hidden disease', I was very blessed in that my local GP who first diagnosed me was a very good diagnostician and clued up on the condition and the symptoms. When he passed away last December I was able to find a Specialist Doctor who is just as well informed and understanding in treating it, I know that for many people this is not the case and they get bounced from one medical practioner to another. Fibro has many different symptoms the most debilitating being pain, sleeplessness, fatigue and fibro fog. That is the shortest list to give you and the reason I am posting this today is for those of you who may have Fibromyalgia or know someone who does, it would help you immensely if you could have some understanding of what they go through on a daily basis, and the guilt they feel when unable to do even mundane things. I am not going to go into all the explanations but if you are interested to learn more about how to support someone who has Fibro please go and have a look at the 'The Fibromyalgia Letter', it can be found on Google, Facebook and Pinterest. This is not a medical breakdown of the condition and I know some of you may be saying why don't I pray, let me assure you I trust God daily for healing in my body and as I said in Friday's Blog I refuse to allow this or any other condition to take over and rule my life. Yes there are days when just getting out of bed takes all the energy I have, but for me, if I give in there then I have lost the battle. I am learning to pace myself and when I need it, to take a day of rest. I have the things that work for me ie. Heating pad, hot bath, big soft fluffy heated blanket, strong painkillers etc. It is very much a case of finding what works for what symptoms and then doing it.
Our excitement levels are rising as the clock ticks down to Princess arriving for her week of holiday with us, it is now just under two weeks so much planning and preparing going on, maybe we will make rusks together. I am sure that in the two months we haven't seen her she has grown up so much, it will also be a week of two more family birthdays and on that note folks I wish you a wonderful week in every way and until next time keep safe and well.
Buttermilk Muesli Rusks.
Friday 16 September 2016
Wild weather weekend...
HI folks, yep that's what the weather forecast is for this weekend a 'Wild weather weekend' with flood and snow alerts having been announced and not just for the Western Cape but apparently most of the country. It started raining here at about 1am and has just let up a tiny bit whilst the sea is grey and rough, it is also pretty cold which I think those up country will enjoy for a change. So it looks like an 'indoorsy' weekend for the most part, although that's no problem there are SO many things to do. Right now I have a batch of rusks in the oven (new recipe) in an attempt to find the perfect risk for my family, Hubby dearest is in for a surprise because with the last batch he complained that I cut them too small, I fear these are too big after having peeped through the oven door, oh well maybe they will last longer. IF they turn out well I will post a photo on the next Blog.
What a busy week but then when is it not? Quite the busy bee have I been with a number of sewing and domestic projects, anyone who knows me will know that I much prefer knitting to sewing but I seem to be doing a LOT of sewing at the moment. During the week I got a bee in my bonnet about a beautiful duvet cover we bought a number of years ago (a gift from BigBear) it is pure cotton, white Anglaise but for some unfathomable reason we purchased the wrong size and could not figure out why the duvet always folded over in that cover and not in others - I know sometimes it just takes a while for the penny to drop. Having not used it for a couple of years I dug it out this week and decided for better or for worse I was going to alter it, hmmm it sounded easier in my head. After much thought and debate I tackled the project yesterday and although it took a long time we are delighted with the results. In a nutshell what I did was unpick the top end of the cover and using an old white cotton sheet added in a 40cm strip, which when all sewn up added the extra 20cm we needed, I also managed to include / add on the border frill. If no one pointed it out you would not even realize that there is an addition and so voila we now have an extra, really classy, vintage looking duvet cover. Please as punch I am. This success has led me to recovering a cushion for said bed to just add a spark of whimsy and colour, although that will be tomorrow's project.
We also had what could be called a major flood this week and cannot blame the weather for it. There is a bit of a 'system' required regarding our washing machine as the only place to put it is in Jelly Bean's bathroom and the outlet pipe hangs into the bath. All well and good. After a couple of mini floods when we first moved in Hubby put a hook on the side of the machine to keep the pipe in place which works very well, except that in order to bath the pipe gets moved out of the way. Well. ......... you can guess what happened ...... yes it was me and I forgot to replace the pipe. Next morning went and put a huge wash load in and left, about 30mins later Jelly Bean exploded out of the room looking frantic, she had been sitting at her desk and suddenly felt wet under her feet. At least two thirds of her room was under water and it took the three of us with mops, buckets, towels and eventually the big vacuum cleaner which sucks water about 45 mins to get it dried out. The mop bucket was emptied twice as was the vacuum cleaner needless to say her floors are very clean and I now triple check the pipe. Aarrgghhhh slosh slosh is no fun unless it's at the beach.
These are just some of the games we get up to excluding chasing after escaped dogs, trying to entice an adventurous kitten back over to our side of the fence. It amazes me that they can get through or over the fence and then have no idea how to get back, that particular little adventure involved me keeping her busy through the fence with a feather duster while Hubby went around the block to said house and burrowed through the bushes to get her and pass her over. I am sure if there were movie cameras our lives would make entertaining viewing.
In addition to all of the normal shenanigans for some reason I have had a particularly rough week health wise but am trying to keep as active as possible because I refuse to let Fibromyalgia control my life. One of the 'tricks' I've learnt (and have not done for ages) which helps with general body pain and aches is to take a 20 min HOT bath into which you add : one cup of Bicarbonate of Soda, a handful of Epsom Salts and 10 drops of Lavender Essential oil. This combo definitely eases some of the pain as well as being very relaxing. Definitely on my agenda for this evening.
Well friends, the rusks are cooling down prior to being pulled apart and put back in the oven and I am cautiously delighted to say that so far they look wonderful, and big. I will keep you updated. Here is wishing you and yours a fabulous weekend wherever you are and for those in South Africa stay warm and dry and always, please stay safe.
What a busy week but then when is it not? Quite the busy bee have I been with a number of sewing and domestic projects, anyone who knows me will know that I much prefer knitting to sewing but I seem to be doing a LOT of sewing at the moment. During the week I got a bee in my bonnet about a beautiful duvet cover we bought a number of years ago (a gift from BigBear) it is pure cotton, white Anglaise but for some unfathomable reason we purchased the wrong size and could not figure out why the duvet always folded over in that cover and not in others - I know sometimes it just takes a while for the penny to drop. Having not used it for a couple of years I dug it out this week and decided for better or for worse I was going to alter it, hmmm it sounded easier in my head. After much thought and debate I tackled the project yesterday and although it took a long time we are delighted with the results. In a nutshell what I did was unpick the top end of the cover and using an old white cotton sheet added in a 40cm strip, which when all sewn up added the extra 20cm we needed, I also managed to include / add on the border frill. If no one pointed it out you would not even realize that there is an addition and so voila we now have an extra, really classy, vintage looking duvet cover. Please as punch I am. This success has led me to recovering a cushion for said bed to just add a spark of whimsy and colour, although that will be tomorrow's project.
We also had what could be called a major flood this week and cannot blame the weather for it. There is a bit of a 'system' required regarding our washing machine as the only place to put it is in Jelly Bean's bathroom and the outlet pipe hangs into the bath. All well and good. After a couple of mini floods when we first moved in Hubby put a hook on the side of the machine to keep the pipe in place which works very well, except that in order to bath the pipe gets moved out of the way. Well. ......... you can guess what happened ...... yes it was me and I forgot to replace the pipe. Next morning went and put a huge wash load in and left, about 30mins later Jelly Bean exploded out of the room looking frantic, she had been sitting at her desk and suddenly felt wet under her feet. At least two thirds of her room was under water and it took the three of us with mops, buckets, towels and eventually the big vacuum cleaner which sucks water about 45 mins to get it dried out. The mop bucket was emptied twice as was the vacuum cleaner needless to say her floors are very clean and I now triple check the pipe. Aarrgghhhh slosh slosh is no fun unless it's at the beach.
These are just some of the games we get up to excluding chasing after escaped dogs, trying to entice an adventurous kitten back over to our side of the fence. It amazes me that they can get through or over the fence and then have no idea how to get back, that particular little adventure involved me keeping her busy through the fence with a feather duster while Hubby went around the block to said house and burrowed through the bushes to get her and pass her over. I am sure if there were movie cameras our lives would make entertaining viewing.
In addition to all of the normal shenanigans for some reason I have had a particularly rough week health wise but am trying to keep as active as possible because I refuse to let Fibromyalgia control my life. One of the 'tricks' I've learnt (and have not done for ages) which helps with general body pain and aches is to take a 20 min HOT bath into which you add : one cup of Bicarbonate of Soda, a handful of Epsom Salts and 10 drops of Lavender Essential oil. This combo definitely eases some of the pain as well as being very relaxing. Definitely on my agenda for this evening.
Well friends, the rusks are cooling down prior to being pulled apart and put back in the oven and I am cautiously delighted to say that so far they look wonderful, and big. I will keep you updated. Here is wishing you and yours a fabulous weekend wherever you are and for those in South Africa stay warm and dry and always, please stay safe.
Monday 12 September 2016
New week means new adventures
Good afternoon friends I trust this beautiful day finds you well and ready for this weeks adventures. Well, as I predicted we certainly had a busy weekend but it was a lovely one. On Saturday bright and early we left for our day trip up the West Coast (some of us were brighter than others haha) and took a route through Stellenbosch, Malmesbury and Darling. A very nice drive on a gorgeous clear day, even though we left Betty's Bay in the grip of a very strong South Easter (more about that later) and stopped in Malmesbury at a quaint little coffee shop where we had coffee and a light meal, then on to the flowers. We passed a few small patches of flowers on the way with nothing spectacular, when we arrived at the National Park entrance there was quite a long queue so after a little while we were in and with eyes looking everywhere we meandered through. I was a little surprised and to be truthful disappointed as it seems we were a bit late in the season and the displays were few and quite sparse although the few we did see were really gorgeous. Just before entering a section of the Park which is only open during the flower show we stopped just above Langebaan Lagoon and had our lunch looking out over the lagoon which was the most incredible colour and the water absolutely crystal clear, it almost felt like being in some other country. Then into the flower part of the park which is where we saw the biggest displays and were also really blessed to see some Zebra, I saw a Bontebok but was unable to get a photo of him then the cherry on the cake, I spotted a big Eland just lying down in the field amidst some of the flowers, he was about 90+ meters away but taking a chance I got a really beautiful photo of him which totally made my day. One of the things that really saddened and angered me was that there are signs everywhere telling visitors to stay in the car and not walk on the flowers and yet most people were not only walking ON the flowers but lying on them to take pictures, aarrgghhhh do they not realize that they kill the flowers by doing that?
We drove home through Cape Town so essentially travelled a big circle and only got home very late in the afternoon to a raging South Easter, and when I say raging believe me it was raging. Just trying to get in the front door was a gymnastic feat. Later during the evening we heard quite a commotion on the deck and on investigation discovered that our garden table and chairs, all plastic, had been blown over and up against the railing of the deck. This in itself was surprising but even more so was the fact that even the legs of the table had been blown loose and were lying with everything else up against the rails. Eventually at about 11 pm we fought our way outside and managed to stack up the furniture safely against a wall where it remained, being used to the commotion by now we didn't give much thought to further noises but on Sunday morning when we went out, the wind by then a mere breeze, we discovered that a big plastic dog bed had blown clear across from one side of the deck to the railings and Max's little plastic food bowl is still missing, by now it's probably in the ocean or Cape Town. Now I know why everyone here has heavy wooden deck furniture !! As I've said before, never a dull moment in this house - oh that's not all, whilst I was putting up Friday's Blog I had to go and chase 'Houdini' not once but twice because he 'escaped', frustration does not even come close to what we are feeling. Yesterday we had him on a very long tether and discovered he now does not look for holes in the fence he simply climbs over everything Hubby has erected #headinhands, which means more work now needed on the fence to take it higher than he can climb.
Yesterday and today have been beautiful down here in terms of the weather and for the first time I can imagine that Spring is on its way, maybe, although even after warm days the evenings are cold. Yesterday when I spoke to my little Princess she was telling me how excited she is about her visit which is in three weeks, so I am busy looking for places to take her shell collecting and Grandpa will be taking her fishing as well. In the meantime I am on a mission to find Silver Jewellary Wire as I want to attempt making some jewellary using some of the gorgeous shells that we've found.
Folks I wish for you a good week, filled with blessings and more happy moments than challenges. I would like to say, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading these Blogs and for your words of encouragement and feedback that you send, it means so much to me. Right now I am going to make a big mug of coffee and try entice my husband out of the office for a break. Until next time stay positive and always stay safe.
Langebaan Lagoon
Eland resting in the flowers
Flower field
We drove home through Cape Town so essentially travelled a big circle and only got home very late in the afternoon to a raging South Easter, and when I say raging believe me it was raging. Just trying to get in the front door was a gymnastic feat. Later during the evening we heard quite a commotion on the deck and on investigation discovered that our garden table and chairs, all plastic, had been blown over and up against the railing of the deck. This in itself was surprising but even more so was the fact that even the legs of the table had been blown loose and were lying with everything else up against the rails. Eventually at about 11 pm we fought our way outside and managed to stack up the furniture safely against a wall where it remained, being used to the commotion by now we didn't give much thought to further noises but on Sunday morning when we went out, the wind by then a mere breeze, we discovered that a big plastic dog bed had blown clear across from one side of the deck to the railings and Max's little plastic food bowl is still missing, by now it's probably in the ocean or Cape Town. Now I know why everyone here has heavy wooden deck furniture !! As I've said before, never a dull moment in this house - oh that's not all, whilst I was putting up Friday's Blog I had to go and chase 'Houdini' not once but twice because he 'escaped', frustration does not even come close to what we are feeling. Yesterday we had him on a very long tether and discovered he now does not look for holes in the fence he simply climbs over everything Hubby has erected #headinhands, which means more work now needed on the fence to take it higher than he can climb.
Yesterday and today have been beautiful down here in terms of the weather and for the first time I can imagine that Spring is on its way, maybe, although even after warm days the evenings are cold. Yesterday when I spoke to my little Princess she was telling me how excited she is about her visit which is in three weeks, so I am busy looking for places to take her shell collecting and Grandpa will be taking her fishing as well. In the meantime I am on a mission to find Silver Jewellary Wire as I want to attempt making some jewellary using some of the gorgeous shells that we've found.
Folks I wish for you a good week, filled with blessings and more happy moments than challenges. I would like to say, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading these Blogs and for your words of encouragement and feedback that you send, it means so much to me. Right now I am going to make a big mug of coffee and try entice my husband out of the office for a break. Until next time stay positive and always stay safe.
Langebaan Lagoon
Eland resting in the flowers
Flower field
Friday 9 September 2016
Busy week, busy weekend
Hi friends I trust you have all had a good week, busy I am sure but a good one nevertheless. Our week has been interesting and as always busy, busy, busy. There is always something to do or see apart from the normal day to day routine. As usual we are continuing with our various projects around the house, it is so much fun seeing how things are evolving and taking shape. I have baked biscuits (cookies) using a new recipe which turned out absolutely gorgeous, done all the mending that seems to pile up, chased after Max who took advantage of the gate opening to take flight and run about one kilometer with me following him in the car before I could actually catch him, I was not impressed to say the least. We furthered Gemma and Kiko's outings into the garden now letting them come and go for a couple of hours a day, Gemma seems to be very content to meander around the garden but Kiko is far more curious and will run around chasing butterflies, blades of grass and even rain drops, thankfully when I call her she usually comes in for a quick 'hi mom' and patters off again, although today her adventure came to an abrupt end when I happened to look out only to see her climbing the wooden post of the fence and from there onto a very unsturdy bush on the other side of the fence. When I called her she looked around and lost her balance so carried on climbing which had me running out in the rain barefoot and with wet hair to coax her back into our yard, it only took about two minutes thankfully - and here I was thinking she would be content to stay in the yard and not climb trees hahaha. We even managed, both energy wise and weather permitting, a walk with the dogs down to our little beach. Yesterday we went into Stellenbosch to collect something and took advantage of the outing to have a have a look around, it is such a pretty town with the most beautiful buildings. Stellenbosch is one of the few towns that have not modernized everything, but have rather kept the 'old' look and feel whilst at the same time and keeping it modern. We took Jelly Bean into a shop Called 'Oom Samie se Winkel' (direct translation from Afrikaans would be Uncle Sammy's Shop) that has been there for decades and is a bit of an institution. It is a traditional South African 'Trading Store' selling all manner of things from herbs, sweets, books, tobacco, liquor, kitchenware, vinyl records and jewellary. I was last there in about 1983 and can honestly say it has hardly changed at all, so for old times sake we bought a brown packet of 'old time' sweets which you select, they weigh it and charge you accordingly, hmmm surprisingly there are none left.
Yesterday was quite a day all round, Princess participated in a big Interschools Athletics Meet where she came second in hurdles (her favourite event), 4th in the Sprint and 4th in the Relay. The girl who beat her by a margin in Hurdles has been to S.A. Nationals twice so we are very, very proud of her, the next Meet is scheduled for the 28th of this month and it is just sad for me that we can't be there to watch her. You go Princess with those long legs and you diligence you can do it. It was also our youngest Grandsons 4th Birthday so we were able to Skype with him and his brother in the afternoon, they are so cute with their British accents and always have so much to tell us. Yesterday we were shown his gifts, his brothers spider collection and the garden. What absolutely had us rolling with laughter was when Grandpa unwrapped on of the toffees we had bought but first showed it to the boys, J the oldest turned around to his mom, completely serious and said "can Grandpa send that through this (the iPad) to us please?" that was just the cutest thing, apparently the other day his Dad purchased something through the Internet and he was very concerned and curious to know how Daddy was going to get the item out of the computer, oh the sweet innocence of children.
Tomorrow we are off up the West Coast to see the 'Flowers'. It is something I have always wanted to see and never had the opportunity and now is the time. It is about a two hours drive from us, and once a year from the end of August to mid September the fields come alive as all the wild flowers come into bloom at the same time. From what I have read and seen it is just a mass of colour as far as one can see, so to that end I have my camera on charge, will be making some 'pad kos' which is a South African term of food for the road. We are planning to set off fairly early so as to be in the National Park when the sun is at its best and then to just meander through and hopefully take lots and lots of photos. It is also the one part of South Africa I have not been to so much excitement here on my part while dear Hubby is under his car servicing it. Amazingly after a week of cold and rain the weather forecast for that area is sun with no rain and very little cloud cover for the whole of tomorrow and Sunday, then back to the rain for the week. I am actually becoming quite adept at being flexible when it comes to my 'washing schedule', it is very difficult to plan ahead so from being someone who washed towels on such and such a day, and linen on another etc, I now find myself washing the biggest loads when it is the sunniest.
Well folks I should probably make my darling Husband a good cup of coffee as I think he is just about finished and then super guy that he is, we are having take away Pizza for supper so no cooking tonight yaaaaay. Have a lovely weekend, hopefully take time to unwind from the stress of the week and as always be safe please wherever you are.
Oom Samie se Winkel
Yesterday was quite a day all round, Princess participated in a big Interschools Athletics Meet where she came second in hurdles (her favourite event), 4th in the Sprint and 4th in the Relay. The girl who beat her by a margin in Hurdles has been to S.A. Nationals twice so we are very, very proud of her, the next Meet is scheduled for the 28th of this month and it is just sad for me that we can't be there to watch her. You go Princess with those long legs and you diligence you can do it. It was also our youngest Grandsons 4th Birthday so we were able to Skype with him and his brother in the afternoon, they are so cute with their British accents and always have so much to tell us. Yesterday we were shown his gifts, his brothers spider collection and the garden. What absolutely had us rolling with laughter was when Grandpa unwrapped on of the toffees we had bought but first showed it to the boys, J the oldest turned around to his mom, completely serious and said "can Grandpa send that through this (the iPad) to us please?" that was just the cutest thing, apparently the other day his Dad purchased something through the Internet and he was very concerned and curious to know how Daddy was going to get the item out of the computer, oh the sweet innocence of children.
Tomorrow we are off up the West Coast to see the 'Flowers'. It is something I have always wanted to see and never had the opportunity and now is the time. It is about a two hours drive from us, and once a year from the end of August to mid September the fields come alive as all the wild flowers come into bloom at the same time. From what I have read and seen it is just a mass of colour as far as one can see, so to that end I have my camera on charge, will be making some 'pad kos' which is a South African term of food for the road. We are planning to set off fairly early so as to be in the National Park when the sun is at its best and then to just meander through and hopefully take lots and lots of photos. It is also the one part of South Africa I have not been to so much excitement here on my part while dear Hubby is under his car servicing it. Amazingly after a week of cold and rain the weather forecast for that area is sun with no rain and very little cloud cover for the whole of tomorrow and Sunday, then back to the rain for the week. I am actually becoming quite adept at being flexible when it comes to my 'washing schedule', it is very difficult to plan ahead so from being someone who washed towels on such and such a day, and linen on another etc, I now find myself washing the biggest loads when it is the sunniest.
Well folks I should probably make my darling Husband a good cup of coffee as I think he is just about finished and then super guy that he is, we are having take away Pizza for supper so no cooking tonight yaaaaay. Have a lovely weekend, hopefully take time to unwind from the stress of the week and as always be safe please wherever you are.
Oom Samie se Winkel
Monday 5 September 2016
The little detours on a road trip
From a wet and cold Betty's Bay I wish you a good morning and trust that this is the start of an awesome week. One of the things about retirement is most days feel like a weekend (according to Hubby who forgets what day of the week it is) except for this weekend, yesterday actually felt like a Sunday probably because we didn't do any work on the house and went and did a little exploring of our area. After that we came home and had a delicious lunch of Roast Beef and then watched the Grand Prix so extremely chilled and relaxing, it was also one of those rare perfect Cape days where there was not a cloud in the sky or a breath of wind - absolutely gorgeous. We went to Pringle Bay which is about 5km from Betty's Bay and is such a pretty little place. They have a few really nice little Deli shops,a Book Shop (which was closed) and a couple of Coffee Shops. For such a small place their shops stock a wide range of food, surprisingly very modern and trendy as is the general feel of the village. It amazes me how two holiday villages so close can have such a different feeling, but then that is what makes the little detours on a road trip so special. My Darling Hubby patiently stopped whenever I asked so that I could take photos (see below) which made the outing just that much more special. All in all a perfect day which actually felt like Sunday made even better by the fact that my contact lenses eventually arrived and as the song says "I can see clearly now" .... Whoop whoop.
As far as the ongoing saga of our furry family goes, Max is 'on the loose' and has not yet found a new escape point after we added more security to the fence, which is encouraging although to watch both him and Sasha when they see a mongoose or one of the pheasants on the road is actually extremely funny, they completely lose all reason jumping up and down and barking. There is one particular pheasant that stands on the opposite side of the road in the Fynbos and has done a good job of mimicking them and barks back, just too funny. As for the cats they are both getting more acquainted with the garden as we continue their supervised sessions outside although they are never particularly happy to be brought inside. Kiko is currently sitting watching the bread machine with great curiosity as it rotates and mixes our bread, far too curious for her own good this cat is.
Something that has been 'buzzing' around in my heart for a few days that I would like to encourage you with. We as individuals are responsible for our own happiness, as long as your happiness depends on someone else, your circumstances, the weather, how your day started etc then your emotions will always be like a see saw. You and you alone have the ability to change how you react to each and every circumstance. For example : It is Monday morning and for some reason everything goes wrong, the hair dryer 'dies', the kids forgot to do their homework / cannot find their school uniform, the outfit you planned to wear has a stain, in a nutshell it is a lousy start to the week, a real blue Monday. Now you can allow that to roll over and contaminate your entire day or you can choose to deal with it however you can and then shake it off, make an attitude adjustment and change the course of your day. Folks there are always going to be things that will challenge us whether or not they succeed depends on how we handle them. In my opinion the biggest success in overcoming any challenge is when I can turn it around and find some positive aspect and then laugh about it. If I had allowed challenges to 'get to me' over the course of my life time I would have been one of the most depressed, grumpiest, miserable people around. Yes there have been many times where it has taken me a wee while to get my balance back but very early in life I learned to bounce back as quickly as possible. I have also learned over the years that we need to be careful of the words we speak, in Proverbs 18 v 21 (Amplified Bible) we are told that 'Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who like it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.' You words are powerful and will affect your mood and even your circumstances. We are also told in Neh 8 v 10b. "Do not be worried for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold." So friends when things are going wrong or you are feeling like you just cannot handle another crises and want to just curl up into a ball and weep, try and turn it around by not giving into those emotions and speaking a whole lot of negativity over the situation and find your joy and strength in God, He is the One who can change whatever it is you are facing. There is so much to say on this subject that if I don't end off now you will be reading for hours, I just wanted to share with you that the power for happiness and peace lies within YOU and is not dependent on anyone or anything else.
My bread machine is 'singing' which means that the loaf is ready and I need to attend to it. I wish you and yours a wonderful week of peace and joy. Go out there and there and show the world just what you are capable of, and always please stay safe.
Cape Point taken from the other side of the bay in Pringle Bay approximately 32kms.
A distant Devils Peak taken from Pringle Bay.
Beautiful Red Pin Cushion Protea
As far as the ongoing saga of our furry family goes, Max is 'on the loose' and has not yet found a new escape point after we added more security to the fence, which is encouraging although to watch both him and Sasha when they see a mongoose or one of the pheasants on the road is actually extremely funny, they completely lose all reason jumping up and down and barking. There is one particular pheasant that stands on the opposite side of the road in the Fynbos and has done a good job of mimicking them and barks back, just too funny. As for the cats they are both getting more acquainted with the garden as we continue their supervised sessions outside although they are never particularly happy to be brought inside. Kiko is currently sitting watching the bread machine with great curiosity as it rotates and mixes our bread, far too curious for her own good this cat is.
Something that has been 'buzzing' around in my heart for a few days that I would like to encourage you with. We as individuals are responsible for our own happiness, as long as your happiness depends on someone else, your circumstances, the weather, how your day started etc then your emotions will always be like a see saw. You and you alone have the ability to change how you react to each and every circumstance. For example : It is Monday morning and for some reason everything goes wrong, the hair dryer 'dies', the kids forgot to do their homework / cannot find their school uniform, the outfit you planned to wear has a stain, in a nutshell it is a lousy start to the week, a real blue Monday. Now you can allow that to roll over and contaminate your entire day or you can choose to deal with it however you can and then shake it off, make an attitude adjustment and change the course of your day. Folks there are always going to be things that will challenge us whether or not they succeed depends on how we handle them. In my opinion the biggest success in overcoming any challenge is when I can turn it around and find some positive aspect and then laugh about it. If I had allowed challenges to 'get to me' over the course of my life time I would have been one of the most depressed, grumpiest, miserable people around. Yes there have been many times where it has taken me a wee while to get my balance back but very early in life I learned to bounce back as quickly as possible. I have also learned over the years that we need to be careful of the words we speak, in Proverbs 18 v 21 (Amplified Bible) we are told that 'Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who like it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.' You words are powerful and will affect your mood and even your circumstances. We are also told in Neh 8 v 10b. "Do not be worried for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold." So friends when things are going wrong or you are feeling like you just cannot handle another crises and want to just curl up into a ball and weep, try and turn it around by not giving into those emotions and speaking a whole lot of negativity over the situation and find your joy and strength in God, He is the One who can change whatever it is you are facing. There is so much to say on this subject that if I don't end off now you will be reading for hours, I just wanted to share with you that the power for happiness and peace lies within YOU and is not dependent on anyone or anything else.
My bread machine is 'singing' which means that the loaf is ready and I need to attend to it. I wish you and yours a wonderful week of peace and joy. Go out there and there and show the world just what you are capable of, and always please stay safe.
Cape Point taken from the other side of the bay in Pringle Bay approximately 32kms.
A distant Devils Peak taken from Pringle Bay.
Beautiful Red Pin Cushion Protea
Friday 2 September 2016
Apparently it is Spring
And the weeks just keep flying past, I can hardly believe we are into September already which means it is spring here in South Africa although the Cape has not yet received that notice. It is cold with driving rain and has been so for most of the week, please understand I am by no means complaining I am nowhere ready for summer and the heat. We have been here for a month and in some ways it feels like forever. I trust you have all had a good week and if it wasn't that good I hope you made Lemonade out of the lemons.
Due to the weather we mainly worked on indoor projects which means that slowly, slowly our home is taking shape. The bedroom cupboards are now complete (what a clever Hubby I have), arm covers for the sofas are made, blinds up etc. All in all a successful week even if we did not get to do much exploring, it is a little challenging in the rain and heavy mist haha, thankfully there are more than enough to things for us to do at home. Just to add a little excitement to our lives, not even four hours after my last Blog telling you how Max hadn't found an new escape route - he found one. Instead of going under the fence he found a way over it. So now Hubby dearest has to go back along the entire length of the fence and make it higher, can you believe it ? As if that was not enough the other night we were sitting in the lounge and the next thing Kiko started climbing the wall (literally) to get up to the top windows ........... As we watched she hung there then started losing her grip and down she came, I was expecting everything to come down with her but she twisted and kind of half landed / half launched herself from the fridge to the floor. Small she may be but oh my word is she feisty and adventurous. Yesterday we let her and Gemma out into the garden for awhile under supervision which they absolutely loved, so as the rain clears we will continue with the widening of their boundaries. To top off all these goings on during a tea time break yesterday Hubby and I were minding our own business when all of a sudden there was a huge commotion in the chimney as some silly rock pigeon lost his balance on the outside of the chimney and fell in. With much scrabbling and trying to stop his fall he eventually landed with a thump right in the fireplace, thankfully no fire at the time. It took a few seconds for him to get his equilibrium back and then a good few minutes for us to usher him out through the front door, as I've said before, never a dull moment in this household. On the animal front, I may have mentioned that there is a little Mongoose who races up the side of our house at least once a day, we also have numerous species of bird life here but this morning was a treat for me, as we pulled out of the driveway I saw a buck racing across the road and into the Fynbos, so fast and yet so graceful. We are just so blessed to live in this gorgeous village.
We did have cause for great rejoicing this past weekend when we received the news that our house in Hilton which has been on the market for about eighteen months is sold with the necessary finances approved for the purchasers. We accepted and signed their offer about two weeks ago but they had to apply for a Bond which has been approved and now things are moving along very quickly on that side. This was one of the really big things we needed to come into line for our retirement and just one more confirmation that we are exactly where God wants us. We have had that house for eight years and every year said maybe this year we can retire, it just never happened. The moment we made the decision to come to Betty's Bay everything fell into line and has continued to do so, what a Mighty God we serve. Whatever you are standing in faith for - God has heard your prayers and will come through for you, don't give up friends, keep on praying and thanking God for His will to be done.
Talking about waiting, I am STILL waiting for my contact lenses to arrive. It has now been more than two months and they should be delivered this afternoon. I understand that they were specially made for me but good grief two months? I will have to start the whole 'wearing in' period because it has been so long and will admit to being just a little nervous but more than all that I am so excited to eventually be getting them. To put it mildly I am not fond of wearing glasses even though everyone tells me they look nice, I feel much more confident when I wear contact lenses not to mention they don't 'mist up' when you open the oven and your eyes don't water when you cut onions, so there are just another two good reasons not to wear glasses. I am really hoping that I will see as clearly if not better than I see at the moment.
Now that I have rambled on about the 'excitement' that is our life in retirement, I am going to close off this week by wishing you the absolute very best of weekends. Wherever you may be in this world I hope it is not too hot or too cold, enjoy whatever you have planned and as always, please be safe.
Kiko climbing the wall
Gemma exploring the garden
Kiko - what's this Mom ?
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