What a week - back home !!

Good morning folks from a delightfully sunny but NOT hot Betty's Bay, after the heatwave of last week it is pure joy.  Well ......... What a week is putting it mildly hehe,  as you know when I arrived Princess was really ill poor little soul, I kept her at home until Wednesday and only discovered later in the week that it was some bug that was absolutely rampant up there, to the point that one of the local Primary Schools actually closed completely.  We had such a special time though and did all sorts of Granny / Granddaughter things, watched loads of television and laughed until our sides ached, we made heaps of precious memories that will last us forever.  It was such a relief when she felt better by Thursday and then after I had dropped her off at school  for no reason and out of nowhere I came down with a raging cold #facepalm #really????  At first I thought it was hay fever but nope, I actually cannot remember when last I had a cold or flu and was far from being a happy camper.

Is spite of all the health challenges we still had a wonderful week, although I had no idea I would miss home, my Darling Hubby, Jelly Bean and the zoo so much, but I did.  Jelly Bean spent most of the week with BigBear and BabyBear and she too came down with the same 'bug', which messed with her week as well.  She is still not over it but we are getting here there slowly.  My amazing Hubby coped like the absolute star that he is, he kept the home fires burning, all the animals healthy and well, even  #cece_the_blind_kitten has continued to slowly improve on her meds which I can only thank God for.

Poppet had a fantastic week in Sydney, Australia, so many firsts that she conquered and flourished with.  She took Ferry trips, explored, went to night markets, did wonderfully at work and has already become part of the team.  Big Guy had his usual insanely busy week, I simply do not know how he does it.  BigBear and BabyBear hosted Jelly Bean so beautifully, took delivery of their new vehicle and then on Friday left to drive inland about five or six hours to meet up with her Mom and Step Dad for a long weekend in the Karoo.  They are currently on their way back as today is a Public Holiday in South Africa.

On Saturday Princess and I tracked Poppet's plane, she literally had THE longest day of her life, and lef for the airport arriving about five minutes before she was due to land, hmmmmmm  opulent you know it, her plane was delayed and so after having something to nibble and drink there we sat, people watching.  Once she landed it took a further TWO hours for their luggage to come through ? Seriously that was absolutely ridiculous especially at the end of a fourteen hour flight.  Her plane also had the Wallaby Rugby Team on board, although their luggage came through way before anyone else's.  As you can imagine she was completely exhausted, in fact over tired by the time she arrived, it will take a couple of days to find her feet.  Thankfully we had made dinner before we left so we could back to a good home cooked meal.

Yesterday after a slow start we went through to Big Guy to say goodbye and he made the most amazing lunch - it was superb.  I am so very proud of the awesome people my kids have become, and what incredible cooks.  Your guys rock my world !!!  The girls took me to the airport where we had a last coffee together and so many laughs before I boarded my plane and came home to a wonderful green, cool Cape.  There is no comparison between the two Provinces, they are complete opposites.  Last week in Pretoria the temperatures soared to 39 c, the sky up there is constantly grey/brown from all the pollution and it is so dry (summer rainfall area) that everything is brown.  The people are always in such a hurry that you feel rushed every second.   As our plane started descending last night I saw snow on the mountains and so many little dams below us, I could literally feel myself relaxing. Being able to sleep under our feather duvet in winter jammies was just the cherry on the cake to me being home.

I miss my up country family more than words can say, but I do not miss one other thing and thank the Lord daily for putting us here in my beloved Betty's Bay.  Today is a catch up day, no housework as
Hubby did such a good job, lots of cuddling with Cece and fighting off the 'Fibro' lash back from
travelling and being unwell.

Friends, slightly longer Blog than usual but this week all will be back to normal as everyone settles back into their normal rhythms.  I wish you all a fabulous week ahead, don't be afraid to attempt new
things and spread your borders as you step out.  Be safe and stay aware our there, Ciao Ciao for now.

The gorgeous mountain behind our house

Coming to you from Pretoria

Good afternoon one and all, I trust everyone is well.  Today's Blog is coming from a squelching hot Pretoria,  it is 34c outside #verysadface.  Wow ok where to start ...... We had a fairly busy week what with one thing and another, also there always seems to be so much to do before going away.  We also managed a couple of visits with our friends back from Europe and Pupster has been to visit a couple of times. He loves running around our garden, and has actually run a path around the house haha.  Happily  #cece_the_blind_kitten appears to be responding well to her new medication, I have not lost any skin or shed any blood for five days which is a record given her recent track record. We continue to pray that as every dose is absorbed so she will improve, at the moment my ever patient Hubby is looking after her and ALL the other 'zoo' members and doing a wonderful job.  Thank you my Darling!

On Friday Poppet flew out to Sydney, Australia for her week of training and even managed to do a little sight seeing.  Today was her first day at the office and it went very well although she is absolutely exhausted.  Yesterday I flew out from Cape Town at 9.30 am and Jelly Bean went to spend a few days with BigBear and BabyBear, so my precious Hubby is having a few days of 'me' time and I believe he is really missing us both.  He will collect Jelly Bean on Thursday as the 'Bears' are driving to the Karoo to have a weekend with family on a Game Farm, enjoy guys and please drive safely.  Big Guy met me at the airport bless his heart, after only having three hours sleep, he is such a trooper.  Just before I took off I heard that Princess had been up the entire night and was really not well.  We came through and collected a very pale and sad Poppet, unable to keep even basic liquid down, brought her home and she had a bath before insisting that she go with us to lunch.  Shame, poor little thing just sat there looking green and taking tiny sips of water.  Big Guy took us to Old Italy which is a glorious restaurant and the food was truly something else.  I could have spent an absolute fortune there on all the amazing Italian products they sell, we didn't stay very long as Princess really was not good and he was totally exhausted (I do not know how he copes with doing these twenty four hour doubles - hats off to you son).  Not long after we got home the friends Princess had stayed with called and I took her back as B's dad is a Doctor, he looked her
over, gave us some meds and I brought her back where she promptly fell asleep and slept right through til about 9.30 this morning.  She is still very nauseous but definitely looking better than yesterday, the nest step is to try and get some food into her.  We managed a quick chat with Poppet and got her laughing before I dashed off to the supermarket to stock up on some basics and anything I could think of that will stay down.  Hopefully tomorrow she will be back at school and back to her normal bubbly self.  I have managed a chat with Jelly Bean and my Hubby so feeling a little more connected but missing them all. Also thanks to me being so busy and I think the flight, I am super sore so we are just going to relax today and recover.

Folks as you can see I am having a super busy day and to that end I am going to say Ciao Ciao for this week.  I wish you all a wonderful week, go out and spread some love and kindness as you get your week underway.  Please stay safe and always be aware of your surroundings.

My companion since I've been here - introducing Boude!

Cece in a peaceful moment.

Whew time to take a breath.

Good morning everybody I hope you are all well!  Gee whizz I did say it was going to be a busy week, but what an understatement.  Between having to go for Physio, #Cece_the_blind_kitten being absolutely impossible and having everything ready for our dear friends to come home, after being in Europe for four months, and having pupster ready it disappeared very quickly.

Happily the combined Physio and the 3 in 1 injection I had have helped a lot with my back and I am functional with just the odd twinge -yaaaay.  As far as Cece goes #facepalm is the best way to express the last week.  I currently look like I have been doing rounds in a ring with a tiger, which is not too far off the truth.  Her aggression escalated to unknown levels and it was an extremely difficult week.  We have spent the last fourteen days waiting for the Kitty Prozac to arrive and on Friday, due day, the Vet phoned to say "good news Cece's Klomicalm has arrived."  I nearly lost the plot.  Klomicalm is what she has been taking for months, for some reason the Prozac has not been delivered aaaarrgghhhh.  Eventually I spoke to the vet who then wrote a prescription for human Prozac (why didn't we do this two weeks ago?) and I got two pills which I have to divide into 8ths.  She has just had her third dose and although it takes between two to six weeks to see an improvement, we do think there has been a slight reduction in her aggression and panic.  This is really now our last option for her so I am praying that it will work, I will admit to being at the end of my tether at the moment.

All went well with Pupster's transition back home and much to D & E's relief he remembered them and settled down immediately, he is now one very happy boy, even sporting a red bandana hehe.  He as been back to visit twice and then loves showing them all the race circuits he does around the garden, hehe.  Yesterday was the first real Spring day we've had and we were truly blessed and spoilt by being taken out to lunch at the most amazing restaurant,  just in the next Village, it truly is a gem and to say we had a ball would be an understatement, I won't need to cook for a week hahaha - if only.

This morning just after we woke up, we heard a couple of very deep 'booms', thinking it was someone digging in a garden I was not too perturbed, but our trusty Village WhatsApp grapevine very quickly informed us that our S.A. Navy are busy doing manoeuvres with the Brazil and Argentinian Navy in False Bay.  I really feel for the whales because if we could hear it then I have no idea what it is like for them, hopefully it won't interfere with their breeding.

This week is set to be far more sedate although I will be getting ready for my trip up to Pretoria on Sunday, whilst at the same time Poppet will be finishing off at work and getting ready for her trip to Sydney, Australia - she leaves on Friday.  Next week's Blog will come from the other end of the country :D.

Folks, that was our week in a very small nutshell, I have no idea what this week will bring but I do know I am planning to rest and try to recharge my batteries, oh yes and try to keep Cece calm and centred haha.  We have had SO much rain that a tree on the fence with our neighbour has fallen over due to the weight of the creeper which is growing in it - sad face.  I wish you all a wonderful week, full of new opportunities and loaded with blessings.  Please stay safe and always be aware of your surroundings.

Some pics of the stormy weather last week,  one from the front deck and the other from the back door.

These little Mousebirds are amongst my favourite as they queue for nectar.

Spring is here, or is supposed to be

Good morning folks on this first Monday of Spring, I trust you are all well and ready to embrace the new week before us.  I have absolutely no illusions that this week is going to be quiet, it is set to be incredibly busy.  Last week was fairly busy, maybe it was a practise run haha.

Our dear friends are returning from four months in Europe which means the Pupster will be going home and we are going to sort out as much as we can for them tomorrow and Wednesday before they land.  While one of us goes through to the airport the other will be at the house with a bouncing teenaged puppy awaiting his Mommy and Daddy's return, I am sure that if he understood he would start walking now.

Last week was of a different rhythm altogether.   After having had a 'niggly' back for a couple of days,  on Tuesday after my precious Hubby left to go and play golf in Darling, along the West Coast, I pulled the duvet and landed flat on my face on the bed as the spasm knocked my legs out from beneath me.  In retrospect it was quite funny if it hadn't been so sore, even Poppet laughed when I told her.  This 'trend' continued for the next two days, at almost every thing I did I found myself face to face with some strange surfaces,  anyway I went to the clinic and she gave me a big three-in-one injection which helped enormously, for a day LOL.  Next it was off to the Physio, who is blind but incredibly good.  It is improving but taking a lot longer than it has in the past #sadface, I have just come back from a second session with him and am now glued to my heating pad.

We are waiting for the new meds for  #cece_the_blind_kitten to arrive, the Vet has prescribed 'Kitty Prozac' for her which should arrive this week and I am hoping I can get her settled on it before I fly up to Pretoria so that Hubby and JellyBean won't have too hard a time with her.  On the Pretoria side all Poppet's visas are through and her tickets are booked, so she is officially off to Australia for a week, lucky girl.  This means that Princess and I will be left to our own devices while she is away, I am looking forward to spending time with that beautiful grand-daughter of mine as well as seeing Poppet and Big Guy.  On the CT side of the family there has been big developments as BabyBear has been transferred within her company to a completely different position, based in Johannesburg.  This is going to be a challenge for both of them as they commute backwards and forwards, but they have  about it and because of who they are, they will make it work.

I cannot say that Spring has actually arrived, maybe I'm in denial that winter is coming to an end.  There is very cold, wet, snowy weather forecast for this week and I am holding onto the fact that our true summer doesn't really start until end October or there about.  Having said that and just put washing on the line I have one eye glued to the mountain keeping an eye on those big black clouds.  Yesterday while I was filling the kettle I saw the most exquisite little bird, it was a Yellow Bishop - the blackest black with bright yellow stripes in his wings and on his back.  It is one of the delights of my day when I stand in the kitchen and watch the huge variety of birds we have coming to feed.

Folks, not the most exciting of weeks as far as news is concerned, but I am quite convinced that the next few days will be more than enough to keep us busy and entertained.  I wish you all a blessed week, make the most of all the opportunities that come your way and, when things aren't going according to plan take a few minutes to add up all your blessings.  It is so easy to focus on the negative and feel sorry for ourselves that we then completely overlook all our blessings - our families, friends, the roof over our heads, our health, the food on the table, maybe you did something you've never done before, achievements, the list goes on and on when you sit down and start thinking about it.  Until next week Ciao Ciao and please stay safe and aware out there.

One of the smaller waterfalls behind us