Cataracts, dogs, jam and cat caves

Wow ....... it is November and we are nearing the end of this crazy, historical year. I saw a meme the other day which said "I am staying up on New Years Eve, not to see in 2021, but to make sure 2020 is well and truly finished," I am sure there are many of us who feel the same way. I have seen good years and terrible years but never a year as upside down and topsy turvy as this year. Good morning everyone, I pray that for all of us the following months will bring good health, provision and protection in every area pertaining to our lives and families. As we face a brand new week, I am optimistic that it will be kind. Last week as I predicted was incredibly busy with trips to Hermanus, Somerset West, here there and everywhere. Quite exhausting to be honest but much was accomplished. Hubby dearest had an appointment with the Eye Specialist as his latest eye exam showed that he has cataracts, so off we trotted and met with the same Dr who finally fixed my eyes. He will go in again on Thrursday where they will remove the worst cataract under a local anaesthetic and when he goes for the post op check up the Dr will decide if and when the second one will be removed. Hubby also removed and sold the railing from the deck and we are now seeing more and more what it is going to look like as he is working on the front wall below the sliding windows and which will be the back of the benches, look out for lots of pics to come. With such a busy week and Charlie 🐩 battling with nausea when driving he stayed home on all our trips out, he gets so upset when I leave him at home that I feel like an absolute heel. Somehow he senses what is about to happen, even going as far as jumping onto my lap while I am trying to put my make up on, that added to his once a week 'fast' and very bad eczema on his feet he is on the diary for a trip to the Vet, either this week if there is a cancellation or next week. I must add here that coming home I get THE most amazing greetings, he jumps on me and will literally try and lick me skinless, he gets beyond himself with excitement - it's a nice way to come home hehe. The family are all doing well, I should be collecting the keys to the girl's new house this week, which is exciting as that means we can go in and have a look. We also have become a storage centre for items they have had to purchase i.e., school uniforms, text books etc, not long now and they will be here. Prayers are with all the school children who start writing their exams this week, I take my hat off to them all for having persevered with their work and studying under such extremely difficult circumstances. One of my pesonal deepest prayers and wishes is that somehow Big Guy will be able to get down here for Christmas, this is the longest time that I have not seen one of my kids. On a totally different note, on Saturday I undertook two creations which were interesting to say the very least. First I decided to make Gooseberry jam as we now have a supplier of all sorts of frozen berries and fruit. I found the recipe which called for sugar and gooseberries only and got to work. I usually make my jams in the Bread Machine but after the allotted time it was just berries floating on a very sweet syrup. Undeterred I transferred everything to a pot on the stove and set it to a slow simmer, some of you can guess where this is going 😀, I diligently stirred and kept an eye on it for hours. In the wink of an eye, a trip to the bathroom and I came back and my precious jam was all but toffee...... arrrggghhhh. It had not burnt but was perilously close and so thick that I could have made gooseberry toffee apples, I bottled it and mulled it over mentally all night. Yesterday I microwaved the almost solid block of gooseberry toffee for 30 seconds to soften it before putting it back into a pot and adding a little boiling water, I stood over that stupid pot not taking my eyes off it and continually stirring until at LAST I had jam, eureka! Things to know going forward - get a jam thermometer and don't go to the bathroom when there is jam on the stove 😂😂. Secondly I decided that seeing as Zeepha likes cardboard boxes so much I was going to make her a cat cave, I made one about five years ago and neither Gemma or Kiko were interested in it. We tend to have a variety of cardboard boxes constantly adorning our home as she takes occupancy of them as they come in, not always waiting for them to be emptied, and uses them as a 'no go area' when playtime gets too rough or she's trying to hide from something. Well this exercise was most interesting if not downright awkward - I cut the flaps off the box and then took an old T-shirt and stretched it over the box using the neck as an entrance. This means then that I had to sew up the sleeves etc to make it look neat and presentable, the problem started the moment I picked up the box - there was Madam just waiting to see what was going to happen. For the entire time is was working with her cave, on my lap, she was inside and trying to assist or direct my hands to where she thought they should be, the outcome is one very happy Zeepha, one cool cat cave and one very sore pinkie finger where she nailed me under the cuticle hahaha. Jasper got very confused yesterday when he was chasing her and she just seemingly vanished until, he walked past and she shot out her paw and whacked him, he leapt about 8 inches off the ground 🤣. Well folks that's all for this week, a bit of rambling, a catch up and some giggles which was our week. Please look after yourselves, stay safe and healthy and have a superb week. With love from Betty's Bay Ciao Ciao. Zeepha inspecting her cave