They say things happen in threes.

Good morning everyone I hope this finds you all well and ready to cruise into March. I am truly hoping March will bring a drop in temperatures and am counting the days to winter, I am more than ready for jerseys, hot drinks, soups, curries. stews and log fires. Quite a week last week turned out to be ..... my goodness, first of all I had a Dr's appointment for a three monthly check with my Oncologist, I have no recall of the appointment being made and if they had not sent an SMS to remind me I would have blithely missed it. So right in the middle of my first Dr free week I was schlepping into SW, met with my Dr to discuss the 'future' with regards to visits etc and then blood tests before turning right around and beetling back home hehe. Let me back up to the first incident of the week, on Monday morning whilst I was dismantling my 'couch bed' I picked up my pillow and my heart literally skipped a beat when I saw right in the middle, under my pillow a scorpion 🦂. Quickly trying to reassure myself that it was dead, squashed (I thought) and calling Hubby and Jelly Bean, I grabbed the ever handy plastic jug to catch it in and it MOVED, fast!!!!! Eeeek. I jumped, we all jumped, and as calm as you please Jelly Bean grabbed a paper towel, picked it up and disposed of it. To say that I was beyond freaked out is an understatement, I looked under the couch, under the cushions, on the floor, on the curtains, inside my pillow case, you name it, I turned it over just checking there wasn't a spouse nearby 😱. I am still turning things over before settling myself. They are quite common here, but usually on the floor - never before under my pillow. Soooo, that got the adrenaline going and the week off to a surprising start. For the most part the following days were normal and relatively quiet apart from my trip to SW. Hubby always has clocks to work on and is still busy with his car but, on Tuesday I saw a comment on FB regarding Embroidery Stands and by the next day I had lined up three orders which meant he had to get a couple made up and ready to go out, just a wee bit of pressure in the timber department. By Thursday morning when he left to go to town for watch spares and a number of other stops, he was able to send off two, the third one should go out this week. We have discovered a wonderful Courier system called PUDO, I may have mentioned it before, they work on lockers which you 'hire' according to size, place your parcel and send the waybill to the client. An added feature is that they also deliver to door or locker, our client received her Stand before 9 AM Friday morning, less than 24 hours which is pretty convenient as well as being the cheapest option around. Whilst he was gone I was busy in the kitchen and poured a cup of boiling water, as I picked it up I bobbled the cup and spilt boiling water all over my hand ... seriously ???? I dashed for the cold water and then my tried and trusted tube of Flamazine, which I spread on liberally before shoving my hand into a jug of iced water. Less than two hours later no pain and although you can see where the burn is all the sting is gone due to the cream, it's a little tender to heat but that is all. That is one medication I am never without and have used it on every type of burn since Princess was very badly burnt by boiling two minute noodles when she was 3. To complete the 'trio' of events on Friday morning we all left to do the monthly grocery shop in Hermanus, it was a gorgeous cooling rainy start to the day and obviously Charlie could not come with. As the gate was closing I bent down and pushed him through, as I do every time I go out without him but, for some reason my timing was off or I was so intent on keeping him from getting through that I forgot about the approaching gate and it squished my head right into one of the metal arm things that guide it into position at the end. I pulled back instinctively, Charlie got out, Hubby and Jelly Bean were hopping about and I had the mother of all headaches. On the gate side I just have a graze and bruise but in the 'metal arm' side it cut into me just below my eyebrow, not big but deep enough to bleed which didn't help any of us. LOL 🤦🏻‍♀️ . Apart from the sore head I was fine and off we went to do the shopping in retrospect I can be glad I didn't squash my chest then I might have burst 😂. Just a warning though, a small child or animal caught in a sliding gate would have very a bad it not fatal outcome. Saturday I woke up to a slightly blacker left eye but the swelling has gone down a bit and only sore if I forget and touch it. As I said, not quite the week I planned and anything but dull and boring to be sure. The famIly are all doing well and working too hard. The Bears took part in a global CrossFit event on Saturday and both absolutely outshone themselves, I am so proud of you both and have NO clue how you do it #hatsoff Our dove family are doing well and patiently sitting on their nest, every now and then mommy dove serenades us and it is such a lovely sound. This week I want to take Charlie to the Vet for a checkup as he constantly seems to have issues with his ears and what I think are allergies are driving him and us quite mad. He actually gets a rash, almost like a heat rash over his body,over and above his constantly red, chewed feet, so here's praying for some answers. Not many people will know this about me, one of my most favorite things to do in summer to relax is to clean a swimming pool. In Cradock and Bloemfontein I would spend hours and hours in the pool cleaning it. A few weeks ago we put our small plastic pool up on the mostly enclosed deck and yesterday with the heat I decided that was the perfect way to end off an eventful week. Hubby changed the pipes around for me and armed with a vacuum cleaner pipe on one end I spent my afternoon cleaning every speck of dirt off the pool floor before relaxing in the pristine water whilst mama dove looked down in me, a few of her tiny white feather fluffs were cleaned away from the surface as well. People watching probably think I have lost the plot but it is so satisfying to systematically clean and remain cool at the same time haha, it takes all kinds I know. Well folks after all that once again I am aiming for a catastrophe free, peaceful week. I wish you and yours a good one and please stay safe and well. Ciao Ciao. Unwelcome sleeping partner.

My Life's Winding Roads: What hobby to do next ?

My Life's Winding Roads: What hobby to do next ?:  Greetings folks, its a new day, a new week and I trust this finds you all well.  For me it is going to be the first week in many months tha...

What hobby to do next ?

 Greetings folks, its a new day, a new week and I trust this finds you all well.  For me it is going to be the first week in many months that I have no planned trips into Somerset West and not one Doctors appointment Praise the Lord ! 👏🏻👏🏻 I cannot even begin to explain what a relief that is, in a tiny way it feels like I'm  getting my life back.  Last week was in fact my last Fill which went without any problems, it has also been the most painful one  to date and has still not settled down.  The upside of the story though is that my Exchange surgery date has been set for the 5th May with a pre-op appointment a month beforehand,  I am praying that this will be the absolute last surgery.

After we saw the last dove leave the nest the week before, we were about to dismantle the nest when lo and behold a new pair of doves arrived.  They were so cute - I think this mommy dove is more experienced, she had her mate flying back and forth bringing new twigs and material to build up and re-inforce the nest to her liking.  They were back and forth the entire week, she would spend an hour or two in the nest then fly off to wherever before coming back to adjust it some more.  On Friday she must have laid her eggs because she only leaves now when her partner comes and sits, very gingerly, on the nest.   This seems to be a ongoing story which will have to come to an end after this pair as Hubby is busy installing glass on the last open side of the deck, I would love to try and build a ledge for them for the future, we would just need to find the right spot.

All the components arrived for the installation of our Inverter which Hubby installed on Saturday, we are no longer at the mercy of the power grid and load shedding.  There are a few tweaks he wants to do but it is working and our new solar panel powers the battery, such a relief to know it's there and we have back up.  Our intention is to add solar panels and extra batteries as and when we can with the aim of being off grid, what a pity SA doesn't allow one to bank electricity back into the grid. 

Despite all the above it was a quiet week here in BB with not a lot of other news to report.  I am itching to get onto the beach and am just waiting for a cloudy day with light wind haha 🙄.

Yesterday the girls came over and joined us for lunch which turned into a lovely day, Humph came with and after a few minutes of getting to know each other all the dogs settled down happily and we had a very relaxed visit.  This is also largely due to the fact that Humph is a very gentle, laid back dog, he truly is a gentle giant.

As for the family everyone is well and working hard, this year gained momentum quickly and is humming along.  I am looking forward to picking up some of my hobbies with more consistency and actually getting into the normal rhythm of my life.  The one thing I would love to complete is the wooden unit I started last year but, stripping the old paint is beyond me at this point...... all in good time Sharon.

Folks being a quiet week that is all my news for now, I wish you all a wonderful week please look after yourselves and stay safe.

Ciao Ciao.

Strand beach on a very strange 'hazy' type of day.

Happy Valentines Day

Good morning friends and family Happy Valentines Day. Guess what ??? It is still mind numingly hot down here and despite one or two nights of soft rain it is way to dry for comfort with fires flaring up on a daily basis, thankfully for us, not in BB or currently in any of our immediate Villages. Well we had quite a week with one thing or another, on Tuesday evening whilst we were watching TV, Jasper jumped over the board and straight back in again almost immediately but, he had one of the baby doves in his mouth, we reacted so quickly and within seconds had retrieved the little guy but sadly it was too late and the bigger of our two babies was dead. Now, I know it's natural and part of their nature etc but ..... how dare he! I was truly upset with Jasper and felt so bad for the remaining baby and the mom who had no clue what happened to her little one. Needless to say we watched the second chick like the proverbial hawks and kept Jasper away from the deck as much as possible and I relieved a sigh of relief when happily she flew off into the big world with her parents on Friday afternoon. All we can think is the first one perhaps tried to fly or fell off the beam and my huge, black tuxedo cat was just waiting grrrrr. I am so used to looking up at the nest that now every time I see it empty it looks odd. Last week I mentioned how Princess is volunteering with a Dog Rescue and Adoption Group, I am sure this will come as no surprise but after her second shift last Sunday she found 'her' doggy and they took him home the same day. Humphrey a.k.a. Humph is a St Golden which is a cross St Bernard / Golden Retriever of about four years old and, like Charlie has come from a background of rejection and walking on the streeets. He is big and the most gentle soul in the world (until it's time for walks LOL, then he is hard to hold back), gets on well with both of the cats and from the first night decided that Princesses' bed is where he belongs. He adores going with them in the car and sits like a gentle giant in the back of the car. Already in just the short space of a week he has made himself right at home physically and in their hearts and lea Ning how to walk on a leash. I do believe he is going to need a ramp to get into the car as I cannot imagine the girls having to lift him in forever. On Saturday we took Charlie with and went into town to see the girls while Princess was working her shift (we didn't see much of her naturally) but introduced the two dogs and happily they were fine with each other. I felt it was important to introduce them on completely neutral ground and we spent the morning at a restaurant where they both behaved like absolute angels, even to sharing Humph's water bowl. It was also the furthest Charlie has travelled with us in the car and due to a new homeopathic anti nausea medicine I was recommended, for the first time he was not sick on either journey 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 , such a relief to have found something that works for him. He was a little pinker than usual ( he and Sasha were both groomed on Tuesday) and we all got a tad sunburnt, but so well behaved that I was ready to burst with pride. I'm looking forward to him joining us now on many more outings in future. Sasha is not a dog who likes the car and crowds / noises scare her to a trembling bundle so I am not going to try and take her with us unless it's to the beach. Today is / should be my last fill thank goodness, I cannot explain how happy I am about that. Last week's actual fill went well after having the Nerve Block the previous Friday but, oh my goodness it was the most painful Fill to date. I slept on the couch the entire week as that is the only place where I have been able to get comfortable but it is such a mission dragging everything through at night so, on Friday I asked Hubby if we could bring in our 'old' mattress which is much softer than the current one we have. Hmmm quite a task but between the three of us we got it in position although I definitely should not have helped carry it, as I am still very sore. I valiantly tried to sleep there Friday evening but ended up on the couch, again. Saturday evening I tried again and had one of the best sleeps I've had in ages. Part of the problem is having to sleep on my back partly 'propped' up - ugh, I am a side sleeper. Anyway it looks as if this is working and I am now on the hunt for a Mattress Topper that will give me the softness but still give Hubby the support of our hard mattress, such fun😬 Zeepha absolutely loves the new arrangement as the 'newer' mattress is propped up in the bedroom and being the little adventurer she is, it is her new play gym and resting place so I have had to cover it with a quilt 🙄😹 Hubby has got my car going almost like new, yippee and the little car is 98% ready, even his car is much closer to being back on the road. As far as I understand it is now just a case of fitting everything back into place. I know he cannot wait to into it and be gliding aroundin comfort haha. He really is very blessed to be able to do so many varied things and do them well, if we had to have all three cars repaired by a garage would have cost us an arm and a leg. He is also installing a Solar Inverter to take over when we have power outages and hopefully supplement our electricity supply for a couple of hours a day. Most of the components have arrived and once he has bought all the necessary wiring he will do the installation. This will be such a boon, especially to Jelly Bean whose work comes to a complete standstill every time the power goes off, sometimes she loses up to five hours a day. We bought a generator years ago but the rate at which it gobbles petrol and the noise it makes means we very seldom get it going. Miss Muffet and family flew to Germany on Friday for a skiing holiday which has been in the planning for quite awhile. Both the boys have been taking lessons since last year on a simulated course, so they will be in their element. Thankfully CoVid did not interfere with their plans and the photos we have been sent are absolutely exquisite. It looks like a dream world. Enjoy yourselves guys, especially the cold, lovely snow. Wishing each of you a good week, may you be blessed in all you do and safe wherever you go. Ciao Ciao 

PS.  As I posted this another dove took up residence in the nest haha

Introducing Humph very happy thank you 😊 

Charlie & Sasha very interested in Jelly Bean's food.

 

My Life's Winding Roads: Fun and Games

My Life's Winding Roads: Fun and Games: Good morning folks, it is an early start in our home today. After some exhaustingly hot days, today it appears to be a mite cooler. Oh how...

Fun and Games

Good morning folks, it is an early start in our home today. After some exhaustingly hot days, today it appears to be a mite cooler. Oh how I am counting the weeks to winter ........ I am so done with summer and the heat lol. Our little doves have grown so much in just a week and since Saturday have stretching and flexing their wings, so I am expecting them to fly off within a day or two with their parents. I cannot help but wonder if we will be fortunate to have another family take over the nest and repeat the process 🤔 In between load shedding and power outages, which appear to happen quite frequently when the power gets switched back on, It was a good week where I actually managed to sew a top that I have been planning since December -I took an old skirt and repurposed it into a lovely top which is cool and light, ✅ It did take me awhile but I eventually got to it. Given the weather was so hot I managed to get loads, literally, of washing done and backlogs cleared there as well. All in all a productive week off my 'to do' list. On Thursday Jelly Bean and I took ourselves off to Somerset West, firstly for a visit to my Breast Surgeon who had suggested I come in for a chat. It was a visit that did me the world of good. She confirmed what I have been feeling with regard to my 'fills' and the eventual aim/goal for my implants. She is truly a very incredible lady who despite her insane workload never loses sight of the fact that each of her patients is a person as well. She also decided to give me a Nerve Block on the left side which is always painful and uncomfortable, this has worked like a charm except for the fact it numbed the section that wasn't sore 😂, this morning will be a good testing experience as I am about to go in for another 'fill' . We managed to get a lot of things cleared off our shopping lists as well as having a really enjoyable afternoon out. Apart from being the farthest I have driven it was a beautiful drive into Somerset West having left BB in the rain and in true Cape style arriving in SW to blazing sun, cloudless skies and intense heat, we truly have four seasons in one day, just part of the charm of the Western Cape. We did have a funny incident when, after a night of not being able to sleep I was extremely tired and in Jelly Bean's words a tad 'snarky'. She was cooking viennas and first asked me if she should cook them in a pan - I suggested she could just put them directly on the stove, she then asked what would they look like when they were ready, I answered by saying "they will look cooked." 🤷🏻‍♀️ I didn't know at that moment how to explain what a cooked Vienna looked like 🤣🤣. We laughed about this and I forgot about it, until that evening when I ate a jelly she had made for me. It tasted unusual and when I asked what it was, amid much giggling I was informed that it was strawberry. Hmmmm I, as a rule can't stand anything with a strawberry taste if it is not a real strawberry but this was quite pleasant. She explained that when she saw the flavor on the box she figured it would be good payback for my being snarky. 🤣🤣🤣. Oh how we all laughed. Jelly Bean 1, Mom 0. The family are all doing well and extremely busy with all their various activities including Princess who is really back in the swing of school, athletics and everything that goes with being in Matric. She is also volunteering at a Dog Adoption Project which is active every weekend, this is due to the fact that part of their curriculum for Matric is completing a certain amount of Community Service, there is more to this part of the story so watch this space next week. I am so proud of each and everyone of them for their incredible work ethics and levels of integrity, way to go guys🙌🏻. Hubby had big clocks completed and collected as well as new ones coming in, he also has found time to get some work done on the Volvo which is really great as it has been standing since October. Over and above all his busyness he eventually made time to go for a round of golf in Kleinmond on Wednesday, which was probably one of the hottest days of the week. It seems like at long last we are moving towards some sort of normality after two years of being in various levels Lockdown, busyness and then 6 months of doctors, tests and hospitals last year. The next thing on my agenda is a nice long walk on the beach, when it is not too hot or blowing a gale. Folks, thats enough about my family and all our goings on, I wish you all a wonderful week and please stay safe and healthy. Ciao Ciao. 

 Beautiful view from Clarence Drive