My Life's Winding Roads: Winter in the Cape.

My Life's Winding Roads: Winter in the Cape.: Good morning one and all from a very wet, flooded and cold Betty's Bay. 😁. For the first time since we moved down we are having a norma...

Winter in the Cape.

Good morning one and all from a very wet, flooded and cold Betty's Bay. 😁. For the first time since we moved down we are having a normal winter, and oh boy is Mother Nature making up for being late the last six years.  Last week in the space of twenty four hours we had 165 mm of rain, and it has rained every day.  Seeing the sun has actually become a novelty haha.  Praise the Lord we have been fine and only had a couple of small leaks appear, there are many homes in our Village and Pringle Bay who have not been so fortunate and have been completely flooded.  Given that most of our roads are dirt that has compounded the problem - some were washed away completely.  Our local municipality and Fire Volunteers are really on the ball and have provided sand bags, shelter, etc, where needed. Our beloved Clarence has been closed and re-opened couple of times due to rock falls and mud slides.  Last Monday JB and I drove into Somerset West amidst one of the strongest winds I have ever driven in.  It was fascinating looking across False Bay because the wind was so strong that it whipped up spray making the Bay look like a huge pot of steam.

May, like every other month recently was a busy month but in a super way.  We had the Bears as well as Poppet and Princess over for lunch on Mother's Day and were able to 'christen' the deck with family.  I am most confused re this deck as I have discovered that in choosing cotton calico for the curtains, they absorb all the moisture in the air and get so wet that at times they leave damp patches on the cushions ... what on earth??  Apparently cotton and towelling absorb the humidity and voila - wet curtains.  Having said that, after the last few days of non stop rain they have remained bone dry 🤷🏻‍♀️.  It would seem that we are going to have a investigate dehumidifier options.

We also had Princess come and spend a few days with us which was absolutely awesome and such a treat.   She was busy working on a model for her University application and we heard this past week that she has been accepted for her Interior Decorating studies. Very sadly that means she will be moving back to Pretoria at the end of the year, I can hardly believe it. 😢 Oh how she is going to be missed.

As for the whole family at least half of us have had and recovered from a nasty type of flu grrr, Princess is still shaking hers off.  The girls are moving in the middle of the month so there is a lot happening on that side of the mountain.  Hopefully this will be the last move for quite awhile and I pray that they settle quickly and happily in their new apartment, there is a lot happening in their lives.  Hubby has had an absolute influx of clocks and watches, he has been churning them out at quite a rate.  

On Friday I had to take Sasha (JB's little Maltese poodle of nearly 14 years old) to the vet because I could hear a wheeze when she breathed.  Thank the Lord she is a sturdy, healthy little girl and it turns out she has Bronchitis and is on a handful of meds, I'm not hearing anymore wheezing 🙏.  On the subject of dogs Charlie also had an interesting event earlier on in the week.  He had the zoomies and didn't see or didn't realise that the glass sliding door to the bedroom was closed and ran right into it. Well, you can imagine, there was a mighty yelp and cry and he was very subdued for a couple of hours and somewhat less energetic for a couple of days.  I felt so sorry for him, but we also couldn't help laughing because he wouldn't go anywhere near the door for the rest of the the night.    He just said stood staring at it with great suspicion.

 Last weekend I got down to making both of the dogs some new jackets which are a 50/50% success haha.  They are fleece and somehow at night when he snuggles down under the duvet he manages to get one leg out of the neck.🤷🏻‍♀️ The first morning when I saw him he was lying in his back and the jacket had wrapped around him so it looked exactly as if he was wearing a nighty 🤣  We have seen Tilly the tortoise a good few times, but she is really good at hiding, I was so worried about her with the cold and rain and have has to console myself that in the wild she would be no better off. Oh my word there are never two days the same in this house.  On a quick side note, my Bamboo tree survived and is looking fairly happy despite being accidently poisoned, whew.

As for hobbies 😉 I finished JB's gorgeous socks.  I also finished my big Protea diamond painting.  I know you are all waiting for pic's but I want them all framed before I do that.  The Protea is framed but I am going to paint the frame with a pewter effect.  The scarry part of finishing it, is the abstract that I had waiting is small in comparison.  I have ordered a custom print painting which will only be ready on the 27th June and so here I am trying to drag out doing the abstract or I will have nothing to work on.  I can tell you now it's not going to work  because it is 3/4 done.   I am also going to substitute one of the colours with gold Drills/beads and they will arrive with my new one.  Oh what a horrible position to be in 🤔😥

I had my last investigative procedure on the 8th May and the Dr was happy to report a clean and healthy colon and a not so happy tummy.  Apparently I had the Helicobacter Pylori bacteria which caused lots of small ulcers.   He put me onto two antibiotics as well other meds and I trust and pray it is all sorted. 🙏

Well folks, as they used to say in the Disney cartoons, that's it for this month.  Already June is looking to be varied and busy.  Wherever you are please stay safe and healthy, if you are in South Africa stay warm and dry.  Ciao ciao.

Not my photo or videos.  Bettys Bay last week.

One street below us

Good bye April, hello May

That reminds me of a song from waaay back when : Goodbye Sam, Hello Samantha sung by Cliff Richards.  The minute the music starts I can remember all the words, but cannot always remember why I walked into a room 🤦🏻‍♀️.  Good morning folks both near and far, for those in South Africa, enjoy the last day of long weekend and for those everywhere else, I hope you are ready for the new week and month ahead.

April was a good month here in our abode.  The curtains are now hanging and look stunning as well as keeping the bright sun off the deck.  Let no one ever say that eyelet curtains are easier or cheaper than the normal tape ones, they are not ! So now we have a finished deck, curtains up and just cushions to make.  'Our' next big project which is due to be started now is to  retile our shower and refloor the bathroom as well as paint the roof.  We have a very real challenge down here with the bathrooms (particularly the showers) not drying properly and growing mould.  This being despite the actual shower having a window directly in it.  

On Saturday after MUCH searching for a sock pattern, knitted on two normal needles, I began a pair of socks for Jelly Bean.  We bought some really lovely sock wool last Monday and eventually I found a pattern in a Vintage Pattern online.  Once I got going it became enjoyable although it must be noted, we have a much simpler way of writing patterns nowadays haha.  I  am working downwards towards the toes of sock one currently.

Diamond paintings are coming along and we are both about two thirds completed with an extra waiting to be started.  My next one is going to be very different from the first three in that it is an abstract design 👏🏻.

There have been a few trips into SW throughout the month, which have turned out to be mostly enjoyable.  We discovered an Asian grocery store, right next to Geldorf's Chocolates (oh dear that is definitely a shop to be avoided as much as possibly).  JB and I  went looking for material for the cushions and after months of indecision, finally found exactly what we need and I envisioned.

Hubby has delivered the bulk of clocks and watches he was working on and received a very sad little cuckoo clock this week.  It is missing the 'lady' who comes out, a decorative mushroom, the pendulum and the weights. So , a little bit of a challenge to track down the requisite spares.

Yesterday Poppet came over with Humphrey, Princess is in Pretoria for the weekend.   I made a big pot of beef curry and we had that with naan bread and samoosas.  Followed by a delicious rainbow cake, all three supplied by Poppet.  It was a lovely, lazy, quiet day where everyone was laid back and chilled.  I managed to squeeze in a batch of gluten free cheese muffins just as she arrived, so that takes care of snacks for a day or three.  Warmed up in the microwave with melted butter ... Nom nom.

I must confess I think I may have inadvertantly killed my bamboo plant.  It is a  few years old and it has done really well.  Earlier this year I bought a tall vase for it (the cats broke my other one) and not being sure if the vase was going to rust I decided to coat it with a waterproof lining.  After much serious discussion with the hardware store and reading numerous labels we settled on a product which seemed perfect.  Eco friendly, coated well, waterproof etc.  I followed all the steps and left it for almost two months to make sure it dried properly, before putting my bamboo into it.  After a good few weeks I noticed the lower leaves had turned yellow and took it out to investigate (it is a water bamboo). Shock and horror, my bamboo's leaves were all coated in grey. As I emptied the vase all the 'waterproof sealer' washed down the sink together with the water.  It had just absolutely dissolved 🥺.  Immediately I gently rinsed off the roots and placed it into a clear container where I can monitor it.  First of all it looked ok but in the last week or so I have seen more yellowed leaves.  I was so proud of my bamboo and am going to have to start all over again from scratch. Grrrrr.

Health wise my 'month off' was enjoyed and greatly appreciated.  My Bone Density tests and breast Sonar were last week and went without a hitch.  Bone Density has improved but I will still need the Six monthly Calcium Drips.  The Gastroscopy and Colonoscopy are scheduled for the 8th then I am done for a couple of months 👏🏻🙏.  I have had very intense reactions to something which we initially thought were mosquito bites, now not so sure.  The 'bite' becomes incredibly sore and itchy, they also feel a bit like a cigarette burn. Then a large area of cellulitis appears which can last for two to three weeks, Fibro is such fun ... NOT !!! 🤷🏻‍♀️

Weather wise it is absolutely glorious.  Warmish days and cool nights, we are even in winter pyjamas already 😀.  We have had some lovely rains and some pretty hectic gale force winds.  You never know what you will find in the garden after a night of crazy wind, thankfully apart from a few broken branches nothing unusual has been found.  My heart does go out to the birds trying to get to the water feeder, they fly towards it but end up going backwards even quicker, eventually they figure it out.  Currently we are having our 'annual' bee suicide event where they wiggle their way into the bottle and then drown. For the next few days I will leave the water feeder empty in the hopes that they go somewhere else.

Have a wonderful month folks, stay safe and stay healthy.  Ciao Ciao.

From a glorious Betty's Bay

From this, after we put the roof trusses on

Sleeping pals.

My Life's Winding Roads: Good bye April, hello May

My Life's Winding Roads: Good bye April, hello May: That reminds me of a song from waaay   back when : Goodbye Sam, Hello Samantha sung by Cliff Richards.  The minute the music starts I can re...

My Life's Winding Roads: Wishing you all a blessed Easter.

My Life's Winding Roads: Wishing you all a blessed Easter.: Greetings and salutations to you all on this lovely Easter weekend.  I hope wherever you are you have relaxed and have a safe journey home. ...

Wishing you all a blessed Easter.

Greetings and salutations to you all on this lovely Easter weekend.  I hope wherever you are you have relaxed and have a safe journey home.

For the first time since we moved down autumn started on time and we have had a cool wet Easter weekend, in the '80's the first cold front always arrived over Easter.  For the last number of years the heat and absence of rain have lasted right through into May so, imagine my delight at being able to wrap up a little 😁 truly a happy bunny.   Last month was, as expected filled with all sorts of things.  Despite his concern and the rush, my surgery went well, the Gynaecologist removed a tumour which was benign Praise God, everything else went as planned. I have finished with Physio for my arms and everyone is delighted with my progress.  My right arm is still a little stiff but exercise is working.  I also had to see my Oncologist for a scheduled check up, everything is good there and all tests normal 🙏.  She still wants me to have a Colonoscopy and Gastroscopy but agreed to give me a 'month off' to recover and with no procedures.  It feels like I'm on holiday haha.

It was Jelly Bean's birthday and she really wanted to go and see the penguins at Boulders Beach, Simonstown. We went with the girls and decided to make a day of it.  There were so many people crowding the walkways which was quite a surprise, it has become a huge tourist attraction.  No one can get close to the penguins but it was very special seeing them and seeing their eggs in their nests.  From there we went to a wonderful restaurant in Kalk Bay where we sat and played Kwirkle, a really fun card game.  Afterwards we decided that the next time we want to see and get close to the penguins, it will be to our colony 900m up the road from our house 😀.

Deck news - I spent one and a half weeks making curtains for the deck, oh my goodness....never again.  I bought 2.8m wide material and just trying to cut the drops was a mission, eventually we cut the last four on the floor of the deck.  The widest curtain is 5.6m wide 🤦🏻‍♀️. I had ordered eyelets for them from Takealot as I needed 120.  Once the time came to put them in I realised they were totally unsuitable and also too small grrrrr.  That is the point where you just want things finished.  The next trip to town and I purchased the correct ones, not cheap by any means, and then spent two days cutting the holes and clipping them in.  I asked Hubby to go after me and just click in the bits which I wasn't strong enough to do. He then tootled off to buy rods to hang them on which, once we started we realised the rods were not thick enough.  So this week back to the shops for thicker, stronger rods and then HANG the curtains.

Awhile ago we had the Volvo towed into a Volvo repair centre where it sat whilst they tried to figure out the problem.  It took a good long while and they came back to us saying that it needed a new ECU and a new Harness (I'm just repeating what I know, doesn't mean I KNOW what they are 😃). Again these things cost a small fortune.  We had claimed on our householders policy for water damage to the ECU last year.  With a prayer and crossed fingers we submitted the new quote and Praise  God they paid out in full.  We have had the car back for over a week and she is running well and Hubby is a very happy man.  All in all it was just short of two years that she stood here. God is so good to us.

On Good Friday we were invited to the Bears for lunch and I must say it felt very smart driving along in the Volvo.  We had the most delicious lunch, they truly outdid themselves and we enjoyed a memorable afternoon with them just chatting, catching up and  generally relaxing together.  Thank you both for such a special day.

The diamond art is still being thoroughly enjoyed by JB and myself.  Princess has also been busy as she did a multi panel one for her boyfriend, after completing her first one.  Poppet is also busy but I am not sure how far she is.  JB and I sit and do ours in the afternoons during loadshedding.  I have finished three and she is on her second.  I ordered a beautiful one which I want to put in the bedroom and for Jelly Bean's birthday I was able to order her a custom painting of a Nebula, which is going to be stunning when done.  I eventually found the right product to seal them with and now they are waiting for Mr Hubby to make frames.  It is an addiction but quite the most rewarding and relaxing one I have come across.

And  that folks is my month of March in a nutshell, as always busy with a number of different things and thoroughly enjoying my 'month off'.  We have been given some plants which we are currently getting into the ground, cushions to make for the deck benches, watches and clocks to be repaired, frames to be made and so it goes on.

I pray you all have a good month of April, may it be a month of answered prayers, blessings, good health and God's protection.  Ciao ciao.

Gorgeous view from Simonstown across False Bay to Rooi Els.

Penguin Colony at Boulders Beach

Probably wondering why everyone is staring at them

Junior nagging mom

Not old enough to nag.

'Tilly' currently somewhere in our garden

My Life's Winding Roads: Whoosh we are in March.

My Life's Winding Roads: Whoosh we are in March.:   Hi everyone   from a windy and somewhat cooler little Village by the sea.  Yesterday and Saturday we had some god rain with a Level 6 warn...