My Life's Winding Roads: July has blown in

My Life's Winding Roads: July has blown in:   Hi folks, happy Monday to you all.  I am a little late today,  apologies it has been a rather busy month. With winter throwing all of its...

July has blown in

 Hi folks, happy Monday to you all.  I am a little late today,  apologies it has been a rather busy month.

With winter throwing all of its might at us throughout the month of June, the last two days have been like spring 🤷🏻‍♀️.   It has been the first proper winter since we moved down. Raining for days on end and gale force winds kept things interesting - I am absolutely revelling in it.  We lost a couple of plants but nothing serious.  My heart breaks for the people who were flooded and lost their homes and possessions .

Today was my last 'screening test' (I pray) for the year.  I had a Mammogram and Sonar and everything is normal. Gee it feels like the last six months have been one test or procedure after another. But, Praise the Lord I am fine and everything came out normal.  Fibro definitely upped its game though and so I have been trying to keep things as controlled as possible, not always successfully.
The girls moved on the 19th , we are praying that is is the last time in a while 🙏🏻.  They are now in a stunning apartment much closer to the sea in Somerset West and are so happy and content there.  The ten days before they moved both of them were in Pretoria and Jelly Bean, Charlie and I house sat and oversaw the packing up of the house.  We tried to get it to a state of just the big stuff to move on the day, and I would say on the whole succeeded. It was a smooth and hassle free event. By that night everything was unpacked, all boxes flattened and removed. Barr one or  two mirrors and art work they were done and dusted.  It seems that is just how we do it as a family. Haha. Humph flew up to Pretoria the day before the girls and is now staying with Princess' boyfriend in readiness for her move at the end of the year to go to Varsity.  I cannot believe  she is now 20 (she had her birthday in June) and on her way to study.  I know I am going to miss her dreadfully, we all will.
The rest of the family are doing well, working hard and in general keeping the work/play balance healthy.  At least Big Guy will be close to Princess when she moves.  She was an enormous blessing to her mom ahead of and during the move, organising, packing and doing the running around.  Well done my angel, I am so proud of you.  As a result of said move our house has filled up just a tad.  We are using Poppets huge fridge / freezer (ours is in the garage), her dining room table/chairs and benches have come here and look perfect on the deck, it is nice to sit and eat out there. We are storing quite a bit in the garage loft as well so it has been a bit of a knock on effect

A day or two before JB and I went through we had coffee with a very old friend of mine from our Bloemfontein days.  Oh my what a wonderful catch up and chat time we had with her. It really recharged my batteries.
The last Sunday in June the girls, the Bears and the three of us all met up for a delayed birthday/Fathers Day lunch at the Spur steakhouse on the beach on Gordons Bay - it has been about 7 or 8 years since we went to a Spur and it was lovely and relaxed, and again soo good to be together as a family, as usual missing those who live far away.

After really dragging it out I eventually finished my abstract Diamond Dot Painting.  I had a very clear vision of how I wanted it to look but alas when it arrived there were no gold drills.  I placed an order for gold and the wonderful woman that I order from, knowing what I was trying to achieve added a packet of deep yellow Aurora Borealis - AB -  drills at no charge, she truly knows her products.  I had left the gold until last and when I put the first few in they just disappeared in the design.  Taking them off and placing the deep yellow AB drills was absolutely perfect.  I am so happy at how it has turned out 😁.  Now onto my custom print, I started last week and am thoroughly enjoying the diversity it is giving me.  It has given me a challenge in the way the symbols are marked, my normalbway of labelling just was not working.  On Saturday I sat and relabelled all 44 colours with a different system and that has made it much easier.  My next challenge is finding non reflective glass for framing them.   In between DDP and everything else I am learning new crochet stitches.  I have a few projects awaiting me and want to do something different with them.  I made JB a bath mat and want to do one for our bathroom, except I want it to look like it was knitted. It shouldn't surprise me but there are a number of stitches that will give this effect.  I have a sampler next to my chair and when i get a chance I practise on the latest stitch I have seen.
What would my life be like without a bit of 'drama' or the unexpected.  We had two enormous ugly spiders, one whilst JB and I were away and one last week. Oh my goodness they are not good for my peace of mind LOL.   Then last week I could not find Zeepha.  I kept asking if anyone had seen her and Hubby said he had heard her scratching in the litter box.  By supper time she still had not out in an appearance and we went around checking her usual haunts only to come up empty.  As I walked past the deck I remembered taking something out from one of the benches earlier that morning.  Upon unclipping the latches and lifting the lid, guess who jumped out ?  🐈  Little Z had been in the benches all day and the scratching Hubby heard was her, just not in the litter box.  This is a cat who can't meow above a whisper 🤦🏻‍♀️.  We also realised, after a visit from the girls that Jasper has picked up quite a lot of weight.  He has always been a huge cat and we had noticed he was looking definitely more avocado shaped but didn't realise it was extra weight.  A whole 2 kgs.  What makes this a mystery is that he eats the same as Zeepha who still only weighs 2.8 kg.  A mystery for sure. He is an indoor cat so doesn't get to eat from neighbours etc.  We have changed his food to a weight management type and are watching to see if it makes a difference.  ⚖

Well folks a little bit late but I got it out.  Have a wonderful week and wherever you are please stay safe and well.  Ciao Ciao.

Abstract Diamond Dot Painting

The latest addition to the deck.

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.

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