Earlier today I had to perform a rescue mission with Zorro.
I was sitting inside when I suddenly heard Navajo making a lot of noise and looked outside to see what was going on. He was on one side of the fence, leaning over and nuzzling Zorro and looked like he was trying to help him with something. I noticed Zorro wasn't moving and had his left leg in the air...which can only mean trouble...
I raced outside, grabbing what I thought were the wire cutters and upon reflection discovered they were the secateurs...haha Arriving at the fence I looked and realized that his shoe was hooked with the second bottom strand of wire, between the shoe and hoof. I managed to release the wire and then he put his leg down between the strands of wire...sigh.
Standing with my left foot pushing down on the bottom two strands and my right foot pushing - with a lot more effort I might add - on the third strand, and with them stretched as far apart as I could get them, I then lifted the top strands up with my left hand and leaned in as close as I could to try and lift his leg up...sjoe where is anyone when you need them hey...
Needless to say I couldn't do it cos his leg is too flippin' heavy!!!!! No problem, way in the distance I saw the dogs playing, or chasing something...not too sure which...lol. I called to them and being the well disciplined dogs that they are, haha, they came running. Once Zorro noticed them in his space, he turned to look at them and lifted his leg away.
Lolloping off as if nothing had happened he went to find the water bucket, while Navajo on seeing that Zorro was rescued, ran off to find Switch to tell her what a hero he was having saved Zorro. Isn't it strange that as much as they fight each other when together, he was as that moment, standing on the other side of the fence trying to set him free.
Sorry no photo's...couldn't take any 'selfies' of my rescue mission....
Life today with memories of years gone by...Larkwood has been since the beginning of our life together as a family...
Friday, November 29, 2013
Good News
Today was to be Johan's last day on the job and after going in to work yesterday and suddenly finding 96 calls logged in for processing and sorting, he probably thought he could do with some time off...
Not so for him as he was called urgently to HR early this morning and presented with an extension of his contract for a further 3 months. I told him not to worry and to leave praying up to me, and look where it has got him!!!!! Once again we thank God for graciously looking after us and providing for our needs....and this time it is in writing so nothing verbal that no one will react on.
Oh no, I just realized there is no holiday for me either as I STILL have to get up before the crack of dawn and I STILL have to pack him lunch every day...oh well who's complaining? Not me....
Not so for him as he was called urgently to HR early this morning and presented with an extension of his contract for a further 3 months. I told him not to worry and to leave praying up to me, and look where it has got him!!!!! Once again we thank God for graciously looking after us and providing for our needs....and this time it is in writing so nothing verbal that no one will react on.
Oh no, I just realized there is no holiday for me either as I STILL have to get up before the crack of dawn and I STILL have to pack him lunch every day...oh well who's complaining? Not me....
'Public Property'
When the doctors sat us down together and told us it is imperative we take steps for listing NiQi for a lung transplant, we discussed raising of funds with them at the same time....we, knowing our financial situation at the time and they seeing it as a way to help NiQi because she had recently resigned from work. I remember one of the Prof.'s saying,that once we go public, then NiQi must be prepared to have her life viewed from all angles and she will in effect, become what is generally perceived to be 'public property'. Listening to it said then and living it today, I don't think we realized what it would entail....however the last few days have given us a glimpse of that and it has made me view life and circumstance through different colour shades.
There have been many people over the last year that have contributed to the trust fund that we set up for NiQi...some are close and dear family and friends, some are complete strangers, but all have done it from their heart. Some have organized functions and held raffles, sold jams and jellies, put out 'change' jars for peoples small change. Some have collected items from the general public for auction and sale, but all have done it with one goal in mind...to collect for the fund to bring NiQi closer to having a transplant.
Some months back, we were approached by someone we know who asked us to send through NiQi's profile so he could present it to a group he has contact with. This group was doing a golf day fund raiser...we are not sure if it was to raise funds for themselves or for some other purpose, but anyway he was going to approach them about donating some of the profits to NiQi's fund. We thought it very nice of him and sent through the profile. A while later he said the group had approved giving a donation and he would get back to us when it was happening. Last week NiQi had a call to say the golf day was this week Tuesday and it would be nice if she could be at the prize giving. she was allowed to have a party of four attend, so she asked Johan and I - for moral support I am sure - and Kyle. The arrangements were very informal, nothing on paper, no notification in the post or by email, just word of mouth. He said on more than one occasion that it would be nice if she could be there, but if she couldn't make it, that was also fine. Tuesday arrived and we had already decided what time we would feed the animals before leaving. The golf course is at least 40 km away from us and travelling in peak hour traffic, had to leave home mid afternoon to get there at 4ish...as we were told.
Well who would have known that we were going to have a huge big thunder storm pass over our way about an hour before we were going to leave!!!!! After much quick deliberation back and forth between the 3 of us, we eventually decided that with the storm being as bad as it was, and also with a heavily pregnant mare stressing in the stable, it was best to let them know we weren't going to make it to the prize giving. NiQi conveyed our thoughts and apologies and was told that it was fine.
Fine until the next morning.....yesterday morning, when Johan had a phone call from one of the people concerned with the organization who was really very rude to him. He said it was absolutely unacceptable that we didn't even make the effort to attend the prize giving, let alone let anyone know that we wouldn't be there. Being the cool minded person that Johan can be in situations like this, he said that we had let them know and it was a decision we made for NiQi's health sake. She may be much better now than she has been in a long time, but she is still terminally ill and it wasn't worth taking the risk letting her out in bad weather. He then said that they must not feel obligated to making a contribution to her fund, especially if they felt she didn't deserve it.
So, having had a day to ponder on this, I am reminded of the statement that Prof. made that once NiQi goes public, her life will be an open book and she must be prepared to share it. We have learned a lesson from this and that is to let people know up front that NiQi's health will always come first, so if they can't accept that, then it would be better for them to find someone or something else to support.
For all of you who have been angels in contributing without expecting anything in return, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts....one day we will pay it forward.
There have been many people over the last year that have contributed to the trust fund that we set up for NiQi...some are close and dear family and friends, some are complete strangers, but all have done it from their heart. Some have organized functions and held raffles, sold jams and jellies, put out 'change' jars for peoples small change. Some have collected items from the general public for auction and sale, but all have done it with one goal in mind...to collect for the fund to bring NiQi closer to having a transplant.
Some months back, we were approached by someone we know who asked us to send through NiQi's profile so he could present it to a group he has contact with. This group was doing a golf day fund raiser...we are not sure if it was to raise funds for themselves or for some other purpose, but anyway he was going to approach them about donating some of the profits to NiQi's fund. We thought it very nice of him and sent through the profile. A while later he said the group had approved giving a donation and he would get back to us when it was happening. Last week NiQi had a call to say the golf day was this week Tuesday and it would be nice if she could be at the prize giving. she was allowed to have a party of four attend, so she asked Johan and I - for moral support I am sure - and Kyle. The arrangements were very informal, nothing on paper, no notification in the post or by email, just word of mouth. He said on more than one occasion that it would be nice if she could be there, but if she couldn't make it, that was also fine. Tuesday arrived and we had already decided what time we would feed the animals before leaving. The golf course is at least 40 km away from us and travelling in peak hour traffic, had to leave home mid afternoon to get there at 4ish...as we were told.
Well who would have known that we were going to have a huge big thunder storm pass over our way about an hour before we were going to leave!!!!! After much quick deliberation back and forth between the 3 of us, we eventually decided that with the storm being as bad as it was, and also with a heavily pregnant mare stressing in the stable, it was best to let them know we weren't going to make it to the prize giving. NiQi conveyed our thoughts and apologies and was told that it was fine.
Fine until the next morning.....yesterday morning, when Johan had a phone call from one of the people concerned with the organization who was really very rude to him. He said it was absolutely unacceptable that we didn't even make the effort to attend the prize giving, let alone let anyone know that we wouldn't be there. Being the cool minded person that Johan can be in situations like this, he said that we had let them know and it was a decision we made for NiQi's health sake. She may be much better now than she has been in a long time, but she is still terminally ill and it wasn't worth taking the risk letting her out in bad weather. He then said that they must not feel obligated to making a contribution to her fund, especially if they felt she didn't deserve it.
So, having had a day to ponder on this, I am reminded of the statement that Prof. made that once NiQi goes public, her life will be an open book and she must be prepared to share it. We have learned a lesson from this and that is to let people know up front that NiQi's health will always come first, so if they can't accept that, then it would be better for them to find someone or something else to support.
For all of you who have been angels in contributing without expecting anything in return, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts....one day we will pay it forward.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Zorro Returns...
Well while Switch is still 'pregnantly' waddling around, Zorro arrived home today. Sadly he has picked up tick bite fever, just days before he was to leave for his big ride.
Two evenings ago Peet phoned Johan to say that he noticed Zorro was looking under the weather and he hadn't been too interested in his food earlier. Between the two of them it was decided to take him to our vet early the following morning, who is just around the corner from Peet anyway...Three injections later and Zorro is according to Peet a little perkier but definitely in no condition to ride the 500 km to the Battle of Blood River commemorative day. Our vet reckons he must rest and stay calm for a few days and it may take a few weeks before he is back to his old self. In the mean time he is on his own for a while and not with the other horses, which is probably a good thing because Navajo, being the only stallion, is already feeling the effects of being separated from Switch, so will probably not take too kindly to the arrival of Zorro at this time.
Two evenings ago Peet phoned Johan to say that he noticed Zorro was looking under the weather and he hadn't been too interested in his food earlier. Between the two of them it was decided to take him to our vet early the following morning, who is just around the corner from Peet anyway...Three injections later and Zorro is according to Peet a little perkier but definitely in no condition to ride the 500 km to the Battle of Blood River commemorative day. Our vet reckons he must rest and stay calm for a few days and it may take a few weeks before he is back to his old self. In the mean time he is on his own for a while and not with the other horses, which is probably a good thing because Navajo, being the only stallion, is already feeling the effects of being separated from Switch, so will probably not take too kindly to the arrival of Zorro at this time.
Home...but not a happy chappy
Still able to graze which is a good sign
Angel and August watching and waiting for him to see them
Navajo too waiting but still not interested in them
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Stats are Still Good...
Early this morning I had a call from the medical sister at the company who supplies NiQi's oxygen machine and tank..... now remember a few weeks ago I posted that we waited and waited for someone to come after them making an appointment and no one arrived!!!!!!
.....well anyway I said that I hope someone will arrive today as her machine has been making a noise of late, resulting in her having to reduce the volume of oxygen usage from 3.5 litres to just under 3 litres. I gave the sister directions, decided I better tidy up a bit in anticipation and before I had finished she was here.
A very pleasant person indeed and she tested the oxygen machine before taking NiQi's stats....it seems the problem was the water bottle, so she changed that and now it is working fine again. NiQi's stats are good....in fact very good. Her oxygen levels are 93% and her blood pressure was 110/76. The sister was pleased with her improvement....
I hear this and I have mixed emotions....I am happy that she seems to have reached a plateau of better health than she had previously but at the same time I feel I shouldn't be feeling like this at all. It's difficult to explain, but I guess I continue to look back and remember her as she was in 2011/2012 and seeing her as she is today, knowing that the improvement although good, is not enough to lead a normal life like you and me.....it still means that even though she no longer feels the need to use the oxygen machine both day and night, her lung function is not sufficient to live for too much longer without a transplant. Thinking logically though there shouldn't be improvement should there...with diseases like this where there is no cure and only degeneration, she should continue to get worse. God has been gracious to her and to us and we are a witness to how he has taken her life and turned it around enough for her to at least enjoy it more than she was.
People look at her from the outside without knowing what is going on on the inside and think that she is fine now because she is doing better. I think a lot of how she is physically has much to do with her mental outlook....she lives not for how she might be feeling today but rather for a future which she envisions in her mind. I guess what I am trying to explain is that I myself no longer live every day with the fear that the end of her life might be approaching at a rapid rate, but rather that I now live with more hope. My heart feels lighter, my head less pressured, tomorrow will be easier....
.....well anyway I said that I hope someone will arrive today as her machine has been making a noise of late, resulting in her having to reduce the volume of oxygen usage from 3.5 litres to just under 3 litres. I gave the sister directions, decided I better tidy up a bit in anticipation and before I had finished she was here.
A very pleasant person indeed and she tested the oxygen machine before taking NiQi's stats....it seems the problem was the water bottle, so she changed that and now it is working fine again. NiQi's stats are good....in fact very good. Her oxygen levels are 93% and her blood pressure was 110/76. The sister was pleased with her improvement....
I hear this and I have mixed emotions....I am happy that she seems to have reached a plateau of better health than she had previously but at the same time I feel I shouldn't be feeling like this at all. It's difficult to explain, but I guess I continue to look back and remember her as she was in 2011/2012 and seeing her as she is today, knowing that the improvement although good, is not enough to lead a normal life like you and me.....it still means that even though she no longer feels the need to use the oxygen machine both day and night, her lung function is not sufficient to live for too much longer without a transplant. Thinking logically though there shouldn't be improvement should there...with diseases like this where there is no cure and only degeneration, she should continue to get worse. God has been gracious to her and to us and we are a witness to how he has taken her life and turned it around enough for her to at least enjoy it more than she was.
People look at her from the outside without knowing what is going on on the inside and think that she is fine now because she is doing better. I think a lot of how she is physically has much to do with her mental outlook....she lives not for how she might be feeling today but rather for a future which she envisions in her mind. I guess what I am trying to explain is that I myself no longer live every day with the fear that the end of her life might be approaching at a rapid rate, but rather that I now live with more hope. My heart feels lighter, my head less pressured, tomorrow will be easier....
Christmas Tree
My latest creation....not my own idea, I copied it from the internet, but love it
Christmas tree made from old music sheets
Monday, November 25, 2013
Ready, Steady...
We are ready and waiting for Switch to have her foal. Excitement abounds at Larkwood as we all go outside at regular intervals to check on our expectant lady. NiQi worked out, according to her calculations, that she is due anytime soon and all the signs are there.
Johan was certain he saw her having a contraction late yesterday afternoon, however NiQi thinks it was more than likely the foal moving and settling itself in the right position. This is the first foal we have had so we are not sure of all to expect...NiQi has 'Googled' and read quite a bit and there are video's people have placed on 'You Tube' showing the birth of a foal, so we are hoping that all will go well. Switch is fit, strong and well nourished, so we will let nature take it's course. NiQi also e-mailed our vet to ask if there are any injections we need to give the foal in the first few hours or days and he replied that the first injections it will need are between two and three months. She is all prepared with a medical kit she has put together, but I am hoping we won't need to use anything in it.
Johan and NiQi went off this morning to find straw bales and came home with 10. The stable area which is big enough for all the horses together has been cleaned, the straw spread all over the floor, a new light fitting fixed inside and chairs set up ready to witness the event...lol...does it sound like we are excited or what!!!!!
We have separated Switch from the other horses now and she is fine, but Navajo is beside himself. He goes off to graze for a bit with August and Angel, then leaves them to go back and find Switch. Hopefully he will soon get used to the separation, because after the foal is born we want to keep them apart for at least a month.
Maybe it will all happen tonight...who knows...
Johan was certain he saw her having a contraction late yesterday afternoon, however NiQi thinks it was more than likely the foal moving and settling itself in the right position. This is the first foal we have had so we are not sure of all to expect...NiQi has 'Googled' and read quite a bit and there are video's people have placed on 'You Tube' showing the birth of a foal, so we are hoping that all will go well. Switch is fit, strong and well nourished, so we will let nature take it's course. NiQi also e-mailed our vet to ask if there are any injections we need to give the foal in the first few hours or days and he replied that the first injections it will need are between two and three months. She is all prepared with a medical kit she has put together, but I am hoping we won't need to use anything in it.
Johan and NiQi went off this morning to find straw bales and came home with 10. The stable area which is big enough for all the horses together has been cleaned, the straw spread all over the floor, a new light fitting fixed inside and chairs set up ready to witness the event...lol...does it sound like we are excited or what!!!!!
We have separated Switch from the other horses now and she is fine, but Navajo is beside himself. He goes off to graze for a bit with August and Angel, then leaves them to go back and find Switch. Hopefully he will soon get used to the separation, because after the foal is born we want to keep them apart for at least a month.
Maybe it will all happen tonight...who knows...
NiQi giving 'mom' and baby hugs
Expectant Lady resting
Stable cleaned and ready
even chairs have been set up..lol
Making herself comfortable
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Yummy Yummy...
There is a new store that has opened up in the centre close to our Church, we noticed it two weeks ago as we walked past. We didn't go inside then but could see it sells something delicious in the way of food...lol
Today we decided to venture inside, and while I started walking down the middle aisle, Niqi pulled me over and said we should start at the far end and work our way round. so we started with the muffin mixes....ooh yummy, such a choice and difficult to decide. Eventually cappuccino and lemon poppy found their way into our basket.
There are rolls of every shape and variety available, specialty breads of all kinds, pizza bases and pizza's with toppings, chelsea buns, bagels...anything and everything to do with bread dough - frozen but ready to bake....
There are pre-made sponge cake bases in various sizes, just pick up, take home and ice yourself with pre-mixed icings...
There are pies and sausage rolls, samoosa's and spring rolls...and rolls and rolls of pastry to use for your own creations....
There are cheesecakes of all flavours all ready to pack and go, but then there are amazing cheesecake toppings that come in a 2 litre jug to pour, whisk till thick and put on your tart base they also have ready to use....together with packs of fruit just to finish them off....mmmmmmm
Doughnuts...long,round or with holes, éclairs, croissants...cheesy, plain or chocolate, apple danishes...big and small...
biscuits...all varieties and rusks...
My word what a treat to help both the baker and the non baker....
Today we decided to venture inside, and while I started walking down the middle aisle, Niqi pulled me over and said we should start at the far end and work our way round. so we started with the muffin mixes....ooh yummy, such a choice and difficult to decide. Eventually cappuccino and lemon poppy found their way into our basket.
There are rolls of every shape and variety available, specialty breads of all kinds, pizza bases and pizza's with toppings, chelsea buns, bagels...anything and everything to do with bread dough - frozen but ready to bake....
There are pre-made sponge cake bases in various sizes, just pick up, take home and ice yourself with pre-mixed icings...
There are pies and sausage rolls, samoosa's and spring rolls...and rolls and rolls of pastry to use for your own creations....
There are cheesecakes of all flavours all ready to pack and go, but then there are amazing cheesecake toppings that come in a 2 litre jug to pour, whisk till thick and put on your tart base they also have ready to use....together with packs of fruit just to finish them off....mmmmmmm
Doughnuts...long,round or with holes, éclairs, croissants...cheesy, plain or chocolate, apple danishes...big and small...
biscuits...all varieties and rusks...
My word what a treat to help both the baker and the non baker....
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Happiness is Pea Chicks....
Having seen the peahen sitting on eggs she laid for the last few weeks, we were most excited to hear and see tiny little fledglings underneath her yesterday. Why on earth she decided to make a hollow and lay her eggs outside with no protection from the elements, only she knows, but that is what she did. After lying in the baking sun for days on end and then enduring that huge storm we had some weeks back, I took pity on her and built her a shelter. She didn't move in all the time I took fussing around her and fitting the board above and to one side of her. The other side was sheltered by the chicken coop as she had positioned herself right next to it. Every morning and evening when I went out to feed the chickens and peafowl she just sat and sat and sat...till today. Very proud of her little chicks she has been strutting around with them all day long....as for the peacock, you would think that he alone bred the little fluffy bundles out all by himself, as he too hasn't stopped showing off his now straggly tail. Four little chicks, quite a feat for a pair, happy as ever with life...
Work Contract...null and void
So the bad news from yesterday I decided to do a separate blog for...not wanting to spoil my excitement of shopping....
While NiQi and I were still in town, I received an email on my phone from Johan....devastation nation that we live in, Johan was handed a final cheque yesterday and told his services have been terminated!!!!! This after just a couple of weeks ago, while keeping the factory running during the nationwide strike for higher wages, he was told that his contract will be extended.
So it is back to square one, looking for something else, sending in his CV, waiting for calls, checking for e-mails, writing aptitude tests, hoping and praying. Johan and I always look at this in different ways and it is okay to differ... I go purely on the faith route..... prayer, trust, belief and faith. Johan does too - to a degree and then he switches over to reality. Reality in his age, reality in his race and colour, reality in shortage of positions available to people with these criteria and it takes all of my willpower and prayer to get him to change his thinking. You won't know what I am talking about unless you have been in the same position and I pray that you never are, because it is a terrible way to live being unsure of tomorrow, especially when you know you have a daughter dependent upon you for her life and survival. So all our prayer warriers out there, I am asking you to join us in an answer to our prayers for provision of work and a decent salary that will cover our basic costs. we have been in this position before, on more than one occasion and every time, God in His graciousness provides in His time.....Faith is what we have.....
While NiQi and I were still in town, I received an email on my phone from Johan....devastation nation that we live in, Johan was handed a final cheque yesterday and told his services have been terminated!!!!! This after just a couple of weeks ago, while keeping the factory running during the nationwide strike for higher wages, he was told that his contract will be extended.
So it is back to square one, looking for something else, sending in his CV, waiting for calls, checking for e-mails, writing aptitude tests, hoping and praying. Johan and I always look at this in different ways and it is okay to differ... I go purely on the faith route..... prayer, trust, belief and faith. Johan does too - to a degree and then he switches over to reality. Reality in his age, reality in his race and colour, reality in shortage of positions available to people with these criteria and it takes all of my willpower and prayer to get him to change his thinking. You won't know what I am talking about unless you have been in the same position and I pray that you never are, because it is a terrible way to live being unsure of tomorrow, especially when you know you have a daughter dependent upon you for her life and survival. So all our prayer warriers out there, I am asking you to join us in an answer to our prayers for provision of work and a decent salary that will cover our basic costs. we have been in this position before, on more than one occasion and every time, God in His graciousness provides in His time.....Faith is what we have.....
Shopping and SHOPPING!!!!!!!
So much has happened in the last day or so bringing mixed emotions, highs and lows....
Starting with the good, we have a brand new stove....gas...another victory over the rising electricity bill. I am so excited about this new addition and have been planning this investment for so long. Now to learn how to use it, both the plates and the oven part, and I already have plans for baking etc. We bought a new gas bottle at the same time, bigger than the others we have for emergency cooking when the power goes off. It is a 9 kg bottle....but having it filled was another story that had Johan in stitches. NiQi and I went from town out to the small shopping centre near to us as we knew they have gas bottles. They say you should never assume anything on what you hear or see and this proved to be one of those cases. I went into the general trading store and paid to fill a 9 kg bottle with gas, went round to their stock yard, hauled out our brand new bottle and asked them to fill it up. Well the chap didn't say anything, took the bottle and shortly returned with ANOTHER gas bottle....filled yes, but definitely not my brand new bottle I had handed over. I looked at him in shock and said to him, I don't want someone else's second hand, dented and rusted bottle, I want mine - filled. He must have thought me fairly stupid or something because he looked at me with a 'I don't understand' look on his face, then told me they don't fill gas bottles there, but swap an empty one for a full one. So I politely told him I wasn't interested, to give me my bottle back and I would ask for a refund. Marching inside I told them I was sorry but didn't understand the whole filling up a gas bottle story and would like my money back. No quibble, I was given it back and we returned home, only to tell Johan the story later and he thought it was hilarious. Thankfully this morning Johan and I went back to town and we found a gas supplier who filled it for us. Yah, now Johan can connect the stove and bottle and voila I will be able to create new dishes to eat...hopefully not burnt!!!!
NiQi and I also started our Christmas shopping yesterday....so exciting I must say. I went with a list filled with people's names and suggestions for possible gifts... I am happy with my purchases, not huge, but things I know those on my list will like. Christmas is a very special time of year for me, I just love it. Decorating our home is an all day affair and usually takes place on the first Saturday in December. There is only one year in all our years together that I decorated so late and with no thoughts of what I was really doing...I only did it because NiQi insisted and she wasn't even at home. It was 2011, just two years ago...Matthew and Jess stayed in KZN that year, as did my mum and it was only going to be the 3 of us, but that doesn't normally deter me. 2011, NiQi was in hospital for much of the year and she ended up staying in during December and January 2012. It was the week between Christmas and New Year she had a collapsed lung and we, her doctors and the nursing staff thought she would not pull through. Well you all know she did, but it wasn't a great Christmas for us that year at all. Besides that though I really get wrapped up in the reason for Christmas, I love the Carols sung around the birth of Christ, the Sunday School plays and the Church build up to the 25th December. I honestly don't care for the critics who look for the paganism in every little detail, I don't believe as they believe and my heart does not put the same meaning to things as they do, so they can say what they like, they will not stop me from enjoying the season of love, peace, joy and goodwill to all mankind....God gave me a heart to celebrate and celebrate we do.....
Starting with the good, we have a brand new stove....gas...another victory over the rising electricity bill. I am so excited about this new addition and have been planning this investment for so long. Now to learn how to use it, both the plates and the oven part, and I already have plans for baking etc. We bought a new gas bottle at the same time, bigger than the others we have for emergency cooking when the power goes off. It is a 9 kg bottle....but having it filled was another story that had Johan in stitches. NiQi and I went from town out to the small shopping centre near to us as we knew they have gas bottles. They say you should never assume anything on what you hear or see and this proved to be one of those cases. I went into the general trading store and paid to fill a 9 kg bottle with gas, went round to their stock yard, hauled out our brand new bottle and asked them to fill it up. Well the chap didn't say anything, took the bottle and shortly returned with ANOTHER gas bottle....filled yes, but definitely not my brand new bottle I had handed over. I looked at him in shock and said to him, I don't want someone else's second hand, dented and rusted bottle, I want mine - filled. He must have thought me fairly stupid or something because he looked at me with a 'I don't understand' look on his face, then told me they don't fill gas bottles there, but swap an empty one for a full one. So I politely told him I wasn't interested, to give me my bottle back and I would ask for a refund. Marching inside I told them I was sorry but didn't understand the whole filling up a gas bottle story and would like my money back. No quibble, I was given it back and we returned home, only to tell Johan the story later and he thought it was hilarious. Thankfully this morning Johan and I went back to town and we found a gas supplier who filled it for us. Yah, now Johan can connect the stove and bottle and voila I will be able to create new dishes to eat...hopefully not burnt!!!!
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Tax Time...
In keeping with clearing the clutter I am also trying to get rid of paperwork....paperwork you rarely look at, let alone study in detail but you have to keep for the dreaded tax man and return of earnings every year.
Matthew asked me months ago to get all the facts and figures together so he could do the returns and I started, I promise, but I didn't finish....and almost every week since then I sort of give the pile of papers a cursory glance, shuffle one or two around, get bored and leave it.
EEEEEEEEEK.....now its deadline date and Matthew is going to be so not impressed with me for leaving everything to the last minute, but now I reaaaaaaaaally have to knuckle down and get it done. I just don't enjoy it, that's the honest truth.
Living where we do we don't have post delivered to our door, so we have a post box at our closest Post Office....very convenient I must say, but I don't visit it very often. Most times it is filled with post for the people who had the box before us....I mean really you would think that after almost 9 years they might have let their medical aid and shops they have store cards for and insurances etc. know, that they have moved on in life, wouldn't you? For the first year or so I used to send them back....crossing out the name and address and writing a huge RTS on the envelopes. Not that any of that mattered because the very next month the same places would send new accounts, magazines or whatever it is they put in the post for the month, to the same box again. So then I spoke to the postmaster and asked his advise, which I may not repeat because at the time he said to me...'You did not hear it from me, but I recommend....' so now I just chuck it all in the bin and it all gets burned with the rest of my rubbish.
What does arrive for us though, is always placed on a pile...a pile to be opened at my convenience. Well my convenience happens to be once a year when compiling all my facts and figures for the tax return....seriously it does, I kid you not, not something I am proud to admit either, but things are changing around here....
So today I have decided to make my life simpler and I just know it will work better too. Instead of having all these envelopes to open and then making little piles, I have emailed them all and asked them to send me 'e-statements'. Behind the times I may be in this regard for saving the environment, but I'm proud of myself for taking charge and ridding myself of all of this work. From now on I will be able to download them and immediately cut them to the folders I have already opened....roll on 2014 and the next season, I will be ready for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Matthew asked me months ago to get all the facts and figures together so he could do the returns and I started, I promise, but I didn't finish....and almost every week since then I sort of give the pile of papers a cursory glance, shuffle one or two around, get bored and leave it.
EEEEEEEEEK.....now its deadline date and Matthew is going to be so not impressed with me for leaving everything to the last minute, but now I reaaaaaaaaally have to knuckle down and get it done. I just don't enjoy it, that's the honest truth.
Living where we do we don't have post delivered to our door, so we have a post box at our closest Post Office....very convenient I must say, but I don't visit it very often. Most times it is filled with post for the people who had the box before us....I mean really you would think that after almost 9 years they might have let their medical aid and shops they have store cards for and insurances etc. know, that they have moved on in life, wouldn't you? For the first year or so I used to send them back....crossing out the name and address and writing a huge RTS on the envelopes. Not that any of that mattered because the very next month the same places would send new accounts, magazines or whatever it is they put in the post for the month, to the same box again. So then I spoke to the postmaster and asked his advise, which I may not repeat because at the time he said to me...'You did not hear it from me, but I recommend....' so now I just chuck it all in the bin and it all gets burned with the rest of my rubbish.
What does arrive for us though, is always placed on a pile...a pile to be opened at my convenience. Well my convenience happens to be once a year when compiling all my facts and figures for the tax return....seriously it does, I kid you not, not something I am proud to admit either, but things are changing around here....
So today I have decided to make my life simpler and I just know it will work better too. Instead of having all these envelopes to open and then making little piles, I have emailed them all and asked them to send me 'e-statements'. Behind the times I may be in this regard for saving the environment, but I'm proud of myself for taking charge and ridding myself of all of this work. From now on I will be able to download them and immediately cut them to the folders I have already opened....roll on 2014 and the next season, I will be ready for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rolo looking to me for inspiration...
If I sit on them maybe they will disappear...
So this one goes here then?...
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
My Hubby....
It sounds so cliché to say that I knew from the moment I set eyes on Johan, that he was the one for me, but that is exactly how it was....from the moment I saw him walking down the passage at work, I fell in love with his swagger...hehe....and all I had to do was get him to fall in love with me!!!!
We met August 1980, became engaged on 25th June 1981 and married officially on 4th January 1982 - although our ceremony was only on 9th January....but that's another story.
Our first home was in Pietermaritzburg city centre, an old house built at the turn of the century,and tucked away in one of the little side streets....the property in it's entirety was small, just 365 square metres with the house taking up much of it....3 bedrooms, lounge, passage, kitchen/dining area, separate walk in pantry, bathroom and separate toilet. Outside was a single garage, a vegetable garden a pocket of lawn and an aviary and bird room. Soon after we moved in Johan started renovating....off came the plaster, up came the floors, in went new ceilings, damp-cause was laid, floors filled in and re-laid...walls dried out and re-plastered, kitchen cupboards made with a whole kitchen re-vamp....Johan literally re-built the house on the inside, mostly on his own but near the end with the help of a very small little boy called Matthew...As you may deduce, all this took many years and lots of patience, but the end result was wonderful. All done in between working a full days job, playing badminton, breeding budgies, studying and being a husband and father.
Talking of badminton, Johan didn't just play socially, but with the very competitive spirit that he has, he played club, Provincial and SA Country Districts badminton, practicing 4 nights a week every week for many years.....it took dedication on his part to achieve the best that he could.
In the aviary he relaxes and many have said they know few who have an eye for a good bird as Johan does. He is amazing in remembering who the parents of a particular budgie may be and can spot his own birds a mile off in someone else's aviary, should he have given or sold them one of his birds. He has been on the PMBBC committee for almost as long as we have been married and over the years has also served on the Budgerigar Society of SA committee. He qualified as a judge many moons ago and has judged at shows of all levels throughout the country.
Working for government at the Department of Transport for just over 20 years, he was during that time the chairman of the social club for quite some time...organizing the first club home - 'Roadies' which became a much loved and well attended meeting point on Friday nights for many of the workers.
Moving from our lovely, re-built home in town to a smallholding in Winterskloof in 1995....we moved into another place 'with potential'...lol. On one acre of land the children had plenty of space to play and were delighted to have the added advantage of owning a swimming pool. It took a year of really hard work by Johan to get the pool sparkly clean as when we arrived it was a massive pool of green water. The sides and bottom of the pool were covered in both green and black algae and the pool pump had to be replaced, but after many many hours it was at last ready to use.
He, together with a neighbour, started up the 'neighbourhood watch' in our area and was the backbone behind keeping our street together to both fight crime and help each other out. The years we lived in Willow Lane were difficult for him as within the first year he lost his mother and youngest son, started working away from home - in Ulundi, northern KZN - but he still managed to find time to build an aviary and an entire flat for a friend and be there for our children, watching Matthew play both rugby and cricket most Saturdays. Willow Lane is still a work in progress, but we will finish it one day....
At the end of February 2005 we made the move to where we are now....the house is tiny as I've said before...hehe...but it doesn't have any major work that needs to be done to it. Johan has over the last almost 9 years worked hard at clearing our plot of invasive plants and built yet another bird room and aviary...... He spends much of his time here working towards building a safer environment and a better community for all. He is chairperson of our area CPF, serves on the committee of the Sector 1 CPF, chairs the greater Hammanskraal CPF, pulls the local police station into line and fights with the cluster CPF who run things according to them and not the law. This, in between holding down a day job, chairing a new budgie club, helping Matthew run NiQi's trust fund and trying to stay sane....it's no wonder there is no more time for badminton....
Over the years he's also found time to teach Sunday School, run 2 separate Bible studies and serve on Church council for a short while amongst other things....don't you think he deserves a break.....
Perfect he is not, in fact he has many a time driven me to distraction, but arguing is one thing we don't get into....life is too short to be wasted on things like that....this is my hubby, a man of whom I am very proud, a man of many talents, who can wire a house and clear out a blocked drain leading to a septic tank, who can re-build a house and a car, who has worked hard and strives for the best in him every day, who is in short a blessing in my life....
THE VARYING FACES OF 'MY HUBBY'.....
We met August 1980, became engaged on 25th June 1981 and married officially on 4th January 1982 - although our ceremony was only on 9th January....but that's another story.
Our first home was in Pietermaritzburg city centre, an old house built at the turn of the century,and tucked away in one of the little side streets....the property in it's entirety was small, just 365 square metres with the house taking up much of it....3 bedrooms, lounge, passage, kitchen/dining area, separate walk in pantry, bathroom and separate toilet. Outside was a single garage, a vegetable garden a pocket of lawn and an aviary and bird room. Soon after we moved in Johan started renovating....off came the plaster, up came the floors, in went new ceilings, damp-cause was laid, floors filled in and re-laid...walls dried out and re-plastered, kitchen cupboards made with a whole kitchen re-vamp....Johan literally re-built the house on the inside, mostly on his own but near the end with the help of a very small little boy called Matthew...As you may deduce, all this took many years and lots of patience, but the end result was wonderful. All done in between working a full days job, playing badminton, breeding budgies, studying and being a husband and father.
Talking of badminton, Johan didn't just play socially, but with the very competitive spirit that he has, he played club, Provincial and SA Country Districts badminton, practicing 4 nights a week every week for many years.....it took dedication on his part to achieve the best that he could.
In the aviary he relaxes and many have said they know few who have an eye for a good bird as Johan does. He is amazing in remembering who the parents of a particular budgie may be and can spot his own birds a mile off in someone else's aviary, should he have given or sold them one of his birds. He has been on the PMBBC committee for almost as long as we have been married and over the years has also served on the Budgerigar Society of SA committee. He qualified as a judge many moons ago and has judged at shows of all levels throughout the country.
Working for government at the Department of Transport for just over 20 years, he was during that time the chairman of the social club for quite some time...organizing the first club home - 'Roadies' which became a much loved and well attended meeting point on Friday nights for many of the workers.
Moving from our lovely, re-built home in town to a smallholding in Winterskloof in 1995....we moved into another place 'with potential'...lol. On one acre of land the children had plenty of space to play and were delighted to have the added advantage of owning a swimming pool. It took a year of really hard work by Johan to get the pool sparkly clean as when we arrived it was a massive pool of green water. The sides and bottom of the pool were covered in both green and black algae and the pool pump had to be replaced, but after many many hours it was at last ready to use.
He, together with a neighbour, started up the 'neighbourhood watch' in our area and was the backbone behind keeping our street together to both fight crime and help each other out. The years we lived in Willow Lane were difficult for him as within the first year he lost his mother and youngest son, started working away from home - in Ulundi, northern KZN - but he still managed to find time to build an aviary and an entire flat for a friend and be there for our children, watching Matthew play both rugby and cricket most Saturdays. Willow Lane is still a work in progress, but we will finish it one day....
At the end of February 2005 we made the move to where we are now....the house is tiny as I've said before...hehe...but it doesn't have any major work that needs to be done to it. Johan has over the last almost 9 years worked hard at clearing our plot of invasive plants and built yet another bird room and aviary...... He spends much of his time here working towards building a safer environment and a better community for all. He is chairperson of our area CPF, serves on the committee of the Sector 1 CPF, chairs the greater Hammanskraal CPF, pulls the local police station into line and fights with the cluster CPF who run things according to them and not the law. This, in between holding down a day job, chairing a new budgie club, helping Matthew run NiQi's trust fund and trying to stay sane....it's no wonder there is no more time for badminton....
Over the years he's also found time to teach Sunday School, run 2 separate Bible studies and serve on Church council for a short while amongst other things....don't you think he deserves a break.....
Perfect he is not, in fact he has many a time driven me to distraction, but arguing is one thing we don't get into....life is too short to be wasted on things like that....this is my hubby, a man of whom I am very proud, a man of many talents, who can wire a house and clear out a blocked drain leading to a septic tank, who can re-build a house and a car, who has worked hard and strives for the best in him every day, who is in short a blessing in my life....
THE VARYING FACES OF 'MY HUBBY'.....
Icing a cake at a church fete
Buliding the Parrot suspended cage frames
Doing what he knows best...braaing
During a work training session
On the swing at Gold Reef City...back row, middle
showing Matthew his 'tiddler' caught in the Zambezi River, Namibia
helping out at an accident scene on the N1 North
working on our windmill
the Provincial Country Districts Badminton team...back, middle
his 'office' face
his 'Father Christmas' face
holding a baby tiger
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Monday, November 18, 2013
Rules and Regulations
I can understand why some people in this country either consciously or unconsciously bend the rules to get by in life....it is because there are so many of them and they are complicated by ifs, buts and maybes....
We are living in a society where we are brainwashed into thinking that rules and regulations are put into place for the benefit of we the citizen, but how can that be when half the time we don't understand the whys and wherefores and if we try to access what rightfully belongs to us we have to fill in a million forms, make declarations, send in certified copies signed by commissioners of oaths and otherwise prove that we are who we say we are...
How many people agree that since RICA and FICA came into effect, we have less privacy than ever and have been inundated with adverts and sales pitches from companies that we have never had dealings with in the past....where do these people find our details, ie: name attached to a phone number, if it is not from now having our RICA and FICA details made public. Yet you go to your cell phone provider with a problem and have to immediately provide them with all the pertinent documentation to prove you are RICA'd...why?....because they do not have that information available to them!!!!!
To own your own business in this country you have to register with this board and that board, know who your union is, comply with labour law, register for UIF and then you start with SARS....oh my word and do anything wrong and everyone comes down on you like a ton of bricks and you are left with fines and interest and penalties and the list just goes on and on.
So who is kidding who here....who is the one really benefiting from all these rules and regulations....me thinks it is not the consumer, the man in the street or the the regular Joe Soap but those that sit and make up all these things to complicate our lives. Do the right thing and hit your head against a brick wall every time....
**** This whole blog came about by problems we are having with the Trust and the status given by SARS....just to hand out Section 18A certificates to people who have generously made contributions and have asked for such, is turning into a more complicated matter than ever expected...and at the end of the day we may just be handing over money from the trust to the secondary beneficiaries before NiQi even gets to have a transplant.....
So you see even though it took F-O-R-E-V-E-R to have the trust properly set up and registered, life just gets more complicated.....
**** this is my own interpretation of the facts and I stand to be corrected, however due to my layman status and the volume of rules and regulations set out to obtain either NPO or PBO status from the TEU at SARS, this is the way I understand it.
We are living in a society where we are brainwashed into thinking that rules and regulations are put into place for the benefit of we the citizen, but how can that be when half the time we don't understand the whys and wherefores and if we try to access what rightfully belongs to us we have to fill in a million forms, make declarations, send in certified copies signed by commissioners of oaths and otherwise prove that we are who we say we are...
How many people agree that since RICA and FICA came into effect, we have less privacy than ever and have been inundated with adverts and sales pitches from companies that we have never had dealings with in the past....where do these people find our details, ie: name attached to a phone number, if it is not from now having our RICA and FICA details made public. Yet you go to your cell phone provider with a problem and have to immediately provide them with all the pertinent documentation to prove you are RICA'd...why?....because they do not have that information available to them!!!!!
To own your own business in this country you have to register with this board and that board, know who your union is, comply with labour law, register for UIF and then you start with SARS....oh my word and do anything wrong and everyone comes down on you like a ton of bricks and you are left with fines and interest and penalties and the list just goes on and on.
So who is kidding who here....who is the one really benefiting from all these rules and regulations....me thinks it is not the consumer, the man in the street or the the regular Joe Soap but those that sit and make up all these things to complicate our lives. Do the right thing and hit your head against a brick wall every time....
**** This whole blog came about by problems we are having with the Trust and the status given by SARS....just to hand out Section 18A certificates to people who have generously made contributions and have asked for such, is turning into a more complicated matter than ever expected...and at the end of the day we may just be handing over money from the trust to the secondary beneficiaries before NiQi even gets to have a transplant.....
So you see even though it took F-O-R-E-V-E-R to have the trust properly set up and registered, life just gets more complicated.....
**** this is my own interpretation of the facts and I stand to be corrected, however due to my layman status and the volume of rules and regulations set out to obtain either NPO or PBO status from the TEU at SARS, this is the way I understand it.
Too Hot to Handle
It is 3.30 pm and I am wilting away wondering how on earth I am ever going to make it through the next 4 months when we hopefully may start to have some cooler weather. I say hopefully because this year we honestly skipped winter and went from autumn to spring/summer temperature wise. All the usual signs of winter were around, leaves fallen, grass dying off, no rain....but our temperatures stayed in the high 20's throughout this time and come 'springtime' they soared to the low 30's. Now in November we are in the high 30's, close to 40!!!!!!! Give a girl a break please....we are supposed to glow in summer not be reduced to a pool of sticky sweat. Maybe if we had a swimming pool I wouldn't be one to complain as much as I seem to be doing these days, but alas our swimming pool lives on our smallholding almost 700km away in KZN and alas not here. The beautiful summer rain storm we had just a few short weeks ago is a distant memory...if anyone came to visit today and looked at how our green grass shooting from the rain drenched soil has been scorched to a brittle brown crunch under our feet, they wouldn't believe that day bar for the photo's we have to prove it.
I remember as a child we would chant: "rain, rain, go away, come back another day"....now I am changing the words to "rain, rain, come today, please stay here for another day"....The African sun beats down on us from early morning to late afternoon, drying our washing hanging on the line within minutes of it being pegged up. The horses make their way to the water trough many times in the day, not moving too far away, but rather seeking refuge under the wide boughs of the Acacia tree. The chickens don't even cluck and the mother hen doesn't hide her chicks under her widespread wings anymore as they lie next to her rather than under her in the shade of the coop. The dogs have no energy to get up and bark at the cows lazing next to the fence, but watch them with half open eyes and barely utter a 'woof' in their direction. As for Smokey and Rolo...well Rolo finds the coolness of the brick wall of the front verandah sufficient to keep her temperature low while Smokey lays sprawled out under the ceiling fan on the lounge carpet. Me....I am sitting in the lounge, two fans blowing, in shorts and a T-shirt, listening for the slightest rumblings of a thunder storm somewhere in the distance and hoping with all my might that the wind may blow it this way.....
I remember as a child we would chant: "rain, rain, go away, come back another day"....now I am changing the words to "rain, rain, come today, please stay here for another day"....The African sun beats down on us from early morning to late afternoon, drying our washing hanging on the line within minutes of it being pegged up. The horses make their way to the water trough many times in the day, not moving too far away, but rather seeking refuge under the wide boughs of the Acacia tree. The chickens don't even cluck and the mother hen doesn't hide her chicks under her widespread wings anymore as they lie next to her rather than under her in the shade of the coop. The dogs have no energy to get up and bark at the cows lazing next to the fence, but watch them with half open eyes and barely utter a 'woof' in their direction. As for Smokey and Rolo...well Rolo finds the coolness of the brick wall of the front verandah sufficient to keep her temperature low while Smokey lays sprawled out under the ceiling fan on the lounge carpet. Me....I am sitting in the lounge, two fans blowing, in shorts and a T-shirt, listening for the slightest rumblings of a thunder storm somewhere in the distance and hoping with all my might that the wind may blow it this way.....
Temperature and humidity in the bird room...
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Update on Johan's Dad
A month ago I posted about Johan's dad and how it was found through various tests that he has cancer. He stayed in hospital for a little while longer and was then released to go home. Sunday the 10th November he was re-admitted to Newcastle hospital and then transferred down to Greys hospital in Pietermaritzburg. Friday he was to have an operation to remove the kidney that is cancerous, however after having X-rays the previous day and discovering that the cancer has now spread throughout his body, it was presented to him by the doctors that the operation would not help at this stage. He is undergoing more tests....for what I don't know...this week in Greys Hospital and then we may find out more details. At this stage the prognosis is not good and is rated terminal. Matthew has been to visit him from our side and Johan is travelling down this week to see his dad and speak to his doctor....hopefully. Mariana and Bryan went down on Thursday and saw him then before travelling back. Annamarie and JJ have been stalwarts for the family all this time with them living in Newcastle and being there for him at all times. Sadly Elmarie and Marco are in Canada and it is far to travel without having anything concrete to come back for. He is apparently not in any pain which is wonderful for him and I pray that he will continue to be free of any.
Taking August from Retirement....
Johan had to work all this weekend making sure that the factory is ready for an environmental audit tomorrow. It has been hot....sooooo very hot and running up and down around the factory has been an exhausting time for him. So when he came home this afternoon and said to NiQi he wants to go riding, she jumped at the chance. Only thing is since Zorro isn't here at the moment, she had to take August out of retirement to have a ride. Angel is Johan's horse, Zorro - NiQi's, Switch is pregnant and nearly ready to 'pop', Navajo is mine but only just 3 years old so he hasn't been trained yet and August is NiQi's. He's a pony and an old boy...almost 20 years old, but he is so gentle and very easy to ride.
They didn't ride too far, about an hours ride but August was happy to have been given a chance to be carting NiQi on his back once more and came home looking like he is king of the world again....
They didn't ride too far, about an hours ride but August was happy to have been given a chance to be carting NiQi on his back once more and came home looking like he is king of the world again....
This is the result of riding bare back in today's heat...
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