11 June 2017

Again I woke up nearer seven than six! At least today is warmer than yesterday – inside as well. There’s no wind so I opened the window and the front door. Lovely and warm outside! I missed the sunrise, but still hear the birds calling with no sounds of civilization to spoil my pleasure! Well until around eight at least – that’s when the church bells start calling all Christians to Sunday service! Soon afterwards the first sounds of traffic erupt and the quiet time is over. The sunrays cast a beautiful play of light on a calm ocean this morning. I tried different settings to capture the effect.

It’s going on eleven now and I’ve spent my morning writing this blog, taking photo’s – and some chat in my game’s fellowship. Seems we’ve lost another member who feels a fellowship called ‘Active Ones’ should be more aggressively active than we are. We’ve had some excitement recently when one member – elected to the admin team – completely took over with almost dictatorial aggression. She was good for the fellowship in that she actively recruited – but we also lost members who didn’t like her dictatorship. I’m also an admin, and when she ran rough-shod ever me a couple of times, I just stepped back and let her get on with whatever she wanted. Predictably she left in a huff, taking several of her recruits with her – unfortunately she also left some spiteful comments about ‘freeloaders’ and I had to quite a few newbies that their contribution wasn’t ‘below fellowship requirement’. None of those left center our lives around the game, so those of us still in this fellowship seem to be quite content with the present activity. Nor are there any ugly comments in chat anymore, so apart from putting out some recruiting-feelers, I see no need for further action. I’m one of two admins, I’m a Mage, he’s Archmage – so it’s ultimately up to him. He also seems to have retreated a bit lately, though.

Laundry is done – though I managed to leave one sock behind – and the garden is calling! There’s nothing particular that needs doing, it’s simply a beautiful day and I’d like to spend it outside.

Two and a half hours just flew by, weeding along the garden path. Twenty-five steps up then a fast power-walk-hope-to-make-it-in-time to the toilet. Quick smoke break, re-set my game for another hour, something to quench the thirst – and back into my garden!

Another hour and one side of the garden path is weed-free! Now to decide what I’ll tackle next – the other side, or my care-patch near the house?

My obsession with symmetry won out and I did the other side of the garden path! The trick there, however, is to limit weeding to the side of the path – since weeds is about the only thing growing on that side. I sat down facing the path so I wouldn’t be tempted to clean too far into the ... field? It’s not a lawn, since only the odd blade of grass survives there. Around four it started getting rather cold, though, and I was beginning to regret my decision clear the opposite side of the path – when my neighbour joined me! AND: she had baked cookies! Yum, yum! I rushed to finish, it was lovely to have company, though. And her cat came streaking in to inspect everything. He’s quite a character, since I’ve dug up the garden path he prefers to saunter along the path rather than wander across the grass like some sort of uncivilised being. He considers both our gardens his territory and conducts regular inspections. I told my neighbour about this blog and volunteered her as first reader – which she gallantly accepted! Once the side of the path was finished, I went upstairs to print it out while she packed cookies for me. They are quite yummy! A touch of coffee, a touch of syrup and a smidgeon of ginger – strangely tasty combination.

Having spent most of Sunday in the garden, I had not made time to do my dishes. During the week I don’t wash my dishes – with all the new tasks I’ve been learning on this project, I’ve mostly been too drained to do much in the evenings. Often barely found the energy to cook, even.

Rant Alert!

There’s also another problem: My hot water is limited. So, if I fill the basins (one to wash, one to rinse) I’ll have less hot water to bath / shower! When I moved in, a year ago (9^th May 2016) it was winter-time and since I don’t use heaters, I rely on the hot bath / shower to get and stay warm. There are two contributing factors: 1) I have only a 100l geyser. Originally a 150l geyser was installed but at sometimes some owner decided that 100l – being cheaper – would have to suffice. For a two-bedroom flat? It is insufficient! The bath takes over 200l, and as it is made of porcelain enameled whatever it cools down the water quite rapidly. In winter filling the bath uses all of the 100l available, adding very little cold water – can’t do without, or only bum and feet are covered! And I’m no eel  – flopping around in a splash of water to get the soap off is not something I’m built for! And 2) by installing a pre-paid electricity meter, control over the geyser is handed over to the municipality! As part of the manipulation for a Russian Nuclear Power Deal the general public must be convinced of an electricity shortage and that means inconveniencing law-abiding citizens! So a law was promulgated giving the local municipalities control over houshold hot water supply – switching it off for an hour or two once or twice a day. In my area that happens from eight to ten in the morning and again from six to eight in the evening – which is merely a guideline and not a reliable schedule.   So, basically I have no guarantee that I’ll be enjoying a hot bath or shower in the evening – courtesy of our corrupt government! The whole point of this is supposed to be reducing electricity usage – which is utterly defeated, since I can not switch off the geyser as I normally would! In my last home I did not have a prepaid meter – and I would switch off the geyser after I’d showered for about twenty hours until I came home the following evening! There, the geyser would only be on from about five or six until eight or nine in the evening – which also cut my electricity bill nearly in half! An utterly pointless excercise – proving once again that common sense is anything but common!

Rant over.

Back to Sunday evening, so as a result of my time in the garden, I ended up having to do wash my week’s dishes Sunday night; unpleasant but still better than having to do them on a week night. Then make and pack Monday’s lunch and lastly shower. That’s all the ‘must-dos’ done – time to sit back and relax ... only now it’s near nine which does not leave much time for anything. Another member left the game’s fellowship and we admins had a quick discussion about the way forward. And that’s it, time for bed.