Social habits, Adventures and cat characteristics

Yep, as soon as I was out of the bath, I opened the front door and Silver came running in. Straight for her food bowl! I put some cheese ends in there – she’s given them a try, but evidently not to her liking. As I’m eating a banana she comes from her food bowl (still not empty) and looks at the banana longingly! Eish, what a vraat!

I try not to dwell on this, but it’s nine years today since my mum died. It would also have been her mother’s 106^th birthday today. I sometimes wonder what life would have been like, if our family hadn’t been so torn apart by arrogance and self-righteousness. My mum was, on the one hand, a great one for writing letters and keeping in touch with a wide range of family and friends – yet, sadly, on the other hand, she was equally big on judging. And writing people off. But she could also be exceptionally kind and generous – opening her home and generously giving a lot of her time for friends in need.

I do sometimes wonder where I got my strong social independence. I don’t know of anyone else in my family – whether immediate or extended – who can spend an entire weekend without seeing another human face; let alone spend two weeks without any social contact. Whereas I can, and have, done both. Last year I took two weeks off in December until past New Year. In that time I did not call anyone, nor attended any social function – the only social contact I had was with my neighbour. Or in 2015, when the project had finished and everyone left and I took a whole month leave in East London, before starting to pack up to move to Pretoria. I went for drives, explored the beaches, the surroundings, took a host of photo’s – all on my own. Ok, so I had regular phone conversations with a friend, who was going through a tough patch – but the other 71 hours I barely spoke to a soul! And yet, I can’t really claim to be anti-social, either. I’m just as happy partying through the night with a safe bunch of friends! In 2011 for example, no F1 weekend went without a party! Sometimes just around the race, sometimes going on till the wee hours – and I loved every minute! I did miss that when it came to an end, as in when those guys flew home one-by-one until I was the only one left.

I used to put in the effort to build a social life for no reason other than peer– or should I say family-pressure. How it’s not normal to not have an active social life. How it proves there’s something wrong with me. But you know what? Since I’ve shelved that ‘standard’ as ‘not applicable’ – I’m much, much happier! I know there’s nothing wrong with me. I also know that the lack of social butterflies fluttering around me is not proof that I’m sub-normal! And I no longer value opinions of people who have not earned my respect – no exceptions. I just wish I had outgrown these childhood indoctrination sooner, but then I remember the quote from David Bowie “Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been.” And if I hadn’t been who I was for so many years, I wouldn’t appreciate who I’ve become. Told you I could think my way through a corkscrew without touching the sides! Try and follow, he he.

Back home I had a lovely chat with my neighbour – until it started raining, chasing us inside. Silver, for some reason, wouldn’t let me anywhere near her. She was insisting I open up the magic food bowl (i.e. front door) but when I tried picking her up she ran away like she used to before she moved in. Upstairs I first filled her ‘treat’ bowl – I’ve bought 2 cans of meat in jelly, which she likes. Now she ‘likes’ it so much, she’s turning her nose up at the Bob Martins! She cleaned that out, then went into the kitchen, climbed onto the counter and licked the spoon I use to fill her bowl! When nothing more came, she started going through the flat … she somehow got on top of the bookshelf in the spare room and pushed a box off! It only had some 3D puzzles (made of paper, thus practically weightless) in it – but my vase are right next to it. So I took those down and put them in a safe place.

Adventures started in the online game – and I had quite a time to catch up on what to do, how it works, etc. I got so busy, I completely forgot the time and it was after eight when I remembered that I hadn’t eaten! I started frying a simple steak and Silver became an absolute pest! So much so that I gave her a tap on the nose, I’m sorry to say. She carried on for a couple of minutes before walking out in a huff. She came back just as I was about to have the last two bites … so I cut one up for her and put it in her bowl.

Then I went back to the game – which is really exciting right now! Then, around nine I realised I couldn’t see Silver anywhere – so I went looking. This isn’t a big flat. There aren’t many places where she could be. And I didn’t think there would be any place she could hide. I went around the whole flat twice! No cat. Not in the wardrobe, not under the bed, not behind a curtain. Not in any corner. As I’m scratching my head wondering whether she could have gone out – I step back for another look in the bedroom … and there is sits on the floor just inside the room! I have no clue where she had hidden herself! Since her treat bowl is still empty, she’s gone back outside. She really is quite a character!

Anyway, still on the loosing-track-of-time, it’s way past my bedtime – there’s been a lot of chat and activity about this new Adventure feature! So I better get some shut eye.

Adventure Games

Again, thank you for the five-thirty wake up call, cat! Well, at least I got an extra half hour. Food? You’re waking me up because you want food? How much food can you stuff into that tiny body of yours? Sheez! At six she’s eaten as much as she wanted and now she’s off outside.

Work is again busy – more people arriving, needing a ‘How to’ guide to South Africa, etc. I finally get to the deadline-task, though!

Oh, and I called the Agent and set the time for eleven on Saturday. And please return my spare keys. The latter resulted in a stream of empty-headed babble: ‘Oh? Do we have your spare key? Why would we ... well, we do have a box with keys in it, I’ll have a look if maybe your keys are in that box, and I’ll ask the manager ... etc. etc.’ I practice for Saturdays ordeal and manage to keep silent while this stream of babble washes over me ... or rather grates through me like nails down a chalk board! You keep keys to tenants homes somewhere in a box? So, basically, your cleaner could help herself to any set of keys at any time – if he/she were that way inclined? No, no, no – let go, switch off, blank your mind, do not go down that dark and hollow road!

Click.

I still don’t know who was behind the pastries on my desk yesterday. Our electrician adamantly denies responsibility – yet, neither myself, nor my lone female colleague can think of anyone else who would pull something like this off. Maybe I’ll never know! I can live with that. My colleague can’t ha ha! It’s kept her awake last night trying to figure out who it could be!

The online game I admin is gearing up for a new feature, called Adventures. Being a fairly typical strategy game, once you’ve reached a certain size, the game becomes mostly a waiting game – everything you need to unlock, build, etc takes longer and longer the further you’ve advanced in the game. And to alleviate the boredom, the devs have come up with these Adventures. The trick with Adventures, however, is going to be co-ordination within fellowships. Allocating tasks, setting targets, updating on progress, re-adjusting targets, communicating. And with our fellowship spread across all time-zones (Japan, Canada, UK, South Africa, etc) chat is fairly silent lately. So someone has to send fellowship messages (i.e. to all). I still don’t fully understand how Adventures will work – but I’m reading up on what the Beta Players publish. And, as a sort of trial, I’m co-ordinating Tournaments in a similar manner. The response is not overwhelming, but at least there is some, and we at least stand a chance at participation.

Yay! Our Archmage has taken organising Adventures upon himself! I AM glad of that! That’s a big load off my shoulders! He’s loaded a spreadsheet to google docs, where we can track out progress. Apparently they’re starting tomorrow and I sure ain’t ready! This means I can sit back, relax, and participate as just another fellow – no added admin!

Just as I ways reflecting how cute it was to have Silver’s pink nose poking through the fence, anticipating my arrival and how quickly I’m taken for granted, I hear her meowing along as she comes running up to me to insist I open up and fill her bowl. NOW. If you please! Once she’s full she curls up on the chair by the table. After I’ve eaten she wants to go out – but looks at me first, sitting in front of the open door as if asking if it’s ok. I suppose she didn’t like being locked out when she got back too late. I’m beginning to think she’s only here due to her pregnancy – not being quite as agile, and needing loads of food for her kittens, as this is the wrong time of year for cat pregnancy. I’m sort of the pregnancy-support – and once she’s given birth, I wouldn’t be surprised if she went back to her straying ways.

But tonight, I’d like an early night. Nice hot bath and then curling up with a purring cat, if she’s there, if not just with my audio book. I’m listening to A Caribbean Mystery again by Agatha Christie. Another lovely Miss Marple – unabridged.

A day in the Twilight Zone

Silver enjoyed a ten minute intensive cuddling session last night, just before I went to bed – and went outside right afterwards. She didn’t come back nor have I seen her this morning. So I had a bit of a restless night – and woke up this morning from a very weird dream: I dreamt I was sitting at a rock beach, watching the waves roll in when I noticed a bird being washed onto the rocks. I went to investigate and it was a barely alive dove. I picked it up, stroked its chest, which brought up some water, then carried it to safety. As I sat with it on my lap, it was suddenly a cat! A black and white cat, like the one I’ve seen at my food bowl outside. I was contemplating a permanent home for the cat when the alarm woke me up.

On the way to work I managed to take a wrong turn! There are road-works right at the turn onto the highway and somehow I missed that little gap where I should have turned. So I ended up driving straight through Despatch! This route is shorter – but as the speed limit through town is only 60 km/h, whereas the highway it’s 120 km/h – shorter isn’t faster.

At work, there was no space for me to park my car – some trucks had already blocked the cars parked in front of the fire station, so I ended up driving around and parking in a bit of a precarious spot, under a lifted road barrier.

And then I realised that I had forgotten my belt! So our electrician helped with an on-site solution: Velcro strip! He has a roll of Velcro, and measured around my waist, so now I’ve threaded that through the belt loops and my jeans are held up by Velcro!

On my desk I find a box. It looks like a pastry box, and has a label from Patisserie & Bakery The Pastryworks. No clue whether that’s meant for me, or someone forgot it on my desk. My PC is the site PC – and often people need to get data off it onto a USB or print something from here, so it’s not unusual that someone else sits here before I get in or after I leave. Sometimes I’m even asked to take a break, so someone can use the PC.

I go out, I come back to find a piece of pastry unpacked onto a plate on my desk. That’s no longer a subtle hint, but an smack on the back of the head! In German there’s a saying “Wink mit dem Zaunpfahl” – I can’t think of an English equivalent right now.

Lunch was again sponsored by our electrician, who made us some of the burgers left over from Saturday. With that super-sweet piece of pastry plus the burger – I am full! If only I could take a nap now – as they say in Afrikaans “Maagie vol, oogies toe” approximately “stomach full, eyes shut” though with cute diminutives.

I’ve done my due diligence with all the open subjects, so this afternoon I had better continue with the documentation I’m to print and hang up around the whole plant (aka the deadlined task).

Aaaand that didn’t work out as planned – again! I’ve had to chase after a shipment floating nearby en route to nobody-knows-who-should-receive-it. With no clue who will be managing delivery. Then a salvo of orders went out, where I’ll be expected to track delivery and ensure a purchase order covers them and now it’s nearly time to go home. I managed to print one measly little document so far!

Oh joy! Just the perfect touch to this twilight zone day: Estate Agent calls, wants to schedule her six-monthly inspection! Er, what? First legal inspection since I moved in over a year ago and you really call it a six-monthly inspection? She wants to know what time Saturday will suit me. Someone give me strength! Shall I swallow a bottle of sleeping pill just before she arrives so I don’t loose my temper at any time and accidentally strangle her? I can already imagine her chirpy comments – how on earth will I manage to keep the sarcasm at bay? On the one hand, I might finally be able to get my spare key back – but on the other hand: what if they actually try to instigate repairs? Leaving my home wide open to anyone for a whole day, again? Argh! What hell awaits me? I will need to call her back with a time for Saturday – better make it eleven; at least by then I’m sure to be back from the dreaded shopping. Only to face a dread worse than shopping! I had better prepare myself mentally as much as possible, like come up with a calming mantra to focus on. Something silly like “She, too, shall piss off”. Hopefully I can come up with something better.

Oh, and I better de-smoke the lounge! Shall I make some pickled onions? He He He! That should do the trick! My neighbour suggested putting down a saucer of vinegar the night before – yet “half measures availed us nothing”.

Silver is turning out to be quite a character! I made myself steamed potatoes for dinner. As always, when I set foot in the kitchen her survivor-predatory instinct comes awake and she meows most pitifully – and continuously! Thinking it safe, I let her smell the potatoes. Yep, turned up her nose and walked away. Then, when I was nearly finished, she started her demanding-food routine again, so I let her up on my lap … and would you believe it? Now she suddenly likes potatoes! When I put the one’s she’d licked in her bowl – she actually ate them! And I had only added some garlic butter! Who’d have thought?!?

Bloggle me this, garden me that

When I first started writing this blog, I watched the traffic with hawk eyes – and loved to see the view counter go up, up and up. On average, about ten people viewed my blog daily – I say viewed, because I can’t tell whether they just looked at the photos or actually read what I wrote. That number has since dropped, to about two per day. At first that didn’t sit too well with me, but since I’ve actually thought about it, I’m quite happy as things stand. Frankly, this blog is pretty dull – there are no flaring fights, no fiery passion, few strong opinions, nothing which would really hold the interest of a casual reader. And at times I do tend to go on and on about such trivialities, such dull every day stuff – if I stumbled across this blog, I’d probably move on fast, too.

And that’s quite ok with me. By popular standards my life IS pretty dull and void of passion – by my own standard, I prefer to think of it as steady. It wasn’t always like this, I have a hand-written diary full of passion – and none of it pleasant reading. It’s all rigtheous anger and fear, going from one extreme to the next. I was not happy, then. I am happy now. There are still a lot of things I see, even happening to me, which can seriously rile me – but rather than work myself up to some futile gesture to make a point or get my way; I rather expend my efforts and energy to learn to accept the things I cannot change. And rather put my effort and energy into changing the things I can. That way lies Serenity.

No, not the one created by Joss Whedon!

Sure, I use this blog also to vent some frustrations – but I do try not to go too far. And sometimes I think to myself “all this Tra Li La, hippy hoppy happiness would go on my ... nerves, if I had to read it” but well, that’s the part of my life I care to share. I’m not one to hang my dirty laundry all over facebook or any other media – social or otherwise. I may decide to start an anonymous blasting blog, if it gets too much, but that’s really no longer my style.

See? Another three paragraphs filled with blah-di-blah! Ha Ha!

Work was busy as can be, I’m quite exhausted! If you ever wonder how one can be exhausted from a desk job – try juggling a couple of objects in the air for eight hours straight, while someone else swops them with different objects at random intervals throughout the day! The physical movements aren’t tiring in themselves – it’s the high-level mental focus required that drains you! And it is expected that a secretary has ALL dates and figures in her head at all times – something no manager is expected to know, let alone recall as he’s going to the bathroom! That is why I am quite adamant about my lunch-time – I need that time to regroup for the afternoon. I used to ‘show willingness’ by helping even during my lunch time – and paid the price: getting home too pooped to even cook myself a decent meal. So, if people think I’m rude for insisting they come back AFTER lunch? Tough! They won’t cook my dinner, or pack my lunch.

Back home I was quite impressed with our gardener! Remember how the new picket fence I had put up this weekend was loose and rickety? He came up with a brilliant idea: He placed three support-poles strategically – two in front on the ends, one behind in the centre, practically wedging the fencing tightly between them! Absolutely brilliant! Such a simple, yet perfectly effective solution! He did shake his head quite a lot at the request to put that rolled up fence in a curve, around the Nasturtiums – a fence should be straight, not curved! My neighbour was quite insistent, though, so the flowers all fit behind the fence, safe from the garden disservice!

I couldn’t get all that I do out of the garden, without the help from the gardener. Yes, I pay him – but he really does an awfully good job! If his approach to work was anything like the garden disservice – I wouldn’t stand a chance! He was saying how those weeds are getting too big, they bother him – every time he walks past or sees them from next door. He was only appeased when my neighbour told him that I worked seven hours weeding on Saturday and another couple of hours on Sunday, as well. Some may think that is quite a cheek of him, but he’s one of those rare gems who really care for gardens. He takes a lot of pride in his work. I could name a host of business’ who could use his example!

Of course, all the care and hard work from our gardener would be meaningless if it wasn’t for my neighbour! The gardener arrives after I’ve left, and leaves when I arrive back home. I’m not there to discuss with him what I have in mind, nor there to make him lunch and a cup of coffee. And if either he needs to leave early (which is rare) or I’m late leaving work - I wouldn’t be able to pay him! My neighbour is kind enough to do all of that for me! Without her help, I could never have done and gotten as much done, as I have.

The garden really looks lovely now! The gardener went out of his way to cut every last thorn out of that hedge! He got a ladder and achieved a truly herculean task! He tackled the top, cutting out the thorns, trimming back what needs trimming, I think he even went so far as to dig out some of the thorns roots-and-all! There’s still a lot to be done, but we’re getting there!

The cactus also seems to be sprouting new life after I trimmed such an awful lot of it! I was a bit worried, though I had no choice – but there’s loads and loads of little red buds promising to grow into flowers!

There are also plenty of carnations alongside the path, the first one about to flower – any day now! Ah, it is such a joy, so much pleasure!

Lazy Sunday

Thank you, cat for the five am wake up call! Seriously? Ah well, opened the door and let her out then I went back to bed for another hour. Shopping done nice and early – and then I’m faced with a bit of a quandary: It’s such a lovely sunny day – I’d rather spend it in the garden, than indoors doing chores!

Well, I went out and did some more weeding. Not too much, mind, just a bit for the pleasure of it! Then I took a break. My neighbour came outside looking for me, so we spent the afternoon outside together. I just pulled the odd clover plant and she crocheted white borders around pink squares – which will later be sewn into a blanket. Then the wool was finished and we just chatted – though I kept picking at weeds. Right until about three, when the sun hid behind some clouds and it got too cold to sit outside.

Her tom definitely won’t tolerate Silver! He chased her off twice while we were outside! Funnily enough, he chased her from my garden into my neighbours, i.e. his own garden, the second time!

Bad news, though – now I have to do the chores!

Well, well, well. This is a first: I put out meat for Silver – and she’s full! Ate some, but left most of it behind. Unless she doesn’t like Ostrich meat, but with her past record of eating anything, I very much doubt that! And yet, as I’m eating my salad, she comes to sit next to me watching every bite disappear! After a few meows – which I ignored – she gave up, and turned her back on me in disgust.

Well I never: after a stroll outside, she came back in, sniffed the meat then turned towards the dry pellets instead! Bird-catching Silver doesn’t like Ostrich! Good thing I only had the small packet to try it out – I put the bowl outside, there’s still strays and neighbouring cats feeding there.

Finally the kitchen is spick and span! Lunch is ready for tomorrow – only I don’t feel like dinner. The salad will have to do.

I heard a noise outside –the black and white cat is quite happy with ostrich! And I’m warm and snug after my bath and ready for bed.

Leisurely Saturday in the garden

Leisurely Saturday morning, too late to shop. Instead I spent most of the day in the garden, from nine in the morning until four, when it got too cold.

I cleared all the yellow leaves out of the Nasturtiums, then firmly made it known that the path is mine! I cut quite a lot of large leaves, which were attempting to meet their mates across the path. And vice versa! The grass was still covered in dew, so I sat on a garbage bag to keep my bum dry. Silver joined me for a while – well, she rolled around the grass, then lay down behind the fence until I took it away to put up on the opposite side. I don’t much like the ‘new’ fencing I got last weekend – it would need to be set deeper into the ground, which isn’t possible since you hit rock. One side looks ok, but the other side is decidedly loose – I hope our gardener can do a better job!

Then I worked my way along to bed starting near the house and moving up – trying to stay ahead of the shadow, trying to stay in the sun. I took a break and then skipped a patch, cos the sun had moved too far. I pulled out weeds, clipped the grass – the edges, so there’d be no need to mow into the flower- or vegetable beds. I pulled up a lot of weeds from between the grass as well, just a line alongside the beds. I found another corner bit off my planter that had been broken off – so I clipped and cleaned around that as well, in hopes of preventing further damage. But I guess they won’t be done until it falls apart completely!

Silver stayed nearby the whole day, somewhere in the vicinity, making the occasional guest appearance. Though whenever I took a break, she’d come running upstairs staying under my feet. Now she’s sleeping on the chair by the table – all cute and innocent. It really is quite bizarre how that cat just moved in and behaves like she’s always lived here! My neighbour and I were discussing that yesterday, she was always nice to her whilst I mostly ignored her. She took pity on her and put out food for her – I only followed her example, to take some of the cost off her. And of all the cats that helped themselves to the food I left outside, only Silver decided to take it further and move in! Just like that!

Oh, and last night another new cat made an appearance: a black cat with a few white patches. Making the most awful racket!

Right now I would love to be lying in a hot bath soaking the pain out of my back – but that would involve movement to get there, and movement is a bit on the painful side at the moment. I also still need to decide what I want to do about food today.

Well, well, well. I took a Kassler out of the freezer and put it on the counter to defrost. A few minutes later, I wondered where Silver had gone … up on the counter trying to unpack my dinner! I used some strong words, believe you me! Then I put the Kassler in the oven – I don’t see her opening that!

And then I had a lovely, leisurely hot bath! Lay in it till it was too cold for comfort – about 10 minutes. Silver came in to see what I was doing, when she saw water was involved, she strolled around nonchalantly pretending to be interested, then strolled back out of the bathroom.

I’ve been organising the fellowship into teams for last week’s tournament – where every fellow contributes to the fellowship score. The higher the score, the tastier the rewards. Apart from a few duds (five out of twenty-four didn’t participate, one put in the absolute minimum) everyone did very well! Better than I thought! I messaged the minimum about etiquette – it’s not nice doing the minimum required to qualify for the rewards everyone else works to get. There’s a new feature coming up, where teamwork within the fellowship is unavoidable. It looks like we might stand a chance, after all!

Well, I don’t want to make it too late tonight, as I want to be up early tomorrow – and get the dreaded shopping done!

Cat tales and garden blooms

Late morning, it wasn’t the alarm but the cat sitting on my bladder which woke me. Dress, coffee, cat out ... and I’m not so happy with Silver getting too close to comfort to the car as I’m leaving! It’s as if, having overcome her fear of humans, she’s extending that new-found trust to all things human – well, at least all things connected to her adopted human, i.e. me. My neighbour mentioned how she was giving her car a wide berth still, but she sat a little too close to the car for my liking, as I waited for the garage door to finish closing.

Work is busy as can be. But some good news: It’s official, I will get a salary increase! Yay! The amount now depends on my boss’ negotiation skills – I’ve negotiated a good increase, but last time I also negotiated a good rate, only for my boss to settle for a lower rate. Hrmph. Yeah, he was in a bit of a spot where he could not afford to risk being declined completely (as in, they get someone else) but this time it’s the client who’s in that spot – as they really can’t manage without me now. So, I’m holding thumbs!

I’m looking forward to tomorrow, the weather forecast says it should be sunny – hopefully without wind! I’d love to spend some time tending to my flower beds. I’m not sure, yet, whether I’ll tend to the bed, where the Nasturtiums are trying to take over the lawn as well – and put up that roll of picket-fencing around them. I’m thinking of laying some sort of pathway along the tomato bed, so my neighbour can come through easier! Or maybe I’ll put up the straight lined pickets in the bed opposite the one where it’s already up. I may decide to move one of those two pickets to the opposite side, then add the ‘new’ ones next to it – so they look the same. Ah! The pleasure of planning! I just hope I don’t find another total-destruction when I get home tonight. No, banish the thought! Stay with the pleasant. The Cosmos are sprouting everywhere along the path – I saw a lot of green last night. AND: There’s a fence between them and the ‘lawn’ so they should be safe. Three Cosmos are currently in bloom on my window sill! My neighbour has also spotted some in her garden, where the wind blew the seeds. And I also saw another Iris about to bloom in my window. Plus there’s a third Daffodil about to open! Ah what a pleasure, what joy! And Alyssums are popping up everywhere – little specks of white promising to spread their lovely honey-smell far and wide in no time. I may even spend an hour or two in the garden tonight – there’s just such a lot of pleasant stuff happening!

Hmm, just a thought – maybe I should ram some of those metal climbing sticks around the edges of the planter? Ah, but that won’t help – they already have no need to ram their weed-eaters into them, yet they do it anyway. Ah well. Ha Ha, just thought how bare it would look if I pulled all the weeds on that patch behind the planter! There’s practically nothing else growing there!

Tomorrow morning’s shopping – I’ve been thinking, maybe I should arrange for a hair cut? It would make my life a lot easier. Ideally, I should pop in today to ask if I they have an opening tomorrow. We’ll see. As for the rest, I don’t need much.

Well, I didn’t make an appointment on the way home, but I did have a lovely long chat with my neighbour! The weather has been keeping us from our regular chats, so we’ve had a lot of catching up to do!

After a quick turn upstairs, I went out for a photo-round. I’m happy to say the garden disservice hasn’t been around. So nothing has been destroyed, everything is growing and blooming – I even have a white (well, whitish) Daffodil in full bloom! I didn’t even notice it!

Isn't this beautiful?

White, with just an outline of the merest hint of yellow!

And weeds? Don’t let me get started! The whole grass patch is covered in weeds! I may have to take the time to pull up the big-leafed ones before they cover and kill what little grass I have growing. And where there aren’t those, there’s clover. Clover covering every patch, everywhere you look!

One of the plants next to the blooming Daffodils (two open by now!) looks like a weed as well – will see when it opens up.

The camera keeps focusing on the dirty window - sigh

More and more Cosmos on my window sill

Fuchsia still closed but getting near to bloom

Alströmeira definitely turning lush pink

What a joyous welcoming sight - every morning and every night

Daffodils galore on a background of white Alyssum

That deep red flowing into the bright yellow

And let's not forget the beautiful yellow Daffodils

Nasturtiums flowering everywhere!

Two days

What a day, yesterday! Still no internet, so I continued printing those docs – only to find out that half of them will need to be replaced when we receive the update! Which half? Yeah – all the one’s with blanks where numbers should be. Sigh! To avoid having to physically walk around the whole plant and inspect the hard-copies (since I am pretty sure they’ll simply overwrite the existing files with the update) I spent the morning making a list of all pages to be updated. Additionally, quite a few crisis cropped up – all needing instant solutions ... I couldn’t tell by the end of the day whether I was coming or going. At least they’ve made a plan to re-connect me to the internet – which, naturally, resulted in more crisis arriving via e-mail! Add to that some snotty ‘reprimands’ for not replying to e-mails ... and I’m sure you can imagine how I felt by the end of the day!

Instead of a quiet, relaxing evening, our project manager invited us to dinner. After the day I’d had, I wasn’t sure if I felt up to it – but in the end I was really glad I went! I do not remember when last I laughed as much and as hard as I did last night! My goodness! The brilliant wit that came out last night, the twisted minds voicing such totally unexpected dry commentary – I had tears rolling down my face, I laughed so hard!

It was past ten when I finally got home and really, no way was I writing or posting a blog at that time, still!

I’d left Silver inside when I left, she seemed snug and sleepy. Once I got home, she went for a walk – and by the time I went to bed (around half past eleven!), she hadn’t come back – so she spent the rest of the night outside. This morning, as I was leaving, she came inside; and showed no interest in following me back out – so I left her inside for the day. First time. Lets see what I find when I get home!

Obviously, I left the drum empty. The second Daffodil was beginning to open when I left for work this morning – the weather report looks sunny for Saturday, so I’ll spend some time in the garden this weekend. Only problem is: The bed fencing is still only up on the one side – so when the garden service comes tomorrow, there’s a chance they might mow down my flower bed again! I hope not – but with them, there’s no guarantee. I must remember to tuck the wandering Nasturtium runners in with the main bed or they’ll just kill it – and it has such lovely flowers just now!

After lunch, back to the grindstone, grinding, grinding, grinding out the work. On the drive home, along the Bay, the surf was really high! At one point you could see the waves had carried stones all the way onto the Highway! I kept an eye on the waves, but none were threatening to come near the Highway at that time. Some brave soul walked along the walkway, pushing his bicycle, keeping a wary eye on the waves.

At home the second Daffodil has opened! I’ve tucked the Nasturtium runners behind the fence where I could, hoping they survive the garden disservice tomorrow. And there’s a lot needs doing in the flower beds – I’m really looking forward to spending Saturday outside! Oh, and the new Cosmos are sprouting something wicked! That bed promises to be awash with flowers in the near future!

At home, Silver still hasn’t got the hang of the litter box. She decided to use the bath mat this time – sigh. Solid, too – so I’ll have to soak it first or it’ll hit the fan in the machine – urgh! NO! She’s a bit reluctant to go outside tonight, though – yet I can see she wants to. She’s spending a lot of time on my lap with intermittent visits to the food bowl. My, she’s looking like a ball crouched before the bowl!

Anyway, after the late night last night, better make it early tonight!

Future plans

Well, Silver’s true colours seem to be emerging – it would appear her only interest in life is FOOD! Hmmm. Like, at night when I go through to the bedroom, she doesn’t budge – but let me step inside the kitchen and she’s right by my feet, quick as a flash! This morning she showed some interest in cuddling, although not really much. It will be interesting to see how this develops!

At work, still no internet. Apparently cutting off half the country took only a few hours – but restoring what they destroyed will take days. Typical! I got a call from the Pretoria Project site – they are also without internet. Fantastic upgrade, eh?

On the good news front: I will definitely receive an increase in salary! The project manager confirmed THAT he’s ok with it, now it’s just between him and the site manager to agree on an amount. I’ve also confirmed with MY boss, that the increase will come through to me. Further good news, for me at least, is that I’m very likely to be needed until at least December!

The down side to that, of course, is that during a project taking leave is always an issue – and I want to take a week or two end of November, as I’m invited to a wedding in Pretoria. And I want to combine that with some specialised shopping (i.e. items not available in PE) – like some decent pants or trousers! I’ve not yet found any place in PE where they cater for non-tweenies and non-twiggies, as in: cater for 50+ with a normal body-size. Any woman over 50 with a waist like a twig has serious self-image issues – in my opinion. Peer pressure worked on me in my teens and twenties, sadly even in my thirties, but by now I’ve outgrown the need to base my self-worth on public-approval! I don’t need to look good ‘for my age’ = body trimmed to meet younger-age standards.

Anyway, I know of no places in PE where I can find some leg-dressing that fits comfortably and goes OVER my hips! This crack-display fashion is seriously ugly, in my opinion. Every time one of the guys has to bend, those ‘hipsters’ slide and I’m facing serious cracks! Do you have any idea how unpleasant it is to find yourself facing those hairy cracks up in the air? Every shop I’ve tried recently – no matter what they call it, it all slides down; whether when walking, bending or doing anything but sit on it. I wish I could sew! In desperation I’ve even considered skirts! But that’s just not a realistic option when you work on a site. Ah, well. That’s why I want to spend some time looking around in Pretoria – there at least they have a much wider variety!

Back to the topic of income: I started this blog to get into the habit of daily writing. It’s been two months now, and I think I can tick that one off as ‘Done’. The plan was, that once I’m in that habit, to start a second project, one that would supplement my income. And I’ve outlined three ideas already – and even started with one of them ... but I only got as far as taking my research papers out! They’re still set up on my table ready for me to get started ... but I’m just not finding / making the time. Since it’s at home (as in hard copies, not electronic) I would have to do it either in the morning, evening or weekends. I have 45 minutes lunch – which is when I write this blog. Then, in the evenings I select, crop and add any photos and post it online. Say, another twenty minutes to an hour (Photo’s take time). So, I don’t see any hard copy research projects happening in the near future. And this morning I was mulling this over in my mind and thought: Admin! There’s a topic that could work! The research on that I have electronically, add to that the experience here at work – especially with the lack of know-how I’m faced with from our suppliers ... and that could work!

I also remembered, when I was writing the newsletter in 1999, how the anger at the stupidity I encountered was THE driving force behind my articles. Put that together with what Neil Gaiman said at Terry Pratchett’s Memorial – about anger as the muse for writing (my interpretation) – and I may have something there. Only: I no longer have that kind of anger; I’ve learned to let go, let it evaporate, laugh at the cause, etc. And I have no desire to go backwards in my personal growth. So, the approach would have to be somewhat different. It still needs a lot of thought, but at least there’s a start for something that can really work.

Oh, and the weather is so bad, the gardener won’t have turned up today. Now I have to decide whether I want to set out into the storm tonight to cut more thorns – or wait to see what the weather is like tomorrow night, or give it a miss this week.

First Daffodil!

No internet at work! Apparently Hellkom (aka Telkom) upgraded the lines – and that backfired somewhat. Quite a few business’ are without phone-lines and thus no ADSL either. I started by cleaning the office, when I still thought it would be only a short disruption! Now the office is sparkling clean – and I’ve started catching up with what I could on backlog. Since I can’t print either (network printer) I’m quite restricted. So I do all the prep-work and write down what I need to print. That list is growing fast! It’s now lunch time and still no internet. Luckily at home I have a mobile SIM card, so I’m not linked to any cables.

Normally lunch time I write this blog, then read some of the blogs I’m following – fortunately I still have a book here, which comes in handy today!

Back home, the gardener couldn’t come today, as one of his regular customers wanted him today. I’m only here for a short time, so his long-term regulars naturally take precedence. He wants to come around tomorrow, though – but the weather report is not promising. We’ll have to wait and see. If he can’t make it, I’ll have to fill the drum tomorrow & Wednesday night – sigh!

The first daffodil has opened up!

The first set - note the tapered end pieces

What they sell now - more gaps and no easy-to-ground ends

Still Cosmos in the garden - second generation. Don't they just look carefully brush-painted?

And my first Daffodil!

I just love looking at these - such lovely colouring

First Carnation - still just teasing!

More Daffodils coming!

Alyssums flowering everywhere!

Isn't it sad? Such beautiful flowers set against utter neglect - and that 'pebble' pathway? It is awful to walk on!

Nasturtiums, Alyssums, Carnations - bordering a dilapidated, cracked, trip-dangerous path 

First flowers in this 'new' bed: Alyssum of course! Pity the owner cares so little for the property

After the mow-down, these are the first Cosmos coming out, of the lot I sowed last weekend!

The Nasturtiums are completely covering this poor Iris again

Colourful Nasturtium

Sneaky snakey plants - Nasturtiums!

Tree tops

Busy morning, catching up on my chores, then making the Waldorf Salad I meant to make for the last Braai and off to the old Tennis Club for a work Braai. It was a great success and we had a lot of fun till eight again. I took some experimental photo’s of the winter-bare tree against the blue sky.

Taken with the setting sun's last light in the shot

Same time, just kept the sun out of the shot

Taken with a flash - still at the same time

Taken in 'Negative' mode setting - should have had my tripod!

And another facing the sunset

Some of the guys apparently re-located to another venue, but I went home. I was a bit worried, since it’s the first time since the cat moved in, that I stayed out till after dark – but by nine she made her presence know outside and wolfed down a whole bowl of food! I’m beginning to suspect that rather than pregnant, the cat is simply getting fat! Although – with the meager diet before she moved in, it seems unlikely. Ah well, time will tell. Again, I forgot to post the blog.