Mippies explore further

I had an absolutely awful night! It was too hot for comfort and to make matters worse, there was an errant mosquito buzzing around! I was dead tired and yet just could not go to sleep. By midnight I put the ceiling fan on, there was just no other way. I worry that one day, a kittie might jump at the fan – and it has metal blades, blood will flow, if not worse! So one of today’s projects will be to set up the desk fan – that has only plastic blades, plus it has a cage around them, so curious mips can’t get hurt.

As a result, I woke up very late – I only got out of bed at seven. And then I decided to take it really easy today. As much as I would love to carry on in the garden, I also need to pay some attention to the kitchen.

I started the day with coffee outside, enjoying the cool air as well as the view. I spent time thinking about next Saturday’s gardening, the succulents really need to get out of the pot and into the ground – but where? The ground here is very sandy, and the succulents can handle that, so ideally, they don’t need to be in the beds next to the path. I was thinking of planting them around the little two-plank bench, the ground there is quite awful, only succulents can survive there.

I took a walk around the whole garden – my first one – and saw some good grass in some areas, some flowers, discovered more spekboom growing well and found my mippies strutting around! The landlady wanted to take a weed eater to that garden, to cut the tall grass – it does need cutting – but I said that wasn’t necessary, I’ll get around to it in my own time. After all, cut it today, and in a week it needs cutting again, so it might as well wait until I’m ready to clean up properly.

So, where shall I put the succulents? I’ve already started on the bed along the path, do I really want to start a new area before finishing that? Hmmm.

In the end, I decided that I would put the succulents into the bed across from the dianthum and alyssum – for now. It will get them out of the pots, they can start to spread.

With that decided, I moved inside … and silly mippies followed! They are again mipping at me to go outside … sigh. It’s a good thing, true, but it is a nuisance.

I’ve been re-thinking this smartphone thing. My problem with a smartphone is, that they are designed to last two years. Period. I had one, which was meant to be my phone – rather than for special purpose. If I remember correctly, I got that phone in 2012, just before I moved to East London. Then, a year later, when I wanted to install WhatsApp – it was too old for that app! That’s when I got my first ‘special purpose’ phone. And another year later, that phone simply went haywire and I couldn’t use it anymore. It hadn’t been dropped or damaged – it just went nuts. Someone would try to call me, the phone would ring but I couldn’t answer – and it continued ringing, even after the ringer had hung up, until I took out the battery! So, all in all, it lasted about 3 years. Considering the cost, that’s not acceptable – at least, not to me. Sure, you can ‘upgrade’ and pay for the phone with your contract – but that’s not my thing anymore.

Why? Well, frankly, I would rather keep my monthly costs down and buy luxuries at a once-off purchase price when I can afford it, or rather, when I have saved up for it. Furthermore, I’ve outgrown the interest in the latest gadgetry – look at how long I’ve survived without WhatsApp! And last time, when I wanted WhatsApp, I bought a phone – which developed an error message, which can’t be cleared, I was told I must upgrade (i.e. get a new phone)! And now, when I do want to use it – I can’t! So, that was pretty much a waste of money for me. When I could still use it, it was so slow, it was just not worth it.

And yet, I want WhatsApp now! That’s why I’ve been considering buying a smartphone – however, that is actually not my only option! I had previously dismissed getting a Tablet since the prices were beyond my means – but now I realise, I hadn’t been looking properly. Also, I had liked the idea of being able to take care of certain aspects of my online game from work – however, work is nothing like I had expected at the time. I’m actually quite busy, although that is going to change, once I’ve got everything organized. But there’s still my own work rule of no phones in the factory – ha ha, seems like I shot myself in the foot there, doesn’t it?

Not really, since I don’t actually want additional work-related communication – and a smartphone, with WhatsApp, would mean I should join the work’s WhatsApp group, give colleagues my WhatsApp number, etc. etc. None of which I want. So, I’m beginning to lean towards a Tablet!

It’s got a nice big screen, can WhatsApp AND game – and it would get me to do both away from the PC. I could even write the blog on the Tablet, instead of writing it on PC – although I think I will prefer to keep typing with an actual keyboard, rather than a virtual one. But the thing is, I could WhatsApp outside on the porch, or even in the garden! Not stuck in this hot bedroom! Oh, I’d still use the PC, but I wouldn’t have to come inside for every online thing anymore!

I’ve been reading various user’s reviews today, and a lot of people say that their tablet still works after four years – as good as new; very unlike my current smartphone. Okay, so gaming is somewhat slower, but I don’t mind that!

So, I’ll have a chat with my young colleague tomorrow and hear what he thinks – he did actually suggest a tablet would be best, but I declined that suggestion based on my erroneous assumptions – ha ha, how ironic, that I fall into the assume trap myself!

Well, I’ve taken it very easy today. I washed the blanket covering the armchair, since that got quite dirty during the move. It’s not perfectly clean, but much better. I washed the dishes, of course, and then unpacked some more kitchen boxes, washed any dishes I unpacked and put them away.

I took a bread and spread out of the freezer and baked up the bread. Well, baking up is a direct translation from the German ‘aufbacken’. The correct translation should be warming up – but that doesn’t quite convey the same meaning. I’m not simply warming the bread, but re-baking it to crisp the crust plus to get rid of any moisture from the defrosting. I guess partial baking or re-baking would be more appropriate?

I cooked myself some pasta and mixed it with celery, tomatoes and tuna – which is the closest I’ve come to a healthy meal this week. While I waited for the pasta to cool down, I went to wter the garden. Mewthos is still fascinated with the hose pipe! My landlord noticed the pipe was coming loose – before I could do anything, it came off the end piece and I got showered!

While he re-fitted it for me, we talked about the cats and dogs. I mentioned that I was planning on leaving the kitchen window open, when I go to work tomorrow and he immediately said ‘No!’ The cats and dogs haven’t really got to know each other, yet, and he’s worried that his largest dog might catch and kill – he thinks it would be best to let the cats out only while everybody is at home, until all the dogs have made their peace with all the cats. So far only Lady has proved to be harmless – their other little indoor dog growls and even barks at the cats, though won’t come near them. And there has been no outdoor interaction with either of the larger dogs – and I have seen Mewthos strutting around outside my garden, where the dogs have access.

So it’s back to indoor lifestyle for at least another five days for my mippies! Poor mippies – but I would rather be safe than sorry, for sure!

I called them in, closed the windows and gave them a treat – silly of me to forget to shut the front door, though! They all went back outside after finishing their treat! Sigh. Lady Jane came inside right away, so I filled the Whiskas bowl for her and closed the bedroom door. Ziva also came inside without much trouble. Only Mewthos decided to play the clown and tried to get me to play catch with him! I bribed him with another munchie, though!

Overall, I took it a bit too easy for too long this morning, and now I’m running somewhat late. I opted for a quick shower instead of a bath, made my lunch, re-filled the dispenser for the cat’s food, and it’s now twenty to nine …