Friday

Getting out of bed is getting harder every morning - simply because it is sooooo cold! It's now around 5C when I leave for work! At one point along the way, the temperature dropped to 4C! By the time I got to work it was around 8C - anything below 10C is too cold! Winter truly has arrived.

This morning I put on a jersey and my lovely gloves, the one's Rose knitted for me! It's that cold! And then, around ten, it warms up and up till it's around 25C or higher. Nuts!

At work, I've caught up with the paper-work, and now I'm trying to maintain whilst at the same time I'm implementing the production stock movement recordings - most are being filled in, but some just ignore them. But that's not my problem anymore, I inform the relevant supervisor and leave it at that.

I've done what I could regarding taking stock of this new cupboard in my store - I don't agree with all the figures I was given, and some items I can't identify - so on Monday I'll have to go through those discrepancies with the last person who handled the stock. Sigh.

Oh, and in case anyone is wondering about my mushroom-growing progress? Nada! Nothing! I think it's because it dries out while I'm at work - humidity is very important for mushrooms, and no matter how much water I spray in the mornings, by the time I get home, it's all dried out. Pity!

On the way home, I got another two bottles of milk - yum! At home, I watered the garden and now Lady Jane is insisting I come outside. I'm kind of tired, quite ready to go to bed right now, but if I do, I'll be up at an icy cold two or three in the morning!

Well, I played my game for a while and then went to sit outside with my mippies. I took a stroll through the garden and was quite happy to see the white Geranium in full bloom! The orange one is also still opening more flowers! And then I saw that I had my first Peas! Yum yum! I've left them for now - I'll take a closer look tomorrow to decide whether they are ready or not.

The Egg Fruit and Brussels Sprouts don't seem to be doing well and the Watermelon just look dead. However, the Cosmos is coming up en masse with even a few Nasturtiums in between!

The Zucchini, Butternut and Cucumber are doing well, the Broad Beans look a bit yellow, so do most of the Peas, I'm afraid. On the other hand, the Tomato plants and the Basil are doing very well.

Mippies came in very early, it wasn't even quarter past six! All three sat by the door with Ziva and Mewthos going inside looking out at me, as if to say 'come on already!', which is what they normally do. That's how I know they are ready to come in.

Since I wouldn't go to cuddle cave when it was demanded, mippies zoomed and bounced around the place like pinballs! Ah well, they'll have fun outside tomorrow.

Photos

PE seeds growing in Pretoria:
Cosmos, Nasturtium & VIeruurtjie
And a Spekboom cutting from Rose

Janey can go through the fence
Mewthos' head is too big :)

Looking after the succulents Rose gave me

When I'm in the garden, Ziva still roly poly's

Sibling love - even if it's feet first!

Thursday

At work I'm still scrambling to fix the calculations on the form I've introduced to keep track of stock in the factory - in the past, the store was held responsible for that!?! Weird, I know. Store issues to production. That's it. When production has done their thing, Store receives the finished goods - and occasionally work-in-progress. In the past, production just took as much as they wanted, produced with no regard to job requirement and then just dumped everything into the store - which is why I'm sitting with a hoard of half-finished products. It's as if, when the required finished goods were in the store, everyone just stopped work and dumped what they had in the store.

I've been trying for months to separate store from production, without much success - now, that it's also no longer linked by one person being responsible for both, some grasp of what I've been trying to say is finally sinking in.

Anyway, at the end of the day, another storage cupboard was dumped on me. No hand-over, just 'here's the cupboard and here's a piece of paper'. I don't even have a key to the store! So, tomorrow, I get to drop what I'm doing and attempt some form of half-decent hand-over.

Anyway.

I'm home now, with my mippies! Janey seems to be fine today, no more hurlies! I showered as soon as I got home - and Mewthos did not approve! I must be outside, not inside in a wet corner! Well, I sat with them for a while - but it's getting quite cold now, after sunset outside.

Dinner was our usual family affair, although Janey walked away after just two pieces. Now I've got Ziva mipping for cuddle cave again! Ah ... she's gone and joined Janey on the arm chair and is now industriously washing her. But I think I'll just put on an episode to watch from the bed ... then curl up under the duvet. I think I'll gobble some chocolate with my show ...

Wednesday

I wasn't allowed to sit at the PC last night, so I didn't get a chance to write my blog. Ziva insisted I spend an hour with her scratching her ears and chin while she lay curled up in her cuddle cave. When she finally got up it was past eight, so I just turned over and went to sleep.

I woke around half six yesterday morning, just before the alarm went off, had my coffee and went off to work. Work is still much more relaxed - although I am quite busy, still. I've mostly caught up on my work and now I'm finally making some progress. The progress being, designing the system needed to support the forms I had rushed implementing - it's all about stock control, I won't bore you with the details.

Funny incident at work though. A while back we had a major tantrum thrown about the smell of smoked weed around our premises - no way to tell where it came from, but your HR made such a fuss about it that everybody had to stop production and be lectured on the consequences if caught using ... certain substances. Never mind HOW they plan on testing or proving such a thing, but then, yesterday, I overheard the very same HR recommending the use of cannabis oil for anxiety!

Oh, and my hair ribbon broke during working hours and I ended up wearing my 'bob' open - quite a lot of people commented how nice it looks ... but, once I explained, all admitted 'yes, I can see it's not cut straight' ... so I really wonder at the truthfulness here. Well, not much, but it's a thought.

I got home and let my mippies out, they had some fun - but Lady Jane was throwing up again and again. I don't know whether it was something she'd caught and ate outside - she also threw up Tuesday night, but only once. But last night it just didn't seem to stop - I can't tell what it was, since it was already too dark to see. Mippies came inside, but Lady dashed back outside ... but when I opened the sachet, she was inside as well, though she didn't eat much.

She's her normal self in every respect, but she always preferred kibbles to wet food, so I gave her plenty of Iams.

This morning bedlam ensued! Mewthos was up and wanted ... not cuddles, not under the duvet, but he sirened around the bedroom. Next he fetched his twirly and twirlied all over my feet and legs. I tried grabbing him, but he didn't want cuddles. I turned over, but the alarm went off. I let it go off a few times while hearing Mewthos mewling somewhere in the background, and some door being scrabbled - sigh, sounds like he's stuck in a cupboard somewhere.

Nope! He managed to get into the passage and topple my portfolio! So that the portfolio was wedged on the floor between the two walls blocking the door! I had a real mission trying to open the door, so Mewthos could get in - but also, so that I could get out! Sigh!

I managed, of course. Then had my coffee, picked up Mewthos for a long cuddle, got dressed and went to work. So, here I am, finally writing yesterday's blog!

Tuesday

I had a good night, woke up early so I had no trouble getting up when the alarm went off. Mippies were active already, but spent most of the night on the bed with me.

I thought I had published the blog last night, but apparently I managed to forget. Work today is quite pleasant - no pressure! Lovely!

And now it's almost 24 hours later and I hadn't written one more word, ha ha! I got home, watered the garden and sat with my mippies. When they told me to come in, I gave them their treat, showered and then cooked dinner - I simply added one sliced sausage to yesterday's pasta.

And then I sat and played in my online city, the fellowship is going for high score in this week's tournament, so I'd like to do my bit as well. I've been riding along, collecting the rewards others have worked for - and I don't like doing that, but time is not on my side.

I played till after eight, then it was time for bed ...

Monday

I had some trouble finding space in my bed for myself, since all three mippies came for cuddles and a lick-fest. First Ziva spent about half an hour in her cuddle cave, Janey came to investigate, but left. Mewthos came to investigate and plopped down by my feet. When Ziva had enough ear scratchings, she left ... then came back to wash Mewthos, but it ended in a fight and Ziva curled up on the armchair. Then Janey came and washed Mewthos and finally Ziva also came back. Eventually I wriggled around them and was able to go to sleep.

Only to be woken up by Mewthos howling! Not quite caterwauling, but making some seriously threatening noises ... he had gone to 'guard' by the lounge window, lately, he likes going there during the night. I don't know what he saw outside that set him off, though. It wouldn't have been human, though, since he runs from people. So, some animal was in the garden. That was some time after ten!

With the interruption to my sleep, I overslept horribly and was quite late for work - first time ever! So I missed the whole morning meeting ... which I then discussed with the colleague who will not take charge of production, and it's his call whether to continue or not.

As I was leaving, Ziva sat in the passage by the door hoping to be allowed outside - poor darling, I had to actually sjoe her away before I could leave for work.

At work there is some mixed attitudes, nobody really knows how to take this re-structuring - have I been demoted? Or promoted? So there are some mixed attitudes. Not that I'm much worried by that, I'm finally getting around to doing what needs to be done even during the usual Monday rush to get the deliveries out - which are delayed, since the goods aren't finished, yet, so I'm waiting on production.

Not having to worry about production is a major relief. So much so, that I feel absolutely no stress at all! I'm loving this! But the poor guy they've dumped this load on is suffering - he's expected to do the planning, quality, costing and now also production! I'm helping him as much as I can, but I HAVE to get my work in order, first. So, things are slipping - yet: not my circus, not my monkeys!

Back at home I'm restfully watching my mippies at play. I always wait until they let me know they are ready to come in. I give them their treats finishing with the Iams kibbles - I'm happy to say that they all love them!

For my own dinner, I fried a marinated pork neck chop and cooked some pasta with brussels sprouts over which I poured a sachet sauce. Not my favourite, but edible. I had to share my pork chop, of course.

Oh, and I've re-set my alarm to half past five - no need to be the first at work anymore, I just need to get in before seven.

Now Ziva is in 'must have cuddles' mode again. She's under my feet, on my chair and in the shelf mipping for attention. 

Lovely Sunday

I had a very strange dream, in which Romeo somehow came here and asked to live with me!?! I do miss his daily visits.

Throughout the night, the full implications of the re-structuring at work also started sinking in - there is such a lot of pressure coming off my shoulders, most of the rocking chair activities are no longer my responsibility, and I can design and test new systems before implementation, not having to do so in a rush to gain some form of control over yet another section of the business in a race to take on all the load placed on my shoulders ... it's going to be a walk in the park by comparison!

I think this also gives some indication of the pressure I've been under, which really, really came to a head about three weeks ago, when these large production orders started coming in - before that, production could continue without too much supervision, giving me time to get ready; but suddenly I had to take on production supervision regardless of readiness.

Now, however, my life will be more along the lines I had envisioned before my arrival, with only one difference: I feared that I would have no real work, and be not much more than 'office decoration' so I expected that I would have plenty of time during office hours. I'm glad that won't be the case - there is nothing worse than having to 'kill time' at work.

But from now on, I will have SOME time at work. My workload will now be manageable. And I can start doing some of my own things during working hours, as well. He He, like collecting resources - in my game city - every three hours.

I decided to catch up on some of the sleep I lost this week and took another nap. Then I watered the garden before washing the dishes. Oh, hang on, I also baked a tray of muffins and ... with a heavy heart, opened my very last packet of cookies. Sigh. How will I survive?

Strangely enough, I'm still tired. Probably because I haven't done anything the whole weekend. Or maybe it's the stress relief sinking in.

The mippies seem to really like their Flower Fountain - I've had to re-fill it twice last week already, while the dispenser seems to be completely ignored now. I'm glad they are happy. Today, Mewthos has been such a love-bug, mewling for cuddles again and again and again. When I go outside, he comes running at top speed. When I go inside, he mewls for me to tell him where he can find me. And whenever Mewly gives me a break, Janey starts!

I decided to shower early and then - on a whim - started to chop off my hair. Can't call it cutting, since I couldn't find any decent scissors, so I used the kitchen scissors. I couldn't see properly what I was doing, either - but it's all short now and I'm happy about that. It's not even shoulder length now ... I guess I got carried away. I suppose it'll look like the hack-job it is, but I'll keep it tied up anyway, so who cares. It'll dry much quicker now, which was the whole point. Washing my hair had become such a mission lately, since I don't like using a hair dryer and it takes too long to dry - I end up putting a towel over my head when I go to bed, since I'm right by the open window.

Mippies are inside again - like they were earlier, when I was inside. For some reason, they don't like letting me out of their sight - at least not for long. So much for 'aloof and independent' cats, ha ha! Right now, Ziva has jumped into the shelf next to me, so I can scratch her ears. Janey is sleeping on the sleeper couch and Mewthos is sleeping on the mat between the two litter boxes.

I had better get to bed and start pulling mippies into the cuddle cave. Ziva loves it, Janey always comes to investigate and Mewthos just crawls under the duvet with me and plops down any ole how.

Saturday

I didn't get much sleep Thursday night, again. Friday work was hectic, I'm handing over the production part, trying to catch up with the week's mails and orders - and at one there's that horrid disciplinary.

Something strange happened: at one point, for no apparent reason, the room seemed to start spinning around me! I'm not prone to such, so I have no clue why. It passed, though, but I found it difficult to focus or concentrate.

I was glad when it was time to go home. On the way, I got another bottle of milk - it's really lovely! At home, I let the mippies out, I watered the garden - my landlord had also watered on Tuesday! I thought so, but wasn't sure.

The first Nasturtium is flowering happily, the Geranium now has three flowers and the white Geranium also looks ready to burst into flower very soon. 

Back inside, we had our round of treats - first the mippies have theirs, then I share my dinner and lastly, I had a bowl of ice cream, which was also shared. And then ... Mewthos went into the bathroom and came out with blood on his chin!

It's along his jaw-bone, around about where I pulled the tick out. That area had been a bit swollen and bumpy all week. I'm guessing that it was infested and just broke open last night - although all I could see was blood, nothing else. I washed it with water, then cleaned it with the ointment and lastly put the healing ointment on. He did wriggle a bit, but overall he did hold still and I had little trouble taking care of it.

And then it started raining! And raining, so hard my poor mippies were quite scared - it's so loud on the zinc roof! And then it started hailing! When I stood at the open door for a smoke, I heard the sounds of the rain, not ping, ping but ziiiing ... which was really strange. It carried on and on and on. I had quite a time calming mippies. And then my landlord stood outside my window - asking if I wanted them closed! That was very considerate of him, going out in that rain. But as it wasn't coming in, not even touching the window panes, I was quite happy to leave them open.

Another sleepless night - I really don't know why. But at least I could sleep late, and I only got up about half past six this morning. It's quite cold outside before sunrise nowadays, below 10°C. During the day temperatures go up as high as 30°C sometimes, but rarely below 25°C. I'm not suffering much with the cold this year, as I'm still acclimatised to the colder PE; next year will be a very different matter, though. Summer should be more bearable, but the winter? I am not looking forward to that. But that's only next year ...

I can't decide what I want to do today. I'm feeling somewhat drained. As if I had been through some strong emotional upset - I guess in a way I have. I think, today, I should spend some time pampering my stomach, as I haven't been eating well this week. Even though I had some rice & veggie meals - well, the last of it is still in the fridge.

The laundry is well under way, the last load is now in the machine. Sigh, I just opened the kitchen cupboards for a look - and saw Mewthos jumping onto the shelf with all my bottles! Elephant & china shop situation! I got him out without any of my oils falling out.

Well, as usual, when I can't decide what to do, I start with a nap. A nice, cozy, long nap. Afterwards I strolled through the garden and started working on the layout for my game city - that, at least, completely took my mind off work. I finally have something that can work - it's not ideal, but it will work. A bit late, though, since I'm sure another new chapter is due soon.

I also got to thinking that, since I'm no longer in charge of the production staff, I don't really have to keep up the morning meetings - I'll let them vote on Monday. It's a bit of a nasty move, since they'll probably think no morning meetings means free time for coffee and breakfast, like it was before I started the morning meetings. But that, too, is not my problem. If they vote to stop the meetings, I can sleep an extra half hour at least - which means I can stay up another half hour every evening = more time with my mippies.

This re-structure may hurt my pride a little, but in every other respect it's nothing but good news for me and my mippies! So much less stress, so much less responsibility - it will be such a relief!

I had two rolls this afternoon, I put some Rollmops on - lovely! As a result, I'm not really hungry tonight, yet I'm craving chocolate again. Tomorrow I'll spend some time on meal planning - now that my game city has a plan. Uhm, well there's still the other city ... ha ha! That can wait. I'd like to turn the whole flat into my home now. The garden is doing well, just needs watering. The ground was lovely and soft today, after last nights rains, but I just wasn't in the mood.

And now, I'm watching another episode of Space 1999 before going to bed.

Tired Thursday

I hardly slept last night. First I woke around one on the morning and was up till about three, and then I woke again at twenty to five. I had some very strange dreams and throughout the night couldn't work out whether I'm hot or cold.

At work, I'm catching up on everything that fell behind with all the rushing and meetings so far. I also smell some restructuring affecting me, particularly. Whatever. Managing two departments, both of which are in complete chaos, is simply impossible. While production was 'running' without much supervision, I could start cleaning up the Store (I don't like this name, it's a warehouse, not a shop - although, the way everyone wanders in and rummages through the shelves, maybe store is more accurate?). But now we have large orders, and to meet targets requires closer supervision - and if I do that, the store falls behind again. I also realise that the inventory system is nowhere near as complete as I thought! I'm finding loads and loads of loopholes and gaps ... where I need to design some sort of structure to cover them. For example, Person A books in 325 of Product 1 during the night shift. When we check, we find that quantity is not correct  ...

It's a nightmare, all on its own - and getting pressure for not pushing production in the factory while I'm trying to sort out these issues ... not helping. If this new structure takes some pressure off me, good for me. Only question is: How much of what I've implemented will now fall away? Be deemed unnecessary? Well, that should not be my circus, nor my monkeys!

In the afternoon I asked about the restructuring - and I was pleasantly surprised to have a professional talk, where ideas were put on the table and my opinion was asked. Basically, the 'production' part of my three hats will fall away - from me, that is. Although it does hurt my pride a little, naturally. But it was done in a really nice way. I've been afraid of this happening - but at the same time, I'm truly relieved, because the work-load is simply too much for one person to handle.

I left work somewhat late, yet, since traffic was minimal, I was home at my normal time - so I stopped and got another two bottles of milk for the weekend.

Mippies had a great time outside and came back inside on their own. I gave them their treats, then shared my dinner - as usual - and went to bed. I just had no energy nor time to update the blog ...

Wednesday

At least I slept through the night without interruption! That made some difference. I got up early, had my coffee and went to work.

At work, right now, I'm drowning and I'm not sure how to get out of the deep end. I have an idea, which I'll have to try tomorrow. I spent most of today at a workshop. I'm not a big fan of workshops, in general, but this one surprised me, I really gained a lot! However, it kept me from catching up with an ever-growing workload. As I said: I'm drowning!

I was glad to finally get home and enjoyed a stroll through my garden. Even in the dark I could see that the first Nasturtium flower had opened today! A lovely dark orange - matching the Geranium, which had two flowers today!

I'm in no mood to cook, and even less mood to eat, so I'm just munching on a bar of chocolate - for comfort. I'll put on an episode of Space 1999 before going to bed ...

Rough Tuesday

I'm not sure why, but I had quite some trouble sleeping. I was wide awake around one in the morning. I got up about twenty past five and got to work on time, but quite tired. For a change, just to avoid any issues, I had a healthy breakfast - well, just some fibre bran, actually.

Work is getting a bit better, at least. I feel like I at least have a foothold on a place to start. And then my order of pet food arrived! I wonder how mippies - especially Lady Jane - will react to their Iams kibbles instead of their favourite Whiskas? I hope they will eat it, though - and I don't end up sitting on it for the rest of the year, like the Indoor food.

At home I took a tour through the garden while there was still enough light to at least make out what's what - and my Geranium is flowering! One of the two orange ones, which came from the bush which broke off in Rose's garden! It's beautiful! The cucumbers are also still very busy flowering - it's lovely!

I let mippies decide when they want to come in - and I wanted to post a correction on an earlier statement: No, my life is not ruled by cats. It is ruled by my love for my mippies! And I have no regrets!

I'm ambitiously cooking an actual meal for dinner tonight. I'm frying a pork chop and cooking some rice to which I've added frozen vegetables. I plan to add crumbed Feta cheese to the final dish. I'll have the pork chop tonight and plan on taking the rice to work.

Eight o'clock again ... nighty night!

Tough Monday

I did not have an uninterrupted night, but mippies were blameless this time. I got up around half six and left for work about ten to.

At work I found complete chaos! The factory had been working the entire weekend - but did not book anything! They just crowded my office with a collection of bins filled with products and scraps of paper giving quantities and status' - which turned out to be wrong, just to top it all! I had the usual eight o'clock teleconference with our client - sitting there with my pants down, as I had no numbers!

And just to make things more interesting, I had a run-in with my storeman leaving me no alternative but to start disciplinary proceedings - something I absolutely dislike doing, as, in my opinion, it is an indication of failure on the part of the manager. And in this case, I have to acknowledge that I've clearly given him more freedom than he could handle - his attitude is clear proof of that.

It's now lunch time and I've only just finished what should have been completed by ten at the latest! And I still don't have any figures from the weekend shifts! Sigh ... I wanna go home ...

The rest of the work day was no better than the morning and I was glad when it was finally five and I could go home. I didn't spend more than a few minutes on the hand-over, since the boys like to do that by themselves.

On the way home I decided that today I won't stop to get more milk, leave that for tomorrow. Mippies had fun, albeit only for a short time. I took a stroll to my vegetable patch and all the cucumbers seem to be flowering. Mippies came inside and had their munchies, now I'm cuddling one after the other!

I'm just going to relax for a bit, then make it an early night ...

Scrubby Sunday

Today is the day I start turning the inside into a home. The garden is coming along nicely, and I no longer have any deadlines nor anything urgent. Inside, however, is quite a different matter - I've been practically squatting here for the past three and a half months. I've set up the basics and unpacked here and there, but nothing is really 'home' yet.

I started with the bathroom. First taking all the kitty toys and mats and such out, then cleaning the floor - thoroughly. As in: two washes! And then I re-arranged a little. The furniture, of course, is built-in, so I can't re-arrange that; but I did move the mats so that now there is one permanently at the bath. I won't be using the clothes-horse for my towel anymore, either, since there is a towel holder - and now that I've re-arranged the mats, I can reach it without having to step on tiles or get into some weird yoga position to reach it.

I've cleaned the toilet and the basin - only the one. I'm hesitant to use cleaning materials on the basin the mippies use for water. So I'll be setting up their flower fountain again today as well.

In the rest of the flat, I've only swept the floors - I'll get to them another day. Now I have to do the dishes ... ha ha ha! Which is why I'm sitting here typing my blog.

I've also spent a lot of time this weekend trying to find a beneficial solution to the work issues. I think I see a way forward - let's see how that plays out.

I've washed all the dishes, including some additional ones, like the water fountain - which is set up! Lady Jane showed her delight, Mewthos just ignored it. Sigh.

Now I still need to cook my dinner and pack lunch for tomorrow. I don't think I'll do any more in the bathroom for today, it's now half five and I'm happy with my progress. Maybe next weekend I'll take it further.

This time, I've set up the water fountain in the bedroom - sans filter. In PE I had it in the kitchen, because the bedroom was carpeted, here I have tiles everywhere. And the filter just didn't look nice, so I left it out. I'll just have to clean the fountain frequently.

I tried cooking my dinner, but mippies informed me that it's not okay for me to eat before they have had their treat, so I switched it off again and went to sit outside. Life ruled by cats! Finally they all sat around the door, waiting for me to call them in - I obliged and gave them their treat. And finally I was allowed to cook my own dinner - which, of course, I was expected to share. I repeat: life ruled by cats!

Lastly, I placed another order for cat food! I'm trying to cut out all junk food now, so I'll need more Royal Canin Sachets and, instead of the Whiskas kibbles, I ordered Iams. I also ordered another Tick & Flea treatment for Ziva - better to have than to need! They still don't have any filters in stock, though. If I get a chance, I'll try to ask in their online chat about it tomorrow. Would you believe this bunch of gobbling cats have almost finished the bag of Fit32 already? Well, actually, since they don't seem to be eating the Indoor kibbles, it's not really surprising. They've always eaten about 8 kg per month, only now they seem to stick to the Fit32.

Well, let's hope tomorrow is the start of a better week than the past one ...

Happy Mippie Garden Day!

I woke up around half past one yet again! Why can't I sleep through the night, these days? Strange. As a result I only got up about twenty to seven - how is that for sleeping late?

I enjoyed my coffee outside while considering what I'd like to do today. I started by mixing compost into the narrow bed next to the path. In the bed on the opposite side I just put a layer of compost on top, rather than disturb the roots of my succulents so soon again. I went all the way around along the path, and then on the outer side. It was a sad job having to clip and cut so many of those red flowered succulents - they are so badly strangling and breaking each other in their need to get some sun on their leaves, so many of them were already dying, even though the message hadn't reached the outer leaves quite yet.

I finally decided to look them up! The one's growing here have dark green leaves, when they are healthy, which turn a light green before turning yellow, when they are not healthy. And the flower is red, not magenta.

I watered the garden this morning, as suggested. Then watered the beds after I had finished clearing the last patch off weeds and layering the compost. I also placed Gazania along the outer border - and a few into the newly created gaps. Should look lovely!

I added a layer of compost to the row of Cosmos as well, then a layer of Potting Soil to the vegetable patch - after clearing the few yellow leaves and a few weeds. I re-potted the Tomatoes, the one's I'm sure are Cherry Tomatoes, then I used that small pot to sow Leeks. I've put them out of mippies reach, on my shelf. Then I filled another of those big pots with soil and sowed Carrots and Radish. I filled a third pot and placed one of my two Protea seed-nuts right in the center. I sowed the new Celery seeds into the other small square pot ... now I have two bags of Potting Soil left and two pots. I also re-located the last of Rose's succulents into the garden, mixed some Potting Soil with the ground in that pot and placed my few succulent cuttings. It's looking kind of bare compared to how crowded it was not so long ago.

And then, just for good measure, I watered the garden again. Not too much, just sprinkling a bit of wet on top. Now comes the long wait to see my seeds sprouting again!

I don't talk much about my mippies today, simply because they didn't really do anything special - but the whole day long they come to watch what I'm doing, asking to be picked up for cuddles, walk over me, stretch out on the ground before me or, Mewthos new habit is to jump-rub along my leg which tells me he wants to be picked up. I cuddle and tickle tummies and come look what they show me, then go inside to sit with a mippie in our armchair - it's our normal weekend behaviour.

I took down the laundry and then undressed hoping that Mewthos would move, since he had settled down on the mat outside the shower. He moved! When I got into the shower, I found myself in the company of a rather large spider! Eeek! But as I turned the water on, it moved further up and out of my way. It is so big, I could see it without my glasses! I kept an eye on it the whole time ... do you know whats worse than seeing a spider in your shower? Not seeing the spider you know is somewhere near your shower! Ha Ha! Fortunately it re-appeared - it had moved out of the shower altogether.

And now I hope for an uninterrupted nights sleep.

TGIF!

Predictably, I overslept. I did wake up to the alarm at five, but made the mistake of turning over, and it was just after six when I finally woke up! I messaged work that I'd be late and started making coffee.

Lady Jane quite enthusiastically ran to the front door - poor darling! I had to call her back and shut the door. Thank goodness it's Friday today, so I'll be home nice and early and they'll have a long time playing outside!

At work, I'm still without my Storeman - which is a good thing, for his sake. I have found quite a few matters which I'll be taking up with him, and it's better all round if I can do that when I've had time to calm down. I also had a bit of a shout at staff still sitting around after start time this morning. Not a good start to the day.

It's now lunch time and I've been reeling from one issue to the next like a drunken sailor! Most of these shouldn't be issues, nor are they my responsibility - but there's a lot of 'Everybody, Anybody, Somebody and Nobody' going on here ... you know that old story called "Who's job is it"?

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job.

Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

Yeah. When it comes to authority - Everybody has it; but responsibility? That's Nobody. Silly things like sending our driver all the way to Jo'burg to collect material we desperately need - but not making sure FIRST that the material is actually ready to be collected! Everybody takes the authority to send the driver, but Nobody takes the responsibility for sending him on a wild goose chase. That's only one simple example.

Anyway, it's Friday and in two hours I'm coming home to my mippies and my garden!

On the way home I finally stopped at the 'Fresh Milk' sign! The farmer is a little hard of hearing - and no wonder! He told me he's been selling milk to the people in this area for 65 years! I took 4 liter - he charges only R20 per 2 liter bottle; you can't get milk cheaper anywhere. He also told me that half past five is still fine, he's usually there at that time. Wonderful! And best of all: The milk tastes absolutely delicious! I will definitely be back!

At home, I saw my landlord in the garden, so I went to apologise. When I didn't come home at my usual time last night, they were worried, and when I still wasn't home by twenty past six, they sent an sms asking if I was okay. At that time I was already in the car and only saw the message by eight - so today I apologised for not replying and explained why.

He also recommended I stop watering the garden in the evenings, especially at this time of year, since they plants could catch some frost. It would be better to water in the mornings - good advice, but during the week, I will definitely not be stumbling around in the dark to water the garden, I'm afraid. He said he'll try to set up the sprinkling system along the fence of my vegetable patch - that would be awesome!

All my squash plants seem to have started flowering, the Zucchini are in full swing, I think some of the Butternut have also produced flowers and the Cucumber are also flowering quite enthusiastically. And I counted 25 Nasturtiums in the whole bed.

The Broad Beans seem to still be flowering, the Bush Beans are definitely flowering and two or three Peas have also produced their first flowers.

The row where I sowed the Cosmos is one long sprouting green line! The Duckman, Foul Ole Ron and Arnold Sideways all show little green leaves at their tips, so they all seem to have settled in their new homes.

I did the laundry today already, to have that out of the way. I also washed two coffee cups - I don't like using smaller cups, except when I'm late and won't have time to finish a big one. The laundry is hanging to dry, so all I still must get done this weekend is cleaning the kitchen - everything else is voluntary; I can do it if I feel like it, or leave it, if I don't.

Then I went to sit outside - and finished the lunch I had packed for today; so I'm not hungry anymore and didn't cook. I grabbed mippies, roly polied, scratched, cuddled and watched my darlings at play! I put the grow-nuts for the Gazania in the garden - then had to stop Lady Jane from playing with them! Ha Ha! I think I'll mix some compost into the ground where I want to grow them, tomorrow. I'm thinking of also mixing compost into the beds along the path just to give my plants there a better chance to grow.

I also still need to decide where I'll want to grow my Protea.

I've given the mippies their treats and just now I gave them some nippies - now Mewthos is industriously twirling my poncho on the sleeper couch with Lady Jane zonked out next to him.

Ach crap! Internet is down again ... Well, I can just hope the power won't go out during the night, I'll publish this tomorrow morning. Ziva is mipping for cuddles, so ....

Mornings getting even earlier

Half past three this morning! Mewthos? What is the matter with you? Sigh, twirling on the bed at that time of the morning? Ah, well, I grabs and cuddles as punishment for such rude behaviour!

I must have dozed off, because the alarm at five came surprisingly soon after 3:37 on my phone. Mewthos is walking up and down my hip and my legs as if they're just ... oh, climbing toys? I grabs and cuddles every mip coming near me.

So, early day again.

At work, I'm without my Storeman, who is sick. Having to do jobs he normally does, I'm discovering a lot of issues and, the more I discover, the angrier I'm getting. I'm going to have to do something about that.

At five, I try to hand over to the night shift, but there are some male egos at play, and I find myself watching a little theater played - not for anyone to watch, but for the players to feel the part; if that makes sense? Eventually I get my turn and another act begins. I finally manage to get away by quarter past six!

Coming home so late, I considered cancelling mippies evening stroll - but I didn't have the heart. So I let them out, and got busy in the kitchen. Only when everything had been done, did I come to sit outside for a bit. Ziva actually waited for me to come sit outside before going off on her evening stroll - she actually asked my permission before going off! How could I deny her that?

I still had no trouble calling them inside when it was time. They enjoyed their treats but were disappointed with my own dinner! Ha ha!

I couldn't get online to finish writing this blog, let alone publish it. Then, I was woken at half past one ... it's now three in the morning. I've grabbed and eventually imprisoned Mewthos under the duvet for an extended cuddle session, now I've got Ziva mipping and mipping and mipping for attention. I'm going to try sleeping till five and hope I survive the day.

Wednesday

Oh mippies! Why does four in the morning have to be my wake-up time? Isn't five early enough for you? Yes, I know, not on days when I go to work - there is no such thing as enough time for us, is there?

Well, I was up early, even though I tried turning over a few times. Not much to tell about today, except that I've been crazy busy - as usual.

Back at home I decided to give watering a miss again, but then went to look at my veggie patch and found quite a few more Nasturtiums had come up and the first Cucumber flower! The Bush Beans are also definitely flowering, so I felt they deserved to be rewarded with a good watering! I can't wait to see it all in daylight!

I gave the mippies as much time as I could before calling them in. They are incredibly obedient! And I don't think that's just because they get a treat when they come in! I'm thinking of changing their treat routine a little - I've been giving them one sachet Royal Canin and two Whiskas sachets in the past. I think it would be better to give them two Royal Canin and maybe one Whiskas, if not none. They're getting a bit on the chubby side, Ziva has to really strain to get through the fence and even Lady Jane is gobbling more and more Whiskas. Mewthos, of course, is Mr Chubby Chops - that will never change. But they're not getting so much exercise now, so I should reduce the amount of junk food I give them - and to heck with my budget.

While I was cooking my own dinner, I took a look at the mushroom growing kit - and set it up! It was really simple, so in about two weeks, I should get the first Oyster Mushrooms! Now I just need to research what to do with them! Ha Ha! And then I should see whether it's worth my while growing my own mushrooms - I like mushrooms, but they are so expensive, and with me not getting to shops regularly, that could solve that problem. I'm not getting enough variety in my current diet - mostly just bread and meat. I'm just too tired to cook during the week and I get caught up in the garden on weekends.

Well, it's past eight again ...

Tuesday

Mewly twirlied my poncho onto the bed, then curled up on it - some time during the night. I actually woke when he was twirling over my legs! Last night I guess I didn't make enough time for cuddles, I had better make it up to them tonight.

Woke very early, around four - thank you, Mewthos! I got up about quarter past five. Got to work nice and early so I could take over from the night shift.

Our driver wasn't busy today, so I asked him to take my car and get some compost and potting soil - it's in my car now, so at least that's done. I'm still so busy, I just can't get away myself ...

Two of my staff just surprised me! There is a stash of bins outside, which had been abused as oil containers ... and these two guys just took it upon themselves to de-grease and clean them! I had mentioned that it needed to be done, and they just went and did, what is a really awful job! I was really quite touched. I got them a bottle of Coke to say thank you.

On the way home, I stopped to fill up the car and they cleaned my mippie decoration off the windscreen. Only the windscreen, though, not the rear window.

At home, Lady Jane was on her lookout post again and my face broke into it's usual evening smile! I let them out and then offloaded the compost and potting soil. Uff! What a job! But at least it's done, although I didn't water the garden tonight. I did take a quick stroll through, though and the first Zucchini flower has definitely had its day in the sun. I'm still not sure whether today or yesterday.

Lately Ziva leads the move inside - she's always the first to go inside, now. Yet by about eight, she's fretting to get out again. Like now. Sigh.

I cooked myself dinner tonight, for a change. I still had a packet of Zucchini, so I boiled them briefly, cut them into slices, then fried them while I boiled some pasta. I also added a tin of chopped tomatoes and sprinkled some Parmesan over the lot. I packed the same for tomorrows lunch.

Then I folded the laundry and packed it away and last I showered. Now, it's eight ... sigh.

Monday

Woke up nice and early, enjoyed a leisurely coffee before leaving for work. Arrived early, prepared all my papers for the day ...

It's crazy busy for me today. I'm barely able to turn my head and it still feels that I'm not getting anywhere. The main motto here - apart from the silly 'It's not rocket science, it's just common sense' is clearly "Never time to do it right, always time to do it over" My Storeman has been running around like a headless chicken all morning and we still haven't got an accurate stock count on the three products currently in production! Sigh.

On a positive note, my second grocery delivery arrived this morning! I'm loving this one! I'm actually keen on placing another order - but first, I need to sort out my kitchen. No use placing orders when I still have stock stashed away somewhere. My biggest concern at the moment is, that I have only one single packet of cookies left! I do not know what I'll do when that is finished as well - seeing as I don't even get the time to arrange for my drivers license (if that's still at the PE office!).

But hope is in sight. I'm not designing production reports, and once those are implemented and running, I should be able to plan ahead and stay on top of what's going on, rather than finding out by chance! Ha Ha, not much of a manager, am I? Well, that's what happens when an organised person is thrown into chaos - we tend to get stuck into the organising while we let the chaos continue outside our little organised world. No point in breaking my head over what I can't change. Let me focus on the things I can change.

At least I'm enjoying a lovely meal of Jägerschnitzel with Knödel for lunch today!

Five o'clock came fast today, at home, Lady Jane was in the kitchen window. That's when my face lights up and I start smiling! I let them out, carried my grocery box inside and went to water the garden. I forgot to mention that the first Pea flowered yesterday! And I think the Zucchini flowered today - I can't be sure, though. The first Bush Bean also could have been flowering today - I can't tell whether the flower is still closed or just closed for the night. That's the problem when you come home after sunset, I'm afraid.

Mewthos had managed to get a tick on his chin! Fortunately a harmless one, as he doesn't have a fever. It scares me half to death thinking any one of my mippies could get tick bite fever - that's what the collars are supposed to be for! And they're only three months in use, so they should still be active for another five. It came out without any trouble, thank goodness!

Mippies started strolling inside all by themselves rather early tonight, so I came along with them and gave them their treat. Mewthos is so funny! As soon as his bowl looks slightly empty, his head starts bobbing left and right to look for a fuller bowl! I have to watch him really carefully!

And then I unpacked my grocery parcel! Ooooh, what fun! The 'grow nuts' are apparently very, very simple. The instructions simply say: 'open it. throw it. grow it.' That's it! The Protea, though, will take 4-5 years to flower, so I'll have to give some careful thought to where I'd like to grow them.

The Mushroom Kit is a bit of an issue, though. It says 'for best results start growing before 13th May' which is today. I've decided to let it be and give it a try - let's see what happens. It will have to wait until the weekend.

Mippies are now mipping for loves, incessantly. Ziva just wants to go outside, she doesn't like being shut indoors all day, five days a week. Poor darling, I can't let her out, though - it wouldn't be fair.

Mewthos is now telling me he's dropping a load - I don't know why he has to call out while he's doing that. He's a real weirdo. Well, I had better get to bed for cuddlies ...

And now?

I just took a leisurely stroll through the garden with her Ladyship - picking her up, putting her down, picking her up, repeat ad nausea - and I now count twelve Nasturtium in my vegetable patch!

I've named the three Spekboom in the garden: Duckman, Foul ole Ron and Arnold Sideways - if you've read any Discworld novels, you'll know where the names come from!

Everything is looking good in the garden. I'm thinking of leaving that last meter empty, since my mippies love using that as a toilet. They're very considerate, in that they don't use the vegetable patch nor the patch where I've just sowed the Cosmos, so I think that keeping one meter loose soil clear for them is a good idea.

Well, and that's the thing now: everything is looking good! All the work that needed to be done urgently is now done. From here onward, it's a matter of 'what would I like to do' rather than 'I must get this done before ...'. Don't get me wrong, there is still a ton of work to be done in the garden, like that whole succulent patch needs weeding and attention - that large patch behind the bench - and the lawn needs a lot of work and I'm planning to make a flower bed along the fence, because my landlord has sprinklers along that fence, so they'd get watered regularly. I also still have Spekboom in pots which need to be moved into the garden and I've decided the Pelargonium will mark the end of the vegetable patch and the beginning of the Cosmos row. Or rather, the end of the kitty toilet and beginning of the Cosmos.

I will have to make a plan to get more Potting Soil and more Compost this week, as I have less than half a bag of Compost left and only one bag of Potting Soil - which I'll probably use up today, as I'm planning on putting the last Tomato plants into one of the big pots. I marked it as 'Tomato' but I think they are Cherry Tomatoes.

I've also noticed that a lot of the plants in the garden didn't like being separated from their mates, so yesterday, I applied some couples theory - planting either in bunches or twos, rather than giving each plant space. I'll do the same with the Tomato today, when I put them into the large pot. I'll put them - as they are - in a ring inside the pot. Lets see if they'll do better than the other pot of Cherry Tomatoes.

Aaaand, I went and cleaned up the red flowered succulents! Which is quite a big job, they have a lot of wilting and dead strands. It's sad to see how they are strangling each other, breaking each other, fighting for water and for sunlight! There are now quite a lot of gaps, quite a lot of room for me to walk, and I'm sure that by spring it'll all be covered and blooming again!

Hunger drove me inside and I had the second Brezel with Matjies salad - yummy! Then I checked the time on my phone, to find a message starting with "I know this is a sad day for you ..." and I'm trying to think why today should be a sad day? Eventually I checked Facebook! It's Mothers Day, that's why. I may be callous, but I don't grieve on Mothers day, nor on the day she died. I grieve throughout the year, now and then, when I think of her and miss her.

I took a nap and then cooked my meal, which was delicious! I also have enough left over for tomorrow - I think I'll take it to work, and if I'm hungry tomorrow evening, make myself a slice of bread.

I've watered the garden - I now count fifteen Nasturtiums! Now I have to wash the dishes ... sigh. I don't know what it is with me and the dishes, but I guess everyone has one chore they absolutely dislike.

Well, last thing tonight I'll shower and then ready for bed ...

Busy day

Mippies couldn't wait to get out, so they woke me eagerly! I was happy to oblige. Coffee was lovely watching mippies stroll around.

Eventually, I got busy. First the laundry, then the garden. The Tomato plants are all out where they'll spend the rest of their lives, together with their companion Basil. Then I decided to dig a hole in the lawn, by the fence near one of the trees. Why? Well, the weeds are completely taking over there, because the mower doesn't get them and they get plenty of water every time the tree is watered. So, I decided to plonk a Carnation into the ground there, instead!

Then I pulled some of the weeds out along the fence from my vegetable patch to the Cosmos. I dumped some of the ground out of my vegetable patch there, then threw Cosmos seeds there by the handful! Some Vieruurtjie seeds got mixed in with the first half - then I sat down and fished out all Vieruurtjie and Nasturtium seeds before seeding the second half. That should brighten up the place with some flowers!

I didn't thoroughly clean all the weeds along under where the Cosmos will grow - I'm not too worried about the weeds there, since the ground bakes so hard, anything to break that is a bonus. Even weeds. I put a layer of potting soil on top of the seeds, to help them grow and to avoid them being blown away.

The Rosemary has also left it's first home and has been moved into the pot where the Tomatoes and Basil had grown. I added Potting soil to that as well and mixed it up, before moving the Rosemary. I also added some Parsley as company for the Rosemary. Let's see how they get along.

The Zucchini have flowers, I'm still waiting for them to open. And six of the Nasturtiums have come up so far! The Broad Bean is still flowering happily away ...

As always, the Tomatoes are having a pity-party "woe is me, for I have been moved" but I expect they'll get over it and stand up straight by tomorrow, like their fellows did.

The bread is in the freezer, as are the rolls - that experiment worked out well, by they way. Only: rolls must be eaten right away after they come out of the oven, or they just get hard. But they're lovely straight from the oven!

Everything that should be packed into the freezer is packed and freezing. So my household chores are practically done - only the dishes need to be washed tomorrow. Oh, and I should take the rubbish out tomorrow as well. I've kept to my end of the bargain - made with myself. So as a reward ... hmmm ...

Eggplants are in the garden, as are the Brussel Sprout. Looks like I've made up for my lazy Wednesday, eh?

Last, but not least, I've put the Watermelons out as well. They're not looking very healthy, most likely, since it's quite the wrong time of year for them. Let's see how they'll do out in the garden now.

Looking at my spreadsheet is depressing, though. According to the information there, I should have been enjoying Radish already and my Zucchini and Mustard this weekend ... in reality, nothing is anywhere near producing anything edible, except leaves! It all still looks about the same size it was a month ago - but that's just my perception. Everything has grown, albeit much slower than expected. After all, the info on the spreadsheet is based on seeds sown in their ideal season, not autumn! I can't expect plants to do well during the winter months, just because it's still over 25°C most days.

The next crop will do a lot better, firstly because they won't start crowded together in a pot, and they won't suffer root damage during their growing period - since I won't be re-planting them - and secondly, it will be spring, not winter. And I'll be rotating the crops - where I've got Tomatoes now, I'll sow Peas, where Peas are growing now, I'll sow ... oh, I don't know, yet, but something else.

I continued weeding the last quarter of the bed next to the path, until the sprinklers came on, ha ha! It's a really fiddly job trying to get hold of each of the teeny tiny weedies just barely showing a leaf or two. Tweezers would be more adequate than my fingers! But at least I'm getting all the roots out this time, well 95% at least. Occasionally a root still breaks. Last time, I didn't really get all the roots out, which is why they're all sprouting so enthusiastically. The only remaining problem is the grass, which is strangling some of the plants under the ground, making it difficult to get the grass roots without damaging plants. 

Once the sprinklers came on, I decided to water the garden. I can't wait for the Cosmos to start coming up! It'll look so lovely to have a wall of green topped with pink and white flowers! Mewthos will also love it! Another two Nasturtiums are poking their first leaves through on the vegetable patch! It's lovely to see new plants growing! I just hope they make more of an effort than my veggies, ha ha!

I called my mippies in early again, since they've had the whole day outside so it shouldn't upset them too much. After their treat, I treated myself to a nice long hot bath. Lovely! At first, I thought 'gosh, can't bath, since the laundry is taking up all that space', but it's already dry, so I simply took it down. I can fold and pack it away tomorrow.

And then Ziva needed her cuddle cave again! She is so undemanding most of the time, it's lovely to see her feel confident enough to demand cuddles! Oh, she demands her milk every time I make myself a coffee and she roly poly demands attention outside, but compared to Mewthos and even Lady Jane, she's the least demanding of my mippies. I am so happy she's here with me, though. Remember how I agonised over taking her away from her home territory? I'm so glad she is happy with me! I'm very happy she is here with me!

I've also been thinking that I need to get some furniture for them to scratch and climb, indoors. I considered buying one of those expensive items, but one of our guys is a skilled carpenter, so maybe we can design and build something better! I'll have to give it some thought and then talk to my colleague.

Lastly, I've decided that tomorrow I'll cook myself a Jägerschnitzel with the creamy mushroom sauce that traditionally goes with it, and to top it off, I'll also make some Knödel! Sounds very ambitious, doesn't it? But I'm 'cheating', so it'll be quite simple. I won't be making the sauce from scratch, but with a sachet and mushrooms and cream. Nor will I be making the Knödel, but I'll use the pre-made ones I bought. And the Schnitzel is really very simple to fry. Jägerschnitzel means you also don't crumb it, so even less work.

Let's see if I'll keep up my ambitious plans tomorrow!