Lock-down Day 11

No power failure during the night - makes a nice change! Still, I woke only around seven, though too late for the news. Mippies had pinned me down, curled up on the duvet to my left and right, ha ha! They were happy when I got up and opened the door for them ...

Half an hour later, they're all back for cuddles! Ziva demanding prime-time ear-scratching, the rest following.

My landlord complained that the water from the last load is awfully dirty - well, I washed mats, what would you expect? He just likes having something to complain about ...

Not much to tell about the news, yet. On Facebook there seems to be an announcement that group admins will be held responsible for fake news spread in their groups ... I've not seen the actual news item, though.

Oh, and more business' are making the 'Essential Service' list. First it was taxi's, then Spaza shops, then street vendors (only fresh produce, though), and today Traditional Healers. Do you see a trend, here? No, I'm not a racist, and on the other hand, these business' do barely survive, often hand-to-mouth - but they are not the only ones. I'm also guessing, such one-man operations were simply overlooked during the discussions when the lock-down was initially planned.

Mippies now have a half-dead mouse in the kitchen! I guess my breakfast will be delayed ... Oh, and so will Part 2 of Episode 2 of the Spring-cleaning; I'll have to skip ahead to Episode 3: The Kitchen Floor ... as that is smeared with blood now. Yeah, I'm upset, too.

Aaaand, the predictable just happened: I got crapped out for using too much water & electricity! Oh, and threatened with an increase in charges ... uhm, hello? Remember my contract? Which clearly states 'electricity included'? The offer to PAY electricity came from me, as I used electrical appliances to cook when I first moved in - which you hadn't counted on. I've long since stopped using electrical appliances to cook - even my bread machine, I use it only to make the dough! So, you've been getting money-for-nothing already - and you want to increase that? Because I'm doing LAUNDRY!?? Yes, it's over my 'normal' usage - I don't normally wash my curtains, duvets, mats, etc. So, this is going to happen every year when I spring-clean?

And water? Seriously? I'm not the one who waters her lawn with the hosepipe connected to the tap! I've been forbidden to do that; yet he does. And you're measuring only MY water supply - with that barrel outside you've now connected to my kitchen outlet ... what about yours?

Seriously, this lock-down is driving people crazy! He even crapped me out for the brand of cigarettes I smoke - again! I explained that the only other brand making such light cigarettes is too expensive (which is true). I don't flush the toilet every time - which puts me between a rock and a hard place, because if I flush every time, I'm crapped out for using too much water, when I don't, they inspect how clean my toilet is and I get crapped out for the 'standing' marks.

Anyway, I'm now told to do ALL my laundry today (no clue where I'm supposed to hang it, but ... whatever). I'm only going to wash my work pants today as well, plus anything else that can handle 45 degrees. I'll do another load next weekend. Including my work tops. Can't wash them today as well - I'd have to leave them in the machine until tomorrow anyway.

Oh, and I must NOW get rid of all my boxes, because they'll somehow create cockroaches ... don't ask, I've had this discussion before. IF there were any eggs or cockroaches in any of my boxes, they'd have come out by now. Yet, he's convinced the boxes create them, and we WILL have a problem ... he's seen the odd cockroach here and there in his place ... Like I said: lock-down is driving people crazy!

I also said - when I was able to get a word in edge-wise - how he has never, ever had anything nice or positive to say, he ONLY complains. It'll sink in, eventually ... just not sure what it'll ferment into, ha ha!

It's always something with land-lords. I've not yet met one who hasn't let the 'power' get to his head - well, that's not true. The guy in East London was extremely down-to-earth and really did his very best for his tenants - and, considering how many properties he owned, that is surprising. He's the exception to the rule, I guess. Anyway, I still prefer my current land-lord over the last one! Yes, this one is getting very dictatorial in my personal life-style, but he also does a lot for my garden! Still. His intentions, at least, are still good ones - and in his mind, he's not imposing anything on me, he isn't adhering to himself. Of course, what he doesn't realise is that HE gets to decide - whereas I don't even get to participate in the discussion. So far, it's nothing I can't handle ...

Well, I've swept and washed the kitchen floors - I'm ready to do food things in the kitchen again. Only, I can't decide which food things I should do. All my milk has gone off a little, so ... cheese sounds good. But I've also finished the last of the food from the fridge ... so, I should bake bread or rolls or something for tomorrow.

Also predictably, the number of gender-related violence has increased. Gender-related is politically correct for women-get-beaten. Since the men are not drunk now, it doesn't count as 'alcohol-related'.

I think that's enough negativity for the day. Mippies are sprawled everywhere wanting their tummies tickled! It's too darling the way they roll onto their backs when I sit down by them! Janey just enjoyed a five-minute tickle, Ziva is outside on the chair and always welcomes me with a happy 'hello'! Mini, of course, always rolls on her back whenever I get near her - she's also under my feet as much as she can! When I'm in the kitchen, she's on the chair - as I walk past, out comes the paw to stop me for a cuddle!

Laundry is almost dry, now I'll wait for Saturday before I wash any more. There's nothing that I need for now, anyway. I'm making a cheese bread now, the dough is in the machine. I considered making rolls, but on the whole, I think a loaf of bread will be for the best. I'm also 'using up' the bananas with banana & chocolate milk shakes. One less thing to worry about, ha ha! I still have to do something with the watermelon, though. Fortunately it was some way from ripe when I bought it, so it's just fine around now.

Well, I've vacuum packed the rest of the cheese as well as my refuse ... which I had to pack into a 2nd bag, as the first one leaked. I'm now converting my vegetable drawer into a refuse bin ... fun, eh? If you live in a place where they come and collect your refuse - enjoy! I'm considering taking it with me if I go shopping and dropping it in a bin outside the shops ... IF I go anywhere. I don't want to. But if lock-down is extended, I'll have to.

Mippies are finally in! Lady Jane was tonight's truant. I gave them a tin of chicken in gravy - not impressed. Oh, they gobbled at first, but Ziva and Janey? They don't like change. Well, Mewthos and Mini are tucking in, at least! I suppose there'll be another mouse in the kitchen tomorrow ...

I smelled something burning, so I took the bread out of the oven - but I don't think it's quite done, yet. So I've put it back ... I hope it's not the cardboard in the foil that's burning! Ha Ha! It's not the first time I've used it, so ... It also hadn't risen enough when I took it out of the machine, even though I used extra yeast. I'm not sure whether it's the flour - I'm using the commercially produced flour this time, not the stone milled. I've run out. Strangely, stone-ground is supposed to rise less. Ah, well, I don't do normal, do I?

The bread is delicious, by the way! I can tell that it won't last long, ha ha! Mippies are sprawled across the bed again, I'm going to have some difficulty finding space for myself ...