I've had just about enough of this lock-down. Well, who hasn't? Last night's announcement ... I don't know. We're broke, our economy is worthless, so we go and borrow money? Yes, of course money is needed - but on a micro level: I can't afford to borrow money now! Well, I guess there's a reason why I'm not rich, eh? I shouldn't talk about economics and finance, both subjects I clearly don't excel in.
I got a reply from the vet, buying the sachets from him is 10% more expensive than online - it may be worth investigating the cost of delivery to my home, once-off. Except that I think THAT site is the security leak, and I don't want my home address there.
And then, unannounced and not mentioned yesterday, our president invades the country - he's deployed every member, standard, auxiliary and reserve, of the Defense Force to 'assist' the police! THAT is frightening! In Tzaneen they are using drones - with speakers! This is going further and further from any kind of normal ...
I'm going to have to find my own little 'normal'. Mippies brought in another mouse - Mini ate most of it. And I can't believe it's almost 11 o'clock already - where did the morning go? Same place every morning goes: playing my game, scrolling through Facebook, looking for news, hoping for good news, cuddling mips as they return from their morning stroll, cuddling them again when they mip for more ...
I was just trying to imagine what will happen when they lift the ban on the sale of cigarettes ... stores will be overrun and sold out within hours, if not minutes! And cigarettes have not been produced, nor moved this whole time - so, once the stores are out, that's it! But tobacco is grown - what about the farms? And the same goes for alcohol ...
I hear that 'Brewers Yeast' is now on the 'illegal' list as well ... apparently people have been brewing their own beer at home. Not surprising.
Mippies are going to be very unhappy when I go back to work - right now, I run to give cuddles at every mip! Janey loves that! She'll curl up, nap, wake up, mip mip mip and she gets her tummy tickled, her forehead kissed, her ears scratched, until she's had enough and goes to munch kibbles. Ziva comes running inside, jumps into her shelf, pokes her head out and mip mip mips until I spent at least five full minutes scratching her head and ears! Mewthos just mips then walks off, with me trailing behind trying to grab him for the cuddles he wants ... only he walks and walks and walks until we're both outside, half-way through the garden! THEN he lets me pick him up! And Mini? She just flops on her back under my feet every time I come near her! They haven't had this much attention, since we left PE!
Four in the afternoon, and finally some news regarding the deployment:
President Cyril Ramaphosa has deployed an additional 76 000 soldiers to help enforce lockdown regulations.
“It would mean that there are now a certain amount of military personnel that is available, but not necessarily deployed, but available for deployment should a state department need assistance, should an essential service need extra feet on the ground to assist it.
“It’s a prudent measure, I think it provides for the worst case scenario and not that the worst case scenario is necessarily going to become a reality. But it is a prudent move because every time the president needs to deploy soldiers… he needs to inform Parliament of the number of soldiers.”
Not a satisfactory explanation, in my opinion. Apparently, the official letter was 'leaked' by the DA - the public was not supposed to know.
Anyway, I've washed the dishes and prepared the dough for my next half dozen bread rolls, I'm running out of flour! I also have Semolina and Nutty Wheat Flour. I'm going to try and make a batch of muffins now, using the Nutty Wheat Flour. And I'll try to mix Semolina in my next bread mix ... see what happens.
Okay, I used 1 cup nutty wheat and 1 cup cake flour. I'm low on baking powder and eggs. I also used 1 cup sunflower oil instead of 1/2 cup butter plus I mixed some chocolate into the dry mix. I used a knife to sort of grate the baking chocolate. Oh, and I used Nesquick instead of cocoa. I'm using up a lot of hoarded stuff, like my varieties of oil - I've been using walnut and peanut oil for my bread.
I haven't baked any muffins since the sugarless disaster - and before the week of pain. In fact, I haven't had anything sweet since then. Now, I'm making up for lost sugar, ha ha!
I'm working on a plan to survive. It involves using up my hoard - but also, building up a new hoard. Only, in the past I would collect variety of specialised items - now, I'm planning on building up stock of basic items, from which I'll create variety. For example: I used to keep different pre-mixes, muffins, scones, bread, etc - now, I want to keep just flour, baking powder, cocoa and sugar. From that I can bake any flavour of any of these items, or cookies or cake or anything. Although, maybe I should look into self-raising flour - and eliminate the need for baking powder? I don't do MUCH baking, after all ... But I definitely want to build a stock of bread flours! Also, because I've struggled for months to get any - then had to take whatever I could lay my hands on, and now I don't have my brand, nor enough.
Anyway, while the muffins were baking, it was time to sit outside and coax mippies to come home and inside ... Janey came running, Mini was already around ... eventually Ziva came ... ... ... ... ... and then Ziva went off again! By now, I was almost frantic - where's Mewthos? Why isn't he coming? After my landlords dog disappeared - and this is the 2nd time - I nearly wet myself every evening when any one mip is late! But twice as fast, when it's Mewthos! Add to that Ziva's unusual behaviour, of going out again ... THAT's how she alerted me when Mewthos had fallen out the window and lay hurt under the Geranium bush!
So, by now, I've nearly burnt the muffins - but took them out, a little crisp, then put the rolls into the oven. Went and got my LED light and went off after Ziva to look for Mewthos! Janey and Mini under my feet ... as I near the end of the drive-way, Ziva comes running ... but no Mewthos! I shine the light left, right, ahead, around, walk towards the gate, turn around and there's Mewthos! Happily sitting between Ziva and Janey! In German we say "mir fällt ein Stein vom Herzen" which translates to 'a rock dropped off my heart' meaning that my heart felt light with joy!
Before he decides to go running off again, I pick him up and carry him all the way back and drop him off inside ... then I have to go and get the ladies! As I go out the gate again, Mewthos comes along ... to 'help herd the ladies' inside, as he usually does! Ai, ai, ai - NO! I pick him up and carry him inside - with Ziva running along and also rushing inside. Shut them in, back outside, out the gate ... Janey comes running, so I pick up Mini, who decided to flop where she stood. Carry Mini inside, Janey at my heels ... both of them shut in ... back outside, lock the gate, carry everything inside, lock the front gate and the door ... Phew!
And by now, my rolls are also fairly crisp - and I didn't spray any water on them, this time, it's because I nearly burnt them! Thank you, Mewthos!
I feed them half a tin of Petleys lamb. Mini eats at first, then industriously tries to cover the bowl - like it's poo in the box! Sorry, mips ... more of that tomorrow!
For myself, I took out some meat, for a change. And some chicken hearts for them. Mewthos gobbles eagerly, Mini doesn't stop eating until every last morsel is gone - then Mewthos finds me eating steak, so he comes to sit by my feet drooling ... ha, ha, ha! Yeah, I shared, even though it was a very tiny steak. One piece for Ziva - who was happy with just one - lots for Mewthos, who wouldn't go away, and a few pieces for Mini. Then I had a muffin. Interesting texture and flavour. Not my best nor favourite, but much better than the sugarless batch!
And then, I see someone else worried about the deployment of the defense force ... linking to an article, which has an interesting final paragraph:
A visual representation of the pandemic in South Africa, available on Worldometers, shows that SA's cases are steadily increasing and are yet to reach the highly sought-after peak that would validate easing lockdown protocol which is what several countries in Europe are aiming for.
That would confirm my fear that the lock-down will be extended ... I'll try not to think too much until our parole hearing tomorrow.
Right now, Mewthos is curled up with Ziva looking so sweet and innocent ... and I'm torn between giving him a right smack to teach him, and picking him up and holding him so close that he'll never get away again ....
In my anxiety over Mewthos, I had one cigarette more than planned. Otherwise, still sticking to my rations. There's talk that the lock-down will be extended ... until June!
Here a comparison of the lock-down between South Africa, UK & Australia. The UK has been updated by a friend, who let me know that Bottle stores & cigarette stores (including vaping) are also closed in the UK, and that manufacturing is also closed.
I'm not really sure of the reasons behind the extreme strictness of the lock-down here, but one scary thought is that government is hoping to incite a war?
This will be so much simpler once I have hind-sight! Being here, now, is really not a good place. Not for anyone. And I think too much. Again!
Time to cuddle cute little mippies before going to sleep ....
Mippies are going to be very unhappy when I go back to work - right now, I run to give cuddles at every mip! Janey loves that! She'll curl up, nap, wake up, mip mip mip and she gets her tummy tickled, her forehead kissed, her ears scratched, until she's had enough and goes to munch kibbles. Ziva comes running inside, jumps into her shelf, pokes her head out and mip mip mips until I spent at least five full minutes scratching her head and ears! Mewthos just mips then walks off, with me trailing behind trying to grab him for the cuddles he wants ... only he walks and walks and walks until we're both outside, half-way through the garden! THEN he lets me pick him up! And Mini? She just flops on her back under my feet every time I come near her! They haven't had this much attention, since we left PE!
Four in the afternoon, and finally some news regarding the deployment:
President Cyril Ramaphosa has deployed an additional 76 000 soldiers to help enforce lockdown regulations.
“It would mean that there are now a certain amount of military personnel that is available, but not necessarily deployed, but available for deployment should a state department need assistance, should an essential service need extra feet on the ground to assist it.
“It’s a prudent measure, I think it provides for the worst case scenario and not that the worst case scenario is necessarily going to become a reality. But it is a prudent move because every time the president needs to deploy soldiers… he needs to inform Parliament of the number of soldiers.”
Not a satisfactory explanation, in my opinion. Apparently, the official letter was 'leaked' by the DA - the public was not supposed to know.
Anyway, I've washed the dishes and prepared the dough for my next half dozen bread rolls, I'm running out of flour! I also have Semolina and Nutty Wheat Flour. I'm going to try and make a batch of muffins now, using the Nutty Wheat Flour. And I'll try to mix Semolina in my next bread mix ... see what happens.
Okay, I used 1 cup nutty wheat and 1 cup cake flour. I'm low on baking powder and eggs. I also used 1 cup sunflower oil instead of 1/2 cup butter plus I mixed some chocolate into the dry mix. I used a knife to sort of grate the baking chocolate. Oh, and I used Nesquick instead of cocoa. I'm using up a lot of hoarded stuff, like my varieties of oil - I've been using walnut and peanut oil for my bread.
I haven't baked any muffins since the sugarless disaster - and before the week of pain. In fact, I haven't had anything sweet since then. Now, I'm making up for lost sugar, ha ha!
I'm working on a plan to survive. It involves using up my hoard - but also, building up a new hoard. Only, in the past I would collect variety of specialised items - now, I'm planning on building up stock of basic items, from which I'll create variety. For example: I used to keep different pre-mixes, muffins, scones, bread, etc - now, I want to keep just flour, baking powder, cocoa and sugar. From that I can bake any flavour of any of these items, or cookies or cake or anything. Although, maybe I should look into self-raising flour - and eliminate the need for baking powder? I don't do MUCH baking, after all ... But I definitely want to build a stock of bread flours! Also, because I've struggled for months to get any - then had to take whatever I could lay my hands on, and now I don't have my brand, nor enough.
Anyway, while the muffins were baking, it was time to sit outside and coax mippies to come home and inside ... Janey came running, Mini was already around ... eventually Ziva came ... ... ... ... ... and then Ziva went off again! By now, I was almost frantic - where's Mewthos? Why isn't he coming? After my landlords dog disappeared - and this is the 2nd time - I nearly wet myself every evening when any one mip is late! But twice as fast, when it's Mewthos! Add to that Ziva's unusual behaviour, of going out again ... THAT's how she alerted me when Mewthos had fallen out the window and lay hurt under the Geranium bush!
So, by now, I've nearly burnt the muffins - but took them out, a little crisp, then put the rolls into the oven. Went and got my LED light and went off after Ziva to look for Mewthos! Janey and Mini under my feet ... as I near the end of the drive-way, Ziva comes running ... but no Mewthos! I shine the light left, right, ahead, around, walk towards the gate, turn around and there's Mewthos! Happily sitting between Ziva and Janey! In German we say "mir fällt ein Stein vom Herzen" which translates to 'a rock dropped off my heart' meaning that my heart felt light with joy!
Before he decides to go running off again, I pick him up and carry him all the way back and drop him off inside ... then I have to go and get the ladies! As I go out the gate again, Mewthos comes along ... to 'help herd the ladies' inside, as he usually does! Ai, ai, ai - NO! I pick him up and carry him inside - with Ziva running along and also rushing inside. Shut them in, back outside, out the gate ... Janey comes running, so I pick up Mini, who decided to flop where she stood. Carry Mini inside, Janey at my heels ... both of them shut in ... back outside, lock the gate, carry everything inside, lock the front gate and the door ... Phew!
And by now, my rolls are also fairly crisp - and I didn't spray any water on them, this time, it's because I nearly burnt them! Thank you, Mewthos!
I feed them half a tin of Petleys lamb. Mini eats at first, then industriously tries to cover the bowl - like it's poo in the box! Sorry, mips ... more of that tomorrow!
For myself, I took out some meat, for a change. And some chicken hearts for them. Mewthos gobbles eagerly, Mini doesn't stop eating until every last morsel is gone - then Mewthos finds me eating steak, so he comes to sit by my feet drooling ... ha, ha, ha! Yeah, I shared, even though it was a very tiny steak. One piece for Ziva - who was happy with just one - lots for Mewthos, who wouldn't go away, and a few pieces for Mini. Then I had a muffin. Interesting texture and flavour. Not my best nor favourite, but much better than the sugarless batch!
And then, I see someone else worried about the deployment of the defense force ... linking to an article, which has an interesting final paragraph:
A visual representation of the pandemic in South Africa, available on Worldometers, shows that SA's cases are steadily increasing and are yet to reach the highly sought-after peak that would validate easing lockdown protocol which is what several countries in Europe are aiming for.
That would confirm my fear that the lock-down will be extended ... I'll try not to think too much until our parole hearing tomorrow.
Right now, Mewthos is curled up with Ziva looking so sweet and innocent ... and I'm torn between giving him a right smack to teach him, and picking him up and holding him so close that he'll never get away again ....
In my anxiety over Mewthos, I had one cigarette more than planned. Otherwise, still sticking to my rations. There's talk that the lock-down will be extended ... until June!
Here a comparison of the lock-down between South Africa, UK & Australia. The UK has been updated by a friend, who let me know that Bottle stores & cigarette stores (including vaping) are also closed in the UK, and that manufacturing is also closed.
I'm not really sure of the reasons behind the extreme strictness of the lock-down here, but one scary thought is that government is hoping to incite a war?
This will be so much simpler once I have hind-sight! Being here, now, is really not a good place. Not for anyone. And I think too much. Again!
Time to cuddle cute little mippies before going to sleep ....
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