Lock-down Day 92

Guess who's the favourite cat walk in this house? Yep! Cats walk over me all the time, especially when I'm on my side, giving a lovely view from atop my hips!

I woke up very early, stayed in bed until it was light - I'm so happy we've passed the Solstice, so it gets light earlier every day, again! I always make the mistake of thinking that also means it's going to get warmer - but then the worst of winter hits and I'm miserable!

Mewthos rewarded me, for letting him out early, by bringing in a dead pigeon! Feathers, feathers absolutely everywhere! Well, I rewarded him, in turn, by shutting him and Mini in with their feather bed - and went off to get milk.

When I got back, I got busy online, scrolling, playing - that kind of stuff, you know? I've since cleaned up what was left of the bird AND the feathers! Have you ever tried cleaning up feathers? Yeah - NOT FUN!

As I went for a smoke, I saw my landlord hanging up washing, so I asked about the water. Oh, yeah, that's been fixed since Wednesday! Well, THANK YOU for letting me know! Grr. Then he started what he thinks is a 'friendly conversation', but since any opinion or viewpoint different from his results in being shouted down ... I just stand there, politely, quietly, waiting to get away. He did mention that the fire went through 5 plots! Yikes! I guess that makes me very, very lucky to stay where I do stay - with a plumber who has everything in place to fight such a raging fire, preventing it from reaching the house! He also mentioned that his worker had left - oh, and the people next door told him that I'm still in touch with him. I told him that I'm not. It's the truth. Oh, and the guy who moved in next door at the start of the lock down? Has moved out again. Sold his chickens, sold his cattle - fortunately before the fire ... and left.

Back inside, first thing I did was shower! Ah! How lovely! Finally warm again! I was quite cold today. I would have showered today, anyway - but I'm glad I could do so with impunity!

And then I got busy in the kitchen. I made double bread dough, half for pizza, half for rolls. I baked a batch of muffins and also a batch of cookies. I considered making more cookie dough, but opted for a batch of muffins, instead.

Coronacast was about farm attacks. I find this a difficult subject to watch / read about - it's simply too emotional. What most people don't seem to realise is, that these are NOT robberies, they are pure attacks. On farmers, farm workers, women, children of all colours - just pure violence. Often, nothing is taken! One woman was on the show, a victim of such a brutal attack, 5 years ago. To date, the perpetrator is carrying on with his life with impunity ... there is overwhelming evidence against him, but he's just not brought to justice. Court dates are postponed, in one instance because the defendant claimed to have a headache! And the violence has escalated during this lock-down, because the Minister of Police has shut down ALL protection for farmers, their workers and their families! I just have no words ...

And then, just to make things even worse, news just in: FITA have lost the court case! Okay, I have to say that the argument that because their product is addictive, it should be an essential item did not sit well with me, either - but that was NOT the only argument! If it had been, why did it take 16 days to come to a decision? And the other case has been postponed until August - no reason given! Seriously, something is not right here.

Even if you don't smoke: Government is so broke, they've borrowed money - which they will now use to pay their own salaries, rather than for any service ... yet, they dismiss the substantial income from the sale of tobacco products?

The leaf supplier just posted that everything is now en route - they can't handle any queries, so everybody must just wait until next Friday. If we haven't received our order by then, they'll gladly read their mail again. Everyone on that site, who have received their leaves already are being almost abusive towards anyone trying to make a polite enquiry! Telling them to 'stop being rude' and how we're being done a favour! Uhm ... if it is a favour, why did I pay? Also: while we, the customer, sit without income, the farmer supplying us is making a killing! Okay, so prices are not inflated - but at least they are selling a product which currently has no other market! Except for manufacturers exporting cigarettes!

Anyway, this means that I'm going to have to buy cigarettes again, on Monday. And with the latest news, prices are going to sky-rocket again! Just what da fook am I going to do? This really is insufferable! I'll worry about that on Monday. I can still hope that either we go to Level 2 on Wednesday (1st July), as some people think or that my leaves arrive in the meantime! My friend, who referred me to them, received her leaves today - she's happy!

The weather has turned like my mood: overcast and dark. Looks like it might rain tonight.

Happy dance! I just received a tracking number for my leaves! Dispatched 25th! Oh, please, please arrive no later than Monday? Pretty please? That would take a MAJOR load off my shoulders! Yeah, I know, it's not an essential item, but a bad habit. So what? As soon as my leaves arrive, I'll place the next order. I should get about 4 cartons worth from that first delivery - if I don't mess anything up, that is.

Ziva and Janey came in around half past four for a snack ... that's VERY early, but I shut them in, anyway! I gave them a treat and now I'm running around giving scratchies and attention, so they don't feel this is a punishment.

Ah, and here are Mewthos and the Mini! All mippies safe and sound and inside by five! Ha Ha Ha! Peace of mind for me, tonight!

I did have quite a bit of trouble with the internet today. Quite frustrating, especially when it happened in the middle of the Coronacast. This time, it's my modem - it just shows as disconnected all of a sudden! I've done what I can - I can only hope it doesn't quit on me.

Oh my gosh, now the appeal, where a judge had already ruled lock-down regulations unconstitutional was successful and the High Court ruling overturned. This means that one single person has now been declared the ultimate dictator who can not be touched!

"Until that judgment is overturned, Dlamini-Zuma and her cabinet colleagues don't have to be fair when making rules, and need not make the best possible decision either.

If the outcome isn't perfect, that's okay too."

That is some scary shit!

As long as they do NOT get to postpone the next elections! THAT would be the end!

Enough of that for now.

Right, back to my little corner. Now that my macrame belt is finished, I've been wondering what I should do during each Coronacast now, and then it hit me: roll cigarettes! Ha Ha! I can cut and roll my cigarettes for 2 x an hour a week! I think, when they arrive, the first lot I'm going to just cut and roll - after the crap I've been smoking, the strength doesn't scare me! Just enough to keep me going while I process a batch! And if I get lots of time to practice, I won't even need to buy a roller or anything IF those are ever legally obtainable again! I know, that somewhere in one of those boxes in the lounge, I've still got papers and filters ... but I have no clue where to even start looking! Who would ever have thought democratic South Africa would ever be in such a bizzare dictatorship?

With all mippies inside so early, I had a lot of running, playing catch, tickling tummies, scratching ears, etc to keep the peace! Now they are all curled up together, doing their impression of 'too cute to even think of naughty'! My little love bugs! They can run around outside again tomorrow!

I took the pizza out of the oven a little too early - it's not quite done, yet. But it was dripping too much - and there is no drip-tray. I've now put some foil under and around it, so I'll bake it some more tomorrow. Today, I had two rolls dipped into the juices from the pizza - soaked up a lot of it. I'm also planning to make more cookie dough tomorrow - tonight, I'm just happy to have cookies & muffins as a treat!

Lovely, it's almost eight and I'm not stressing over a missing cat! Just had a cup of chamomile ... feel ready to fall asleep ...