Lock-down Day 582

I finally caught up on some of my sleep, feeling much better today, thank you!

With my focus this week being on that obstacle, I have a bit of a backlog - better work on clearing that, today.

I've been thinking of using my Monday to make the effort to go to Makro. It's time to stock up for the year-end, so that I don't have to waste my precious holiday time shopping. Plus, of course, when I'm not going to work, I can't receive deliveries. I'm especially thinking of the Whiskas. It is much, much cheaper at Makro than I can get it online, so, that alone would make it worth the trip.

Slight snag: Monday is now a Public Holiday! Local Elections are held on Monday, and I've just checked on the official site, it's been pronounced a public holiday. So ... Cancel shopping plans! Or rather, postpone them to next week.

No worries!

I also stumbled across an article regarding grocery prices, and it's shocking! Especially the produce prices! Potatoes went up by 41% - and that is ONLY in the past month! Compared to last year, they've gone up 46%! And potatoes are a staple, not a luxury food! Makes me even more grateful for this massive, big garden - and I've got potatoes growing everywhere! Previous tenants planted potatoes in the bed, where I'm growing Spinach & Carrots. I've left those areas alone, and there are potato plants growing beautifully! Plus, I have more growing under the car port, in special 'potato growing bags' - just with a flap at the bottom, where you're supposed to be able to harvest. I'll see how that works. Tomatoes have also gone up, by 22% from last year - I better focus on those plants, as well!

No wonder we're becoming a growing nation of Cabbage Bandits! Ha ha! Or should I say 'pavement gardener's? Well, the problem with this whole scenario is, of course, that our farmers, who feed the nation, are loosing out! They are not the one's putting up outrageous prices - that's purely the distributers! Who 'profit' from the bad harvest, caused by weather conditions, as well as the on-going crisis of farm murders! And if more of us start growing our own vegetables, farmers will suffer even more, as the demand drops! Distributers always win - they either take more money from consumers (if demand is high) or pay the farmer less (if demand is low)!

Regarding load shedding - I wish that there would be some reliable site to check which stages are scheduled over what period! Eishkom only tell you what stage we're in right now. They don't give any information what their plan is, i.e. from when until when they plan what stage. We have to rely on news - who get it from Eishkom ... 

If I read this right, and there are no sudden changes, I should have no more load shedding. If it really ends 05:00 tomorrow morning, we shouldn't go off at 06:00. I guess I'll know at 06:00 tomorrow morning ... 

Back at home: mowing the lawn! Phew! What a job! And it isn't even a FULL job, yet! The grass still isn't at it's strongest ... I don't know how I'm going to cope when it is! The partitions are the worst ...

Anyway, I got it done. I chose not to mow the partition under the Jacaranda tree - when I finished mowing, I moved in on that section with my weeding tools. Might as well pull as many weeds as I can. If I run out of time, or loose interest, I can always mow the rest and have another go at it next weekend.

Apart from the mowing, I'm now down to just weeding. Easy jobs, not hard labour. I'm just thinking, if that mowing gets worse, I'll have to split the job - do certain parts Friday afternoon and the rest Saturday or Sunday morning ... 

Mewthos had a run-in with Smeagol. No serious injury, I'm happy to say. He lost some fur, but not even a bald spot ... at least, none that I found. Yet. You never can tell, with Mewthos!

In the news, load shedding will end earlier than scheduled! It's over. For now ... at least I don't need to worry about tomorrow morning's coffee. Well, I've got everything ready anyway, just in case.

Oh gosh, I'm just realising, that I haven't had any dinner? Well, I'm not actually hungry. I'd better make some plan for breakfast tomorrow morning, though!

For tonight, I've got mippies queueing for attention ... time to relax, and cuddle ...

Lock-down Day 581

I struggled to go to sleep last night, that 'frustrating hurdle' just won't go away - I've hit another dead end. Until it hit me, last night: It's impossible! I'm trying to link time to quantity ... and there IS no link! Which means that I've wasted months trying to 'calculate' castles in the sky!

At work ... I see no reason why I can't take one day a week off!

I've also gone and got my groceries - and discovered the box of cat food they delivered yesterday! I had completely forgotten about it, and left it in the car! Ha Ha.

Another funny thing: I put on the wrong shoes this morning! I didn't even notice - only when At mentioned them, did I realise! I immediately checked whether I'd remembered to put on a bra & underpants! If I can put on my gardening shoes to go to work, who knows, eh?

Right. I've just spoken to my boss, starting this Monday, I'm taking unpaid leave every Monday! Yay! The 'unpaid' was my decision. 

If I take 13 days, that will give me 3 weeks. Unfortunately, too many of the public holidays fall on a Saturday, this year.

Sjoe, last night's late night on top of Tuesdays early morning are now catching up with me - badly! I just want to go to sleep! I'm having trouble keeping my eyes open!

Okay, I'm seriously struggling to stay awake now ... hopefully this means I'll be able to fall asleep tonight!

I didn't mention my morning episode with Mewthos, did I? I don't know what he was thinking, but while I sat in the lounge, he looked me full in the eyes, lifted his tail and wet my furniture! Honestly, why?

Well, anyway, I'm home. And I just want to go to sleep ...

Lock-down Day 580

Quite a good night, though I went to sleep rather late ... and with the very early morning yesterday ... I overslept!

I've been thinking of this idea of a 4-day work week, and the more I think about it, the more I like it! There are so many things I could do, which just don't fit into my 2-day weekend, at my current location! I could go to the German Butchery - I haven't been there since before the hard lock down, last year! I could go to Makro, and get some of my groceries (especially mippies' Whiskas) much cheaper than I get it now! I could go to a nursery, expanding the variety of plants, etc. available to me! I could get some decent underwear! I might even be able to get milk from the same farmer again, once in a while! Because I can avoid all the rush-hour, peak traffic - cars in the road and people in the shops, ha ha ha!

And I could fetch At to visit! I said yesterday, that I'd had a chat with him. I do a lot for him, and he's feeling bad because he has no way to repay me - well, he can show me how to fix all the odds and ends that need fixing inside my house! To him, that's 'nothing', he enjoys fixing things - and I'm just totally hopeless! I don't want to start fiddling with the taps, when I don't know what I'm doing - and could end up without water until I can get a plumber to fix my mess! If he could help me with those things, that would be worth a lot to me!

Okay, call me stupid, if you like, but I've decided not to abuse my landlord's generosity. He offered to deduct the full number of units used since June 2020 at the current rate! As much as I like the thought of extra money - I do not feel comfortable with it. So, I've done the calculations - with no regular readings, I can't be accurate, but at I reckon, it'll balance out fairly. And I'm accepting the 70% of his offer, which I feel is fair to both. I've just sent him mail, with my calculations ... and I feel much easier about that solution. I hope he'll agree (ha ha - funny, isn't it? Hoping he'll agree to accepting money).

Oh gosh! Just when you think, bad is bad enough! Eishkom has just ramped up to Stage 4 load shedding! So, instead of 2 / 4 hours a day without electricity, we'll now be 6 / 8 hours without electricity! Every single day! Depending on the schedule, some days we're hit 3 times, occasionally 4 times - each time at least 2 hours, but it could also be 2,5 hours each time (they schedule 2.5 hours, but normally turn us on half an hour early).

So, tonight we'll go off at 16:00 - 18:30, again at 00:00 - 02:30. I'll 'miss' the 08:00 - 10:30 outage, but will come home to the 16:00 - 18:30 and wake up on Friday morning to 06:00 - 08:30 outage. I'll come home of Friday to 14:00 - 16:30 outage. If they stick to Stage 4, I'll get to enjoy another one from 22:00 - 00:30 during the night. 

Load shedding was supposed to end Saturday morning 05:00 ... but I wouldn't count on it. So, whether Stage 2 or 4, I'll have a dark Saturday morning from 06:00 - 08:30 as well as a lovely afternoon, when the power goes off again from 14:00 - 16:00. And if we're in Stage 4 on Saturday, the power will go off again 22:00 - 00:30 ... same again on Sunday.

And on top of that, they are fighting in court for the right to increase their price again!

Anyway ... 

Back at home, on with the weeding. I almost finished the succulent bed, close, but no cigar, ha ha! I took some photos, but the internet isn't playing along - not getting them uploaded. Hopefully this weekend.

Well, I chose 'Belle of the Nineties' as tonight's movie. With Mae West - such an amazing woman! Hopefully, I'll be able to publish before I have to switch off - update keeps failing now, as I'm typing ... sigh ...

Lock-down Day 579

I woke up around half three and couldn't get back to sleep. So I got up and made myself coffee. And sat down for a serious think. About work.

Mippies, of course, loved that I was up and about so early! Although, poor Mewthos, first got his tail trodden on, and then he got my foot in the head! No, not kicked, I had my feet up on the Ottoman, and when I moved them, he had settled between the Ottoman and my chair! No weight, no kick in the head!

Of course, he tried to wheedle early breakfast out of me ... by around half four I gave in and gave them their breakfast treat! They also got their morning milk, ha ha, several times!

As I was leaving for work, I gave Mewthos a goodbye pet, and he just got carried away! He was sitting in a bowl at the time, and just lay down, curling up inside. So I took his tail and waved it in front of his nose - a game Mynx always loved! Mewthos loved it! At the same time, Mini was on the nightstand, putting a paw on my back, mipping ... so I inched closer and she accepted the invitation to get on my back! Must have been a funny sight, one cat catching his tail at my feet and a black cat on my back!

I had planned on going to DisChem this morning ... that's not going to happen, now. It's too late now ... I'll have to try and get away tomorrow.

In the news, I see even more load shedding! First it was only Saturday & Sunday night. Then extended to Monday night from 9pm to Tuesday morning 5am and again, same hours, Tuesday night. Then, without warning, they started load shedding earlier last night (fortunately, we were not affected)! Imagine coming home from work, expecting to have power to cook dinner, have a bath and poof! Yeah, that's what it's like!

Anyway, now they are implementing Stage 2 from 9 am this morning until 5 am on Saturday! Which means, if I remember correctly, that I won't have power when I get home! I think we're off from 16:00 - 18:30. Nice, eh? Just confirmed, my memory was correct.

Early afternoon, and the early morning is starting to catch up with me ... 

I had a chat with At at lunch time. I finally cleared up something, that had been pissing me off for quite a while. Basically, it was just a matter of connecting the dots for him, ha ha!

Also, remember how run down I've been feeling? How I really wish I had some time off? Well, I'm considering joining the short-week club. Working only 4 days a week, instead of 5. It'll mean a cut in pay, of course ... I need to think it through first.

Back at home, without power I went into the garden. Well, actually, I'd have done that, even if I had power! No need to water, we had another 5.5 mm rain. So, I started weeding the succulent bed - the weeds are no longer just a carpet of green, they're gaining height, too!

To my delight, I discovered that the green frondy stuff next to the spiky stuff are indeed Iris! They're in flower! Two, quite extraordinary flowers: white with a touch of purple in the center! I'll try to take a photo tomorrow night! And another one of Rose's succulents also seems to be trying to flower! I don't remember ever having seen that type produce flowers! I thought they just turn red in winter and that's what they do instead of flowering!

Back inside, I found a lizard tail in my bed! Just the tail. I checked - shook out the duvet and the pillows ... just the tail.

I ate, bathed, now I'm trying to write, but Ziva demands cuddles ... better open her cuddle cave! I'm watching Morocco - an old black and white movie with Gary Cooper and Marlene Dietrich!

Lock-down Day 578

Relatively good night. I woke up sometime during the power outage, but managed to turn over - without much of a disruption.

Mippies flower fountain isn't working! Janey alerted me to the issue, while I was having my morning coffee. I took the pump out and tried to clean it, but no luck. I switched it off at the wall - I'll have a closer look when I get home tonight.

The weather has turned cold today! From 33 Celsius in the shade yesterday, I'm freezing my rear off at below 20 Celsius today! On a positive note, it's been raining, raining, raining and raining some more ... at least, here, at work.

And in the news? More load shedding! Not happy ...

Back at home, Smeagol is mewling for attention! I decided to treat him to a pouch of wet food - with the weather having turned so cold today, poor boy needs something to boost his system! He's giving Mewthos attacky kind of looks, though - so I just stay with him, try to pet him, giving him as much attention as I can.

Not much time outside, today - with Smeagol around, mippies want to be safely inside, and with the rain - all of 9 mm - I can't garden, and don't need to water.

I decided to take the time to clean my PC. Inside. It was freezing up quite annoyingly this weekend. Boy, I pulled some dust bunnies out of the fan? Big enough for dinner! Ha Ha!

Looks like that also helped with the internet connection!

Some good news, though: we won't be affected by load shedding tonight, nor tomorrow night.

I got a message from my landlord, that the water pump is not connected to the other house ... I'm a little worried, because, when this house was empty, next door kept having to ask that the meter be loaded, so they have water. The house next door is empty ... but at least the neighbour in the flat next to that house will make sure we always have water pressure!

That's me, overthinking everything ...

Anyway ... time to call it a day.

Lock-down Day 577

Blerry load shedding! I didn't check the news, so I got caught off-guard ... from 02:00 - 04:30. Most people don't mind power outage during the night - but for me? I keep the PC on overnight, to keep the audiobook going. And at this time of year, when that fan stops in the middle of the night? Not good ...

The weather is really not good this month. Temperatures fluctuating too much for comfort. I mean, they fluctuate from mid 30s to low 20s within a single week! Low temperatures aren't fluctuating quite as much, they're staying around the mid to high 10s - still, it's uncomfortable at night. I keep the ceiling fan going all night, and still wake up!

Mippies mewled me out of bed by six, I opened up and let them out. Now they keep popping in for cuddles ... 

My plan for today is to clear the partition outside my bedroom, so that I'll be able to mow there. There are bricks, rocks, branches everywhere, which will damage the mower. Plus, the carpet of thorns, and the leaves under the tree, also need to be cleared. I decided to do that in the morning, before the sun blasts that area.

Done. I carried some 6 or 7 pots to the compost heap - which just grows and grows! Something is living in it, too - I can hear it rustling around. So can mippies, who sit in front of that heap like kids watching Sesame Street!

I carried all the loose bricks to the pavement around the house, clearing just enough to be able to mow. Some of those bricks are quite deep, I'm not going to pull those out - today. Next project is to clear the partition under the Jacaranda & Peach tree, so I can mow there, as well.

Last year, I let the weeds and grass get so completely out of hand, that it feels like I lost an entire year's progress - just making up for that stupid mistake! I really, really regret that! I could have made so much more progress ... if only ... 

Well, I will most definitely NOT make that mistake again!

Half-way through clearing that partition under the trees, a blister popped! Now what? Call it quits? I really don't like leaving a job half done ... so, get a plaster, put on gloves ... on with the motley!

A friend wanted to visit this weekend, but he just sent a message that he's back at work, trying to fix a breakdown ... no sweat. Another time.

Funny, though, eh? I've lived here an entire year with nobody so much as wanting to see me, and now, all of a sudden, two visits in a row! Well, apart from At, whom I have to go and fetch & take home myself, of course.

Done! I carried about 10 pots of rubbish out of there! Jacaranda sticks, bark, seeds, peach pits ... I'd say more than just one year's worth. I'm glad it's done, now ... really, at least now I can either pull weeds or just mow them.

Then I figured it's time to start the bread dough ... but first, I decided to check on the snail. It's still there, busily digging itself into the ground behind the rock!

And then ... I picked up the garden scissors and started cutting off peaches! Last weekend, my friend said I should prune the tree ... which I had done. But it's clear that I wasn't aggressive enough - or she wouldn't have made that comment. Well, I kind of agree anyway, the branches are hanging low with bundles of green peaches! So, I went at each branch I could reach, and cut off all but one peaches! I left just one on each branch ... it STILL looks overburdened! But I'm hoping for peaches this year.

And then I managed to cut my thumb! It just got in the way of the scissors - it's so difficult to see where I'm clipping ... no serious damage, but a lot of blood!

Now, I'm sitting and looking at my hands - plaster on the right from the popped blister, plaster on the left, where I sliced my thumb ... I don't think my hands are in any shape to form bread dough! Now, what? Well, why not just bake a loaf in the machine? Cool! And while I'm at it, why not try something different? Cool! So I'm a baking sandwich loaf. I'm not sure how that's different from standard white ... I'll see!

It's really hot again, today! 33 Celsius in the shade - and less wind! No wonder I feel low on energy!

I just lifted my duvet to find a little present from Mini - a lizard! Still with it's tail on - so I caught it and set it outside on the window sill.

Internet went off again, and I couldn't write for some two hours! Never mind anything else ... I don't know what the problem is!

I just went out front to pick for the pot. I quite enjoy picking food from my own garden for my dinner! The peas appear to be once-off, I'm afraid. They grow, bloom, produce, die ... pity. It'll be a long time before I'll get more peas, I'm afraid. Anyway, some beans were also ripe, so they're in the pot, with half the peas. The other half of the peas I added raw.

I had to seriously kick myself to even cook food today - it is HOT! Really hot! And humid! If I put my elbow on my leg, it's wet almost instantly! Plus, I'm sure there's rain on the way - I've got another mild migraine. I checked the weather report, rain is on the way. Had that mild migraine coming on late yesterday already. Ah well, it's mild. I'll live.

I'm just cooking pasta, beans & peas, then frying the cheese sausages I meant to put in the bread rolls, with some bacon. Add the obligatory spinach, then mix in some sour cream: dinner!

It's nice to have something to show for all the work I've put into the garden! It may not be much, but it's enough for a start! Now I know how what grows where, so next year I'll plan better. Not that I have to wait a whole year - I'll still be planting stuff! I mean, it's still spring!

I don't even want to think about how hot this summer is likely to be ...

Well, I'm watering. Clouds are moving in, and my migraine is strengthening. Guess what I'm not doing today? Right! The dishes. I have a good excuse, though - apart from the heat and the migraine: I'll have a hard enough time trying to shower with my injuries! Ha Ha!

I think I'll go for an early night, followed by an early morning, so I can make my lunch tomorrow morning. The bread is still too hot to cut.

I tried to relax for a while. Set myself up for a nice time on the veranda ... then I got itchy fingers, ha ha! I picked up the scissors and started giving the ponytails their annual hair cut. I finished one, started on the next ... something got done.

The shower was pure pleasure! Tricky, with two plasters, one on each hand - but when I stepped outside? I was actually cold!

Anyway, even though I didn't clean the kitchen, I got a lot done, this weekend. I'm happy!

Lock-down Day 576

Not the best of nights. Mewthos nagged for about half an hour - on and on and on - until I gave in, got up and let them out.

Made myself filter coffee, had a smoke, now I'm just pottering around trying to get started ... Internet is being difficult, but as long as I can open this page, I can type. It usually saves sometime during the day ...

Getting busy with the small chores, re-filling the water fountains, kibble dispensers, etc.Just fitted the light bulbs I bought, turns out they're too long. They fit, they work, but the shade doesn't fit over them. Well, in the alcove, I don't know if there even is a shade ... never seen one. But at least the light now works. I still need another bulb for the bathroom, too.

Not quite ten and the laundry is on the line.I'm going to have to wash floors, I'm afraid ... and I just so do NOT want to! I've spotted puddles in a few locations, luckily mostly just floor, which I can wash off. But the bed got hit again ... sigh ...

It's too hot today. 33 Celsius in the shade! I've made myself a strawberry milkshake, and then looked around if there's any shade anywhere outside, where I could do a little light weeding. I found the bed between the outside room and my back lawn. It's green with sprouting weeds!

It's not only hot, but unusually windy! I could almost imagine, I'm back in PE!

I came across the biggest snail I have ever seen! At first, I thought it was a decorative shell - I picked it up, and there's a snail living, happily inside! I tried to upload photos - internet isn't playing along - then put the snail back.

Watering, in this wind, is a little challenging. I managed, though.

Then I sat outside for a while, just looking around my garden, surrounded by my mippies ...

Lock-down Day 575

Another bad night, I'm afraid, though I can't tell why. I just kept waking up ... which led to considerable trouble getting up when it was time!

It started raining sometime during the night, and it's still raining - nice! Though it means that I won't be able to mow today.

I see in the news, that the strike is finally over! I should be getting replies to mails again, and I should get the material to finish the only job we still have ... and hopefully, we'll now also get some orders! I've had some requests from our client - but, of course, with the strike, nothing definite.

Okay ... I just lost a tooth! It just came out - no pain, no crack ... I was just eating a piece of chocolate, when I felt something hard in the chocolate. Well, I guess I'm on my way to gap-toothed granny-hood, ha ha! Fortunately this tooth is at the back, so it's not visible. Getting there, though ...

Oh, nice! One strike ends and another one starts! Municipal workers have now 'downed tools' ... Sigh ... 

Well, almost time to go home ... to my mippies and my garden ...

Trouble with internet at home, as - now - usual. It's almost nine, and I could finally log into my blog! It's not saving, though, so I guess I'll have to publish tomorrow morning.

I mowed the lawn. It had not rained all day, and this morning was only 2,5 mm ... I mowed everywhere, all partitions - except the one under the peach tree. Big job! And it'll get worse when the grass really starts growing - today, I only had to empty the grass holder three times. At least it was somewhat overcast and windy - not blazing sun.

I'll have to rake the partition outside my bedroom this weekend, I can't properly mow there, yet. Too many branches, thorns and crap covering the ground. If the grass really starts growing there, I won't be able to mow. I'll also have to see what I want to do about those bricks they put down there ... they are just an obstacle. Can't mow, can't clear ... just messy.

When I finished mowing, I carried on working around my spinach and carrot patch. I finally got all the way around - back to the beginning. Which is where I need to continue ... it's already turning green again! I had thought that I'd have that entire patch cleared and growing plants by now - yet, one year down the line and I STILL can't even keep any part of it clear! The weeds are much worse than I thought ...

Anyway, back inside ... I'm too lazy to cook, so I just had some viennas. Shared, with mippies. Now, I just want to relax ...

Lock-down Day 574

I had a very, very bad night. I woke up frequently either in a cold sweat or in pain. Toothache. Nothing I can do about that, but take pain killers ...

Anyway, back at home ... again no internet. Not even on my mobile. Ah, well. I did a bit of watering, and a bit of weeding ... then inside. Oh, and I put the weed guard over the pavement outside my bedroom! At least mippies are safe! I don't have to worry about them eating THAT grass, or walking on that pavement, then possibly licking the poison off their paws!

Inside: shower, dinner - shared with mippies - then watching an episode ... and sleep.

Lock-down Day 573

Although I had a fairly good night, I had quite a bad day. At work, mostly. My juice delivery arrived on Tuesday and I got groceries Wednesday.

I didn't get time to even start the blog at work, and I had no internet at home, again.

I also bought some poison, weed killer, to hopefully get rid of the grass and weeds growing in the pavement. I applied it last night - and then, of course, I started to worry about mippies getting poisoned! They don't often go there - but, what if? And now I'm not sure whether I should cover the whole area with a weed mat or wash the poison off again ...

Anyway, early night ...

Lock-down Day 572

Back at work.

I woke up a bit late, still with a mild migraine, though.

Back at home, not much to tell, either. Migraine seems to have finally left ... I'm about to switch off for the night ...

Lock-down Day 571

Not feeling too good this morning, so I'm staying at home. I've had a mild headache all weekend - more like a migraine, just very mild. I tried taking my migraine cocktail last night - no change.

I'm doing my best to just focus on relaxing today, yet I still can't shake the headache ... I've done the dishes. No plan, no list, just doing one thing with no pressure.

The migraine is not going away. It's not incapacitating, but very annoying. And it's getting worse, not better. I've tried menograine, Airmune, and Cal-C-Vita - since my usual cocktail didn't work. It's overcast today, there's definitely a link between my migraine and the weather.

Mippies love having me at home, though! I'm brushing and cuddling on demand, all day long!

Well, let's see what tomorrow brings ...

Lock-down Day 570

At least I had a good night. And a reasonably early start.

I've done the basic chores, ordered my fruit juice, tried to order chocolate - which is all sold out! I've also had plenty of brushies and cuddle sessions, as well as Mini bringing a baby snake into my bedroom! I put up a performance, which I hope will let her know that snakes are not acceptable.

The visit from my friend was a bit of a let down. Firstly, it wasn't exactly a visit - it was a sales demo ... and then, as they were nearby, I put the coffee on ... it had barely started, when the power went off! Again! This is getting ridiculous!

Anyway, it was really nice seeing my friend again! We took a walk around my garden - she's also growing roses! With more success, though, ha ha!

After they left, it was time to start the bread dough. While that was going, I carried on re-weeding the tomato bed. I got as far as the basil. Mixed in some fertiliser and such, then sowed more maize and tomatoes. And at the end I planted the three peppers I still had growing in one of the pots.

Now I'm watering ... 

Mini brought in a tiny little field mouse - all mips crowded around for a chance at the poor thing ... after the snake this morning, I didn't have the heart to take the mouse away, as well. I can't stop them from following their nature, but I can direct it towards a mutually acceptable prey.

Oh, nice! It looks like the mouse ended on my bed - there's blood on the sheets!

Anyway, I'm done for the day. I didn't wash the dishes, though ... 

Lock-down Day 569

I had a really bad night. I woke up several times, incredibly thirsty! I drank over a liter of milk throughout the night! This morning, I'm feeling drained ... like one would, not having had a good night's sleep.

I didn't even have the energy to make myself coffee when I finally got out of bed, around seven. I had some tonic water, as I'm running out of milk - though I still have the long-life, as a back-up, as always!

It's almost eleven and I still haven't even started the laundry. I have, however, had several cuddle sessions with Mewthos - brushing his shedding coat. And Ziva joined, and Janey came to jump on my lap.

With the internet finally working, I was also able to transfer some money to At. He's been sitting in the dark since Thursday ... working only three days a week is seriously affecting him.

I've also had a message from a long-time friend, who wants to come visit tomorrow! That'd be nice!

I've just taken a walk around my garden ... sigh, there is so much work there! As nice as the rain has been for my plants, it's been even nicer for all the weeds! Everything is covered in a carpet of green! The bed around the spinach and carrots? Already turning green again, where I started last week!

I went outside and started cleaning half the bed under the grapevine. Halfway through, I thought I'd take a break - and found that the power was out! Grrrr. I had a smoke and went back outside. The power came back before I came inside again.

I cleared half the bed, very thoroughly, then placed fertiliser before planting the chamomile next to the grapevine. Mewthos came and snuggled up to me! Just plopped down next to me, snuggled up to my leg.

While watering, I carried on weeding the tomato bed. I think I'll have to take the Nasturtiums out of that bed - they're kind of taking over.

Anyway, I'm beat. Had a lovely hot bath, now I just want to sleep ...

Lock-down Day 568

Normal morning, quite early, though.

At work, while I'm waiting for the PC to re-calculate - I scroll through this and that, and I've just come across an awesome idea: meshed trellis tunnels! Yeah, not a new thing, and I've been thinking something along those lines already ... I can't put into words what just fizzed together in my head. I'm seeing a long arbor / pergola to walk under, in shade, with all kinds of fruit and veggies hanging through - tomatoes, grapes, cucumber, melon ... now, if only I could make something like that actually happen, eh?

I'm really bursting with desire to create something. Like the paper weaving I did, back in PE. Anything. Just making something pretty. I just don't know what! I've got all this cardboard hoarded - mippie treat boxes and the delivery boxes. I have this idea of building stuff with those. All I need, is to find the basic building block design. I've been thinking triangles. Trying to come up with some way to make triangle blocks that I can then interlock to build just about anything. Starting, of course, with some cat toys.

I've tried that once before, remember? In the old place? It didn't work. Even though I cut out each triangle from the same 'first one' as a template, when I glued them together, they didn't have an even edge. I've been thinking that I went too big - if I make smaller triangles, I'll be able to 'finish' them - like the sanding you'd do with wooden blocks. Or maybe I should just glue the carboards together and cut out the shape afterwards? Though - I'm not really too keen on all that gluing. There has to be a better way ...

Anyway, back at home. First thing, I have to mow the lawn! In the blazing sun - which is NOT good! And then I just deep cleaned the tomato bed. The maize is growing nicely, so are the peppers - but the Nasturtiums are doing best of all! I just cleared a small portion again, there are so many weed roots growing in that section - it's a lot of work. When I was done, I added more fertiliser and then I placed 2 seeds each of cucumber, zucchini, watermelon and cantaloupe. Yeah, a bit much for such a small section ... I'm just greedy.

Back inside ... no internet on the PC. So, I just left it ...

Lock-down Day 567

I decided to dawdle this morning. Leisurely cups of coffee - yeah, I had two, not just one!

Anyway, back at home, again ... no internet.

Lock-down Day 566

Half past nine - I'm re-connected! Yay! Of course, now I have a mountain of work to catch up on ...

While I was waiting, I decided to get my groceries today. Done. My grocery delivery should also arrive today - bread flour, and cleaning materials.

No internet at home last night ...

Lock-down Day 565

Disconnected. That word describes my day! At work, no internet, no server ... I should have just taken the day off! But, well, hindsight ... 

At home ... no internet! It took half an hour of unplugging, re-starting, etc to finally get it going ...

Not a major issue at home, at least. I don't do much online in the evenings, anyway. Next load shedding is only from 06:00 tomorrow morning, so I can listen to my audiobook again, for a change. Well, I have one on my mobile - but only one.

I've boiled the kettle, just in case, so I can have hot coffee tomorrow morning ... maybe I'll make myself filter coffee ... I'll see ...

Lock-down Day 564

Very early morning, coffee ... Mini keeps taking the kibble dispenser walkies, and always pushes it to the edge! I don't know why she does that. She's a hyper active little girl!

I got notification that both my deliveries will arrive this week. Great!

Back at home, I'm busy, busy watering ... everything. The three sprinkle areas - car port, bean & pea bed & rose beds - and the spinach & carrot bed, by hand ... well, not using a sprinkler, just the hose pipe. I see loads of potatoes growing at the back in that bed as well, so I water them as well ... and guess what? I found my gardening gloves! I have been looking for them for weeks! I had reached the conclusion, that they must have been stolen out of the locked outside room - yet, how? That's been worrying me quite a lot! So, I'm very, very glad that I was wrong!

Where were they? Wedged in a corner, behind one of those spiky plants!

Anyway, I cleaned out some spinach and carrot leaves, watered, watered every pot on the veranda, added some fertilizer to the brussels sprouts ... 

Mini had me a little puzzled when she wouldn't eat her treat! I know she's not fond of the kitten pouches, so I stirred it with some Whiskas, which she likes. What did she do? Tried to cover her bowl! Hrmph! I was a little worried that she could be sick - but she's behaving normally, apart from that little stunt. Later on, she goes and eats from her bowl! Just playing silly buggers! Hrmph!

Well, mippies are happy - we shared my dinner - and I'm ready to sit back, watch an episode or two, then turn everything off before I go to bed. Power outage again scheduled during the night. Pffft!

Lock-down Day 563

Not a good night, I'm afraid. This roller-coaster weather is not very helpful, when it's a little warmer, I'm hot as heck! Throughout the night I go from hot to cold to hot to cold ... and just to round things off, I got to enjoy an awful cramp in my calf! With no monthly reminder, I've not taken my tissue salts regularly ... so now I'm vulnerable to cramps.

I got up late, and when I opened for mippies, a snake had got caught in the sliding door! I managed to lift the door and release the snake - still a baby, I think. I've posted a photo hoping that someone can identify it. I tried google photo search - which came up with King Cobra! Bollocks! Well, I hope ... 

I'm struggling to get started today. I need cat food ...

I've been toying with the idea of taking a day off this week ... only, if I do, I can't see myself going out to buy the things I need, the reason I'm thinking of taking the day off ... and then, there'd be no point.

When I try to see myself driving to anywhere ... I'm overcome with anxiety! This first happened about eight years ago, when I lived in East London. Every time I tried to go to the beach, or just for a drive our anywhere outside my flat ... I had to overcome some sort of internal barrier. It's not agoraphobia, as such, as - well, I don't have any trouble stepping outside, into my garden! Nor do I have any issue going to work. And FROM work, I have no problem going anywhere, either. Yet ... 

So, I thought of taking half a day off, leave after lunch. Funny thing: same anxiety! I guess it's about leaving my 'comfort zone'? Well, not big deal - except that I'm going nowhere. I can live with that ... now. Good thing this didn't start when I was younger, though! But now? Not an issue ...

Crap! Now I can't log into the site to order cat food ... not having a good day, am I? Again!

Well, I've ordered groceries. I'll try to get the cat food tomorrow - can't log into the site.

And with this whole anxieting myself, it's now noon! Power out in four hours - I had better get the baking going!

Right, I managed to get the Whiskas for my mippies! All anxiety is now gone! Bread dough is on the go, now I can relax!

Okay, snake was identified as a Red Lipped Herald snake. It can be aggressive, but is not dangerous. Not even to mippies!

One more hour of electricity before the outage ... this really puts a major damper on my weekend. It may not sound like much, and knowing WHEN and for HOW LONG definitely makes it easier - but it does put your entire weekend on a schedule! All electrical chores MUST BE FINISHED by the time the power goes out. Not just started, or in progress, but finished ... which essentially puts the entire weekend on a schedule.

Well, I manged to get everything ready on time. Bread and muffins are in the oven, bed sheets are hanging on the line and I've put the geyser on, so I'll have hot water to wash the dishes ... whenever I want. Well, I never WANT to wash dishes, as you know. I mean, at least I can wash them on MY terms - not Eishkom's schedule.

Right, that's over. And I did wash the dishes. Of course, as soon as the power went off, I realised that I was hungry - so I had some viennas. After washing the dishes, I went outside for a bit. Pulled all the large weeds around the peach tree, some of them were getting to knee-height already.

Now I'm back inside, running my bath.

All done and clean! Now I can watch an episode or two before I have to shut everything down, as there will be another power outage from midnight till 02:30. Sigh ...

Lock-down Day 562

Oh, crap! More load shedding! I only just saw the news - power going out in half an hour! Better make myself another flask of coffee!

Can't do the laundry without power ... sigh.

Power went off about quarter past eight and came back around twenty to ten. Coming on earlier helps, as I can get started - but going off later doesn't help much. Unless I'm doing last minute preparation for the outage.

I stripped my bed again, washed the mattress ... okay, so I spent about quarter of an hour brushing Mewthos before ... I don't want to see so much as a whisker of his, when I'm cleaning up his ... mess ...

And then I treated the pavement outside my bedroom with a home-brew of vinegar, salt and a few drops of liquid soap.

Now I'm busy getting the details of the light bulbs, so I can have spare ones again. Oh, I have some ... somewhere ... I've looked, but I think they're still in some box somewhere ... sigh. Plus, there's the fun involved of me getting on a ladder ... even the second step has me swaying dizzily! Don't ask me how I'm going to fit the light bulbs, let alone replace the cover!

The two main bedroom lamps are easier, they hang a little lower - not fitted against the ceiling. For now, I've swapped the bulbs.

Fortunately, I don't have to wash the duvet again - just the cover, protector, sheets, etc. As if that isn't enough. I've also taken down the curtains ... and where is Mewthos, while I'm working my arse off, cleaning up his mess? Curled up on the bed, on the fresh sheets! Hrmph! While I'm sitting here, wondering whether I should wash the rug as well ...

I've just checked on my peas, they're not quite ripe, yet.

Effing great! I've washed the protective sheet, hung it outside and the effing wind blows it into the effing dirt! So, it may smell nice, but it'll be covered in mud! And just to add insult to injury, I injured myself trying to lift the fallen over washing stand! Jammed my hand between a hinge ... I'm blaming Mewthos! If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be washing my effing entire bedroom ... yet again! Worst of all, I've taken absolutely everything out ... yet I can still smell cat pee! I've sniffed the rug ... it's not the rug.

I think Mewthos has picked up on the fact that I'm not particularly pleased with him at the moment. He's bringing me gifts. Calls me to the kitchen then puts down a teeny tiny lizard! Twice now - I think it's the same lizard, because I took it outside the first time around.

Power is about to go off again ... grumble.

Good news - I could do with some - as I walked towards my bedroom, a smell of fresh laundry greets me! No pong of cat pee! I think I have managed to get it all! Oh, I sprinkled the mattress, the blanket and the protector with bicarbonate soda - I can only guess that that did the trick.

During the second blackout, I washed the dishes, cleaned the kitchen and then went into the garden. Cleaned the bed with the broad beans and maize, started on the - now overgrown - rose bed, but gave up after a while. I'm better off cleaning the pea and bean bed than the bed with a dead rose bush, I'm afraid. What I had hoped to be the rose bush making an effort turned out to be creepers! I pulled them out, roots, bulb and all ...

Some trouble getting back online after the outage ... now I'm going to snuggle in my lovely, clean, freshly laundered bed!

Lock-down Day 561

Oh, nice! (In the tones of Onslow in 'Keeping up Appearances') Load Shedding is back! Just what I needed! Power went out from 02:00 - 04:30 ... which meant that I had to turn the PC off and use my mobile for my audiobook. At least it didn't interfere with my morning coffee!

Funny thing in the news, though. First and article how our president announces South Africa is ready to be a major exporter of green energy, followed by another article that, due to lack of ability to produce enough energy, Eishkom will implement load shedding! What am I missing, here?

Anyway, I didn't have a very good night, and got up rather late this morning. It rained quite a lot during the night, though - when I drove out, I saw my rain gauge about half full! The back lawn is almost completely green again ...

I guess I won't be able to mow the lawn today, not if everything is still wet. I'll see what I can do, when I get home this afternoon. For now ... work ...

Back at home, busy! We had 34 mm rain overnight! None since then, though, so I decided to get the mowing out of the way, first. I mowed the patch in front of the car port, the partition with the now-clean pavement, and around the rose bushes. Then I decided that, with the thorough soaking the ground has got, it would be a good time to clear the pavement outside my bedroom ... again. The grass is growing tall and strong there, I'm afraid. Well, I did my best - but the result ... there's still loads of grass growing strong. I pulled, I swept, I sprayed water, pulled again ... Ah, well ...

Load shedding again, tonight - but we're not affected. This time. So ... I'm going to sit back and relax with mippies for a while. I've already had a cuddle session with Janey ... next?

Lock-down Day 560

Standard morning, coffee ...

Work ...

Home ...

Garden, treat mippies, shower, dinner, cuddles ...

Lock-down Day 559

Another bad day, I'm afraid. First, I woke up around one - again: thirsty! Then, just after five, I woke up wet! Yeah, I can't believe it either ... just WTF?

I have a problem with my garage door, one of the rods came off last night. This morning I realised that I can't leave it like that - as I can't open the door without that rod in place. I've forced it back into place ... but, just in case I run into a problem again, I've taken the front door key as well. It would really be awful coming home with no way to get inside!

At work, at least the internet is working again - which means I can get some work done! It came back a minute or two before five last night - as I was on the phone, following up on the fault log ...

At least I was able to get away to get groceries! Oh, and my delivery arrived! A few toys for me to play with ... well, pens for work as well. But the rest? I got a silver paint marker, to label my seed bottles. Using a black marker in front of black soil is a bit ... difficult to read, ha ha! And then I got myself an engraving tool ... not sure how to use that, but hey! Something fun for me!

While I'm waiting for the slooooow PC to think, I'm just checking the Whiskas prices on Takealot ... unreal! Prices have almost doubled! I check on ePetstore - prices are still good. So, they now get my business. Madness! Absolute madness!

Back at home, not much to tell. Watering, weeding, chores, shower, and just a bowl of yogurt for dinner.

Lock-down Day 558

What an awful day! Seriously ... It started around four in the morning, when I woke up incredibly thirsty! No clue, why ... got up, drank milk ... of course, having got up in the middle of the night, I overslept!

The biggest problem, of course, is the current union strike! I can't get steel for love nor money! And EVERYTHING is linked to dependency on the strike ... steel, deliveries, production of raw materials, tools ... everything.

Well, that's the only thing I got done today. Sigh ...

More joy at home, though! I've watered and continued weeding around my carrots. Cleaning a wide berth around them - hopefully buying myself a bit of time before the next lot take over.

I meant to go and buy some groceries today - of course, I didn't get a chance. So ... now I just hope the left-overs will be enough for tonight! I better make a plan to go tomorrow, though!

I see Facebook is back. I may have a few minutes to take a peek, but no more ... mippies are very demanding! Ha Ha!

Lock-down Day 557

Typical Monday morning ... off to work ...

At work, a teeny problem: no internet. Bit of a nuisance, but no real problem ... until the server goes down, as well! With out access to the server, I can do nothing ... I sorted catalogs, some papers ... and then my boss got the server access resolved!

Back at home, basic chores, then a bit of weeding ...

When it was time to call mippies, Mini was on the roof! And gave the impression that she couldn't get down ... yeah, I don't believe it, either. But they've all got 'stuck' on the roof, wanting me to come and 'rescue' them - remember when it was Ziva's favourite evening game? Well, I fetched the ladder and picked her off!

Then, we all went inside ...or so I thought! When I got to the kitchen, Ziva and Mewthos were missing! Open up again, back outside ... and Mewthos comes running from the gate! Ziva had gone off on a meander, and Mewthos went to fetch her! Mippies, eh?

Well, I turned on the PC ... but Facebook wouldn't load ... check the news: some major outage of several social media's ... though, as I read it, it only affects certain areas? Ah, well ... no worries ... I'll just watch an episode, cuddle and brush mippies ... then sleep ...

Lock-down Day 556

I had a bad toothache last night, and struggled to get to sleep - despite the pain killers. So, this morning, I didn't want to get up. Mewthos became quite insistent. It was nearly seven, when I finally gave in an let them out ... only ... they didn't want out, they want their breakfast! Ha Ha, sorry, mippies - either outies or breakfast! Yes, some mornings I give in ... not today, though!

I'm trying to get a few minutes quiet time at the PC, but Mewthos insists I come outside to play! It's a weekend thing with him. He sits just out of reach and mewls for attention. Then, when I get up and go to him, he turns and dashes outside on to the lawn, sits there and mips at me! I can practically hear him say 'come out and play!'!

I've got quite a few chores to do today, including the online shopping ... sigh. Better get started.

Well, the sky is clear and the sun is out, so I start by washing blankets. Once they're up, I'm off to the garden! I decided that I want the bed around the grapevine cleaned - before it's completely covered; and then, given the rain, I'd like to clear the pavement in the partition behind the grapevine.

Mission accomplished! And boy, what a mission it was! First, I cleared, then swept, then hosed the whole place down and finally pulled everything I could. What I couldn't pull, I cut.

I probably should have taken a 'before' photo, for better effect, but hey, I know what it looked like before ... hang on, so do you! Remember those photos I took, when I cut the grass in that partition? Well? There you go!

Now just add a couple of tall weeds, which have been growing for weeks, and that's what I started with!

Bread dough is on the go, I've done the first set of dishes - I think I'll start watering now. Not so much for the water, but for the cooling down effect.

Oh, and my peas? Covered in pods! By the end of the week, I'll be enjoying a meal of peas!

Half five, everything is in the oven (bread rolls and muffins).

Quarter to eight. I've spent a lot of time this afternoon just walking around the garden, reflecting. It's exactly one year since I've moved here.

Quarter past eight ... I meant to share my reflections, mippies decided I have better things to do ... and they're not satisfied, yet ...

Lock-down Day 555

Not the earliest of mornings, Mewthos had to get quite insistent to get me out of bed this morning, ha ha!

I let them out and made myself coffee. It's looking overcast, I'm guessing it will rain soon ...

Phone call re work. One of our guys is working today, to meet urgent requirements for our client - who are affected by the strike next week. They will be closed from Tuesday on ...

Ah, and there's the rain! Let's just hope the power stays on, eh?

Okay, couple of minutes of rain, and now the sun is coming out. Weird weather. Actually, it's really bad weather, with temperatures changing from 35 Celsius one day, to max 20 Celsius two days later ...I just hope I don't get sick. For myself, I'm pulling on and taking off a long-sleeve top more frequently than a lunch-time stripper with 3 gigs! Frequently complicated by mippies having cuddle-attacks!

Anyway, I've hung the laundry in the laundry, washed the dishes and just swept the entire house ... only to discover that Mewthos has a few hidden spray-points! Sigh ... Washed the floors now, as well ...

And then, I started pottering about. I started pulling out weeds walking along the fence from the grill, behind the outside room and then continued to clean the ... cactus bed? Not sure what to call it, since the aloes are gone ... With the 25 mm rain we've just had, the ground is soft for quite a depth, so I was able to pull out some creepers with their entire root! Oh, and I also raked all the Jacaranda droppings off the lawn out back - can't have those clog up the mower next Friday ...

None of that was on any plan, but I'm glad I did it! The difference is very noticeable! And getting more of those roots out, just makes it worth while.

Anyway, back inside ... mippies are treated ... I've bathed ... time for brushies and cuddles!

Lock-down Day 554

Oh, I got so caught up with mippie brushies and cuddles, I completely forgot that another 'family meeting' was scheduled last night ... Ah, well. Snakes and ladders strike again - we're now back to Level 1!

I was more concerned over another power outage, as the weather was quite busy last night. We had a lot of rain during the night, it was still raining when I left for work! I have to hope for a break in the weather during the weekend, so I can mow! I'll have to mow everywhere - or it'll be too long by next Friday! I already saw green shoots poking through everywhere, yesterday evening!

Well, I've just checked and I've received full credit for the Whiskas! Good! I'll have to order this weekend ...

Back at home, I'm straight into the garden. Well, chores first, but then garden. I checked the weather report and there's a chance of rain tomorrow and Sunday - so, I decided that I might as well mow the lawn patches today, even though they're wet.

Done. There's a portion by the carport which the mower can't reach - creeping into the marigold bed and around the pots, so I do that 'border' with my scissors. Since I don't need to water, and it's too wet to tackle any bed for weeding ... I decide to do some planting, instead! Okay, so that also involves weeding ... or should I say, digging through the mud?

Well, I've planted peppers, next to the tomatoes, then the lemon balm in the corner, basil right by the drain - I hope it won't get washed away. Then I planted Alyssum in the center bed, where the biggest ponytail is. I figured it could maybe creep and crawl over the rocks, covering them with their pretty white flowers - and that lovely honey smell! Lastly, I planted Thyme between the ponytail and the pea-and-bean bed!

I had planned to steam potatoes for dinner ... but I got inside so late, I was too hungry to wait. So I just ate a couple of vienna's. Didn't even bother to fry them - just dipped them in some sauce.

Then bath, followed by my nightly brushies and cuddles routine ...