Lock-down Day 604

Saturday, 20 November

Power didn't go off ... I just checked, they suspended load shedding at 21:00 last night.

Well, it is overcast - ideal weather for gardening. And there's a high chance of rain this afternoon - ideal weather for housework. The twist, of course, is: what about electricity! Rain comes with a storm, and storms often cause power outages ... 

Internet is being iffy again. I think I'll go out into the garden now ...

It's on the dot nine, and I finished mowing! I think I'll start the washing machine now - I can hang it up, or not.

Okay, so what should I do in the garden now? The spinach and carrot section is covered in branches, bits of tiles off the roof, weeds ... cleaning that would certainly be 'quick visual show'. As in, not a hard job, fairly quick, and it will look like a big job done. On the other hand, with all this rain we've had this week, it would be a good time to weed! And there is a LOT of weeding that needs doing - if I had to list it, I'd fill a couple of pages!

On the other hand, if I try and pull those bushels of veld in front of the rose beds - that will reduce the amount of time it will take me to mow every week! That patch there is really awful. There's reed like stuff growing there, which resists cutting. No matter how sharp the blades! So, yes. I think that would be making the best use of the recent rains!

Right. I've removed several of those bushes. It's amazing what a difference such impossible-to-mow patches make! When I sit on the veranda, I can clearly see just what a - relatively - small patch this is. See, the 'grass' doesn't cut, it shreds in the mower. Those shreds wilt, and from my seat of the veranda, you can clearly see where exactly that is the case. And that 'small' patch takes almost as long to mow, as the whole rest of the front garden!

Well, after I started clearing such bushes on the edge of the rose bed, I carried on clearing the rose bed. Well, that was badly covered with different kinds of grass ... quite a big job, but I cleared the second half of the second bed and half of the third bed. That poor yellow rose in the fourth bed is really not getting much joy. Poor thing tried so hard and put forth two flowers ... both no more than an inch above the ground!

The sun is getting too much, though. I'm taking a break. I've hung up the laundry, put on the geyser ... I mean to do the dishes now. Me and dishes ... lol ...

Well, I played a game for a bit, watched a bit of an episode, but eventually did wash the dishes. All of them.

Then I went back into the garden. The weather had turned and thunder is rumbling, rain not far off ... I carry on in the rose bed, and I manage to finish (well, as good as) the third bed, now it's only the poor yellow rose bed to do. I put down food for all three roses, so when the rain comes, they'll have a good munch!

Bit of a situation inside. I came inside, as it started to drizzle ... and found Smeagol coming from the bedroom side! He must have come in either through the front door, or the open bedroom window, as I had closed the back door - because the wind had picked up. Poor bastard! I guess he's just as afraid of the thunder, as Ziva! He didn't attack, and Mewthos just has to growl and Smeagol stops. Afraid. No wonder Mewthos marks his territory indoors! Well, at least he's left out the bedroom ... lately. 

Well, I opened the outside room for Smeagol. Then coaxed him outside ... but he's hiding between the pots under the car port. Poor bastard!

And here we go again! Power out! Grrr ...

I tried publishing, but the internet went off with the power (shouldn't - but for some reason it did, this time).

The storm didn't last long. We got 9 mm rain in about half an hour! I opened up again, letting mippies out - it's still light (power went off around five, sun goes down half seven, now). And I went on weeding the driveway. Looks nice and clean, now!

I saw Smeagol coming out of the dog hut - that's where he hid from the storm. I think I'll put a blanket and some boxes in there for him to stay comfy, in future.

When it got dark, I went inside - Mewthos was already restless, ha ha! Treated mippies and then had a bath. I hadn't turned off the geyser, so I had hot water, at least!

As I was in the bath, power came back. Two and a half hours ... not too bad. At least I can now have a hot dinner!