Lock-down Day 611

Saturday, 27 November

Very, very late morning! I think it must have been near seven, when I finally got out of bed - not sure why!

It's cold and overcast and looks like there's more rain on the way. I've had to put on something long-sleeve, as I'm cold! No, not complaining - quite the contrary! Good weather for hard work!

I'm planning to spend time in the kitchen today. Mippies are queuing for attention, won't leave me alone ... You'd think they were neglected!

Speaking of which, my neighbour also called Ziva fat! That's the second time visitors have called my mippies fat ... do they have a point? They ARE well, fed, but fat? They're at the age where they still look lovely and cuddly. When cats get older, they tend to thin down a lot ... 

Oh, look! Another 'family meeting' on the cards ... new variant, new wave, new rules.

Well, I'm slowly getting started. It's almost 10, ha ha! Laundry is in the machine ... well, the first load, anyway. I don't know how I'm going to dry it, because outside still looks like rain ...

I've put up my owls!

If you look closely, you can see broad beans ready to be harvested, and maize cobs, as well as the next rose about to flower! This one, I'm told, is called 'Turkish Delight'.

Oh, and more good news: there's a chance of load shedding ... soon ...

I've put up the butterflies - though I'm not yet happy with the location. On the one hand, they need direct sunlight on top, where the solar panel is located, and on the other hand, in fresh air there's nowhere to hang them.

And here's another puzzle! Look at the 'butterflies'! Ha Ha Ha

Look more like Hummingbirds, don't they? Well, to be honest, if I had had a choice between butterflies and hummingbirds, I would probably have chosen the hummingbirds. I like hummingbirds!

Well, as I sit outside for my breaks, I can give some thought to location ...

Well, I've hung the laundry - it's a bit too close to each other, it'll take more than a day to dry, I'm afraid. And I've started washing all the new dishes I bought on Monday.

The weather today, I'm afraid, brings with it the kind of air pressure that makes my head ache - and nothing helps.

Half-way through washing dishes, I decided to mow the lawn. I figured, if it starts raining, I can always come inside and carry on washing the dishes - but I can't mow the lawn, if it's raining when I'm done with the dishes.

Good thing, too! It started raining when I was on the last stretch ... I finished both partitions (and the one behind the grapevine is nasty! I really battled mowing that patch!), I finished all around the driveway, I finished in front of the house, up to the small ponytail ... now there's only that nasty section in front of the rose beds to be done!

Oh dear ... here we go again! Power just went off for a few seconds ... I fear there's another power outage coming!

Only now, I'm much better prepared! My ONLY worry now, is the fridge & freezer! I've got power units, that can charge practically everything via USB (cell phone, router) and power quite a few things via USB (like the air cooler, and my salt lamp). I have a gas cooker. I'm not worried about the PC - internet is so bad, can't do much online anyway. Write my blog, check the news ... though I do still need to pay rent, electricity, data, additional airtime and order Whiskas this weekend ... And if I can't watch a DVD, so what? I've got plenty of books!

Like I said, my ONLY worry now is the fridge & freezer.

I'm chatting with At, sadly, he can't get anyone to look after his brother tomorrow, so he can't get away ... 

I'm also carrying on with the dishes, while it's raining. It stopped raining. For about 5 minutes. Now it's raining again. A nice, steady rain - not a downpour, just constant, gentle rain ... looks like we've had another 10 mm already!

Twenty to five and it's still drizzling. Not raining anymore - Smeagol's come out of the dog hut! That's where he's been hiding throughout the rain, today! I'm glad! I gave him another treat - mippies did not like that, not at all, ha ha!

Kitchen is finally clean, too! That's the biggest problem, when you shop for so many kitchen items - you have to wash them all. All in one go, on top of the standard dishes, ha ha! The frying pans needed some special treatment, too. Apparently you're supposed to rub cooking oil all over them, heat them up, let them cool down, then wash them again.

It stopped raining! I grabbed my gardening stuff and headed for the rose bushes! With the ground as thoroughly soaked as it is now, I'm getting out roots that would have stuck or broken any other time! Mini, as always, came to join me. She finds the owls interesting - keeps putting her paws on one, to see what it'll do! Later, she strolled onto my back and settled down! And wouldn't budge! When I slowly straightened up - which both Mewthos and Janey understand to mean that they need to get off ... well, Mini just strolled onto my shoulder! I ended up with her butt hanging in my face!

I managed to clear quite a bit. Almost finishing the third bed, but I opted to clear half the last bed, instead. Starting along the wall, working my way forward. And I cleared a good ring around the poor rose! As I had promised! Still, I'd like to finish that this weekend.

When I had my quality time on the veranda - though Mewthos kind of spoiled it, with his continuous mewling - I decided the owls will have to move. They are too far away for me to enjoy. I moved two to the center ponytail bed - that's better, but I think, out back would be even better. After all, I spend more time in my armchair, looking out back, than I do on the veranda. Well, in the dark. In daylight, I sit on the veranda - but the owls don't glow in daylight!

Well, I'm happy with my achievements today! Looking forward to tomorrow ...