No power - again!

I woke up to a dark and silent morning. Again! I turned on my WiFi and checked the group messages - power apparently went off around half two in the morning! Cable theft, apparently!

And I can't report, since the call from two days ago is still open! So, it's sit tight, twiddle your thumbs and hope ...

I had just about given up, when the power came back on. Seven hours later!

I'm at home. I hauled out the gas bottle and made myself coffee - it's quite cold in the mornings. The lounge, with the sliding door - even just the tiny bit - open, is quite freezing.

I watched more German news ... what's happening in South Africa, is happening in Germany as well. Petrol prices rising, food no longer affordable ... violence against women ... Brazil is experiencing landslides from flooding as much as our own Durban. Only, in Germany, the war in Ukraine is continuously top news - understandably.

Everywhere I look, it's just depressing. The cold isn't helping, either.

I can't keep my mind on all these negative fears and worries. As I said, I'm watching Downton Abbey - key focus on Maggie Smith! She's got the best lines! The scenes with her are the best! That alone is what I'm watching it for, this time around.

Ach no! Smeagol just attacked Ziva! Again! Poor girl is so shaken, she's now growling at me! That's all she needs - more wounds! Poor darling!

Mewthos insists I should be outside. In the garden. He keeps coming to me, mipping, then, when I get up, he dashes all hope and enthusiasm outside! Yeah ... his enthusiasm is contagious! And, of course, he doesn't give up!

I'm not up to any actual gardening ... just a bit of light weeding here and there. I've done the Marigold bed - or should I say the poppy bed? The poppies have crawled out of their pot and spread themselves across the whole bed ... Marigolds are not coming up, poppies are blooming! Now I've moved on to the center bed - which, I'm afraid, I've allowed to completely overgrow. It's covered in Kikuyu grass, I'm afraid! Crawling across the entire bed!

Mewthos and Mini are keeping me company, with Janey popping around every now and again.

Ziva first tried curling up on one of the tiers of the cat tower I bought, but Mini seems to consider it her property and kept swatting at her! She's now curled up in her drawer again.

When I opened the fridge, I was dismayed to see the Kiwi had grown a white layer ... I resolved to eat them anyway. When I took them out, I was relieved to see the 'white layer' had just been a trick of the light! Well, I have one batch of Kiwi seeds already in the fridge - they can keep up to 4 months, I believe. Another batch is drying, now ...

I must say, I'm feeling better today. No headache. Well, it's come and gone. I spent most of the day outside, which - I think - has done me a lot of good! It's still early, though, only quarter to four. Seeing as I have no chores, I'm just lounging about. Joined mippies on my bed - three are cuddling there. Mewthos brought half the dirt to bed - as usual. Ziva is still in her drawer.

Center bed is clean. Well, not thoroughly deep weeded, as I'd like - but it looks clean. And for now, I'm happy with that!

Just about six, mippies are inside and treated, chores are done.

Huge relief! My salary has been paid! I'll sleep better tonight ...

Headachy Monday

This morning, the headache had gotten worse. I struggled to get myself out of bed - and was not impressed when Mini had hidden my hairbrush. I couldn't find it - it's somewhere deep under the bed ... I ended up using my fine tooth comb!

When I made my morning coffee, I put a spoonful of instant coffee in my cup, then topped it up with filter coffee! I wondered why it stayed so dark when I added milk - that's when I realised what I had done! Not well!

Very late to work. If I don't feel better during the day, I should probably take a migraine cocktail and take tomorrow off.

I've just told my boss and assured him, that everything will be in place, so that my absence won't be any problem. I also told him I would turn off my phone. I'm really not well.

I just placed my fruit juice order ... went over my budget - their prices have increased! Sigh ... Everything goes up, only my mood goes down! Ha Ha!

Oh gosh! They sent mail that they'll deliver tomorrow! Ah, well ... it's cold ... it'll keep for a day.

Yeah, I'm not feeling any better. Headache comes and goes, and I've been feeling dizzy most of today.

I've sent mail asking if they can postpone delivery to Wednesday. I'm not sure what I can do to get better, though - except that I can take meds for the headaches. Feels a bit more like a head cold now, though. Like my head is stuffed with cotton wool ... and everything is strangely distant ... not real ... I don't know ...

Load shedding is back again. Stage 2. Just from five to ten tonight - we're not scheduled in that time slot.

Sheez, and now I feel cold! And it's pretty much the warmest time of day, now!

I've been rifling through my collection to find a series that will lift my spirits. I'm afraid, not even comedies are appealing to me, at the moment. I've settled on 'Downtown Abbey' for now ...

I've re-heated my stew, mippies were disappointed. Now I just want to take a bath ... then cuddle in for the night. Last night I had trouble finding room for my feet on the bed - all four mippies were curled up in a row by my legs!

Ziva may not wish to join tonight, as I've treated her wound, yet again. I'm a little worried that it doesn't seem to be healing as I'd like it to.

Well, I've bathed, moisturised and now I'm going to settle in bed ... three of my mippies are cuddling on my armchair. Maybe they'll come or maybe they won't ... they'll be here in the morning, though, ha ha!

No Power Sunday

Woke up in the dark - again! No, not before sunrise ... no power! The beeping UPS didn't wake me, so power must have gone off quite a while back. I did check the mains - being the eternal optimist that I am - then checked whether Eishkom may be surprise load shedding. Nope, and nope.

Nobody else was reporting power outages, so ... first things first: Coffee! Haul out the gas bottle, fill the kettle ...

Then report the power outage! By now, others are also waking up and finding their power off - and they're also reporting it.

I passed the time by watching news ... not much news on a Sunday, though. Mippies demanded cuddles left, right and center, though!

Having a hard time to get started today ... bread dough is on the go, I've paid rent and bought electricity. Budget is stressing me. Again. I'm going to hang on to my credit card payment until payday ... I can pay what I budgeted, but since I made purchases with my credit card, I'd like to cover that, too. At least the fruit juice isn't an issue. I'll do that from work tomorrow, though ...

Interesting side note here. The prime rib turned out to be a bit too rich for my colon. I read somewhere how bay leaves counteract richness in meat, so I thought I'd give it a try. Guess what? Apparently it works! Weird, eh? Well, I think it is.

I have to say that this whole work stress is seriously getting to me. I feel like I'm in denial of suffering from depression. In part because I know from experience that 'fake-it-till-you-make-it' can work - but not forever. I think it's catching up with me.

I'm at a stage, where I'm having to work on myself just to do the 'musts', and when they're done, I don't actually feel like doing anything, not even weeding. I just force myself to start ... and I'm beginning to run out of energy to get myself started ...

Which isn't really surprising - everyone's been living with a black mark over our futures ever since the beginning of the lock-down. World-wide. First weeks, then months of no income, then back to work ... yet business' going down more and more.

Lock-down is finally over ... and yet, instead of re-building, re-growing, getting back on our feet ... we're facing the end. Our business has never gone through this many months without production ...

What keeps me going, as best I can, is the knowledge that it's world-wide. It's not just me. It's not just our business. It's not just South Africa.

And we're much better off than anyone living in the Ukraine. East or West.

So, no. I'm not giving up, nor am I feeling sorry for myself. Well, okay, a little. After all, I'm the center of my little universe. Yet I am loosing hope ... hanging in there is getting harder ...

Well, just after four and everything is done. Kitchen is clean again, lunch is packed ... I'm contemplating an early bath again. I also have a headache ... had it most of the day. Can't shake it. Mild, though, so I haven't tried meds, yet.

And that's another weekend done ... with nothing more than chores. It's not a good life, at the moment. I drive myself through each week looking forward to the weekend, and each weekend I struggle to motivate myself to get just the chores done ... only to start the cycle again.

I hope to see light at the end of this tunnel soon ...

Misty morning

I got up around half seven, let mippies out, made coffee. This morning, the fog is so thick, I can barely see the gate out front! Janey went for a look, but the rest of my mippies stayed inside. Mewthos needed a cuddle session for a change. I've spent some time with him, now I'm getting ready to start the laundry.

Slow start to the day - it's cold! And without load shedding, I'm not limited to a schedule. I get the laundry into the machine before nine - interrupted by lots and lots of mippie cuddles! Speaking of which, Janey is on my lap again ... and again ... and again. Is it any wonder when I loose it sometimes and yell at them to go away?

Well, bed is upright, ready for me to scrub the ... scent of Mewthos' discontent ... off. And here is Mewthos, investigating what I'm doing! I'm in no mood for mippies right now - especially not Mr-I-can-do-whatever-I-like-mommy-still-loves-me Mewthos! Who is now sitting next to me, mewling quite pitifully for attention! While I'm searching for a cork!

Kidding! I've scrubbed the base, curtain and base cover are in the machine, clothes are hanging outside.

And here comes our load shedding again! Stage 1 from 17:00 - 22:00 tonight, same again tomorrow night. Luckily we're not scheduled during that time slot!

Just past noon, bedroom is back. Curtains hanging, bed is made, floors are washed - still have to do the lounge, though. Among other things, of course ... still a long list.

Mippies are not making it easy, either. Winter is not a peaceful time for me - mippies just want cuddles ... brushies, cuddles, scritchies ... just more and more and more attention.

Ten to one, lounge is done. Mini just came in with a mouse ... she's taken it to the laundry ... I didn't close it fast enough! Poor mouse is keeping mippies busy. Right now it's behind my books on the floor in mippies room ... sigh ... Janey Mewthos and Mini are trying to reach it, whereas Ziva has curled up in her drawer.

I should have carried on with my chores ... but I've been taking a two hour break ... though I did harvest some Kiwi seeds.

Well, stew is on the go, at least. I'll have to chop the potatoes into that later. When I add the lentils and the butternut.

I just went down Facebook memory lane ... 13 years ago today I lost my Mynx! We've been together through thick and thin ... 15 years! I've just given Tynx a cuddle. Better known as Mini. She's on the bed behind me ...

I've run out of steam ... I don't even want to play anything ... just flop down somewhere, and wake up to a better day.

I still want to eat and bath, though ... and now I had better sit outside for a bit ... 

Of course I didn't sit still. I went and picked gooseberries ... just found one or two, still ... nice! Mippies are in, bath is running ...

House is clean. I'm clean. Mewthos is getting a 2-lady Spa-treatment from his mum and sister. Dinner is delicious, even though there was no room for the butternut ... yet!

Now I'm just going to wind down ... cuddle whichever mippies come to bed ... and hope I feel less depressed tomorrow ...

Friday

No spraying this morning, I'm happy to say!

Call from At telling me I don't need to pick him up today - huge relief!

Apparently load shedding from 17:00 - 22:00 will continue throughout the weekend. Not a problem - we're only affected today, and only from 17:00 - 18:00.

I was contemplating pruning the peach tree this afternoon - but I just read that it's best to do that at the end of winter, not now, at the start of winter. Makes sense.

I don't know what gardening project I'll tackle this afternoon - maybe clear around the gooseberry bushes? I'll see what I feel like doing, when I get home.

And what do you think I did, once I got home? Yup! Neither! Instead, I played with my compost heap! I cleared along the fence next to it, and started moving the compost. There's actually a lot of really nice compost already - though more mulch than compost. At least, I think that's what it is. It's not completely decomposed, yet - but I think it'll make an awesome top layer during winter! I think that will be my Friday project from now on ... 

Today, I just carried some to the bean bed, where the thyme is still doing well. I just used a soil bag. I think in future, I should use my wheelbarrow, though.

Looks like we'll have to get through this weekend without load shedding ... I scarcely remember how! Any suggestions?

I meant to take a nice hot bath - but didn't wait long enough. It was a luke warm bath. Still, warm being the operative word here! Not I'm just going to snuggle under the duvet ... wait for mippies to show up ... cuddle ... sleep.

Thursday

I swear I'm going to cork Mewthos! Blerry sod goes and stands next to my head and lets off a streak at the curtains! I just don't know what to do anymore ... though, in his defense, I think I heard Smeagol just outside at the time. Still ...

In the news: steep price increase of petrol expected next week! With that, everything will go up again ... whatever I can afford today, will be beyond my budget next week ... 

Worst of all is, that the increase is not about the cost of oil - it's about our corrupt, plundering government having plundered the tax coffers ... now they want MORE money! For their own pockets, no doubt! It's an increase in levies - the biggest increase since ... I don't think it has ever increase this much!

I quickly went to get groceries ... got some meat, as well. Not much, just some. 

An 80s song was playing ... and I suddenly yearned to go back to those days! Prices back then were far more realistic! I mean in relation to salaries at the same time - and remember, I was earning minimum wage, not a qualified salary! I was earning less than 10% of my current net income - but I had full medical cover plus pension fund. And with 5% of that income, I could fill my freezer chock-full of top range meat for a month! For 2 people, at the time! Today, I'm spending 15% of my income to buy the cheapest cuts - and I need to stretch it! (Meaning, I make stew or sausage rolls, etc. - so I'm 'eating' one piece for a few days).

The quality of life today is nothing like what I grew up with. Where it was possible to live relatively well on one income, today, it's tough even on two incomes - and I have only one income!

Time is money. And money is time. Where the trend was towards inventing more 'quick' and 'fast' products - like pre-cooked meals, for example - because money was fine, but time was limited with both adults working ... today, we're going back to 'make it yourself' or 'DIY', taking the time to save the money.

I don't know anymore ... I just don't feel like I fit into todays timeline anymore. Todays views, attitudes, gadgets ... I feel lost ...

Now, if only I had a secure income. That would make a really huge difference! I never expected to be worse off now, than I was as a student!

Although, on the whole, I'm still okay. Neither I nor my cats go hungry. And apart from groceries, I have no needs. I have a home filled with hobbies, entertainment and pleasure - cats, garden, books, art, games, DVDs, records ... 

Speaking of groceries, I'll need to order fruit juice this weekend.

In the meantime, I should probably pay my rent ... can it wait until the weekend? I think so ... if I have trouble with the internet, Monday is not too late, either.

Urgh! I'm to take At home and take him to work tomorrow morning! Not happy! Poor mippies won't even have their half hour outies tonight ... although I'll probably let them out in the dark, anyway. 

Yup, home half an hour later than usual. Lights just came on as I reached the gate. I let mippies out - they had about fifteen minutes outside ...

I'm afraid Mewthos has been busy indoors. I've been washing floors already ... if you're wondering how I can cope with that smell? Well, that's the bit that worries me a bit ... it's nowhere near as bad as it should be. Also, I spray vinegar over it, which does change the odor ... plus the strong citrus smell of the cleaner I use ... 

But I think that I'm going to staple plastic all around the bed base this weekend. Put the base cover over that - that'll prevent him from getting INTO the base ... which is a heck of a job to try and clean!

In the meantime, Mew-Mew knows I'm unhappy with his activities ... he's tried hiding from me! On top of the kitchen cupboards! High, high up!

And Ziva? Those wounds on her back - which seemed to be healing - were open and oozing again, today! Last time, I did manage to clean it, but not put ointment on. She quite aggressively resisted me - she actually scratched me! This time, however, I was able to clear, clean and then put ointment on. Hopefully it will now really heal!

She's not happy, though - she's been dropping stuff in their room ... I'll have a look now, what she's been pushing off shelves.

I better get my own dinner started, share it, then get to bed ...

Only Wednesday? Really?

Feels more like it should be Friday already ... a feeling that's been following me all day yesterday, last night and again this morning ...

With load shedding - even when we are not in the dark - always comes internet issues. It took a very long time for the internet to 'come on', and then I wrote my blog ... but when I tried to publish it ... poof!

Back at home, no load shedding for us, again. I did my chores, had a smoke on the veranda, brought in mippies, bathed, shared my dinner ... nothing exciting. 

Janey is half-sitting across my lap. Still, for the moment, but with her butt in the air and her tail wrapped around my arm! I better call it a day ...

Buzzing Tuesday

Standard morning, coffee, mippies ... then work.

Oh! I see in the news that Germanys Chancellor is in South Africa? On the news last night, I heard he was in Africa. Nigeria, last I heard. I think I'll peek in on the German news channel again tonight ... hear it from their viewpoint.

Back at home, I saw Smeagol running away from my place, as I came along ... his bowl was almost empty, he must have been here first.

With no load shedding scheduled for us tonight, I have no reason to rush ... just the lack of daylight. No time for any gardening anymore.

When I saw today's high and low temperatures, I was quite surprised: apparently it was over 30 Celsius here today! Yet just below 10 Celsius early this morning (the coldest time of day). That's quite a huge temperature variance in one day! At first I thought the Hygrometer might be wrong - but I compared its current temperature with my old-fashioned thermometer - both showed 21 Celsius!

Anyway, mippies are mipping for attention - Janey is sitting next to me ... she's already spent twenty minutes on my lap!

Cold Monday

Temperatures have dropped again - I'm afraid we're in for a very cold winter, this year. If I compare temperatures this time of year against last year ... not encouraging.

And I won't be able to take a hot bath tonight - load shedding from 18:00 - 20:00. I only get home at 17:30, and half an hour is not enough time to heat water. No biggie ... I hope.

Oh, and just for fun: Mini surprised me with a present! She's brought in a locust and hid it under the duvet in my bed! Where I found it - the most unpleasant way - when it tried to crawl on my leg as I was trying to snuggle down for the night! It was one of those hard-body razor legged locusts! Not at all pleasant!

I should also mention that, instead of spending a bit of quality time with my mippies on the veranda, last night - I was searching, ever more frantically, for Lady Jane! Made more frantic by the fact that my last words to her had been "Go away and don't come back!" Imagine if that had really been my last words to her ... She was persistently demanding attention when I was busy packing my lunch, hence my words. She did show up - after letting me worry for a good time!

Back at home, I rushed through everything that's easier to do with power, and got done in time. Mippies came in before the power went off.

I added mayonnaise and some spices to the chicken potato mix, turning it into quite tasty cold salad.

I spent the two hours without power watching Welt Nachrichten - it's a German news channel, that's free to watch on YouTube. Live. They report predominantly on the war in Ukraine.

Power is back on, I'm tired ... just had an intense cuddle session with Mewthos - Ziva and Mini are waiting for their turn!

Scheduled Sunday

With two scheduled power outages, I have to schedule my chores around them. With the first one at ten, I have less than three hours ... having dawdled and stayed in bed late, less than 2 hours now. So, I can't bake bread or wash-and-dry my bedding. Both will have to wait until power comes back at noon.

Mini tried her best to lick me out of bed early. She also pushed everything she could reach off the bed ... I was rather stubborn. It is cold today!

Now, while I'm trying to type, Janey is on my lap again!

Facebook seems to be a bit confused, as it's throwing up memories from 1 year ago - dated 2020!

All those irrational lock-down rules. Cigarettes were still illegal, and if we were 'caught' smoking, we'd have to present proof of purchase! Dating back to before the lock-down started - 3 months before! Or risk getting a criminal record! And our police minister proudly announced how many people he's arrested and charged with contravention of lock-down regulations ... while real criminals ran rampant!

The latest local scandal is the purchase of a glow-in-the-dark flag, which is supposed to unite all South Africans! Which cost R22 million!

I much prefer my own status from 10 years ago: "I wants a phaser! I mean, think about it: You point it at something and it disappears! No mess, no fuss ... no more carrying bags of garbage outside in the freezing cold, just point and whooosh! Gone!"

Load shedding has just been 'reduced' to Stage 2 from 08:00 - 16:00, then Stage 3 from 16:00 - 22:00 - no change to our scheduled outages, though. Still off from 10:00 - 12:00 and again 18:00 - 20:00.

Yeah, and, instead of getting busy, I'm sitting here scrolling through my memories, ha ha!

Well, I've put the laundry into the sun to dry ... under the carport, ha ha! There is no sun out back, yet ...

I'm not really motivated to do anything ... just kind of waiting for load shedding. After this past week's power outages - knowing when it will go off and when it will come back is much better! It's still de-motivating, though. Knowing that I can't start anything that requires electricity and can't be finished before it's taken away.

Well, I've amused myself with a couple of re-fill chores. Twenty to ten ... and I can't seem to get my rear moving ...

I moved a bit during the outage. Cleaned the kitchen, packed away the laundry and tinkered with my seedling tray - the one I'm trying to make. It's the bottles. I got the labels off, but the glue is still outside. I now have warm, soapy water - so, I tried rubbing alcohol. No use. Then I tried acetone. Little use. I tried scraping the glue off - too laborious. I'm still experimenting - but the power is back, so first I started the washing, then the bread dough.

I've decided to bake in the oven. I haven't yet decided whether I'll make rolls or a loaf. I was thinking of using the sausage I had taken out for dinner on ... oooh, was that Friday? Or yesterday? I think Friday. Anyway, if I DO use that sausage - then what will I have for dinner tonight? I've decided to take out the chicken - bake up another chicken dish. If it's defrosted by the time the bread dough is ready (that takes 1 1/2 hours), then I'll do that.

I also want to bake muffins today. Busy six hours, I'm setting myself, eh?

Oh, crap! I just checked my recipe - I forgot about the marinating. It's not going to work - so: plan B! I'll slice potatoes, spread the chicken on top of the slices and steam everything. So: sausage rolls it is!

Sausage rolls and chocolate chip muffins are in the oven. Kitchen is clean again - just the muffin tray to clean, afterwards.

Baking done, dinner is steaming ... ten to four, I'm on track. Twenty past four, kitchen is clean again ... I'm not going to wash the steamer today. I think I've washed enough dishes this weekend!

I thought I would bath early, and started running my bath ... but then I opted to wash the steamer, after all! I packed my lunch, cut up the chicken and potatoes for salad. And now it's half past five ... I'm just going to sit outside with my mippies for a bit, bring them in, bath ... 

Wet and dark Saturday

It rained a lot during the night. Outies wets! Mippies not happy! I got up before seven to let them out - only Mewthos ignored the wets and went for a walk-a-bout. And ran into Smeagol! Fight! Somewhere outside the gate. I put on my shoes and went to look - only Smeagol came strutting down the driveway, mewling his triumph and wanting to come inside. Uh oh! Where's Mewthos?

I had made coffee on the gas cooker - I'm going to need another gas bottle, sooner or later the gas will be finished, and I don't want to be caught without means to heat!

About half past seven, power came on! I'm rushing around, getting the laundry in the machine and plugging everything to charge that I can. It's a race against load shedding ... 

Amidst that rush, Mewthos shows up! Stinking! In their fight he must have rolled over some poop! Urgh! Wet poo, too!

Now I'm just trying to catch up on my writing - with Janey on my lap. No, never ever think of Janey as sitting still on my lap! She ALWAYS walks up and down, head butting my arms and hands, then tries to climb onto my shoulder ...

I've put the geyser on as well, so that I can clean the kitchen ...

Urgh! Mewthos wants me to pick him up ... urgh, noooo! I'll just scratch his ears and hope he goes away! I've already tried to wipe him clean ...  

Half to load shedding ... washing is hanging - though inside, as it's drizzling outside. I'm about to start cleaning the kitchen ... lights will go out, but I should have enough hot water by now.

Ah well ... better turn off the PC ... see you in two hours!

Five hours and forty minutes later. I'm back! Let me catch you up: In the middle of load shedding, the team arrived to erect our new poles. Which took a long time - which is why our power has only just come back on. At twenty to four!

And then, Eskom has escalated load shedding to Stage 4! From 13:00 - 22:00 tonight and again from 08:00 - 22:00 tomorrow. So, our power will go off again from 18:00 - 20:00 tonight. And tomorrow again from 10:00 - 12:00 and 18:00 - 20:00.

With only two hours with electricity now ... I guess I'd better get my cooking done. Geyser is still on, so I should be able to take a bath.

So, what have I been doing these past six hours? Freezing, mostly! It's really cold today, and the sun is not cooperating. After I cleaned the kitchen, I chopped up the bell peppers and placed their seeds on paper to dry. I've also chopped up all tomatoes, and put some seeds aside - I still have to clean them before drying.

I've cuddles mippies a lot! And I've cleaned up Mew-Mew - poor little mite is curled up on my bed. It's too cold for him to go outside today. I've brushed him, and then, of course, Mini was there for her turn!

I've decided to make rice with lentils. I've added the bell peppers and will add the tomatoes as well.

The oranges were a bit of a disappointment. No seeds. And very little juice. I should have known, considering WHERE I bought them, ha ha! I did add the pulp to the rice, though.

Right. Ten to six, almost time for yet another power outage. Mippies are inside, I've enjoyed a hot meal, my bath is ready ... I might as well publish now.

Back at home - the rest of my Friday ... without power! Again!

Well not quite, yet. Still at work.

Tonight we'll be missing out on load shedding, as we're not scheduled a turn. Nice! A neighbour wrote how 'we don't qualify, as we haven't had power on long enough' ha ha ha!

I've collected quite a lot of ideas I'd like to try at home ... sometime ... or maybe one day. Some are simple, some are complex. But when I'm at loose ends, and looking for ideas - I now have a collection! Ha Ha!

I haven't decided, yet, what I should do this afternoon. Rain is forecast late afternoon today, so, whatever I decide to do, I should be prepared to drop tools and run ... not start something, that needs any kind of finishing off.

Plus, of course, with the rain comes the potential power outage! Sigh ...

Looks like it could rain throughout the weekend ... uh oh! Not a problem, if it wasn't for the power outages!

Crap! Came home to an unpleasant surprise: power is off again! I've just spent an hour trying to report it. Online, I got Tuesday's number, when I called, they gave me a wrong number. I called again and was told that Tuesday's call is still open, as they haven't resolved the line touching issue, yet.

Oh, and I met more neighbours! They live across to the North. For some reason, they're not on our group. They were told there is no group. Well, I've asked that they be added.  Let's see what happens. 

I went and picked gooseberries until the rain drove me inside. Not many were edible, worms had gotten into a lot. Still, I enjoyed the ones I could eat!

I really think I should give them some attention! Poor things are doing their utmost to produce, but they are hidden amongst hordes of weeds!

Oh fun! Load shedding all weekend - well, from 08:00 - 22:00 Saturday and Sunday. That's us out from 10:00 - 12:00 both days, plus 18:00 - 20:00 Sunday night.

Now I'm having a really informative chat with the owner of Musaiek. Where I went for that meeting before the by-election. She's really well informed and active. I'm learning a lot tonight.

I eventually messaged our councilor and asked what's the plan with our power problem? The call from Tuesday is still open, because they have something planned to resolve the issue permanently. What is planned & when? And when will we have power tonight?

Right. They plan on planting another pole, tomorrow. Regarding tonight's power, teams are now waiting for the rain to abate ... it started raining hard a few minutes ago. Not going to have get my hopes up ... and my batteries are ALL low! Even the everlasting torch is already flickering - I have my router plugged into that. The one on the window sill - apparently it's not charged, it's not giving power to the router. My USB power bank is low ... my phone is running low ... 

Been chatting all evening, mippies are all curled up on the bed with me ...

It's rare that they ALL come to bed with me ... except in the mornings, when they all agree that I should get up and pool their efforts!

Attitude Adjustment

This work thing kept stomping through my head, and I just couldn't evict it.

First question: What do I want? Or rather, what do I need? Simple: Serenity!

Accept the things I cannot change,

courage to change the things I can.

I CAN change me! My attitude. That's all I can change.

So. How do I do that?

Mentally turn the tables.

It hit me last night, as I was listening to 'Making Money' by Terry Pratchett: I AM HUBERT! Ha Ha Ha! I really am! 

And my system is the Glooper!

It's not about the public acknowledgement, it's about my happiness. And my self worth. I know the value of the work I'm doing. I should learn to be okay with that.

Whenever I start to get frustrated, just remind myself: Pucci, Moist, Glooper, Hubert. I've made a little sign with just those names and stuck it to the bottom corner of my work PC.

Now ... is this working just for today? I'm funny that way - some of these epiphanies just don't survive the test of time ... but I really need something to work for me, here. Permanently.

Anyway. That's my Attitude Adjustment.

I think I'll post this separately ... and write a new post covering the 'back at home' part of my Friday.

Update - power on ... until load shedding, of course

I had a lovely surprise coming home: Power was on! Apparently it came on around four - only nobody had time to post an update!

As I was driving the last stretch, Smeagol ran ahead of me, rushing to get to my place! And, as soon as I opened for mippies - he promptly attacked Mini! I filled his bowl, called him out back - but all he wanted was attention! Nothing else. I did give as much as I could ...

I've turned the geyser on - a lovely hot bath would be really nice! Janey is on my lap, disrupting my typing, ha ha! She's in the throes of a full cuddle attack!

Well, I'm about to pack my lunch, then relax while I wait for the geyser to heat up - it didn't heat all the way last night, I'm afraid. I had to turn the tap quite hot to get a decent temperature. It should be better tonight, though. This time, the geyser hadn't been off for 3 days.

Temperatures are dropping again, we're in for a very cold weekend, apparently. Well, after a hot bath, my bed will be warm - and with mippies coming for cuddles, it'll stay nice and warm.

It's really perplexing: in the evenings and throughout the night, I need summer pyjamas or I get too hot. In the mornings, I'm freezing and can't get into warm clothes fast enough!

Ah well ... my mood has lifted already, being home.

We're load shitting again from eight to ten tonight, so ... 

It was too good to last ... power off ... AGAIN

I slept quite well. Got up relatively early, made my filter coffee, cuddled mippies, off to work.

Oh gosh, NO! Power off AGAIN at home! Can't get a new reference number ... Tuesday's call hopefully re-opened ... At least this time, two neighbours also called!

This week, we've had more hours without power than with! All in all, since Monday morning - let's start at midnight - we've had 00:00 - 09:00 on Monday, 21:00 - 00:00 on Tuesday, 00:00 - 20:00 & 22:00 - 00:00 on Wednesday, and now 00:00 - 09:00 on Thursday. That's 9+3+20+2+9 = 43 hours out of 24*3+10 (it's now past ten) = 82. Or, if I start midnight Sunday, 57.5 hours out of 106! Less than 55% in both cases!

So, what's the problem? Apparently birds. When they descend en masse on the lines, lines touch, power goes poof! Why now and not before? Yeah, that I don't know.

Ah! One of my neighbours wisened up and got their landlords account number! Now, at least, we have 2 reference numbers!

Quarter to one, no news. Well, I guess I should hold on to the memory of the hot bath I had last night ... who knows when I'll be able to have another?

Well, it's nearly time to go home ... no power AT home, so ... better publish.

Hopefully I'll be in a better mood tomorrow.

And no, not back to the electricity, either - it's half three and no change.

I've been taking notes of some ideas I stumbled across today, that I'd like to try - maybe this weekend. At the least, I'll need light of some kind - daylight will do.

Lights finally on!

One neighbour observed that the power always went off, whenever a flock of birds gathered on the lines. He relayed that to the electrician, who arranged for a team to come and tighten the lines. Around nine the power came on!

Now we should enjoy the full benefits of Load Shedding again, ha ha!

This morning, however, I received some concerning information: apparently the lines further along are still touching! And apparently, they didn't have enough spacers to finish the job.

Good thing I took my smartphone to work again. I've been messaging already, and hope to get the situation resolved - for good! And soon!

I finished lining the box with plastic. I took the last green refuse bag, cut it open, cut off a strip and ended up wrapping it around the entire box - so now it's all covered in plastic. Next step: the bottles!

I had a lot of cuddling to do, as well! Janey kept jumping on my lap, Ziva kept pawing and mipping at me, Mewthos mewled ... I spent time with each one! Mini was in the bedroom, patiently waiting for me to come to her. We had a cuddle session when I tried to go to sleep!

Mippies also kept trying to make their fountain go! Poor darlings! They kept putting their paws in the water, trying to fiddle with the black thing (the activated charcoal) hoping that that will make it flow!

Ah! And here's the load shedding announcement! Stage 3 from 17:00 - 22:00 tonight, which means our lights go off at 20:00 - 22:00. I should be able to have a nice, hot bath tonight, though! No cold-water aerobics of the basin, tonight! Brrrr!

I've had a look at my bank balance - and it's looking much better than my budget. Not only can I afford to order fruit juice AND get groceries next week - I could, theoretically, even afford a trip to Ninapark! I won't go, but it's a relief to know that I can. I'll still wait till I'm sure my salary is paid, thank you very much.

Speaking of which, I'm getting more and more hints that I should find an alternate source of income. I'm talking about life hints. For example, today I spoke to someone who started his own business after his employer retired him and he said 'best thing he ever did, I should have done that 30 years ago!' Or, out of the blue, getting e-mails from some employment agency advertising staff we might wish to employ - with jobs I'm qualified for (and am actually doing here), at double my salary! Or stumbling across articles, describing people who either started their own business, or changed jobs - late in life - and never looked back. Those kind of hints.

Only ... each of these hints have one thing in common: direction. What I mean is, those who started a business, always had a life-long passion or obsession or interest in the core of that business. And the qualified jobs are all specific directions.

I have no monomania. I get bored after a while ... sometimes a long while, true, but I can't think of a single thing - apart from cats - that I've loved, or pursued, or researched, or continued throughout my life. I've dabbled in plenty. I can play quite a variety of musical instruments - though none well. I can draw plant life quite well with pencil - not with colour or any other medium, though. I enjoy dancing and singing - though even I wouldn't pay to watch or hear myself. I've loved trees all my life - but not enough to tell one from another. I've collected stamps, and a few other weird things ... but nothing worth mentioning. All my 'collections' sit somewhere ... waiting for me to re-discover interest. I've travelled - well, mostly moved - a lot. I enjoyed photography for a while ... but lately, I'm not taking photos, not even of my garden. I can cook quite well, even bake - but I don't even cook for myself, lately.

So just WTF is the universe hinting at? The closest thing to any monomania in my life would be either cats or Excel formulae. I've been creating spreadsheets for everything from games to work. But, having seen the spreadsheets created by fellow gamers - mine are just far too complex for anyone else to use ... I don't do simple. So, really ... I don't know ... I suppose I'll just keep my eyes, ears and mind wide open and hope all these hints somehow get cuddly enough to produce one answer.

On the way home, an idea started to form ... one where my diversity of interests would actually be ideal ... but it's still just the first spark of an idea ... 

Back at home, mippies come in early again. I gave them their treats, packed my lunch, we shared dinner ... and then I enjoyed a lovely, lovely hot bath! It's unbelievable just how much better I feel!

I've spot-on treated mippies - except for Ziva. She still has that open wound, and I don't want to take any chances. Without power, I haven't been able to get a good look at it these past few days - I first want to get a really good look, and be sure that it's healed before I apply anything.

Mewly, Janey and Mini are not impressed with my application of stinky wets to their necks, ha ha ha!

Well, it's almost eight ... I have some thinking to do ... 

Still dark Tuesday

As I expected, our power did not come back! No support from our Councilor.

I spent the evening gluing the box I'm making for seedlings. I'm still trying to decide whether I want to paint the outside, but on the whole, I think I first want to get something that works. I can decorate it later.

Of course, having now learned, that plants prefer running water, throws my whole plan out the window! It gets too complicated. On the one hand, you have these 'self-watering' pots. Basically, the plants stand in water and suck up what they need. Well, a bit more complex, but that's the basic theory. And then there's the drip-watering, where water flows continuously, dripping just enough for each plant's needs. And some plants, apparently, get root rot in self-watering pots ... only, which are which?

I'm just going to carry on with my plan. At the end of they day, they're all destined for the garden. Just don't ask me where, ha ha!

Then I decided to paint the clay shapes I had made. The two leaf shapes and one log shape. They don't look like much - very simple, like a child's first attempt, ha ha!

I went to bed quite early, naturally. But I struggled to get to sleep. And struggled to stay asleep, as well.

As a result, I woke up rather late. Made coffee on the gas cooker. I see my power bank is now also empty ... so I'm taking everything to work to charge. I managed to send a message that we're STILL without power - and our councilor replied 'awaiting feedback'.

I messaged again - no response. I checked on the website 'call completed'. Posted that on the Electricity group with a comment 'this is what I was afraid of'. Response 'Teams is informed'. Grrrr

The problem is threefold: Infrastructure, resources and system. 

Since 1994 the infrastructure has basically just been left to fall apart. With patch-work done here and there, but no real work done to maintain, let alone accommodate the increase as more and more wards were 'dumped' on the already wobbly infrastructure. Power stations & substations were not maintained. Money-flow was also not managed at all! The municipality would receive payment from some people - and that money would mostly go into private pockets. Nobody paid the bills. Those who didn't pay ... no consequences. They would continue to receive power ... Our current mayor, understandably, has his hands full trying to fix nearly 30 years of neglect! He's turned off the power to many prestigious business, who didn't pay their bills! He's implementing means to prevent cable theft - which is another huge problem, by now!

The second problem: resources! There are not enough electricians to deal with the workload! Oh, there were plenty on the payroll - only, a lot of them never did any work. Well, couldn't since they weren't electricians. Just someone's relative who needed a salary ...

Lastly: system! Our current mayor has opened up new platforms to report power failures - however, they all require an account number! As a tenant, I do not have a municipal account! Which left me with only one option: phoning the call center! Call centers, although technically operating with humans, are as useless as mindless automatons! Not their fault - they have extremely limited, simple tasks; anything outside that task list - they have no procedure or anything they can do. All that talk of 'escalating' and 'marking urgent' is bull! There are only two things they CAN do: log a call, getting a reference number; then see if it's been allocated to an artisan, yet. That's it.

I'm now using my landlord's account number - which means that I'm reporting on his behalf AND all his tenants! Nobody else can log a call, to raise our priority! Except the tenants across the road - my neighbours - who rent from a different landlord. Still, that makes only 2 possible reports for 7-10 households PLUS 2 business' (my landlord's and my neighbour's business).

With an account number, I can log a call via sms, or the online platform.

BUT: If the power goes off AGAIN - I can't get a new reference number! Which means that the electrician assumes it's a system error, when a call he DID attend, still shows up on his log! Can't blame him. Can't expect him to go the extra mile to call to make sure, either - given his workload!

THAT is what happened on Sunday. THAT is why nobody even knew our power was off! Only when I got a new reference. And I'm pretty sure that's exactly what happened yesterday - and now, the call is marked 'completed'. There is nothing I can do - just hope our Councilor bridges the communication gap.

Well, one neighbour reports that his power is back ... the rest of us are at work, and we can only hope ...

Oh crap, crap, crap and more crap: Power is off again! At least I managed to get a new reference number! Now it's 'wait and hope'. Again! This is getting ridiculous!

Well, at least the water tank should have had time to re-fill - gotta cling to the small blessings, here! Oh, and my electricity usage this month should be really low ...

Oh niiiice! (heard in the tones of Onslow, from 'Keeping up Appearances') Load shedding Stage 3 tonight - we're not affected. Which really makes such a big difference, when you don't have power in the first place, eh?

Well, I've charged my USB Power bank, I'm charging my smartphone now, router has been charging on the PC all day ... now, if only I knew where to plug myself in, for some high spirits? Or just some motivation? Anything?

I guess I'll be spending another night without electricity. I guess I'll be able to finish the seedling tray, aka box. Since it's relatively small, and shouldn't get wet underneath, I'll just fit a plastic lining inside. I'll use part of a green refuse bag.

I still need to prepare the bottles, too! I'm planning to use the 100 ml bottles. I've removed the label and the seal, but I still need to get the glue off the outside. I've tried warm water and soap. I've tried white vinegar. Next, I plan to try either rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover. But I need to wash them in warm water afterwards - regardless which one turns out to work. And for that ... yup! I need electricity! Plus, I want to poke decent holes in the bottom - with the soldering iron.

And THEN I can cut the top off, place the peat pellet inside, water, and add the seed! I just need to stop myself from getting carried away, ha ha! If I grow too many seedlings ... I'll need lots of space in the garden!

I'm thinking of planting some of the Brussels Sprouts in the now-empty bottomless pots. I think I'm not feeding my plants enough - the ones in the garden are not doing as well as the one's in the pots. 

I've been thinking of turning the compost heap. I mean, there should be compost at the bottom by now, right? Maybe I'll make that my Friday project - since I don't think I need to mow this Friday? See how it goes?

Yeah, I can't get my mind to do any work today ... I'll have some catching up to do tomorrow.

I also want to raise some flower seedlings. For that other round pot on my veranda. The Vinca are doing well enough in the pot - and they're doing even better in the bed I made in front of the veranda! What started out with 5 or 6 meager flowers is now covering the whole area! Plus, the seeds I scattered are also growing ... something. I can't remember what seeds, ha ha! Wonder garden!

Ai, I miss Rose!

Ah! The electrician apparently called my neighbour (I gave his number, as I'm not home) and they are on their way. Well, not right now, but at least we're not forgotten, nor 'assumed closed'.

Well, five o'clock ... with no guarantee that I will have power tonight ... I better publish ...

Dark again Monday

I woke up somewhat late. Mini insisted I get up - she licked my face until I got out of bed, ha ha! I made myself filter coffee to take to work, as well.

I took the smartphone, etc. to work, hoping to resolve the network connection issue. It took some fiddling, but I seem to have managed. Somehow the network got deleted from the device ... I was able to restore the connection.

I suspect it has something to do with the lack of storage space left on the device ... I really need to find time to delete stuff. Photos. But only if I have backup.

Immediately messages accumulated in both groups ... and: our power is off again! Sheez! I asked the neighbour to report and explained WHY I can't, as I'm not at home ... if the electrician calls, someone needs to be at home. Nope. Can't I do it and give their number? Sheez!

Well, I tried, but I'm getting yesterday's reference number again! So I wrote the whole story out in the Electricity Group - how, for 5 hours, nothing happened because we couldn't get a new reference number! And how the same thing is happening again.

No response. I'll have to deal with that when I get home ... if nobody who IS home will report or make any effort, I really can't help. Oh, there are messages telling me about reference numbers I gave - uhm ... hello? Yeah ... I don't know ...

Last night, I also decided that I would get groceries today. I need cheese and milk. I will also see what meat is within my budget, and get whatever I can afford.

Sigh ... I spent more than I meant. Again. But I have meat for at least 7 days. Chuck and sausages ... that's about all I can afford. Pears were on special. So were Kiwi's. Banana's on the other hand were rather expensive. I still got some. Ditto Potatoes. I just hope the potatoes aren't rotting, again. Milk was expensive. All paid with my Credit Card ... sigh ... 

Well, I had to get some big items this month: laundry detergent, fabric softener, litter, coffee ... none of which I can buy in 'monthly requirement' quantities. Well, coffee I could - but I'd be paying a lot more per month.

Prices keep rising and rising and rising ... yet my income stays the same. Which, effectively means that I have to lower my standards every time prices rise. Lower my quality of living. There is only so much that I can do, though ... and without any savings, I can do even less. I can't take advantage of specials, without savings. 

Well, let's see how far I can stretch the groceries I bought today ... I'm hoping to stretch them till the end of the month ...

Which brings me back to my garden. And the overwhelming amount of work that needs to be done. Far too much for me to get done. As a result, I'm letting whole areas 'go wild' ... which basically just means that when I do get time to tackle them, it's a huge project. While I'm now weeding the tomato bed - which isn't too hard work, but a lot of work ... I still haven't finished the bed next to the garage. The 'kitchen garden'. I also need to steam around the house, as I've got grass and weeds growing everywhere ... ai, ai, ai!

Then there are all those trees in bottles that need to go into bags. Plus all the Litchi trees huddled together in two pots ... and I need to start the brussels sprouts ... yeah ... I'm getting tired just thinking about all I want done!

On the power issue: we STILL don't have power. Several people have now tried reporting, but we're all just getting yesterday's reference number. On the Electricity group every time I state my case, it's followed by another update on load shedding. Which has now been escalated to Stage 4 from five to ten tonight. We're not scheduled. Which makes no difference when we don't have power to be turned off in the first place! Exactly the same problem we had yesterday and why we can't get anyone to come out and fix the problem! I had better prepare myself for an evening, night and morning without power ...

So ... what shall I do tonight? Well, everything I could charge is charged. I'll have light, my gas cooker, and even internet. I'm not sure about water, though - but I've filled up my filter, so coffee tomorrow morning is sorted. 

Just read a strange exchange on the electricity group. Someone was asking why their power was off now (16:20) if they're only scheduled from 17:00-18:00. Someone else suggested that it may be adjusted, since it's now Stage 4, to which the original poster replied 'Oh yeah, thanks!' Load shedding only starts at 17:00; for the whole country. So, no matter which Stage, there is NO load shedding before 17:00.

That just brings to mind the quote from Winston Churchill "The best argument against Democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." 

Well, I guess I had better publish before I go home ... 

Piddly, dark and frustrating Sunday

Before I opened the book, my eyes fell on The Gardener magazine, I hadn't read the My issue, yet. I hadn't even finished reading it, when the power came back on. Around eight. Nice!

I woke up around six, put my arm out of the duvet ... into a puddle! Urgh! It's really getting out of hand - but at the same time, I can't really blame Mewthos. Smeagol IS hanging around a lot more, and he's been attacking my girls. It's only natural that Mewthos 'protects' us. I've been finding piddle puddles all over the house ... so, today, I'd better give the floors a real wash.

First thing I did is put the duvet into the machine. I also decided that I'd make pizza today - that should keep me fed for a couple of days.

Half past seven ... power went off! Again! And, worst of all: No internet! Which cuts me off completely! I tried reporting via SMS, but just got yesterday's reference number. Followed by another message informing me that the call is completed.

I called and they said they'll reopen the call and escalate. I messaged our Councillor, who replied that nobody else reported any issues.

Four hours later, still no power. By now I've also talked to neighbours - everyone is off. Messaged our Councilor again - no response. THIS is when I NEED his help! When we have multiple outages and I'm offline! I called the call center - as usual, no meaningful feedback. Confusion about the closed / escalated ... nothing meaningful. An hour later I called again. This time I get a new reference with yet another promise that it's marked 'urgent'.

ALL LIES! By opening a new call, the whole morning's history is erased = didn't happen. Power didn't go off at 7:30, I didn't call at 8:00, no ... call shows that it was logged 12:45! Total mess!

To pass the time, I've pampered the tomato plants, washed the piddle puddles, packed away the laundry and cuddled mippies. Right now, they've brought in a mouse. Ziva caught it, lost it in the lounge, Mini caught it and took it to the bathroom. Now it's amongst my boxes in mippies room.

Needless to say that pizza is cancelled. It's past one, and the dough alone takes an hour and a half! As I said, not having internet is really making this outage worse. I can't tell if anyone else is affected, and it seems private messages are now being ignored. Yes, I understand that it's Sunday. It's Sunday for me, too! But I bet if I was asking for feedback in the group, I would get a response!

I thought I saw an electrician drive past just now ... I went to the gate, but I can't see anything.

Now, I cannot even get through to the call center anymore! I keep being cut off. This is so frustrating! I was being told how no technician had been assigned, yet, as the call was only logged an hour ago ... as I was trying to explain the mess they made, I got cut off. Called again, cut off again. And again. And again.

Now I'm hungry.

Fried the beef strips that should have gone on the pizza, tossed in two eggs and topped the lot with ketchup. It tasted exactly like it sounds: edible, but not very nice.

Half past two a neighbour messaged that the new ref is now allocated to an artisan. Nice of her to keep checking and letting me know, but if she would REPORT as well, that would really help - and help all of us! For starters, that whole mix up with the closed call would have been avoided and we would have power by now!

I've gone into 'who cares' mode. Nothing more I can do, so no use working myself up.

Mippies have been causing havoc in their room, chasing that poor mouse! They have now trapped it behind the bathroom door - where they can't reach!

I put on a leather glove and grabbed the poor thing - who promptly bit down hard on the glove! Good thing I wore it! I took it out and set it free where mippies won't find it.

Mippies are still searching the bathroom, ha ha ha!

I decided to spend some time in the garden. I cleared the other side of the driveway, then carried on weeding the tomato bed. Until large rain drops drove me inside. They seemed to promise a downpour - but it turned out to have just been a tease!

Around four, I got a call from the electrician. I told him the power has been off since half past seven this morning. He hung up.

Half an hour later, I see him driving to the transformer. A little later, I see him driving off again. I still don't have power! So I called him. He's puzzled. I have some power - my outside lights are flashing on and off, the light at the water tower is off, and inside the lights are dim ... I don't have full power. Long, long story ... almost five and I finally have power! Phew!

Smartphone still won't connect to the internet, though. PC is fine, I'm online ... phone ... 'no network connection'. I've tried re-starting the phone, re-starting the modem ... I give up!

The washing machine appears to have kept the time, so I let it continue ... only ... when it is finished, the fabric softener is still in the drawer. Not used. So I run a quick cycle. Then hang it on the stand in the laundry room. Bread is on the go ... and that's all there is for today.

What a completely messed up, frustrating day! Hopefully the smartphone will find the network again ... 

This whole frustration has given me a headache ... I'm going to try to relax now ...

Great! And load shedding from five to ten likely to continue throughout the week ... active today. Fortunately, once again, we'll miss tonight's episode! I can't inform the group - but seeing how little they worry about power outages (well, they whine a lot, but do nothing) ... 

Dark Saturday

Not a good night, but not too bad, either. I got up around seven. Coffee ... trying to decide what I should do today. The situation at work keeps intruding on my mind ... 

I can't dwell on that, though. It's just knotting me up with anxiety ... and since there is nothing I can do ... no use making myself miserable.

At home, at least, I'm surrounded by positivity. Mippies are coming for cuddles, I have coffee and I've turned the geyser on for a morning bath. Oh, and to wash the dishes, but that's later, ha ha!

Impatient, I started running my bath around eight. Not enough time to properly heat the water  ... I was already chiding myself, as I couldn't fill the bath and sat in ankle deep water. Hot water, though. 

And then the power went off! Mid bath! No clue why, it's overcast but not raining, nor is there a thunderstorm. Sigh ...

Strange, though, that it seems to be only us. Nobody else is reporting outages. Musaiek still has power - and they're across the road. Usually they're off when we're off. Well, at least ONE neighbour has 'woken' up, she also reported the outage. Two hours later, power is back.

First thing: laundry! Start the washing machine, which I've already loaded.

Twenty to one, chores are done. Kitchen is clean and laundry on the line. Now I need to make myself something to eat.

Pasta tuna with egg. Quite enjoyed that. Now I'm trying to put together a simple box to use as a water holder for seedlings. I feel kind of stupid struggling with such a simple shape!

Quarter to four, two loud bangs and the power is off. Again. Not fun!

Ziva was acting strange. Huddled in the bottom drawer, wants cuddles but would come out. When I dragged her out, I see the wound on her back is worse. There are two puncture wounds, both infected. I cleaned both, emptied what would come out, the put ointment on. She was not happy about that, but let's hope they will now heal.

I'd been keeping an eye all week and noticed it seemed to just grow a bigger lump. Maybe I should have opened it sooner? 

Doesn't look very big, does it? Poor girl!

Oh, and none of us were impressed with Smeagol coming into my bedroom!

I weeded the pavement all around. Outside the kitchen, along my bedroom and outside my bedroom.  Then picked yellowing leaves off the vinca outside the veranda ... then the mosquitos drove me away. 

Six o'clock and still no power. Good thing I bathed this  morning! And cooked lunch!

I don't know whether this is good news, a silver lining or just plain irony, but Eishkom is load shedding again from five to ten - we're not scheduled.

Well, I might as well get a book and have  an early night. Just kidding! The two are mutually exclusive! If I start reading, I don't easily stop! Haha 

Friday, the 13th

 Woke a bit late ... Coffee ... work.

I looked in my freezer last night ... it's quite empty! I really need to buy meat - but I don't have money left in my budget ... and I'm worried about getting paid at the end of the month, as well. I need some meat, but I've already 'overspent' this month. I didn't exactly OVER spend - I just re-stocked items I had run out of completely.

I'm half tempted to bully myself into driving to Ninapark after work ... but that's such a mission, I'll want to buy EVERYTHING I can get only there ... I'd rather put that off till next month. I think I had better come up with a plan to get meat within my budget. I've been stretching things by making stew every week ... 

Right. I've decided that I won't get groceries this week. I'll work out a plan this weekend, that will allow me to stay within my budget. That's removed a huge load of anxiety!

Now, though still working on the costing, my mind keeps bouncing around my garden. I don't see any reason to mow the lawn today. I think I'll water by the roses and weed the tomato bed. I'm thinking of trying to grow Brussel sprouts there, over the winter. I was thinking of trying bush beans there next year. Do a bit of crop rotation. The only problem with that is, the pepper plant is still in there, and there are also still cherry tomato plants, producing tomatoes like their life depends on it.

Aaand another episode of load shedding. Again from five to ten. Luckily, we're missing out again!

Back at home, I cleared a section of the tomato bed. Janey showed her appreciation by using the lovely new litter box I made for her! Ha Ha! Well, I watered, and we're all inside before six.

I'm stingy with my dinner tonight, poor Mew-Mew doesn't understand why I'm not being my usual, generous self! Well, I'm hungry.

That's about it from me ... winding down now, with mippies mipping for cuddles ...

Thursday

A neighbour's cat had been missing since the weekend ... sadly, they found it last night. Deceased. No indication why. They assume kidney stones, as he was a neutered ginger - but I'm skeptical. And worried ... 

I had a long chat with her last night. About pets. They keep spiders and snakes. Not my idea of a pet, but each to their own.

This morning I woke just before the alarm went off. Turned over a couple of times, then got up, gave mippies their breakfast, turned on the percolator and sat down for my morning cigarette. With Ziva throwing herself at my hand for cuddles.

Got dressed, poured the coffee into the flask and left for work - with a vague feeling that something was missing ... mippies were also looking at me funny ...

At work, I figured it out: I forgot to add milk to my coffee! And I usually share my milk with mippies! So ... now I'm drinking black coffee.

I should go an get groceries - but I'm also waiting for my battery exchange. I've been getting two messages, one that they'll pick up the return today and another one that they'll deliver the replacement today. No request for photo-proof, yet, ha ha!

Oh, and mippies' treats are also on their way. First batch - they didn't have the jelly one, so they asked what to replace it with; I said gravy ... apparently that box will come later. Shrug.

Crap! They just exchanged the battery - and this one also doesn't work! That means it's not the battery ... crap, crap, crap!

More crap! Ten to one, power goes off! Whole area ... just fifteen minutes, but since my work PC has no UPS ... I lost lots! With the PC taking so long to save, I don't have the time to save all the time (as I normally would), so ... when the power goes off, I loose a LOT of work!

Load shedding again from five to ten - and we'll be missing out on the fun, again. Goody!

Oookay! I solved the mystery of the battery! Turns out there's a teeny tiny cover over the contacts - in the same colour as the contacts! You have to KNOW it's there, to see it! Do I feel stupid now! Ha ha! I asked my boss if he could help, and he saw it immediately! I'm really, really relieved, as I feared I may end up having to buy a whole new router again! That would cost at least 4x the price of the battery!

Back at home ... only five minutes weeding, before a swarm of mosquitoes descends ... and I flee! Sit on the veranda for a while with my mippies. Now just the usual evening routine ...

Wednesday

I'm not really inspiring reading this blog with my headings, am I? After two years of lock-down, I'm quite rusty with the heading ideas!

Anyway. Not a very good night, and I woke up very late. Got to work late. Today, I decided to take a flask of coffee to work - I prepared the percolator, so this morning I just added coffee and switched it on.

At work, I've logged the return of the WiFi Router battery. Don't ask me what I should do, if they ask for a picture ... It's one of their standard requests, which they mindlessly request, regardless of the situation.

Back at home, I barely spent ten minutes trying to pamper my tomato plants when the mosquitoes drove me away. They are a big plague as soon as the sun sets! It's that water hole right behind my compost heap, it's a breeding ground for them. It's stagnant water. Awful!

Anyway, back inside, I see Ziva has a wound on her right rear - it's a bit bumpy, raised, and bald, with the fur around it having come off or out ... but seems otherwise healed. Except that it does appear to bother her. She complains if I touch it. I'll have to keep an eye on that.

I've had a major cuddle session with Ziva, while taking a smoke break. Right now I have Janey on my lap - making it difficult to type - in the throes of a major cuddle attack.

I'm about to settle down for the night ... cuddle some mippies ... chomp some chocolate ... get comfy ...

Tuesday

Interrupted night, late morning. Coffee ... off to work.

Another message that my delivery will now come today. Ookay ... I'll explain to the driver that he CAN deliver after five, in a pinch. I doubt they get paid much, least I can do is make it a easy as possible for them.

I'm also taking the new WiFi battery to work, to see whether someone can perhaps confirm whether it's just not working, or whether I'm doing something wrong. Taking the whole set along - router, smartphone, the lot. I just better not forget any of it at work!

Aaaand ... load shedding is back! Again from five to ten tonight. Which, again, means, we're dark from five to six.

I asked At and he says sometimes you get 'new' batteries that are simply duds. Happened to his daughter once, just replace it. Okay ... 

Back at home, I'm sifting through the litter boxes in the dark for the second night in a row! Pffft! Then I feed Smeagol, who greeted me at the gate. Today he is adamant: he must have attention! I've been neglecting him, I'm afraid ... it gets dark so fast now, by the time I get outside, it's too dark to see! And he's the one paying the price, poor boy! Well, I gave him lots today. Then I pulled all the Nasturtiums out of the tomato bed and plonked them in the ground out back. I know, Nasturtiums don't like to be moved, but it's their own fault! They've no business growing in my tomato bed, ha ha ha!

I tried a bit of weeding, but it was just too dark to see ... so I sat outside for our quality time with mippies. Mewthos was very restless. He couldn't wait for me to finish, so he'd get his treat!

I'm busy packing my lunch, filling water fountains, re-heating my stew for dinner ... then I'll enjoy a lovely hot bath before I settle down for the night ...

Monday

I had an awful work-related nightmare and was wide awake around eleven last night. I got up, had a smoke, then - freezing - I went back to bed.

Despite the interruption, I got up early, made coffee, cuddled mippies and went to work.

SMS confirmation that my Takealot order will be delivered today. Goody!

Not yet nine, and my delivery has already arrived! Lovely!

Just past ten and my FTN delivery has also arrived! I'll have a lot of unpacking to do tonight!

Noon, and another 'load shedding looming' doomsday notification.

At three, cat food delivery arrives ... had to put that box on the back seat, as my boot is full! I'm REALLY going to have a lot of offloading and unpacking to do tonight!

Aaaand here's load shedding! From five till ten tonight - for now. Which means our power will go off at five, for an hour. Since I get home at half six, I'll 'enjoy' only half an hour of it ... Offloading in the dark! Urgh! I'll wait with the unpacking until I have lights again ...

Well, the Spot-On is out for delivery tomorrow! Phew! Because that's the really time-related one ... I already picked a tick off Ziva! It was still crawling on her fur, but still. I'm quite relieved that will be available on the date needed.

And now - at five to five - I get a message they'll attempt to deliver TODAY! Five minutes and counting ... ha ha! Well, I'll give our sleep-in employee the pin, so he can receive it, if they arrive after five.

Back at home, offloading ... unpacking ... in the twilight. I can barely see, working mostly by touch and memory.

Internet is not cooperating. I've now re-typed everything I had written, on my phone. Hopefully I can publish.

Very slow Sunday

I only got up after eight! No, I don't know why - I slept well, though I did get up a few times late evening, but not really during the night. And mippies allowed me to sleep late, too!

I let mippies out - Smeagol was around and went after Ziva. Mippies are back inside ... under my feet. Mini seems to be back to normal, not limping anymore and she's up and about as usual. Phew!

I've dawdled a bit this morning, it's already ten, and I've only just started the bread. Not a problem, though. It'll be done by one this afternoon. Next I had better start the stew.

Well, I didn't. Instead, I washed some dishes. Deep cleaned the lid of my slow cooker and thoroughly cleaned the cups which had been gathering dust on my desk since I moved here. Less cleaning to do this afternoon.

My head is spinning with ideas of things I now want to make and build at my desk! Some wild, some simple ... 

Stew is on the go. I used the last carrots and picked my cherry tomato bushes clean - carefully quartered them, to make absolutely sure there is no life in any part of them, ha ha! I also used the last potatoes, none of them had any rot inside.

Mini seems to be very well again - she's running around the house with a mouse in her mouth! Dead mouse. I'll have to check my bed before I get in tonight - she likes to hide her prey under my duvet!

Bread is done, cooling down. Outside a few drops are now coming down. It's been overcast all day ...

Half past two, power off! Sigh ... reported, it's been escalated, now we wait.

Janey is in high cuddle mode, no matter where I go or what I try to do, she's right there, mipping for space on my lap. As usual, she doesn't sit still but strolls up and down, head butting my hand or licking them, letting me know that my hands should on her.

Ah! She settled down! Now I can't move, ha ha!

Forty minutes later, power is back. Nice! Stew back on - hopefully I'll be able to enjoy a plateful soon!

Another forty minutes later the power is off again. This time I can't report it, as the previous reference is still active. Luckily I have an active ward Councilor! I'm part of his WhatsApp electricity group. He immediately escalated, again. That's why I always take the trouble to message when power comes back on. 

An hour later, power is back on. Again. Mewthos reckons it's now time for treats! Yeah ... not quite, sweetie!

Not a long wait, though. I had put the geyser on, so at quarter to six, I bring mippies in and treat them. Then I bath, I've already packed my lunch ... now I'll settle on the bed, cuddle mippies before I go to sleep ...