Chaotic Wednesday

Eskom has re-shuffled the load shedding stages, yet again. And extended to Sunday. No change on our schedule, though - except the extension. They announced that some 3 minutes to five! I only just managed to check their new schedule against the previous one and post updates.

Fruit and Veg delivery arrived as I was turning in at home. Tried calling Nelson - I think I don't have his current number. Called the boss, asked him to call Nelson to open up. Took a bit of time, but all went well. I had, obviously, told Nelson that there could be a delivery after hours.

As a result of stopping to make these calls, I got home a bit late. Not a problem, though. Get through chores, and finally get to take a smoke break - aka quality time with my mippies - just as the power comes on. Just after six.

Only: No Janey! Ziva was on the veranda. Mewthos came soon enough. Mini is usually by the compost heap ... but where's Janey? She's usually on the veranda, never far! I call. I walk around the house. I check inside the house, even the garage. No Janey. I get the torch, and start calling and walking outside the gate - followed by Ziva and Mini. No Janey! I go back ... hoping ... No Janey. Walk around the house, calling, again. No Janey. This went on for over half an hour ... and now I am getting frantic! Another ten minutes of walking, searching with the torch, calling ... no Janey!

In desperation, I sit down, have a smoke and try to think where I could look next ... turn my head: There's Janey! Gives me a look as if to say "Oh? Are we playing a new game? Can I join, too? So, who are we looking for, then?"

I was so angry, and relieved! I thought, this time, for sure, I've lost her ... in just the twenty minutes while I was doing my chores!

Forty-five minutes! None have EVER gone 'missing' for that long! Usually Smeagol is to blame, but I neither saw nor heard him at all last night!

Yeah ... hope I never go through that again!

Thanks to all that, it was seven, before I turned on the geyser. So, by the time I ran my bath, water was just about warm, not hot. I wasn't up to waiting longer. Thanks, Janey!

I re-heated my dinner. Mewthos wheedled another treat out of me. Ate. Bathed. Curled up on the bed and held Janey so tight, she popped out of my arms like a cork from a champagne bottle, when I finally released her!

This morning, I woke up after six. When the UPS cried its lack of power and shut down. Hauled out the gas bottle, made myself coffee. Cuddled mippies.

Mewthos has recently discovered that, when I'm sitting in my arm chair, I can scratch his ears! Ha ha! Which puts him in competition with Ziva, as she has long ago discovered that - and jumps onto the Ottoman next to my armchair, then throws herself at my hand enthusiastically! Now, when Mewthos comes and mewls at my feet - I still have only one hand (since I usually just sit down for a quick smoke) ... and the two of them are eying each other jealously!

At work, first thing: they didn't just deliver my order, but also someone else's meat order! So, write and explain - they'll come and collect. Yes, they also deliver meat - but their meat prices are beyond my budget!

Fruit Juice delivery arrived.

Remember, back in PE, I had this aloe / bromeliad like flower in my garden, which I've never been able to identify? I think I've FINALLY found it's name:

Aechmea maculata

Above are the photos from my garden in PE.

Below the image from Wikipedia:

By Hardyplants at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21034248

If not 100% correct, I'm at least getting closer. It's a Bromeliad. And an Aechmea - though maybe not maculata, but at least something close.

I wonder if they're still flowering? They did survive years of neglect - until I moved in. All it took from me, was to remove the 'dead' flowers for new ones to grow.

Catching up on some admin now ... writing this, while I wait for the PC to think ...

Aaand another rumble in the load shed jungle! This time, to our advantage, though, as they're now lowering the stages. One big change is that the 22:00 - 00:30 time slot tonight will fall away. But it's still happening tomorrow & Friday night. As well as Saturday night. But on Sunday, we'll have no load shedding. Monday just one slot: 20:00 - 22:30.

And they've just come to collect the meat. 

Sheez! Just looking at the flurry of messages on the electricity group re the reduction in stages ... after 14 years of load shedding, these people STILL haven't the first clue how it works! Just whine and moan about 'someone' must tell them their schedule ...

Anyway. Back at home, I have a lot to do! Offloading and unpacking - and I need to check the fruit & veg against the list. Turns out they did send replacement apples - Granny Smith. I'll have to write again tomorrow, telling them they can cancel their voucher.

Well, I don't have enough room in my fridge for everything. I've managed to fit all the fruit juice, most of the fruit, some vegetables, but not everything. The box of bananas, and the box of tomatoes are outside.

Right now, I'm struggling with mippies. Janey on my lap, Mewthos mewling to be picked up ... Janey just left ...

I've eaten, and - without any shenanigans from ANY mip - I turned on the geyser shortly after I got home. Janey stayed particularly close to me tonight. 

Well, I'll have power until six tomorrow, so ... no rush. I'll enjoy a bath, then enjoy some episodes of Fringe, cuddle mippies ... whatever ...