As predicted, traffic was a nightmare! It was almost ten to six, when I got home. So I had to let the ferals wait, and put on my dinner first. I made it. Too much, though.
I haven't cleaned the litter boxes for a few days, again. Not good. Between constant load shedding, plus it's getting dark so very early now ... it's all getting a bit too much for me.
I was struggling to keep my eyes open, waiting for the power to come on. If it doesn't come on, I need to report it before I go to sleep - none of the neighbours will. Power came on after eight, I'm relieved to say. But not this morning. Sigh ...
I still had a bit of coffee in the flask, but meant to brew a fresh pot this morning. Sigh ... I sat down to check messages, and plenty of people have reported. It's always tricky to know when to add another report and when to avoid flooding them needlessly. I chose not to report this morning. Now I'm waiting to see the cause ... update from our Councilor ... load shedding again from eight to ten, though.
I spooned some instant coffee into my mug, with some milk and went to work. Got there on time, boss was sitting in his office, so I took the opportunity to mention some issues and also told him I want to take Friday off. He said okay. Good!
A box of cat food arrived just after I left last night - it's the 15kg Iams. Good!
In the news, our president announced that South Africans must switch off their geyser this winter. Huh? Excuse me? You're now putting the burden of relieving load shedding on US? How about you and your thieving cadres get with the program, as in: join the load shedding frustration! As long as even one politician is exempt from load shedding you have no leg to stand on! Especially, when you turn down proposals from municipalities and business' to go off the grid, produce their own power and even feed power to the grid! This just makes me furious! We really, really need a different government.
Trouble is, the ANC is telling the least educated and most gullible voters; the one's they have kept without access to education and in the worst state of poverty, that the puny grants they are receiving are ANC grants, and if they don't vote for the ANC, they won't get those grants anymore. Which is a blatant lie - it's a government grant, paid for by us taxpayers. And a change in government won't affect the legally issued grants! Nor will Apartheid ever come back - another lie they tell the same voters!
Anyway. Back at home, they've identified the fault and are working on it. But it's now eight, so: load shedding! So I've put my smartphone on charge for the next two hours.
Right. I've been busy! It's quarter to eleven now - I've scanned in the tax documentation I found over the weekend, sent mail to Liberty asking whether maybe they have my 2006 contribution record. I managed to open my email archive, and found nothing from Liberty at all - which leads me to believe that they only sent hard copies in those days. Hopefully Liberty have a record of the letter for 2006. I only found the one for 2007.
Then I called ABSA. I made a mistake with one vet payment - I thought I was entering my PIN, but actually selected 12 month budget ... I just received my Credit Card Statement, and the interest on that is over R10 every month on the outstanding balance ... over 20%! Blerry thieves! Well, they confirmed that they've moved it out of the budget into the straight balance account.
Then I paid my rent, sent proof of payment to my landlord, and topped up my credit card to ensure they don't get their thieving hands on a single cent more than I can avoid! And yes, I remembered to add the amounts of the online purchases.
Weird security questions, though. If it had been an incoming call, I'd have found this suspicious, but since I called the number on my statement ... well, let's see next month whether it's done.
It's past noon and our power is still off ... Sigh ...
Just after half past twelve the power came on. The 12 1/2 hours includes 6 hours load shedding. Power went off at midnight, load shedding till four, then load shedding again from eight to ten ...
Okay, so I tried to fill in my returns for 2007, and ... well, there's no way to set my postal address to 'none'. I don't have a postal address. BUT: I can ask for a live session. Let me first get all my ducks in a row, though.
I've done well for today, methinks. I'm now thinking of what projects I'd like to do over the long weekend, and I think I'd like to process some of the meat in the freezer. I'm thinking of making a cottage pie with the frozen potatoes. As I'll be mashing them, their texture won't be an issue. I'm also thinking of making sausage rolls. And some steak pies. I've got enough margarine and flour. Maybe I'll even make some pie dough and freeze it.
Either way, no matter what I do, I don't need groceries. Though I may not be able to resist specials at Spar tomorrow. I'll want to re-arrange my freezer again, I expect. Well, that will depend on my energy levels ...
Well, it's half past four. Load shedding tonight from four to six, and again midnight till two. Hopefully I can make a pot of coffee tomorrow morning!
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