Walking the dog

Having a very active puppy is forcing me to walk every day,  no matter what the weather, so this is an added and unexpected benefit along with devoted companionship! The walks will get longer with the sunshine hours, no doubt, and soon I will be able to slink sylph-like into the three pairs of pants I bought that are currently one size too small! Talk about wishful thinking. However, it only requires a little effort and a lot of discipline in the eating department to achieve great results, so I am confident of success.
Today's walk took place under a sky split into two distinct halves, with the lighthouse as the dividing point. Blue sky to the east and a thick cloud bank to the west, as if drawn with a ruler. But no sign of rain as the tip of the frontal system sweeps by.
A bright horizon promises a peep of sun as it sinks from sight.
While walks are on the increase, the painting and writing are on temporary hold as a carpal tunnel release operation on my left wrist is imminent - not great for a left-hander but at the point where my fingers are becoming a bit useless so the plunge will be taken. No matter how careful you are with nutrition, there's not much to prevent the old body from wearing out! I'll be milking the situation to the max in the housework department!

Easy picking

July turned out to be a good month for rain after all, with 130mm on my deck and considerably more in other parts of the Peninsula. Spring is in the air. The white daisies that proliferate on the way to the lighthouse are popping out, and the first freesias are releasing their intoxicating fragrance around the garden - the essence of Spring.

Whales are blowing spray all along the coastline and the first calves have been born in the relative shelter of False Bay. Bright sunshine and noticeably longer days are causing a general lifting of spirits - we are powered by solar energy, aren't we? - and strong new growth on branch tips is providing a pleasing range of green foliage.
Late winter still provides brilliant colours from the succulents and aloes have not all opened their blooms yet - plenty of visual delights to come.

The vegetable planter is starting to yield its crops and rather than waste time making a salad, I find it far easier to browse at the trough! Eating coriander, parsley, baby spinach and soft greens straight from the stalk cannot be beaten for nutritional value and taste!

A long day

One of those days where almost everything went wrong. It started off with a flat car battery thanks to someone who shall remain nameless using it and forgetting to turn off the lights. Oh no, it started earlier - at 2am old Monty decided to go walkabout and wandered up and down the house and garden for about half an hour while I waited to put him back to bed with a blanket. So a rather disturbed sleep.
Headed off to the shops for essential supplies and filled the bottom of a trolley for R1400. WhIle I was out, multiple phone calls from HWCFA - I really will turn off my phone one of these days and just be unreachable. Various errands for others added some unnecessary stress to the day, and then a truck turned up to deliver roof sheeting, and that had to be suitably placed - 11 metre lengths, for crying out loud.
In between all this, cleaning up after the dogs, cooking, etc. I've always said that behind every successful woman is great household help, so no wonder I am still trundling along!
A delightful walk to the lighthouse with my delightful doggie, Cleo, put a slightly more delightful tone on the day, which will end with another delightful dinner produced by She Who Is Seriously Thinking of Taking a Sabbatical!

After the storm

Yesterday's rain (38mm here in Kommetjie) has washed earth and sky clean. Here in the garden before dawn, the ground is sodden, the plants and trees drinking it up as fast as their roots can, and frogs are chorusing in the undergrowth and now full pond. Although still dark, the robin is chattering melodiously, sea birds are calling from the shore beyond the line of milkwoods and the irrepressible sunbirds are a-twitter in the treetops.
The stars are sparkling in a velvet sky, the half moon lighting a path across the sea. Orion, lies against the eastern sky as it begins its march across the summer skies, letting us know that yesterday's stormy weather will be one of the last signs of winter.
No breeze stirs the leaves, and only the crashing of a wave indicates that we live on the edge of the mighty Atlantic Ocean here on this fairest cape in all the circumference of the world.

Under a moonlit sky

The night is not only for thieves and vagabonds.
I was outside at 4am with the dogs, standing in my bare feet on the bricks under a waning moon. A frog croaked gently in the damp undergrowth – a leftover from the heavy rain of Wednesday – but the bricks were dry and not cold. No wind stirred the leaves as I waited for the dogs, and a few puffy clouds backlit by the bright moon barely moved between me and the stars, and I thought back to a time when it would have been quite normal to take a night stroll around the neighbourhood or even along the path down at the bay, to sit and watch the waves breaking under a moonlit sky in shades of black and silver, with only the rustling of a mouse or rat in the undergrowth.
“Stars shining bright above you, night breezes seem to whisper, I love you.”
Society has become such that all Man has to fear is Man. This surely cannot be the purpose for which we are on this planet.

Dinner disaster

Last night’s supper, to put it mildly, was an unqualified disaster. It happens sometimes. Not often. But if the kids won't eat it, you know it's destined for the bin.
It started out as a simple gammon. I was going to be efficient and use the stock for soup tonight. The gammon turned out to be tough and dry. Plan B swung into action. Throw in a packet of split peas, carrots, etc. Shred the meat, add to soup, blitz. Taste.
So salty as to be inedible. Curses! Only half an hour to dinner time. Slice two potatoes, put in pot to boil before adding to salty soup. Slightly burn potatoes.  Toss salvagable bits into soup. Blitz. Bleh!
Moral of the story - when in doubt, throw it out.

Wintry walk

Lovely blustery day today, with no sign of the rain we were promised - not in Kommetjie, anyway - so got two walks in! I only walk when the urge moves me, otherwise I just feel resentful at unwanted exercise, and a good northwester is the motivator. A heavy break at the lighthouse released the heavy scent of sinus-clearing, freshly turned kelp, ever a favourite of mine, and a shaft of late afternoon sun glittered a path across the sea.

There was no one in sight and no other dogs so I took the opportunity to give Cleo a run off the lead to see how she behaved, and it was gratifying to have her stay within a few metres and immediately rush to my feet at a call. Such a change from poor old Monty, who was ever on the lookout for an escape and could never be let off the leash. One time he ran from the crayfish factory beach all the way along the rocks past Misty Cliffs to Scarborough, while we followed by car from the carpark along the coast road and eventually cornered him somewhere along the way. I think he slept for a day after that escapade!

So walking Cleo may be a much more relaxing outing and hopefully  will encourage me to be a little more inclined and less reclined.

A tosser for a day

Spent a gorgeous winter’s day being a tosser – a pancake tosser! While I didn’t get there quite as early as some, due to the tossers on our roads clogging the free flow of traffic, I would say I put in a good three hours of tossing at a fundraiser for a skatepark to provide outdoor activity for young people, a much-needed input into the community. I am a firm believer in sport being a way to give people an opportunity to have a place where they can experience teamwork, achievement, a healthy lifestyle and social interaction in a safe environment, broken bones aside.
However, the reason for the fundraising was not the significant purpose – I just enjoy this sort of event, no doubt going back to the times when I helped out at the church white elephant stall as a child and found that I really enjoyed interacting with people from behind a counter. Perhaps I should have been a shopkeeper! I have also represented a confectionery company at food and wine shows and relished the experience, although the hours are long and I was much younger then! I like to think I could sell ice to an Inuit, but maybe that’s pushing it!
As I left town in the afternoon, the expected cold front could be seen approaching, and wisps of low cloud straggled across the towering face of Table Mountain, with the sun still casting a warm glow on the cliffs behind. It was a most beautiful sight, and if I hadn’t been hurtling along the freeway, I would have taken a few snaps with my cellphone. But I wouldn’t want to be a tosser.

Laundry overload

I know I am not alone in thinking that someone is secretly dropping off their laundry at my house every day, as it is not unusual for me to do up to four loads in a day, today being no exception. Maybe it's because of winter clothes being bulky and taking up machine space, or perhaps we just are too quick to wash clothes that aren't dirty. I can state quite categorically that if we were still in the handwashing stage or down on a riverbank pummelling our deerskins on a rock, an annual washday would suffice! Today's modern conveniences lead too easily to wastefulness of resources such as water and electricity, but the upside is that the frequent trips up and down the stairs and the reaching down and stretching up when hanging the washing provide excellent exercise for all parts of the body, so there is no need for going to a gym.
Pets are the guilty parties, particularly when of advanced age, or if they are young and unable to resist gobbling their food. Loose rugs are not for warmth, decoration or pleasing decor. They are but receptacles of deposits from either end of the dogs (somehow the cats keep it outside). But they are loose for that very reason and into the washing machine they go. No need to stress. Life goes on. However, if I had had any idea of how many times they would be washed, I would have definitely bought an industrial machine!
Today was a washing day, when I had planned to recline on the couch watching the golf. At least I am getting to see the last two hours of a 4-day tournament!

Age again

I was standing at the kitchen sink, as I do, staring out of the window at the world, and saw a woman on a skateboard being pulled along by a small fox terrier on a long lead. It struck me that this was the ideal solution for exercising Cleo. She is the same size, very strong, a borderline collie with unlimited stamina and the will to run, and I am a rather exercise-averse but longing to be outdoors dog-owner.
I presented my idea to my son, whose only reaction was: Do you see any other 60-year-olds on a skateboard? Me: No. Son: I rest my case.
Now isn’t that just typical, bringing age into it. Age is just a number. I haven’t got used to being older than 23 yet. I’m still practising being a mother and they are both over 30. These things take getting used to. My favourite music is still Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin. I can still feel the vibration in my bones from listening to them too loudly in the den at my friend’s house, and my mother saying how awful they were.
My kids see me in a different light. They only remember the complaints about a painful knee when I walk down steps, or the fact that the fingers in my left hand are losing all feeling and will need to be operated on in the not-too-distant future. If I am out of phone contact, they panic and want to send out search parties in case I have fallen on the rocks at the lighthouse and broken my hip. I ask you. But at least they care.
They have visions of me coming home after a skateboard dog walk in an ambulance with a bandaged head and broken arm at the very least. They could be right. But I still fancy the idea.

Are we moving forward?

This was written exactly three years ago. I think people are starting to question more and hidden atrocities are coming to light. Perhaps we are moving forward. What do you think?

"It’s been a strange kind of day. Quiet, no wind, flat sea, low cloud – almost as though the world has breathed in and is waiting to exhale. Time has dragged by, minutes seeming like hours.

Everyone I speak to remarks on how unsettled they feel, that over the last few weeks they have had difficulty relating to people they are normally close to and how they are feeling as if they have almost had a personality change. There is no doubt that everyone is waiting for something.

The next thirty years have been predicted to be the time when mankind enters the Golden Age and it certainly seems, with the current state of the world, that this is long overdue. There are many events happening in the world which point to a change in the way things are done and what is no longer being found acceptable. In places, perpetrators of violence towards their fellow citizens appear to be almost desperate to retain the status quo, while the world in general is questioning their actions more and more, although having no idea how to turn the tide.

Whistleblowers are stepping forward at the risk of their personal safety to let the public know what is occurring in their daily lives without them being aware of it. Inordinate attempts to silence these whistleblowers must beg the question, what are those in power trying to hide from us? Desperate times apparently call for desperate measures.

We are living in interesting times, if unsettling. Let’s keep track of the truth."

Clouds

Clouds enable us to watch the wind.  They make spectacular sunrises and sunsets. They cause children and adults to let their imaginations run wild and make up great stories. They inspire poets and songwriters. They bring rain to parched lands and shade on a summer's day.  They insulate the earth at night and keep it cool in the day. What marvellous things clouds are!

Monty survives another day

Last night Monty had a mishap and fell off the stairs onto the bricks below - the height about three metres. He made two grumbling sounds as I flew down to pick up what I thought must be the mangled remains, only to find him on all fours, looking slightly bemused. He tottered towards me as he always does due to bad arthritis and I picked him up without a squeal.  He appeared to be all intact, so I took him back upstairs and gave him a lamb chop! This was just the ticket and he went outside and down the stairs into the garden to do the last business before retiring to his cushion and blanket and a good night's sleep.
He seems better than ever, as though he's had an adjustment at the chiropractor.
It's a miracle that he even survived and I can only imagine that his guardian angel caught him and wafted him gently to the ground. There can be no other explanation.
Of course, the stairs have now been entirely cased in a safety net! No need to take chances.

Early morning dogs

Three weeks past winter solstice and the early mornings are visibly lighter on cloudless days. Today is such a one,  and I know this because my dogs wake me at 5.30 every morning. This means I am up for the day, as blind Susie has to be carried down the stairs, arthritic Monty needs to be watched in case he rolls down them (there's a safety net now) and 7-month-old Cleo is ready to play. Luckily she is very clever and this involves me throwing the ball down the passage and her bringing it back to my hand, press repeat!
This morning the stars twinkled in a clear sky and I was out there in bare feet. The freezing temperatures of the last few days have gone and we can look forward to a sunny weekend which the dogs will love as it means a day spent sleeping in a warm spot!

They are currently giving me a hard time with their food. After years of eating select dog pellets (nothing cheap), all three now want me to cook for them - sausage and mash, mince and veg and their great favourite, roast chicken.  Expensive prescription dog food - to encourage the older dogs to eat - is not even sniffed at. I may as well set places at the dinner table and tuck serviettes into their collars!
Today I'm going to try a different tack - feed them nothing and leave their pellets out. Tough love.

Holiday fun

Every morning this week, a line of cyclists heads for Kommetjie. Not the usual spandex-clad, luridly logoed professionals. About a dozen children ranging from 10 to 14, riding in disciplined single file and every one with a helmet on. The pack is led by a dreadlocked adult, with another adult at the back, and these supervisors are taking better care of their charges than a mother duck with a new brood of ducklings!
The group then make their way to the lawns at the Kom, where bicycles and helmets are neatly propped against the railings and the business of the day begins - soccer!
These men are obviously providing the kids with school holiday fun, and it is really heartwarming to see the pride the children take in caring for their equipment, while they are being equally well cared for. Something sadly lacking in society these days. It's such small things that leave happy memories in childhood.

Cold winter days

There must be an iceberg off Cape Point! My frozen fingers ard reluctant to tap out these words, and my toes appear to have left for warmer climes! After years of not using the fireplace due to it never getting cold enough, we finally removed it last summer. So now we are sitting under piles of blankets in the lounge to watch a bit of tv, but take to our beds and snuggly electric  blankets by 9pm. Yesterday's cold front moved by in a flash, leaving only 9mm of rain, although Kommetjie is one of the driest regions of the Peninsula and hopefully more fell in the catchment areas.
Now the sun is shining again and everything is sparkling in the rainwashed landscape. The plants will get a boost as they definitely don't enjoy tap water as much as rain and before we know it the daisies and carpets of spring flowers will be making an appearance.  In the meantime, winter stews, hot puddings and comfort food are on the menu, soups being a great way to use up every conceivable leftover lurking in the fridge, and the pets are getting lots of warm munchies to ease them into old age. Their stiff joints and inability to exercise make this a hard time of year for old dogs and they spend most of their time under a few blankets in a sunny  corner of the balcony.
I think today is a good day to join them!

Slow day

Today I did the modern-day version of sitting on the porch peeling apples for apple pie. I used a paring knife to laboriously remove the aluminium  ‘lid’ from the coffee capsules – about three weeks’ worth – and scraped out the compacted coffee grounds; no mean feat as they were still damp despite being laid out in the sun on this glorious winter’s day. You may wonder why all the trouble? As a fairly conscientious recycler, it’s all for the sake of the garden. Apparently coffee grounds add or encourage nitrogen in the soil and this is essential for plant well-being. So why throw it away when a little effort can reduce landfill and increase vegetable production?
I do it for the aluminium capsules, which are then taken back to the expensive supplier for recycling, as they promise. Whether they throw it straight out of the back door is a matter of conjecture, but we can hope for the best. But the knock-offs, which are entirely satisfactory, are made of plastic and can be recycled with the domestic waste. I stack the empty capsules in little piles so that what was once a jumbled mess in a large plastic bag is reduced to a few neat little lines in a paper bag, also recyclable.
How’s that for an afternoon of pedantry? Sometimes a little repetitive, mindless work is good for one, like a meditation without having to think about it. And the pot plants give off a delightful aroma.

Diverse friendships

The people I am privileged to call friends run the gamut of society, both socially and intellectually. They range from destitute to mega wealthy, almost illiterate to professors, straight or gay, vegan or carnivore, atheist to orthodox, scientists to psychics, can't-boil-an-egg to gourmet chefs. This allows me to enjoy a broad spectrum of this thing called Life, stretching from basic reality through a comfortable existence to a space where the driven find themselves. It enables me to measure my own successes and failures, test my ability to walk in another man's shoes, stretch my imagination and capacity for learning and give me a more balanced perspective on the world.
These people that I call friends have one thing in common - they have demonstrated kindness, compassion and generosity of spirit. Those are Life's important attributes and are the common bond. All else is what makes up the individual and is not the basis of friendship. Allowing everyone to have their own views makes for stimulating conversation and food for thought, rather than the mundane and stifling. To look down on the uneducated or impecunious doesn't elevate us, and comparison to the more fortunate does not make us inadequate.
There is so much more to the world than we will ever know or understand, but broadening our outlook is a great start. I consider myself tremendously privileged to have such diverse friendships.

Jostling for position

The suet ball is such a hit with the birds! The first few were consumed at a rate of one per day, putting it in a slightly unaffordable category, but the new source is made of sterner stuff and birds of all sizes have been pecking on the same one for a week, with a good few days left. This means they are working harder for their

food and giving me lots of photo opportunities!
By putting pot plants underneath, the cats' hunting instincts are restricted and so far only one bird has succumbed. It's a pity the sunbirds aren't seedeaters or carnivores, but I prefer to attract them with favoured shrubs than sugar feeders, and have never lacked their presence in all the years.
It's great to see all the birds coexisting - a lesson we could learn, no doubt.

Wild seas

Isn't the ocean just a marvellous thing? Ever changing, in shape and tides and colours, sometimes smooth as glass and mostly heaving like a billowing sheet in a gale, as today.

My view through The Gap provides amazing opportunities to see craft of all shapes and sizes ploughing through the swells, although I daresay none but the behemoths of the seas left the sheltering harbours today. The swell is 22 foot at present, producing breakers that keep us rushing outside to exclaim at - it seems we never get tired of that - but some years ago a weather buoy measured a swell off Slangkop of 17 metres! This was accompanied by one of our classic hurricane style storms that smashes windows on the Atlantic seaboard and throws concrete benches into trees, but this cold front has brought icy Antarctic air rather than destruction.
Temperatures will, they say, remain below 15 degrees for a week at least, which is heavy going for Capetonians who thrive on long sunny summers and generally mild and short winters. Somehow this winter has seemed darker and colder than usual and it will be a relief when the evenings start later. I mean, who wants to be tucked up in bed with hot chocolate and an electric blanket and find out that it's only 6.45?
That is ridiculous! But cosy...