Pink perfection

Today we were back to our customary stunningly beautiful autumn weather in Cape Town, after a brief rainy spell. The pleasure of the sunshine is tempered by the chill of the sea air here in Kommetjie, and it was particularly noticeable in the late afternoon when I went down to the Kom to take yet more photos of the flamingos. Can one ever have enough photos of flamingos? There were certainly plenty of fancy cameras and long lenses down there as I snapped away with my little 10x zoom Fuji and I'm sure their fingers were frozen to the shutter just like mine!
At one stage, a breakaway group of these elegantly awkward birds stalked out of the shallows on to the mud flats in their supercilious way, looking down their beaks at the lesser bird species pecking nearby, and a fortuitous angle of the light reflected from the windows over the road provided perfect lighting to highlight their delicate pink plumage.
The usual squabbling among the males resulted in lots of ruffled feathers and a very nice display of spreading wings showed just why the collective noun for these magnificent birds is 'flamboyance'!

A little gem

High on the pine-treed slopes of Devil's Peak, on an inconspicuous street corner of one of Cape Town's oldest suburbs is the Sidewalk Cafe. Under the umbrella (or should that be tent?) of Madam Zingara, this retro chic eatery reminds me of a similar place in Kalk Bay, where the emphasis is on the food, not the decor. The Sidewalk Cafe is literally that, with small, intimate eating areas without diners intruding upon each other's conversations - something I loathe.
A starter of rice paper rolls with spicy sesame soy dressing was a surprise when it arrived - raw julienne fruit & veg - but was light and refreshing. Apparently the word 'raw' should have been used rather than 'fresh'. The main of chicken risotto with fresh peas and prawns was, without any exaggeration, to die for! Creamy, subtle yet flavoursome, just the right 'bite' on the rice, tender, ladylike chunks of chicken and succulent prawns topped with rocket - a taste sensation, like angels dancing on the tongue.
The trouble with food that is so delectable, one savours each mouthful, is that one soon becomes sated and by the time the plate is cleaned, a somnolence has set in and the eyes search for a suitable chaise in a corner on which to recline and digest one's repast. So be warned! Eat quickly and head home for the couch or sup slowly and spend many hours with head in hand and elbow on the table, while reminding oneself what a doggie bag is for!
Dessert, strictly for special birthdays, was a soft, rich chocolate brownie with fresh berry coulis and, despite my best efforts, went home with me.
I'll be parking my butt on a chair again soon!

A decade of infinite possibility

How long have I waited for this day! The start of a new decade - a decade where I can care even less what the world thinks of me than when I turned 40 and 50! Such freedom to think for myself and not worry whether I am conforming to the norms of society. Not that I have totally abandoned all of them. I still believe we should do unto others as we would have them do unto us - that just about covers everything: manners, kindness, caring, courtesy - but definitely don't care whether I have the latest phone technology, perfect hair and makeup, designer clothes, or watch reality shows on TV. I gave up newspapers and the news channels long, long ago and my life has not taken a turn for the worse.
I have decided to devote my 60s to ensuring that as many people as possible start reading labels on food and educating themselves about what they are eating and spending their hard-earned cash on in supermarkets. Encouraging discussion about things that they have kept to themselves for fear of being ridiculed; long-hidden traumas that they have held inside since childhood and been too frightened to discuss for fear of being labelled in some way. Being a listening post for those that will speak, adviser to those who seek it and encourager of those who are afraid to shine their light on the world.
Nothing is ever as it seems. Nobody has gone through life unscathed. Many live small little lives, unaware that they are in fact masters of their own destiny. Everything is about choice. I have chosen.
If we all choose to follow our dreams and step off the narrow track and out into the field of all possibility, the world can only become a better place.

A nasty bite

Father has been gadding about all over southern Africa for the last two months, ably assisted by my sister. His philosophy is, don't plan for tomorrow as it may never come, or some such thing, and next year may be too late. It is a philosophy we should all live by. Never put anything off, no matter how big or small, and especially if others are against it. Live your life!
Anyway, the upshot of his gadding is that somewhere along the line, in the vicinity of the Kruger National Park, something must have bitten him on the leg (definitely not a lion) and it resulted in a painfully swollen lower leg and ankle. At nearly 88, this is something he could well have done without, but being philosophical and pretty easygoing, he has taken it in his stride together with some antibiotics and a few visits to various doctors, starting in Skukuza and ending in Simon's Town. Eventually he went off to the military hospital in Wynberg where they kept him overnight and did various tests, eliminating any causes of worry, and discharged him this afternoon with some bags of tablets!
The doctors and nurses were marvellous, the hospital spotless and brand new, and we feel sure he will be on the mend in no time. He is going to take it easy and not go on any more holidays in the foreseeable future.
At least that's what he says now!

Graduation day for Cleo!

Cleo Puppy graduated from Puppy School today. She must have been nervous, as she sicked up her breakfast in the car. She loved the sociability of puppy classes, where she got to play unleashed with doggies of a similar age and size, and it has enabled her to be completely relaxed with all sizes and types of dog, with no aggression or lack of confidence evident in her demeanour. Official photos will follow!

She so enjoyed the different 'cross-country' courses and never hesitated to try something new. She loves to stand on my rebounder when I jump on it and appears to enjoy the movement. Quite skilled on a skateboard too! There are some areas where she has a lot to learn, and this involves chasing Mango and Biggles and stealing biscuits from Monty and Susie. Somehow I don't think these pastimes are going to be relinquished lightly.
Ball chasing, mad dashing around the garden and frantic hole digging ensure that she gets plenty of exercise, and one day when I am totally confident that she will return to me without hesitation, a run in a big field or perhaps a beach will be the ultimate joy for her. Her border collie heritage makes for phenomenal speed and a bright intelligence, which is a delight when playing ball as she drops it at my feet. The toy pom (definitely there!) means she is a loving companion, always close by me. The terrier keeps her chasing the cats and digging. What a mixture - a sociable, good-natured, playful and useful watchdog, ready to take over from the older dogs when their days are done.
An absolute treasure and delight!

A damp squib

Yesterday's storm disappointed in many ways. The 100km/h gusts were over in a few hours and were almost imperceptible at my house, an idiosyncracy of the northwest wind. The 50mm of rain piddled down to a mere 5mm, hardly likely to fill any of our almost empty dams. And the forecast massive high tide with 9 metre swells didn't swamp the path along the bay with mountains of kelp. Okay, there were fallen trees, roofs blown off and flooding in other areas, but not here.
What we did have was a 10 hour power failure in our road, while just 100m away everything was all systems go. In no time, the batteries of all my devices were flat, the ADSL was out and I was left in silence for the day and most of the night. Just when I wanted to do all the ironing and vacuum up all the bits of dog biscuit that just will lodge itself in the Persian carpets! Noooot! But jokes aside, being out of touch with the world, not even a phone, in the midst of a storm and with no lights once the sun went down was very frustrating. We think we will do all sorts of things - paint, write another chapter of the book, etc - but these things need to be worked up to, and only after becoming accustomed to the lack of ability to go about the normal daily routines. Worst of all, having waited a few days for the technician to come all this way to fix the dishwasher that he didn't fix the last time, I had to send him away because there was no electricity! Another 3 days of washing dishes.
What I missed most of all was my music - life is always good when the music plays.
Today the sea is rolling in at a spectacular 20 ft which more than makes up for yesterday's frustrations, and here are some photos. Bear in mind that the view is normally an uninterrupted smooth stretch to the horizon.

Cape of Storms

As Cape Town's dams sink below the 30 percent level, we are not in a position to complain about a single drop that comes our way, and so far we have all been suitably grateful for even the slightest relief. Today we were surprised at the accuracy of the weather forecast, as it rained consistently and even heavily throughout the day. Extra care needs to be taken on the roads, where the driving is abysmal at the best of times, and here in the Deep South even a small fender bender can cause hours of inconvenience and frustration  for commuters. Continual road works make even the smallest journey an absolute nightmare, although we must be thankful for small mercies in that our roads are actually maintained.
In our little corner of Kommetjie, as mentioned before, we somehow miss the severity of the northwester and gales pass by almost unnoticed, so I am holding thumbs that the gusts of 100km/hr between 2 and 7pm forecast for tomorrow will fall into that pattern. I would strongly suggest that everybody stay at home and do the ironing or some such pastime, make sure all your animals are safe and dry, and get out the electric blankets!
Let's hope that the byproduct of this weather system will be rising dam levels.

Be a light unto the world

Lots of nice things happening these last few days - synchronous meetings, lunch outings with special friends, weekend of spoiling with another special friend, unexpected gifts - and a binful of fish! We are sometimes blessed with fresh fish, but always unannounced and usually intact, meaning cleaning! Somehow today's gift was over the top, with enough to fill a deep freeze, except that I have ordered a free-range Karoo lamb due for delivery tomorrow, so no space. An afternoon of hosing, cleaning and packing fish ensued and clever packing found space for some, while others found their way to a new home! Many fish cakes will follow!

The unsettled stresses of last week have passed and I am looking forward to a smoother ride with any luck. I know many others feel the same. I feel I should reiterate that in spite of the state of the world, the most important thing is to approach everything with love and goodwill - even when it is the hardest thing to do - as there are no truer words than 'love conquers all'. Be a light unto the darkness and fear nothing.

Photographic fumbling

Is it only me or does everyone else never have their camera at the ready for that perfect shot? I am always on the lookout for birds to photograph and as I sat down now to make an early start to my work before sunrise, I heard an owl hoot. I whipped my head around faster than an owl at a mouse convention, and there it was in the dead tree next door, feathers fluffed and calling quite animatedly. I rushed for the camera and of course had to check all the settings; still in daylight mode, etc. and so quite unsuitable for the current conditions. I snapped a rather dark shot and of course it flew off from its picture-perfect situation and landed on a nearby roof with a dark building behind it. Absolutely useless. More fumbling and I got the settings right as it took off again, so all I have is a rear picture of it in out-of-focus flight! Those award-winning bird photographers must spend days getting the perfect picture. They deserve all the accolades they get.
But it was still very exciting to hear the owl call and actually have such a clear sighting. They are among my favourite birds and the very reason why I never put any poisons in the garden or for rats that may come up from the seashore. Rather a rat in the roof than a dead owl!

Night sounds

1a.m. Night sounds. Waves folding over, the trillions of droplets smashing together, forming foam, a soft sissssing noise. A night heron calls as it passes overhead.
Nearby, a frog's chorus begins. Slowly at first, like clear taps on a marimba, then more notes added in descending order, an answering call and then faster and faster to a crescendo, then silence.
A foghorn sounds from far out to sea, hinting at the day's weather. The smell of rain in the air, but still dry.
Random thoughts from across a lifetime. Walking along a hot tar road in summer, barefoot. The smell of figs in the afternoon heat. Children chasing each other around a pool. Cracking open pinenuts to get to the rich seeds inside that almost impossible to break kernel.
Tea? Water? Read? Sleep? Stroke the dog's head, lying close against me. Let sleeping dogs lie?
Phone alarm! What happened to the small hours of the night? Wasted with memories or precious moments of reliving them? Maybe.

Autumn idyll

Autumn sunshine warmed my back as I wandered along the bayside path, keeping a wary eye out for danger. Not the human kind - the reptilian variety (which could lead off in a different direction), and especially puffadders and cobras. These two well-known snakes have put in an appearance more often than we would like at present, with snake-catchers kept busy almost on a daily basis. Sightings along the path are more worrisome, as our dogs are likely to be quite adventurous in sniffing out any lurker in the rockeries or under the boardwalk.
But no slitherers were seen, only flocks of black and yellow butterflies, newly hatched from whence they come (that lets me off the hook, doesn't it?), fluttering about a foot above the ground and providing endless fun for little Cleo who I gave a free rein to test her obedience while there were no other distractions. I'm pleased to report that she made no attempt to run off and was fascinated by the little flutterers that she didn't actually want to catch.
A completely smooth bay belied the 6-ft break at Inner Kom and behind the island, and the water was an icy crystal clear, lapping gently on the tiny beach at the head of the bay, and swirling subtly over the rocks that form a natural barrier against erosion of the land lining this magical place.

Suddenly a commotion of gulls erupted over the water as they fought over a shoal of small fish that had come into the bay, and two herons were quick to glide in to join the melee. An oystercatcher called out as it flew off towards the lighthouse, not interested in that particular party.
We continued along the path, Cleo snapping lightheartedly at more butterflies and no snakes in sight. An autumnal idyll.

A bad few days of time mismanagement

I doubt whether I have had a more overwhelmingly stressful week, and I know many others who feel the same. It's been a case of everything that could go wrong, has. Or, Stop the world, I want to get off!
It's mainly related to things beyond our control: the internet working sporadically, banking websites and government departments apparently not fully up and running when you need to get information, people not replying to emails, cellphones turning themselves off and batteries mysteriously running down when you are far from a charger. These things have been invented to try us and test the patience of a saint. Technology is a wonder when it works, but you will see a person's true character when the wi-fi doesn't work!
Yesterday there was a burst water pipe in the area and this caused most households to be either out of water or have reduced pressure. We were among the lucky ones, and having successfully showered and rinsed the shampoo out of my hair, I reckoned it was safe to put the dishwasher on before going off to town on some errands.
The day turned out to be full of fun, and then I got back home. The dishwasher was still churning on and on without finishing its cycle, so I turned it off, but it didn't. Eventually I had to turn it off at the plug, put through an emergency call to the technician (there is one machine I cannot live without) and spent  a good while handwashing the dishes.
In the meantime, some unexpected work had come in, so from having a day off, I was suddenly way behind with everything. It was downhill from there. One crisis followed another, with all sorts of unscheduled happenings, and watering of the garden was one casualty of my lack of time management.
Today, the technician came to fix the dishwasher - a man whose work I absolutely trust as he has been fixing minor mishaps here for 30 years and more - and it was working when he left. A few hours later, I walked past the machine and it switched itself on. But was in the same state as before he fixed it. Here's a weekend of washing dishes. Except I won't be home.
The cream was off, the meat smells strange, the naartjies are sour and the cats have ticks.
A fabulous flamboyance of flamingos flew by, but I wasn't in the right place for an unobstructed view.
The weather is magnificent - I should be watching the sunset down at the rocks.
Perhaps we can fast forward to a new week.

More wildlife

Towards sunset last night, the small flock of flamingos could be seen taking off from the Kom. As I was in the car at the time, I drove down to enjoy the spectacle, and observed the cause of their flight - a small group of youngsters frolicking unchecked in the Kom where the birds feed. It obviously had the same effect as the dogs that chase after them, barking in excitement. What a pity. However, it enabled those who were nearby to see their elegant flight and doubtless they will return soon.
In the background, just behind the island, a whale was spouting, no doubt a passerby as it is too early for the Southern Rights to come in for calving. So another opportunity to see the rich heritage of natural beauty where we live.

A more unwelcome sighting was a large puffadder sunning itself in my friend's back garden this morning. The same snake catcher as had removed mine last week turned up with a faulty pair of tongs and struggled to get a grip on the writhing reptile, which was getting rather annoyed, particularly when it saw the tube it was going to be put in. As the snake man lifted the tube, the puffadder reversed and popped its head back out. Much shrieking and finger-pointing ensued. At that stage we were considering calling another snake catcher with long trousers and tongs that worked. He was now using his foot to stand on the snake's tail, while answering a call on his phone - a cobra to be caught nearby - leaving the puffadder free to bite him if it so wished. Eventually we gave him some rather short braai tongs and soon the snake was incarcerated. Things are getting quite out of hand here with the hibernation season upon us and every snake in the area looking for a cosy spot!

Birding at the Kom

Took a walk on the wild side today. Only joking, unfortunately, but it was a walk to the Kom to see the wildlife. The flamingos were pinker today than I remember them last time. Must have been feeding on something extra special! They were quite active and fluffed out their feathers beautifully for the camera.

 There were plenty of other birds around if you looked past the glamour and the smaller varieties are just as quirky as their long-legged cousins. We are so fortunate to have such close and easy access to the wonders of the natural world, right on our doorstep. A good camera and pair of binoculars aid in lessening the frustration when trying to observe and identify birds, and I am a long way off being always at the ready. It's more a case of hit and miss, but the hits are getting more frequent and one day I will invest in a great camera!

Sunset surf

After four days of sweltering heat and mirror-like sea, a nice swell crept in this evening at the Inner Kom, luring the locals for some magic surfing in uncrowded conditions. I popped down to the path to take yet more pictures of the waves at sunset, as there is always room for improvement on those that I have. Just as there are those who say you can never be too rich or too thin, I say you can never have too many pictures of waves and sunsets.
The shorebreak didn't stretch out to sea and so the little fishing boats chugged by at a rate of knots, unimpeded by having to travel against the swell and doing double the distance up and down. They added interest to the scene, as always. I hope you enjoy these pics.

Basking under a balmy night sky

The day-old new moon is almost down below the horizon and soon I will be left sitting on the deck under a black velvet sky dotted with stars, planets and speeding satellites. The sound of social gatherings on nearby balconies, accompanied by the drifting aroma of chops on the braai is testimony to the balmy weather we are having. Not a wave is breaking, and the reflection of the sun off the sea this evening was as if off a mirror - quite blinding.
The new moon has brought extreme highs and lows of ebb and flow, and the lagoon-like aspect of the sea and particularly in the bay has seen the rocks appear and disappear as if by magic, rather than through an ever increasing increment with each incoming wave. These perfect conditions, I would have thought, should have had every Stand Up Paddler in the area out there doing a balancing act without fear of an upset, but not one was in sight yesterday evening. Perhaps the thrill is in the bumps?
The high voltage power lines are being worked on tonight and so there will be no electricity between Sun Valley and Scarborough throughout the night. Great for nefarious deeds, so be on the alert and hooray for those with solar power. This is a fantastic opportunity for some stargazing, with no lights and no moon. And warm weather! It will be interesting to see if the Slangkop lighthouse works when the lights go out. Last time nobody turned it on, despite it being of major importance to shipping, and it must be assumed that someone was guilty of dereliction of duty, as this is unheard of.
I don't know how long it takes for a hot water cylinder to go cold or when a deepfreeze starts to defrost, and we have been warned that it will be off for 10.5 hours. This doesn't sound good, particularly when I have to get up early for puppy classes, so if I look somewhat dishevelled, it will be because I don't appreciate a cold shower.

Birds just getting on with life

It's a still and peaceful morning down near the sea in Kommetjie. Gulls call from the rocks where they are feeding and further out to sea, terns fly by to forage further afield. The sea is a pond, and skiboats have been heading for Cape Point since dawn, the air so still that I can hear the crews calling to each other.
Birds abound in this weather, when they can perch unblown by the wind on a slender twig and peck idly at aphids or a last berry or two before winter. A prinia, such a tiny, rotund bird that seems to have no fear, watched me from the hibiscus while I cursed not having my camera on me as usual.
A Cape robin chat has set up home in the milkwood in my little zen garden, and is always nearby when I go to sit there. Yesterday it had a marvellous bath in the spray from the hose that I left propped in the branches. I hope the cats don't catch it.
Sunbirds twitter all over the garden and the doves and pigeons are passing the time patiently in the dead gum tree. A small flock of red-faced mousebirds dart frantically from tree to tree en masse, somehow never getting their long tail feathers entangled, and a pair of redwing starlings call raucously from the top branch, as if defining their dominance. Some grey-headed sparrows have just joined the party, and a vibrant double-collared sunbird is perched within inches of a house sparrow. Photographs are no good to capture the activity. It has to be seen.
How sensible they all are, just getting on without interfering in each other's lives. Oh, for the wings of a dove!

Sunshine, southeaster and a snake!

Back to some intense heat! Every day's a new day in Cape Town's autumn.
The sea is a deep blue mirror of the endless blue sky above, and colourful fishing boats ply back and forth from Hout Bay harbour, chugging past the lighthouse silently as the wind is offshore and even the shorebreak is silent.
Despite good rain over the last week or so, the sun has dried out the earth again and it's back to the watering regime for potplants, which look as though they have never seen a drop of water. Drooping leaves are the order of the day, and I'm drooping too on my inside balcony where I write and paint and generally pass my day. With the winter sun now shining into the north facing windows, it is like a hothouse in here, which is great on a really cold July day, but a little unnecessary right now. I have a very vigorously growing hoya plant on this inside balcony, as it doesn't get direct sunlight but benefits from the warmth and the door is right next to it. The leaves are a glossy dark green and tendrils are clambering up and across the wooden slats of what used to be the outside of the house many years ago. It's two years old now and not had a flower, so I read up on hoyas and see that they don't like to be disturbed, rearranged, touched or stared at too closely! Sounds like a grumpy old man!
Snake alert!!! Puffadder in garden near front door! Haven't had one in 33 years here. Cat wanting to play with it. Snake catcher rushed out from Fish Hoek and bagged it in 30 seconds amid much angry hissing from Puffy. Thanking our lucky stars!

Windy days

The sun continues to shine in its autumn way, having lost the scorch of summer, but not quite finished with us yet. A brisk southeaster, which failed to materialise last summer, has now settled in for a while and is bringing the rain that was so desperately needed over the rest of the country. They are getting heavy downpours that will go a long way in filling the dams and refreshing the parched earth, but too late for the crops of the season. This is the cycle of life.
The flamingoes are back in the Kom and it was really funny to see them standing at high tide with the water having risen right up to their bodies, but they were still standing firmly on two legs. They must have calculated how far from the shore to stand so that it would appear they were floating. Such beautiful birds.
Cleo seems to have slowed down in her growth. It will be so interesting to see her final 'look'. Estimates of parentage are mixture of border collie, terrier and chihuahua - cannot see that bit but definitely the other two. She is like greased lightning and I am sure she would love a free run in a field or on the beach, but I am still worried she may run off. Our old Monty was always a great escaper and would disappear for two hours before finally finding his way back to the gate - a source of great stress and fortunately he is too old now! The shredding of my limbs has abated as Cleo becomes older, or perhaps as I learn to control her better. Clothing still suffers a little, with holes in many items carelessly left within reach. The answer is to keep her: 1. Fed, 2. Entertained for half an hour on waking. After her initial burst of energy first thing in the morning, she is content to chew on her toys and chase the cats. A real treasure.

Strange travellers

Many and varied are the sightings of ships that pass these shores. They traverse the sea route round the Cape of Good Hope in fair weather and foul, with seldom a time when a ship isn't visible along the horizon between Cape Town and Cape Point, and frequently up to six can be seen at varying distances. Foul weather is always exciting, as the bow dips deep into a trough and then lifts in a deluge of white water cleaning off the decks in more ways than one.
Sometimes I am able to get a fairly good photo through the tiny gap, and here is a small selection for your viewing pleasure.

Positioning the water tank

If you are a regular reader of this blog (and I thank you if you are), you may be aware that we recently acquired a 5000 litre water tank, a squat round green tub about outstretched arms wide and six feet tall. This was delivered by a very able-bodied young woman of similar description who was an absolute delight, and who unloaded it from the back of a small flat-bed truck while giving a running commentary on the story of her delivery schedule. Despite its unwieldy size, it only weighs 65kg.
You may also know that things move slowly in this household and I fully expected it to remain in the corner of the front drive for at least 12 years. Imagine my surprise when I was informed by He Who Can Fix Anything that we were going to move it to the back yard today.
This entailed clamping a plank across the considerable spikes of our 6-foot fence, first of all. Then a ramp of planks was leaned against this plank and the two of them rolled the tank to the top of the planks. A similar ramp was on the other side of the fence, at the bottom of which stood I, bracing myself to stop the behemoth as it thundered down towards the bricks, a foam mattress between me and almost certain injury. My biggest concern was for my plants and the sapling behind me.
Well, there was no stopping the tank and I abandoned my post with alacrity as soon as I figured out that its 65kg had probably quadrupled with gravity. It was rather like having a steamroller bearing down on me. However, the mattress (my idea, naturally) did the job and prevented a great deal of damage to the plants, pots and fountain, which was unfortunately a little too close and caught a glancing blow from the bounce, losing a piece of the top level. This will of course be attended to by HWCFA.
Then began the task of getting it down the side of the house with no room for manoeuvring on either side due to branches of trees and pillars. I suggested making a railway line of planks and in no time we had slid the tank about 50 feet, again without damage. It was then left to Robert and me to manhandle it across the lawn between the birdbath and another tree. If only we had videoed it! I am sure it would have been a viral hit on YouTube.
Amazingly, nothing suffered except our backs and the odd fingernail. What a triumph of homemade engineering!

Crisp, sunny day with a short shower

A pleasant, slightly chilly day, mostly spent working at the computer with sunshine outside. On deciding to take Cleo for an evening walk, of course a passing cloud shed its load on us, but fortunately was only a pale grey cloud and not at all ominous. We can't melt, and many people were out on the boardwalk hoping for a good sunset, which appears imminent now that I am safely back inside, slaving over a hot stove.

I don't know about you, but when I cook, I operate on automatic pilot, as my mind is always far away on another mission (rather like when I drive). So when I do something not normally on the schedule, I find it difficult to recall the incident. Here I am referring to looking for the missing butternut. I knew I had chopped it in half and scooped out the pips but couldn't find it when I wanted to put it in the oven. I searched high and low, in the bin, the fridge, the deep freeze, the bathroom, my bag, the cutlery drawer, on the deck, and even under the table, thinking that maybe Cleo had run off with it. Another 'am I going batty' incident. Finally, I remembered that I had put it in the microwave for a few minutes to give it a headstart, something I never do! Phew! so relieved that I'm not batty. All under control and in the oven - delicious free range lamb chops and baked vegetables coming up.
On the subject of batty, my three bats that have always lived under the eaves appear to have disappeared. I haven't seen them for months, and wonder if they go into hibernation (although it's been too hot for that) or whether they have relocated. Perhaps they had a close call with Mango and decided to look for a new belfry. That would be sad, as I have always welcomed their presence as they snap up the evening insects which otherwise might be feasting on me. I have heard that cats are good at catching them.

April showers

And so into April. Gentle rain, sunshine, a sudden cloudburst, more sunshine. So many different types of clouds over Cape Town, as if to offer us every variety for our enjoyment. Fifty shades of green as the rain restores the dessicated vegetation of last summer. Reaching for winter clothes, then casting them off for a complete change, only to put them all back on a few hours later.
Flamingos returned to the Kom today for the first time in weeks, sensing a return to normality as beachgoers abandon the area to allow them to feed undisturbed in the shallows. The swallows have most likely left.
April Fool's Day passed with the usual assortment of leg-pullers around the world. One wonders how much longer this event will last, with so many incidences of false information in circulation every day that we are all becoming immune to the impact of tall tales. Yet blatantly photoshopped pictures of the moon are passed around in awe and exclamations of wonder, so perhaps April Fool's will continue for many years to come.
It's chilly now and I have a book to read. As Mother would always end her daily journal:
"And so to bed."