A bundle of laughs!

I got to thinking how quite different my life has become here in South Africa, compared to when we lived in Tanzania. Here it's dog training, keeping the five cats from warring with each other, having the grandchildren to visit and teaching them how to behave with Skabenga, the pup and meeting with friends and family.

All the time, we're having great fun and enjoying a relaxed transition from winter into spring.  I mean, take three 60-something humans,  a four-month-old pup-in-rigid-training, five cats, (four hailing from Tanzania and one from the nearby township of Setsoto) and one determined old Foxy dog trying to escape - and failing - there's never a dull moment. Throw in two highly intelligent grandchildren who pop in regularly to visit Grandddad, Granny and Rina you have the mix for laughter and entertainment galore! 

Only last week, I had to chuckle at my efforts to show off my [now grown] guard dog when we had renovations done to our house. We often use a Sotho gentleman, Elias who lives in the nearby township. When he repaired and repainted our internal garden wall in mid-June, Skabenga was a cute li'l pup only just six weeks old. At the time, as Skabenga snuffled around Elia's feet, and as Elias fondled his ears, I heard him ask our gardener, John where we'd got him. John told him he came from the policeman who lives just up the road from us. 

Last week as Rina open the gate to let Elias in for the indoor renovations he was going to do, I took Skabenga outside. I held onto his collar and waited on the patio. I was hoping to create the impression that now Skabenga, the guard dog,  has become fierce and has to  know who's entering the yard - all under my supervision, of course. Keeping my eyes on Elias walking down the drive towards me, I greeted him. Then I looked down at Skabenga: his tail was wagging nineteen-to-the-dozen and he had his favorite toy, a soft monkey, in his jaws! 

The photo below was (similar to) what greeted the builder as he approached me and Skabenga. 

Aaaargh, grrrr - how fierce am I?

The weekend before this, Angus and Amanda and the three children popped in for a coffee. Angus had bought Joel a book called: "How to fly an airplane"  Angus said to me: "Imagine if the pilot should walk into the cockpit with this under his arm?" Then with Joel sitting his lap, Angus and Joel looked through the book. At one stage listening to them discussing the technicalities and hearing how Joel was picking it all up,  I asked him: "May I fly in your plane, Joel?" And he replied: "Yes, I'll take you overseas!" Just then Abby shot around the dining table and stopped in front of Rina. She said to her: "Reeenaaah, don't worry;  I'll take you to the library!" Priceless! 

During the week Rina was going out to a function with a friend. We were sitting at the dining table in the entertainment area. She was painting her nails; I was blogging. She discussed what she would be wearing that day and asked: "Jo, may I borrow your pink scarf?" I said: "Sure" Then I looked up from the keyboard and asked: "Do I have a pink scarf?" To which she replied: "I don't know!" This caused great mirth between the two of us that day! 

But the best was when I parked outside the cafe a couple of weeks ago. I had taken the middle parallel parking space. When we came out of the cafe, a small car was parked behind me and a large truck, delivering mushrooms to the cafe, closely in front of me. I decided to get out of my parking space, I'd have to reverse a little way and then pull out. This I did - without looking backwards over my shoulder.

Our vehicle has an on-board screen in the dashboard. As you engage reverse gear, the screen lights up, showing the area behind the vehicle. 

Several lines appear so that when you are near the red line (danger) an alarm bleeps, warning you that you are very close. 

I took these photos in our own yard, to demonstrate 

Unbeknownst to me and Rina, chatting all the while and looking at the screen on the dash instead of looking over my shoulder, there was a young man sitting in the car behind us.  As we watched, we saw his car shoot backwards (and not loom up closer on the screen due to my reversing) until he could swing out into the street and drive off. 

We realized that he when he saw my reverse lights come on and saw two vintage ladies were looking forward and talking their heads off the same time the ditsy driver was reversing the car, he made the quickest get-away ever! Rina and I laughed all the way home! 

I hope you're all having a wonderful time in your part of the world. I'm linking to Our World Tuesday here