Either working...

 Good morning, dear Blogger friends. Thank you for your comments on my dog's good behavior. Skabby never touches anything (read: bowls of cat kibbles dotted all over in this house!) that isn't in a "his" food bowl and only when I give him the nod, does he eat. An animal trainer once said if you succeed in training a dog to obey you when it comes to [his] food, he will be obedient to the hilt. I started training Skabby from a puppy and nine years later I am reaping the benefits of that discipline. 

Just saying...

As for me, life goes on. I have had a busy school holiday accommodation-wise and Thandi and I have worked at cleaning after guests that have checked out and prepping for incoming guests. 

Carrying out routine maintenance on a chair in the accommodation

Thandi and I cleaning after a family of guests

Pillows and continental cushions for the kingsized bed

Cleaning the shower 

Prepped and available for a lady, her aunt and a teenager to check in for the weekend

Comfortable attraction for young parents and toddler checking in for four days mid-week 

Kingsized luxury awaiting foreign guests' arrival over the weekend

In between preparing for guests, I have my three Weigh-Less venues held in Winterton and Champagne Valley respectively. And my morning job at the farm office. Never a dull moment! 

Winterton Weigh-Less groups held every Tuesday at 3pm

Champagne Valley Weigh-Less Venue Group held on Thursdays at midday

And back home Missy, (my thin cat!) rests on the Weigh-Less bag while I unlock my cottage door

To be continued tomorrow to see what I'm doing when I'm not working! 

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Oh whey...

 Good morning, dear Blogger friends. I have stopped apologizing for my absence. Believe me, they're not intentional; I am here; I am keen to keep in touch, but oh whey! Life just gets in the way.

But...

Here I am again.

A month ago, I went birding here in the Valley. The first time since we left Tanzania in 2015! 

Early that Saturday morning in April, I drove to the farm where a renowned birder was staying and who would guide a group of us enthusiasts. 

The glorious view from the veranda

The bird fundi explaining how he would guide our walk through the lands

I loved the way the dogs were engaged as well! 

As I walked closer to the group, and turned around, I noticed the quaint stance of each dog!

How precious are these two pooches - pointed toes and crossed feet! 

They know that there is soon a walk in the offing, so they were listening intently! 

The outing was most interesting. The farm we were walking on is owned by a local doctor who spends the first four months of every year practicing in Canada. When at home in the Drakensberg, he works tirelessly at creating a natural environment on his farm by planting indigenous trees and shrubs creating inviting forests which attract birds, wildlife, insects and amphibians. His grasslands (as seen in the photo below) are also meticulously chosen and planted to attract insects and small mammals as well as seed eating birds.

Sausage tree: Kigelia africana

Here the bird fundi holds away a branch as the doctor/farmer emerges from underneath a Paperbark thorn (Acacia sieberiana) 

After a bracing early morning walk, we arrived back at the house where we were

 treated to coffee and carrot cake

We saw several raptors, bee eaters, sunbirds, barbets and LBJ's (little brown jobs). These are the same birds I see regularly in and around my garden. However, the bird fundi gave us great information and told interesting stories about these birds. 

Not to put too fine a point on it, I was the only birder who has lived in remote African countries, and North African deserts, and sighted birds that no one, except the bird fundi, had heard of and many of which he had not seen either.

Afterwards I sent thank you notes to Kat (who arranged the outings) and Christine, married to Greg (doctor/farmer) 

HAPPY WEDNESDAY TO YOU ALL! 

Eish...

 ...a nationalized South African word meaning surprise, annoyance, resignation. 

Eish! 

When I use this expression, I tend to stamp my foot in frustration; slap my palm against my forehead with exasperation, 

I never meant another two weeks to elapse before posting. But here I am again.

Apart from my work, I have returned to my weekly exercise classes in the Valley.   After our seven-minute-drop-a-dress-size-warm up- video, we set out in twos and threes to do the Friday 5km walk. 

I find since my knee injury, I am not at all adventurous any longer, no trying to better my time, etc. Fortunately, Estelle walks very slowly and she and I caught up on all the news while we covered the distance. Ironically, this was the FIRST time I attended since the last week in May; and we had a farewell brunch afterwards for our coach, Caroline. 

I know how to pick my events! 

Caroline is seated second from the end on the right of this photo. She has returned to Australia for two years

Estelle is continuing with the classes and to prove that I can attend functions and workouts without the lure of a meal, I joined the girls last Wednesday. It was a public holiday, the temperature sub-zero, but I enjoyed every minute of the exercises. I joined them this past Friday again and will continue to attend regularly, cleaning schedules permitting. Estelle supports my Weigh-Less group and I need to support her in this.

Meanwhile, during July and this far in August, I have had full house at The Bunker.  Thandi and I have cleaned after guests checking out and prepped for the next ones checking in.

 

A perfect 10 and positive review from guests is always appreciated 

Last week I offered to do "tea" after the church service. I supplied the sandwiches and scones and poured cups of tea after  attending the service! No freeloading this time, LOL!

The day before this, I did the Parkrun again after a long layoff. I'd had Skabby groomed and took him along: HIS first time back too. I don't know who was more excited: Skabby being back on a LONG walkies or my friends who had gotten to know him when we walked on my quest to achieve my 100th Parkrun!

The reason why Skabby hadn't been at Parkrun during the hot summer months is that I was trying to get his hot spot healed. Not just a teeny, little red dot. It was a HUGE raw area which took four months and many trips to the vets to heal.

Skabby's left shoulder area which had become a huge raw sore area

His left rump which was also a large painful area of raw skin

To add insult to injury (although it was for his own good), Skabby was fitted with a clone. This was to prevent him licking his wounds. The vets also bandaged his left rear foot to prevent him scratching the itchy areas and causing more problems.

Throughout this whole traumatic time, Skabby never once showed anything but a sunny nature. The surgery personnel marveled at how happy this dog always was, even when his mum brought him in for MORE injections and more treatment. And always he'd greet the vets with a lolling tongue and a wagging tail.

Finally the day arrived in mid-August where he was back at Parkrun. 

Cooler weather and a happy dog with a beautifully sleek coat

 

 HAVE A GREAT SATURDAY

WELL!!!

What can I say? I have not posted on Blogger for two months and man, do I miss it and all my Blogger friends?

As always, I have been busy, but I intend to blog more regularly this year.

I had a WONDERFUL holiday season with my accommodation during November and December and guess what, it's not letting up for January through March either. 

 I am going great guns at Parkrun with five to go to reach my 100th milestone. 

Christmas Eve was the start of the heatwave. Although Skabby and I donned the required festive adornments, we both suffered badly in the heat

Meanwhile we have had a severe heatwave in South Africa and my poor Skabby is suffering. Athough he was shaved and groomed at the beginning of December, a week before Chrisstmas he developed a hotspot the about 5cm in diameter. No matter what I applied, the hotspot got bigger. 

I took him to the vet and then the injections, medicines, cortisone started. I applied pharmacy bought mercurochrome spray and gentian violet to the raw areas. The vet ordered Sulphur powder (priced like gold dust!) and this started to help. But Skabby kept licking and scratching the wounds. 

The vets would phone me before the weekend to ask how Skabby was getting on. I know I was, by now, a welcome cash cow to the veterinary business, but I found it touching that they actually cared...

My answer was always the same: it seems a little better, but he is licking and scratching the areas. 

Finally, last Tuesday I took him to the vet while I was running my Weigh-Less groups in Winterton. He injected Skabby with a "hotspot" injection, prescribed an antibiotic specifically meant for skin irritations and fitted the doggie with a cone. 

Mmm

Poor boy. 

All the older cats scattered as they saw this strange apparition. 

Except Georgie...

Never mind, Unca Skabby, I will stay and care for you!

Yesterday, I left Skabby at home and went to the Parkrun on my own. He sat and howled like a baby at the gate: a really pathetic sight of a sad dog with a plastic cone around his neck! I felt absolutely lost not to be dragged around the 5km track, and everyone who saw me, asked where my dog was.

I just have to get him better...

On 30 December, my brother, Philip turned 75. I joined him and friends for a lovely luncheon at a neighbor's home.

Philip and me on his 75th

Philip was the kind person who took 12-year-old Papa in when the owner of a local lifestyle center wanted to euthanize him.

This month Papa has been with Philip for a year - the best forever home a cat could wish for

Philip's other car, Cat has accepted Papa as if he has been there forever.\

Back home the felines thrive, and Georgie is getting cuter by the minute

Inexpensive and simple...

.

...are toys which delight an active kitten!

MAY YOU ALL ENJOY A WONDERFUL SUNDAY

Parkrun : my activities update

 Good morning, dear Blogger friends. As posted over the months, when Winterton Parkrun reopened after Covid restrictions, I was asked by the Run Director to come and volunteer.  This was in October 2021. (see here). 

I did many volunteering stints, but since 6th August 2022, I have started doing the Parkrun walk again.

 Mmm...

I am on a mission.

All will be revealed soon.

On 27th August, I loaded Skabby into my car and took him along to his first Parkrun ever. 

A new routine has been established. 

Skabby and me on our first Parkrun

No flies on this dog. He pulled me around the 5km course at a rate of knots. I have to keep him on lead (he's used to being let off the hook here on the farm roads); he weighs quite a bit more than I do AND he is 4 wheel driven. 

We finished at 2minutes faster than I had been doing since restarting the walk and for three days afterwards I felt every muscle in my shoulders, back, arms and legs. In fact, I had shin splints which is not an injury known to a vintage (non-running) lady such as I. 

Every week is better than the last; Skabby, while still terribly excited for this long weekly walk, has learnt to calm down by the 2km mark.  He has also become very well known by the other local Parkrunners who are surprised to see Jo's large black dog. One acquaintance said she's known me for five years and never associated me with having a dog. 

Well, I cannot remember a time in my life that I did NOT have a dog.

Visitors also approach and ask if they may pat him; even bringing their young children to stroke Skabby's broad head. He obliges every time going loopy-eyed and drooling while being petted. 

Three weeks later, the Tailwalker videoed all of us at the start of the Parkrun.

As you can see, Skabby's leash is taut, my grim countenance shows my concentration, and he has me almost off my feet! 

HAPPY MONDAY TO YOU ALL!