Vain cat and daft dog

Last night I photographed Chappie lying on the chest of drawers in my office. At one point she got up and I saw she'd been lying on my 2016 cat calendar. (it's not up yet; oops!) When she realized I was snapping another kitty, she promptly plopped down onto the calendar again!

 Ah, let's conceal the other kitty! 

There - no more competition 

Outside our 11 1/2 month Labrador, played with "his" rope. 

At one stage he had it wrapped around his snout

Daft dog! 

HAPPY MONDAY TO YOU ALL! 

Pre-dawn walks with the dogs

Now it's autumn in the Southern Hemisphere with the days becoming shorter and the sun rising later, the dogs and I often walk in  the dark ! They don't care; and of course, I don't mind at all either! 

Thistle and some sort of morning glory woven into it, is flowering along the road to the golf course

The hazy dawn 

I have to adjust my camera functions to compensate for the low light conditions 

The concrete post smells interesting to Skabenga

Crazy dogs!

Skabenga stays near his mama, but keeps an eye on Eddy!

Nothing fazes these dogs! 

Walking home, it's still dark enough for the sensor's in the old car to activate the headlights

HAPPY MONDAY TO YOU ALL!

Our countryside

Overnight the sunflowers have burst into bloom on the farms surrounding our town

Traveling to see our children and grandchildren this weekend, the cosmos along the roads, was spectacular! 

Wherever there were fields of cosmos, there were people and their cameras capturing the beauty! 

In Golden Gate Highlands National Park the colors ran from purple, to lilac to white

Gladstone's Nose is a unique rock formation resembling the profile of a former British Prime Minister: William Ewart Gladstone 

This large rock,  Brandwag Butress  guards the entrance to the park

Happy Monday to you all! 

Karoo Thrush Juvenile

Over the Christmas weekend, the weather was terribly hot. We spent most of the day - and until late evening - out on the patio. Grant sprayed water on the concrete block which covers an underground tank so that the birds could enjoy a bit of coolth. 

Within minutes a thrush, and then another and another landed on the concrete slab. I picked up my camera, focused and snapped. 

When I downloaded the photos I realized that I'd photographed a youngish bird. I ID'd it on Google as  a juvenile Karoo Thrush.

A juvenile Karoo Thrush with an adult in the bottom left corner of the photo

Exploring...

A cheeky stance from the juvenile Karoo Thrush

An adult Karoo Thrush on a small patch of lawn 

Here's withing you all a wonderful first week in 2016!

End of November weekend

On Friday little Abby had her tonsillectomy.  Apart from sending WA messages of support for the parents and little girl, all we could do here at home, was to wait.

Around 9 am I received a video clip from Angus. A tearjerker for grandparents and grand-Rina!

Take a look...

By 11.30am they were back at home; Abby eating salty crisps!

We're hoping that this little girl will fill out now that her tonsils are out! 

Cataract Surgery

Since the 29th September we've been involved with MIL's cataract surgery. She was tested that day. given a registration card to say she'd have the laser op on 7th October. 

We drove the 160 km home and the next week we collected MIL from the home at 4.30 am. We arrived at the hospital at 6.35, were directed to the theater where the ops would take place. We sat down and waited with about 35 other patients.

We waited.

And waited.

At 8.05 am a lady arrived and spoke Sesotho to the majority. Before I could get the gist of what was being said, a gentleman, standing with her, repeated it all in Afrikaans. What it boiled down to was that the operations for that day had been cancelled! 

We were told to return on Wednesday 14th October.  

The next week we collect MIL at the home at 4.30am and drove 160 km to the city. We arrived at 6.35am. This time when we arrived there were admin clerks standing writing out files and calling people's names. Yippee. It was finally happening! 

Rina loves the newspaper and was perusing it while we waited.

 My MIL looked rather tense here which was understandable

Soon Pam Hedges' name was called and I helped MIL to the front. She had her blood pressure taken, I gave the sister information needed to fill in the form. Then Rina and I helped MIL to another row of chairs (you always play musical chairs in a state hospital or clinic!) where they pressed a green paper gown, hat and shoes onto her lap. Rina helped her into the shoes and gown while I fitted the hat. She kept saying her hair do was being mussed up! 

I took a snap with my Smart phone, but was frowned at, so it was rather blurry

MIL is the first person in the row with a file in her hand

Then the theater attendant approached with a wheel chair. He helped MIL into it and wheeled her away. I rejoined Rina who was waiting on chairs against the wall - family has to stay out of the patient's rows, but I kept near to MIL until she went into theater. She had to hand over her cane so I was there to help support her until she was taken to theater. 

Within an hour, they wheeled her out, we removed her theater garb, collected her meds and left.

Rina helping Pam along the hospital corridor

We always stop at the garage and eat our packed brunch. Grant took a photo of the three of us

The next day we were back in the city

 for MIL to have the eye pad removed and the eye checked

Everything was pronounced good. MIL and I moved to another room where her eye was washed, eye drops administered and another eye pad and protection was attached to her eye. The sisters at the home change her eye pad every morning and apply the eye drops four times a day.  

She has to have this repeated until Wednesday morning. 

Then guess what happens?

We collect her at 4.30am, drive 160 km to the city; arrive at 6.30am and wait for MIL to have her eye checked on final time. We believe she will be given a clean bill of health and that she will have a much better vision in her left eye after this.

Grant had this laser surgery done to both eyes in September 2012. He was a private patient; went in on Tuesday afternoon and twenty minutes later he was wheeled out (in a wheelchair) with his left eye covered. The next morning we returned to the hospital, the eye pad was removed and his eye pronounced good. That afternoon he was wheeled into surgery at the same hospital, came out about twenty minutes later; this time with his right eye covered! 

We stayed over in a Guest House near the hospital. The next morning he went straight to the optometrist's rooms, had his eye patch removed and the eye checked. Another successful operation.  Grant's case was unique: he had the op done during one of our leaves from Tanzania and we had to return to work. Therefore both eyes were done together. 

The cost of the operations to both eyes was about R80,000/US$ 6000. Cost of having the laser op done through the State: Zero! 

The optometrist suggested we take MIL back for surgery screening to her right eye in September 2016. 

Phew, at least we have a while to recuperate! 

Happy Monday to you all! 

Week ending 11 Oct 2015

Last week I posted about taking MIL for the cataract operation selection process. This was on the 29th of September. We were thrilled that surgery to her left eye was scheduled for a week hence: the 7th of October. On Wednesday morning at 4.30 am we fetched MIL at the home. We were at the hospital in Bloemfontein at 6.35 am where the staff guided to the theater waiting room with about 35 other patients. 

We sat and waited. 

And waited. 

At 8.05 am a Sotho lady entered the area and spoke rapidly to the majority in their language. Before I could gauge what it was about, another man arrived and repeated her speech in Afrikaans. What it boiled down to was that the operations for that day were postponed for a week: Wednesday 15th. What a disappointment. But that's the state for you! We drove back to  Marquard and dropped MIL at the center, promising to collect her next week and try again! (Watch this space**)

Sharing a joke over "padkos" (packed food and beverages) the day of MIL's selection process 

Grant and his mother 

Back home the kids pop over often with our grandchildren

Baby Liam had just woken up...

Here he's having a good laugh at his "funny" granddad...

...sporting Abby's sunglasses

Rina put the sunglasses on Liam

He loved the laughter he was causing!

Here's wishing you all a wonderful week ahead!

Rugby World Cup II

Rugby World Cup is still on -  of course.

And this weekend the Springboks (SA rugby) teem had a chance to redeem themselves after last weekend's ignominious  defeat against Japan. 

The past week, the newspapers, the weekly magazines, the TV talk shows and the radio  programs were dominated by supporters giving vent to their disappointment in their team. The main moan was the many of the players were too old to play world cup rugby.

The coach made significant changes to the team during the week...

So all eyes were on the screen on Saturday night when the Springboks took on Samoa. 

  The Samoa HAKA to intimidate the Springboks 

The Springboks while the Samoans did their HAKA 

Within the first 15 minutes, JP Pietersen, (winger) intercepted a pass between the Samoans and pumped it up to the line to score his first of three tries

The SA supporters in the stands in the UK were ecstatic

The Springbok suppporters in our TV lounge in South Africa were ecstatic!

 So much so that the poor pup started hyperventilating because of the  excited screams and cheers by his yoomens

The SA coach who was persona non-grata after last week's defeat, and the butt of jokes on FB within minutes after the game, looks a lot less stressed this week

 One of the changes the coach made was to bring in the young blood (eight changes from last week) during the second half of the game. Raised in the air, is  the replacement for Victor Mattfield, our oldest player, a lock and the best line-out man in the business . The replacement lock came up trumps in the line-out and the result was another try by JPP Pietersen. 

Second try by JP

The crowds go mad in the stands

As do the SA supporters in our TV lounge!

 The Guard Dog ended up on the sofa between his two mamas 

After full-time JP scored his third try. We thought this was IT! The Brian Habana scooped up the ball and made for the try line. 

Brian Habana, who is one of the fastest land mammals on earth clinched the deal for the Springboks to win hands down! 

So the "Boks" are back in favor with their fans; they're top of the log in Pool B and we have great hopes for our rugby team for this Rugby World Cup.  

Happy Monday to you all!