Hello All.

What a pleasure.
I had my first haircut since March.
Just before the shutdown.
I feel like a new person.
Albeit, a slightly sticky one.
Why do they put that gunge on your hair?
My hair was OK when I brushed it but one puff of wind….a wild woman from Borneo.
Who WAS the wild woman from Borneo?
I must google it.

Two of my friends had birthdays on the 17th.
One of them came around for supper and I gave her a big bag of Praline chocolates.
I bought two large slabs of dark Lindt chocolate for the other one.
I have not seen her yet.
The first slab is proving to be delicious.
I do hope I see her soon!

Covid is coming too close for comfort.
We have had our first case in our complex.
Fortunately, the complex is huge and she lives a couple of streets away.
I have also heard of four more cases of people I know.
Hopefully, they are all on the road to recovery.
Our stats are strange.
We had 5000 new cases yesterday.
But, we have a 55% recovery rate.
And, unless we are being kept in the dark, only a 2% death rate.

Mex has naps sitting upright in his chair.
They last about ten to fifteen minutes.
I call them a waste of time.
If you are going to have a nap do it properly.
I go off for two hours.
And then wonder why I wake up n the middle of the night.
Wide eyed and bushy tailed.
Ok, the bushy tailed is a bit of poetic licence.

 

Hello All.

A change from my usual seascapes.
But, they will be back.

Today Mex and I went to the mall.
Something I usually avoid.
However, Mex needs a new cellphone and I needed blue jeans.
It is a huge mall.
I had a great deal of exercise.
And, then some.
They took our temperatures at one shop.
We both had temperatures of 32 degrees.
So, either we have both died and forgotten to lie down or their thermometer does not work.
I suspect the latter.

I have a pair of blue jeans.
They have developed a frayed hole just above the left knee.
I love them.
Mex is horrified when I go to work in them.
He does not believe that people pay big money for jeans with holes.
I am not one of them.
They are just so darn comfortable.

The cellphone story has been the bane of my life.
For years he has been using a very old Nokia.
One that could just make and receive calls and do an sms.
I had a little cheap phone lying around.
It took him about five months to agree to try it.
I loaded Whattsapp on it.
And the fun began.
His three kids were thrilled.
They sent him jokes and photos.
And loads of messages.
He is technically challenged.
And I am being kind.
Every few minutes he came to me to ask me how to do something.
It reached the stage where I felt like stuffing it where the sun doesn’t shine.
He is finally getting the hang of it.
Now he needs a better phone.
The big problem is he is insistent he does not want a big phone.
Says it will fall out of his pocket.
Sigh.

 

 

Hello All.

Yes, the crazy restrictions in this country, have led me into a life of crime.
I buy cigarettes on the black market.
Not happily.
They are expensive.
And I hate the fact that I am supporting crooks.

Next week I am going to visit my hairdresser.
This is also against the law.
She sees one client at a time.
Is meticulous about cleanliness.
And she needs to survive.
And, I NEED a haircut.

They lifted the ban on alcohol.
I have stocked up on wine.
Now they are complaining that the cases of drunk driving are on the increase.
There are more gang killings.
More murders of women and children.
Am not sure the last one is anything to do with alcohol.
We have a shocking number of murders of women and children even without shutdown.
We have a sick society.

I am seeing a huge increase in depression.
Several of my friends live all on their own and are forced to work from home.
It is getting to them.
I am not depressed.
Am probably too shallow!

I have taken a 40% pay cut.
There will be no pay increase this year.
There will be no annual bonus.
I only work three days a week.
I keep telling myself I have never had such a long holiday.
Hell, I am 73 years old and so blessed to still have a job.

One of our biggest steel suppliers were hit by a huge strike.
Because the worker’s pay was cut by 20%.
The union went to court.
And they won.
They have no idea.
Things are not going to go back to “normal”.
Not for a long time anyway.
Companies have to cut costs just to remain viable.

In other news, my Stepdad turns an incredible 97 next month.
I go around to see him as often as I can.
Take him some home cooked food and little treats.
Every time I get there he says “are you coming in?”
And every time I say no.
He thinks I am over- reacting.
He does not understand that I could have the virus without symptons.
The same applies to him and my brother.
I just am not prepared to take a chance.
I tell him our infection rate is climbing at almost 4000 per day.
He just looks at the recovery rate.
I have learned to bite my tongue.

My next blog will NOT be about this damn virus or our crazy government.

 

Hello All.

South Africa went into strict lockdown on the 27th of March.
And, for the most part, we understood and rallied to the call.
We stayed home.
We sanitized.
If we HAD to go to the shops we kept our social distance and we wore masks.
We supported our president.

Unfortunately, other ministers came in with ridiculous restrictions.
We were not allowed to buy alcohol.
This one I understand.
Alcohol leads to more domestic violence.
We were not allowed to buy cigarettes.
This one I do NOT understand.
Cigarettes have a calming effect.
If you have damaged lungs, stopping smoking for a few weeks is not going to help.
Cigarette smugglers have become millionaires.
The price of cigarettes has become astronomical.
People have committed suicide.
We were not allowed to wear short sleeve T.shirts unless they are worn under another shirt or jacket.
No open toed shoes?
The list goes on.

It has now become apparent that it is no longer about Covid.
It has become a political power play.
Pro Zuma supporters against the president.
For those of you who do not know about Zuma, he was our previous president.
Under his watch corruption flourished.
Under the state of disaster Zuma’s ex wife is in charge of the Covid panel.
She is very compromised.
She has been photographed with a self confessed cigarette smuggler.
He funded her attempt to become president.
Her stepson owns a tobacco company.
His brands of smokes are flooding the black market.
The minister of water and sanitation has just hired someone to assist her.
This woman was removed in the last cabinet reshuffle.

The police and the army seem to be concentrating on arresting people for no good reason.
There was a case of a woman(caught on video) being bundled into a police van while she was out walking.
In the allotted time allowed.
She was held for a few hours before being released.
There was no basis for her arrest.
People have been killed by the police.
We are rapidly becoming a police state.

So, as concerned as I am about getting the virus, I am more worried about where my beautiful country is heading.

Hello All.
My last post was on the 11th of January when I said 2020 sucks.
Little did I know just how bad it was going to get.
So many people have died.
Not that many in South Africa.
Give us time.
We are expecting a huge surge in numbers.

Having said that, the government has set levels for Covid.
Level 5 being the toughest restrictions.
The other day the president said the national level will now be No.4.
Except for the major centres.
They have to stay on level 5.
At the moment we are on level 4.
Meaning some businesses can open.
And we can buy cigarettes.
Have no idea why they banned them.
It just added to the stress levels.
Alcohol will only be allowed at level 3.
And only at certain times.
I agree with the ban on alcohol.
People are so damn stupid when sober.
God help us when they are drunk.

The companies that do open can only operate with a third of their work force.
My boss is going to set me up to work from home.
The government have said old people must stay at home.
Having turned 73 yesterday, I am one of those!!!
My boss is in for a torrid time.
He is going to have to juggle the staff around.
Bringing people in according to the orders we get.
The whole way our company has been run will have to change.
Although I will be working from home I will probably only work about three days a week.
Which I understand and accept.

On a lighter note.
I live in a big complex.
About 130 houses so far.
I am still on the committee.
Yes, I am an idiot.
We have had several people complaining about a bad smell coming from the drains.
Got in a plumber.
The drains are not blocked.
With so many people confined to their homes, there is an awful lot of pooping going on.
It is build up of gas!!!

Mex has kept himself busy.
The house has never been so clean.
We have been getting on ok.
However, that might change soon.
He is going to run out of wine before me.
Will I share?
Probably.
Happily?
No.

 

Hello All.

Yes, so far this year has been horrible.

In a nutshell.
My son in law has a fall and breaks his leg.
They finally operated on the 6th.
He got home yesterday.
Has to go back to hospital, in Cape Town, on the 20th.
For a biopsy.
Very worrisome.

My brother took their dog for walk.
He came home very excited.
The dog.
Rushed over to the old man to greet him and ripped open his hand and his leg.
Had to rush the old man to the doctor.
Protesting all the way.
Where the doc dressed the wounds and gave him a tetanus shot.

Yesterday, I received an e-mail from the husband of my friend who died some years back.
Her son has stage four cancer.
Is only expected to live another couple of weeks.

Mex and I went and had our hearing tested.
Mex needs a hearing aid.
Mex is not happy.
Mex is not talking about it.
What is it with men and their egos?
I will not be amused if he gets altzheimers.(spelling?)

I go back to work on Monday.
My holiday is over.
Sob.

Hi All.

Yes, I am very angry.

SIL is still waiting to have his leg sorted out.
Day four with a broken leg.
Only asprin for the pain!
WTF.
Apparently, they want to test for cancer etc.
They only plan to operate on Monday or Tuesday.
He tried to tell them he had all those tests done a couple of months ago.
They said if he does not like it he can leave.
I am not there.
Possibly he is coming over as a bit aggressive.
If it was me I would be more than a little unreasonable.

Hello All.

An old picture of Jasmine.
Still miss her so much.
Mex will not hear of getting another furbaby.

In November I had to go and spend a few days with my Dad.
My brother went up to Johannesburg to meet his new grandson.
While I was there their dog was very ill.
Kidney failure.
I had to get the vet to come to the house to put her down.
It was a Sunday.
The vet had no assistants.
The old man was hiding in the bedroom.
I had to help.
It was awful.

Anyway, we started to look for another dog.
A friend told me of a dog in Graaff Reinet.
He had been knocked over by a car.
The owner was informed but never bothered to respond.
Grrrrrrrrrr.

He was with a foster Mommy.
She said he was a wonderful little chap.
Never barks and gets on with other dogs and cats.
We got him.
He is delightful.
Except for one nasty little habit.
Our suburb is full of bunnies running around.
Blackie killed one in the garden.
He has also chased all the birds away.
A real little hunter.
On the upside he goes into my Dad’s room every morning.
Stands up against the bed.
Tail wagging furiously.
Yippee, you made it though another night.

Finally, son in law has a broken femur.
He is still in a lot of pain.
Hopefully, they will operate today.

Hi There.
It is 2020 and the problems begin.
Thought I had left them behind in 2019.
My son in law had a fall at work, this morning.
Apparently, his knee cap pulled out.
Did not know that could happen.
They also think he might have a broken leg.
They filled him with Morphine and have sent him through to Worcester hospital.
We await news.
Damn.

I did the whole cooking thing again today.
I need my head read.
I WAS just going to roast a chicken.
Mex made potato salad.
He makes a mean potato salad.
I have taught him well!

Then we had a misunderstanding.
He said we should get a Gammon.
This was at nine this morning.
I thought he had gone crazy.
Apparently, he says he said we could get a tin of ham.
I never heard the word Ham or tin.
When I walked in with the Gammon he said WTF?
Thank heavens for my electric pressure cooker..

I also made another trifle.
I also bought a delicious Malva pudding.
In for a penny in for a pound.
My Dad and brother loved it all.
My brother wants to know if I am going to do this every week.
NO.

Hello Again.

Two posts in two days.
That should bring some much needed rain.

First, how do I post UNDER the picture?

Second.
I know I have been away a long time.
Call this 72 year old paranoid.
Why am I getting NINE likes on the SAME post?
From the same person.
I am sure this is a marketing ploy.
How do I get rid of them?

I am still on the executive committee for our complex.
Should be quite a few blogs on that subject.
Wait for the new year.
Also, a couple of rants.
But, I prefer to end the year off on a peaceful note.

Wishing you all a great year ahead.
Did I say that on the last post?
Oh well, I mean it.