Spot the Cat!

Can you see the cat in this photo?

Look carefully.

No? How about now?

Now you see him!

It's our Dopey pretending to be a rock. Waiting for 'take-aways'!

The 'last in' of our three ferals, and obviously remembering the days when he had to fend for himself, he still has that awful killer instinct and enjoys catching whatever happens to run past him, usually a little stripey field mouse. Or two. Whenever he comes into the house in a rush, we look to see if he is carrying anything!! Often in the morning we come downstairs and find a tiny, cold body, stiff on the floor.

However, sometimes he manages to sneak a mouse into the house and then lose it! Rob and I then leap into mouse-catching mode and grab our gear. The two of us then corner the mouse and carefully trap it in a plastic container while we slide a piece of cardboard underneath and carry it outside to release it. Our success rate is pretty good, especially when we use the fishing net that I bought for Mateo (my gorgeous grandson). That seems to be the most efficient way, and with a quick twist of the bamboo handle to prevent any chance of escape, we have got it down to a fine art!

Shoo Fly, Don't Bother Me!

We are really lucky here. We have very few flies! We may have scorpions and the odd snake. Or two. But apart from a short season when the Manatoka trees are flowering and we get a lot of small flies that seem to blow into the house if the doors are left open, we are really fly-free!

Until we decide to have a braai! (Or barbecue.)

Isn't it funny, there must be one on sentry duty, keeping a look-out for the whiff of braai smoke, because the minute the meat arrives at the table, so do five or six large buzzing flies, or brommer as we call them. Alfie hates them as much as we do because Rob often grabs the trusty fly swat and that sends Alfie into complete decline! We have never, ever used the fly swat on him and we never would, but maybe his previous people did. Anyway, it's very difficult to swat a plate or a glass, so there is much waving of hands above the food while we eat! And a quick uncovering of salad or meat long enough to grab another piece of wors.

The Grapes of (W)rot(h)!

I have always fancied a grape vine bower. You know the kind of thing, a gnarled old vine wandering up and over a pergola, bunches of grapes ripening in the sunshine, a comfy couch to loll on in the shade beneath, and sun warmed grapes just a stretch away to feast on while the Kindle balances on one knee.

Yes, I had that picture clearly in my mind, so when we were planning the garden, I decided to plant a couple of vines against the courtyard wall, so that they could climb up a very natty wooden rail that Rob made, and shade part of the courtyard, enabling us to set up a couch/garden table and chairs/ice bucket and glasses/books and cushions etc. A very good idea in principle, but it was impossible to dig holes exactly where I wanted them, so the holes were dug where I could get the spade in more than 10 cms. And in went the vines to be tended and watered and trained to climb in the right direction. One died soon after and the other one battled on against the wind.

Happy Valentine's Week!

No, I really did mean Valentine Week!

I happened to Google ‘Valentine’s Day’ and came up with a complete week of celebration! When on earth did that happen?
Have a look below:

Rose Day  (Valentine Week – Day 1 | Celebrated on 7 February) This is obviously the day that a fortune is spent on a bunch of long-stemmed roses! Red of course. If the red are sold out or you need to take out a mortgage to pay for them, then pink will do!

Propose Day  (Valentine Week – Day 2 | Celebrated on 8 February) If she/he likes the roses, then it appears that a proposal follows today! On one knee of course! If the answer is ‘no’, then skip to 15th February!

Chocolate Day  (Valentine Week – Day 3 | Celebrated on 9 February) Here you can hide the ring in a box of chocolates and hope that she/he doesn’t: a) swallow it because a teeny diamond is all that is affordable these days or b) hate chocolates and gives the box to a friend!

Teddy Bear Day  (Valentine Week – Day 4 | Celebrated on 10 February) If b) (see above) happened, then you will need to buy a teddy bear and attach another ring, or in the case of a) attach a promissory note to re-do the ring thing once she/he has re-cycled it!

Promise Day  (Valentine Week – Day 5 | Celebrated on 11 February) See above, or promise never to buy chocolates again.

Kiss Day  (Valentine Week – Day 6 | Celebrated on 12 February) This is a freebie day as it costs you nothing…………………in theory! But is it only one kiss, or is it a day of kissing? Could be tiring with all that puckering going on!

Hug Day  (Valentine Week – Day 7 | Celebrated on 13 February) See Day 6 above! Without the puckering!

Valentine’s Day  (Celebrated on 14 February) What is left? Just hand over a card! And of course a dinner with all the trimmings!

No-one is really sure of the origin of Valentine’s Day, but it was celebrated as far back as the 1600’s in the UK. From 1750 the tradition of sending notes and cards and chocolates and flowers started, but that was celebrated on one day only and that’s how I have always thought of it.

It just shows you how out of date I really am!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

A Collector by any other Name!

I like to think of myself as a Collector.

A serious collector of Memorabilia, or as my children would say, 'a hoarder of junk!' I love 'olde worlde' things and our kitchen is a showcase of days gone by!! (Except the things that really matter, like a stove, fridge, freezer, hot water, microwave, washing machine...............)

My favourite things are coffee or tea pots and old enamel jugs and bowls and various kitchen gadgets. Rob collects old wireless sets, so between us we never leave an Antique (aka junk) Shop empty-handed.

And we both love tins!

Tins above and an old radio below.