D-Day has Arrived

The day has finally arrived and we are almost ready to leave. We are all packed with our bags waiting to be picked up on the way to the car. This last week has just flown past. We have been really hectic getting everything organised for Hubby and dogs. Statements also needed to be done and luckily all has been finalised and sent out. Diane has also been very busy helping Irwin Animal Rescue with some much-needed help. We rushed into Meyerton this morning to do the final shop. All beds are clean and tidy with everywhere clean. How clean it stays with Hubby and dogs is anyone’s guess. But at least I left it clean.
Ali and the boys came for the day yesterday (Josh turned 10 months) and we had a great time with them. For a change we even had some sunny weather. The first sunny day in weeks. The boys were able to tire themselves out playing in the playground. Today has been rather overcast with really strong winds. The Cape is expecting their first snow tonight so we are luckily going to miss the first really cold spell.
Well that is it for now as I need to finally get myself ready to leave for the airport. Tomorrow we will be in London. Yippee!!! It we have chance we will blog from London. If not it will be next week from Prague.

One Week to Go

The weather has changed drastically for the worse with a cold snap accompanied by rain, rain and more rain. Luckily I had managed to clear all my washing and ironing before it started – keeping things up-to-date ready for our trip away. The garden has changed almost overnight with the falling leaves making a thick carpet everywhere. Most of the birds have disappeared with just the sparrows and some others still around. The seed in the feeders lasts a long time now. Winter has arrived and the weather forecast for the next week predicts continuous rain and cold. The one good thing is that all the rain gives the garden a good boost before winter really sets in.
Diane and I have been really sick for over a week now and having been dosing ourselves up to make sure we are in good health for our trip. Diane lost her voice for about four days and I just couldn’t shake off my sore throat and bad cold. Today has been the first day in more than a week that we have felt a bit better. I’m sure the cold weather didn’t help. On Saturday Diane and I went across to Ali to look after the boys as she was working and had no-one to look after them. It was a terrible trip getting there as we left before seven and with the rain and mist around visibility was really bad. We just stayed at the flat with the boys as it was too miserable and cold to do anything. When Ali got home we quickly went out for some KFC before Diane and I left. It was still raining but at least the visibility had improved. We stopped at the Glen to do shopping as we had been too sick to go anywhere during the week. By the time we left the rain had stopped and we were able to get home before it started again. Sunday was spent chilling and keeping warm in between dosing ourselves up.
Monday the rain stayed away long enough for me to clear washing again though the damp air necessitated the use of the tumble drier when the things didn’t dry.
At last Diane is managing to wind down with her computer work. She really hasn’t stopped for the last six weeks with all her freelance work. But at least she is proud of all the holiday money she has been able to save. I can’t believe how good she has been about not spending anything unnecessary. Though I must say we both have been saving like mad with no outings or movies at all. It will be worth it with all we have planned for our holiday. We both can’t believe it is only a week left now and are both really glad that our last week will be spent with Mom as her health is not good at all at the moment. Ros is with her now until the 24th, after which Val is going for a week followed by Sylvia if is she is able to make it. We are with her from the 19th and then Pauline is going over to her. We are all praying and sending our love and best wishes for her. Love you MOM.

Pics from Family get-together

Countdown Continues

It has been another hectic time with Diane never off the computer. She really is keeping busy and I’m sure she will suffer withdrawal symptoms when we go on our trip. It was Hubby’s birthday on Friday and I treated him to a meal at Piatto – our favourite place at the moment. We arrived early around six and the place was already nearly full. Hubby had a draught and I had my usual glass of red wine while we studied the menu. My order was a sirloin topped with chicken livers with rice while Hubby went for the rump and chicken combo. Both were delicious. Our evening was going so well we decided to have dessert to prolong it and while I had cheesecake Hubby had malva pudding. Coffee rounded off the perfect meal and we left soon after eight with a vegetable lasagne for Diane. She had just finished on the computer and had settled in front of the TV looking forward to her food.
Saturday we finally got around to sorting out our things for our trip and packed our bags to check we had space for everything. All fitted perfectly and we only need to get a couple of things now. Everything is folded neatly ready to pack on our final day.
Sunday was a lazy day spent chilling over breakfast and relaxing with a book before getting ready to go across for a family get-together at Val. We arrived just before four and had time for a chat and coke before Pauline and Peter arrived with Jed followed by Ali and the boys. We had a great time together catching up with each other’s news while chilling over our drinks. It has been many years since all the brother-in-laws have been together like that. Just a pity Ros was not there too. After a super meal of lasagne followed by dessert we had coffee before heading back home.
We now have two weeks left until departure date. Two weeks today (Wednesday) we will be sitting with Auntie Joan. Can’t wait to see her again.

Time is flying by.

The last few weeks have just simply flown past. Diane and I have been busy on the computers – me getting all the office work as up-to-date as possible and next month’s returns sorted and Di has been busy with her latest website for Irwin Animal Rescue. In between we have had days of no computer access with all the thunder and lightning around. Most frustrating but at least we are on track and Di’s site is up and running. We had another trip through to Pretoria to collect Diane’s passport stopping to visit Pauline on the way back as she was at home that day. We had a great lunch and chat together before making our way home about half three to avoid the afternoon traffic rush. Lucky we left when we did as it started pouring shortly after and some highways were impassable. Since then we have had overcast, rainy conditions with some good days in between. We had Travis and Josh again last week as Ali needed a few nights of sleep as Josh is not sleeping much at night at the moment. They were here from when we fetched them on Thursday afternoon until Ali picked them up on Saturday afternoon. When we got back home we let them have plenty of fresh air and exercise to tire them out and once supper was over they both fell asleep fairly quickly. Travis was with me and Diane said she would have Josh with her. Travis was out until the next morning but Josh woke after about an hour. We kept him awake until about half nine and all followed not long after. When my alarm went off at six I got up and found a very tired Diane who had been kept awake with Josh’s coughing all night. She went back to bed while I took over and made breakfast for Hubby and Travis. Josh slept a couple of hours during the morning as did Travis. During the afternoon we went up to visit Margie and sat in her garden as it was such a lovely day. Travis and Josh played together under a tree for about an hour. It was quite funny as they actually had a bit of a fight with Josh pulling his hair and Travis smacking him back. Josh has already learnt to turn on the tears for sympathy even though he starts the fight. After our visit we came home for our much needed glass of wine before supper. Both boys were tired after all the fresh air and were asleep early. We were all in bed early but poor Diane had a very sleepless night again. Josh had woken in the early hours and just wanted to play. She ended up sitting watching TV with him to try and get him to sleep again.
When I got up at six she had a cup of tea before going back to bed. I don’t know if looking after the boys has been a good idea for Diane as the last thing she wants or needs is her own kids. She says anytime she wants she will look after them and then give them back – best of both worlds – only occasional sleepless nights. Saturday was spent amusing the boys in between their naps. This is much easier now with Josh crawling around. We put him in the cottage lounge with lots of toys for amusement. Hubby thoroughly enjoyed his playtime with both boys. Ali arrived mid-afternoon and not long after I went to see why Dude wouldn’t stop barking. He had found a rinkhals and it was a huge one. Hubby and Ali came to deal with it and got rid of it. Travis screamed to stay with Ali so I had to stay with him in the background. He was thrilled with all the carry-on and was jumping around shrieking with excitement when the two of them killed it. Typical boy! Ali left not long after and peace reigned once more. I quickly did some clearing away of all the toys lying around before Hubby and I got ready for a night out at a party. We had a really great time and were home in time to be in bed just before two. All the partying couldn’t have been good for us as both Hubby and I didn’t feel well all day Sunday. We just took things easy and spent most of the day reading. The last couple of days has been spent doing more computer work and going in to Alberton to get the license for the mobi-jack. We were so busy all morning we didn’t even eat and stopped to have a meal at Alberton City just before four. I got Hubby a take-away so that at least it saved making the kitchen dirty. The evening was spent watching TV and relaxing.

It is now only three weeks until our trip. We really need to find the time to go through things to see what we must still get. Luckily as we have thought of something needed we have got and put all in a box so it is just a matter of going through it. We are both starting to feel excited now and can’t wait.

There’s a snake in the Kitchen! What am I gonna do?

Hubby came home from work and as he wasn’t feeling well he went straight to bed and that was where he stayed for the weekend with me dosing him up so that he would be OK for his op on Tuesday. On Sunday night I was watching TV when Diane called me to the kitchen. Digby was acting strange while barking and looking in the door area. We thought it might be a rat behind the bin area, so after blocking the kitchen area with Diane and dogs behind the board, I armed myself with the vacuum cleaner pipe and investigated. First I moved the bin out carefully expecting a rat to run out at any moment but when nothing happened I went closer to look. There didn’t seem to be anything at first but after a careful examination I noticed something that looked like a tail on the edge of a packet. Diane found me a light which I shone on the spot. Now I was able to see that it was a little snake coiled on top of the packet with its tail hanging over and the head looking at me. Diane wanted to phone our security company to come and take it away but I told her that is not what they do and anyway it was harmless looking. Very gingerly, with Diane watching in horror, I moved the packet out onto the kitchen floor. The snake wriggled off and stopped against the wall between two bottles put there ready for bin day. Slowly I moved the bottle closest to the back door and from a safe distance pushed the snake towards the door with the cleaner pipe. It slid out and went onto the back step where I pushed until it slithered down the side of the step and disappeared. Both of us were very nervous after this, with Diane refusing to even come into the kitchen at all. It was a long and very skinny snake and probably just a house snake but it still gave me the chills every time I thought about it being in the kitchen. I closed the door and when it was time to let the dogs out before going to bed stamped around before opening the door to make sure nothing was on the step waiting. Diane told me I was pathetic but she had no room to talk as she was standing in the bar area watching me. When I got up Monday before I opened the door I also had a good stamp around again – no good taking chances – as Hubby says “For every snake you see there are a hundred others”. Hubby was feeling better so he joined Diane and I on our trip to Pretoria to get a passport for Diane. What a nightmare trip! The road works are absolutely ridiculous with all the lane closures every few kms. Some areas it was blocked but no work being done. In Pretoria once we had finished we went to a News Cafe where we had a tasty lunch with rock shandies as it was so hot. Coming back we decided to go round past the airport to avoid the road works. The trip was fine until the airport area when we hit more road works. I don’t think there is a highway around Gauteng that is not being worked on. Most stressful to use the roads! When we got home I phoned the Dr’s rooms with the authorisation no. For Hubby’s op and was informed that Hubby only needed to arrive at nine thirty. That sounded much better than six in the morning.
Tuesday morning we were up and ready early arriving at the Dr at nine only to be told we only needed to come in three hours time. Pity we weren’t phoned and told this before we left home. Anyway, off we went to the workshop to check on things and fetch invoices. We then made our way to the bank and then the coffee shop. I felt bad as Hubby wasn’t allowed anything but he insisted on going there and I had a quick coffee and muffin. As we finished at eleven the receptionist phoned to say we could come now. I don’t know why as we sat there until after one before Hubby went in. I left to do some shopping and arrived back around three. Hubby was out and awake at four and after having a cup of tea and a walk around he was allowed to dress. Before leaving he was given a cup of soup which I am sure he was grateful for as he had last eaten just before ten on Monday night. His face really looked painful as it was covered in caked blood and very swollen. The sore on his lower eyelid had been removed and a flap from his cheek cut to do a skin graft. When the Dr did the nose he found four separate cancer sores so cut them off as one and cut a flap from the other cheek to do the skin graft over that wound. The Dr said that under No circumstances were the dressings to be removed from Hubby’s face and he must not let his face get wet. When we got home Hubby went to bed and Diane and I quickly went to Meyerton to fill his prescription. Once back I made supper and then gave Hubby his medication and put the drops in his eyes. He really was suffering as the anaesthetic had worn off. When I put the drops in I noticed how his eyes were full of blood and his wounds were oozing still. After supper Hubby fell asleep and when I went to check on him I was horrified to find him full of blood. I cleaned him up and he went back to sleep for a while but the pain kept waking him. Around eleven I phoned the hospital to tell them about the bleeding and was told to bring him to get a pressure bandage put on to stop it. When his wounds started bleeding badly again about half eleven we left for the hospital. Driving at night and me is not a good combination anymore. Luckily there was very little traffic around and we made fairly good time. At the hospital Hubby was checked out while I opened a file for him and then he was checked by the Dr on duty in casualty. It was decided that a pressure bandage was the best option and the Dr applied one to Hubby who ended up looking like a Mummy. Diane was up waiting when we got home and we all had a Milo before eventually getting in to bed at half two.
By Thursday morning Hubby looked terrible as the bruising on his face was coming through and he was on swollen and purple. The rest of the week was spent looking after Hubby and doing office work in between. On Saturday a couple of friends came to visit him and see how things were going. On Sunday Hubby had a very bad day as the stitch on the eyelid was scratching his eye continuously. Today we went back to the Dr for the follow up visit and the stitches were taken out. What a difference! Hubby now feels like a new person. With the dressing off he looks much better as his face is now cleaned of all the blood. He is just rather swollen but that will soon go down.
All for now. Enjoy your week.

Latest Update

Monday we had an appointment in Bedfordview so we decided to make up for our bad lunch on Sunday and eat while we were there. As usual it was a good meal and we enjoyed the food. We returned home early as we had a lot of computer work to get through and most of the week was spent in front of the computer. Of course we had our breaks of a chill glass of wine to keep us going with the normal routine in between. Friday was our musical evening again and Diane and I thoroughly enjoyed the evening out. The entertainment was provided by The Cantare Harmonia Girls Choir who really were worth going to see. The music was a good mixture from Spiritual to Fields of Gold, It’s Raining Men and Mamba Italiano. We were sorry when they finished singing. The evening was one of the best we’ve had so far. Saturday Hubby and I went to a birthday braai for Godfrey. It was a surprise for Godfrey and Hubby and a couple of friends took him out for lunch and a viewing of old cars to keep him away from home while Sandy and Kirsten organised everything. He was most surprised when they arrived home to find everyone there waiting for him. We had a great time chilling and chatting over drinks and food until about nine. Brian and Joan returned home with us to continue our chat over coffee. Sunday was just a chill day with all of us reading and relaxing. This last week has been hectic with statements and all the usual end of financial year work to get through. Diane has also been very busy with all the computer work that she been doing. We really have needed our daily chill glass of wine.
When Hubby and Don went to Swartkops a couple of weeks ago they both got burnt badly in the sun and unfortunately the skin cancer on his face has flared up and has been rather painful. Brian made an appointment for him with the plastic surgeon he went to when he had the same problem. The appointment was on Monday and he came home late afternoon with a request form for the cancer to be cut out for me to send to the medical aid. This I sent off via email first thing Tuesday as the op was scheduled for Thursday at six in the morning. At lunch time I phoned to see if the authorisation number was ready only to be informed nothing had been received yet. I had to give our fax number used and was told to wait while the guy who I was talking to went to look. I was cut off before he came back. For the rest of Tuesday and all of Wednesday the same thing kept happening whoever I spoke to. I had to keep resending to various different people with the same result and eventually was put through to the supervisor who found the fax and started the process. As I was still trying to do my year end work and was getting rather stressed as time was running out Hubby took over trying to get results. While he did this Diane and I rushed out to Meyerton and then into Alberton to do various errands that needed to get done. While in Alberton City we had a hurried but enjoyable snack at the Coffee Shop. We also managed to find some presents ready to take overseas when we go – less than two months now. Time is just flying now. We also took a bit of time to start getting things together ready for the trip. Late Wednesday afternoon things were still not sorted out and Hubby cancelled the op with the surgeon. Thursday morning Hubby started again with the medical aid provider and after much fighting got authorisation for the op. We had to reschedule with the surgeon and inform the medical aid of the new date otherwise the authorisation would not be valid. All the phone calls and stress really was unnecessary but unfortunately that seems to be how things work these days. After finally getting things sorted out Hubby left for the workshop and Diane and I carried on with our normal work. Thursday night we decided to go out for a meal as we really needed to chill after all the stress of the week. As Henley was the nearest we decided to try there as we were not up to a long drive. We remembered the little German place and went there. It was already busy even though it was not much after six. After ordering our drinks we decided on having pasta and while the food was being prepared we chilled over our drinks. It felt good to sit relaxing! Our food really was tasty and as we enjoyed it so much we decided to end the meal with a pavlova each which was delicious. Friday was spent catching up on cleaning which has been rather neglected all week in favour of office work but at least most of it has been done.