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| Mom and Baby bushbuck searching for pellets Tom tossed in the garden. |
“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”
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| A “forkl” of kudu stopped by for some treats. We had lettuce, celery tops and stems, and of course, plenty of pellets. |
Finally, the antibiotics have begun to work on my infected legs. I’m cautiously optimistic. I’m able to walk a little more but certainly not back to the 40 minutes a day I’d been able to do before the infection sets in. I imagine in a few days. I’ll be able to return to the daily walking regiment and pick up where I left off, working toward 60 minutes daily.
It’s been 33 days since the surgery, with three weeks of healing in Marloth Park. In the past 24 hours, I’ve also noticed a dramatic improvement in how I feel overall. As I’m seated on the sofa in the lounge room with the fan blowing on me (hot day today), legs up on a pillow, I am almost feeling like my old self.
No doubt, I still have a long way to go to a full recovery, but I now have a sense of an end to this process. I’ll incorporate the 60 minutes of walking each day going forward, continue eating a healthy diet, and strive to keep stress to a minimum.
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| Mom and Baby were joined by a male bushbuck near the cement pond. Could this be Dad? |
During the past 24 hours, both of us have been researching the next leg of our journey, Connemara, Ireland, a perfect location on the sea with plenty of opportunities for long walks and taking photos of the stunning surroundings.
Yesterday, Tom stumbled upon the following from this link:
“Dubbed a place of “savage beauty” by Oscar Wilde, the striking region of Connemara has been a landmark destination for anyone looking to experience authentic Ireland.”
“Located in the rugged west of Ireland, you could think of Connemara as a vault, where Ireland’s traditions are stored safely against the march of time. Passing through the desolate yet beautiful Doo Lough and Delphi Valleys, the landscape tumbles down to the dark waters of Killary Harbour, a stunning fjord framed by olive-colored mountains. It’s a sign that you’re somewhere extraordinary Truth be told, this romantic region, with its old stone walls, ponies, and wild landscape, is the very essence of Ireland: “Irish language, song, dance, and literature are all to be found in abundance here,” says Paula Lydon from the Connemara Heritage and History Centre. And she’s not wrong.
What makes Connemara different? That’s easy. Traditions are everywhere. Everything from the food on your plate to the music beating out of pubs is infused with a unique cultural heritage. These traditions are also reflected in the language – Connemara is a Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) region. You can have a go yourself by practicing a few words “cupla focal”), or even doing a course, but if you don’t fancy it, don’t panic. Everyone speaks English, too.Connemara’s National Park summarises all that makes this region so unique, and a great starting point for exploration has to be the Diamond Hill Loop Walk. Described as “a savage beauty” by wordsmith Oscar Wilde, Connemara can make your heart sing and the rest of the world melt away. It’s rural Ireland at its most dramatic, so absorb it all with a walk into nature. With the Atlantic on one side and the famous peaks of the Twelve Ben Mountains on the other, be prepared to stand in awe. But that’s what Connemara – and Ireland – is all about: letting go of the mundane and filling your heart with something quite remarkable.”
This couldn’t sound more enticing while we’re spending some of our time researching Tom’s ancestral history. What a magical-sounding place to live for almost three months as we conduct the research!
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| The little family of three politely shared the pellets. Buckbucks are generally gentle and easy-going. |
Here is the link to the house we’ve booked from May 12th to August 9th. We couldn’t be more thrilled to have this exciting opportunity ahead of us. Also, knowing this awaits us makes my recovery all the more motivating and uplifting.
Today, we’ll enjoy a quiet day, listening to Tom’s favorite podcast, “Garage Logic,” broadcast from Minnesota while I perform little tasks around the house as I can do more and more each day.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to those who celebrate and happy birthday to son Richard in Las Vegas, Nevada.
May your day be rich in laughter and merriment!
Photo from one year ago today, March 17, 2018:
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| Upon closer inspection, it was apparent. The boat trailer couldn’t fit across the Crocodile Bridge, our means of exit after a day in the park. We had taken an alternate route which took several extra hours. For more photos, please click here. |