When the bale of lucerne arrived early this morning, we were thrilled. In a matter of minutes, two wildebeests, Bad Ear and Earl came and dug into it with such enthusiasm that we feared there wouldn’t be enough left for other animals. After their fill, they took off, leaving plenty for the other animals.
Tom grabbed a big chunk of the bale and put it in the garden close to the house where all the bushbucks and duikers stop by several times a day. The warthogs can’t access that area, and since they can get very destructive, it makes sense to put some of the lucerne in the side garden next to the veranda.
Speaking of destructive warthogs, which Lollie is not, there is a warthog our friend Lindsey named “Trouble” that somehow manages, with her bulky weight, to climb up onto the wood deck adjacent to the pool. This happened before we left for Jabula for our usual Friday night dinner.
The only way Tom could get her to leave was back the way she had entered, of the wood area of the veranda by the pool. She was obviously panicky when she couldn’t quite figure out how to retrace her steps. The only option Tom had was to shoo her in the right direction using a harmless squirt gun our friends Marylin and Gary left for us.
The process worked. After a five-minute scuffle between the water and Trouble, she managed to escape. I doubt she’ll try to do that again. It’s funny how each of the animals possesses its unique personality. Some are gentle and unobtrusive, and others are persistent and annoying.
Last night, we had a pleasant evening at Jabula with our dear friends Dawn and Leon and other patrons who also enjoy sitting at the bar as we do. There’s rarely a lull in the conversation at that bar, but if there is, we only need to wait for a few minutes while chatting amongst ourselves, and moments later, others will arrive to liven up the scene.
We consistently arrive by 5:00 pm, 1700 hrs., and usually head home by 8:00 pm, 2000 hrs. We’ll be full from the delicious meal and have had all the drinks we care to have. Even though I drink wine with 5.5% alcohol content, compared to 13.5% to 14.5%, after a few glasses and a can of Sprite Zero, I’ve had my fill.
When we’re with other guests, we’ll stay later when involved in a fascinating conversation. This has happened on many occasions over the years. But, we always prefer to get back to our house before 9:00 pm, 2100 hrs., to be able to stream an episode of a series we may be binge-watching.
This morning, we headed to the shops in Marloth to buy a jar of a cream that I’d used in the past. Bulbinella helps with itching from bites or rashes. Often, at night I awaken to something itching. It could be as simple as one chigger bite. I’ve tried many products, and this cream seems to help the most. Tom rarely has any itching during the night or even during the day.
We’re staying in for dinner after being out the past four evenings and will eat leftovers we froze earlier and defrosted overnight in the refrigerator. We aren’t buying much meat lately due to the load shedding, often for as much as ten hours a day. There will be load shedding tonight when we’d be reheating our dinner. We can always reheat our dinner on the gas stove using a lighter to light a burner if necessary. The oven is electric.
The holidaymakers have arrived. The excess vehicles on the roads make this evident. The WiFi is another way we can tell they are here when the signal comes and goes. This time, it’s for about ten days, so they should be gone by a week from Monday, and our usual animals will return. So far, today, we’ve had luck with several visitors due to the lucerne. Maybe this is a recurring solution for us during holiday periods to ensure we see our animal friends.
Be well.
Photo from one year ago today, October 1, 2021:
