This morning we stopped at Louise’s office, the Marloth Park Info Centre, to discuss the housing needs for our guests arriving in three days. Initially, it was going to be only Connie and Jeff, but now their adult daughter Lindsey will be joining them since she has been able to get a passport in time for tomorrow’s journey from the US.
Instead of staying in our house, they’ll be staying in the two additional guest houses on the property, next door to one another. Since Jeff may need assistance at night, having easy access for Connie and Lindsey will make all the difference in the world. The two guest houses are next door to one another with their own mini kitchens, refrigerators, coffee pots, linens, and amenities. This will make them all most comfortable.
Vusi and Zef will clean the two units five days a week, making it easy for all of us. Plus, they’ll be able to spend their days with us on our veranda animal watching, when we aren’t in Kruger. Louise will check and ensure we can do a few guided game drives if Jeff can sit in the vehicle’s front seat next to the driver. It’s quite a challenge for anyone to climb up high into the safari vehicle, let alone a person with any limitations.
Tomorrow, after breakfast at Stoep Cafe with Rita, she will drop me at the pharmacy to pick up the new prescription for the medication I have been taking for my head and facial pain. Over the past few weeks, I upped the dose from the original 5 mg to 10 mg to 20 mg and finally, last night, to 25 mg, and miraculously I am so much better today that I can’t believe it.
When I saw Doc Theo last Monday, he gave me a new prescription for 25 mg, saying if I wasn’t better by now, to get the script filled. How did he know that 25 mg was the magic number to provide me relief? No wonder I love this guy! Of course, I have to be realistic that the pain could return at any moment, but I am optimistic about the future. If a positive attitude can impact pain, I am all over it.
Anyway, after the stop at the pharmacy, I walk to the Spar Market and start grocery shopping. I asked Connie for a list of foods they eat, and oddly, for us, this will be the first time in years I shopped for bread, juice, fruit, sweet yogurt, and a variety of snacks. This won’t be a problem for me since I have no trouble avoiding such foods, even if they are in front of me.
I do not doubt that Tom will partake in some of these non-Keto items since he has no health issues and little motivation to avoid them when they are in the house. After we left Louise this morning, we headed to Daisy’s Den to purchase lucerne to be delivered to our garden on Monday and Thursday next week. Plus, we bought another bottle of non-toxic dust mite spray.
Then we headed to the meat market at the Bush Centre to purchase prawns and some meats typical for South African tastes and diets. Connie, as a professional chef, is especially curious to experience some local foods. But since there are dozens of cultures in South Africa, it’s not easy to pin down one or two. Once we get out to eat, she’ll have a better opportunity to experience some of the foods.
Speaking of food, suddenly I am hungry. Now that the power is back on after load shedding for the past 2½ hours, I can head to the kitchen and see what I can roust up for a quick bite to eat.
We have excellent leftovers from the freezer to get us through the next two days. Then, on Friday, we’ll head to Jabula for dinner and social time, as usual. With our guests arriving on Saturday, we’ll be busy that day getting ready for our guest’s first dinner in the bush. It will be such fun to share this life with them!
Be well.
Photo from one year ago today, September 14, 2021:
