Almost cold today at 70F, (21C)!!!…We are back at our regular hoilday home and totally unpacked…

What a wonderful feeling it is to finally be back at our Ratel Street holiday home! We’ve unpacked everything, put it all away, and are beginning to settle back into our familiar surroundings. After the recent challenges we’ve experienced, it’s especially nice to be back in a place that feels so much like home. Tom and I both especially enjoy the comfort of familiarity. We know where everything belongs, where to find what we need, and how we like things arranged. The little things make such a difference.

I’ve already prepared everything for tonight’s dinner, which promises to be quite a feast. We’re having a meaty beef roast with roasted in the pan baby potatoes and onions, sautéed garlic mushrooms, creamy pumpkin puree, and a salad on the side. It sounds pretty delicious to me! Since none of us has eaten much so far today, we’ll have dinner earlier than usual. After all, there’s no reason to wait until our regular mealtime when everyone is ready to eat. I’m looking forward to sitting down together and enjoying a good home-cooked meal.

The weather has certainly changed since earlier today. It’s now very cool and raining, and we’re thrilled to see this much-welcomed soaking rain. The bush desperately needs moisture, and we’re hoping this rain will eventually encourage more vegetation to grow for the wildlife. With the heat and dry conditions we’ve experienced recently, we appreciate every bit of rain. The animals depend on the natural vegetation available to them, and seeing the bush become greener again would be wonderful.

We’ve had a few animals stop by since we returned, but far fewer since the rain began. Perhaps they’re finding shelter under the trees or simply waiting for the weather to improve. We know they’ll be back, and we’re always delighted when our wildlife visitors appear, whether it’s a kudu, nyala, bushbuck, warthog, or one of the many other creatures that make this area so special. We never tire of seeing them.

I’m also happy to report that my feet are no longer swollen. What a relief! I feel much more like my normal self again, and I’ve been happily running around the house, doing household tasks, cooking, organizing, and getting back to my online work. It’s amazing how much better one feels when those little physical annoyances finally subside. I hadn’t realized how much the swelling was bothering me until it was gone.

I also ran into a few challenges trying to bring up our ten-year-old photos, something I had been having trouble with recently. After a few adjustments and different approaches, I finally found a workaround that works perfectly. What a relief! Access to those older photos matters to us, especially when we prepare our daily posts and share memories from the many places we’ve visited over the years. With 14 years of travel behind us, those photographs are an important part of our lives and our website.

Colleen and Paulette are still enjoying their time with us and will remain here until Friday, November 14. After that, they’ll head to Cape Town for a few days before returning to Nelspruit to catch their scheduled flight back to the USA on November 17. It’s been such a pleasure having them here. They’ve been perfect house guests, easygoing, considerate, and so much fun to have around. We’ve enjoyed sharing our little corner of the world with them, including our wildlife sightings, outings, meals, and time with friends.

Before we know it, they’ll be heading home, and we’ll be back to our usual routine as a twosome.

For now, we’re enjoying the rain, the cooler temperatures, the comfort of our familiar home, and the simple pleasure of having everything back in its proper place. My feet feel better, dinner is ready for final cooking, and I can once again get on with the things I enjoy doing each day.

We couldn’t be more content. Sometimes, it’s the simplest things that bring the greatest happiness, and today, being back home in this bush home feels just about perfect!

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, November 8, 2016:

Darwin’s downtown area, with office buildings, restaurants, and shops. For more photos, please click here.