Late start to today’s post…Sharing tasks…An old friend returns???…

Who’s in the garden this morning?

• 16 warthogs
• 9 bushbucks
• 7 kudus
• 36 mongoose
• 1 wildebeest
• Frank and The Misses

Somehow the morning got away from us. We had a few local errands and didn’t get done with everything until about an hour ago. Then, I had to make several phone calls to straighten out a few credit/debit card issues. Tom’s debit card hasn’t been working at ATMs, only to discover that most likely, the chip has gone bad, and we’ll need another card for him eventually.

Since mail is so slow arriving in South Africa, there was no point to order a new debit card, which our bank offered to send here. But, it could be six months until it could arrive. So, we’ll wait until we return to the US at some point in the future and request one at that time. Secondly, one of my credit cards, a new one we received in a package from our mailing service in Nevada, which took weeks to arrive through DHL’s overnight service, hasn’t been working.

I’d gone online and activated it as soon as it arrived, but apparently, that process didn’t work, and I had to reactivate it by phone. Preferring not to accumulate phone charges on our Google Fi account, I used Skype for both cards, neither of which included a charge since they were both toll-free numbers. I tried using the card three or four times, and each time it was declined. Little did I know, the original activation didn’t go through. So now, we’re set on this card.

It feels good to get these little issues out of the way. But, I must admit that I literally despise making “business-related” phone calls. The process is long and laborious as well as frustrating at times when I lose the signal. and get disconnected. With Tom, hard of hearing, I am responsible for making any phone calls. Plus, I am slightly more diplomatic and patient than he might be, which ends in a more satisfactory result in most cases.

I don’t begrudge having to make these calls when Tom does an equal amount, if not more, handling tasks in running our day-to-day lives. For example, he does all the dishes, pots, and pans; refills the water in the birdbath for the animals daily; keeps the bucket of pellets we use all day filled with pellets; makes pitchers of ice tea, handle making big bags of ice twice a day based on our excessive use; cooks on the braai, bring in and unload all the groceries and other items and lately, handling the management of the trail cam daily. Also, he handles all the cash we get from the ATMs.

Plus, each evening, he handles setting up the veranda to avoid the mozzies and other insects using special repellent coils and candles, ensuring no insects will bother us as darkness falls.

All I do is post here, take and manage all the photos from the regular camera, prep for our meals and guests who may visit, do all the laundry, put it away, pay our few bills, and make those darned calls. Since we don’t have to clean or make the bed five days a week, not much is required to stay organized and orderly. On the weekends, generally, as the last one up, I make the bed. Easy peasy.

I should mention that Tom does ALL of the driving, the car wash, and filling up at the petrol station. Recently, when we had to return the rental car to Nelspruit for an inspection, requiring a three-hour round trip drive, he did that on his own. So I was thrilled to be able to stay here.

This morning, once we returned from our few errands, immediately, we made ourselves a cup of coffee and headed outside to see how the animals were doing in our absence. Suddenly, there were dozens of visiting wildlife friends in the garden, as indicated above.

What stood out the most was the arrival of a warthog with enormous tusks, as shown in today’s photos. Could that have been Tusker, another favorite pig we came to know at the Orange house in 2018/2019? We weren’t sure, but he jumped to respond when I called out, “Tusker.” In time, we shall see, if it’s him.

Now, after all these months, Tiny comes running when I call out to him if he is anywhere in the immediate vicinity. We laugh so hard when we see him respond to my call. The same happens with Little, as it always did. We certainly enjoy their visits, along with the others.

That’s it for today, folks. With this late start, I need to get the two organic free-range chicken ready for the braai, get crackin’ on corrections for today when I’ve been diligent about getting them done. Have a fantastic day!

Photo from one year ago today, May 26, 2020:

The design and decor of the bar depict exactly what one would envision for a small-town pub in Ireland. For more photos, please click here.