Today, I am rushing to get the post done and uploaded. Leon’s birthday party starts at 10:00 am and ends at 6:00 pm, 1800 hrs. We don’t plan to get there until 1:00 pm, 1300 hrs. However, I need to get my walking done before we leave. I’ve set my timer for every ten minutes when I jump up and do 500 steps in the bedroom with the fan turned on its highest setting.
I may not accomplish my 7500 steps today, but I am working on it now and may have to make up for the shortfall tomorrow. Last week, I finished at 53,458 steps, approximately 28 miles, 45 km. I broke my previous week’s record by about 10%. I am happy with that, especially when walking inside a two-bedroom house.
Once we get to Leon’s party, we’ll be sitting all day long, not getting any exercise. I’ll get up every half hour or so and walk around a little. I made a prawn salad to bring since Leon explained that none of the food he was serving would suit my eating style.
Leon offered to make me a meal in the kitchen, but I declined. I didn’t want them to bother doing that just for me. Besides, I may decide to eat the mackerel I have left from yesterday’s breakfast before we leave and then won’t need to eat again until we return home after 6:00 pm.
Neither of us cares to eat much during the day. I may end up making dinner when we return to the house. We’ll play by ear and see what we feel like at that time.
Last evening was one of the most pleasant times we spent on the veranda. The weather was cooler than the prior evening and pleasantly breezy. From the time we sat down at the big table, the garden began to fill up with wildlife in a matter of minutes. Little started it off, precisely at 4:00 pm, 1500 hrs.
Moments later, they started strolling in, one after another. Our visitors included Bossy, Thick Neck, Gordy, Sigfried and Roy, Broken Horn (whom we hadn’t seen in days), two Big Daddies (male kudus with massive horns), Mom and Babies (warthogs and bushbucks), helmeted guinea fowl, and no less than a dozen impalas including some little ones who leaped through the air with sheer joy.
We couldn’t stop smiling and laughing over the menagerie in our garden. At one point, we counted over 20 animals in the garden, five different species. It was enjoyable to see the little impalas who we usually only see on the side of the road when we’re driving through the park.
Suddenly, the wind picked up with dark clouds rolling in, and there was an unexpected downpour. The animals quickly scattered for shelter in the bush under trees. For the first time in a while, we had to go indoors. The wind was blowing the rain in our faces. Five minutes later, the storm ended, and we went right back outside, along with most of the animals hidden undercover. It was quite a treasure of an experience.
I’ve got to wrap it up now. So far this morning, amid doing this post, I’ve managed to do 6000 steps. I will have to complete the balance while we’re at the party, walking around the grounds to Jabula Lodge & Restaurant as we celebrate Leon’s birthday. Happy birthday, Leon! I know you read this, so I wanted to say it here as well.
Have a pleasing Sunday, wherever you may be!
Photo from one year ago today, February 6, 2021:
