Cooking for one…This is what a single life would be like…

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A warthog mom with lovely tusks.

There’s never a day that passes that I don’t appreciate having Tom in my life. Now that he has gone away for ten days, it’s become more evident to me how much he does daily, not only around the house but to enrich the quality of my days and nights. He is a fun and loving husband and partner who also shares equally in the running of the household and its daily tasks.

Aside from all of that, his companionship, laughter, and countless warm and loving interactions are sorely missing right now. We chatted on Whatsapp at length yesterday, but with our sleeping times opposite, talking on the phone at will is a little more complicated.

Today, he’ll be busy prepping for the eulogy at Jerome’s funeral and mingling with his huge family and many friends who will attend. The immediate family alone is well over 100 people. Chatty and friendly as he is, I expect I may not hear from him today, which is fine.

Dawn and Leon gave me these thorny cactus plants that hopefully will keep the baboons away.

He’ll spend the remainder of the week with his kids, grandkids, siblings, and other relatives. If time allows, he may visit a few old friends. He’ll have plenty of stories to share when he returns a week from today, and the time can’t pass quickly enough as far as I’m concerned.

I thought I might spend some time in the evenings talking on the phone to some of my old friends in the US, but after a poor connection last night with my friend Chere, I may not do so. I use Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger, which are excellent free services with normally a good WiFi signal. The signal here is very poor at night, with many people in Marloth Park online streaming shows.

Calling using my cellphone’s Google Fi service is too expensive, especially when calls to friends can easily last for an hour or more after not speaking for a while. In any case, I’m not one to talk on the phone much. I prefer in person conversation.

Big Daddy was on a prance in the garden.

It’s surprising how well I’ve slept alone the past three nights, although I wake up when I reach for Tom, and he’s not there. That’s weird. I am still waking up at the same time as always and listening to podcasts when I awaken each day. It’s easy to maintain my usual routine.

Living this way reminds me of what it must be like for single seniors and those who have lost a spouse or are divorced. At times, it’s lonely and unsettling, especially since I have no transportation and can’t jump in the car to shop or meet friends for lunch or dinner. I can’t tell you how much I look forward to going to Jabula on Friday and Saturday nights. My friend Sindee will be picking me up and driving me home.

Our large braai broke, so we now have this smaller version which should serve us well.

It was terrific when Louise stopped by for sundowners on Monday night. Those few hours we sat together on the veranda chatting up a storm and sipping on wine were delightful. I’m sure I’ll be getting together with her and Danie before Tom returns a week from today.

There’s not much on the horizon today. I cooked enough chicken yesterday for another round for tonight’s dinner. All I have left to do is make a salad to go with it, which I will do shortly. The meals for one person have been easy, requiring little prep time.

That’s it for today, folks. Have a great day, and be well.

Photo from one year ago today, March 8, 2022:

It’s a rare occasion that Tom has a milkshake, but yesterday’s anniversary was the perfect day to indulge. For more photos, please click here.

Eight lions spotted in our area…Guess I won’t be going for a walk…Today is our 28th wedding anniversary…

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We are located in Block D, where eight lions were spotted in the past 24 hours.

Note: Sorry, we have no new photos. Due to the black worms on the veranda, I haven’t taken any photos in the past few days.

The following notice was posted last night on Facebook’s “Marloth Park Sighting Page.”

“‼️ URGENT CARNIVORE ALERT‼️
6th- 7th March 2023
The Carnivore Team has released an URGENT WARNING that eight lions have been spotted in the “D” SECTOR OF THE ATTACHED MAP! They are now moving between the houses.
The immediate alert is for BLOCK “D,” “E,” AND “F” as per the attached map. For those who are not familiar with Marloth, BLOCK “D” IS FROM RENOSTER, KINGFISHER, SEEKOEI, SWARTWITPENS, RATEL UP TO OLIFANT, BLOCK “E” IS FROM SEKELBOS, OLIFANT UP TO LUIPERD AND BLOCK “F” FROM RATEL, SWARTWITPENS, SEEKOEI, SOENIE UP TO OLIFANT! A follow-up alert will be supplied if they move out of these areas!
EVERYBODY needs to be extremely cautious, and an urgent alert for joggers, hikers, and cyclists in the morning and afternoon! Be extra careful at night, as the LIONS are a more significant threat in the dark! If you are having a braai, sit with your backs to a wall and keep the lights on!
Please do not allow children to roam around or play unsupervised – period! The lions could be extremely dangerous, especially where kids are concerned!😳
This an urgent alert for joggers, hikers, and cyclists along these areas throughout the day!
Unfortunately, the warnings are not taken seriously! The onus is on each and every one to adhere to the alerts and warn others of the dangers.
PLEASE DO NOT POST ANY CARNIVORE SIGHTING POSITIONS ON ANY SOCIAL MEDIA GROUPS FOR SAFETY REASONS! Rather contact any one of the Carnivore Team if you spot the lions, phone any of the following numbers at ANY TIME:
Rangers 082 802 5894
CPF/ Nadine 082 672 4545 Gerrie Camacho 082 353 9097,
Ernst Röhm /MTPA 083 626 6309,
April Lukhele: 082 807 1057. Jan Koekemoer 063 053 7601.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding – Carnivore Team, Rangers, MTPA, CPF, Security, and the Vet.
Wow!. Eight lions! It certainly would be exciting to see them, but they hunt, mostly at night, and it’s too dangerous to be outdoors looking for them. Occasionally, we hear a muffled roar, but like most lions, they don’t make a lot of noise while hunting. Lions roar as follows from this site:
“Lions will use their roar to ward off potential intruders and/or protect their territory and pride. Sometimes they’ll even roar to talk with other lions, and their roars can reach up to 114 decibels—the same noise level as a chainsaw or snowmobile.
Still, only big cats, such as lions, leopards, tigers, and jaguars, can roar. This is due to their large vocal folds, which form a square shape allowing large vocal vibrations at less lung pressure, resulting in a monstrous sound that resonates for miles. 

Roaring isn’t the only way that lions communicate, either. They often make a “scratch pile” with their urine or claw trees as additional ways to mark their territory and keep a distance from other lion prides. Physical features, including the darkness of a male lion’s mane, are another way of displaying their abilities to others—generally, the older the lion, the darker the mane. However, a particularly thick, dark mane indicates an incredibly healthy and well-fed​​lion —and not an animal you’d want to mess with. 

Lions may growl, moan, groan, huff and puff, and emit gurgling growls that resemble purring because, unlike traditional purrs—which are continuous—the vibratory sounds that lions produce are only evident when they exhale. Lions also show affection to one another through actions like nuzzling and head rubbing.”

Another school holiday season is upon us soon, when more and more holidaymakers will arrive to enjoy the wonders of the bush. We hope that property managers and owners will inform the guests about the lions since we often see families walking on dirt roads at dusk when the lions begin their nightly hunt. That’s not to say the lions aren’t out wandering the bush during the day. They’ve been spotted during daylight hours on countless occasions.

Of course, we don’t like the holiday seasons due to added traffic, noise, and fewer animals coming to our garden. When the wildlife gets a taste of chips, sweets, and human foods unfit for their consumption, they prefer to visit them than come to our “healthy garden” of fruit, vegetables, and pellets. Wild animals don’t have the digestive systems to digest crisps, chips, pasta, and cookies easily. These types of foods can make them ill or even shorten their lifespan. Hmmm…it’s not a lot different for humans, is it?

Here’s the school holiday schedule for 2023:

“South African school holiday dates in 2023

  • First term break: 25 March – 11 April 2023
  • Second term break: 24 June – 18 July 2023
  • Third term break: 30 September – 10 October 2023
  • Fourth term break: 14 December 2023 – 17 January 2024″

I am thinking of you today and always with love and appreciation for our beautiful lives together. Happy Anniversary, Lover. Today is our 28th wedding anniversary. We will celebrate when Tom returns. If you are reading this from halfway around the globe…

Actually, our travel anniversary holds more significance for us since it was the beginning of a new life and a new world for the two of us that has given us more joy than we’d ever imagined we’d have in our senior years. We are very grateful for it all and for each other. I didn’t need him to be gone to realize this. I’ve known it every day.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, March 7, 2022:

Bossy makes sure we see she is here for a visit. “Pellets, please!” For more photos, please click here.

My first night ever…alone in the bush…

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Norman is getting fluffed up with a male kudu and male zebras near him. Females of any species don’t bother him at all. He’ll even share food with them.

Today’s weather is pure hell. The temperature is only 84F, 29C, but the humidity is 73%, and the dew point is 75. It would be more tolerable if it were raining, but no rain is predicted throughout the day. I’ve had a busy morning, doing all the household tasks. Tom usually does it in the mornings, along with my own.

I started a few loads of laundry but set up the laundry rack indoors in the lounge room. There’s no sun, and it won’t dry any faster outdoors than inside the house. The clothes may take three days to dry in this weather. But there isn’t anything there I can’t go without, and besides, half of the laundry was Tom’s clothes.

Zebras were in a scuffle over pellets, a common occurrence.

Usually, in the mornings. while I make breakfast, Tom plays the most recent podcast episode of Garage Logic, where his name and our web address are mentioned daily at the end of each podcast. It’s always fun to listen to this enjoyable show. After breakfast, Tom does the dishes while I begin the post.

It’s a lovely routine we both enjoy, but with him gone until March 15, we’ll wait and get caught up on the missed podcasts when he returns. It may seem odd that I can listen to a show while doing the posts, but I’ve found that over the years, it works well for me.

Zebras were looking for pellets.

This morning as I am typing here now, I have a split screen on my laptop, and I’m watching the TV series “Naked and Afraid.” I stop periodically to watch a particular scene in the show, but then again, I often stop watching and pay more attention to the post’s preparation.

Also, this morning, I made a double batch of keto coconut flaxseed bread from mixes I purchased in the health food section at Spar. It has no “bad” ingredients, and it is extremely low-carb.

I have two small slices every morning topped with eggs, avocado, or smoked salmon. I cut two thin slices of the small bread and place them into snack-sized ziplock bags (which I save and reuse many times), putting them into the freezer. I take out one packet at night, but if I forget to take it out, after 30 seconds in the microwave, it will defrost. This big batch will last a month.

There was my boy Norman looking for me early this morning. It was busy in the garden, so it took him a few minutes to mosey on over to his favorite spot.

This keto bread is dense and somewhat dry, so I add a little keto barbecue sauce to the bread to moisten it. Then, I pop both slices into the toaster until lightly browned. Butter, cream cheese, or other sugar-free sauces may be added. I use the sugar-free keto barbecue sauce since it has the lowest calories (and carbs), and calories count on low carb, especially when trying to lose a few kilos.

Below is a photo of the larger two loaves I made this morning. I let them cool for a few hours, making cutting them into thin slices easier. I always keep the food I am cooling covered with kitchen towels to prevent flies and insects from crawling on them. It’s always best to freeze baked goods here due to the high humidity presenting a likelihood of mildew growing very quickly.4

Keto Coconut & Flaxseed bread doesn’t look appetizing, and it’s an acquired taste. I like it.

It’s been almost 14 hours with two more to go since Tom’s flight took off from Cape Town Airport. I should hear from him shortly while he begins another long layover. He’ll have to go through immigration and customs when he arrives at Dulles Airport in Washington, DC. The lines will be long, and it could take him an hour or more to get through. It will be good to hear from him again as he makes his way on this long journey to Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In my old life, before I met Tom when my kids were grown, I spent many years living alone without an alarm system. I did OK alone overnight in the bush. I had the fan and the aircon on in the bedroom, so I didn’t hear every little sound and never felt frightened or worried. The alarm was set, and I kept the keyfob with the panic buttom under my pillow in case I heard anything unusual. But all was fine.

Oops, I had to stop when Norman showed up. I cut him some celery tops, lettuce, and apples, but suddenly, he was joined by our frequent Big Daddy visitor. I tossed some apples to Norman and in another direction to Big Daddy, and he left Norman to eat his lunch without interruption. Norman always fluffs his hair and tail when encountering male kudus, especially those with big horns like Big Daddies.

Moments later, Hoppie’s Mom and two babies arrived in the garden. They have figured out how to maneuver through the little fence, and we’ve stopped trying to hurry them away since they are here so often.

I just snapped two worms off my shirt after sitting outdoors while Zef washed the floors in the house. Yuck!

Tom’s flight to Dulles Airport in Washington, DC, was running 20 minutes late. According to the flight information online, it arrived 19 minutes ago. I should be hearing from Tom soon. I just got a text! He’s in line for immigration, and we’ll communicate more once he’s at his next gate for the flight to Minneapolis. There’s a four-hour layover and an almost four-hour flight until he arrives at his final destination.

Busy morning in the bush. All is well. I miss my man, but he’ll return before I know it.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, March 6, 2022:

Not our photo. The continuing rise in the cost of food in the UK was one of the key contributors to December’s consumer price inflation of 5.4% © REUTERS (An article from Financial Times, with their link here. For more details, please click here.

No word on the funeral date yet…Tom’s departure up in the air…What about his pending visa extension…

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We spotted this leaf insect on the outdoor refrigerator door. The Phasmida (stick and leaf insects) are plant-eating insects, often resembling sticks or broad leaves. They do not have their hindlegs adapted for jumping as in the closely related order Orthoptera (grasshoppers, katydids, crickets, and relatives). While there are about 3000 species, only about 30 are leaf insects.

Tom is still waiting to hear from his niece when her father and his brother Jerome’s funeral and memorial service will be held in order to book his round-trip flight to the US. He has to time it correctly to ensure he is still in the US on March 9. the expiration date on our current visas.

If he returns after March 9, which he will, he will receive a new 90-day stamp to reenter South Africa will cancel the requirement for his pending visa extension we did with the law firm in Cape Town. Since I am staying behind, the visa extension will continue as planned. At some point, I’ll have to go to Nelspruit to the immigration office to open the “secret” envelope to determine my new visa extension date.

This morning, I wrote to the law firm to explain the situation and ask if there are any issues we need to be aware of before Tom leaves to ensure there are no surprises. I just heard back from the law firm, and he is good to go. He only needs to bring the receipt we received when we submitted the visa extension a few weeks ago. I found his receipt, which he will place in his passport.

Hopefully, the required exit dates will coincide as to when we will be required to leave South Africa. If those dates are different, which we expect, we will leave together on the earliest date. Fortunately, we haven’t had to book a flight out yet and will do so once we know more. We don’t stress about not knowing. We’ve both become used to having travel plans “up in the air.”

Today in the US, Jerome’s family will meet with the funeral director to arrange the service. With the eight-hour time difference, Tom won’t hear anything until later this evening, most likely after we return home from Jabula. Tom still wants to go about our normal lives while he waits to make plans for his departure to the US.

Leaf mimicry often is elaborate among the leaf insects, with the insects’ wings and legs closely imitating leaf color and form. Female elytra typically resemble, in their vein pattern, the midrib and veins in a leaf. Some species are even adorned with markings that resemble spots of disease or damage, including holes. Nymphs may sway side to side as though mimicking the movement of a leaf in the wind. Leaf mimicry is thought to play an important role in defense against predators. Some species possess rows of tubercles on their antennae that, when rubbed together, produce sounds that may also serve to ward off predators.

Once we know and he books the flight, we’ll head to Komati for a few things I’ll need while he’s away. At this point, we don’t know how long he’ll be gone, but most likely, it will be for a week or more. We shopped last Thursday, and although I won’t fuss over meals for myself, I’ll need a few items to last while he’s away and also for the first few dinners after he returns.

I don’t want Tom to have to grocery shop with me as soon as he returns after over 36 hours of travel time. He always recovers quickly after no sleep on the plane, but we’ve rarely felt like embarking on a big shopping trip right after we return from a long travel period.

Am I concerned about being alone in the bush for eight or ten days and nights? The reason bush houses often have a security system using a security company in Marloth Park is due to several break-ins and attacks at times. But this house has a good alarm system connected to a local service, and a security vehicle could be here in about three minutes.

I will keep the house keys with the emergency key fob in the bedroom. If anything worries me, I’d only have to push the red button to immediately alert the security company to head this way. Plus, that button triggers a loud alarm that won’t shut off until disarmed by the alarm company or me.

As for the animals, I have no fear whatsoever. If the lions show up, I’ll go inside the house. The other animals pose no risk as long as I continue to respect their space as we always do.

I won’t have a car while Tom is away, but Louise and Danie will help as needed, and I’m sure friends at Jabula will ensure I have a ride both ways if I decide to go on Friday or Saturday nights if Tom is still; away. If I don’t need to go to the market, which I won’t, otherwise, I won’t need transportation.

In tomorrow’s post, we’ll likely know more and report here accordingly. No words can express the gratitude Tom and I feel over the multitudes of thoughtful condolences expressed by our family, readers/friends on our site and Facebook. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and condolences over losing Tom’s dear brother Jerome.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, March 3, 2022:

Our resident tree frog lives atop this structural post on the veranda. She croaks intermittently during the day but ramps it up at night, communicating with other frogs. For more photos, please click here.

Sorrowful family news…Tom is heading to the USA…

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Jerry and his lovely wife Lee, his favorite Norwegian.

We knew that eventually, we’d lose a loved one, which would require an imminent trip to the US, mainly because Tom is the youngest of his remaining eight siblings. Sadly, last night Tom’s eldest sibling Jerome, 94, passed away after a short illness resulting in him being in hospice care at the VA hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota, over the past few days.

This morning, Tom awoke to a message from his daughter Tammy and Jerome’s daughter Jerri that Jerome passed during the night. Tom hasn’t been able to talk to anyone in his family yet since he found out it was the middle of the night in the US with the eight-hour time difference. As soon as the family starts waking up today at around 4:00 pm, 1600 hrs. when he will talk to the family to find out when the services will be held to ensure he gets to the US  in plenty of time for the funeral.

Jerome has been an integral part of the lives of Tom’s family members and our lives. In the first several years of our world travels, we sent him our posts daily so he could listen to them on his talking computer. Jerome was totally blind and had been so since 1970 but had adapted amazingly well to this limitation. (We always admired Jerry’s strength and ability to fend for himself, and he has lived in his own home until this recent illness).

When we decided to leave to travel the world, Jerome encouraged us to do so with gusto. We even wrote a story about his enthusiasm for our travels in this post dated December 18, 2012, only a few months after we left. Please refer to that post which so well shares Jerry’s powerful and supportive message that “we’d be his eyes as we traveled the world.”

Jerome was a twin, born on a farm in Winsted, Minnesota. His twin, a boy named James, passed away several days later. The family always honored the loss of his twin and, of course, Jerome, as the eldest of 11 children in the family. The family includes well over one hundred multigenerational members, many of whom we’ve yet to meet with many recent births.

Jerome was a great-great-grandfather. His beloved wife, Lee, whom he referred to as “his favorite Norwegian,” passed away in December 2013. They’d been married for 61 years. He and Lee had three children, Jerri, Steve, and Kathy, with many young ones following from his eight grandchildren and now great and great-great-grandchildren. Jerome always said his only regret was being unable to see the faces of his grandchildren and eventual great and great-great-grandchildren.

Jerome’s attitude and demeanor left all of us reeling with wonder. His blindness was but a blip in his daily life and was often a source of well-intended good humor by his family, teasing him about driving a car and giving great driving directions. He was masterful at playing cards using special Braille-marked cards. Family members often played cards with him, including us, when we lived in Minnesota and when we visited in the past 10-plus years.

When I first met Jerome in 1991 at my then house in Minnesota, long before Tom and I were married, I told Tom after everyone left after a fun day by the lake, “Your brother Jerome “felt me up” (non offensively, of course). He felt the sides of my body and the features on my face. I stood there patiently, not saying a word, nor did Lee, his wife, sitting beside him. Tom laughed and responded, “That’s how Jerry can tell what you look like.” We often told this story accompanied by a heartfelt chuckle.

Jerome loved that we were living a dream life by traveling the world. When we called him, he often asked many questions and was fascinated by our stories and adventures. And we could spend hours listening to his stories of the decades of family life and his experiences before and after he went blind. Like their dear mother, Mary, Jerome was a fine storyteller up until the end of their lives. never forgetting even the most minute details, including dates and events.

Jerome will be sorely missed by all the lives of those who knew and loved him or anyone who may have been fortunate enough to cross his path.

We send our love and prayers to all the family members whose hearts are broken and saddened by this loss of their dear man. We grieve along with you and pray for his restful eternity with his beloved wife, Lee, “his favorite Norwegian.”

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, March 2, 2022:

We looked forward to sitting here and watching the visitors stop by. But now, there are so many worms I won’t sit outdoors. They fall on my head and face. Yuck! For more photos, please click here.

The party’s over…Regular life continues…Muddy garden…Lots of black worms everywhere…

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The worms are everywhere, hopefully, to be gone within a few weeks.

Now that the party is over, it’s back to regular life. It seems to be hotter and more humid now, or perhaps in the flurry of activity for the party; I didn’t notice it as much. Today’s biggest challenge is getting yesterday’s laundry dried, which is still soaking wet in the humidity, but worms keep crawling all over the clothes.

May be an image of outdoors
We borrowed this photo from Facebook. This is the veranda of a Marloth Park resident. These worms don’t appear every year but are awful this year. Our invasion isn’t as bad as this, thank goodness.

Tom moved the laundry rack to the sun on the wooden deck, but now the black worms are crawling all over our clothes. If we try to kill them when they are on clothing or towels, they leave a permanent stain. The tee shirt Tom wore today and yesterday will have to be thrown away with all the worm stains on it.

I’ve preferred to stay indoors seated at the dining room table with fewer worms, although some climb the little step from the veranda to access the inside of the house. Yuck! Many residents and visitors to Marloth Park are posting photos of their worm invasions. Thank goodness our isn’t as bad as the above photo we posted from Facebook. Yuck.

Bog Daddy says, “You got any pellets?”

Then again, what do I always say? TIA. This is Africa, and instead of talking about the worms all day, we’re still enjoying the visiting wildlife. We plan to go into Kruger when it hasn’t rained overnight for a few days to make the roads more accessible.

Both Vusi and Zef are now cleaning. Zef is on the veranda sweeping up worms while Vusi is working on cleaning the store room from when the work was done for the new inverter system, leaving everything covered in dust. Extra dishes, serving pieces, small appliances, linen tableware, and our iced tea supply are kept in that room.  It will be nice to have the extra dust out of the house.

Four bushbucks were in the garden, and four more outside the little fence.

I bolted out of bed early this morning to work on tonight’s chicken stir fry dinner. I cooked the defrosted chicken and veggies in garlic and ginger seasoned sesame oil, later adding all the wonderful seasonings and spices. Tom will have his dinner on a bed of white rice, and I’ll have mine on cooked cabbage with a side salad for each of us.

Bushbucks are playing together.

I prefer to get as much done as I can for dinners in the early morning when it’s cooler rather than be stuck in the kitchen just before we eat, standing over the hot stove. Plus, the kitchen has fewer flies when it’s cooler in the morning. When it’s time to eat, I’ll reheat the pot, cook Tom’s rice and toss the salad with homemade dressing, taking only a few minutesi n the kitchen. We can be on the veranda the remainder of the time, enjoying our wildlife visitors.

Earl, what a guy!

Even with the worms out there, we still spend our evenings on the veranda, and then, if the insects are really bad, we’ll enter the dining room with a clear view of the garden while we enjoy our dinner without too many insects intruding. When there are few insects in the cooler winter months, we spend more time outdoors in the evenings.

On another note, I’m still thrilled that I didn’t have the tooth pulled. After taking an x-ray, Dr. Singh determined there was nothing wrong with the tooth, but it was irritated from over-flossing. To avoid issues with my gums, I tend to floss too much and too often, using too thick a flossing string. I am still smiling over the fact that my tooth didn’t have to be pulled, leaving me to enjoy this week without the pain and discomfort and then dealing with getting an implant.

Zebras were taking off after we stopped tossing pellets.

My teeth are very close together, and I often feel like I need to floss. Dr. Signh convinced me that flossing once a day was enough, and I will now wait to floss after dinner. He did a full mouth x-ray with this modern equipment and said every tooth in my mouth and my gums are healthy, especially for my age. In the long run, our obsession with flossing and also having our teeth cleaned professionally every three months has paid off. It’s been easy to have the cleanings here with Luzaan, but once we leave in June, it may not be possible to do so when we’re in even more remote locations.

We’re looking forward to heading to Jabula on Friday evening. As it turned out, Dawn and  Leon knew everyone at the party, making it fun. It will be great to catch up with them over the weekend.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, March 1, 2022:

View of kitchen from the dining room. One year ago, we posted photos of this holiday home before we moved to this house. Please click here for more.

Part 3…Wow!…What a fantastic party!…Video from the party!…

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Today is our last post about my 75th birthday party in Marloth Park, attended by 28 guests, our four wonderful helpers, as shown in the above video, and our dear friends and caterers, Louise and Danie Thiart. It couldn’t have been a more enjoyable evening, and from the positive feedback we received in the past several days, everyone in attendance thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

I must admit, I am still smiling over the event and will remember it with the warmest feelings for years to come. Every aspect of the party was meaningful and special to me, from the guests in attendance, our caterers, the decorations, the welcome drinks, the starters, the main courses, and all the many side dishes and specialty items.

These are well-seasoned little meatballs among fig quarters, cucumber rolls, and grape tomatoes were delicious!!

Unfortunately, I was so busy having fun that I failed to take photos when the main items were served, including many braai types of meat, homemade bread, and all the fixings to accompany them. I wish I had stopped long enough to take more fantastic food photos.

Both Tom and I always enjoy traditional African dancing and music. We all enjoyed the above video when Martha, Mpumi, Vusi, and Zef performed a special African dance for our guests. Please take a moment to click on the video to see what we could savor later in the evening when our helpers stopped long enough from cleanup and dishes to dance for us.

They served dozens of these spoons filled with taste-tempting treats, including such items as prawns, smoked salmon, and cheeses.

We’ve had an opportunity to see dancers perform throughout Africa over the years of traveling on the continent. It’s hard to sit still when watching since the music and energy always have such an enticing beat that it’s hard to stay seated during such delightful cultural events.

So, dear readers/friends, this is the last of our stories and photos about the party. Still, the experience will remain in our hearts for many years to come; we are grateful for our friends Louise and Danie and their amazing helpers and, of course, our friends who took the time to celebrate with us on this milestone birthday.

I peeked in the refrigerator when we arrived 30 minutes before the party started, finding all the yummy food waiting to be served.

Again, it rained last night, and the bush is thick with bright green leaves and vegetation to feed the animals in the park. Whether we or others offer pellets, vegetables, or fruit, the animals are well-fed. Anything we may provide at this point is comparable to giving a treat to a beloved animal.

The decorations were particularly appealing after dark.

This is the most rain we’ve seen in the seasons we’ve spent in Marloth Park. Many locals say the same as well – the best rainy season ever!

Today is another low-key day for us. It’s too wet and rainy for us to head into Kruger National Park, but we will embark on a self-drive safari when the weather is good for taking photos. As always, our visit will include breakfast at the Mugg & Bean and browsing through the enticing gift shop, which I always love to do. Tom has no interest in shopping!

Our friend Matthieu took a photo of me taking a picture of him. We laughed out loud! He’s a professional photographer who does game drives in Kruger.

We’re working our way through the leftovers in the freezer since our braai is broken and will be replaced in the next few days when,l once again, we’ll cook outdoors. And, before we know it, it will be Friday and Saturday nights when we’ll return to Jabula for fun at the bar and to dine on their great food, which we always enjoy.

Have a fantastic day, and be well. The only difference is that these wild animals can easily fend for themselves in the lush and full bush after all this rain.

 Photo from one year ago today, February 28, 2022:

I kept thinking about Little stopping by several times after leaving and not finding us there. For more photos, please click here.

Part 1…Wow!…What a fantastic party!…

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Here we are with Dooc Theo, who saved my life, and his lovely wife, Myrtah. We were so happy they came to my party along with the other two doctors in the practice, Doc Mel and Doc Philip, and their lovely wives.

What a fantastic party it was. Louise and Danie couldn’t have made it more perfect with the beautiful decorations, delicious food, and inviting ambiance. They worked hard but seemed to enjoy seamlessly and professionally putting it all together. We have many more photos to share and will continue to post them over the next several days.

Delicious welcome drinks, including Bloody Marys, topped with a slice of crispy bacon and non-alcoholic vegetable juice. We caught a kudu eating off the wooden board.

With lots of catering experience in the past, they knew exactly what to do, never for a moment leaving us wanting for another element when every detail was presented to perfection. I can only imagine a fabulous wedding, anniversary party, or any other special occasion coupled with the bush’s wonder and exemplary services.

Because they are both such great friends, we trusted their decisions on every aspect of the party. Under any other circumstances with any other caterers, I would have had a significant hand in every area of the planning. With them, we could sit back and let them do their magic.

One of several breadboards with delicious toppings.

Adding to the blissfully planned event were our guests. Everyone who’d RSVP’d showed up and made us both feel so special. The lively conversations, laughter, and camaraderie fell into a leisurely pace. Unfortunately, the evening seemed to pass too quickly, and I didn’t get to spend enough time with each of our guests.

Amid all the rain, Louise and Danie beautifully set up the house and the garden. It rained briefly but never caused issues with the guest’s enjoyment at the party.

As mentioned, we’d invited the three doctors and their wives to spend the night. They took off for bed by midnight while we sat around the big table on the veranda. But seeing everyone having such a good time warmed our hearts throughout the enjoyable evening.

Danie had baked bread, and many kinds of cheese were available during the appetizer course.

I felt bad we were all so noisy, having an ongoing great time that by about 1:00 am, we scooted everyone home so our overnight guests could sleep. Tom and I never got to bed until after 2:00 am. We were both wide awake, reeling from the beautiful evening. Finally, we dozed off, not awakening until after 9:00 am, a rarity for both of us.

A beautiful gin and vodka bar were set up in the dining room, where everyone could make their welcome drinks.

With everyone gone today, by late morning, we returned to the party house and collected all the unopened bottles of wine. We supplied about 42 bottles of wine and have about 20 bottles, which I’ll eventually consume over the next many months, sharing with visitors who stop by.

Delicious foods stayed warm in the oven, including meats for sliders and various delicious foods.

I don’t usually drink wine other than the lightest varieties, but I will simply drink less of the regular wines in any particular sitting, perhaps no more than one glass at a time. As a result, we won’t need to buy any more wine while we’re still here in South Africa. Plus, it will be fun to share any of the white or red wines with visitors.

We’d specified on our invitation, “Please, no gifts,” but some brought gifts and cards anyway, every one of which I will thoroughly enjoy and do appreciate.

In the back row from left to right, Lorne and Sydney. and Tom. Sinndee, Leon, and, Dawn are in the front row from left to right.

There’s no way we can thank Louise and Danie for all they’ve done. We can only hope that some of our readers may consider Marloth Park for any special occasion to savor this magical place and have this fine couple help them arrange their special occasion with memories that will last a lifetime.

More will follow tomorrow!

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, February 26, 2022:

This young male kudu is sprouting his horns. So adorable. For more photos, please click here.

Today’s the party!!!…It’s raining buckets, off and on…

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One of the two identical chocolate keto cakes I frosted this morning. They are not perfect but they will be tasty.

Soon, I will frost the two cakes for tonight’s party. But I only took the blocks of butter out of the refrigerator a short time ago. In this hot, humid weather, it should soften sufficiently to begin to make the frosting for the two-layer cakes. All I have to do to prepare to arrive at the party house at 4:30 pm, 1630 hrs., is frost the cakes, do my nails, pack the cooler with the breakfast foods for the docs and their wives, pack the cakes, and get ready.

Forty days ago, I ordered four shirts from a company that ships to South Africa. When the package hadn’t arrived yesterday afternoon, I gave up hope that I’d have something more dressy and new to wear to the party. Surely, one of the four tops I selected would be suitable.

Wouldn’t you know, last night, while we were at the bar at Jabula, I got a phone call from the delivery guy that he was in Marloth Park but needed someone to sign for the package. He offered to drop it off at one of the security companies, Securicon, located on the main paved road in Marloth. We appreciated his willingness to do this.

On the left of this photo, you can see the humidity in the air when Octomom and her eight piglets visited. Of course, we tossed pellets their way.

After we had a fun time at Jabula, on our way home, we stopped at Securicon, and they indeed had the package with my four tops. Any one of the tops will be suitable for the party since I am thrilled with each one. Currently, they are hanging on hangers on the clothes drying rack outside under the veranda roof, hoping the wrinkles will come out.

I purchased them from Lightinthebox, a company I’ve used in the past where I can buy decent quality, reasonably priced clothes that require six weeks shipping time to South Africa. By making purchases from this company, they deal with customs and shipping, so I don’t have to do a thing, a far cry from ordering anything from the US which is expensive and a hassle.

It’s raining off and on in buckets today. It seems to rain for 30 minutes, then stops for a while, the sun comes out, and then starts up again. If this continues this way, I don’t think we’ll have to be concerned about guests coming to the party. If it rained non-stop, the dirt roads in Marloth Park might be challenging to navigate. But, right now, we’re optimistic.

The piglets have a great time playing together.

Speaking of Jabula, the visitors scheduled to meet with us last night couldn’t make it. They didn’t get into Kruger in time to meet up with us after their game drive, and we understood. Most people come here for the wildlife in the gardens of the holiday homes and an opportunity to get into Kruger. With access to Crocodile Bridge impossible for weeks due to flooding, we sure understood when they could finally enter.

Nonetheless, we had a great time at Jabula chatting with Dawn, Leon, David, and guests that we’d already met at other events. Once again, it was another fun evening. And, of course, we’re looking forward to seeing Dawn, Leon, and David at our party tonight.

Also, we can’t stop thinking of all the hard work Louise and Danie are doing right now preparing all the food and decorations for the party in this heat and humidity. We’re heading to the party house at 4:30, 1630 hrs., so Louise and Danie have time to shower and get ready for the party. They’ve been working on it for days.

Johnny and his mom Jasmine in the garden this morning with three more bushbucks on the opposite side of the little fence.

This morning, low on photos, we were thrilled to see Octomom and her eight piglets stop for a visit. They were all soaking wet but were playful and happy. Their mom is taking good care of them. We hadn’t seen them in about ten days and were thrilled that the eight piglets were still intact. It was fun to watch them playing with each other in the rain.

I just finished frosting the two cakes. The heat and humidity were so high that I had to rush and get them into the refrigerator right away to avoid the frosting melting. Since they are homemade keto cakes, they don’t hold up in the weather as easily as cake mixes with fillers and preservatives. I’m not the best at frosting cakes to look perfect, but I did my best.

Well, folks, that’s it for today. Tomorrow’s post will include the first batch of photos from the party and will continue over the next few days.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, February 25, 2022:

Our upcoming June 29 Azamara cruise to Ukraine’s scheduled itinerary raised significant concerns. Eventually, the cruise was canceled. For more, please click here.

Tomorrow is the party!…Busy baking the two cakes today, knowing there’s 4.5 hours of load shedding tomorrow…

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Earl was rolling around in the dirt, having the time of his life.

When we noticed that tomorrow morning’s load shedding starts at 11:00 am and doesn’t end until 3:30 pm, 1530 hrs., and since we can’t use the oven during load shedding, I felt it was best to bake the two double layer cakes today, rather than risk it and try to do it tomorrow.

Besides, with the effects of Cyclone Freddie making an appearance tomorrow, we could easily lose power altogether, and then again, we wouldn’t be able to use the oven, the only appliance we can’t use when our inverter is operating.

Having left all the rest of the planning in Louise and Danie’s hands, at their insistence, we have little else to do between now and then.  We invited Doc Theo, Doc Mel, and Doc Philip to the party, and they and their wives have confirmed. As a thank you for Doc Theo saving my life in 2019, we’ve offered them to stay overnight at the Khaya Umdani house, and we’re bringing over all the breakfast fixings for Sunday morning.

We’re leaving them orange juice and Prosecco to make mimosas along with coffee and fresh cream, eggs, bacon, sausage, fresh fruit, two types of heavy grain bread, butter, apricot, and strawberry jams,  This way; they can get up at their leisure and make a nice breakfast while they lounge at the beautiful house for as long as they’d like….a mini holiday in the bush.  They won’t have to do a thing… no dishes…no cleanup. It’s all taken care of.

Louise arranged for Vusi to stay this weekend to help with the party wearing his traditional Zulu attire, and he will assist in food and beverage service. He is a fine young man who has worked for Louise and Danie for many years. He will be paid and tipped generously for his meticulous work. He takes great pride in his work (as does Zef, as well), and it is evident in everything he does for them, their other clients, and us.

Earl found this spot to roll around in the dirt, which we’ve seen other wildebeests use in the past.

As for the mess at the end of the party, Vusi will take care of everything as well as cleaning up the dishes and cleaning the house after the doctors and their wives leave sometime on Sunday. There will be nothing for us to do. I’m sure Louise and Danie will be very busy throughout the party as they are today and tomorrow, preparing all the food and drinks.

Fortunately, the Khaya Umdani house has solar power, installed recently, so even if the storm knocks out the power, and of course, during load shedding, the food will be kept safe and the guests comfortable. We won’t be sitting outdoors in the dark or eating food kept in a refrigerator that wasn’t operational due to load shedding for over four hours.

All four layers for the two chocolate keto cakes I am making are now cooled and in the refrigerator. I couldn’t leave them out due to flies and high humidity. Tomorrow morning, I will make the frosting and frost and decorate both cakes. Photos will follow in tomorrow’s post.

We had an excellent breakfast this morning, as we always do. After almost 32 years, I’ve finally learned how to make Tom’s eggs properly. I’m a good cook, but I’ve always had trouble making eggs over easy without breaking the yolks. My issue was always impatience, turning the eggs too soon or too late.

Torn Ear and Broken Horn are hanging out by the pool.

Now, I turn the eggs and immediately remove the pan from the burner and remove them onto the plate so they stop cooking. Voila! Perfect over easy eggs. Tom is thrilled, even though it took me so many years to get it right. Sure, he could make his eggs, but I am the chosen cook in the household. He handles countless other tasks I dislike, such as dishes. We’re both content with our selected household tasks.

Those black worms are still around. Last night, we left the still-wet laundry outdoors on the rack. I had a dream that when I got up in the morning, I went outside to discover thousands of those black worms on the clean clothes. That was not the case. I only found one black worm on the laundry on a black washcloth. I flicked it away, and we were good to go on the rest. Whew!

Tonight, we’re headed to Jabula at 5:00 pm, 1700 hours, but much to our delight, we’re meeting people at the bar for sundowners who are from the US and are relatives of the wife of a very wonderful man that worked for me over 20 years ago. It will be fun to have a drink with Roger’s wife, Barb’s sister Victoria, and her family members, Small world, isn’t it?

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today,  February 24, 2022:

Ironically, yesterday, Tom and I went to Stoep Cafe, and I had this same salad. One year ago, Rita and I each had this fantastic smoked trout salad at Stoep Cafe the prior day. Coincidence.  For more photos, please click here.