It’s a beautiful morning in the bush…We’re busy with bookings!…

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Note: Due to WiFi issues, we are having spacing problems we cannot repair..

Crooked Face returned to see us! He had a little trouble grabbing this carrot.

It couldn’t be a more perfect day. The weather is comfortable at 74F 23C, the sky is overcast, and the wildlife is abundant. We couldn’t ask for more, especially when Norman arrived again this morning. He stayed for over an hour, enjoying carrots, apples, and pellets. Annoyed with all the Big Daddies hovering, he finally took off.

The only thing annoying us is the sound of someone in the area using a generator as the sound wafts through the bush. We love the quiet sounds of the animals and the birds. Hopefully, soon, the noise will end.

Zebras don’t try to get too close to us. They need to get close to humans only for food, while many other animals seek to enjoy human interactions.

Living in the bush, one’s senses are acute. Every moment and every sound attracts our attention, and we never know what to expect when we hear new sounds. It’s terrific that Tom now wears hearing aids and can listen to the magical sounds of nature.

Zebras visit every day.

This morning, we had to get to work booking all the rental cars we’ll need while here, when we arrive in Minnesota at the end of May, and when we return to Marloth Park in June. We have locked in some fantastic pricing in South Africa, as low as US $400, ZAR 7308 a month, which is at least four times higher in the US.

Not Big Daddy, but whom we call “Medium Daddy,” who has some growing up to do to reach Big Daddy status.

Also, we arranged the picking up and dropping off time when our friend Lasa arrives on April 2 and leaves on May 1—booking three cars and coordinating the pickup and return dates is time-consuming, especially when we only book them for a maximum of 30 days with our credit card, covering the insurance for only the first 30 days.

Big Daddy kudu.

After all, we don’t have a car and subsequent insurance as an adjunct to renting rental vehicles. We figured out this workaround, but it requires returning the cars every 30 days and a long round-trip drive to the airport.

Also, today, Tom is booking cars for our final three months here, from June to September. We’ve yet to book a place to stay in Spain in September before our four cruises, but we have plenty of time. We’ll get to work on that sometime in the next 60 days.

Checking out the birdseed on the hanging rack.

We are going to a braai at friends Roz and Les’s home, a few kilometers from here. Soon, I’ll make a salad to bring and prepare our filet mignon to cook at their home. They offered to provide all the food, but we suggested bringing our meat and a salad. Few people eat such good-sized portions of meat or use homemade salad dressing as we do.

It’s too much work to ask the hosts to prepare anything special for us. In South Africa, it’s not uncommon for guests to bring their meat to a braai and a side dish to share. As always, guests bring their drinks, whether alcoholic or not. Tom will bring Lion beer, and I’ll bring a bottle of my low-alcohol red wine and some pre-made Crystal Light lemonade. I only drink two 5 oz glasses of the light wine and then switch to Crystal Light.

Drinking from the birdbath.

Today is the first day since I reduced the dose of Prednisone from 20 mg to 10 mg; after adding the new medication, I can breathe a little better. Last night was challenging. Hopefully, the new drug, Mont-Air, is kicking in and will prevent me from having asthma.

That’s our day, folks. We’ll be back with more tomorrow.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, March 19, 2015:

Tom and our dear friend Richard, who’s since passed away, toasting on St. Patrick’s Day in Kauai, Hawaii. For more photos, please click here.

It happened!…

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After a fitful night’s sleep, Tom woke me up at 6:15 am when Norman arrived in the garden. I couldn’t get up quickly enough to see him.

What a morning. Last night, after taking the new asthma medication Doc Theo prescribed yesterday (see details below), I hadn’t slept more than a few hours, tossing around. Today will be a good day for a mid-afternoon nap.

When I walked outdoors in my pajamas after slipping on my shoes, I was thrilled to see him at our vacation/holiday home for the first time since we arrived 15 days ago. We’d seen him in Louise and Danie’s garden on Saturday, but it wasn’t the same. Now I know he’ll return frequently when he responds so animatedly to my voice and our iced cold apples and carrots.

Could he be any more regal?

His ears flipped back and forth, listening to me even when pellets were on the ground. Of course, once I cut up a plateful of carrots and apples, he knew he was in the right place.

So be it if carrots and apples are needed to entice him to visit. I can live with that reality. After all, he’s a wild animal, always searching for sustenance. Although there is plenty of green vegetation, the plants and trees the animals eat have been stripped bare after a dry season. Rain is badly needed.

I took many more photos but decided on the few shown today.

While Norman was here, warthogs, kudus, impalas, mongooses, bushbucks, zebras, and wildebeests were present simultaneously—seven species in total! However, I was preoccupied with Norman and couldn’t take my eyes off him.

He stayed for over an hour and finally headed out. We didn’t see Nina and the kids, but we surely will one day soon. He often grazes with his family. We’ll keep you posted.

He started fluffing his mane when a Bog Daddy jumped the fence.

As for what transpired at Doc Theo’s office yesterday, I am hopeful his asthma/allergy treatment plan will be successful and that I can get off Prednisone within a week or two. He prescribed a drug called Mont-Air, which has many side effects but can eliminate asthma, hay fever, and itchy eyes caused by allergens in the environment.

I took the first dose last night, which is recommended since It can cause sleepiness but also can cause restlessness and anxiety in some patients. I ended up with restlessness, feeling like I had a motor running in my body. I hardly slept all night. However, as the morning wore on, I felt better.

His ears flipped back and forth when I spoke to him.

Theo told me to take the new drug, use my regular inhaler and nasal spray, and continue the low-dose Prednisone for one week. After a week, I’ll cut the Prednisone in half and continue that for another week, all the while continuing with the new drug. Hopefully, when the Prednisone is out of my system, I’ll have the full effect of the new drug and be asthma-free.

Having severe asthma attacks is dangerous at any age, but even more so for heart patients and the elderly. I guess at 77, I am considered elderly. Good grief.

Notice his left ear flipped back when I talked to him.

With this new plan, I am my usual cheerful self and continue enjoying the wildlife, surroundings, and wonderful people we know.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, March 18, 2015:

A visitor was killed on this beach at the end of Anina Beach, in Kauai, a desirable beach only 15 minutes from Princeville. This was sad to see. For more photos, please click here.

Seeing an old friend!…A quiet Sunday…Wildlife in hiding with many weekend tourists…

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It was hard to see Norman at first, but when I called his name, he turned his head to look at me. My heart skipped a beat! His youngest son is in the front of the photo.

Last night, we dropped off the keto cheesecake I baked for Louise and Donnie before heading to Jabula for dinner. Usually, I’d make a pie for myself, but I am doing great on my diet (so is Tom), and I didn’t want to sidetrack my progress. It was fun to sit and gab with them both for a while.

But no sooner had we walked into the door of their house/office, Louise grabbed me and said she had to show me something immediately. I followed her outside to their veranda and garden, and she said, “Look, there’s your boyfriend!”

And there he was with his wife Nina and two of their latest kids, whom I’ve yet to see and name. I called out to him in my high-pitched voice and he immediately snapped his head my way.

He stared at me for a few minutes and then turned to Nina, whom he was pursuing. It’s mating season again. They had two kids since we’d been gone for 23 months.

I can’t wait until he and his family make their way to our garden, which could happen at any time. I’m keeping a watchful eye on the bush.

It’s a tranquil day today, with only a few animals lingering in the garden. At this point, I see three bushbucks, one unknown warthog and a male kudu at a distance. On Monday, when the weekend holidaymakers return to their respective homes, the bush will be abundant with wildlife again.

It was so wonderful to see Norman once again.

Tonight’s dinner is prepped. Tom has bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin cooked on the braai, and I am having prawns and mussels in garlic wine broth. On the side, we’ll have a dish I prepped this morning: a keto mushroom, onion, egg, and cheese flan, along with a big cabbage and lettuce salad with tomatoes, carrot, celery, and homemade dressing.

We’ve been doing laundry this morning, half of which is done now. Every few weeks, I wash everything white in a tub with bleach. With all the dust in the air here, whites can lose their brightness and bleach can resolve this. When we take off our socks at night, we notice a line of demarcation between the white in the shoe and the tinge of brown in the exposed part.

Tomorrow, I have an appointment with Doc Theo to get something for my bad allergies. It’s disappointing that I’m having to deal with more health issues but hereditary inflammatory conditions such as heart disease, pre-diabetes and allergies have plagued me all my life.

My boy Norman is quite handsome.

No sooner than four days after we arrived, I started sneezing with itchy eyes and having asthma, I had no choice but to start a short course of Prednisone, as recommended by Doc Theo to treat the asthma when my usual medications didn’t work. In my 30s I had a seven-year course of allergy immunization injections which worked until 30 years later. But, their efficacy can wear off in one’s later years.

Hopefully, he’ll have some options for me besides Prednisone, which is not recommended for extended periods. We shall see. After the appointment, we’ll head to the pharmacy and Spar Merket for veggies and a few odd items.

That’s it for today folks.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, March 16, 2015:

Not wanting to awaken the sleeping monk seal, I kept my distance, although I’d have loved to see more, in Kauai at Napali Beach. “Known to native Hawaiians as ʻIlio-holo-i-ka-uaua, or “dog that runs in rough water”, its scientific name is from Hugo Hermann Schauinsland, a German scientist who discovered a skull on Laysan Island in 1899. Its common name comes from short hairs on its head, and it is said to resemble a monk. The Hawaiian monk seals are adopted to be Hawaii’s state mammal.” For more photos, please click here.

Sad news from Marloth Park…The impact of power outages…

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Red hibiscus are commonly found in this area.

Louise wrote to me yesterday to share the sad news of the loss of Nyala Nina, Norman’s partner, and Noah and Natalie’s mother, had her baby a few weeks ago. Sadly, the little one, a female, had an injured leg within a few days of her birth. Dr. Peet darted her, but the injury was so intense she had to be euthanized. This news saddened everyone in Marloth Park, as we are now. The gestation period for a nyala is 220 days. It will be a long time until she has another offspring.

On another note: The power was out for two hours. Maria, our weekly cleaner, is here, and the bedding is stuck in the washer, unable to complete the cycle due to the outage. There is no way it will be done before she leaves around 11. Making the bed is a challenge since the bed is so low and close to the floor. There are other sheets, but today, we decided to wash the mattress cover since it smelled dusty and moldy. So we must wait to remake the bed when the bedding is done.

Bougainvillea in the front garden of the holiday home.

Being located on the ocean, all fabrics have that musty smell. In a way, it makes us rethink choosing holiday homes situated on the ocean. The humidity is palpable. Everything feels wet, even our clean clothes, when we put them on. The question is…will we wash and dry everything before we go or wait and see where we go next and do it there?

In the next 30 days, we will know where we are going from here. Flying out of here is tricky. Manta, the closest city, doesn’t have many options. We don’t want to fly back to Quito, and the next biggest airport is Guayaquil, a three-hour drive from here. Plus, we have to figure out where we’ll be able to drop off the final rental car.

Pink bougainvillea n the front garden.

Time will tell. At this point, we continue to research our options, but now, with the power outages, the time to do so is limited. I still spend several hours posting each day, and with limited cooking supplies, it seems to take longer to prepare meals.

Also, now that I have increased my daily indoor “stepping/walking,” every 15 minutes, that takes up a considerable amount of time each day. I have found it easier to walk every 15 minutes rather than attempt to get it done in one or two fell swoops. My legs aren’t ready for that yet. It may take several weeks before I can walk a longer distance over an extended period.

This is where we have to drop off the garbage. Recycling is not done here.

We are looking forward to going out for dinner tomorrow night. I translated the menu and found one more item I can eat: chicken kabobs. I don’t know how they are made or the sauces used, but I will figure something out. Otherwise, there were no other options besides the plain, dry hamburger patties I had last week.

The lot next door is for sale. We have no idea as to the asking price.

It’s still morning here, and the day is young. We have plenty to do to keep us busy, making the days fly by in a blur. Two months from now, we will be on our way to the yet-to-be-determined location.

Two birds on the beach.

Of course, we will report back as soon as we know more. Oddly, we aren’t worried about this, knowing full well that we will figure something out that works for us. Since the pandemic, we don’t plan as far ahead as we used to years ago. With the ongoing possibility of lock-downs in some locations, we aren’t willing to risk losing more money.

Maria managed to get the bedding on the bed before she left and, once again, did a fantastic job. We certainly appreciate having a weekly cleaner, making our days easier, and spending less time washing floors and dusting.

Today will be a quiet day. With the power back on, hopefully, for the remainder of the day, we can continue with research while every 15 minutes, I start walking again.

Be well.

Photos from ten years ago today, November 7, 2013:

In Diani Beach, Kenya…hand washing our underwear and placing it in the kitchen window seems to dry it more quickly than hanging it anywhere else inside. I no longer use the clothesline. The last time I walked out back to hang a few items in the tall grass, I was stung on my thigh, resulting in a very painful huge welt that eventually turned into a huge black bruise, lasting for weeks. For more photos, please click here.

Antelope altercation in the garden…The worms have turned into moths…They are everywhere…

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Big Daddy and Norman engage in a dominance dance in the garden.

Antelopes are prevalent in Marloth Park. They include, based on size: kudu, nyala, impalas, bushbucks, and duikers. It’s a rare occasion to witness disharmony among these animals, other than pushing and shoving when jockeying for pellets, even common among family members of the same species.

It’s been a rarity for us to see fighting among the various species of antelopes when they visit the garden. However, since Norman has become such a regular here, we’ve noticed that he gets defensive when there are the Big Daddy kudus in the garden, whether close to the house or at a distance of fewer than 30 meters, which is, by his standards, too close for comfort.

As we’ve shown in past photos, Norman fluffs up his hair to make himself appear larger and hangs his head low. We aren’t sure if dropping down his head is to add to appearing larger or if it is a form of submission. Most would assume, by watching him, that its submission.

From time to time, they slowly move around the garden.

The massive Big Daddies respond to Norman’s sign of courage and strength. They certainly don’t run off frightened by Norman, but they recoil to a certain degree. If it was submission, it would be counterintuitive to appear larger, to make the male kudu with massive horns become frightened of him.

In any case, it’s interesting to observe. Of course, we’re a little concerned they could engage in a fight which would be disastrous, and there would be nothing we could do to stop it. In some instances, in the wild, these animals have fought to the death when protecting their territory, food source, or females and family members, although from what we’ve read, it’s very rare.

Norman with his head down during his “fluffing up” session.

As gentle animals, they aren’t explicitly looking for a fight. We proceed with caution when offering food when the other is nearby to avoid the remote possibility of an altercation.

Today, Tom observed these scenes shown in the photos while I was showering. A short time later, when I came out of the bedroom, they were both still in the garden, doing their dance of dominance, Norman more than Big Daddy.

It’s always interesting to watch the behavior of the wildlife in Marloth Park. Spending most of our daylight hours outdoors, it’s inevitable we’d often see how wildlife interact with one another. The most aggressive animals we’ve observed are warthogs who will fight with any other animal over food, territory, or mating rights.  The next most often we’ve seen is zebras among themselves when vying for pellets. They will kick and bite one another to get the next morsel into their mouths.

He doesn’t respond to my voice when he is in this position.

That awful invasion of slimy black worms continued for several weeks but ended about a week ago. The older worms have morphed into annoying giant black moths, flying around inside the house and the veranda. There is no way to escape them, although they are bothersome but harmless.

All we can do is keep the exterior doors open, hoping none will get into the bedroom (we keep that door closed at all times). If we shut the exterior doors, the house’s interior gets too hot, and there’s no aircon unit on the main floor other than in the bedroom. In time, these moths will disappear, and then some other annoying insect will take over. After all, TIA, “This is Africa,” and that’s what happens here.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, March 22, 2022:

Bossy’s baby suckles while another female looks for pellets. For more photos, please click here.

Gee…it feels good to be back…Nina and Norman’s baby…a joy to behold…

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Duiker Delilah with Norman and Nina’s new baby, who is yet to be named based on gender, which we can’t yet determine.

What a glorious morning. Light rain sprinkled the dusty bush making everything look bright and green. Although the busy holiday season has begun in Marloth Park, there were fewer holidaymakers this weekend than there will be in the coming weeks. As a result, Monday morning brought us many visitors.

Of course, we were thrilled to see Lollie and her three piglets return and also Hoppy’s mom and two piglets (sadly, Hoppy passed away before we left due to her broken leg). Also, our four regular zebras stopped along with bushbuck Gordon Ramsey and duiker mates Delilah and Derek.

Norman is a proud new dad.

But, above all, we were beside ourselves with joy over seeing Norman, Nina, and their new baby, born a little over two weeks ago (while we were away), gender yet to be determined. Noah has wandered off since the little one was born. We can only imagine how frustrated he must be, unable to find a female nyala anywhere in the park. From what we hear, Deidre from Wild and Free is caring for a female who will be released in Marloth Park as a mate for Noah.

Norman got pretty upset with his son Noah sniffing over his mom, Nina. Finally, after the baby was born, he got the hint and moved on. We haven’t seen him since we returned two days ago.

Nina and Norman’s baby has yet to jump the little fence. But Nina and Norman jump over anyway while the baby waits for them.

How exciting it will be when the female is released, and Noah eventually finds her. We can only hope he will return here with her to our garden once they become a pair. Of course, we’ll report that here. But, for now, Noah has moved on to another area in the park to leave his parents to raise his new little sibling.

So far this morning, Nina, Norman, and their new offspring, as shown in today’s photos, have visited us four times, and it’s only 9:15 am as I write this.

We are thrilled to see the baby visiting us with her/his parents.

Last night at Jabula, in the awful heat and humidity with a dew point around 75, only a few of us were sitting at the bar. We were all dripping with sweat with load shedding and no aircon running. It was wonderful to see Leon and Dawn again, but Leon only hung around for a short time when he became tired and had to rest. His illness is catching up with him, and we’re all cherishing every moment we can spend with him.

Such an adorable baby nyala, the only one in Marloth Park.

Our friends Maroi and Peter were also there, and we all shared stories of the time we’d been away, including our awful experience with Ethiopian Air. No, we haven’t heard a word about our bags. In a few days, we’ll check again. Once we returned, it became more apparent how much we missed the items in those bags. Ugh!

We’d planned to grocery shop in Komatipoort this morning, but with five-hour load shedding on the horizon, we decided to shop at the little stores here in Marloth for the next few days rather than risk food spoiling. We now eat cabbage slaw (coleslaw) instead of lettuce salad since lettuce doesn’t keep well, but cabbage does.

We can’t get over the adorable face.

We’ll cook a flattie chicken on the braai with the coleslaw and whatever vegetable I can find at the little market. I’ll make white rice for Tom to go along with it. We took out the big pan of apple crisp I’d made before we left, and Tom will have some tonight after dinner with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. Of course, I don’t eat any of it, nor do I eat anything after dinner. Tom lost a few pounds while we were away to enjoy this delicious treat.

Lollie and her three piglets have returned.

We’re off to the little market and the Wild Butchery in the Bush Centre down the road and will be back with more tomorrow.

By the way, thank you for all the thoughtful inquiries about my headache, and facial pain and how traveling on those long flights impacted me. It wasn’t a problem and certainly was no worse while traveling. At the moment, I am pain-free. Maybe it’s getting better after all. Perhaps it’s a matter of time, as I continue to do the nasal rinses several times a day. Fingers crossed.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, December 12, 2021:

We drove past a few giraffes while out exploring. For more photos, please click here.

Trail cam wonders…The loss of a monarch impacts many of our English friends and others worldwide…

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We can’t imagine what caught her eye.

Today, I will be working on chopping and dicing for tomorrow’s dinner at our house with Rita, Gerhard, Alan, and Fiona, who are leaving the park during the hot spring and summer months and will return when it’s cool again next winter. Rita and Gerhard changed their plans and are staying until the beginning of October, which we’re thrilled to know.

This was the first photo the trail cam picked up this morning.

Rita, Gerhard, and new friends Roz and Les are joining us at Jabula for dinner tonight. We met Roz and Les several months ago at Jabula, and now we are looking forward to fun social plans with them as permanent property owners in Marloth Park. How fortunate we are to make new friends, enabling us to enjoy social activities during those times of the year when many of our other friends are away.

Soon, she lost interest and moved along.

In 10 days, on September 17th, our friends Connie and Jeff will arrive and stay until around October 1st. They will live in the charming guest house on this property, which is ideal for their needs. It reminds us of when friends Lois and Tom came to Marloth Park in 2018, and the four of us had the time of our lives, leaving them reeling with beautiful memories of this unique environment.

We had lunch with Lois and Tom in March when we were in Florida awaiting the transatlantic cruise; we all reminisced over all the fantastic times we had. On one occasion, while driving through Marloth Park searching for wildlife, we spotted Norman for the first time, longing to see it up close. But that never happened, leaving us all disappointed.

“Should I bother to bend over for a drink?” she asked herself.

Now, two or three times a day, Norman and his family, Nina and Noah bless us with their visits starting early in the morning, as shown in one of today’s trail cam photos. Norman wastes no time coming to visit in the early morning. This morning we weren’t up when he arrived, but a short time later, he was here with the family while we revelled, once again, in their beauty and grace, tossing lots of pellets their way.

Is that “thing” I was looking at still there,” she wondered.

Yesterday, at Spar Market, I purchased a huge bag of carrots. as shown in the photos below.  I’ll be using some of them for tomorrow’s dinner and salad, but at the cost of ZAR 17.90, US $1.04 for the 3 kg bag, 6.6 pounds, we’re delighted to be sharing them with our animal friends. Norman loves them. Maybe next time I’ll buy two bags.

The weight of this huge bag of carrots is not listed on the bag, but we think it’s about 3 kg. Many of the animals love them.

Tomorrow, for dinner for the six of us, we’re making cashew chicken stir fry with vegetables and rice, along with a big green salad. I’m not making fussy starters for sundowner time when everyone gets too full to enjoy the main meal. I’ll serve a few crackers, pate and cheese, and julienne vegetables with hummus, nuts, and chips. The main meal will follow a few hours later.

“Off I go, ” she says.

Today, I will work on cutting some vegetables and chicken, but I’m a bit slow with this ongoing headache and doing one task at a time. I chose to make this dinner since it’s easier than making many starters and now different from something we would have made for ourselves. The only difference is the amount of chicken and vegetables I need to prepare. The rest will be easy.

A moment before we wandered outdoors, Norman appeared.

Sure, I could pamper myself and avoid planning social events at our house until I feel better, but I’ve found staying active is good for me, and once the parties begin, I forget about my aching head and face for a while.

I couldn’t avoid mentioning the passing of the Queen of England, sending our condolences to the Monarchy and all of our British friends who have been feeling her loss since it was announced yesterday. Our friends Linda and Ken, living in England, sent the photo below of Buckingham Palace after the news of the passing of the Queen was announced. Wow! Amazing!

Buckingham Palace after the announcement of the Queen’s passing.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, September 9, 2021:

No photos were posted on this date, one year ago. For the text, please click here.

Update on recovery process…Baby steps or with gusto?…Nyala stops by again today…

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He seems to be following a small forkl of kudus consisting of two boys and their mom. It appears he’s taking a liking to the mom.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

The nyala seems very interested in this female kudu. Since there are no female nyalas in Marloth Park, one never knows what could transpire.

The number of readers who wrote to wish both Tom and me the very best as we worked together through my healing process after triple coronary bypass surgery less than four weeks ago was astounding. Thank you, dear readers/friends, throughout the world. Your words of encouragement definitely had a positive impact.

Generally, recovery from any type of surgery, illness, or injury is a highly individual process. Each patient is recovering at their own pace with the aid of physical therapy, a good diet, and plenty of rest with a gradual return to everyday activities.

A vital aspect of recovery is having the love and support of those family members and friends who can offer emotional support and aid in performing day-to-day activities.

Anxious to get back to myself again, I’m steadfast in following doctor’s orders, however vague they may be, and doing as much for myself as possible. At this point, I can get in and out of any chair, the bed, off the low sofa, and in and out of the car on my own.

Do I still have pain 25 days post-surgery? Yes, I do. As a matter of fact, each time I move, all four areas of my body with incisions (three in my legs, one in my chest) scream out as a reminder of how careful I must be.  

On top of that, other areas continue to be painful. My arms, closely related to the chest muscles, struggle to perform small tasks such as cutting food on my plate, chopping, dicing, and reaching for items above chest level.  

Preparing a meal is still cumbersome especially opening and reaching into the refrigerator, opening the vegetable drawer, and pulling items out of the freezer. After tearing a muscle in my chest wall three weeks ago today in the middle of the night, in the dark when the power had gone out, I’m cautious knowing how much of a setback this can be. This injury set me back for several weeks.

But, I try to think in terms of what I can do. I can shower, dress, fix my face and hair, brush my teeth, and put on my clothes. Now, I can do some light food prep in the kitchen, fold laundry and carry my own plate of food to the table, impossible only two weeks ago. These small tasks are encouraging.

Such a handsome creature.

Today, I started week three of the walking program which consists of 20 minutes twice a day. This morning I used the breathing machine and then proceeded to do the first 20-minutes of walking around the house, non-stop, at a comfortable pace.

Oddly, the 20-minute walk seemed no harder than the 15-minute walks as of yesterday. Boredom is a huge factor for me, so I’ve been listening to podcasts on my laptop while I walk. The clothes I’ve been wearing have no pockets or place or place for my cellphone to use for the podcasts.

No, I’m not ready to walk on the roads here in Marloth Park, and I can’t imagine when this could be practical on the bumpy dirt roads in our remaining two months in the park. It would be so easy to fall and that I want to avoid at all costs.

How am I holding up emotionally? It’s hard to tame an “overly bubbly” type such as me. Although I’m not gushing with enthusiasm, as usual, I am in good spirits, not whining, not irritable, and definitely not self-pitying.

However, I do ask the question several times a day to Tom and often to myself, “How in the world did this happen to me, of all people?” I spent my entire life attempting to be healthy and fit. I went as far as asking the two cardiac physicians how this could happen to me?

In both cases, they responded,  “Your lifetime efforts were not lost. Heredity brought this on, and had you not strived for good health all these years, you wouldn’t be here asking this question. You survived despite it.”

That provides me with a little comfort, but now I am madly searching for answers on how I can prevent this from happening again in the future should I be blessed to live many more years. There don’t seem to be any obvious lifestyle changes I can incorporate into my future wellness program.

If necessary, I won’t ever drink a glass of low alcohol red wine again, but the doctors insist a few glasses are fine, if not good. At this point, the thought of drinking anything with alcohol makes me queasy. Even Tom has avoided having a drink since this mess began in early February.

At this point, I don’t believe we’ll be back to our old selves while we’re still here in Marloth Park. The upcoming three months in Ireland by the sea will most likely further escalate the healing process with level roads and sandy beaches on which to walk, cool air day and night, and most likely, few, if any power outages.

It’s not that I’m anxious to leave Marloth Park, even with its frequent power outages, high heat, humidity, and biting insects.  It’s simply a fact that a little easier day to day might be highly beneficial.   

I’m still wearing those hot compression stockings, and when the heat is at 40C, 104F, and the humidity is at 85%, it’s a bit uncomfortable. The only clothes I can wear right now are tee shirts and leggings since shorts and jeans aren’t comfortable near the incisions. I only have one pair of loose black pajama bottoms and one navy blue tight leggings, both of which are scorching. 

But, I am making good progress, am down to only a few low dose pain pills per day, and overall eating normally, albeit smaller portions than usual due to lack of appetite, which is normal after this type of operation. The result is baby steps…not my usual “go for it” mentality. I want to do this right to continue on our worldwide journey with renewed health and renewed hope for the future in two months.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago, March 9, 2018:

A waterbuck resting on a sandbar in the Crocodile River. For more photos from one year ago, please click here.

Safari luck!…A sighting we’ve awaited for 13 months…What a way to start a new day!…

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When friends Lois and Tom visited for three weeks in October, we spotted the nyala crossing the road from a distance but never were able to get a decent photo. From there, we searched daily, hoping to spot it again.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Once the kudus began to walk away, the nyala followed behind. Perhaps, he’s spending a lot of time with them.

A short time after we arrived in Marloth Park last year, on February 11, 2018, we’d heard a lot about the lone nyala in the park from our friends. Some had lived here 10 years or more and had never seen it, and others had seen it more than once.

With our usual safari luck, we expected to see it and take a decent photo to share here. But, as time went on, we decided it would be unlikely we’d see one animal among so many based on the massive size of Marloth Park at 3000 hectares, 7413 acres.

When friends Lois and Tom stayed with us for three weeks in October, we’d hoped to spot it while they were here. We almost accomplished this when we saw him at a distance, crossing a dirt road near the Crocodile River. 

Tom opened the big doors to the house this morning to find this stunning surprise, the elusive Marloth Park male Nyala hanging out with two male kudus, one female kudu, and one female bushbuck.  What a fabulous surprise! 

We all jumped out of the car, hoping to take a photo as he made his way deep into the bush, but alas, he disappeared in seconds. Friend Tom scrambled directly into the bush to attempt a photo but no such luck.

 We resigned ourselves to the fact that it would be unlikely we’d see it again during our remaining time in the bush. Had my recent bypass surgery not transpired, we’d never have had today’s sighting. We would have been long gone.

 But now, as I recover a little more each day, this morning’s sighting in our garden, we were overcome with joy and gratefulness. Plus, for some odd reason, this felt like a good omen for health and healing, for which we’ve become more optimistic each day.  

We’ve spent endless hours driving through Marloth Park in search of this stunning member of the antelope family. 

Finally, two weeks after returning from the hospital, I’m beginning to notice improvements each day.  Yesterday, on our 24th wedding anniversary, I made Tom an apple crumble, one of his favorite desserts, warmed and served with an ample dollop of vanilla ice cream.  

 Based on its sugar content, I didn’t have any of the crumble but continued to savor one of the last few pieces of low-carb cheesecake. Tom peeled the apples (we saved the peels for the kudus they love) while I put together the remaining ingredients. It made me smile to see him practically moaning over each bite.

 Since my surgery, Tom had lost five kgs (11 pounds) and deserved a sweet treat.  Ironically, he lost more weight than my measly two kgs (4.2 pounds). Surely, the stress and loss of appetite have impacted both of us.  

There are some similarities in appearance between the nyala and the kudu. But, the coloration of the hair, the long beard, and the pattern on the legs are unique. Females do not have horns and are much smaller.

We would avoid losing more weight by making the low-carb pie for me and the apple crisp for Tom. Finally, I stopped losing, and now, with this dessert, Tom will do the same. It feels so good to have a dessert in the evening, comforting especially after all of our attention has been focused on me getting well.

 Anyway, back to the nyala…when opening the two massive wooden doors this morning while I was up, showered, and dressed, Tom whispered, “Hurry, get the camera. It’s the nyala.”

 And indeed it was. I positioned myself at a chair by the table to steady myself since my arms are still too weak the hold the camera up in the air, positioning my elbows for steadiness and accuracy. In my usual overly enthusiastic manner, I struggled to keep from shaking while I took the photos. I did the best I could and wasn’t unhappy with the results.

From left to right, two kudus, one bushbuck (by the cement pond), and the elusive nyala to the far right.

The scene before our eyes of the lone nyala, three kudus (two males, one female), and the single pretty bushbuck was a scene we’ll never forget…pure heaven, here on Earth.

 Here are some nyala facts from this Kruger National Park site:

“Name

Nyala [Nyala angasii or Tragelaphus angasii]

Appearance

The handsome slate-brown shaggy coat is marked with white vertical stripes and spots on the flanks. Rams appear more charcoal-grey in color. The rams have long inward curved horns (650 mm) and a white chevroned face. They have a ridge of long hairs along the underparts, from behind the chin to between the hind legs. They also have a mane of thick, black hair from the head along the spine to the rump. Rams weigh 115 Kg and measure 1.05 m at shoulders. Ewes are much smaller, do not have horns, and weigh 59 Kg and stand 900mm at shoulders. Ewes are chestnut-coated with even more prominent white stripes on the flanks.

He looked healthy and well-fed. Surely, when he occasionally visits the garden of a bush home with residents aware of his arrival, he is fed plenty of pellets along with the lush greenery, since the rains, in Marloth Park.

Diet
This antelope feeds by grazing and browsing and readily feeds on leaves, fruit, and flowers. This variety in their diet is one of the factors ensuring their successful survival.

Breeding

They breed throughout the year but mating peaks in autumn and spring. Single calves are born after a gestation period of 220 days. Twins are not uncommon. Ewes first conceive between 14 to 18 months. The average interval between births is 297 days. Mating opportunities for rams are decided through dominant behavior.

Behavior

An interesting fact is that juvenile males look like females. It is thought that this camouflages the young males and protects them from the jealous eyes of the dominant bulls. The young males are therefore allowed to grow up peacefully under the protection of the herd.

They appeared to get along quite well with the kudus as they shared pellets we’d tossed.

Habitat
This rather large antelope inhabits dense woodlands and thickets along permanent water. It is very secretive and more easily seen at night. Nyala is non-territorial, but both sexes have overlapping home ranges. The home ranges of ewes are twice the size of that of rams.

Where they are found

As a result of translocation, nyalas are found in several game reserves and private farms throughout South Africa. They are most numerous in the Kruger National Park.

 Vital Statistics

Latin Name
Tragelaphus Angasii
Weight (Female)
55 – 68 kg weight (Male)
92 – 126 gestation Period
8 months of Young
1 calf
Birth Weight
5 kg order
Artiodactyla
Family
Bovidae
Horns
64 cm (record – 84 cm)
Breeding
A single young is born anytime during the year (peaks in August – December), gestation period ± 7 months.

Spoor Description

The fore-feet of the males are relatively broader than those of the females. Adult males are also larger than and shared females.”

Ms. Bushbuck kept a close eye on the pellets, wondering if she could squeeze in for a few.  We made sure she had plenty as well.

What a great start to our day! What’s on the agenda for today?  More rest, more walking, more good food, and more of the loving care that has been so instrumental in my continuing recovery. 

Thanks to our readers for your ongoing love and support, anniversary wishes, and wise experience from those who’ve been where I am now and have healed and gone on to live a full and fulfilling life.

He ate a few pellets but didn’t seem that interested in them.  Most likely, he’s getting plenty of nourishment from the lush bush.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago, March 8, 2018:

In the yard, there’s a fenced-in garden intended to protect some vegetation. Ha! the monkeys have no trouble crawling inside and making a mess.  These vervet monkeys are fun to watch with their playful antics but annoying and destructive.  For more photos, please click here.