Day #2, no water…After all, this is Africa..

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A Go-Away bird was sitting at the birdbath for a drink.

Whether it’s no water, no power, or no WiFi, this is the “nature of the beast” (no pun intended).  The infrastructure is delicate. Theft of cables, copper, and various parts for running the water system in Marloth Park is the culprit. Yesterday, we were informed of a theft at the water station.

This morning I signed up for a WhatsApp group for updates, and here’s the most recent, as of a few minutes ago:

“Eskom (the electric company) has reported another theft at the Fig Tree substation near Masibekela. Copper blades were stolen last night around 2300 hrs (11:00 pm). The power supply has been restored. However, low voltage is still being experienced. Water supply is affected due to the low voltage. Eskom is attending the matter urgently.”

Another Go-Away bird is ready to drink from the bottom portion of the birdbath.

Another post from WhatsApp::

“This will happen when power is off. Ideal for perpetrators.”

The question in my mind is, “How are these perpetrators being allowed into Marloth Park to commit such crimes? A lot of controversies exist in regards to the security at the entrance gate.” But, to avoid an unpleasant back and forth with locals, I won’t get into this.

After all, we are just visitors here and not property owners. We have no say in what transpires in the park. Many people are actively involved and work hard in an attempt to avoid such situations. But, again, “This is Africa,” and not everything goes as one would like. Preventing crime is a complex process in this area and other parts of South Africa.

Lots of mongooses wondering what is on the menu today: Paloney? Eggs? Leftover meat?

But, it’s not exclusive to South Africa or Africa itself when we hear about crime throughout the world, including our own USA. The bottom line is, “You can run, but you can’t hide.”  Nowhere in the world is exempt from awful people who commit crimes upon fellow humans, animals, and property.

Today, we have no water pressure at all. Early yesterday morning, while we still had some water, I had put a load of laundry in the washer. When the water stopped running, we now had a load of dark clothes, soaking wet in the washing machine with no way to rinse or spin them. The washer doesn’t have separate settings for these features alone. If the water isn’t restored today, we’ll have to remove all the clothes and wring them out by hand, hang them to dry, and rewash them at a later date.

As for showering, no such luck, this morning, I did a  “sponge bath” using bottled water warmed in the teapot. That worked out well. Tom’s hair is another issue. Without a shower, he looks like the “nutty professor.”

Siegfried and Roy cuddled on a cool morning.

After last night’s dinner, we had dirty dishes sitting in the dishwasher. This morning, Zef used pool water to wash the floors, a daily must-do with all the dust from the animals in the garden. We’re still using pool water to flush the toilets. That also works out well.

Thank goodness we have electricity. No water and no power is quite the nightmare. We are very grateful to have power and WiFi. We can cook, but we can’t clean up after ourselves. We’ve heard stories of water outages in Marloth Park that lasted for weeks. Hopefully, this time won’t be such a case. Two or three days are tolerable. Longer becomes exceedingly annoying.

At 5:00 pm, 1700 hrs, we’re heading to Louise and Danie’s to drop off the money we owe for pellets and stay for a little social time. That will be a nice break!

Have a spectacular day!

Photo from one year ago today, August 19, 2020:

There were no photos posted one year ago today while our new site was going live, and the “to be expected” temporary issues prevented us from doing so.

Special trail cam sighting…No water today…

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    Last night’s trail cam photo #1 of the porcupine visiting our garden.

Every morning Tom removes the data card from the trail cam and carefully goes through each photo, looking for something other than warthogs and bushbucks. We see plenty of them during daylight hours. The nocturnal wildlife piques our interest, which was the purpose of purchasing the trail cam many months ago.

Last night, once again, we were gifted with a visit from a porcupine, as shown in these two photos captured by the trail cam. No, they aren’t as clear or bright as we’d like. I tried editing them, but the result was less visible than those posted. Right now, we don’t see a wide variety of wildlife. Mostly, it’s those same warthogs, including Little, about eight bushbucks, Broken Horn, hornbills, and of course, Frank and The Misses.

Last night’s photo #2 of the porcupine.

Don’t get me wrong. We love seeing our “regulars” and respond to their visits with enthusiasm at every opportunity. But, we are limited right now on the number of photos we can offer on each days’ post. We will soon return to Kruger National Park, but we are busy making plans for the future this week, considering our visas expire at the end of October.

After booking flights and places to stay, we will post what we’ve decided to do in the next several days. With the state of the world now, we have many considerations as we watch the increase in Covid-19 cases in most countries, even as more and more become vaccinated. It’s crazy! Why are the numbers going the wrong way?

On occasion, we move Frank’s seeds to the table when other animals try to eat them. He’s content to jump onto the table even when we’re sitting there.

No doubt, we are in a quandary as to where to go next. At this point, we know for sure that we are heading to Howey-In-The- Hills, Florida, in February for dear friends Karen and Rich’s wedding on February 11th. Yesterday, we booked three nights at the resort where the wedding will be held.

At either end of the wedding, Karen and Rich have invited us to stay with them at their house In Apollo Beach, right on the water. It was hard to resist their invitation. After staying with them in 2019 for our three-week visit to Minnesota, we know the four of us to have a great time together and can easily live under the same roof.

Handsome Big Daddy stopped by for a visit.

Yesterday, after considerable research, we managed to book a car with Budget in Tampa, Florida, for around ZAR 13411, US $900, which is reasonable for vehicles in the US. In this case, it paid to book as early as possible. Florida is a busy place in the winter months.

Staying with friends and family isn’t always easy. We each have our peculiarities and routines, Tom and I included. But somehow, Karen and Rich have similar routines and habits, making staying together easy and seamless. Plus, we have so much fun together. It’s irresistible!

We’re looking forward to spending time with them once again. We plan to be in Florida for about a month.

Old Man also stopped by for a visit and a few pellets.

But, the dilemma now is what we will be doing when the end of October arrives and our visas expire once again. The more and more research we do, the less confident we feel about traveling to other countries in Africa. Many African countries aren’t reporting Covid cases, nor have they since the onset of the pandemic. It’s a guess to determine which countries are safe and which are not.

Breakthrough cases of vaccinated individuals are rapidly rising worldwide, and the unavoidable reality is…where do we want to be if we become infected? What countries have adequate medical care? Also, we’re not well informed yet whether or not the one jab J & J vaccination was sufficient to provide ample protection. At this point, no medical organization has definitive answers about the necessity of boosters or the long efficacy of the various vaccines.

Hal likes to wander the park with his friend, Old Man.

It is no wonder that so many “vaccine objectors” exist worldwide when information is sketchy and uncertain, with endless exaggerations from social media impacting people’s views. However, we don’t judge others for refusing the vaccine. Each person has the right to choose what is appropriate for themselves and their loved ones.

We chose to be vaccinated based on our desire to continue to travel the world. Only time will tell if our five booked cruises will set sail in 2022 when such awful news is posted daily about Covid cases on cruise ships, even for the vaccinated.

There’s no water pressure today in Marloth Park. Some thieves ripped off electric cables to run the power for the water plant. As a result, we are without running water at this time. Thank goodness we have bottled water for drinking and hand washing. We’re using pool water to flush the toilets.

May our world become safer in months to come.

Photo from one year ago today, August 18, 2020:

One year ago, there was no post on this date while in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #148, due to my dear sister Susan’s passing

Busy morning in the bush…Paid off a debt hanging over our heads…

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This is our boy, Torn Ear. So adorable.

This morning’s visitors were plentiful. We had no less than eight bushbucks, seven warthogs, 50 mongooses, and Frank and The Misses. Tom was busy feeding everyone while I showered and dressed for the day. Once done, I was outdoors and joined in on the feeding and usual chatting with the wildlife.

It’s odd to think about talking to wild animals, but many of them look into my eyes, tilt their heads, flick their ears in response to the gentle, albeit high-pitched voice. No, they don’t necessarily know what I am saying, but I often repeatedly use the exact words, and they may quickly become familiar with those words.

Lots of mongooses this morning!

At this point, the most frequent warthog visitors do a little dance when I say, “Do you want some pellets?’ It’s not different than asking your dog, “Do you want to eat or go for a walk?” Pigs are listed as smarter than dogs. Is it any wonder that the warthogs and other wildlife would eventually associate my words with actions after a while? It’s not surprising to me at all.

The most significant joy of interacting with the wildlife is the way they make eye contact. As I’ve mentioned in the past, zebras don’t seem to make that same type of eye contact. I genuinely believe that the lack of emotional interaction with them is why we seldom see them in our garden, although they do visit from time to time.

In today’s heading, I’ve mentioned the payoff of a debt hanging over our heads. When I had open-heart surgery in February 2019, and our then insurance company refused to pay, we had to pay the entire balance out of pocket. After we paid off the bulk of it, we had a remaining balance which we agreed to pay monthly to the tune of ZAR 10000, US $678, a month.

Big Daddy stopped by.

On Friday, I made the final payment. The actual US dollar amount varied monthly based on the rand (ZAR) value, but we chose to pay in rands rather than US dollars, which ultimately saved us some money. We could have used personal funds to pay this off, but it made sense to pay it off this way when no interest was charged. Now that this is finalized, we can put this behind us.

We used a credit card each month to make the payment using a South Africa payment app through a bank, but we paid off that card every month, as we usually do, avoiding any interest charges. It feels good to have this behind us since we have no debts, without a home or car and accompanying lifestyle.

Being debt-free is a good reason why we always strive to live within our means. That way, we never have to worry about money which can be an enormous stressor. Sure, from time to time, we’ve charged substantial amounts on our credit cards to pay for expensive cruises, but we’ve always managed to pay them off quickly.

Bossy drank from the pool as opposed to the birdbath.

I easily recall being a single mom while owning a business subject to the ebb and flow of the housing market and how financial struggles kept me awake at night. I never stop appreciating how fortunate we are these days, not to worry about money. But, here again, we live on a tight fixed income, and foolish spending is not within our realm.

Speaking of spending, finally, after 12 days, we’re going grocery shopping once again. Having dined out several times during this period and using all the meat we had in the freezer, we made it through. But today, we’re down to the “bare bones,” and grocery shopping is a must.

That’s it for today, dear readers. And thank you for all the kind and thoughtful messages regarding yesterday’s post about losing my sister, Susan, one year ago while we were in lockdown in Mumbai.

Be well. Be safe. Be happy.

Photo from one year ago today, August 16, 2020:

One year ago, this photo was posted in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #146. With almost 13,000 restaurants listed on Trip Advisor in Paris, it’s tricky deciding on where to dine. For more photos, please click here.

Losing loved ones in times of Covid-19…Today is a sad anniversary…

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A few days ago, we read a post on Facebook that the husband of a well-known couple in Marloth Park passed away from Covid-19 at 52 years old, only after two days in the hospital. Their adult daughter, a popular singer, and performer has been in hospital in ICU for the past five weeks, hanging on for dear life, also with Covid. Neither had yet been vaccinated since their age group for the jab hadn’t come up yet. This is heartbreaking.

There’s no doubt that many of our readers have suffered such losses due to Covid-19 in the past 18 months since this nightmare began, impacting all of our lives in one way or another. Whether we lost a loved one, lost a job, lost income due to cutbacks and closings, lost a business, and lost a dream for the future, no one has been exempt from the ravages of the pandemic.

What brought this to mind, especially today, is that one year ago on this date, my elder dear sister Susan (four years my senior), who was already bedridden and suffering from many conditions (primarily hereditary), passed away. My sister Julie and Susan’s daughter Kely were at her side when she took her last breath.

A lone yellow-billed stork at Sunset Dam.

A few days later, Julie, who hadn’t worn a mask while at Susan’s side, tested positive for Covid-19 and experienced a horrifying case of the virus, still plaguing her yet today, suffering from what is called “long haul Covid.” Little is known as to how to treat these lingering symptoms.

After these events, I felt confident that although Susan was suffering from many conditions, none of them were imminently life-threatening. With Julie getting sick only days later, I am convinced that ultimately Susan passed from Covid, or at least her many conditions were exacerbated by contracting Covid while living in a small nursing facility.

The hardest part for me was finding out she’d passed by a phone call, which transpired while Julie read one of our posts to her, while we were on day #145 in lockdown in a hotel room in Mumbai, India. There was nothing I could do. Tom, who also cared for Susan, cried along with me that day when the only thing we could do was sit on the edge of the bed in each other’s arms in our hotel room and let the tears flow.

Elephants were heading to the river.

At that point, unbeknownst to us, we were only halfway through those ten months in lockdown in India, waiting for the Mumbai and Johannesburg airports to re-open to international flights so we could finally be on our way to South Africa. I wonder if we’d known then that we were only halfway through the lockdown if we’d have done as well as we did, with the grief of losing my dear sister and the fear of losing other loved ones in the process.

Our inconvenient situation in lockdown was nothing compared to the sorrow of losing loved ones and becoming ill with the dreaded illness. The fact we stayed safe all those months still surprises us. At that time, if one of us had become sick and required hospitalization, the public and private hospitals were full. Ill patients were placed on “Army cots” outdoors in parking lots.

The terrain along the Sabie River.

That was a terrifying thought to both of us, especially as the months passed and new guests entered the hotel, staying on our floor, talking loudly, with few wearing masks and social distancing. We often forgo walking in the corridors when other guests were careless coming in and out of their rooms.

Today, again, I mourn the loss of my dear Susan and will do so each anniversary to come, along with the anniversaries of others we have lost over the years, regardless of the cause.

May you all find peace and comfort in recalling great memories of loved ones you have lost over the years. Stay well.

Photo from one year ago today, August 15, 2020:

This photo was posted one year ago while in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #145. Good thing I couldn’t eat any of this. We’d have spent a fortune, and I’d have gained so much weight I wouldn’t fit into my clothing. For more photos, please click here.

Thinking ahead in the short term…

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We spotted this crocodile with its mouth open at Sunset Dam, beyond the Lower Sabie area. Crocs rest with their mouths open to cool off since they don’t sweat.

Last night, at dinner at Jabula with Rita and Gerhard and Linda and Ken, we all discussed our plans for the next several months, which includes the Christmas season, which is only four months from now. Linda and Ken are returning to their home in the UK after selling their home in South Africa months ago.

Rita and Gerhard are heading back to their home in the state of Washington to spend the holidays with their adult children, not returning until February or March.  Kathy and Don will head back to Hawaii. Next month, Alan and Fiona will depart for her home near Durban, South Africa, and won’t return until March, when we will most likely be gone.

We were surprised by how many crocs we saw in one day.

We’re fortunate to have other friends here in Marloth Park, including Louise and Danie, Dawn and Leon, and others, but with the holidays looming and Covid, we aren’t sure of their plans. It just may turn out that we are almost entirely on our own over the holidays. Thank goodness for great food, fun, and festivities at Jabula, where most likely, we’ll celebrate the holidays.

As of this moment, with uncertainty looming about travel, we’re hoping to go to Zambia again at the end of October for a week for our new visa stamps. But, at the end of January, when our visas expire once again, we’re seriously considering going to Florida, US, for dear friends Karen and Rich’s wedding on February 11th.

Two crocs were lounging in the sun.

How long we’d stay in Florida is up in the air, subject to the anticipated cancellation of three cruises we have booked beginning February 27, 2022. Between these cruises, we have a month to fill in and around Japan. For that part, as in the rest, we have to “play it by ear.”  If these cruises do sail, we’ll disembark in Seattle, Washington, on May 6, 2022, and from there, we will stay in the US to visit family once again while we await the next two cruises on June 29, 2022.

As cruises are experiencing more and more cases of Covid by vaccinated individuals, at this point, we’re wondering about cruising in general over the next year or two. Here is an article about 27 vaccinated individuals who tested positive on August 13th, on a Carnival Cruise, 26 of whom were crew members along with one passenger, as follows in part:

Another crocodile on the bank of the Sabie River.

“Twenty-seven vaccinated people who are on board the Carnival Vista cruise ship tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Belize Tourism Board. Twenty-six of the positive cases are among Carnival crew members, with only one passenger testing positive. According to the tourism board, everyone who tested positive was vaccinated, and “most are asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms. 

The ship departed from Galveston, Texas, and headed to Belize when the authorities reported the outbreak. Last week the cruise line reported positive cases on the Vista, but it would not disclose the number.

“We have managed the situation utilizing stringent health protocols which included placing those who tested positive in isolation and close contacts in quarantine,” Carnival said in a statement on Friday to ABC News. “Guests onboard the July 31 and August 7 sailings were notified and kept updated, and the CDC and destination officials have been apprised.”

Contact tracing was initiated for the other almost 3,000 guests and 1,500 crew onboard the ship, which docked in Belize on Wednesday.”

This news further leaves our future travel plans up in the air, as is the case for many past and future cruisers who’d like to make cruising an integral part of their upcoming travel plans.

A creek was running over the rocks at the Sabie River.

Tonight, we’re off to dinner at Alan and Fiona’s home, starting with sundowners at 4:00 pm, 1600 hrs. We are savoring any time we can spend with friends until many have left Marloth Park for other destinations in the months to come.

That’s it for today, dear readers! Stay diligent. Stay healthy. This isn’t over yet.

Photo from one year ago today, August 14, 2020:

This photo was Tom’s dinner at an upscale restaurant in Paris, posted again one year ago while in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #144. Tom’s filet mignon with fries and butter for the breadbasket. His steak was very small. For more, please click here.

Need advise…Is there a secret to wearing flip flops?…More Kruger photos…

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This might be a serrated hinged terrapin, but it was difficult to determine from this photo.

Yesterday, friend Fiona and I had pedicure appointments at a local Marloth Park spa where I’ve gone three times in the past. Before these recent pedicures, I probably didn’t have more than three professional pedicures in my life. I am ticklish and don’t like anyone messing with my feet.

But, as we age, I believe that maintaining good foot care is as important as maintaining the health of any other part of our bodies. It isn’t as easy to do my pedicures as it was years ago as I’ve aged, especially since I had open-heart surgery here in South Africa in February 2019. I find I have a difficult time bending over. I’ve read that other heart patients have experienced the same issue.

A few elephants near the Sabie River.

When I drop something on the floor, I have to force myself to pick it up. Last night, during the night, I couldn’t sleep. On a rare occasion, I take one aspirin that, for some odd reason, makes me go back to sleep. When I got the bottle of aspirin out of the cupboard during the night, I dropped the lid, and it rolled under the bed.

This morning when I got up, I got down on my hands and knees in an attempt to grab the lid—no such luck. My wobbly sternum, which never healed quite right, prevented me from reaching for it. When Zef was cleaning this morning, I asked him to get the lid, and in seconds, he had it in his hands. He’s 30 years younger than me and had no problem. Oh well.

Another distant shot of an elephant along the Sabie River.

Back to the pedicure, after my sidetrack…Yesterday, I made another batch of gluten-free apple crisp for Tom. He’s been craving this dessert, and since he hadn’t gained any weight from eating the first batch, and his blood sugar is regular, I didn’t hesitate to make it for him. We had ample apples and ingredients left for another batch. He peeled the apples, which helped speed up the process.

He loves vanilla ice cream on his warmed apple crisp, so we headed to the local little grocery shop for the ice cream at noon. While there, I had an idea to purchase a pair of flip-flops that I’ve never owned in my life. When I tried them on long ago, it hurt so much between my toes that I swore I’d never buy flip-flops. I am very picky about not wearing shoes that hurt my feet.

While Tom was in the grocery shop, I checked out the flip-flops on display outside a gift shop next to the market. I expected they’d be very inexpensive here. I imagined a cheap pair of rubber flip-flops for a few dollars. But, these were much nicer, basically decent cushy-heeled shoes, priced at ZAR 390, US $26.24. Should I buy them since no store in the area would have the cheaper version and eventually “learn” to wear them painlessly?

The edge of the car’s window is shown in this photo. We were very close to this elephant.

Knowing mine and Fiona’s pedicure appointments were upcoming in a few hours, I purchased a pair of the flip-flops that “looked” most comfortable. I tried them on. Yep, it hurts between my toes, but I’d heard that regular wearing will toughen up the space between one’s toe. I decided to give it a try.

After our appointments, I carefully put on the flip-flops, aware that it was painful but not wanting to wreck my newly polished toes. Once back at our house, when Fiona and Alan stayed for sundowners, I kept the flip-flops on, only taking them off after they left a few hours later.

This morning, as soon as I was up, showered, and dressed, I started wearing them again. It would be much easier to slip on flip-flops every time I go outside to the veranda instead of bending over to put on other shoes. We’ll see how it goes. So far, still painful.  Any suggestions or input as to how long it takes to get used to wearing flip-flops would be greatly appreciated.

It’s hard to see, but was there a crocodile in the river in the background?

The power is out right now. Oddly, the WiFi is still working. That’s Africa, for you! It’s very cool and windy today, and most animals are hunkered down. They don’t like wandering about in the wind. Right now, our only visitor is Thick Neck/Bad Leg, who is busily dining on pellets.

Tonight, we’re off to Jabula with Rita and Gerhard and Linda and Ken. No doubt, we’ll have a great time, fantastic dinner, and excellent service once again!

Happy day to all!

Photo from one year ago today, August 13, 2020:

This photo was posted on this day one year ago while in lockdown in Mumbai, India. We were at Le Louvre in Paris. Tom is in front of a statue of a hunter in the center courtyard. For more photos, please click here.

An exciting morning in Kruger National Park….A favorite animal hidden in the bush…

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This was the final photo I took of the leopard; although unclear, we were grateful to get it.

When I bolted out of bed this morning, feeling much better, after not coughing all night and getting adequate sleep, I said to Tom, “Let’s go to Kruger as soon as we’re ready to go out the door!”

In a matter of minutes, I was showered, dressed, and ready to go. Tom filled out the required entry form, grabbed the passports, filled our mugs with iced tea and ice while I grabbed a second-charged battery for the new camera, and we were out the door.

This was the first photo I took today of the leopard, obstructed by brush and vegetation. I was determined to get a better shot.

Knowing we have the interview at 4:00 pm, 1600 hrs, with the reporter from the newspaper in Minnesota, we knew going as early as we could be a must. Also, we wanted to leave ample time for me to prepare today’s post and hopefully upload a few photos from our self-drive safari.

Many visitors prefer to enter Kruger in the early morning as soon as they open at dawn. For us, we are less picky about the time we go since we’ve been fortunate (i.e.safari luck”) to see plenty of wildlife in the latter part of the morning and often during midday. One never knows when and where the animals will wander about the massive national park.

We were hoping for a good experience. But, as all of us know, getting great photos in Kruger is unpredictable. We always prepare ourselves for the possibility that time in the park can prove to be uneventful and disappointing. That wasn’t the case today! At times, inclement weather can be a deterrent, but today, the sun shines with only a few scattered clouds.

This was the blurry second photo I got of the leopard eating her kill.

No, we didn’t see the Big Five, as many strive to achieve. We saw two of the five; a leopard as shown in today’s photos and a few elephants, which will be shared in the next few days as we go through all of our photos. As mentioned in the past, for us, seeing the Big Five is not necessarily a goal. We achieved this many times in South Africa, Kenya, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia on prior visits.

These days, we don’t think in terms of the “Big Five.” We’re often looking for unique and unusual sightings, a lofty goal that is seldom achieved. But today, we had some thrills, especially our included photos of a leopard eating a kill near the Sabie River, not too far from Lower Sabie, where we always stop for a bathroom break or lunch at the Mugg & Bean Restaurant.

With my new camera in hand,  which I still need to learn more about, I had the basics down pat, sufficient to get a few good shots. But, the reality remains that wildlife is not always advantageous for amateur photographers, such as me.

After we were on our return drive toward the Crocodile Gate with no less than an hour until we’d reach the exit, we noticed about a half dozen cars poised on the side of the road with passengers holding cameras in hand in an attempt for a good shot. It was tricky. The leopard was deep in the bush, obstructed by vegetation and branches, and I didn’t feel hopeful for a shot.

This was the third photo I got of the leopard, hoping for a  better shot, the best of which is the main photo.

With Tom’s expert maneuvering around other vehicles and my sheer will and determination, we found ourselves in a prime position where we stayed only for a few minutes to allow others to take whatever photos they could get. But, even in this choice location, regardless of how steady I held my hand, getting these few photos were far beyond my expertise.

Subsequently, I am sharing all that I managed to eke out, however blurry that may be. There was no time to sit there and focus for better shots. The people behind us were impatient and also wanted to take a few photos. So, dear readers, here they are.

Over the next few days, we’ll share many exciting, albeit clearer, photos we managed to take along the way. Please check back for more over the next several days.

Have a fantastic and rewarding day!

Photo from one year ago today, August 11, 2020:

One year ago, this photo was posted in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #140. The Mona Lisa was encased in thick glass with lots of heads and cameras in the way of taking photos. If not impossible, it was challenging to manage a good photo through the glass or the crowd. We chose not to wait for a better opening. For more photos, please click here.

Our visas expire at the end of October…What will we do?…

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As we were driving down a dirt road. we stopped for “traffic.”

In two weeks, we must decide if we will apply for a visa extension at the end of October when our visas expire or, we are prepared to travel to another country in Africa? With countless Covid restrictions in many countries, we must keep checking back for any countries we may choose to visit for new 90-day visa stamps when we re-enter South Africa.

Also, as more and more cases of the variant cripple South Africa, we have to consider if we can re-enter South Africa from another African country. Having been vaccinated helps, and of course, most countries require PCR tests to enter along with the required test to re-enter South Africa.

Broken Horn stopped by this morning after making his way through the dry, dense bush to our garden. He ate pellets and apple peels.

We ask ourselves how many more three-month periods we’re willing to do this back and forth. We’ll have been here almost one year (less the recent four-week visit to the US). The only thing holding us back at this point is the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions throughout the world.

Our dear friends Karen and Rich are getting married on February 11, 2022. We are seriously considering returning to the US for their wedding. We have a series of cruises in and around Japan planned, the first of which embarks on February 27th from Singapore.

A few days before embarking, we could fly from Florida to Singapore for the embarkation. However, at this point, we believe these three cruises will be canceled. We won’t know for a few months. Once we know, we can decide if we’ll go to Florida for the wedding but need to make a plan from that point as to what we’ll do going forward. Again, this will be entirely determined by the status of Covid-19 throughout the world.

He turned while we waited patiently for him to clear the road.

Beyond the three cruises in and around Japan, the only definitive plan we have in place are the two cruises (back-to-back) we recently booked for the Black Sea, a location that’s been on Tom’s mind for quite some time. These are the two cruises we booked while in the US through Costco, which sail out of Istanbul with the second of back to back, ending in Athens, which provides us with many options for where we could spend some time at the end summer and early fall.

We’re anticipating these July cruises will transpire, as opposed to those in February. This is a lot to think about, but, at this point, neither of us is worried about what will and won’t happen in the way of these five cruises over the next 11 months. As always, we’ll figure it all out. We choose not to feel any stress about these future cruises.

Nor are we stressed about the end of October. We feel confident, now that the Nelspruit/Mpumalanga/Kruger Airport is open again for flights to Zambia, in the worst case, we’ll fly there for the third time, finding some exciting safari adventures, to spend a week in the country, with Botswana and Zimbabwe as additional possibilities.

Ostrich was crossing the road. Again, we waited patiently for her to travel.

At this point, we aren’t interested in flying out of Johannesburg to a distant location and then returning. Those long flights and time changes did a number on both of us this time when we both got sick with some unknown virus shortly after our return. No doubt, our immune systems were lacking due to a lack of sleep for several days.

Tom is almost 100% recovered, and I’m shortly behind him. We both still have a cough but find it less and less each day. What a relief! I no longer need to sleep ten or more hours each night, nor am I awakening during the night, coughing and sneezing.

Today is the official day of National Women’s Day in South Africa. There still are many tourists in Marloth Park, most likely leaving late today or tomorrow. Once they leave, most of our favorite animals will return. Nope. No Tiny yet. Over this long holiday weekend, we’ve seen many bushbucks, Broken Horn, Frank and The Misses and warthogs, Little, Peter, Paul and Mary, and One Tusk.

We are looking forward to many more returning in the next few days.

Well, folks, that’s it for today. We’ll keep you updated on our future travel plans as they roll out over the next several months.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today,  August 9, 2020:

This photo is from the year-ago post while in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #139. This photo was taken in Paris in 2014 while we were o a luxury diner cruise on the River Seine. As soon as we were seated, we were served these little French pastries and champagne. Tom ate all four of these pastries plus three of the white buns. I didn’t try the buns but took a few sips of the delicious champagne. For more photos, please click here.

Old habits never die…Baking sweet desserts…

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Mom and Baby bushbuck fussing over each other. So sweet.

Today is Sunday of the National Women’s Day Holiday weekend, and our garden is seriously lacking in any activity. So far today, we’ve only seen two duikers who were too shy to approach for pellets or apple peels, a few annoying Vervet monkeys that Tom shooed away, and a few loyal bushbucks.

This is one of our favorite bushbucks, Thick Neck, also known as Bad Leg. He still limps on his back right leg, but it seems to be improving.

On my feet in the kitchen for the last 90 minutes, I needed to sit on the bed with my feet up to recover from standing so long. Since I was still yet to fully heal from the virus (unknown), standing for so long was exhausting. We’d bought tons of apples with the intent of bringing a Gluten-Free Apple Crisp to Kathy and Don’s house with me making an extra to keep at home for Tom.

The event at Kathy and Don’s was canceled with Gerhard and I both being sick, and the apples needed to be used. Of course, I knew if I weren’t feeling well enough to make Tom at least one apple crisp, we’d undoubtedly cut up the apples for the wildlife, who love apples. (Broken Horn and Little eat them whole).

This bushbuck is named “Holey Moley.” She has a black mole on her right bottom lip and several moles on the back of her neck. She’s a daily visitor! She’s munching on cabbage.

But, with few visitors, I decided today was the day to make one of Tom’s favorite desserts, which is baking in the oven now. He’d lost a lot of weight lately, and since he’s easily able to maintain, he deserved a treat, which will last for several days in the refrigerator. Later, after dinner, he’ll reheat a good-sized portion in the microwave and top it with a generous dollop of vanilla ice cream. I will be drooling watching him eat this tasty dessert which I also loved in my old life.

Suppose I have enough energy after resting comfortably in the bedroom while preparing today’s post. In that case, I might make myself my favorite Low Carb Cheese Pie (yep, not a cake, but a pie, created inside a delicious almond flour crust). Usually, when I make one for me, I also make one for Louise and Danie, who eat like me, which Tom can drop off later. I decide if I am up to it after a while.

With holidaymakers in the park right now, we only see bushbucks and a few warthogs in the garden.

Tom is outside on the veranda, listening to his favorite podcast, Garage Logic from Minnesota. It’s only on Monday through Friday, but often, on the weekends, he catches up. As mentioned earlier, his name is mentioned toward the end of each episode. He sends them a new story each day, entitled “This Day in Minnesota History,” which they read on the air, always mentioning Tom’s name and commenting about the “traveling Lyman’s, currently in Marloth Park, Mpumalanga, South Africa.”

It always makes us laugh! From time to time, Tom hears from listeners who think his daily contribution is fun. While we were in the US, Tom shared that we were in various cities during our visit including, Eden Prairie, MN, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, then Henderson, Nevada.

Mom and Baby bushbuck stop by daily, even during this busy time.

The show’s hosts chuckled when they saw that we were back in Marloth Park, Mpumalanga, South Africa, four weeks later, as Tom diligently continued to send them the stories each weekday. These “mentions” on the show are a source of enjoyment for both of us, let alone the newsy information and opinions they share during each podcast.

The handy timer on my Fitbit Sense went off for the third time as I strive to get the baking done perfectly for the apple crisp. I made a big batch, and it’s taking over an hour to bake, leaving the top a toasty brown. Below is a photo of the finished product.

Homemade Gluten-Free Apple Crisp.

It felt good to be baking, which I prefer over making savory meals. But, with our usual eating method (always for me, less so for Tom), baking sweet desserts isn’t something I often do. But, today, it felt satisfying and comforting in a way only an enthusiastic baker would understand.

Now that I’ve smelled and seen the result of my baking efforts with the apple crisp, I’m ready to tackle those two Low Carb Cheese Pies so that tonight when Tom eats his dessert, I’ll have a slice of mine. Tom will drop off Louise and Danie’s pie when they return home later today.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, August 8, 2020:

This one-year-ago photo was posted while we were in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #138. There were many photo-taking tourists in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles in Paris, France, in 2014. For more photos, please click here.

Good to get out and see friends…Few wildlife sightings during holiday weekend…

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Bossy and her family.

Most of the holiday homes in Marloth Park were rented this weekend due to National Women’s Day, as described in yesterday’s post at this link. As a result, there are few animals in our garden today. Sadly, as mentioned in previous posts, some visitors feed the animals foods that aren’t good for them, which they may love. It could include;  chips (fries), potato chips, leftovers from meals, and even sweets and candy, which are not suitable for any wildlife’s diet.

May be an image of road
Not our photo. Last year, this photo was on Facebook of holidaymakers in a queue waiting to get into Marloth Park on holiday.

In that regard, they are like humans; bad-for-you foods are tasty and irresistible. And, animals don’t know that these food aren’t good for them, although humans do. And yet, they continue to feed these inappropriate foods while visiting Marloth Park.

Then, of course, those who care about the well-being of the animals have purchased pellets, Lucerne bales, apples, carrots, and fresh green suitable for the animal’s diet. The bush is so dry there is barely a leaf on a tree or bush with the vegetation the animals usually eat. It’s nearly impossible for many of us not to offer some sustenance during the drought-like months of winter.

Thick Neck/Bad Leg in the garden with Broken Horn and a warthog.

The fire hazard is at its peak right now, with many restrictions in place regarding bonfires and open braais. We often wonder if holidaymakers correctly put out fires, even when confined to an appropriate container such as a wood-burning braai (grill). Right now, bonfires are forbidden.

Already, many animals have been killed on the road. Last night, after driving home from Jabula after a lovely dinner with Rita and Gerhard, we couldn’t help but notice the road packed with cars, many of which were exceeding the posted speed limit. As Tom drove home, there was a speeding car dangerously close to the rear of our vehicle. If Tom had to stop suddenly for an animal, he mentioned we could have been rear-ended, and an animal could have been killed in the process, let alone potential injury for us.

Broken Horn loves napping and lounging in our garden and driveway. We usually see him a few times each day. But, not yet, today.

Not all of them are like this, but many are, and on occasion, it may be locals failing to observe the speed limit. With little police presence in Marloth Park, many ignore the laws. Multiple security vehicles may be present at night, but they aren’t able to arrest careless drivers. It’s this type of behavior that makes us suspicious of holidaymakers.

Are we fully recovered? Not quite yet. Tom is healing nicely from his tooth extractions, and his cough is minimal. Mine is still lingering with a cough and significant congestion. I don’t believe I am still contagious after, but I paid particular attention to steering clear of close contact with our friends and other diners at Jabula last night.

One of the more prominent female bushbucks we’ve seen.

We’ll continue to lay low over the weekend, not only to avoid contact with the huge tourist crowd but to continue to rest and recover from this dreadful virus. This morning, albeit still weak, I made a big pan of Low Carb Cheesy Chicken, Sausage, and Mushroom Casserole, enough to last for three nights. We prepped a pot of rice for Tom and a cabbage salad for me as side dishes. Tom cleaned up after me, which reduced my time in the kitchen.

All we have to do is mix the salad and bake the casserole in the oven about an hour before we’re ready to eat. Most likely, we’ll spend the evening indoors streaming a few shows on my laptop. Right now, we’re wrapped up in an excellent British TV series on Hulu entitled, The Split. Once completed, we’ll move on to a few others we’re looking forward to, including newly added seasons of a few favorites, such as Line of Duty, Succession, and more.

Have a pleasing Saturday and be well.

Photo from one year ago today, August 7, 2020:

One year ago today, while in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #137, we posted photos from Versailles in Paris in 2014 during a rainstorm. Astounding view! The crane in the photo is in an area where the palace is under renovation. For more photos, please click here.