Two New Year’s surprises!…Can’t stop smiling!…Fun New Year’s Day with friends…

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We haven’t seen Noah since we returned from the US, most likely because Norman and Nina’s baby was born about six weeks ago. They sent him off to a new territory. Soon, Deidre, from Wild and Free Rehabilitation, will release a young female as a mate for him.

The first surprise was reader/friend Lisa contacting us yesterday, inviting us to join the four of them for dinner at Jabula tomorrow evening, January 3. She’d written to us quite a while ago that she’d contact us when they arrived in Marloth Park, prompted by our site and endless raves about the bush,

And there was Lisa, writing a comment on our site and contacting me by email to see if we could join them for dinner. We are thrilled to do so. Here again, is more of our readers coming to Marloth Park inspired by our enthusiastic posts about how blissful it is in Marloth Park. We are always delighted to meet more readers/friends.

Well, hang onto your chair for the second surprise we got yesterday while Dawn and Leon were here. I heard my WhatsApp phone ringing and jumped up to answer it. All of my contacts in WhatsApp are people we know, so I assumed it was a friend called to say Happy New Year.

Another dung beetle with his ball of dung in the garden.

An unrecognizable voice was at the end of the line. She explained she was from baggage handlers service, and I held my breath as she spoke. She was in Nelspruit and was on her way to bring us ONE of the lost bags, not both. We hope we’ll be lucky and receive the second bag.

Ninety minutes later, the delivery person texted me that she was at Louise’s office. Tom jumped in the car and headed there, picking up the bag she’d left with Louise. We have all deliveries sent to Louise’s office since our address is impossible to find with the inconsistent numbering of properties on the dirt road.

I was hoping the found bag was Tom’s, not mine. I had found most of the receipts from my stuff, but Tom’s was nearly impossible, making completing the insurance claim difficult and cumbersome. But, hoping that his bag arrives soon, we won’t have to file the claim. This makes life so much easier for me, especially with other tasks hanging over our heads.

This morning, I emptied my bag, and it appeared nothing was missing, which was surprising. I had a lot of nice clothes and toiletries in that bag. It was funny yesterday; I was about to place an order from the same online retailer that ships to South Africa, where I’d purchased about ten items about four months ago. Something stopped me, and I decided to wait a few more weeks before re-ordering the same items I’d bought. Hmm…safari luck.

Now I have plenty of tops to wear around the house and when going to dinner—what a relief. Before the return of my bag, I only had a few tee shirts to wear, along with a couple of very casual tops I’d purchased from Amazon when we were in Minnesota last month when we also had to buy winter clothes to wear while we were there.

We see Aggie, a resident agama, in our garden every few days. We’d like to interact with him, but he is very shy.

Anyway, New Year’s Day turned out better than expected. We had a fantastic day with Dawn and Leon. We ate early in the day, and by 5:00 pm, Leon was tired, and they needed to head home. It was wonderful to spend that time with them, as it always is, away from the hustle and bustle of the restaurant and frequent interruptions when the four of us are attempting to chat.

Tom and I stayed on the veranda for a few more hours, and when the mozzies began to attack, we headed indoors to stream a few more episodes of Peaky Blinders and eventually doze off to sleep. I didn’t sleep well and was awake for no less than three hours during the night. Perhaps, a nap will be on today’s agenda.

Everything is prepped for tonight’s easy dinner of ham and cheese sliders, one more time, salad, and rice. I’m wrapping up a few laundry loads and have emptied my “found” luggage. Now, I am scrambling to find photos to post for today. We don’t have a single image to post with a few animals visiting over the past few weeks. Right now, Tom is watching for photo ops.

No headache. No facial pain. I am very grateful. We’ll be back with more soon.

Be well.

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

Thirsty after eating pellets, piglets needed a drink from mom. For more photos, please click here.

Happy New Year to all of our family and readers/friends…The little things…Where were we the past 11 year New Year’s Eves?

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Zebras and kudus get along well.

We hope that all of our readers/friends had a safe and enjoyable New Year’s Eve and that today will be a special day for relaxing, eating good food, watching sports, and spending time with family and friends.

We stayed in last night but had a great time, just the two of us. We enjoyed drinks, music on our JBL speaker, and a great dinner of ham sliders, salad, and rice. Having an actual ham sandwich was such a treat for me now that I can have my homemade keto bread, which doesn’t raise my blood sugar.

I only ate one small sandwich but took little bites to savor every morsel. I added a thin slice of Maasdam cheese, lettuce, and mustard. The ham was moist and flavorful. It wasn’t a precooked ham and had to cook long enough to be thoroughly done for about 90 minutes. We have one larger ham left and can’t wait to have those sandwiches again.

One pellet landed on the veranda floor, and this female kudu was determined to get it.

Tom hadn’t had anything like this in a long time, and he had four little sliders with the soft mini buns buttered, ham, and cheese. He was in food nirvana. I could tell by the look on his face. It’s funny how the most seemingly simple things give us so much pleasure.

After dinner, we hung around outside for a while until the bugs became unbearable and went inside. We stayed up to bring in the New Year and ended up watching the entire fifth season of Peaky Blinders. We never had trouble staying awake and sent New Year’s wishes to family and friends when the clock struck midnight. It was a lovely evening, after all.

A few minutes ago, we laughed out loud when a little piglet got lost from his mom and finally found her. When he saw her at a distance, he squeaked so loud with a thumping sound, as he ran, we were hysterical laughing. It was the cutest thing! Earlier this morning, Tom rescued a dung beetle stuck in a hole in the dirt, unable to get himself and his ball rolling again. Tom took a little stick and gave the ball and the dung beetle a little nudge, and he was on his way again, searching for a mate.

This is Bossy. She came over from the old house two km away. It’s always good to see her.

The bush is filled with little wonders that leave us reeling with delight. All we have to do is sit at the table on the veranda, as we do all day, watching carefully for what treasures Mother Nature can send us. Ah, the little things always make us laugh the hardest and the most often.

Yesterday, we recalled where we spent the past 11 New Year’s Eves. Our list includes the links for the specific posts that appeared on January 1. Here they are:

  1. January 1, 2013 – We were in Scottsdale, Arizona, wrapping up the final details for our first cruise, sailing out of San Diego, California, on January 3, 2013. The post may be found here.
  2. January 1, 2014 – We were here in Marloth Park and attended a fun party at Jabula, staying until after midnight. The post may be found here.
  3. January 1, 2015 – We were on the Big Island, Hawaii, in the town of Pahoa with our family, where lava was expected to wipe out the city while we were there. For the exciting story, please click here.
  4. January 1, 2016 – We were in Pacific Harbour, Fiji, staying in a lovely teak house with a big pool. The post may be found here.
  5. January 1, 2017 – We were in Penguin, Tasmania, one of Tom’s favorite places on Earth (so far). The post may be found here.
  6. January 1, 2018 – We were in Palermo, Buenos Aires, waiting for the upcoming cruise to Antarctica. The post may be found here.
  7. January 1, 2019 – We were in Marloth Park, attending a party in the bush. The post may be found here.
  8. January 1, 2020 – We were in Apache Junction, Arizona, with Tom’s sisters, awaiting our adventure on the Maharajas Express Train and then a private 56-day tour of the country. The post may be found here.
  9. January 1, 2021 – We were in lockdown in a Mumbai Hotel (for 10 months) on New Year’s Eve. The post may be found here.
  10. January 1, 2022 –  We were here in Marloth Park, attending a party with a big surprise. The post may be found here.
  11. January 2, 2023 – Here we are in Marloth Park for our fourth New Year spent in this wildlife wonderland, filled with the many friends we’ve made over the years.
A young zebra was rubbing her nose on the pool pump roof.

Today, Dawn and Leon are stopping by for fun food, drinks, and, of course, lively conversation with endless stories to share. We will surely spend another fantastic New Year’s Day in the bush.

Be well. Happy New Year!

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

Last New Year’s Eve was one we’ll never forget. Our dear friends, Rita and Gerhard, unexpectedly arrived from the US and showed up at the party to surprise us! Everyone knew but us! From left to right, Tom and I, Danie, Louise, Rita, and Gerhard, are in this photo. For more, please click here.

Not to party…cold, rainy…Had our fun last night!…

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Zebras love to cuddle.

Last night could just as well have been New Year’s Eve. The bar was packed shortly after we arrived, mostly with people we know, making it a true “Cheers Bar” experience. The loud and lively conversations, many at one time, wafted through the air while Dawn, David, and the staff ran their butts off, serving the never-ending stream of drinkers and diners.

Our dinner was excellent as usual while we dined at the bar along with all the other guests who occupied the barstools. It couldn’t have been more fun. We arrived as always at 5:00 pm, 1700 hrs., and were out the door at around 8:30, 2030 hrs. Once back at the house, after load shedding ended, we hunkered down in the bedroom and watched another episode of Tulsa King, another good Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone) series starring Sylvester Stallone. It’s entertaining and tongue-in-cheek, and he’s playing the role quite well.

Earl decided to check out the pellet situation.

We didn’t doze off until around midnight, but both slept well. When we awoke this morning, we decided not to attend tonight’s New Year’s Eve party. It’s raining now and very cool, and tonight the dress is all white clothes. All of our white clothes were in our lost bags. We’re quite content staying home.

This morning, I baked the smaller of the two hams and took out a package of slider-sized buns for Tom. I’ll use my low-carb bread, and we’ll both have ham and cheese sliders, salad, with rice for Tom. That will be a perfect New Year’s Eve dinner for the two of us. With all the ham and buns left, we may be eating this same meal for a few nights, which is OK with us.

They were checking out the side garden for any vegetation they may like.

I had sliced my keto bread very thin, so I could have two little sandwiches if I’d like. When making keto bread, the loaves are small, with slices about half the size of a regular piece of bread. Tom will have a few of his leftover chocolate cookies for dessert, and I won’t eat a thing. I’ve made a point of avoiding snacks, as mentioned, although many nights, it’s tempting, especially when I still feel a little hungry after dinner. But, if I wait about a half hour, I get over it.

Also, this morning we ran out to the liquor store to buy a few items in case Dawn and Leon decide to come tomorrow. We left the plans “loose” just in case they are exhausted after New Year’s Eve at the restaurant and need a quiet day. We’re OK with last-minute plans now that we have everything we’d need for a nice meal and drinks they like.

Zebras and a few impalas have been visiting regularly.

Usually, guests bring their own “drinkables” when visiting, but in this case, we wanted it to be ultra-easy for them to jump in their car and come here. We’ll see how it rolls out by tomorrow morning sometime.

Today, I did a few loads of laundry, and once I’m done with today’s post, I’ll get to work on logging the receipts from purchases in the last 15 days, which I’ve failed to do. I already paid the bills online for next month, relieved that this task is blissfully out of the way.

For a few minutes, I thought this might be Little. But no such luck. After comparing this photo to an old photo of Little, we decided it wasn’t him. That would have been a nice surprise!

It’s been a busy day in the bush so far. Our garden has been packed with kudus, zebras, duikers, warthogs, and even wildebeest Earl, whom we haven’t seen lately, stopped by for a quick hello and taste of pellets. We took as many photos as possible, hoping to have enough for the next few days.

I have to run, folks, to complete other tasks on today’s agenda. I often wonder how I managed to get everything done in my old life when I worked. It seems I have less free time now than I did back then. I’ve heard other retirees say the same thing. Go figure.

Happy New Year.

Photo from one year ago today, December 31, 2021:

I stepped out the door to the veranda to discover this scene, a highly venomous boomslang with a frog in its mouth. It was already too preoccupied to bite us! Perhaps the frog in its mouth was a blessing. See our post here. For the last New Year’s Eve post, please click here.

On the fence…Party or not to party?…

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Big Daddy loves cabbage, along with all the other antelopes.

It’s hard to believe the Christmas season is almost over. I’m still in the mood for baking, so this morning, during load shedding, I whipped together a double batch of lemon poppyseed muffins which have been baking since the power came back on a while ago. With muffin papers skimpy here and difficult to remove from the muffins, I made two loaf pans of lemon poppy seed bread which will turn out fine at a lower temperature and longer cooking period than the muffins would have.

Once the loaves are done and cooled, I’ll slice them into individual servings and freeze them for Tom. Each day he’ll take out a pack of two slices with his coffee, a nice treat to start the New Year. I didn’t bake a keto treat for myself since I was watching my weight. My one daily treat is the two thin slices of keto macadamia nut bread I’ve had with either egg or avocado for breakfast.

An unfamiliar female bushbuck and her tiny calf stopped by today.

When trying to lose weight on low carb, calorie intake does matter, and I try to keep my daily intake at about 1400 calories and 20 grams of carbs or less. The weight loss is slow at these macros, but I am not about to starve myself, leaving me hungry and thinking about food all the time.

I can stay satisfied with these numbers and never think about eating anything other than my two daily meals, breakfast and dinner. I’ve cut out all snacks and only use a maximum of 200 calories and six grams of carbs if I want to have wine at sundowner time. There are several low-carb, low-sugar, and low-calorie wine options here in South Africa. I couldn’t find any such wine while in the US, so I didn’t drink anything unless we went to dinner, where I’d have a glass of pinot grigio or some other low-sugar wine.

Several male impalas have been hanging around in today’s rain.

Also, this morning, before starting today’s post, I worked on receipts for the claim for the lost luggage for at least an hour. I put a good size dent in it by simply making PDF documents of items we purchased in 2022 in those bags. I finished all of 2022, and I’ll start working in 2021.

Tomorrow,  New Year’s Eve day, we’ll decide if we’re going to the New Year’s Eve party at the bush home of Flo and JJ’s friends, whom we don’t know. At this point, we’ll only know Flo and JJ and their grown kids at the party. It won’t be the first time here in the bush; we’ve attended a party where we didn’t know the hosts.

We purchased two good-sized gammon roasts (ham), which we’ll cook in the morning if we decide to go. Once done, we’ll trim and slice the meat and make 48 ham and cheese sliders to bring to the party. It’s time-consuming to make these but certainly easy and uncomplicated to prepare.

Mom jumped the fence, but the baby squeezed through the wooden posts to join her.

Had we planned earlier, we could have made a reservation for Jabula’s New Year’s Eve party, but at this point, they are already fully booked. Plus, South Africans are huge sports fans, and tomorrow night there’s a game on TV, and patrons of Jabula will be packed into the bar watching the game on the two screens from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm, 1900 hrs to 2130 hrs. This environment doesn’t particularly appeal to us, especially since we aren’t avid fans of their sports.

There’s a Minnesota Vikings game on Sunday night, New Year’s Day, which Tom won’t watch until the following morning due to the time difference. The Vikings are doing pretty well, so watching will be fun. We have no plans for New Year’s Day. We’ll stay in, maybe chat with family and friends and make a nice dinner for the two of us. Of course, I can always work on finding more receipts for the insurance claim.

That’s it for today, folks! Have a great day and evening, whatever you may do!

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, December 30, 3021:

This female warthog appears to have been injured by either a snare or a fence. For more photos, please click here.

Yes, there’s a post today…Got frustrated and gave up doing paperwork today…

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Handsome Big Daddy.

When I started working on the claim forms for our lost luggage, the process became so impossible, I couldn’t bring myself to do the post on top of that fiasco. Yesterday, I called the credit card company’s insurance provider and was told we wouldn’t need receipts for each of the 80-plus items we listed on the claim form.

The rep clearly stated an estimated date of purchase and value would be all that was necessary. When I had to re-enter the items due to WiFi issues, I called the company with a few questions about how to save what I’d entered, which wasn’t clear on the online document. I was told the information I’d been given yesterday was incorrect.

We would have to produce a receipt for each item included in the claim…80 receipts…oh good grief! I sat at the dining room table with the little portable fan on but sweating in the heat and outrageously high humidity. At one point, I threw my hands in the air and told Tom, “I can’t do this awful task!” But the possibility of getting back several thousand dollars nagged at me. I couldn’t give up.

Nor could I have Tom do all the research to find the receipts. He’s not adept at turning receipts into PDF documents or saving files. Plus, many items listed on the credit card statements don’t specify the item purchased, which would not satisfy the insurance company’s requirements. Yuck! We’ve decided I can ask Tom to search for the tricky ones by going through all seven of our credit cards. If he does that, it will help me considerably.

After I settled down, I decided I could do this task with more ease and less stress if I could do it in air-conditioned comfort. Since I had open-heart surgery almost four years ago, I get overheated easily. I got hold of Louise and asked her if I could work in her office after the holiday crowd thins out, we decided on January 4 at 10 am. It’s quiet, calm, and comfortable. We have until February 21 to get the forms completed with the receipts, which should be plenty of time.

Giraffe visitor during sundowner time.

In the interim, I promised myself I would find five receipts daily before doing the post each day. In the six days until January 4, I can find and save 30 receipts, leaving about 50 to tackle, beginning on January 4. No doubt, I won’t be able to complete this task in one day. It may take several more days.

Also, in the interim, at the beginning of January, we’ll hear back from the lawyers about completing the forms for our visa extensions. Oh, dear. There will be plenty to keep us busy.

In the past few days, we’ve only had a few animals visit our garden: bushbucks, kudus, and warthogs. We have hardly taken any photos since they’d be repetitious. Hopefully, within a week, the crowds will thin out, and the wildlife will visit again. We haven’t seen Norman and his family in 48 hours.

Tom returned from the local salon after getting a haircut and beard trimming which came out great. He said he’d never seen the parking lot so packed at the Bush Centre. He could hardly find a place to park. We’ve never seen so many people here in past holiday seasons.

Surely, relief from worrying about the pandemic has brought many South Africans living in Joburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town to Marloth Park for some peace, quiet, and wildlife watching. I hope they aren’t disappointed when they aren’t seeing many animals in the gardens of the holiday rentals.

Sadly, many human visitors are speeding on dirt roads, with windows open and loud thumping from their vehicle’s stereo system. We hear this every evening when we’re on the veranda. It’s pretty annoying for us, let alone the animals who aren’t used to such sounds.

That’s it for today, folks. We’ll be back again tomorrow. Now, I must find a few photos to add here today.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, December 29, 2021:

Barbara of Lori and Barbara (Shark Tank) had what we called “Barbara’s Butt Bush Bouquet.” It lasted for quite a while. For more, please click here.

Exciting opportunity presented to us from the US…

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A handsome zebra stopped by himself.

Last night, we received an email from a Minnesota Live Eyewitness News KSTP-TV news show producer who asked if we’d be interested in participating in an interview via a Zoom meeting sometime in January. We replied that we’d be happy to do so but would have to wait until after January 16 due to the high volume of tourists in Marloth Park until the end of the school holidays.

She’d heard about us from listening to Garage Logic and had heard the podcast when we were guests on a May 2022 podcast while we were in Minnesota. Although testing negative, we were still suffering from Omicron symptoms but decided not to miss the opportunity to be on the show. We had a fantastic time. If you missed the show, please click here.

Now, with an opportunity to be on TV to promote our site and share our story, we look forward to this interview. We will let you know when we’ll post the video from the interview, which will be sometime at the end of January when we’ll have a better WiFi signal. Please keep an eye out for this.

A short time later, three other zebras joined in.

This morning, I prepped food for dinner and made a loaf of keto macadamia nut bread that I have each morning topped with avocado and egg. I always make a double batch of the recipe resulting in enough bread to last for a few weeks. This breakfast holds me until dinner.

Lately, I have been making eggs for Tom. I am a good cook but have the worst time getting his over-easy eggs cooked perfectly. Today, I made scrambled eggs that always turn out to his liking, to which I add some imported cheese and several slices of bacon which I cook in the microwave rather than splatter all over the stovetop.

We only have tonight and tomorrow night’s dinner to cook until it’s time for Friday night’s dinner again at Jabula, and then it will be New Year’s Eve when we’re going to a party at a bush house. We have no plans for New Year’s Day, but that day is less important to us, and we usually stay in and cook a nice dinner.

Soon, Tom will drop me off at Imbewe Spa for a  pedicure. Most often, my dear friend Dawn from Jabula has a pedicure with me. But today is assistant David’s birthday, and he’s off for two days, so she’ll have to be at the restaurant for lunch service with their resort packed with guests and other tourists who may stop by for food and drinks. It’s a busy place.

Finally, yesterday, I received a call back from the credit card insurance office after leaving messages for days. They gave me another phone number to call, which I will do today after 4:00 pm, 1600 hrs., due to the time difference. Hopefully, I will finally get adequate instructions on how to file the claim for our missing bags. I hope we won’t have to produce receipts for each item. Otherwise, as mentioned, this process could take weeks to complete.

Their heads were down, eating pellets.

Once I return from the pedicure appointment, I will finish this post and get it uploaded. From there, the remainder of my day is easy. Today’s high will only be 95F, 35C, with humidity at 35% and the dew point at 63, a much more bearable day. Sitting outdoors is much more comfortable now than in the past several days.

Still, we see fewer animals in the garden than usual with so many holidaymakers here for a few more weeks. We can’t wait until they leave and our favorite animals return to see us. Recently, we only saw Norman and his family every other day, sometimes three or four times, but not the usual eight to 12 times before the holiday started. I make Norman’s Lunch daily but often give it to the few bushbucks visiting or the kudus.

Lollie has had a medical problem since the birth of her three piglets. It appears that her intestines, in part, are hanging out of her rear end. It’s an awful sight that breaks our hearts. But with so many pigs in the park, the rangers and vets don’t treat the warthogs, which are sturdy and generally heal quickly. But we can’t see how this issue, worsening each day, can resolve on its own. Oh, we hope somehow it resolves. Her piglets are too young to survive on their own. She’s such a good mom.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, December 28, 2021:

Due to WiFi issues in the park right now, we cannot post the year ago photo.

Busy ambitious morning…

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Nina and Norman are reunited. with their baby but she/he has yet to jump the little fence. This is a bushbuck that hangs out with Nina.

This morning, after breakfast of eggs and bacon, we headed to Komatipoort for groceries, wine, toiletries, over-the-counter products, and a few birthday cards for friends. The strip mall parking lot was packed, let alone the stores. We hadn’t shopped in a few weeks and needed quite a few items.

When we arrived at the pharmacy, generally our first stop, they were closed for another 40 minutes. We decided to do the other shopping and return. When we were done grocery shopping, amid the crowds at Spar Market, I walked down the outdoor mall to the pharmacy. I could barely open the door to enter. It was unbelievable.

We try not to purchase much frozen or perishable food but based on it requiring almost one hour of round-trip driving time to go to Komatipoort; we don’t like to go any more often than we have to. We can always make short trips to the local Marloth Park shops only five minutes from here, but they don’t always have the ingredients we use.

The baby is cute, but we still can’t determine the gender of the one-month old.

Somehow I managed to find the items I needed at the pharmacy with the help of a few helpful staff members and was out the door in about 20 minutes. Back at the house in the heat and high humidity, we sweated profusely while we put everything away. It’s a good thing we have the chest freezer and the outdoor refrigerator since the kitchen fridge doesn’t have much space, nor does the upper single-door freezer, which is mainly filled with ice cube trays and large zip-lock bags of ice.

Tom loved the chocolate cookies I made for him for Christmas, and I could tell he wanted more. Last week, I made a double batch which only resulted in 21 cookies, and we gave six of them to Louise and Danie, who also loved them. So I decided to make another double batch today and see if I can end up with 24 cookies, making them a little smaller. I never ate one of the cookies or tasted the dough. But I do remember them from years back and how good they are.

All the cooking I will do today is making the salad which is done, and baking the cookies in a few hours. The dough needs to chill in the refrigerator and will be ready around 4:00 pm, 1600 hrs., which is late to start baking, but the oven is big enough that I can bake them all at once.

This morning, the mongooses were here as soon as I went outdoors. Tom was in the bedroom while I chopped the paloney for them while in the kitchen. Suddenly, I noticed ten of them had followed me into the house. It didn’t take much to scoot them outside since I had the plate of paloney in my hands. Funny!

It feels good to have everything put away. The only project I have to complete this week is getting a call back from the insurance company to file the claim for our missing bags and make the food we’re bringing to Flo and JJ’s New Year’s Eve party. There’s enough pizza and uncooked, defrosted chicken breasts to get us to Friday when we’ll head to Jabula for dinner. The party on Saturday night is at a yet-to-be-determined location, but I’m sure we’ll hear soon.

I’ve managed to stay on track with my diet through the holidays and haven’t gained anything back from what I’ve lost so far. As mentioned in an earlier post, I made a keto cheese pie but only had a small piece each evening after dinner, which would last a few more days. Yes, we do indulge a little here and there during the holidays, but overall, we indulge very little. Rolling into the New Year with my diet will be easy, with no weight gain from the holidays. The same goes for Tom, who hasn’t gained weight, even eating the cookies.

A bushbuck. a kudu, and a duiker were all looking for pellets.

We just moved into the bedroom for some rest and some fan time. Some afternoons, around 2:00 pm, 1400 hrs., we try to nap for 20 minutes. I am only fortunate enough to fall asleep one out of 20 times, but Tom seems to do much better, never sleeping for more than 15 or 20 minutes. This is refreshing, especially on a scorching and humid day when we can cool off a little in the bedroom with the powerful fan sweeping over us.

As for my headache and facial pain, they are mostly gone. It only seems to bother me occasionally, and I can do nothing about it when it returns. Paracetamol/Tylenol doesn’t help, so I tough it out and go about my day. I have continued using the morning and evening Salex Nasal Rinse and four doses a day of Phytomer, all purchased over the counter. This combination has seemed to be the most helpful in keeping these horrible post-Omicron sinus issues at bay, 90% of the time.

That’s it for today, folks. Have a pleasant day.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, December 27, 2021:

On a drive in Marloth Park, we encountered this giraffe munching on a tree. For more photos, please click here.

A pleasant Christmas Day in the bush…We couldn’t ask for more…

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Big Daddy visited a few mornings ago while Lollie and the piglets were also here.

Note: Due to the extensive use of WiFi in the bush today, resulting in slow service, there are some editing issues in today’s post. Sorry for the inconvenience.

We had an excellent and busy day. We made keto pizza, salad, and a keto cheese pie with an almond flour crust, keeping us busy in the kitchen all morning. With temps rising to over 103F and 39C with high humidity, I had to take a few breaks to sit in front of the fan in the bedroom. It was a scorcher.

Later in the afternoon, when our guests arrived, it had cooled down considerably after strong winds, and a cloud cover took over. What a relief it was to be able to have sundowners and dinner on the veranda! Surprisingly, there weren’t many insects bothering us while we dined, but after everyone left, they seemed to pick up, and we headed indoors and closed the doors to the veranda.

Each night when we are ready for dinner Tom sprays the bedroom. Tom had no choice but to spray the dining room, lounge room, and kitchen with Doom when we headed to bed. We try to stay out of any rooms that have been sprayed to avoid breathing in the toxic chemicals.

Since we don’t have nor want mosquito netting on the bed, this seems to prevent me from getting bit during the night. Again, we don’t enter the bedroom for a few hours after he’s sprayed. Last night, while seated outdoors, Tom was wearing his only pair of shorts when all others were lost in the missing luggage; he ended up getting bit by mosquitoes at least a dozen times.

Lollie and her three piglets stopped by, as seen on the trail cam.

Lately, since it got hot, I have been wearing jeans and long sleeve tee shirts day and night. I know this makes me hotter, but it prevents me from getting bit day and night. Tom is no longer itching, but when I’m bit, the itching lasts for weeks. I’d rather be hot than itchy for weeks from countless mosquito bites.

I wear repellent around the clock but still get bit if my skin is exposed. Not only is there the risk of itching, but also we must avoid getting malaria which is common in this area.

In any case, we had a delightful Christmas dinner, although the food wasn’t traditional, and by 9:00 pm, 2100 hrs., we were in our room watching a series on my laptop. The dishes were washed, and everything was put away. We were surprised we could get a sufficient signal to stream a few shows before hunkering for the night.

Tom had an excellent 70th birthday, and we had a great Christmas. We were able to touch base with all of our kids to wish them Merry Christmas, and last night I even had a chance to talk to dear friends Kathy and Don, who aren’t in the bush now but hopefully will be someday soon when Don’s health improves. They invited us to Christmas Eve dinner in 2013, when they’d never met us, nine years ago this year. We miss them terribly.

Norman stopped by early this morning before we were outside.

We have great leftovers for tonight, so all I did this morning was make a salad. I did a load of laundry hanging outside on a cloudy day to dry. It’s much cooler today but still very humid, and the clothes won’t dry until tomorrow.

It was nice to see Norman and Nina a few times this morning. We tossed them “Norman’s Lunch,” and they ate everything except the grape tomatoes. A little while later, duiker Derek stopped by, and he loved the leftover tomatoes. It’s funny how each animal has specific taste buds, just like humans. They aren’t so different from us after all.

We didn’t see Norman and Nina’s baby this morning, and we hope she was safely tucked away somewhere and isn’t hurt or injured. We’ll be keeping a watchful eye for her/him.

Have a pleasant day after Christmas, and be well always…

Photo from one year ago today, December 26, 2021:

The beautiful Christmas dinner table at Sindee and Bruce’s lovely home in the bush. Dawn took a photo of Sindee and the serving table, which was later filled with great food. Sadly, Bruce has since passed away. For more, please click here:

Merry Christmas, everyone!…Have a beautiful day with friends and loved ones..Serendipity at Jabula…

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On our way to Jabula last night for our Christmas Eve dinner, we stopped unannounced to see Louise and Danie. They were sitting on the veranda having sundowners and watching the hysterical behavior of a male hornbill flying around looking for grasshoppers to bring back to his mate and chicks living in a bushbaby house.

The poor male was skinny, from constantly flying while foraging for his mate’s food. Danie grated some cheddar cheese and placed it on the table near where we sat with our sundowners in hand, enjoying the companionship and the gorgeous early evening. The male hornbill came up next to me, picked up a piece of cheese, and headed back to the nest to give it to his partner. She ate several pieces he offered her.

But after her accepting about three pieces of cheese, she tossed the fourth piece out the hole of the little house, indicating she’d had enough cheese and wanted more grasshoppers. He got the message and flew off, returning less than a minute later with a grasshopper in his beak. He offered it to her, and she quickly grabbed it to feed herself and her since-hatched chicks.

This little interaction in nature particularly warmed our hearts. reminding us why we are here and the joys this magical place has to offer. As we sat with our friends, reveling in the lively conversation and sharing the awe over the hornbill activity, we couldn’t stop smiling, realizing how fortunate we are to spend Christmas in this magical place. After a while, we all hugged goodbye with the warmest Christmas greetings and made our way to Jabula.

No, there is no snow. No, the bush houses aren’t decorated with a vast array of colorful blinking lights. No, we won’t return to our house after the end of our evening at Jabula, to a lit Christmas tree adorned with beautifully wrapped gifts, too many to count. This is Christmas in the bush, and this is what nature provides to remind us of the blessings God (or whatever higher power you may believe or not) gave us to cherish and revere at this time of the year and always.

The above graphic bespeaks what it means to be here during the holiday season and how it impacts us. Thanks to Louise for posting and sharing this on her Facebook page yesterday, inspiring us to share it today.

When we arrived, the bar was packed with locals, most of whom we knew or had met. Our usual seats were taken, so we parked ourselves down close to the air-con unit and ordered our drinks. I had brought along a bottle of my 5% alcohol white wine, and Tom ordered a Lion beer, his favorite.

We were content and felt at ease being there on Christmas Eve. Music was playing in the lively bar, and the conversation flowed, as always. Darkness fell, and finally, we ordered our dinners. Tom ordered chicken schnitzel, chips, and creamed spinach, while I ordered grilled chicken breast with steamed vegetables, which are frequent favorites.

While we chatted at the bar, Dawn beckoned us to follow her to a distant serving area where other patrons were dining. Apparently, they “knew” us. As it turned out, the two men David and Dawn introduced us to at the table had been following us on YouTube for years. After watching our many videos, they decided to come to Marloth Park and build a house here.

How ironic!! How amazing it feels for us to inspire others to come here and build a life in this paradise-like environment! It was serendipitous for them to be at Jabula when we were!

These are all the Christmas gifts we could possibly want; nature, wildlife, wonderful friends, the love of our family, and course, each other. We are grateful this holiday season and always…

Merry Christmas…

Photo from one year ago today, December 25, 2021:

Broken Horn stopped by this morning to wish us Merry Christmas. We tossed him some pellets, and he was happy! For more photos, please click here.

Merry Christmas Eve…Last night, we never took a single photo during a fabulous evening in the bush….

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After spending an hour looking for a suitable Christmas Eve graphic, I gave up. I decided to post this favorite lion photo we took in 2013 in the Maasai Mara, Kenya, truly indicative of the life we live now with lions in Marloth Park and at our doorstep, Kruger National Park. For that post, please click here.

It’s gotten to a point where one can no longer easily find appropriate graphics without paying or signing up for some arbitrary “free trial.” After trying to find a Christmas world graphic suitable for our post, I gave up after a valiant effort, and I decided to post our photo to avoid paying royalties, choosing the above lion shot we’ve shared many times in the past. Sorry for the repetition.

It’s nearly impossible not to be repetitive when we’ve been posting daily for over ten years. This is our 11th Christmas since we left the US in 2012, the 4th Christmas we’ve spent in Marloth Park. Last night, at Jabula, celebrating Tom’s 70th birthday, amid endless toasts and rounds of merriment at the packed bar with every seat taken, with dear friends Louise and Danie at our side with Dawn and Leon joining it, it couldn’t have been more fun.

Being so close to Christmas, Tom’s birthday was somewhat of an inconvenience in our old lives. We’d often make elaborate plans to acknowledge his birthday, but with Christmas Eve the next day, we were always on a mad dash to roll into the holiday from the birthday celebrations.

Oddly, in our old neighborhood, every other house of five on the peninsula celebrated its birthday on the exact same date, December 23. It was our dear friend Chip, the furthest away, Doug in the middle, and Tom. How odd was that? We’d often celebrate together when we could. We are still in touch with our old neighbors, missing the merriment and celebrations over the Christmas season and also throughout the year.

We lost dear Chip a few months before we left in 2012 to begin our travels, and I had the honor of speaking at his memorial service only months before we were ready to depart. It was a sorrowful time. And now, looking back over the Christmases, the fun with our kids, grandkids, friends, and neighbors, it was an extraordinary time.

But, no, we have no regrets and don’t think of those times with sadness and sorrow. Instead, like last night, celebrating Tom’s 70th birthday, we were reminded of how fortunate we were then and…how fortunate we are now. Different? Yes. But, wonderful nonetheless.

While we sat at the bar, all of us talking at once and yet hearing every word spoken, I turned to Louise at my left and said, “There is nowhere in the world where we’d have made so many friends and enjoyed such camaraderie and lively conversation at a bar.” Although she and Danie are native South Africans, they are well aware of the magic of all these friendships and their special meanings.

Then, adding the cozy element of being in Marloth Park, a true Paradise on earth, and the commonality we all share with our love of nature and wildlife, it’s a combination unlike any to be found anywhere in the world.

No, we don’t have a Christmas tree or other decorations or the countless gifts under the tree. No, we don’t send out Christmas cards or even Christmas letters. After all, our daily posts contain everything we could possibly have to say about our lives. We leave no stone unturned. You, our treasured readers, know everything about us, almost down to our shoe sizes!

People often ask how we feel about being vulnerable and open about our flaws, foibles, and never-ending errors and mishaps. Yes, that includes some whining and complaining, some health issues, and some unavoidable repetition in both words and photos. What would be the point of our posts being fictional instead of the often harsh reality? We are fine with bearing our true feeling, thoughts and dreams.

As we wrap up today’s post, we want to wish every one of our friends/readers and their families, who celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza, and many more (found on this site) a meaningful and memorable holiday season.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, December 24, 2021:

Christmas graphic we posted last year. For the story, please click here.