An important message from a dear reader…

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This is One Wart. As shown, he only has one wart on the left side of his face and none on the right. Hence, his name.

Pam, a longtime reader of our site, wrote:

“Was thinking of you and Tom today after watching the tragic news on the Covid-19 situation in India. I’m so glad you were able to leave when you did! I was just amazed at your skill in arranging those flights just at the right time while there was that small window of opportunity. I attached a brief news clip showing the 5-star hotels in Mumbai used for Covid patients. Who knows if the hotel you were in would have been next? What an unsettling thought, but thankfully that is all behind you now.”

Here is the link to the video Pam attached to her email message https://youtu.be/FmqFTIJ-Uxk.

Wildebeest Willie in the garden.

Undoubtedly, the Covid-19 news from India, which we’ve followed since we left over three months ago, is disheartening and alarming, not only for the Indian people but also for all of the world. Will this hotbed of Covid keep the world from ever recovering? It’s hard to say. Even scientific and medical experts aren’t able to predict!

Thank you, Pam, for writing and your kind and thoughtful message. It wasn’t so much skill that got us out of India when we did. It was based on the sheer terror of what was yet to come, which proved to be a huge motivator. When each day we spotted dozens of guests in the corridors, talking loudly in nearby groups, not wearing masks or social distancing while continuing to have parties and weddings at the hotel, we knew India was in big trouble.

Several impalas stopped by, all the while “barking” over the pellets.

When I left the hotel midway through our stay to go to an ATM with the hotel’s driver, the numbers of people in the streets, in crowds, in groups and entering shops without masks or social distancing, it was easy to see, there was no way, their previously low numbers of cases and deaths would ultimately last.

Statistics, such as those shown in the Covid-19 world tracker, Worldometer, found here with over 319,000 new cases yesterday, far surpassing any country’s number of cases in one day, are alarming. Sure, India has almost 1.4 billion people, four times the population of the US, for example, which had 47,456 new cases yesterday, still an outrageously high number.

Impalas are skittish around humans. Thus, I took this photo while seated, or they’d have run off if I’d stood.

It’s also easy to surmise that India’s numbers aren’t as accurate as many other countries, with their medical infrastructure rapidly failing due to a severe lack of support equipment, staff, and space for victims. Now, they are housing non-ICU patients in hotels when hospitals are full of ICU patients dying from a lack of available sources of oxygen and medicines.

Yes, this is morbid and surely considered to be less than ideal fodder for our post. But, as upbeat as we strive to be, we can’t and won’t put our heads in the sand and deny what is transpiring in the country from whence we came only a few months ago where we spent over one year of our eight years of world travel. Our hearts are breaking for those patients, their families, and the overwhelmed medical professionals.

Kudus are used to hanging around with impalas, and they all get along well.

We can only hope that other countries with surplus supplies can continue to step in and help. We read this article regarding participation by other countries in providing supplies and aid to India. How do you vaccinate 1.4 billion people? How many cases aren’t being reported? How do you treat millions currently in the throes of the virus? It’s heartwrenching.

Yes, dear reader Jan, thank you for writing to us. No words can express how grateful we are to have been able to leave India and now be in this paradise-like environment, relatively safe from the virus if we remain diligent. We are on a list of 500,000 in South Africa who have signed up for the vaccine. But, with a population of 58.6 million, that half-million is only the tip of the iceberg. It’s less than 1%.

There’s a warthog in almost every shot, hoping to steal pellets from others.

They were deluding themselves, any speculation by “experts” that this pandemic may be over in 2022 or 2023. All of us can choose to take responsibility for doing our part to stay safe as we possibly can, even after receiving a vaccine, even after having had the virus, even after taking every possible precaution we can muster.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and pray along with us for the world’s recovery.

Photo from one year ago today, April 27, 2020:

These tropical island musicians and dancers greeted us in Noumea, New Caledonia. For more from the year-ago post, please click here.

Is this enough?…

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Big Daddies in the garden, getting along well with a female while they eat pellets.

A few days ago, Tom asked me, “Are you bored or antsy?” Is this enough?”

I giggled when I answered. “With the world still in some form of lockdown or another, there is nowhere I’d rather be.”

Without question, I have a short attention span and can easily become bored or antsy. Throughout my life, I’ve learned to find ways to entertain myself to avoid boredom or discontent. As Tom and I have discussed on many occasions, if we were living in a condo somewhere right now, waiting out the hopeful end of the pandemic, I could easily be climbing the walls in search of mental stimulation. He doesn’t experience such an issue.

Helmeted Guinea-fowls stopped for another visit. Their chicks are getting big, but no blue heads quite yet.

How in the world did I ever maintain my sanity during the ten months in that awful lockdown in India? The only way it was possible was to develop a consistent routine and stick to it. This may sound counterproductive. But, in that particular situation, the routine saved me; the daily posts, the 8 km walk in the corridors, working on the new website, along with endless hours in research on many of my favorite topics.

Another shot of guinea-fowls and chicks.

Tom was content to be on his laptop researching ancestry.com and other websites that appeal to him. We both enjoyed it when it was 3:00 pm when we began streaming favorite series with multiple seasons. That time wrapped in mindless drivel helped us both so much. We don’t need to do that now, although we may stream a few shows when we go to bed.

Of course, being with Tom helps me considerably. He constantly makes me laugh and brings up topics he knows I’ll enjoy contemplating and discussing. We never run out of conversation. Even here in Marloth Park, we’ve developed a routine that only adds to our sense of fulfillment and lack of boredom.

Mongoose is waiting for Tom to come out with a pan of scrambled eggs.

As it turns out, we do most of our chatting in the late afternoon when we may decide to have a beverage, referred to as “sundowners” here in South Africa. These may be iced tea, hot tea, or a glass of wine for me or a cocktail for Tom, depending on what feels right at the moment.

Tom lights the various citronella candles and coils to keep the mosquitos at bay while I put last-minute touches on what we’ll be having for dinner. Then, for the first time all day, we relax and unwind, engaged in lively chatter, sharing thoughts, dreams, and hopes for the future.

This is our boy, Torn Ear. Enlarge the photo to see his left ear is torn.

Often, we relive travel experiences of the past almost nine years of world travel. At times, we look at old posts and recall the magic moments along the way. It’s never dull. It’s never boring. At other times, we discuss plans for the future. Right now, we are considering where we’ll go when our visa stamps are needed by June 30th. At times, we grab my phone and look up the Covid-19 restrictions for various countries, which may change daily.

Little and guinea-fowl, getting along nicely.

Then, of course, we have the exquisite opportunity to engage with the wildlife that enters the garden throughout the evening. Although most wildlife comes to visit us for the pellets or whatever species-appropriate morsels we may have to offer, we can’t help but consider they may be seen since it’s “fun” here. We can dream, can’t we?

We can’t help but embrace both of these. The concept of living in the moment and dreaming of the future seems to work for us. It was that belief that got us both through those challenges ten months in India, and now, more than ever, we appreciate our sheer determination to get out of India, just in time when Covid-19 has grown to horrific levels.

Big Daddy politely shares pellets with the girls.

Need I say how grateful we are? Never a day passes that we don’t take time to reiterate how happy we are to be here, leaving no thoughts or time for boredom.

It’s always wonderful to see them all sharing the pellets as opposed to headbutting.

Stay safe and continue to protect yourselves and your loved ones.

Photo from one year ago today, April 26, 2020:

Two Big Daddies head butting for dominance. For more year-ago photos, please click here.

Photos from our new trail cam…What we’ve learned…

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Two duikers at night.

When our package arrived from the US through DHL a few days ago, we were excited that the trail cam we’d ordered from Amazon was inside. Also, my new Fitbit Sense was in the box. We decided Tom would set up the trail cam while I worked on setting up the latest Fitbit, both of which presented a few typical set-up challenges.

Finally, we had both pieces of equipment working, and I was able to do my first ECG using the Fitbit, which had been approved as a reliable device for this purpose by the US FDA (that’s not to say I trust everything they recommend). With a typical result, it did provide me with a bit of peace of mind, knowing at any time, I can check this on my own.

Most likely, a mating pair.

As for the Campark T-75 trail cam, that setup was a little more time-consuming and still requires some adjustments, which we’ll tackle today. After using the trail cam for the first time last night, we realized the first thing we’ll do today is reduce the number of shots it takes in one night. We ended up with over 5000 photos, way too many to go through each day.

We managed to go through all the shots and have included a few of them today, not necessarily anything unusual from those we see during the day.  No porcupine yet! But we’re committed to getting a night photo of her and other nocturnal visitors we may not see during the day. We won’t be using the trail cam during daylight hours; instead, we will stick to using our camera and posting those photos in most posts. We’ll post the more interesting trail cam photos.

The same two duikers in the garden at night.

We’d assumed that photo ops would be at a minimum during the busy school holiday week. But, as we sit here now on Sunday close to 1:00 pm, 1300 hours, we’re in awe of how many animals have been here this morning, including two Big Daddies, once of whom stood at the edge of the veranda and barked at us, forcing us to gingerly make our way indoors to give him the space he needed.

This was a first for us. We’re cautious around the Big Daddies. They are vast and dangerous, and we take no risks whatsoever. As I write this, he has wandered off into the bush, ducking his massive horns as he makes his way through the dense trees and bushes.

We weren’t able to determine which warthog this was.

He ‘tipped” his horns a few times at two young warthogs who seemed determined to torment him for pellets. But, they squealed off when he reminded them of his power and strength. A few days ago, the tree he tore down had been eaten by a wide array of antelopes and was beginning to look sparse. He meandered over to it this morning but didn’t seem interested in any of the remaining leaves.

It’s amazing how almost every day, something new and exciting transpires in the bush. Yesterday, we had a dung beetle rolling a nice-sized ball of dung right next to us on the veranda. The ball got stuck against the edge of the grass and the pool, and Tom, using a mop handle, released it for him. Soon, he’s back on his way, happily rolling his ball of dung, hoping to encounter a female in his travels.

We knew warthogs visit during the night.

We only need to sit here long enough for yet another magical event to take place, all the while relishing in the regulars who come to call consistently. Sometimes, when it’s hushed, I begin to wonder if they’ll ever return. Then, to our delight, there they are again, gracing us with their presence in exchange for a tasty morsel or two.

As I write here now, 20 or more mongoose have returned after we’ve already fed them this morning, only a few hours or so ago. We gave them scrambled eggs and bits of meat and bones we’d saved for them. They’ll circle the house a few times and return, perhaps thinking we “forgot” we already gave them treats suitable for their diet as omnivores with a propensity for meat. Fortunately, today, we’ve saved a little meat for their second visit.

We are always searching for pellets.

Today will be another quiet day. So far, the only noise we’ve heard from holidaymakers was the sounds of adults and kids talking loud and screaming in a pool. Blissful! After a short while, the noises ended, and we were able to enjoy another quiet evening in the bush, only occasionally interrupted by the sound of the roars by lions Dezi and Fluffy nearby.

Another shot of the two mating duikers whom we rarely see during daylight hours. They are timid.

Have a fantastic day!

Photo from one year ago today, April 25, 2020:

Happy caterpillar dancing across the floor! Later on, we learned these caterpillars cause a nasty itch that lasts for days when coming in contact with their venom. We also learned these are Processionary Caterpillars who form a train and crawl up walls, verandas and form a train across the garden. Not so cute, after all. For more from the year-ago post, please click here.

A tree pulled down!!!..Poop in the bush?…

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Everybody was busy munching on Big Daddy’s fallen tree.

The only animal in our garden right now is The Imposter, this time, without his little buddy, Narrow Earlier, we had visits from warthog Lonely Girl, Wildebeest Wille, and bushbuck Torn Ear, Since it’s Saturday, the first weekend day of the 10-day school holiday, here in South Africa, we feel fortunate to see any wildlife at all. Yesterday, an unusual event occurred in our garden. Big Daddy (kudu) tore down, using his enormous horns, the main branch of a tree, to gain access to its tasty leaves. As the low-lying bush dries out as winter approaches, male kudus can easily knock down a tree with their massive size and strength.

I was in the second bedroom, putting away laundry when I heard a vast sound hitting the house. Tom was taking a shower and didn’t hear a thing. I ran outside to see what was going on to find Big Daddy happily munching on the moist, lush green leaves on the downed tree. I wish we had seen this happen.

He came in for a few nibbles this morning but moved away when the others came.

But, we managed to take a few photos of the result, which doesn’t do the event justice. Since that transpired, several other kudus and bushbucks have stopped by to partake of Big Daddy’s rambunctious event. We doubt that he and others will stop by to participate over the next week or two while the leaves are still green.

It doesn’t appear that there was any damage to the house when the tree was felled by Big Daddy. Thank goodness for that. Few of the low-lying trees in the bush are sizable enough to cause damage if they are brought down by wildlife. We’ve seen such an event by elephants in Kruger National Park but never here in Marloth Park. When Tom came out to see what had happened during his shower, he too was in awe of the strength of this substantial wild animal. It was rather exciting.

On another note, one of our dear long time readers wrote a comment on yesterday’s post as follows:

“I have to ask, with all of the animals visiting, how do you handle their poo and pee? Thanks for writing, Jan! I keep busy cleaning with our two teacup dogs and can’t imagine the odor and waste from the many large animals that visit you.”

Miss Kudu in the backside of the tree and Mr. Bushbuck were enjoying the fruits of Big Daddy’s labor.

I don’t recall that we’ve ever posted anything on this topic. One would think the sight and smell of poop and pee would permeate the air in Marloth Park. It does not. Nor is it a factor of visitors or residents getting “used to it.” There is no smell and rarely, and I mean rarely, do we ever see an animal poop in the garden.

Most often, they head out to the bush to “do their business” Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that most animals won’t poop where they eat, or they prefer the deep bush setting as more suitable for them. Yes, on occasion, we may see a warthog or a kudu pee, but we’ve never seen a warthog, bushbuck, or kudu poop in our garden. Even then, there’s no smell. I know this sounds hard to believe, but it’s true.

Even Frank and The Misses, who spend considerable time on the veranda each day, never leave a telltale sign of their visits, other than their messy piles of birdseed.

Wildebeest Willie stopped by this morning with a friend.

Before we came to Marloth Park for the first time in 2013, we had wondered the same thing. In no time at all, we realized this wasn’t an issue. That’s not to say we never see wildlife poop when out and about. It’s easy to determine the massive poops of wildebeest. Most locals chuckle when they see it since it’s such an oddity to encounter.

With wildlife only eating vegetation, there’s less of a likelihood of smell. So there it is, folks, the answer to the question that may have left many of our readers curious as to how we can manage to sit outside, day after day, night after night, with animals surrounding us.

That’s it for today! We hope you have a lovely weekend.

Photo from one year ago today, April 24, 2020:

This photo is from the repeated photos one year ago while in India in the lockdown. As we walked the souk, deciding where to dine, these varying roof lines of a courtyard caught my eye. For this post from April 24, 2014, please click here. For the year-ago post with more Marrakesh, Morocco photos, please click here.

Our DHL package arrived!!!…Out with the old, in with the new!…

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Lots of zebras in the garden are eating pellets.

After the dreadful experience with FedEx in India when it took over three months for our package to arrive from the USA, we are thrilled that we received the package yesterday, after only 16 days since it was shipped from our mailing service in Las Vegas Nevada.

This is probably the quickest we’ve ever received a package. Also, because all the items in the box were personal effects of one type or another, we weren’t charged any customs fees. As it turned out, the package sat in customs for a week while the contents were supposedly inspected.

But, after receiving the items, most of which were in unopened Amazon and other sealed white or black plastic bags, we wondered if they did inspect any of the items. South Africa Customs, through DHL, contacted us early on inquiring as to the content of the box and required we fill out a detailed form submitted with copies of my passport and the purpose of the contents. It was nowhere near as complicated a process as it had been in India.

This was the first time we had so many zebras stop by.

Tom laughed that my opening the box was compared to opening gifts at Christmas. I must admit it was fun. I had ordered two new bras from Victoria’s Secret and couldn’t wait to toss the tattered bras that were four years old. It was interesting for me to know that three bras alternated regularly, washed but never put into a dryer lasted for over three of those four years. While in India, I didn’t wear a bra for ten months, knowing I needed to extend their wear.

Also included in the box was my new Fitbit Sense watch, which I’ll set up today, and, much to our delight, the recently ordered trail cam from Amazon that syncs to our phones so when we’re out, we can see who’s visiting the garden. That’s exciting. Our only concern is that a nefarious individual(s) may stop by while we’re out and steal it.

Then again, the newer gas braai, a fan, a table, and other items stay outdoors on the veranda at all times, and so far, nothing has been taken. Most thefts in Marloth Park have taken TVs and digital equipment “inside” the house, not necessarily from the exterior. Tom wants to bring it indoors each time we leave the house, but I am working on convincing him to leave it hooked up outdoors, enabling us to watch the app on our phones while out and about.

We always love a visit from Wildebeest Willies.

I was very excited about the many new tee shirts in the package, including short and long sleeves. I’ve been hauling the same tee shirts with me for years, as old as seven or eight years, many with tiny holes and misshapen. With winter on the horizon in the next 60 days, it will be great to be able to wear long-sleeved shirts while seated outdoors on the veranda.

Usually, I’ve only worn tattered clothes around the house, but lately, I’ve been looking forward to having some new things. The pants I currently have are in good condition when most days around the house. I wear capris-length jeans, which seem to last forever. When going out to dinner or visiting friends, I always wear long pants or long jeans to protect myself from mosquitos.

It’s hard to get a shot with their heads up. They are constantly scrounging for pellets or other tasty morsels.

Also, based on the horrific infections and cuts on my legs from ankle to thigh after cardiac bypass surgery, I no longer care to wear shorts, even around the house. It’s a painful reminder of a time I’d just as soon put behind me.

After the box was empty, I folded all my new things and neatly placed them in the chest of drawers I use in the second bedroom. Soon, I’ll start tossing the old items. If they were in good condition, I would donate them locally, but I don’t care to donate old worn clothing when the local workers are so nicely dressed.

Then, of course, there’s always Little, back for more love talk and pellets.

That’s it for today, folks. Tonight, we’re off to Jabula for dinner, hoping it won’t be too crowded with holidaymakers. If it is, we’ll order our food to go and head back to the house.

Have a fantastic weekend and be well.

 Photo from one year ago today, April 23, 2020:

A parade of elephants kicking up a lot of dust in Chobe National Park in Botswana. This photo is from a two-year-old post. See here for details. For the year-ago post, please click here.

Fantastic night in the bush…A human and animal kind of night…

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Big Daddy was lurking in the bush, staring at the females.

Last evening when friends Alan and Fiona stopped by for sundowners, we all experienced a night we’ll never forget. Not only was the conversation, wine, cocktails, and food freely flowing, but we were all “gifted” with visits by dozens of wildlife. They came, not only before sunset, but once it was dark, when we turned on the garden light, one species graced us with their presence after another.

Many zebra butts were facing us this morning as they clamored over the pellets Tom tossed into the garden.

It was as if we’d arranged this menagerie for our guests, and none of us could take our eyes off the garden. Amid all the enjoyment of seeing so many wild animals, the conversation flowed with ease and good humor. Tom and I joked that the word got out that we currently have five remaining 40 kg, 88 pounds, bags of pellets in a corner in the second bedroom.

It’s not natural for kudus to bend over to eat when they’re used to eating vegetation on trees. But, they do turn for the pellets.

Then, again this morning, even more, came to call, including wildebeests (gnus), zebras, bushbucks, warthogs, kudus, including one Big Daddy (the first we’ve had visit) who’d somehow managed to maneuver his way through the dense bush to make his way to our garden.

As I write this now, the Big Daddy stands tall in his majestic wonder, as shown in today’s photos. To us, no animal living in Marloth Park commands more reverence and respect than these unique massive males. Sadly, on occasion, a foolhardy tourist will not respect their strength and girth and may become injured when getting too close.

One of the two wildebeest hung around with us all evening, well after dark.

Recently, we posted a video we’d seen on Facebook where a man touched the head of a Big Daddy, which resulted in an injury to the man’s face. We were appalled by how idiotic the man was to think he could “pet” the massive animal. We never touch any of the wildlife, nor do we hand-feed any of them.

See the Facebook link here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/377035355798904/permalink/1901623916673366/

The second wildebeest that hung around last night and returned this morning.

A highlight of the evening we all especially savored was when on four occasions, we heard Dezi and Fluffy roaring in Lionspruit. What a fantastic sound! As it turned out, Alan and Fiona stayed until 11:00 pm, 2300 hours, when suddenly we all realized how late it was.

The evening flew by. Shortly after they left and we were situated in bed with our laptops, I got to work to complete the day’s corrections I’d never finished during the day.  It wasn’t until after midnight that I finally gave up and decided to finish the task this morning.

It was almost dark when we took this photo.

Well, this morning with six zebras, four warthogs, two bushbucks, and the returning two wildebeest from last night, it took me a while to finally get to the remaining corrections from yesterday. Now I am caught up and can work on today’s ten posts before the day’s end.

Today will be an easy day. I’ve already done two loads of laundry and prepared a few items for tonight’s dinner, a well-seasoned chicken flattie to be cooked on the braai. Most flatties are already seasoned with some spices we don’t use in our way of eating. Soon, I’ll soak the chicken in purified water in the big metal bowl to remove all those spices off and then re-season it to our liking.

Such a handsome male kudu.

Tomorrow, we’ll make the second flattie implement the same process when we didn’t have room in the small freezer for either flatties. Today is yet another gorgeous day, cool and slightly overcast. We love every moment of this cool weather.

Enjoy today’s photos along with us. Happy day to all.

Photo from one year ago today, April 21, 2020:

Taking photos through the fence in Marloth Park was tricky, so we got what shots we could.  At times, we were pleasantly surprised at the finished product. For more photos reposted one year ago, please click here.

Making corrections…Staying on track…Self discipline…

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Frank and The Misses stop by several times a day, making a mess of the seed container. They don’t like sunflower seeds, so they pick through the container to toss them aside.

Self-discipline is a peculiar thing. It’s described as follows:

“self-dis·ci·pline
/ˈˌself ˈdisiplin/
noun

Tom’s vaccine registration went through…Mine did not…Good food, striving for good health…

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Such cute little creatures who manage to kill venomous snakes.

After using Louise‘s phone number yesterday to re-register Tom and me for the Covid-19 vaccine in South Africa, Louise received a confirmation for Tom’s registration. However, she did not receive one for me. When 24 hours soon pass, once again, I will re-register.

We won’t be getting the vaccine on the same date and time, or even the exact locations, which I expect has been the case for couples worldwide. We anticipate the jabs will transpire in Komatipoort or Malalane, the closest two cities to Marloth Park. We’ll see how and when this rolls out.

Mongoose clamoring for the raw scrambled eggs in the pan.

I’ve communicated with friends Linda and Ken in Johannesburg, who also signed up the day after we did. They have already re-registered once and may have to do so again when neither has received the confirmation text to their South Africa phone numbers. Go figure.

Today is another glorious day, comfortable without clouds or humidity. When I was up and dressed, I began cooking a few things: a large egg and cheese sausage casserole, an excellent staple for us when hunger hits, and the other part of my dinner tonight, liver.

Mongoose lined up eating from the pan of eggs.

Tom will have pork chops on the braai, which I am not a big fan of, but he enjoys. Of course, he would never consider trying liver when the smell alone makes him cringe. It’s not unusual for us to eat different protein sources at any given meal. He loves having white rice with each dinner, but rice doesn’t work for me due to the high carb count. Most likely, I’ll have a slice of the egg casserole with the liver, an excellent combination.

I don’t miss eating vegetables at all when my blood pressure and blood sugar numbers are normal  (without medication) for the first time in 30 years, and my years-long stomach ache is gone. Who knew this would happen? I never expected vegetables to be an issue for me. But, everyone is different, and what has worked for me may not work for others.

After they finish the eggs, they stare at us, wanting more.

It’s odd, but I don’t enjoy cooking as much as I did in years past. The sooner I can get out of the kitchen, the better. In the past, I could spend several hours a day chopping and dicing and preparing entrees and side dishes, Now, with our new way of eating since we arrived in South Africa over three months ago, the most time I have ever spent in the kitchen is no more than 30 minutes, and yet, we’re thoroughly our meals.

At most, we eat two meals a day, but more often only one. Lately, Tom’s been having a slice of the egg casserole in the morning, but I’m rarely hungry until at least 18 to 20 hours since my last meal when I may have something to hold me until dinner.

Warthog males often groom one another, even when they aren’t specifically “friends.”

A few days ago, when Louise headed to Nelspruit to shop, she picked up eight packages of delicious trout salmon for me. They are 200 grams, 7 ounces, and I’ve been capping off my dinner with a 100 gram, 3½ ounce serving with a dollop of cream cheese. It’s almost as good as a dessert.

While in India all those months, we lost our taste for sweets, and no longer do I bake low-carb desserts, bread, or muffins. In each of these cases, the carb count was too high to maintain normal blood pressure and blood sugar levels. If either of us craves something after dinner, a few slices of quality cheese will do the trick.

We call him “Medium Daddy,” not quite a Big Daddy yet.

We both feel better, our weight is easily controlled without effort, and we’re still able to enjoy a glass of wine or cocktail at our leisure. Of course, I only drink small amounts of low sugar/low alcohol red wine, and Tom has his brandy with Sprite Zero.

I am still working out on the rented treadmill but have now changed my routine to HIIT (high-intensity interval training) every three days instead of just fast walking on the treadmill. I hesitated to do my old familiar HIIT workout since I had heart surgery over two years ago.

This hornbill stopped by for some seeds but didn’t stay long.

I don’t experience feeling light-headed, out of breath, or any pain or discomfort during or after the workout. But my fitness level is such that I feel comfortable working out this way again. I continue to monitor my heart rate in the process, using the following as a guide for my maximum heart rate. My resting heart rate is 58, blood pressure is usually around 110/68, without medication.

As for today, we’re engaged with all of our visitors. We just gave a pan of raw scrambled eggs to about 40 mongooses, endless pellets to visiting warthogs, kudus, bushbucks, and of course, fresh water in a bit of container and seeds for Frank and The Misses who stop by several times a day. Life in the bush is excellent!

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

Closeup of a hippo’s face. Charming. Be well. For more photos from the year-ago post, please click here.

Today, we signed up for Covid-19 vaccine…South Africa registration found here…

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Narrow and The Imposter lying close together, appearing to be a two-headed warthog, one head at each end.

Appointments for the Covid-19 vaccine may begin booking in South Africa in mid-May. There is an option within the application process to enter a passport number as opposed to a South Africa ID number indicating that foreign nationals over age 60 will qualify for this second rollout after health care workers and emergency services workers have been vaccinated.

If you are currently in South Africa, including foreign nationals over 60 years old, you may register at this link. You will be notified by text message to confirm your registration within 24 hours of applying and then be informed where and when you may go for the vaccine, hopefully sometime next month.

Currently, we have two passports each, one expiring at the end of August and another expiring in 2024. To be safe and to ensure our vaccination certificates have the correct passport numbers we used the numbers of the latter of the two.

Siegfried and Roy drinking from the birdbath.

With a degree of uncertainty of sufficient doses available in South Africa, the uncertainly of the efficacy and various side effects, we hesitated, but for only a moment. If we want to continue traveling the world, we must get the vaccine. Even, if for some reason, we decided to stop traveling, we’d still need the vaccine if we ever wanted to cruise again or feel safe in the USA. The pandemic is not going away anytime soon.

There has been a lot of controversy as to if and when South Africa will have sufficient doses for the vaccine and according to news reports (could be fake news), it’s still up in the air. But, from what we hear, they are almost done with health care workers. There are 50 million people in South Africa.

Some may say that our being vaccinated while in South Africa is taking away an opportunity for South African citizens. But, wherever we’d be in the world, we’d be using up two doses. I suppose wherever one was located at the time of receiving the vaccine could elicit a case for objection by some.

Mongoose hovering by the hose for the pool

That same “hater” we mentioned in yesterday’s post here, berated us at the prospect of us returning to the US to get vaccinated since we’ve been gone so long, saying we aren’t entitled. Every human on the planet is entitled to receive the vaccine not only for their own benefit but hopefully the benefit of loved ones and others, with whom they may be in contact.

If you are in South Africa and choose to register for the vaccine, please keep in mind that it may take some time for the drop-down filters to load. I waited for 10 minutes to be able to select this municipality. I left it sitting while I did a few other tasks and when I returned to my computer the selections were available.

It’s best to plan that it will take about 20 minutes to complete the form for each individual, only due to the slow response time when attempting to enter the simple information into the drop-down menus. It’s one of those scenarios when patience prevails which is often the case when filling out certain online forms.

Mongoose lounging in the garden waiting for egg treats from Tom.

Today is cooler and cloudier than yesterday and a bit breezy. Sitting outdoors on the veranda feels especially comfortable. The visitors are stopping by on a consistent basis, especially large numbers of bushbucks. As it’s turned out, due to lack of recent rain, the vegetation for the wildlife is becoming sparse and they are hungry.

We currently have four 40 kg bags (88 pounds each) of pellets right now and don’t hesitate to offer pellets freely which we’ll happily do during the lean times in the upcoming winter. Before our eyes, the bush is rapidly losing leaves and already we can see well into the bush which was obstructed by lush vegetation only a few short weeks ago.

Mongoose stretching to reach the water in the birdbath. Tom refilled it after this mongoose struggled to reach the water.

We’ll be posting today’s story on Facebook today, especially on Marloth Park pages for those who may not be aware of the availability of registration for the vaccine. There are many residents over 60 residing in Marloth Park.

Have a pleasant day. Be well.

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

The setting sun between the palm trees in Kauai in 2015. For more photos from this post six years ago today, please click here. For the year-ago post, please click here.

Gentle musing on a quiet day…I’m often wrong…

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This wildebeest looked angry and ready to charge. But, generally, they aren’t aggressive to humans who keep their distance.

At times, my thoughts run wild as to the topic we’ll cover in our post on any particular day. Let’s face it, after over 3100 new posts. The subjects may be thin and repetitive. I don’t deny this. How we manage to hold the attention of our worldwide readers often baffles us, a topic Tom and I often discuss based on the sheer wonder of it all.

Although I don’t spend more than a few minutes each morning contemplating the day’s topic, at times, I’m left staring into space, wondering what’s on the agenda today. But, this dilemma is short-lived. I press my fingers onto the keyboard and let them, as “they” said, “do the talking.”

The wildebeest was curious about us stopping by.

No doubt, the redundancy is glaring at times. Even I recall a topic I may have written about 2000 posts ago. Somehow they are all decorated in my mind, popping into the forefront, the minutes I start to type. Oddly, today’s very topic didn’t precipitate or surface any recall of a former post. But I could be wrong. I’m often wrong.

Being wrong is the “nature of the beast.” It’s impossible to avoid errors, misuse of the English language, for which I often zealously assume I have a reasonable mastery. That may be wrong also.

Oh, my. Certainly, I’m known to use the same adjectives, pronouns, prepositions, and so forth, as described here ad nauseam. It would help if you got sick of me from time to time. Even the few “haters” who read our posts, one of which refers to us as a “train wreck,” continue to read for whatever perverse satisfaction she may glean from coming back over and over again.

A group of wildebeest is called a “confusion.” Go figure.

Tom, a railroad man for 42½ years, knows what a train wreck is, and it is not us. But, perception is everything. I ask the universe if you hate something and have the option to avoid it without consequence, then, by all means, avoid it without effect. Does she think that her hateful dissertations in an email or “comments” are going to change how we do this?

Yesterday, I received a thoughtful message from a reader reminding me that I misuse the word “alas.” She included the definitions from a reliable online dictionary source, and I thoroughly agreed with her. Her message was kind and considerate. I took no offense. As we advance, I will be more mindful of my use of the word “alas,” thanks to her well-written and well-intentioned interjection in a private email.

Wildebeest crossing the road.

Would I continually appreciate comments and observations regarding words I may use incorrectly or in a slang manner? Probably not. After all, this is not an essay contest. This is a log of our daily lives, both perfect and imperfect and mostly somewhere in between. I dare anyone to write daily, over 3000 times, over eight years and not make verbiage, punctuation, and spelling errors.

At one time in my life, I was a perfectionist. I gave that up when we began this journey, knowing full well that being perfect in this year’s long world journey would not serve me well, only resulting in frustration and stress. Now, I wear the same shirt for two days, misspell words in posts and texts, and haphazardly draw on a disappearing eyebrow, a byproduct of old age,

We spotted these giraffes at quite a distance.

Over the years, I’ve learned that no one will say they were glad to be a perfectionist on one’s deathbed. They will espouse love, life, adventures, and contentment, of which we’ll have plenty.

Be happy. Be well. Thanks for being here.

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

Beach view in Kapaa, Kauai six years ago today at this link. For the year-ago post, please click here.