I did it! I got Olivia going again*! Woah.... no wonder it snowed this week.
This afternoon will be spent practicing a bit of driving. She takes some getting used to with turning circle, gears and brakes. She's idling a little low, so I have to watch that she doesn't stall. There's also a very nasty habit of mine to get rid of - that of putting my car in neutral down hills! Not going to work in Olivia, AT ALL!!!
This evening I'm meeting up with a few Landy and Overland folk. And, unlike last week's appointment, I ain't gonna turn up in a Ford if I can help it. So the practice this afternoon will be "with intent" - I have quite a hill to descend and re-ascend to get there and back.
But she's going! She starts! She runs! First greasy-hands job done! And suddenly I have a lot more confidence to tackle the rest.
*With all thanks to my Chief Advisor, Thomas - who will probably one day get sick of me asking for his advice and tell me to go jump in the lake or fly a kite.... :-)
::update::
Unfortunately, as much confidence as I may be building to tackle things mechanical, gaining the confidence driving her is proving difficult. Her brakes work - but not too well, and I kinda live on the top of a mountain.
I don't think I'm going to get it right in time to brave taking her out in traffic, down the steep slope and to the gathering this evening. I'm still stalling her while I seek gears, struggling to get up even small inclines, and getting used to how heavy she is.
I hate to say it, but this Landy person is probably going to turn up in the Ford again tonight.... Perhaps by the next gathering I'll have got it right.
Digital Repairs
I've figured out a System. A pretty good one I think!
You see, I'm still getting to know the bits and pieces in the Landy (and will be for a while). Some parts need to be put in a certain way up or down or around. Unless you can do these things in your sleep, you're likely to get it wrong or have to constantly check instructions.
But I've come up with a Plan...
You see, I own a digital camera, and it comes with a screen. Best way to make sure you get everything in the same way it came out? Take photos! Keep the camera handy, zoom in on the pics if necessary, and put it back the same way it came out.
Nice, hey? :)
You see, I'm still getting to know the bits and pieces in the Landy (and will be for a while). Some parts need to be put in a certain way up or down or around. Unless you can do these things in your sleep, you're likely to get it wrong or have to constantly check instructions.
But I've come up with a Plan...
You see, I own a digital camera, and it comes with a screen. Best way to make sure you get everything in the same way it came out? Take photos! Keep the camera handy, zoom in on the pics if necessary, and put it back the same way it came out.
Nice, hey? :)
Dusting
I decided to take a bit of a computer break today. After a quick email to the essential folk, I logged off, shut down... and settled in with a book to take full advantage of the morning's peace and quiet. Kid in school, neighbours gone (though one had his friend drop by shortly after 5 this morning, hooting to get his attention and pick him up...!). Just the sound of regular downpours of rain and hail (Oi! there's ice in my rain!), dogs snoring and birds.
In that brief period of stillness I finished reading "The Teenage Liberation Handbook". Next up is "Dark Star Safari", on loan from a friend.
But at around 11, my peace and quiet was shattered. A two-man work crew started to install trunking for internet access cables all along the back of our flats - including drill-related sound effects. Ah well... life never quite works out as you plan it, hey.
I took the opportunity to wash dishes, and then did some dusting. Unfortunately it wasn't of the "shelves and surfaces" kind (more's the pity - they could use it!). Instead, I dusted off a skill and some dreams.
I opened up the piano and played for an hour. Seems I haven't lost my touch, but it's tiring if one's out of practice. That skill didn't need much dusting.
Then I got to dusting off dreams.
A conversation yesterday reminded me of the dream I had for many years of getting a qualification in holistic healing. When I was studying after school, two lecturers and myself considered starting a research facility for indigenous plants in the Karoo region. The microbiologist wanted to grow them, the biochemist wanted to analyze them, and I was interested in finding their healing properties. Unfortunately that one petered out - but I still had an urge to study things natural. I've done a brief massage and hydrotherapy course, but I want to get to deeper areas of knowledge, become well-versed enough to help others heal through the most natural ways possible. I looked at Naturopathy and Homeopathy at one stage, and courses in things such as light therapy, accupressure, herbs. Because we know so little about how the world around us works, I found myself fascinated by the use of vibrations, magnets, colours and touch in healing. I still am. But the expense and difficulty of studying while trying to work and raise a kid has kept me from doing it. Or so it seems - but I've realized that if I want something badly enough, I can make it happen. I think I'd enjoy helping others to health. (Though it's "doctor heal thyself" first... I'm nowhere near as healthy as I should be)
I took out my dream of organic farming to dust it off too. I realized that I may never be able to plonk down cash on a farm, then simply go live without debt to grow a place up. Instead, I realized that I could almost-farm. I've got a load of avo pips lying around that I am sprouting to plant - but a phrase in the book I was reading made me realize that I could be growing many other things too (this is what happens when Spring approaches, my green fingers start to itch). I've always used the excuse of no space, growing enough for me but not enough to supply a market regularly. I've also bemoaned those with large yards who don't use them - but... what if I were to offer to plant organic gardens for others? What if I took my green fingers, my love of getting hands into dirt, my excess seedlings and sprouting things, and planted stuff in other people's soil? Again, this is a dream that must start at home, right here in my own veg patch.
There's that dusty building dream. I've been interested in sustainable architecture, green homes, craftsmanship for years. I've often thought of designing and building eco-friendly homes to slowly replace the squatter camps and informal settlements of the world. I've been gathering knowledge on these dusty shelves of my brain for years. I actually have sufficient knowledge and skills to create insulated wooden prefab-type or more permanent fire-proof shelters - complete with wind/solar power and many other very eco-happy features! (If I could just get it past the Reconstruction & Development arm of the government, who only seems to build houses to gain political influence...)
Then there's the food one, also gathering dust. From student days I've wanted to develop a culturally-relevant whole-food meal option that is vacuum-sealed in a biodegradeable package, and which can be dropped from an airplane into needy areas. Culturally-relevant meaning you don't drop European food to a North African tribe, but take into account their unique tastes and diet. Whole-food being more than just the usual bags of GM maize, but rather a complete nutrition package - not even needing "just add water", as much food help goes to areas that simply don't have water to add! After drop-off, you don't want the area littered with foil packaging - hence biodegradeable. At the same time it needs to be strong enough to withstand falling from a great height.
Along the food lines I've also wanted to work on a kid's frozen meal - the kind kids will actually eat. Fun and nutritious food, that looks cool and tastes awesome. Conveniently ready to pop in the microwave or oven, and full of the right stuff for growing bodies. There are similar products in other countries - but I haven't seen many options here. I suspect moms would go mad for it! :) There's not much stopping me from actually doing either of these. Most great products begin in a small kitchen.
So I've been dusting off old dreams. (There are other dreams that I hold every day, that don't need dusting off, ones you hear about regularly.) The nice thing about a holiday is that one gets to finish a thought, to explore angles and options, to weigh up pros and cons undisturbed and start to realize some of those old, dusty dreams are perhaps not so far gone after all....
Now all I gotta do is dust those shelves. Before we start losing possessions in them.
In that brief period of stillness I finished reading "The Teenage Liberation Handbook". Next up is "Dark Star Safari", on loan from a friend.
But at around 11, my peace and quiet was shattered. A two-man work crew started to install trunking for internet access cables all along the back of our flats - including drill-related sound effects. Ah well... life never quite works out as you plan it, hey.
I took the opportunity to wash dishes, and then did some dusting. Unfortunately it wasn't of the "shelves and surfaces" kind (more's the pity - they could use it!). Instead, I dusted off a skill and some dreams.
I opened up the piano and played for an hour. Seems I haven't lost my touch, but it's tiring if one's out of practice. That skill didn't need much dusting.
Then I got to dusting off dreams.
A conversation yesterday reminded me of the dream I had for many years of getting a qualification in holistic healing. When I was studying after school, two lecturers and myself considered starting a research facility for indigenous plants in the Karoo region. The microbiologist wanted to grow them, the biochemist wanted to analyze them, and I was interested in finding their healing properties. Unfortunately that one petered out - but I still had an urge to study things natural. I've done a brief massage and hydrotherapy course, but I want to get to deeper areas of knowledge, become well-versed enough to help others heal through the most natural ways possible. I looked at Naturopathy and Homeopathy at one stage, and courses in things such as light therapy, accupressure, herbs. Because we know so little about how the world around us works, I found myself fascinated by the use of vibrations, magnets, colours and touch in healing. I still am. But the expense and difficulty of studying while trying to work and raise a kid has kept me from doing it. Or so it seems - but I've realized that if I want something badly enough, I can make it happen. I think I'd enjoy helping others to health. (Though it's "doctor heal thyself" first... I'm nowhere near as healthy as I should be)
I took out my dream of organic farming to dust it off too. I realized that I may never be able to plonk down cash on a farm, then simply go live without debt to grow a place up. Instead, I realized that I could almost-farm. I've got a load of avo pips lying around that I am sprouting to plant - but a phrase in the book I was reading made me realize that I could be growing many other things too (this is what happens when Spring approaches, my green fingers start to itch). I've always used the excuse of no space, growing enough for me but not enough to supply a market regularly. I've also bemoaned those with large yards who don't use them - but... what if I were to offer to plant organic gardens for others? What if I took my green fingers, my love of getting hands into dirt, my excess seedlings and sprouting things, and planted stuff in other people's soil? Again, this is a dream that must start at home, right here in my own veg patch.
There's that dusty building dream. I've been interested in sustainable architecture, green homes, craftsmanship for years. I've often thought of designing and building eco-friendly homes to slowly replace the squatter camps and informal settlements of the world. I've been gathering knowledge on these dusty shelves of my brain for years. I actually have sufficient knowledge and skills to create insulated wooden prefab-type or more permanent fire-proof shelters - complete with wind/solar power and many other very eco-happy features! (If I could just get it past the Reconstruction & Development arm of the government, who only seems to build houses to gain political influence...)
Then there's the food one, also gathering dust. From student days I've wanted to develop a culturally-relevant whole-food meal option that is vacuum-sealed in a biodegradeable package, and which can be dropped from an airplane into needy areas. Culturally-relevant meaning you don't drop European food to a North African tribe, but take into account their unique tastes and diet. Whole-food being more than just the usual bags of GM maize, but rather a complete nutrition package - not even needing "just add water", as much food help goes to areas that simply don't have water to add! After drop-off, you don't want the area littered with foil packaging - hence biodegradeable. At the same time it needs to be strong enough to withstand falling from a great height.
Along the food lines I've also wanted to work on a kid's frozen meal - the kind kids will actually eat. Fun and nutritious food, that looks cool and tastes awesome. Conveniently ready to pop in the microwave or oven, and full of the right stuff for growing bodies. There are similar products in other countries - but I haven't seen many options here. I suspect moms would go mad for it! :) There's not much stopping me from actually doing either of these. Most great products begin in a small kitchen.
So I've been dusting off old dreams. (There are other dreams that I hold every day, that don't need dusting off, ones you hear about regularly.) The nice thing about a holiday is that one gets to finish a thought, to explore angles and options, to weigh up pros and cons undisturbed and start to realize some of those old, dusty dreams are perhaps not so far gone after all....
Now all I gotta do is dust those shelves. Before we start losing possessions in them.
Pictures! We have Pictures!
This is Olivia as I first saw her (apologies for large file size - don't have my image editor handy):
And now she's home!
And now she's home!
Excellence/Failure
I've been plagued by a sense of failure lately - one of those things that sometimes contributes to the "blue" that strikes when I don't need it. You see, I know pieces about many things - but I've never excelled in any one of them.
I'm a qualified Food Technologist, but just as I was getting into my stride, had built up a cheese factory from the ground and was churning out a decent product, the entire thing was canned (scuse the food-related pun!) by my employers as a cost-cutting measure. I couldn't find other employment in that area, because it's all shift work and I had a baby to care for. So I changed course.
I was a secretary for years - but never the best one. In truth I hated having to do someone else's work. The typing, the taking of calls, the "please can I send someone through", never allowed to sign my own name to my hard work, but rather having to "pp" it in the boss's name. I got a Personal Assistant diploma - and it was too late. By then I had changed course again.
I've done web design - but merely adequate (it works, loads, looks OK), never spectacular or excellent. I haven't had the time to get the knowledge I'd like to have, and tend to get frustrated when it bombards me too fast to go in, or when I'm interrupted to do other things.
I've got a sideline business in food - but am not pouring my heart into making it awe-inspiring as a potential fulltime job.
I'm a parent (which has to count for something - I've been doing it since I was 21!). Yet many think I'm not doing it right. I often get criticism about how I'm doing it. Perhaps I'm just doing a half-arsed job? My son's not top of his class, sportsman of the year, Mr Popular. Maybe it's my fault.
I haven't excelled in relationships - rather shielding my heart from hurt than giving myself freely. So sometimes I feel alone, but I'm too proud to admit it to anyone. I often assume I'm not worth their time or effort, and don't want to bother anyone.
I play the piano pretty well - by ear. Don't ask me to read music, and don't ask me to play something I've never heard. Don't ask me to follow the way it should be either - my fingers do their own thing by instinct, and it usually works out. But I cannot play with excellence. I don't sit and practice for hours - in fact, it's been months since I've played.
We applied to migrate to Australia nearly 3 years ago. My lack of excellence in any one field (and random experience in many different fields) counted against us - so no visa.
When I run into Excellent people - those who are top of their game, the best they can be, fulfilling all their potential or even just doing a damn fine job of whatever they're up to - well, that's when I feel like a total failure.
Yes, I know it's good to not be so narrow-mindedly focused on one thing that you can't see the big picture. I'm glad I can look at life with broad strokes. But at the same time I find myself wishing there was one thing I was really good at. Something I could do better than anyone else, that I could take pride in and know I've reached the top.
Instead I too often feel like a failure. Mediocre, shallow, one of the herd.
*******************
Look - I'll be OK. It's just that I've hit a bit of a speedbump, a fork in the road. I'm re-evaluating everything I know, every plan I have, who I am, and trying to figure out where to from here. Along with that comes this backward looking, this comparing to others. I just have to learn to let it teach me and help me decide which way is forward. Mid-life crisis? Only if I'm going to live until 70... :)
I'm a qualified Food Technologist, but just as I was getting into my stride, had built up a cheese factory from the ground and was churning out a decent product, the entire thing was canned (scuse the food-related pun!) by my employers as a cost-cutting measure. I couldn't find other employment in that area, because it's all shift work and I had a baby to care for. So I changed course.
I was a secretary for years - but never the best one. In truth I hated having to do someone else's work. The typing, the taking of calls, the "please can I send someone through", never allowed to sign my own name to my hard work, but rather having to "pp" it in the boss's name. I got a Personal Assistant diploma - and it was too late. By then I had changed course again.
I've done web design - but merely adequate (it works, loads, looks OK), never spectacular or excellent. I haven't had the time to get the knowledge I'd like to have, and tend to get frustrated when it bombards me too fast to go in, or when I'm interrupted to do other things.
I've got a sideline business in food - but am not pouring my heart into making it awe-inspiring as a potential fulltime job.
I'm a parent (which has to count for something - I've been doing it since I was 21!). Yet many think I'm not doing it right. I often get criticism about how I'm doing it. Perhaps I'm just doing a half-arsed job? My son's not top of his class, sportsman of the year, Mr Popular. Maybe it's my fault.
I haven't excelled in relationships - rather shielding my heart from hurt than giving myself freely. So sometimes I feel alone, but I'm too proud to admit it to anyone. I often assume I'm not worth their time or effort, and don't want to bother anyone.
I play the piano pretty well - by ear. Don't ask me to read music, and don't ask me to play something I've never heard. Don't ask me to follow the way it should be either - my fingers do their own thing by instinct, and it usually works out. But I cannot play with excellence. I don't sit and practice for hours - in fact, it's been months since I've played.
We applied to migrate to Australia nearly 3 years ago. My lack of excellence in any one field (and random experience in many different fields) counted against us - so no visa.
When I run into Excellent people - those who are top of their game, the best they can be, fulfilling all their potential or even just doing a damn fine job of whatever they're up to - well, that's when I feel like a total failure.
Yes, I know it's good to not be so narrow-mindedly focused on one thing that you can't see the big picture. I'm glad I can look at life with broad strokes. But at the same time I find myself wishing there was one thing I was really good at. Something I could do better than anyone else, that I could take pride in and know I've reached the top.
Instead I too often feel like a failure. Mediocre, shallow, one of the herd.
*******************
Look - I'll be OK. It's just that I've hit a bit of a speedbump, a fork in the road. I'm re-evaluating everything I know, every plan I have, who I am, and trying to figure out where to from here. Along with that comes this backward looking, this comparing to others. I just have to learn to let it teach me and help me decide which way is forward. Mid-life crisis? Only if I'm going to live until 70... :)
Battery-wrangling
Take one solid, big vehicle - add one battery that needs to get a recharge, and waddaya get? A couple of bruises, one discarded watch and a munched finger!
But we're getting there.
This morning I hit the shops for a new inline fuel filter, drawing looks of amazement as I produced the old one for a size-match. It's so full of dust/mud that there's barely room for petrol left! But the new one is now installed, and seems to be working well. Got a couple of spares too - they're only 10 bucks each, and may come in handy if there's still more dust in the current tank of fuel.
Then it was on to the flat battery. I parked the Ford nose-to-nose and did the jumper cables thing, but it's going to take more doing than that. So out it had to come to get to a charger. In the process I got to admire a pretty effective way of keeping the battery stable, and peer into the air pipe (nice and clean). Topped up the battery water too, so we're good to go.
When I got into the bath last night I found a HUGE dark blue/purple/red bruise on my upper thigh. No clue how it got there. I suspect it may be joined by others by tonight. But hey, I'm having fun! :)
::update::
Battery is Kaput! So a new one (right size of course) is on order and will be stuck in tomorrow. Then we'll fire 'er up and see what happens!
But we're getting there.
This morning I hit the shops for a new inline fuel filter, drawing looks of amazement as I produced the old one for a size-match. It's so full of dust/mud that there's barely room for petrol left! But the new one is now installed, and seems to be working well. Got a couple of spares too - they're only 10 bucks each, and may come in handy if there's still more dust in the current tank of fuel.
Then it was on to the flat battery. I parked the Ford nose-to-nose and did the jumper cables thing, but it's going to take more doing than that. So out it had to come to get to a charger. In the process I got to admire a pretty effective way of keeping the battery stable, and peer into the air pipe (nice and clean). Topped up the battery water too, so we're good to go.
When I got into the bath last night I found a HUGE dark blue/purple/red bruise on my upper thigh. No clue how it got there. I suspect it may be joined by others by tonight. But hey, I'm having fun! :)
::update::
Battery is Kaput! So a new one (right size of course) is on order and will be stuck in tomorrow. Then we'll fire 'er up and see what happens!
Another late night...
Dammit - what's wrong with me? Come 9:30 and I start to hit a downward spiral into blue again. Two nights in a row! This is so not on.
Hormones? Change in the air? Both?
I know what the trigger is. I know what's wrong. I also know there's nothing I can do about it, so I should just move on, get it out of my head, get over it and past it. So why can't I? Why doesn't my ever-helpful logical thinking convince the rest of my brain that I'm being stupid, and let it go?
I guess I'm just going to have to get earlier nights. When 9:30 comes, I'll be sleeping. No blue.
Starting tomorrow.
Hormones? Change in the air? Both?
I know what the trigger is. I know what's wrong. I also know there's nothing I can do about it, so I should just move on, get it out of my head, get over it and past it. So why can't I? Why doesn't my ever-helpful logical thinking convince the rest of my brain that I'm being stupid, and let it go?
I guess I'm just going to have to get earlier nights. When 9:30 comes, I'll be sleeping. No blue.
Starting tomorrow.
The Birds & The Bees
No, not those ones! Though I do have thoughts on those too.... But that's not what this post is about.
I realized today just how lucky I am to live where I do. See this view? Click it to make it bigger, if you must:
That red roof in the lower middle-right-hand side is where I live. And that is basically my view!
This afternoon, being a wonderfully sunny day (again!), I took my camera, bird book and pencil and walked up among the proteas in the foreground of this pic to take advantage of the last bit of sunshine. I sat down on a rotting log near a patch of weeds alive with birds, and became still. Within minutes I was surrounded by birds going about their business, small creatures rustling in the grass. All this just a 5 minute walk from my front door.
I realized again that if you are not a threat to nature, nature is not afraid of you. Birds stopped by an arm's length away. That rustling in the grass turned out to be a lizard who climbed my log and looked at me. I came close to ending up in the middle of an aerial mating display as two Karoo Larks dived and clapped their wings almost on my kneecaps.
I'm a child of nature. My mom raised us to notice our surroundings, to respect them and to learn from them. I've grown into environmental awareness through research and interest over recent years. To simply be still and watch the natural world at work is amazing.
Yup, I love where I live. Birds, bees, mice, nature, and the rhythm of the planet are there for the looking.
Pity there are some who never lift their eyes to see...
I realized today just how lucky I am to live where I do. See this view? Click it to make it bigger, if you must:
That red roof in the lower middle-right-hand side is where I live. And that is basically my view!
This afternoon, being a wonderfully sunny day (again!), I took my camera, bird book and pencil and walked up among the proteas in the foreground of this pic to take advantage of the last bit of sunshine. I sat down on a rotting log near a patch of weeds alive with birds, and became still. Within minutes I was surrounded by birds going about their business, small creatures rustling in the grass. All this just a 5 minute walk from my front door.
I realized again that if you are not a threat to nature, nature is not afraid of you. Birds stopped by an arm's length away. That rustling in the grass turned out to be a lizard who climbed my log and looked at me. I came close to ending up in the middle of an aerial mating display as two Karoo Larks dived and clapped their wings almost on my kneecaps.
I'm a child of nature. My mom raised us to notice our surroundings, to respect them and to learn from them. I've grown into environmental awareness through research and interest over recent years. To simply be still and watch the natural world at work is amazing.
Yup, I love where I live. Birds, bees, mice, nature, and the rhythm of the planet are there for the looking.
Pity there are some who never lift their eyes to see...
Ingrained Grease
If you were to meet up with me last weekend, you would find me smelling of Woman. This weekend however I'm smelling of fuel, oil, dust and Landy.
We were in Cape Town with family the whole day yesterday, so today was the first chance I had to really go over my new ob/posession from one end to the other. She's parked in a place where I wouldn't see much at night, so daylight hours are all I have.
This morning I did just that. I looked in every nook and cranny, I peeked into ammo boxes and excellently made built-in storage. I tested locks and keys (boy, are there a LOT of locks! :) ). And got my hands around the fuel filter - hauling it out to see if that's where the fuel starvation problem is coming from. I found a filter literally filled with fine dusty fuel-mud! It did its job... but could only do so much. Tomorrow I find a replacement, and then see if that helps matters or if I need to look further for the problem. I hauled open the heavy bonnet (spare tyre still bolted on, so it takes some doing), checked the water (needed), oil (clean and fine) and brake fluid (perfect) - and to my surprise was able to identify just about everything else I saw in the engine bay! Not bad for a chick, hey... :)
But after this I've come to a couple of conclusions:
1. I will probably smell like fuel and oil for a long time to come.
2. My nails used to be gorgeous - they're unlikely to be for the forseeable future. Hands are still the same shape and size - but they're likely to sport a few regular cuts and nicks for a while.
3. I like my ingrained grease. As one of those horribly self-sufficient-and-loving-it types, it's good to know I can get to grips with something mechanical and come out on top. One does get dirty though.
4. I'm going to be spending a lot less time staring at computer screens. This is truly the beginning of a new direction in our lives. And it's about jolly time too. (But as my work involves a lot of computer screens, I'll be back to regular mindless blogging once the holiday ends)
5. Random bruises appear pretty regularly. Dunno from what. Stiff muscles I can trace though.
6. I will never again climb into a dusty Landy in a white shirt - not even to lock the back doors or bend over the front seat. There's a reason all those outdoor and overland types wear khaki... :)
7. Cool cars attract visitors. One young bloke has dropped by every day to peer in and at her, and offered help "if I ever need anyone to run to town for stuff, or whatever". I've heard of chick-magnets - is this one a bloke-magnet?
With all my fiddling in the beast, I found "historical dust" all over. The kind that comes from going places, seeing things, having adventures. I almost don't want to clean it out. I'll probably leave it for a bit longer and ponder why - unless something I need to work on is caked therein. (If you're into analyzing brains, give that one a shot!)
Day one behind me. Tomorrow I dig in a bit further to the experience of Being a (Series III) Landy Person, and get Oliva back on the road (we hope).
We were in Cape Town with family the whole day yesterday, so today was the first chance I had to really go over my new ob/posession from one end to the other. She's parked in a place where I wouldn't see much at night, so daylight hours are all I have.
This morning I did just that. I looked in every nook and cranny, I peeked into ammo boxes and excellently made built-in storage. I tested locks and keys (boy, are there a LOT of locks! :) ). And got my hands around the fuel filter - hauling it out to see if that's where the fuel starvation problem is coming from. I found a filter literally filled with fine dusty fuel-mud! It did its job... but could only do so much. Tomorrow I find a replacement, and then see if that helps matters or if I need to look further for the problem. I hauled open the heavy bonnet (spare tyre still bolted on, so it takes some doing), checked the water (needed), oil (clean and fine) and brake fluid (perfect) - and to my surprise was able to identify just about everything else I saw in the engine bay! Not bad for a chick, hey... :)
But after this I've come to a couple of conclusions:
1. I will probably smell like fuel and oil for a long time to come.
2. My nails used to be gorgeous - they're unlikely to be for the forseeable future. Hands are still the same shape and size - but they're likely to sport a few regular cuts and nicks for a while.
3. I like my ingrained grease. As one of those horribly self-sufficient-and-loving-it types, it's good to know I can get to grips with something mechanical and come out on top. One does get dirty though.
4. I'm going to be spending a lot less time staring at computer screens. This is truly the beginning of a new direction in our lives. And it's about jolly time too. (But as my work involves a lot of computer screens, I'll be back to regular mindless blogging once the holiday ends)
5. Random bruises appear pretty regularly. Dunno from what. Stiff muscles I can trace though.
6. I will never again climb into a dusty Landy in a white shirt - not even to lock the back doors or bend over the front seat. There's a reason all those outdoor and overland types wear khaki... :)
7. Cool cars attract visitors. One young bloke has dropped by every day to peer in and at her, and offered help "if I ever need anyone to run to town for stuff, or whatever". I've heard of chick-magnets - is this one a bloke-magnet?
With all my fiddling in the beast, I found "historical dust" all over. The kind that comes from going places, seeing things, having adventures. I almost don't want to clean it out. I'll probably leave it for a bit longer and ponder why - unless something I need to work on is caked therein. (If you're into analyzing brains, give that one a shot!)
Day one behind me. Tomorrow I dig in a bit further to the experience of Being a (Series III) Landy Person, and get Oliva back on the road (we hope).
Cure for the Blues
Maybe it's the long day in the (finally!) hot sun while picnicing at Rhodes Memorial, or it might be the lateness of the hour (nearing midnight), or any number of a whole pile of factors. Been feeling blue tonight, though I have much to be happy about. That which goes up, must come down perhaps?
And all I can say is - sometimes it really helps to rant, and rant well. Fortunately for you, I have other places to rant! :) You're spared all the gory details. Dirty language. Muddled thoughts.
Count your blessings... :)
And all I can say is - sometimes it really helps to rant, and rant well. Fortunately for you, I have other places to rant! :) You're spared all the gory details. Dirty language. Muddled thoughts.
Count your blessings... :)
Today's the day!
Olivia has arrived in Cape Town! I'm about to leave to get her. Photos, gushing and joyous dancing to follow....
::update::
Nope no photos yet (forgot the camer cable at work...again). But I can tell you a rather complicated tale of bringing a well-aged lady home!
For starters, she was the only older vehicle in the entire transport place - standing to one side amidst ordered ranks of jealous little Renaults, their paint yet untouched. And, typical Landy, she had marked her territory with a small spot of oil.... :)
We got the paperwork done, then tried to start her. I'd had to phone ahead to tell them about a special arrangment with keys and batteries - all to no avail though, as the batteries (both of them) seemed dead as the proverbial doorknob. No worries, a jumpstart would do. And off we went - until the first traffic light. Where she stalled... Fortunately the guy who took me to get her is also a good mechanic type guy, and was following me home. He got in front of me - we hauled out her conveniently-situated gigantic tow rope, and got her off to a side road to try a restart. He suggested driving her out of the congested traffic, I happily said yes. As I followed in his truck, I couldn't help noting the admiring glances in her direction by other drivers! Oh yes, this is one car you DON'T miss seeing. She stands out a mile - nothing like her on the roads.
So, out of traffic and on the open road, it was my turn. Off we went - screaming along at between 60 and 80 km an hour (no telling the exact speed, as the needle jumps around continuously between the two).
And then she died. Just DIED. No charge on the battery to restart her, and no fuel getting through to make her go. Eish!
So out with the tow-rope again, and a long haul toward home down back ways.
We got up most of the mountain where I live before stopping just a little way from home. My friend's truck would probably not have the traction to go further with such a gigantically heavy load behind it. At which time the kid was out of school for the week, so I went to find him.
Kid and I took the other car (not selling it, by the way - I need one to fetch parts for another) and hit the mall for lunch, armed with a jerrycan for petrol. At the pumps I filled up my car and the jerrycan, and it hit home just how pricey this whole exercise could get - no, is GOING to get. One tank of fuel, 20 litres in a can - R410. Eish again!
Well, back home I decided to hold off on the chuck-in-fuel thing for a bit. Got another friend with his considerably newer Landy to tow me the rest of the way home, then sat down and emailed some Questions through to previous owner. Who got back to me on Skype, and gave me LOTS of info.
Now I know how her tanks are set up, what many unlabelled levers and buttons do, and where to look for issues. It's too dark to seek out the problems now - but will definitely be doing so later this weekend!
In the meantime I've finally gotten to check her out inside and out - and realized just how awesome this beast is. She's something really special - lovingly cared for and built up, with experience under her belt and horizons in her headlights. She totally rocks!
So - Landy is here! Transfer papers still awaited... But I'm a Landy Driver now! YEAH!
My teeth are dry from grinning every time I look out the window and see her standing there.
::update::
Nope no photos yet (forgot the camer cable at work...again). But I can tell you a rather complicated tale of bringing a well-aged lady home!
For starters, she was the only older vehicle in the entire transport place - standing to one side amidst ordered ranks of jealous little Renaults, their paint yet untouched. And, typical Landy, she had marked her territory with a small spot of oil.... :)
We got the paperwork done, then tried to start her. I'd had to phone ahead to tell them about a special arrangment with keys and batteries - all to no avail though, as the batteries (both of them) seemed dead as the proverbial doorknob. No worries, a jumpstart would do. And off we went - until the first traffic light. Where she stalled... Fortunately the guy who took me to get her is also a good mechanic type guy, and was following me home. He got in front of me - we hauled out her conveniently-situated gigantic tow rope, and got her off to a side road to try a restart. He suggested driving her out of the congested traffic, I happily said yes. As I followed in his truck, I couldn't help noting the admiring glances in her direction by other drivers! Oh yes, this is one car you DON'T miss seeing. She stands out a mile - nothing like her on the roads.
So, out of traffic and on the open road, it was my turn. Off we went - screaming along at between 60 and 80 km an hour (no telling the exact speed, as the needle jumps around continuously between the two).
And then she died. Just DIED. No charge on the battery to restart her, and no fuel getting through to make her go. Eish!
So out with the tow-rope again, and a long haul toward home down back ways.
We got up most of the mountain where I live before stopping just a little way from home. My friend's truck would probably not have the traction to go further with such a gigantically heavy load behind it. At which time the kid was out of school for the week, so I went to find him.
Kid and I took the other car (not selling it, by the way - I need one to fetch parts for another) and hit the mall for lunch, armed with a jerrycan for petrol. At the pumps I filled up my car and the jerrycan, and it hit home just how pricey this whole exercise could get - no, is GOING to get. One tank of fuel, 20 litres in a can - R410. Eish again!
Well, back home I decided to hold off on the chuck-in-fuel thing for a bit. Got another friend with his considerably newer Landy to tow me the rest of the way home, then sat down and emailed some Questions through to previous owner. Who got back to me on Skype, and gave me LOTS of info.
Now I know how her tanks are set up, what many unlabelled levers and buttons do, and where to look for issues. It's too dark to seek out the problems now - but will definitely be doing so later this weekend!
In the meantime I've finally gotten to check her out inside and out - and realized just how awesome this beast is. She's something really special - lovingly cared for and built up, with experience under her belt and horizons in her headlights. She totally rocks!
So - Landy is here! Transfer papers still awaited... But I'm a Landy Driver now! YEAH!
My teeth are dry from grinning every time I look out the window and see her standing there.
Landy People
Last night we were honoured to be invited to a meal with Wouter & Tanya and Pim & Thandie. They both turned up in orange-yellow vehicles, both the type that would make you do a double-take - but Pim & Thandie's one even more so!
Looking at it, you'd think "not a Land Rover" - unless you knew Landies, and knew that theirs was a 101 Forward Control, and that there were only 500 ever made. (And unless you can't read the giant Land Rover thing on the side...) Then you'd not only do a double-take at this massive beast hurtling down the road toward you, but you'd make sure you get some serious photography in! :) Which I did -but not having my camera cable here, uploads will have to wait see below.
Wouter's is a Series II. Lovingly maintained and with brakes that actually work - contrary to popular belief about Series vehicles. I may need to bend his ear when Olivia arrives, considering I kinda live on a mountain and brakes would be useful to have.
Vehicles aside, it was great to meet these guys and hear a bit of Landy talk. They have stories to tell of adventures far and near, of bush maintenance, of the things they drive and love. Although I'm still an almost-Landy owner (she arrives either today or tomorrow!), I can see I'm going to enjoy hanging around folk like this. I'm an emerging enthusiast (trying to be nice to Toyota drivers), learning as I go and with a long steep slope of knowledge ahead left to climb! But I'm an enthusiast nonetheless.
It was a bit of a drive to get there in the Ford - dinner was in Noordhoek, an hour from where I live. So we only got to spend 2 hours there (the same amount of time as we needed to travel in a horribly strong wind along a rather "interesting" coastal road - especially at night). Getting there was straightforward. Getting back in the dark - well, I made one wrong turn. We ended up in a very deserted area near the squatter camp... but got out OK, and quickly.
Late night - bit of a rush this morning to get off to school again with the kid protesting greatly that school sucks. It was worth the trip though. We can make up the sleep time tonight.
So here's to Landy People. Nutcases, all of them. Long may they travel.
Looking at it, you'd think "not a Land Rover" - unless you knew Landies, and knew that theirs was a 101 Forward Control, and that there were only 500 ever made. (And unless you can't read the giant Land Rover thing on the side...) Then you'd not only do a double-take at this massive beast hurtling down the road toward you, but you'd make sure you get some serious photography in! :) Which I did -
Wouter's is a Series II. Lovingly maintained and with brakes that actually work - contrary to popular belief about Series vehicles. I may need to bend his ear when Olivia arrives, considering I kinda live on a mountain and brakes would be useful to have.
Vehicles aside, it was great to meet these guys and hear a bit of Landy talk. They have stories to tell of adventures far and near, of bush maintenance, of the things they drive and love. Although I'm still an almost-Landy owner (she arrives either today or tomorrow!), I can see I'm going to enjoy hanging around folk like this. I'm an emerging enthusiast (trying to be nice to Toyota drivers), learning as I go and with a long steep slope of knowledge ahead left to climb! But I'm an enthusiast nonetheless.
It was a bit of a drive to get there in the Ford - dinner was in Noordhoek, an hour from where I live. So we only got to spend 2 hours there (the same amount of time as we needed to travel in a horribly strong wind along a rather "interesting" coastal road - especially at night). Getting there was straightforward. Getting back in the dark - well, I made one wrong turn. We ended up in a very deserted area near the squatter camp... but got out OK, and quickly.
Late night - bit of a rush this morning to get off to school again with the kid protesting greatly that school sucks. It was worth the trip though. We can make up the sleep time tonight.
So here's to Landy People. Nutcases, all of them. Long may they travel.
Out on the Town
It was quite a change for a Monday morning - waking up after the kids were all in their schoolrooms, taking time to eat and bath and get dressed in non-uniform clothing. But by 9 we were off to Cape Town and the National Museum!
Instead of a mere 40 minutes of run-around time, we walked through at our own pace - and took 3 1/2 hours to see everything. It's quite a convoluted building, with all sorts of nooks and crannies crammed with dusty stuffed beasts, exhibits of everything you can imagine, things in jars, history of ancient local groups. We really enjoyed it.
But by the end of it, we were prowling for lunch. We walked right through the Company Gardens - a green space in the city centre, filled with things that were planted 100 years ago. It's a popular place to hang out - but with so many paths and shrubs and trees you hardly notice the hundreds of people there. We walked the entire length of the gardens, and found the National Library (who knew there was one!) right opposite the Parliament buildings. The kid was wide-eyed at a real stone church (St George's Cathedral), but then our sore feet and growling tummies turned us around again to find food. We had lunch at the Gardens Restaurant, out under the trees and warm sun, surrounded by birds and squirrels. At the table next to us, Portuguese was being spoken. The next table, Spanish. And German a little further on. A variety of colours, shapes and styles of people were relaxing over lunch - from dredlocked students to lawyers clutching their robes. A true community melting-pot in the middle of the city.
We were hoping to hit the Art Gallery next - but contrary to their online info they are closed to the public on Mondays. However, they're free on Saturdays - so we may make the effort one weekend. We also picked up info on the West Coast Fossil Park, and a cultural map of Cape Town that lists places we never suspected were hiding in back roads and suburbs.
Cutting out the art enabled us to leave well before rush-hour traffic built up. The kid had a ball skipping school, and it was great to hang out together and explore.
He's mentioned he wants to do high-school - at least one year to "just see what it's like" - but perhaps has started to realize how fun learning can be outside of classrooms and uniforms and keep-in-line rules. Would he have learnt anything if he'd been in school? Maybe - though much of what they do is repetitive busywork. Did he learn things yesterday? Indeed he did!
The "country cousins" went to town. And came back with a lot of good things in their heads.
Instead of a mere 40 minutes of run-around time, we walked through at our own pace - and took 3 1/2 hours to see everything. It's quite a convoluted building, with all sorts of nooks and crannies crammed with dusty stuffed beasts, exhibits of everything you can imagine, things in jars, history of ancient local groups. We really enjoyed it.
But by the end of it, we were prowling for lunch. We walked right through the Company Gardens - a green space in the city centre, filled with things that were planted 100 years ago. It's a popular place to hang out - but with so many paths and shrubs and trees you hardly notice the hundreds of people there. We walked the entire length of the gardens, and found the National Library (who knew there was one!) right opposite the Parliament buildings. The kid was wide-eyed at a real stone church (St George's Cathedral), but then our sore feet and growling tummies turned us around again to find food. We had lunch at the Gardens Restaurant, out under the trees and warm sun, surrounded by birds and squirrels. At the table next to us, Portuguese was being spoken. The next table, Spanish. And German a little further on. A variety of colours, shapes and styles of people were relaxing over lunch - from dredlocked students to lawyers clutching their robes. A true community melting-pot in the middle of the city.
We were hoping to hit the Art Gallery next - but contrary to their online info they are closed to the public on Mondays. However, they're free on Saturdays - so we may make the effort one weekend. We also picked up info on the West Coast Fossil Park, and a cultural map of Cape Town that lists places we never suspected were hiding in back roads and suburbs.
Cutting out the art enabled us to leave well before rush-hour traffic built up. The kid had a ball skipping school, and it was great to hang out together and explore.
He's mentioned he wants to do high-school - at least one year to "just see what it's like" - but perhaps has started to realize how fun learning can be outside of classrooms and uniforms and keep-in-line rules. Would he have learnt anything if he'd been in school? Maybe - though much of what they do is repetitive busywork. Did he learn things yesterday? Indeed he did!
The "country cousins" went to town. And came back with a lot of good things in their heads.
Life in motion
It's Sunday morning, and I'm dancing with abandon. Dobie Grey's "Drift Away" pours forth from the computer speakers - I close my eyes and move. So what if a neighbour peeks through the window and sees me. So what if the kid thinks I'm mad.
There are some songs that need more than just listening ears.
And there are tugs at the heart that need more than daydreaming. My feet itch to dance on every continent, to pour out my soul and meet the answering whispers of the universe in an ancient marketplace, a silent desert, a night filled with the calls of wild things and a heavy moon.
What is life but a movement to our inner music? What is this world, but grace in motion?
And so I dance.
There are some songs that need more than just listening ears.
And there are tugs at the heart that need more than daydreaming. My feet itch to dance on every continent, to pour out my soul and meet the answering whispers of the universe in an ancient marketplace, a silent desert, a night filled with the calls of wild things and a heavy moon.
What is life but a movement to our inner music? What is this world, but grace in motion?
And so I dance.
Teen Liberation
With MUCH thanks to Rachelle (tried to leave a thank-you comment, couldn't, sorry!), I recently ordered "The Teenage Liberation Handbook", and am busy reading it right now.
It's all about "unschooling" - the practice of learning through living, instead of sitting in a classroom experiencing pseudo-life. And at just about every sentence I hear myself giving a hearty AMEN. There's so much in it that resonates with me, and with where my son is at. He hates having to do homework, plod through boring subjects, sit still and shut up, and toe the line indefinitely. I have watched his inner fire be slowly quenched over the years as school mentality gets a hold of him and dulls the enthusiasm in his eyes to find out about stuff. This book is one he's been looking forward to reading - huge volume of fine print that it is.
So I'm not even past the first 80 pages, but I've already realized a few home truths. I know that spark of learning has not completely died yet - and that if he chose the unschooled route, it would help him create a successful and amazing future. (I'm also rethinking work in terms of "unworking" - but that's a whole other post!)
Two weeks ago his grade went on an outing to Cape Town. On their list was Planetarium, Museum, Company Gardens. All dressed neatly, same uniforms, strictly-polished shoes, lunch in a bag, off they went.
Typically, they were herded here and there, shown programmes and told information - not allowed to run wild or get to enthusiastic. All in a line now...
In fact, the huge old Cape Town museum was allocated a mere 40 minutes of free time! They had to do it at a run, only glancing at the fascinating things on display, no time to experience or learn about anything it housed. The kid really wants to go back there with me and take some time to see it all.
Well, I've had a lightbulb moment. I'm going to check which day next week (so as not to disrupt his conform-or-die school schedule) is relatively free of tests, piles of work and other stuff - and for that day I'm taking him out of the classroom. The two of us are going to spend the entire day in Cape Town, not only at the museum, but also at the adjacent Art Gallery. Enough time to see everything, learn everything (as much as possible) and let it sink in. The kid is going to get his chance to learn on his own, to take his time and find things that fascinate him. He's going to get a taste of unschooling and real life learning - before he even starts reading the book.
Against the rules? Definitely! Not what is expected by his Victorian-era school? Of course! Effective learning? Like none you've ever seen in a classroom, or on an organized tour.
Wish us luck! :)
::update::
Just an example of the insane mindset that is regularly accepted as "education" but is thinly-disguised oppression (bear with me while I rant briefly :) ):
Earlier in the year a guy was brought in to help with sex-ed for the boys (while one of the female teachers took the girls aside). It was spread over 2 days, with the basics of sex on day 1. All the mysterious stuff was left for day 2. When day 2 rolled around, the boys were told they had been too noisy the previous day "so we're not going to tell you about oral sex"!!! That, of course, has left a lot of kids hanging - confused as to where it fits in and what it is. Now I'm more than happy to teach my son about all of that, but for goodness sake - that is simply ridiculous!
Trouble is, the more I think about it, the less a lot of generally-accepted school things seem to make sense. One "small" thing - my son's classroom is right by the front door. However, that door is reserved for parents and teachers only - the kids have to exit the building by walking all the way down the passage to the next door, then turning outside the building and passing the first door to leave the school grounds. Make sense? Nope. It's just an authoritative control thing - and I'm starting to think we can really do without.
It's all about "unschooling" - the practice of learning through living, instead of sitting in a classroom experiencing pseudo-life. And at just about every sentence I hear myself giving a hearty AMEN. There's so much in it that resonates with me, and with where my son is at. He hates having to do homework, plod through boring subjects, sit still and shut up, and toe the line indefinitely. I have watched his inner fire be slowly quenched over the years as school mentality gets a hold of him and dulls the enthusiasm in his eyes to find out about stuff. This book is one he's been looking forward to reading - huge volume of fine print that it is.
So I'm not even past the first 80 pages, but I've already realized a few home truths. I know that spark of learning has not completely died yet - and that if he chose the unschooled route, it would help him create a successful and amazing future. (I'm also rethinking work in terms of "unworking" - but that's a whole other post!)
Two weeks ago his grade went on an outing to Cape Town. On their list was Planetarium, Museum, Company Gardens. All dressed neatly, same uniforms, strictly-polished shoes, lunch in a bag, off they went.
Typically, they were herded here and there, shown programmes and told information - not allowed to run wild or get to enthusiastic. All in a line now...
In fact, the huge old Cape Town museum was allocated a mere 40 minutes of free time! They had to do it at a run, only glancing at the fascinating things on display, no time to experience or learn about anything it housed. The kid really wants to go back there with me and take some time to see it all.
Well, I've had a lightbulb moment. I'm going to check which day next week (so as not to disrupt his conform-or-die school schedule) is relatively free of tests, piles of work and other stuff - and for that day I'm taking him out of the classroom. The two of us are going to spend the entire day in Cape Town, not only at the museum, but also at the adjacent Art Gallery. Enough time to see everything, learn everything (as much as possible) and let it sink in. The kid is going to get his chance to learn on his own, to take his time and find things that fascinate him. He's going to get a taste of unschooling and real life learning - before he even starts reading the book.
Against the rules? Definitely! Not what is expected by his Victorian-era school? Of course! Effective learning? Like none you've ever seen in a classroom, or on an organized tour.
Wish us luck! :)
::update::
Just an example of the insane mindset that is regularly accepted as "education" but is thinly-disguised oppression (bear with me while I rant briefly :) ):
Earlier in the year a guy was brought in to help with sex-ed for the boys (while one of the female teachers took the girls aside). It was spread over 2 days, with the basics of sex on day 1. All the mysterious stuff was left for day 2. When day 2 rolled around, the boys were told they had been too noisy the previous day "so we're not going to tell you about oral sex"!!! That, of course, has left a lot of kids hanging - confused as to where it fits in and what it is. Now I'm more than happy to teach my son about all of that, but for goodness sake - that is simply ridiculous!
Trouble is, the more I think about it, the less a lot of generally-accepted school things seem to make sense. One "small" thing - my son's classroom is right by the front door. However, that door is reserved for parents and teachers only - the kids have to exit the building by walking all the way down the passage to the next door, then turning outside the building and passing the first door to leave the school grounds. Make sense? Nope. It's just an authoritative control thing - and I'm starting to think we can really do without.
Summer, where art thou???
OK, this is getting a bit much. Winter started real early this year - like April early, after a summer that never really got hot. Next month is officially Spring (and things are starting to bud etc.), but it remains very very chilly.
Now some have informed me that this is not cold. That where they are there's snow and ice and stuff. Granted, but I don't live where there's supposed to be snow and ice and stuff! This is Africa for goodness sake - land of heat and dust and bushveld (or at least it is about 1,000km north of here...)!
I grew up in warmer climes. Zimbabwe - heat, dust, bushveld (and thunderstorms). I'm not used to this constant toe-numbing, bone-shivering cold. OK, perhaps a weakly sunny 15C isn't THAT cold, but it's still too cold for me. Give me days where it hits 30C, where you can sit outdoors in minimal clothing and drink lemonade. Give me a tan (not out of a bottle) and freckles on my nose. Give me anything but months more of cold! Before I totally vegetate into a blob of shivering existance, living on chocolate and coffee and comfort foods.
Is summer really too much to ask for?
Now some have informed me that this is not cold. That where they are there's snow and ice and stuff. Granted, but I don't live where there's supposed to be snow and ice and stuff! This is Africa for goodness sake - land of heat and dust and bushveld (or at least it is about 1,000km north of here...)!
I grew up in warmer climes. Zimbabwe - heat, dust, bushveld (and thunderstorms). I'm not used to this constant toe-numbing, bone-shivering cold. OK, perhaps a weakly sunny 15C isn't THAT cold, but it's still too cold for me. Give me days where it hits 30C, where you can sit outdoors in minimal clothing and drink lemonade. Give me a tan (not out of a bottle) and freckles on my nose. Give me anything but months more of cold! Before I totally vegetate into a blob of shivering existance, living on chocolate and coffee and comfort foods.
Is summer really too much to ask for?
Progress!
OK, the Landy is paid for and have just arranged the transport here. Only one thing left - insurance! (Well, that and the transfer papers still on their way here)
Amazing how unfriendly insurance companies are to old cars, or rather cars with experience. There are limitations and clauses wherever you look. My regular insurer only does 3rd party, so I'm having to suddenly get to know a whole lot of companies I've never heard about in an attempt to get her covered properly.
In the meantime, she leaves Gauteng tomorrow and will take 7-10 days to get here. They offered to drop her door-to-door, but I've requested to drive her back from the depot myself. I suspect that when I do, my teeth are gonna dry out with all the smiling! :)
In the meantime though, I'll try get off the subject of Landies, and blog a more well-rounded existence. 7-10 days reprieve, so enjoy it! :)
Amazing how unfriendly insurance companies are to old cars, or rather cars with experience. There are limitations and clauses wherever you look. My regular insurer only does 3rd party, so I'm having to suddenly get to know a whole lot of companies I've never heard about in an attempt to get her covered properly.
In the meantime, she leaves Gauteng tomorrow and will take 7-10 days to get here. They offered to drop her door-to-door, but I've requested to drive her back from the depot myself. I suspect that when I do, my teeth are gonna dry out with all the smiling! :)
In the meantime though, I'll try get off the subject of Landies, and blog a more well-rounded existence. 7-10 days reprieve, so enjoy it! :)
Serenity
I have this huge to-do list for my holiday time. Important stuff, life-changing stuff, all that. And yet I've done very little of it. Yes - there are a few things I've gotten to (like the Landy), but the rest have completely gone into slide mode.
Yet I'm not at all bothered by it.
Take this morning, for example. After a rather inauspicious start, I could have dived right into the day and rushed through a hundred tasks this morning.
Instead I've taken time out while the rain falls (again) outside and the kid's in school, to simply sit in front of a heater in the quiet (with dog snoring next to me) and read. I haven't been as obsessively online as I normally am, nor have I kept checking emails and IM's and all that stuff either. I've set myself as "away" on our internal network, and let the screensaver run.
This is the essence of what I need my time off to be. An inner regrouping, a filling up of quiet in my soul so that the inevitable rush from September through to March next year will not drain me completely. A time to complete a thought, to imagine and dream, to hope and wonder. And yes, to drool over the occasional deserving male specimen. (Which reminds me, I had the sudden horrible realization just as I was dropping off last night that I actually winked at some bloke in the mall on Friday! Why, I have no clue... eish! What's become of me! :) )
So what if many of my to-do list items go untouched. I've decided to play it by ear this time around, to do what my gut tells me needs doing on any given day, and to just Be for a while.
This morning I think I've found a piece of Serenity.
Yet I'm not at all bothered by it.
Take this morning, for example. After a rather inauspicious start, I could have dived right into the day and rushed through a hundred tasks this morning.
Instead I've taken time out while the rain falls (again) outside and the kid's in school, to simply sit in front of a heater in the quiet (with dog snoring next to me) and read. I haven't been as obsessively online as I normally am, nor have I kept checking emails and IM's and all that stuff either. I've set myself as "away" on our internal network, and let the screensaver run.
This is the essence of what I need my time off to be. An inner regrouping, a filling up of quiet in my soul so that the inevitable rush from September through to March next year will not drain me completely. A time to complete a thought, to imagine and dream, to hope and wonder. And yes, to drool over the occasional deserving male specimen. (Which reminds me, I had the sudden horrible realization just as I was dropping off last night that I actually winked at some bloke in the mall on Friday! Why, I have no clue... eish! What's become of me! :) )
So what if many of my to-do list items go untouched. I've decided to play it by ear this time around, to do what my gut tells me needs doing on any given day, and to just Be for a while.
This morning I think I've found a piece of Serenity.
Monday morning
In retrospect, I should probably not have gone to sleep somewhere around midnight. My alarm definitely went off this morning (as evidenced by the bedside light being on) - but....
My son has to be at school at 7:30. I woke up at 7:22! Asleep to dressed & at school in one foul swoop. It's a good thing school's just a short run down the hill.
My son has to be at school at 7:30. I woke up at 7:22! Asleep to dressed & at school in one foul swoop. It's a good thing school's just a short run down the hill.
Sunday musings
Funny how, when you're on holiday, Sunday evening doesn't seem like quit the death-sentance it usually does with Monday morning looming... :) Which tells me I either need to do a career change, or find a way to be passionately enthusiastic about my current job again. In the meantime though, I can be passionately enthusiastic about the potential that the next three weeks still hold! Woohoo!
So, a few musings...
* I still have camera envy (a bit like penis envy...). Yeah, so I have a nice digital camera, but now I want one with ZOOM. A lot of zoom. The 3x zoom that I have is cool and all, but I find myself wanting to get closer shots of things far away. Perhaps that's why I tend to specialize in macro images of things like raindrops and moss at the moment. I'd also like to have a few more focus and lighting features. I know you can Photoshop the hell out of pics these days, but most of the ones you see here are completely unadjusted - and I like to keep it that way. Which means I should have more options for the shots I take. I also find myself eyeing nude portrait photography - those artistic black and white shots that make you go wow (like this - nudity warning of course). Not that I can persuade any of my friends to pose! Everyone's too shy... :) And there's only so much you can do of yourself (NO, not posting it, don't be silly!) But I'd love to give it a try. And for that I need lighting and focus options too. So one day I'll get a bigger one. For now it's just camera envy.
* Something HUGE and GLASS-FILLED just fell down with a gigantic crash in a nearby flat. Hope it wasn't expensive... I don't hear any screams, so obviously didn't fall on anyone important.
* I wish spammers would get gender-sensitive. If they're going to send me junkmail, I would prefer them not to offer me enlargments for equipment I don't possess! :)
* And talking that kind of equipment, I caught a series called "Mind, Body and Kick-Ass Moves" yesterday - apparently a look at martial-arts type things and how they work. Fascinating stuff. The equipment in question was pulling trucks and lifting 150kg weights. Ow...!
* I'm so looking forward to the arrival of the Landy. But you've already heard a lot about that one, hey. And you'll hear more, much more, later too.
* Learning curve: it takes 4 hours to make 8 large trays of pizza, from scratch (including kneading and rising yeast base) by hand. Most of that time is spent baking them 2 at a time in one small oven. But these little bits of catering bring in cash, and for that I'm grateful.
* Spring is all around. YAY! Unfortunately the approaching cold front has yet to be informed.
OK, that's sufficient mindless drivel for one evening. Let me attempt to get the teen boy into bed before he turns into one huge early-morning grump tomorrow.
So, a few musings...
* I still have camera envy (a bit like penis envy...). Yeah, so I have a nice digital camera, but now I want one with ZOOM. A lot of zoom. The 3x zoom that I have is cool and all, but I find myself wanting to get closer shots of things far away. Perhaps that's why I tend to specialize in macro images of things like raindrops and moss at the moment. I'd also like to have a few more focus and lighting features. I know you can Photoshop the hell out of pics these days, but most of the ones you see here are completely unadjusted - and I like to keep it that way. Which means I should have more options for the shots I take. I also find myself eyeing nude portrait photography - those artistic black and white shots that make you go wow (like this - nudity warning of course). Not that I can persuade any of my friends to pose! Everyone's too shy... :) And there's only so much you can do of yourself (NO, not posting it, don't be silly!) But I'd love to give it a try. And for that I need lighting and focus options too. So one day I'll get a bigger one. For now it's just camera envy.
* Something HUGE and GLASS-FILLED just fell down with a gigantic crash in a nearby flat. Hope it wasn't expensive... I don't hear any screams, so obviously didn't fall on anyone important.
* I wish spammers would get gender-sensitive. If they're going to send me junkmail, I would prefer them not to offer me enlargments for equipment I don't possess! :)
* And talking that kind of equipment, I caught a series called "Mind, Body and Kick-Ass Moves" yesterday - apparently a look at martial-arts type things and how they work. Fascinating stuff. The equipment in question was pulling trucks and lifting 150kg weights. Ow...!
* I'm so looking forward to the arrival of the Landy. But you've already heard a lot about that one, hey. And you'll hear more, much more, later too.
* Learning curve: it takes 4 hours to make 8 large trays of pizza, from scratch (including kneading and rising yeast base) by hand. Most of that time is spent baking them 2 at a time in one small oven. But these little bits of catering bring in cash, and for that I'm grateful.
* Spring is all around. YAY! Unfortunately the approaching cold front has yet to be informed.
OK, that's sufficient mindless drivel for one evening. Let me attempt to get the teen boy into bed before he turns into one huge early-morning grump tomorrow.
Landy-day
I have just made a dash through the winter storm to the bank - to pay for what is now MY Landy! Woohoo!!! Transfer papers are on their way, transport is organized, insurance nearly there. In short, it's been a very very busy two days.
I also joined up with a couple email lists - overland and Landy - and am already catching flak for investing in a Series III.. but such is life. I know it's right for me, for now, even though some may think I've made a huge mistake.
Also managed to Skype the current/previous owner yesterday. So I'm still in info-gathering, getting-to-know-her mode. But it's progress!
And I am indeed a proud almost-owner.
I also joined up with a couple email lists - overland and Landy - and am already catching flak for investing in a Series III.. but such is life. I know it's right for me, for now, even though some may think I've made a huge mistake.
Also managed to Skype the current/previous owner yesterday. So I'm still in info-gathering, getting-to-know-her mode. But it's progress!
And I am indeed a proud almost-owner.
Spitbraai - the aftermath
After a cold and rainy day on Tuesday, it was with relief that we woke up to a lovely sunny (though still winter-chilly) day on Wednesday - Spitbraai day! (Also Women's Day - commemorating the struggle against oppression) Just enough sun to sit in, and to leave a light blush on my nose.
I spent much of Tuesday running around looking for something called a "spitbraainaald" - a metal baster with needle-like point to inject marinade and basting sauce into the meat as it cooked. I'm sure I found the ONLY one in this area. What a mission! But that and the marinade was duly delivered to the guy who was hosting things.
Early Wednesday morning he dashed off to get the beast, and by around 10 it was all set up to go. I did another shop-run for extra charcoal... this was going to take some doing! Bit by bit everyone arrived, and the lamb turned slowly over the coals. Slowly being the operative word. Because it was only cooked by 4:30! So much for lunch, more like supper.
To amuse ourselves as the meat was cut, one of our member led the resident kids in a rousing chorus of "Mary had a little lamb". I'm not sure they equated the hunk of meat on the table with the soft and furry beasts they were singing about. At least one adult did, though, and resorted ahead of time to his own braai-on-the-side, also supplying us with chicken wings to keep the hunger pangs at bay while we awaited the main event.
Well, it was sliced up and served out - and about half a lamb remained. Around 6 we slowly started to depart - me with a huge bag of impressive bones for my extremely grateful dogs, who are still wagging their tails in appreciation this morning. Our host, I hope, has many recipes for leftover lamb. He's going to be eating it for a while.
So we've done it. We had a successful spitbraai. Now what else can we try?
I spent much of Tuesday running around looking for something called a "spitbraainaald" - a metal baster with needle-like point to inject marinade and basting sauce into the meat as it cooked. I'm sure I found the ONLY one in this area. What a mission! But that and the marinade was duly delivered to the guy who was hosting things.
Early Wednesday morning he dashed off to get the beast, and by around 10 it was all set up to go. I did another shop-run for extra charcoal... this was going to take some doing! Bit by bit everyone arrived, and the lamb turned slowly over the coals. Slowly being the operative word. Because it was only cooked by 4:30! So much for lunch, more like supper.
To amuse ourselves as the meat was cut, one of our member led the resident kids in a rousing chorus of "Mary had a little lamb". I'm not sure they equated the hunk of meat on the table with the soft and furry beasts they were singing about. At least one adult did, though, and resorted ahead of time to his own braai-on-the-side, also supplying us with chicken wings to keep the hunger pangs at bay while we awaited the main event.
Well, it was sliced up and served out - and about half a lamb remained. Around 6 we slowly started to depart - me with a huge bag of impressive bones for my extremely grateful dogs, who are still wagging their tails in appreciation this morning. Our host, I hope, has many recipes for leftover lamb. He's going to be eating it for a while.
So we've done it. We had a successful spitbraai. Now what else can we try?
Hooray, Hooray...
...it's a Holi-Holiday!
Yup, day one of the longest leave I've had since I started working. And it really started out well! I woke up with a feeling of anticipation, the thought that I could do anything I wanted, that the day held unlimited potential.
That is, until I had to go to work... Someone made a mistake last week, and it was urgent enough to require me correcting it today. This does not bode well! :)
The rest of the day, however, has been quite lekker. I had a quick food order to fill for cash this morning, then took myself off to town to windowshop. I hardly ever go there - our main mall is almost a town on its own, but not near the official town part from here. You have to go the opposite way to reach it.
So I dashed in to two fabric shops, and found that one is having a HUGE sale of curtaining fabric - just what I need for the lounge. I need to measure up my needs before I buy. Will go back again later this week. While there, I'm also going to check out a few other shops I remembered (2nd hand junk-treasure place) and some I haven't been to (Lion's Square) since they opened during a town-renovating blitz a few years back.
I even had time today to make pizza for lunch (from scratch, base included - just didn't milk the cows that helped produce the cheese). Which now suddenly the teen decides he no longer likes, having had pizza every Saturday (an attempted tradition) for the past few months. Great. Well, I ain't making anything else, so it will sit there and await his hunger.
This afternoon I could be cleaning the house, I could be stripping the floor, I could be finishing painting one wall. Instead I'm going to sit and watch Numb3rs and eat choc mousse. It is holiday, after all. I can spend it any way I please!
Yup, day one of the longest leave I've had since I started working. And it really started out well! I woke up with a feeling of anticipation, the thought that I could do anything I wanted, that the day held unlimited potential.
That is, until I had to go to work... Someone made a mistake last week, and it was urgent enough to require me correcting it today. This does not bode well! :)
The rest of the day, however, has been quite lekker. I had a quick food order to fill for cash this morning, then took myself off to town to windowshop. I hardly ever go there - our main mall is almost a town on its own, but not near the official town part from here. You have to go the opposite way to reach it.
So I dashed in to two fabric shops, and found that one is having a HUGE sale of curtaining fabric - just what I need for the lounge. I need to measure up my needs before I buy. Will go back again later this week. While there, I'm also going to check out a few other shops I remembered (2nd hand junk-treasure place) and some I haven't been to (Lion's Square) since they opened during a town-renovating blitz a few years back.
I even had time today to make pizza for lunch (from scratch, base included - just didn't milk the cows that helped produce the cheese). Which now suddenly the teen decides he no longer likes, having had pizza every Saturday (an attempted tradition) for the past few months. Great. Well, I ain't making anything else, so it will sit there and await his hunger.
This afternoon I could be cleaning the house, I could be stripping the floor, I could be finishing painting one wall. Instead I'm going to sit and watch Numb3rs and eat choc mousse. It is holiday, after all. I can spend it any way I please!
Shabbat Shalom
For those of you unfamiliar with the Cape - that's Table Mountain's rear-end featured in the sunset. Most pics show it from the other side. Photo taken shortly after most of the rainbows in the posts below.
Purple
I found this picture in the latest issue of House & Leisure magazine, and suddenly remembered just how much I love purple. Especially this multi-faceted colour, with hints of blues and reds in it.It's such a luxurious colour, a royal colour. But also one that shouldn't be used in large amounts (ie papering the room, adding same-colour bedding, purpling the carpets...). The way it's used here, it just pops! Surrounded by neutrals it stands out and gets the deserved attention.
Today is my last day of work for an entire month (officially). While on holiday, the home is going to get a bit of attention. Perhaps the bedroom can get that make-over I've been longing for too. And while I'm seeking new curtaining fabric, I think I'll go out and find a bit of purple.
Spitbraai Experiments
This is specially for Robert, who is already feeling homesick. I'm hoping to make him sufficiently so that he'll sommer come on home. (It's cooler here too, Robert!)
August 9 is a holiday here in SAfrica - and a group of us are taking the opportunity to try something new. We're attempting a whole-lamb spitbraai! Not that any of us know anything about it, other than that it's delicious, and takes a while to cook... But life is a learning curve.
We've found a spitbraai for hire. We've located a sufficiently large/small/just-right lamb and encouraged the supplier to do the necessary to prepare it. We've thrown funds together for both. And now we're figuring out how to do it.
I'm in charge of finding a marinade, or "injectible baste" (anyone own a horse syringe?) - and have thus trawled the Google-Source-Of-All-Knowledge. Came up short, but found someone to email, and a recipe that will work if the expert doesn't get back to me.
After a very, VERY cold week though we're hoping for good weather. It's snowed in un/expected places. Pictures just in show Lesotho looking like the North Pole. Sandton had a dusting, Sutherland is under 30cm (more than in years). It was indeed a good day to be in bed yesterday!
But as nice as all the wonderland-beauty is, we want to BRAAI! So holding thumbs the weather sorts itself out.
Here's where you come in though - I know everyone in SA is a braai expert. Spill your wisdom in the comments and help a few clueless spitbraaiers out, willya?
Thanks.
August 9 is a holiday here in SAfrica - and a group of us are taking the opportunity to try something new. We're attempting a whole-lamb spitbraai! Not that any of us know anything about it, other than that it's delicious, and takes a while to cook... But life is a learning curve.
We've found a spitbraai for hire. We've located a sufficiently large/small/just-right lamb and encouraged the supplier to do the necessary to prepare it. We've thrown funds together for both. And now we're figuring out how to do it.
I'm in charge of finding a marinade, or "injectible baste" (anyone own a horse syringe?) - and have thus trawled the Google-Source-Of-All-Knowledge. Came up short, but found someone to email, and a recipe that will work if the expert doesn't get back to me.
After a very, VERY cold week though we're hoping for good weather. It's snowed in un/expected places. Pictures just in show Lesotho looking like the North Pole. Sandton had a dusting, Sutherland is under 30cm (more than in years). It was indeed a good day to be in bed yesterday!
But as nice as all the wonderland-beauty is, we want to BRAAI! So holding thumbs the weather sorts itself out.
Here's where you come in though - I know everyone in SA is a braai expert. Spill your wisdom in the comments and help a few clueless spitbraaiers out, willya?
Thanks.
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