Day 2, month 10

I’m a day late in writing this blog because life got in the way. And maybe I’ve also been a little distracted by the sunbird building a nest outside my office window, and the squirrel that comes searching for a snack every morning (and some afternoons).

I’m beginning to make Christmas and new year’s day plans, and getting ready to head to Taiwan in a week’s time. In between, there’s been gardening, and visits, and trips, and concerts.

Here goes – a quick recap of month nine (and a gratuitous sunset video) …

You know by now that we took a 3,500km road trip a few weeks ago. Since then, we’ve mostly been busy around the house.

Our thatch roof was in need of some emergency maintenance, and a team came out to do the necessary. It’s the first time I’ve ever really seen thatching being done and it was a treat seeing the guys work.

And thank goodness we had this work done when we did, because shortly after, the Mother of electric storms arrived!

From time to time we have visits from baboons. These are mostly harmless, but always unwelcome. Why? They go from harmless to destructive in moments! That’s why we’ve never photographed or filmed our hairy visitors; we’re too busy chasing them away! Until a couple of days ago …

Now that the rains have come, we’ve spent quite a bit of time in the garden. New lawn has been laid and is establishing itself (and can’t yet be mowed), I’ve planted lots of seedlings, and our gardener, Goodwell, is building little stone walls everywhere.

I’ve re-purposed soup cups, two of them 40 years old, and have started thinking about other redundant vessels that can be used to hold succulents.

Despite all the chores, we’ve time for the fun stuff. We had our monthly “Salieri” opera appreciation gathering (“Romeo and Juliet” was this month’s offering), and as always there was also great conversation and good food. We also saw the Mzansi Ballet School in action in a modern ballet, “Private Presley”. The performances may not all have been completely polished, but it was wonderful to see young people giving it their all in front of an appreciative, paying audience. And the highlight for us? Chatting before the performance to an old gogo (grandmother) who was there to see her great-granddaughter perform.

In a week I’m off to Taiwan for the Asia Pacific ICT Alliance (APICTA) Awards where I – and three other Aussies – will be joining the international judging panel. This is my 10th outing and I’m really looking forward to it.

And now I’m going back to watching that industrious sunbird!

Until next time, sala kahle.