We were put on Alert Level 3 on 1 June.  Most of the economy opened up but travel services and restaurants were still very limited.  Beauty salons could also not operate.   But rumour has that this will change very soon.   Limited numbers of people may be seated inside restaurants and beauty salons will open under strict conditions.  Schools are still closed for all learners except Grade 7 and Grade 12 and visiting friends and relatives is still now allowed.  Clearly, the news about the curative effects of Dexamethasone has influenced these changes.

So far we have had only one confirmed case in Struisbaai. Our town is a popular weekend destination and many Capetonians have holiday homes here.  Recreational fishing has opened up and the weather was good for the Youth Day weekend.  We had quite a number of visitors here.   Hopefully, they did not bring the virus with them!

Here are my responses to this week’s Share Your World from Sparks

What do you think of professional motivational speakers?  Do you think they motivate?

I have heard a few good ones and I suppose it depends on what you’re looking for.  I definitely think they make a difference.

 Do you have a favourite flavour?

Chocolate every time!

While out walking, you hear a rustling in some bushes.  What do you think of?

If I am walking around my local neighbourhood it is probably a bird and I start looking closer to see if I can find it.  Sometimes it’s a little mouse or even a small buck or a mongoose.  The latter is usually very quick and only the tip of its tail is seen before it disappears.

What’s your ideal temperature (nature-wise)?   Hot, cold, temperate and mild, humid or bone dry?

The climate in the Western Cape of South Africa is Meditteranean which means we have warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters.  We also have a ‘secret season’ when during a time when we expect it to be cold and rainy it is actually still, sunny, not too hot and not too cold. It pops up every now and then during autumn/fall and winter. This is my favourite time of the year.   Of course, I love summer – who doesn’t – and I can tolerate the heat.  I do not find cold weather at all pleasant but I do enjoy having a hot cup of soup in front of a warm and cosy fire.   The only snow we are likely to see around where we live is on the mountain peaks.  Sometimes there are snowfalls in places like Ceres and then the snow-starved inhabitants of my country go rushing off in droves to experience it.

The crazy thing about South Africans is that even it snows they still braai outdoors!

That’s me in the pink cap with a group of crazy South Africans having a braai in falling snow.   Verbier, Switzerland – 1993

We often travel to the northern parts of South Africa where it can be incredibly hot in summer.   As long as this is a dry heat, I am okay.  Our caravan and car have airconditioning so there is always an escape if it becomes too unbearable.

Attitude of Gratitude

Sparks shared something beautiful for the attitude of gratitude slot and left it up to us to post or not.  I have decided to post the beautiful aloes blooming in my front garden.

Today is the first day of Level 3 set by the South African government.   This gives a reasonable amount of freedom but as explained in a previous blog there are still a number of issues especially where going back to school is concerned.  Grade 7 and Grade 12 learners officially started today but there are schools that have not opened and some parents are refusing to send their children back just yet.  Online learning is continuing for grades that have not been invited back yet.

For most of us, the fact that we can now buy alcohol is a biggie!   The Earl delayed his walk this morning as he wanted to be the first in the queue.  He need not have worried – there was no queue and no limit on how much he could purchase!

It was wonderful not to have to worry about what time I could go out this morning!   It was a glorious morning but as is normal for this time of year still very cold in the early mornings.  Also, it only gets light after 7 am.  I left for my walk at 9:00 and returned at 10:15!    Later, the Earl decided to take his walk so we took the long route to the harbour.

Today I am participating in Share Your World from Sparks.

Is it ever okay to commit a crime?  Please explain.

There is always a grey area isn’t there!  If a law is stupid or makes no sense whatsoever then I don’t think it is ‘wrong’ to break it.  Take care, though, because if you are caught you could be in serious trouble.   I am a bit of a scared cat when it comes to civil obedience.  Why do something that will get you into trouble if you can avoid it. But I know that if I had to break the law to save or help somebody else I probably would.

Do you deal with change well?  (not money, because I know some wit out there is thinking how bulky coins are. Well I did any how.    ) 

Yes, I do.  I enjoy the challenge.  Having said that I lived in the same place for most of my life and have always had most of my family close to me.

Do you like birds?   The sound of bird song in the morning, taking pictures of them, as food?   

I am indeed a bird enthusiast.   Yes, I love the dawn chorus,  Yes, bird photography is my main hobby.  Wherever I go I’m turned in to the birds and will notice them while walking, driving or anywhere else I find myself.   I was once walking with a friend who is very fashion concious.   A woman passed us.   “Did you see her belt?”  she asked.

“No,” I replied.  “Did you see that heron fly over?”

“NO!” she replied.

We are both very observant – but for different things!

What’s the least used item of clothing you own?

I own a beautiful black lace dress that is about 100 years old.  It belonged to one of my grandmothers.  I have worn it twice and it fits perfectly.  But – it is broken in places and very difficult to repair.  My friend Dalene fixed it with a crochet hook recently and I am determined to wear it again – maybe to a cocktail party – not that we often go to such things anymore.   I don’t have the heart to get rid of this lovely item of clothing.

Gratitude:

If you care to share, what are you grateful for?  

We are now just two days from starting Level 3 of the Lockdown.   The numbers of C-19 cases are increasing in South Africa.  Cape Town has been identified as the worst affected area.  This is where most of our family and friends live.   We have felt sheltered and cocooned in safety here in Struisbaai but the latest news is not good.   We are part of the Overberg district which has also been identified as a hot spot.   There are a few big towns in this area including Hermanus which is still quite far away from us.  But today on checking the data I find that we have one positive case in Struisbaai!  Our nearest town, Bredasdorp, 30 km away has 3 active cases, nearby we have Napier, a small retirement village which also has 3 active cases.  This is now too close for complacency.  The problem is that most people from Napier to Agulhas are retirees.   We are all in the vulnerable category.

Today I am participating in Stream of Consciousness Saturday   The prompt word is Spay/Splay/Spray

During the past three months of Lockdown, I have become obsessed with cleaning.  Nothing crosses the threshold of my house without being completely sanitised.  I have a spray bottle filled with a mixture of bleach and water.  This is used to disinfect every tin, bottle, bag or other packaging in which our groceries are packed.  My fruit and vegetables are taken from the packaging and washed in a solution of vinegar and water before being packed away.  All this take time, of which I have plenty as what else is there to do when your movements are severely restricted.   Then there is the constant cleaning of the house.  I have never been extremely houseproud.   Our home was and often still is full of children, our own, cousins, grandchildren and all their friends which made keeping it orderly a little more difficult than when fewer people are about.   We had a fairly large family home where everybody was welcome and if there was a bit of a mess nobody really cared. On display at my front door is this sign.

It was clean enough.   The dishwasher was always packed and I didn’t like to leave things undone before going to bed but my home would never have featured in Home and Garden magazine!  It wouldn’t now either – but – I am sure you could eat off its floors as it now gets so cleaned and disinfected.  My spray bottle is always to hand!   The Earl gets irritated by my constant washing and wiping.  Towels aren’t used more than twice and into the washing machine, they go.  I don’t know if all this obsessive cleaning makes any difference but it’s part of my new routine now.

I visit the hairdresser every six weeks.  I have short hair and it is easy to maintain as long as I have my regular cuts.  It becomes unmanageable all of a sudden.  I wash it and try to blow it and it just does not do what it’s supposed to do so I go off to my stylist and all is well again – until Lockdown and a moratorium on hairdressing!   Even under Level 3, our hairdressers may not return to work.  So what to do!  I won’t allow the Earl near me with a pair of shears.  I never use hairspray but I’m wondering whether to try it or gel to tame my wayward locks!

We had a shower of rain this morning and it is very cold.  We did not go out for our morning walk as the idea is not to compromise our immune systems.  The last thing we want is to get sick during Lockdown!  Well, that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!  However, I am not neglecting my aerobic and yoga workouts in the afternoons.

Today I am answering the questions for Share Your World from Sparks

In your opinion, does patriotism require the belief that one’s country is the greatest on earth?

I don’t think it is a requirement of patriotism to believe one’s country is the greatest on earth.  However, one can’t help feeling that one’s country is the best!

I am definitely proudly South African but that does not mean that I don’t see the faults present in my country.  Every country has a history.  Not one is innocent of doing atrocious things in the past. Patriotism used to mean that you would fight wars so your country could conquer another.  That was what happened for many centuries.  We are supposed to have evolved beyond that but there are still countries who would like to rule the entire world and expect their citizens to be patriotic enough to support them.

At the present time, there is a lot wrong in South Africa.  Corruption and crime are rife but from where I stand I see that other countries are not perfect either.  Some are worse and others are better.  In spite of the imperfections, I have never had a desire to seek my fortune elsewhere but at the same time, I don’t blame those of my compatriot who have.  I get annoyed though when certain individuals who have taken the chicken run insist on criticizing what they’ve left behind and try to encourage others to leave the country in the lurch instead of doing something to make it better.

Why is patriotism considered by some to be the highest of virtues? What is so important about love of country? Shouldn’t we be more concerned about humankind, or the planet as a whole, rather than a single country?

It is certainly a virtue but perhaps not the highest.  You can’t help but love your country. It’s like loving your parents or your children no matter what their faults are.  It is because you have a connection to your country.  Look around at all the different nationalities.   Nine times out of ten you can guess where a person comes from after spending just a few minutes with the.  Sometimes just the look of them informs you where they’re from.   Here in South Africa, we are a melting pot of diversity but we’re united in our South Africaness!

We should indeed be more concerned about humankind and the planet.  It is our duty to make sure that those who rule us consider that if they don’t put things in place to protect the planet there won’t be a country to take care of either.  Perhaps that is what Lockdown is teaching us.

What is the relationship between decisions and consequences?

I often think about what would have happened if I had made different decisions.   Your decisions have consequences for sure.  There is a huge relationship between decisions and consequences.  I can only surmise what would have happened had my decision been different.  All I can say is that I am pretty satisfied with the way things have turned out.   Most of the decisions I made have had good consequences.  But what I wonder is this – what if I had made other good decisions – would the consequences have been worse, as good or better than the ones I am experiencing now?  I shall never know!

What is social justice?

Social justice is all about human rights.   In a functioning world, we should all have access to employment, food, shelter, health care and education.

We have a long way to go to ensure that everyone in the world has social justice.  However, we should all do what we can to work toward this.

and one ‘easy’ one because those others?  Fairly difficult.

What’s one body part you wouldn’t mind losing? (told you.  Silly).

I wouldn’t mind losing my heart to my beloved!

Gratitude:

What is something that made you smile during the past week

Rediscovering my crochet hook and starting on a project.

We did not go for our morning walk today.  It was cold, windy and pouring with rain.   The rain is certainly welcome.   Dealing with Lockdown and another drought would not be fun!

Last night our president, Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation.   We knew from his last address that he intended putting the country onto Level 3 Lockdown on 1 June but some hotspot areas might have to stay on Level 4.   It was good to hear that the entire country would indeed go to Level 3 and he clarified what that would mean.

• Outdoor exercise will be permitted at any time you wish.   It will great not having to force myself outdoors in the chilly early mornings!
• Alcohol for home consumption will be allowed.   Times that one may purchase such beverages will be limited.  No bars, taverns or shabeens will be allowed to operate.
• The ban on cigarettes and tobacco products will not be lifted because of the health risk they carry!   The black marketers will be celebrating!
• All shops will be opened and all items will be available – all clothing including the formerly banned underwear, household appliances, games, toys etc.
• Social gatherings will still be prohibited but people may return to work if they can.  Work at home is still encouraged.
• Funerals will be allowed as long as no more than 50 people are present.
• Grade 7 and Grade 12 children will return to school.

Level 3 will certainly be an improvement. It will also be a relief for many who may now return to work or open their businesses.  It is still difficult for restaurants, hair and beauty salons, gyms etc.  Schools also find themselves in a difficult situation.  Parents are reluctant to send their children back to school.  Many are not ready to receive learners or teachers as the correct PPE has not yet been delivered and all that is necessary to operate safely is not in place.   The private schools and school in affluent areas are ready but our township schools which are the ones that most desperately need to return to normal are not yet prepared.    All teachers were supposed to go back to school today.  My daughter teaches Grade 2 at a school that is ready.   She won’t have her kiddies back but she can prepare work to be collected from the school by parents, which will be helpful to those who don’t have computers at home.

Three months of Lockdown has not affected me adversely.   I still have a supply of wine that will last the rest of the week with a bottle or two to spare.  The gin is still intact too!  Of course, had Lollz not gone back to Cape Town for work I would probably have run out by now.   We don’t smoke so the tobacco ban doesn’t affect us but I do feel for those who are struggling without and can’t afford to buy on the black market.  Cigarettes are being sold for three to four times the usual price but unscrupulous traders playing on the cravings of addicts.  I am proud of my friends who are refusing to give in to them.

“Will you give up

Today I am participating in Stream of Consciousness Saturday from Linda.  The brief is to write a post using a word beginning with ch.

“Chilly mornings are invigorating and energising,” says nobody in their right mind while snuggled under the duvet on a cold, winter’s morning.   But when you have no other slot to get outdoors for the rest of the day you have to try and convince yourself with something positive.   And surprisingly enough once you’re pulled on the warm jeans and jersey it is wonderful to be out in the crisp, cool air. We stepped out to a clear sunny morning at 8 this morning and did our usual half an hour for him and an hour for me.  There is no more wondering whether to wear long sleeves or short – sunshine or not a jacket and scarf is now required.

Chucky is the colloquial name for a commercial fishing boat here in Struisbaai.   The name comes from the sound the engine makes when started – chuck, chuck, chuck.  The Earl always likes to know how many Chuckies are out for the day and checks to see as we pass the harbour.  He knows almost every one of them by name.

Some chuckies moored in Struisbaai Harbour

This morning there were not many out.  The change in the weather is a factor in how often the fishermen will be able to go out.   One such local fisherman that we know is also a building contractor and with the lockdown has been unable to work in that line so fishing is now his only means of making a living.   It is not only tough on him but also the men that he employs both for fishing and contracting.  Many of these Chuckies are more than 40 years old but they sure are tough. The Earl being a passionate fisherman himself is very sympathetic to the locals and often lends them a hand with their boat maintenance especially on the electrical side.    They all know him by name and are very fond of him.

Part of the charm of our little harbour is the stingrays that visit when the fishermen clean their catch and throw the guts into the water.  These rays have become very tame and every tourist who visits hopes to get that compulsory photograph with the friendly creature.

Taken before Lockdown – a visitor is thrilled to actually touch a stingray!

It will cheer me up considerably when we can welcome tourists back to Struisbaai.   If you get a chance when things change do come and visit our charming spot at the tip of Africa.

Grade 7 and Grade 12 learners are preparing to return to school on 1 June.  There is a great deal of fear about what will happen next.  Will children returning to school have an impact on the spread of C-19.  There are so many different expert opinions doing the rounds that it is difficult to form an opinion on this.  My granddaughter is in Grade 12.  Am I happy about her returning to her boarding school?  My gut says – yes – it should be fine.  She is a mature young lady who understands the situation.   She is just as likely to pick up the virus at the supermarket as she is at school.  More importantly, she needs to complete her schooling.  Fortunately, she has had excellent online tuition but that does not make up for the need to have contact with her teachers. But it’s not the privileged private school kids that are at risk.  Things will be in place to keep them safe.  Classrooms will not be over-crowded.  They will have masks and sanitiser.  What, I wonder, will it be like in poorer schools where at the best of times there is overcrowding.  Then again when these children are at school they have are assured of at least one good meal a day.  Many won’t have had access to online learning and desperately need to catch up.  During Lockdown many will have been unable to practise social distancing so going back to school will make little difference.   Public transport is strictly controlled at present.  All passengers have to wear masks and sanitise properly so they will have safe transportation to school.   The schools have to abide by certain rules too so perhaps it will be better for all the children to return as soon as possible.   I just don’t know what the right answer is.  I think everyone is between a rock and a hard place.  If people stay at home they could starve to death.  If they return to work/school they could catch the virus but probably won’t die! The economy is falling apart.  Will we ever recover?  Is staying at home too high a price to pay?

Even with Lockdown, the number of C-19 infections is going up and there have been a few more deaths.  Will going to Level 3 on 1 June make any difference at all?  The Western Cape has the most reported cases but they have also done the most testing and have the best facilities for treating the virus.   Their reporting is probably more accurate than in some of the other provinces too.

Today I am participating in Cee’s Black and White challenge.  The prompt is: Things that are short.

Statuettes – one tall two short

Short Easter Bunny Eggs waiting to be discovered

Mum and Baby Zebra

Mum and baby Nyala

Mum and Baby Elephant

I planned to blog Day 54 and 55 yesterday but had one of those low energy days where all I wanted to do was sleep!   I have no idea why this happens to me from time to time.  I am normally very energetic.  It may have something to do with low blood pressure.  Normal for me is anything between 90/60 and 110/60.   When I have the no energy days it is usually at the lower end but sometimes when it’s just as low I feel just great so go figure!    Sometimes a cup of strong black coffee helps but yesterday – not!

Today I am absolutely fine again and the Earl and I went for our usual glorious morning walk.

Day 52

The cold weather has arrived.  I felt decidedly under-dressed on my walk this morning.  My usual attire of jeans, pullover (jumper/sweater) and fleece was not sufficient to keep me warm.   I should have donned a woolly cap, gloves and a ski-jacket as well. But I survived and observed that some tough souls were still walking in short sleeves!  These individuals, I noticed, were a tad plumper than I, so perhaps that is what insulated them.

The Earl manages to walk a lot further than he did on 1 May when outdoor exercise opened up here.   I used to walk slowly with him but now I leave him after half an hour to go back on his own while I walk further and faster before returning.   During that extra time, I plug in my earphones and listen to a Women’s Hour podcast which I love.  In spite of the cold, it is lovely to be outdoors but I will welcome the opportunity to walk later when it’s a tad warmer.  Hopefully, we will be allowed freer exercise time from 1 June.  The podcast I listened to this morning was all about the older generation being more vulnerable to C-19 and what they should do about keeping well.  Having no underlying conditions certainly make us less vulnerable.  It is also believed that regular exercise, eating healthily and keeping the weight off is a big plus.  This, I am sure, applies to all age-groups.   I still do my Walk at Home and Yoga with Adrienne routines in the afternoon but I am not complacent that I am too healthy to get sick.  I take my vitamins and immune boosters too.  Last year I was in the hospital with pneumonia so that was a warning that I am NOT invincible!

The Earl might not be as walking fit as I am but in spite of his underlying condition (heart) he is pretty strong!   He keeps himself busy with all sorts of things many of which require movement and physical strength.  It worries me when he complains about his aches and pains after exerting himself, perhaps a bit too much, but I am glad he does not just sit and mope in his rocking chair!  (No he doesn’t have a rocking chair!)

Today I started listening to an audio book.   I am so glad I have discovered Audible.   It means being able to do boring household chores or going for a long walk while an interesting book is being read out loud to you.  I always loved my Kindle but this is even better!

The book I am listening to is “Becoming” by Michelle Obama.  It is AWESOME!

Day 53 – Monday

Our early morning walk was not as chilly as yesterday’s.   I was kitted in denim jeans and a warm polo-neck pullover under a hoodie.  My hands were encased in gloves and all this was great for the first half hour but then I peeled off the gloves and opened up the hoodie as there was no wind and the sunshine was warm.

Early this morning – (08:00)

After the sun warmed up – (09:00)

Cape Sugarbirds catching some rays

Today being Monday, I am participating in Share Your World from Sparks.

Questions:

What’s something you really resent paying for?

Bank fees!  The interest you get for giving them your money is not particularly high and then you have to pay them!  This is particularly annoying when you have very little money in a particular account and its balance is eaten away by bank charges just to keep it open!   I think it is shocking how banks are robbing their investors!

 What was the most unsettling film you’ve seen?

Jaws!   I swim in the sea all the time but I still think about that movie every time visibility is murky and I can’t see the bottom of the ocean!

Do you judge people?  

I try not to but sometimes I do!  Sometimes that judgemental thought just jumps into my head especially if I just don’t understand why someone is being self-destructive or behaving in a way that affects others negatively!

But I also hold the opinion that if you know the person’s story, you will understand.  And we don’t always know the story, do we!

Finish this sentence:  “Back in my day, we…”?

Back in my day we had fun.  Life was simple and as children we had more discipline but also more freedom.   We knew if we broke the rules there would be consequences and it was up to us to take a chance on them or not.  I went to the beach on my own from the age of five!  School wasn’t far away but it involved crossing roads and I walked there and back on my own or with other kids from the age of six.  We went to the beach, climbed the mountain and rode our bikes without adult supervision. Mother did not go to the school to fight our battles.  If I complained about my teacher the response was – Keep your nose clean and you won’t get into trouble!  If I was bullied the response was – punch him/her back.  In fact I did just that – to a teacher!   He grabbed me roughly and I punched him in the stomach.  He never did it again!

Gratitude

Please feel free to share an uplifting photo, thought or meme to show your own gratitude.   We can all use some good vibes!  

Lockdown has shown me that I took a lot for granted.  I am grateful for I have and what I will have again when this annoying pandemic is over!