Here are my answers to this week’s SYW questions from Di

1. Are you a dog or cat person, or do you prefer no pets, or are you unable to have one for some reason?
I’ve always been an animal person. Every creature has been welcome in our home. Throughout the years of raising our children and grandchildren, we always had pets — dogs, cats, hamsters and often all three at the same time.
When we retired and moved to Struisbaai, we still had three cats in the family. They stayed with our daughter, who is very much a cat person, and we’ve love that we can to visit them regularly.
Because of our gypsey lifestyle when we retired, we decided not to take on pets of our own. Even so, as I’ve mentioned on my blog before, we have four neighbourhood cats who visit us regularly — and we adore every one of them. Mike and Alan live next door. Mimi lives over the road, and Charlie comes from a house in a street parallel to ours. When the cats decide to visit at the same time there can be chaos. Alan won’t tolerate competition. He and Mike think they own our house as they were the first to claim our affections. Mike is more tolerant of the others but he has to be loyal to his brother! Mimi is a little more tolerated than Charlie so if the going gets really tough, we gently ask Charlie to leave. He obliges but only after he’s given Alan a playful smack!
Their parents worry that they might decide to stay permanently, but we won’t allow that to happen and they seem to know when it’s home time and usually don’t have to be sent home at the end of a visit.

2. Did you have a pet as a child?
My first pet memories are of the animals my grandparents had. We lived in a flat and no pets were allowed. Granny and Grandpa had a very big garden and lots of pets. The two dogs were fox terriers named Sparky and Atom. Atom was Sparky’s puppy and we thought he was the cleverest dog in the world. There were also the cats, Kitsy, Sylvester and Tibby. Kitsy and Silvester were white. Tibby was a tortoiseshell.

I only remember having one cat, and after he died, my mother refused to let me have another. She was convinced I was allergic to cats, and to be fair, there were times when my eyes streamed whenever I was near them. These days, my allergies are clearly seasonal, so I often wonder whether I was truly allergic to cats back then or whether it was just an unfortunate coincidence. None of my own cats in later years has affected me much at all.

I also remember getting a dog when we finally moved into a house after spending the first few years of my life in a flat. He was a little pavement special named Buster — a big name for a small dog — but he was feisty and fiercely protective of the people he loved. His one great flaw was his obsession with chasing bicycles. We got Buster when I was about nine, and he stayed with us until I was in my early twenties.
The best dog I ever owned was a medium-sized black mongrel hat looked like it could have had some labrador and spaniel ancestry. Her name was Tammy and she loved to go running with me. I had to be careful not to mention the words, run, takkies, beach, or Chantal (my running partner) until I was absolutely ready to leave or she would go crazy with excitement!

3. Have you ever ridden a horse?
Yes, I have ridden a horse. Growing up, I had a horse‑mad friend who lived on a smallholding and always had a few horses ready to go. She was a fearless, tomboyish sort who thought nothing of taking me bareback at full speed through tree‑lined paths where you had to duck unless you fancied losing your head. It was equal parts exhilarating and terrifying.

As an adult, I married a man with two horse‑mad daughters, and every year we holidayed on their uncle’s farm in KZN. Their cousins were just as besotted with horses, and they insisted I join them on their rides. I did—right up until the day the supposedly “gentle” pony bucked me off and left me with a very unhappy back. I declared “never again” with great conviction.

But, of course, many years later, another horse‑crazy friend talked me into a long beach ride on the Wild Coast. And it was fun. She was thoroughly impressed that, after years out of the saddle and at the age of 50, I galloped along like I actually knew what I was doing. And that was definitely the end of my horse-riding days!

4.  What was your favourite animal in either a zoo or circus?
I live in Africa, so you won’t catch me dead in a zoo or a circus. The idea of animals in captivity just doesn’t sit comfortably with me. That said, I do understand that many wildlife sanctuaries — the genuine ones, not the tourist traps — do important work. They’re educational, and for some people, they’re the only chance they’ll ever have to see a wild animal up close.

I, on the other hand, count myself lucky to have seen so many creatures in their natural habitat. The SANParks reserves are extraordinary, and nothing compares to watching wildlife where it truly belongs.

Choosing a favourite animal is nearly impossible, but the giraffe comes very close. There’s something so elegant and unmistakably African about them. It is breathtaking seeing them decorate the African landscape. And when one looks you straight in the eye, it’s almost a spiritual moment — as if they’re quietly evaluating your soul.

I could go on for pages about the wild animals I love, but I’ve already poured all of that into my travel blogs, and I’ll spare you the full version today.

Gratitude:

Today’s questions have allowed me to reflect on some great things in my early life as well as the privileges I have had as an adult. There have certainly been some tough things to deal with over the years but altogether Life has treated me well even if I haven’t always paused to appreciate that fact. Now that I am in my golden years I am so grateful for the pets that have enriched my life, the fun and freedom I had as a child and the joy that my adult adventures have brought me.
Recently I received the heartbreaking news that a very dear friend is terminally ill and I am grateful for the role that she has played in my life and the gentle friendship that has lasted between us since our college days.