Pics of buildings

I am not inclined to take pics of buildings but will try to start to do so... here is SPAR, the supermarket we most frequent. The routine is 7am head out there... nate in front of cart, ike in the basket, zip around the aisles, must buy a pack of melissa's choc chip cookies or heart cookies. Then head for Nate's school...

The other building is the inside of Design Quarters. Here they sell mainly home stuff, its also near clamber hell, so after dropping nate off, we head here for a muffin and then to clamber club.

Father and son(s) activities

So apart from the Karate on saturday am with K2, he took him to Barney Hell in Gold Reef City, then to buy some colorful rocks. Here he is with K2 and M2 at the Pootoom river. Then swimming in the afternoon. Notice Jake waiting for launch of ball.

K2 and dada bent over to check out a snail.

Loren is in london this week and bernie is flying over to join him. Soon they can all go skiing together, while I hit the spa's and hot springs? one can dream! reality is more like me on the kiddie slopes with them overtaking me!

End of summer

The weather hasn't started really cooling down yet but the flowers are all drying and producing many seeds. This Aloe plant is one of my favourites in summer, somehow I thought they were more orange reddish then bright yellow from last year but then my memory isn't the most reliable.

I've scattered alot of seeds in the garden thinking they will sprout in Spring but its still very warm and they are sprouting all over the place, probably one last round before the cold.

My worms are really reproducing like crazy, I turn the stuff around in the bedding and see clumps of balls of worms at work! Have been considering buying another compost maker but my 3 worm farms may actually be able to process the stuff.

Bullet and his latest scan...

Took bullet to see Dr. Miller... its a drive of about 30 mins towards Joburg city. They are a good pet hospital but it sure is far.

Dr. M is very happy that bullet since his operation and medication in October has not had a fit nor a teeth chattering experience. He tried to do a scan on bullet which was more or less successful, he saw that the liver did not shrink further but we have to put him on medication that will cost quite a bit (tho bernie can get us a generic supply from the US that will bring the cost down by 80%).

While on the operating table, bullet stretched and tried to escape, he really did not like being pinned down, belly up... and suddenly there is this smell that envelopes the room, caused me to sneeze uncontrollably and then on and off for the next 20 mins! Apparently, bullet released his anal gland, its used to scent pee when they mark territory but something like the skunk must have evolved to make a really really intense concoction. In anycase, bullet let one of those rip (no sound actually) just an undescribable smell. Like an intensely intense dog repellent. It was awful.

He then went for his teeth cleaning and was groggyish for 36 hours. It was really hard driving him home before his bath but at least the smell does not stick and linger. Only my hand was affected. Dr. M and his assistants, well, they smelt attractive to many female weims!

More Lesedi

Here's the pic of Ike and his staff... he has managed to make friends with anyone who has a rake, broom or big stick. How he got away with the Zulu tour guide's staff I don't know!

The cross is a way to build a fire, if the winds blow from another direction, the move the fire place to the other side... so the food will always be cooked.

The rock "kraal" is the cow pen. A dowry (lobolo) is about 11 cows, paid by the boy to the girls family.

Lesedi

Our friend Vinisha was in town so managed to take her around, we took Ike tot he Sterkfontein Caves and also Lesedi. Initially Lesedi felt very artificial but overall it is quite a good introduction to 4 of 5 native tribes of S. Africa, their language, homes and costumes.

Their homes are all quite "squat" perfect for ike, at some point he also managed to wrangle the stick / staff away from the guide that was taking us around and acted rather chief like. He also wasn't scared of the loud drums during dance time and sort of bounced along with them.

After picking Nate up from school we and Ike passed out in the seat, we went to the KFC drive thru for an ice cream. The Mc D's look like they have a good indoor play area but maybe we should just do the drive thru if necessary for an ice cream? Mc D's here are not like in asia, where they are at every mall, its hard to even come across one here. Nate has no idea who ronald mcdonald is.

The guide was telling us about Shaka Zulu the great chief, well am glad I am reading Michener's book as it had quite a chapter about this guy who invented the short spear and thus stabbing the enemy in new style combat instead of throwing a spear, then when both sides are weaponless they go home. But he was apparently mad too and caused alot of death and suffering, now he is idealized.

Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens

Finally after over a year of arriving here we make it to the Botanical Gardens, it near Honeydew or Eagle Canyon. Its a large picnic park and everyone plops themselves under a shaded tree and takes out there picnic stuff. No pets, balls, frisbees as there are some plants that if get harmed, its the last of their species.

There's quite a nice waterfall and we also saw a red grasshopper with black trimmings. Ike asleep before getting there and too tired to much on his choc croissant (on his chest) and nate asleep after the trip.

Mish Mash

On Saturday we took nate for his first steak. He was quite excited as he had seen madagascar at least 50 times and the lion eating steak and of course every living thing turning into steak when he was hungry. Nate even prepared for the evening by taking a nap.

Speaking of naps, he seems to be waking up everynight from a nightmare, today I tried to find the toy hammer for him to pound the monster but instead I got 3 lego pieces put together to zap any monsters that cross his path. He wakes up and tries to sneak into our bed. Failing that I suspect he goes back to his room and after I leave he switches on the light as Loren has found him in the am asleep with the lights on! I better get a small dimmer night light.

So Nate was really well behaved at the steak place, he had his stickers and some finger puppets that entertained him the whole time!

Here's a shot of him with his stickers at the restaurant. A shot of him in the sandbox in his Phua Chukang singlet and PCK pucker face. The wine cooler is from bubbi, its quite neat and am looking forward to using it at Shabbat. The two boys playing "house" in the empty box.

Worm Farm Part 3

For those who have told me they absolutely abhor these entries, better to skip this one... I finally got my third farm, its a rectangular box and the faucet design is not as nice as the round one, ie you would have to tip this one over to pour out the worm pee.

I didn't order worms along with the farm this time since I have 2 working farms and theoretically alot of worms. So I had a great time setting up this new box and I go to Worm farm 2 to gather worms... in the bed I get some bigger ones and then I dig into the depths of my compost build up there and voila one of the most beautiful sights... bunches and bunches of tiny, squirming worms, I transfer them to their new home and hope they multiply soon.

I also got my tumbleweed, its a rotational composter, in 21 days I should have compost! I have checked it several times and the design is just ingenius. The heat trapped in there is also really warm and the smells are like an intense pine wood forest. One days worth of clippings fills only 25% of the bin and after the water content seeps away its even less, something like 20% of the 25%. I can't wait for my first batch of compost! I am even tempted to ask William to get me the neighbor's clippings.

Here is Ike exploring the box it came in... and a luverly hibiscus.

Photoshoot part 2

I had the guys whiten nate's grey tooth...

Photoshoot part 1

Had some pics taken of the boys for loren's V-day present... will make sure all the grandparents get a copy...

Ike and V-day

Well the first pic is not of V-day, its my back window shattered! last Friday I was waiting at the light and two guys were cutting grass with those hand held mowers, I heard a loud thud and was not scared, thought a big rock of sorts hit my car... I keep looking at my side mirror but not spotting the dent (thinking maybe it was a lump of mud that then scattered?). Two traffic lights later I hear crack, snap and pop... and still don't spot anything thru my side mirror, I look back and my window is like a spider web! Luckily loren got it replaced in a day and no kids were in the car.

Here is Ike on V-day with his date from clamber club and him passed out after his hot date with the blondie. Ike really likes going to nate's class, the other day he wanted to run away with the soft toys, speaking of which, he really likes soft toys unlike nate who did not really care for them. Here's Ike with the shoes he wants to wear today... before choosing his clothes.

Nate spent his V-day explaining to the class (theme is pets), how we keep worms at home and of course he brought sample worms to school. Speaking of which, my slimy darlings are now reproducing at a really rapid rate, lots of baby worms and I just got notice that my tumbleweed bin (grass cuttings etc will be compost in 21 days!) and my third worm bin is in the mail!

The environment article I wrote for the dainfern magazine got published this week, since I was blue bin no. 14 (these are the recycling bins) in december, there are now 36 in dainfern, long way to go to get to all 1800 homes but hope to report a big increase by year end. I also got several calls on the worm bins and hopefully this trend continues!

cuts and bruises

Nate has had a new cut or bruise for several days in a row now... his teacher told me a wierd story for which she would not have believed it had she not witnessed it herself, am sure nate would not enjoy this post when he is older!

She said... today, he fell and had a cut, he came upset, then rage, then he pulled his pants down then he said he needs to wash the wound, the blood (very very minor) and most important a bandage.

She could not figure out why he pulled his pants down... so this must be the fascinating part of brain development where all the synapses are cross firing into different directions. My theory is this, he has associated washing hands with going to the toilet, so in his pain, upset moment, knowing that he needs to wash the wound at a sink, he somehow must need to pee first before washing and so he pulls his pants down?

The caveat to my interpretation is that my parents often interpreted my actions and interpreted them wrong... so as this story becomes family myth... the truth may not be known for another 30 years when he can articulate the situation properly and right the wrong... as I did in my case many many years later.

These pics... nate taking isla for a car ride... nate with dada at lesedi cultural village (more recommended for older kids), nate talking to zeda on the phone, ike manuevering the shopping basket without a wheel.