tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82015147082173540702024-02-07T04:23:58.090+02:00Why Not...The greatest of all faults is to be conscious of none.WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-12231712821613204342021-11-14T10:30:00.003+02:002021-11-14T10:35:39.428+02:00Back again: November 2021<p><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: black; color: #f3f3f3; font-size: medium;">Hello again.</span></span></p><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">It has been very, VERY long since my last post and for the sake of avoiding a cliche recollection of how, why and what exactly happened in my life: I shall in stead bullet-point my past 8 years.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Since 2013 my boyfriend and I</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">* got Engaged * Married * had our first (and only) Child*</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #073763; color: #f3f3f3;">After January 2016</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #073763; color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #073763; color: #f3f3f3;">* I developed Post-Partum depression</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #073763; color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #073763; color: #f3f3f3;">* Found out I have Adult-ADHD</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #073763; color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #073763; color: #f3f3f3;">* Found out that I am Autistic ( kind of a shocker!)</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Several other things happened in between, including:</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">* marital issues * high-conflict Divorce mediation, starting 2021 * child custody evaluations *</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">* an enormous amount of Animosity in the household * Hurt, Sadness * and Healing! *</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">These past 5 years have been an extremely difficult process and many times I felt helpless and flooded by all the uncertainty and tons of Social confusion. I'm often exhausted.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">But. I manage to find new sources of recovery, energy, assistance, great guidance, good emotional support... and a little bit of <i>Magic</i> ;)</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Since our son was born I studied self-healing methods, I read books on EQ (Emotional intelligence), found ways to clear my mind and still have times where I fall down and have to get back up, but the difficult times occur less frequently and the intensity is less and shorter-lived. So, I grow more hopeful.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">I found essential assistance in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Youtube videos (on various subjects) and discovered a tool called Enneagram coaching :)</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">I struggle through Motivational speeches and religiously take my ADHD medication. ALL of this helps. I keep ALL the big and little tools that help me to get better and then i lose them in the clutter and later find them again</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">The new-found guidance on my future path makes me excited and creates passion and energy for me to tackle this future :)</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Now I am re-inventing myself and I have asked: "What IF i feared Nothing! " and lo and behold, I am starting to discover a way of achieving this No-fear mindset. A new "Life Magic".</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">The story continues and I will not find enough time to write all that I wish to, but I attempt to record most of it and distill what I have learned in the past 10 to 12 years into blog posts. Things have been extremely tough and I still have ups and downs, but with reduced intensity. The down times pass faster.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">I celebrate every small Improvement, even when others refuse to acknowledge or appreciate it!</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">And I start to find more hours of <i>Fearing Nothing!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">So, I sign off by saying I wish you all the very best and many moments of feeling Strong. It is not always possible, but at some stage it will be if you only hold on.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: medium;">WhyNot</span></i></div>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-23192694332694669992017-10-09T04:11:00.002+02:002017-10-09T04:15:36.850+02:00Its been a While. <b><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">My Goodness, what can I say besides: its been a While. </span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">3 ... No 4 Years since I've had the time and energy to write anything again that does not concern immediate family, medical admin or property maintenance.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So: what has been happening in the meantime? Well for one we eventually bought a smallholding (more a small farm without water..) and then started planting some trees and a few months later we found out that I was pregnant. Much of the rest was is little bit of a blurr, since raising newborn babies and sleep deprivation is certainly harder for some to cope with and I was not that lucky in that regard. I think it took me at least a year and 8 months before I felt human again.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So, fast forward two or 3 years since we purchased our little agricultural property and we now finally have 3 horses staying there plus some stray cats and a rainshelter/ feed room shed with enough hay to last about 5 months. Pretty special :) The last time I blogged I was still working I think... and then I stopped work so that I could pursue a career in art (haaa haaaa. hmmm), writing a novel and to have more time to do things like Blog (hmmmm.. *snort* ) so yes, neither of those two have been happening. BUT we did get married, went on honeymoon, found out we were pregnant, quick baby-moon to France and now here I am. A mommy. wow!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Mommy stories will follow much later, for the moment I wish to talk more about the other non-mommy things that make me ME and at the moment my gardening and horses are what makes me feel alive.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I have spent countless hours doing research into what types of trees/shrubs/groundcovers to plant and how to space and stack them all together with water-collecting ditches (or swales) to make a super-sufficient and sustainable permaculture-like system for ourselves and our animals. One thing I did NOT anticipate was the amount of manure that 4 or 5 horses can produce in the space of 2 months! :o wow!! Glorious. No, really, they produce the most fantastic growing medium for any sort of plant under the sun... ok, except for fynbos species that prefer poor, acidic soil... but anything that is edible will grow in cured horse manure like weeds. In fact: the horse manure piles have started sprouting their own mushrooms already! :D even when standing in full sun, which is bizarre, I always thought that Mushrooms must have dark or shady conditions. Apparently not. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We also have a few volunteer sunflowers coming up, which is from the few sunflower seeds the horses don't manage to chew that well and swallow whole in stead :) It all makes me VERY excited!! :) I'm much impressed by what has been happening at our place thus far. Even though things are moving V.E.R.Y slowly there is progress and it is amazing to be out in the FRESH air, to hear Fisheagles calling and birds, horses snorting and horsing around. They LOVE to play and run at full speed only to stop and then graze a little more before taking a lie down snooze in the sun. Our only hassle so far really has been the ticks (SHeeesh! there are SOOOO many ticks this year!!) and the occasional issues with the water systems (which seems to be solved at last). Our part of the country has been extremely dry the past two years and the lack of planning on government's side is creating a very tense water-crisis situation. At least for the moment our mini-farm has enough water for us and the animals to drink and possibly have a quick bath in, so I guess that if our water in the city dries up completely we will have to go collect supplies at the farm? :/ far drive, although I go there almost every day now anyway, so it is an option.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So, now I've been spending a bit of time thinking about what exactly I would like to write about on my blog... since life has changed a great deal for our family and I've shifted my focus and desires from complaining about the things that are not as I want them to be and in stead to celebrate the possibilities of today and of the future. There hasn't been that much change in the world (everybody is still fighting, as they always have, my husband is still looking at options of working in another country > he will travel to America this coming week), politics, weather, economic recession, corruption etc etc are still going strong. As they always have. But I have decided to shift my focus from all of the negative things (and things I have no control over) to the possibilities and the lovely tIhings we have right in front of us here and now! It seems like a pretty simple task, but it definitely isn't. If I had to try and explain how I got to this stage I wouldn't understand my own writing... so I will not attempt. I have just decided though that life is short, celebrate what you have around you already, grow where you are planted and that you cannot EAT money >> savings are not as essential as making the most of the beautiful things that are in front of you. There are no guarantees in life, so give it a good shot so you will enjoy your time as much as you can. Within reason of course. You need to save up for emergencies, pay your insurance, medical aid , prepare for retirement etc, but don't hold yourself back all the time >> the horse needs to go for a full gallop every now and again! And so do YOU.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> : D</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So is stead of moaning and complaining some more about all the maintenance issues around our house that are STILL not resolved... I have decided that I would like. to share with the public a few special stories that I have come across per occasion. I've found allsorts of very very interesting people along the way and the more positivity I focus into my days the more fantastic, exciting people I seem to find as well. It sounds too cliche, but it is try=uly so! I've discovered amaaaazing people just around the corner and right next door to me! I am VERY excited about the wonderful experiences we are sharing and some of those people either have a great way of telling their snippits of entertaining everyday life or they have very REAL, intense experience in the world that makes you look at life at a slightly less whimsical angle. They can make you realise that what we are on this planet is a very tiny grain of sand in the desert of eternal time. They also make you realise that we are actually VERY fortunate in the services, technology, education that we have. Some stories will make you shiver, wonder, contemplate what it really is that you are trying to achieve with your life. Those are my favourite type of stories. SO I'm hoping to get permission from a few of my newfound "friends" to post their stories about THEIR piece of LIFE on this planet.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Speak soon :)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">PS: no time to Edit the life out of my posts anymore >> please take them as they come.</span></div>
WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-35702204286571191512013-08-18T09:50:00.001+02:002013-09-03T12:47:48.155+02:00Greener Pastures<span style="background-color: #073763; color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Wow! I must be one of the worst Bloggers in the world?! Not counting the ones who just forget about their blogs completely and never return, leaving it all just "hanging" in cyberspace without a single response to comments. I guess I'm lucky in that sense, that I don't get many comments... *sulk* maybe that's why I haven't made time to update in such a long time? :/ Hmmm, it's been a while... </span><br>
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<span style="background-color: #073763; color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I have been rather busy though!</span><br>
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<span style="background-color: #073763; color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">A lot has happened, but I know you'll want the best news 1st, so might as well spill the beans... We got Engaged! :D Yeah! At last ;) It happened during our month-long holiday in France (April/May). Although I have to admit that a whole month of holiday is just FAR too long, a little bit of an overkill. It was pretty Awesome none the less. Aahhhhh, France is so beautiful! Really. REALLY! I never expected it to look the way it does... vast open spaces (we spent most of our time in the countryside), forests, HUGE forests. I suppose we also have National parks here in South Africa, but ours are all fenced off and you have to drive FAR and wide to get there and you have to pay entry fees etc. In France it seemed like every farm had its own mini forest, full of little buck and all sorts of wildlife. There are enormous backbones of forest that join many of the farm forests together and if you pull over from the highway and walk into the "wilderness" for only a few meters the birds are almost deafening! :) It was very magical. The countryside is definitely my favourite part about France and it's VERY green, well, a lot more than most of SA, they get a lot more rain than we do. </span></div>
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</div></div><a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2013/08/greener-pastures.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-28550285116610911142012-12-10T23:52:00.000+02:002012-12-10T23:53:05.441+02:00Hello Kitty! :D<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Monday... always a rather eventful day. Also the day that I recap our house's snaglist with the builder. Yes, you are correct... we moved into the house a whole 2 years ago and there are still things to snag about ;) BUT at least these are new snags and not the list from Feb 2011 anymore. I do not imagine that we will have even half this list done by the end of the year, but that doesn't mean I'm not trying my best! At least these snags are things that I can mostly live with, like a cracked drainage pipe, a fused downlighter that is stuck, a broken doorstop, etc. Nothing that I tend to notice as I walk past it, except the bathroom mirrors that are still just mismatched place-holders for the "Real" mirrors and the missing splashback above the stove, but those are being worked on - sort of. I called the project manager today and apparently he is "overseas". Hmmm, had I not been so busy I'd be curious enough to phone his office to hear where he's gallivanting off to while we still have a load of snags to sort out before year-end. :P In stead I contacted the few sub-contractors that I have gotten hold of before to beg them to PLEASE come and sort our shit out before the long-weekend! Otherwise my New-Years To Do List will be even longer. :(</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Anyhow... I am momentarily released from my cynical duties and can enjoy life like a child once more, because we got a new KITTEN!! She arrived last week and is the most adorable little fuzz-ball I've ever played with. The most personable and cuddly baby Ever! :) I was as excited about this cat as a pre-schooler counting down the days before Christmas! I could barely live with my excitement. And last week we could FINALLY go and fetch her :D. I am completely in love with life when I get to play with her. The first night she slept on my head and the second in my arms. She just LOVES us and wants to sleep where she can touch us all the time. I would love to rave on about our awesome little Kitty-cat (Oh yes, her name is Minki), but I am SO tired and honestly haven't even the energy to post a pic just yet. Shall hopefully do so tomorrow?</span></div>
WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-59350351274022234012012-11-26T09:42:00.000+02:002012-11-29T17:16:40.115+02:00To Leave or not to leave?<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Spring has been here for a while now and that has meant making new veg planter boxes, sowing all sorts of strange seeds and raising baby chickens. The season took its time to arrive this year. We had a very dragged out period of dreary, Wintery weather and none of my seeds would come up. I'd enthusiastically sowed basil and coriander and seen no results for weeks, but now is the time! Things are blooming and seeds just want some water and they're off to a running start and I am struggling to find any open space in which to plant some more cool things.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Anybody who has been following the news in SA lately will know that Spring also brought a Sh*tload of worker strikes all over our country, including the Western Cape (where the last bit of civilization has been hanging on by a thread). We are facing SERIOUS political unrest due to politically motivated criminal activity and it is happening all over the country. This is a much debated issue in every household, including ours and it was a very bright and sunny South African day when I finally realised that we don't belong to this country anymore. With 'us' I mean anybody with the resources to get out of here within reasonable time... but mostly white South Africans. I have been one of the optimistic 'youngsters' who believed that our country would only go through a few teething problems and then make a good, mature recovery from its past, but it is evidently not the case. I now suspect the people of this land will first burn it to the ground before they start building anything up and that will take too long for my heart to ever rest safely in a feeling of belonging to this world. I said to a good friend today that if we ever wondered when the water was getting too hot, it is Now! People are burning down farms in illegal protests a mere 200 km from our house, 55 km from my family's farm... It is getting too hot in here, the frog is boiling and I for one would rather get out with more than the clothes on my back! :( it is very sad, but true... We are not Welcome here anymore and I am not one to argue with the type of dim-witted people who burn down their only source of income in protests against the government which they all voted for in the 1st place! No F* ing thank you! I' m not going to try and build up something that other assholes just want to break down. I'm not THAT insane!</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">To cheer things up a little, here's a picture of our very first handful of raspberries (Note</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> the small bug on my finger, our Organic certification ;) </span></div>
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</div></div><a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2012/11/to-go-or-not-to-go.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-22487039184706232352012-11-20T18:41:00.000+02:002012-11-26T09:20:19.727+02:00Pointless things<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">A good while ago I made a comment on a manically depressed person's blog and I never had any feedback from him since... which made me wonder... did he die? Would he have killed himself? How would I be able to find out? </span><br>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I wonder what will happen to my blog when I die? How long before there is no activity will Google shut it down? Does your spouse or best friend get access to all your internet accounts and announce your passing? Do they just delete everything you shared with the virtual world? What happens to your online life when you die?</span></span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, I am just posting to say I'm still alive and well. The past 6 months have been super busy and I'm still not quite on top of all my admin-type things. I still haven't managed to get into anything resembling a routine (flexibility has its disadvantages) and I constantly feel like I'm behind in everything that I have set out to do. This is somewhat depressing, but I must admit that a lot has been done. The problem is just that there is always still so much more to do. It never ends and this is starting to drive me insane. As in really! :( </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">One day everything will get better, until then here's a picture of a Rooster ;)</span></div>
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</div><a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2012/11/a-good-while-ago-i-made-comment-on.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-83352965337273795672012-06-11T19:03:00.003+02:002012-06-12T00:01:30.392+02:00To do lists, bugs and Art<br>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The 31st of May was my very last day of sorting through my files, old papers, notes, etc at work. All the scribbled ideas of what to look into next, rough illustrations of physiological networks that could mean something very significant in future... I threw them all away... well, most of them. As from June 2012 I've officially been unemployed and even though I do have a good couple of plans up my sleeve and some good projects lined up I feel somewhat vulnerable. I studied for 6 whole years in order to obtain 3 degrees behind my name, as a surety for my future financial security, and now I discard all those accolades for the unknown on a road often travelled, but seldom excelled at.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jelly saying Howzit :)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Emotionally it is extremely hard to discard of all the proof of my work done for the past 4 years, however it is also an act of freeing myself from a weight of responsibility and closing a chapter on what will likely never be my role to play again. It feels enlightening and yet terrifying at the same time. Following the euphoria that resulted from finally being rid of the old responsibilities of scientific research I had to feed the addiction by clearing up some of my very old memoirs at home as well. That was almost even more of a challenge and still a work in progress, since it spans a much longer period and the items have even more sentimental value. However, I am determined to be able to walk to the end of my room without falling over 8 to 12 boxes of Crap! Indeed: some of the boxes are actually labeled "old crap". It's not an easy task at all, especially since I'm quite the hoarder, but in order to move forward you have to discard some of the past or at least make some space to store the new crap ;) So some old sh!t had to go.</span></div>
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<a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2012/06/to-do-lists-bugs-and-art.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-61884694978109240022012-05-28T21:16:00.002+02:002012-06-12T00:01:02.122+02:00Mission: Goose chase!<br>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I am happy to report that our house's snag lists is basically down to 2 snags - which is excellent! At bloody last they will all be out of my hair!! Well, I seriously hope so!? Our fish pond has eventually been fitted with a biological filter, which seems to work splendidly and I can now see the glowing globes of light rising towards my hand at feeding time in stead of the faint blobs floating around what used to look more like pea soup. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Progress is slow, but it's there. I have completed the tasks of replacing the topsoil for the front garden, trimmed the hedges and some lovely fresh beetroot, carrots and chervil are growing in the spaces between them, since the hedges will take a while to grow into all the space. The beans have all been munched by some garden critter :( ... so, no beans I guess. I've had a load of topdressing delivered and scattered on the lawn, some organic fertiliser added to those who need it most. Things have been happening :) Other than that the garden's looking rather blooming good for early winter.</span></div>
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</div><a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2012/05/mission-goose-chase.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-31434630805688098452012-02-09T14:07:00.002+02:002012-11-20T17:28:43.957+02:00Welcome to Africa!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">OMG, this wind is driving me insane! here in the Cape we have the strongest and most persistent wind for most of Summer :P it so sucks!! If it's not the rain (which results in 3 days of mud in our clay soil), it's the heat or the wind that gets you. This makes any sort of outdoor activity more challenging than it's worth, so the horse's exercise and garden work is much less than it could have been given more acceptable weather conditions.</span><br>
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<a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2012/02/welcome-to-africa.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-85403522272302239352012-01-25T11:05:00.001+02:002012-01-25T11:06:47.048+02:00Genevieve and the Chicken Farm<span style="font-size: large;"> Poor ol' Jenn just can't resist these chickens in the garden - I wonder whether we will ever be able to let her off leash while the chickens are "free ranging"?</span><br>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our very first little chicken eggs have hatched and the poor dog is fixated with them, drooling over these delicious creatures with intense focus on her face. Quite mini feathery snacks...</span><br>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> One of the little ones unfortunately didn't make it :( despite efforts to revive it. I put it in the oven (No, not for eating), but the poor little critter was all cold and not strong enough, it was so sad - was such a beautiful little fluffball. Hunny will have to adjust the coop somewhat so that it doesn't get wet inside the nest anymore. After I finally decided to throw the little corps in the dirt bin I couldn't help myself but to have a look every few minutes to see whether Lazarus perhaps miraculously revived, but alas. I must have peeked into the bin about 5 times throughout the afternoon and once in the evening :(</span><br>
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</div><a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2012/01/genevieve-and-chicken-farm.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-60155352688616733282012-01-23T13:02:00.000+02:002012-01-23T13:02:52.612+02:00Where to jump?<span style="font-size: large;"><br>
It doesn't exactly require a rocket scientist to realise that my career = headed to a very long, dreary, slow poison kind of eventuality if I am to continue in my current field or department.<br>
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I've climbed the scientific ladder just far enough to see the way ahead of me and it's looking grim :p you don't have to reach all the way to the top to realise that your chosen career is very likely a dead end or just not what you want for your future. Its been some (just a little) fun while it lasted, but I've realised that it's the time to jump off. Life and economic climate being what it is will not allow me a steady dismount or decline to a safer level, I have been allowed to take a few steps back just to get a </span> <span style="font-size: large;">squiz at what's on the ground, but now I will have to find a suitable spot to land. Hmmmm decisions decisions! </span><br>
<a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2012/01/where-to-jump.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-89078431519071072272012-01-19T15:46:00.001+02:002012-01-19T15:47:39.656+02:00Happy 2012!<span style="font-size: large;">I guess nobody needs reminding that it's a New Year, but I thought I'd share my semi- failure at Newyears resolutions thus far ;)<br>
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I thought that it would be wise to get up in the mornings before work to go riding, to escape the Summer heat, and give myself more time in the afternoons to maybe get to other tasks such as walking Jenni (the puppy-dog). Since I'm already dripping with sweat by 7:30 am (in the shade) it is a very useful resolution and it has worked somewhat. I've managed to be up by 5:50am and at the yard just after 6am a few mornings this month, however, the traffic on the way back makes it necessary to get up even earlier :P Jenn has even gone along on one such occasion. Much to the horse's dismay, as Jenn thought it a fun game to growl at Shala while I was busy cleaning hooves - uhhh, not a clever plan! At least Jenn had a whale of a time and soon passed out in the shade while I finished pushing along my bouncing hippo to get past the sheep in the arena. It was loads of fun - for Jenn, but took a lot of extra time to get everything done, so I resolved to be up even earlier. <br>
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Sheesh! What a lot of extra effort I like to create for myself! :P I should really stop making more work for myself and just do what is most necessary. Then again - everything feels most necessary :P<br>
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I was perhaps a tad over-ambitious when I set my alarm for 5:05 am this morning (and that after only getting to bed at 11pm last night), since I'm not so good at rising before the sun. Needless to say I just couldn't force myself to get out of bed and slept in till 7. It would probably work better if I increased the difficulty level of my task by smaller incriments - say 5 minutes earlier each day until I can manage 5am? :) I do hope that once I get into a routine it will be easier and go a bit faster and then Jenn can go with every day that I school in the arena. </span><br>
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<a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2012/01/happy-2012.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-45999578933961160422011-11-20T22:09:00.000+02:002011-11-20T22:09:14.371+02:00Chicken and herb.<div> </div><div><span style="font-size: large;">No, it's not what u'r thinking... I'm referring to our "free range" pet chickens. I eventually found a new young Pekin hen advertised and rushed over to get the last one. She's a little red mix and looks like a "boshoender". She will be fondly known as Katrientjie ;) </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size: large;">So Friday, just after Katrien's arrival, the "in-laws" came to visit and I proudly picked up our older little black Pekin hen to show of her soft, fluffy feathers. 5 Min later my skin was crawling with the speedy migration of a few hundred minute little lice - yuck!! When I checked in on our new arrival and after a hilarious little chicken chase around the coop and imminent escape to the outside, I checked on Hettie to see if I can see the lice on her. Boy! Could I see them - her whole face and body was teeming with these little buggers! It was actually disgusting how I have neglected her needs. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size: large;">So, Saturday morning at the crack of dawn, I jumped out of bed to search for organic remedies for these little pests: Consulted my chicken book and all I could find was the conventional wisdom of lice powder (which will surely not be organic) and a few other ideas but no solutions. I decided that I will do a proper scrub down of the entire coop with a strong herbal spray (yet-to-be-determined), put a few drops Apple Cider Vinegar (organic and unfiltered) in the drinking water and provide a suitable sand-pit for dust baths plus some oyster shell grit. I will possibly also have to reconsider what I feed her because I see she doesn't eat all her food and I don't like wasting! I made up my own mix before, but will have to figure out what is best to feed the 2 of them, especially since Katrientjie is a little younger and probably needs more protein.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div></div><a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2011/11/chicken-and-herb.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-11650001952181701272011-11-03T09:54:00.002+02:002012-01-23T13:05:38.448+02:00Welcome back Home<div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Sometime after 11pm on Saturday we arrived back home from a 3 wk trip to Italy. It's a pity that such a beautiful country is so far away from us, since it would be wonderful to go there more often, but without the tedious 18-hour transit back to the Southern tip of Africa. We were up at around 3:30am and had to check our luggage in 2 hours before our 6:30am flight from Rome to Amsterdam, then rush from one terminal to get our connecting flight to Cape Town, which landed at around 10:30pm... without our luggage of course :P</span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Yup, no awesome holiday is complete without delayed luggage and I only so hoped that we would get it all back in one piece! There were a couple bottles of red wine (Brunello, Chianti and other Tuscan gems) and a brand new pair of Italian leather boots that would certainly have 'disappeared' should any SA staff have decided to 'inspect' it. I unpacked our cute new espresso saucers on the counter with excitement, only to realise that the cups were still in my suitcase. </span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">International flights are always exhausting, but this one was even more especially so, because it was a day flight and even though we never really think so we do get a little bit more sleep on an evening flight, which makes it seem just a little shorter. I think next time I'm taking some mild sedative to help me get some Z's, because no matter how cheerful, thin and friendly your passenger-next-door is, it's always irritating to sit so close and cooped up next to a stranger. All I wanted for 12 hours was to be back home</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> with my pets and without the horrible turbulence (which did provide some good extra effects for my in-flight movie, Kung-fu Panda 2).</span><br>
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</div></div><a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2011/11/welcome-back-home.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-87358365044468459902011-09-04T23:28:00.001+02:002011-09-04T23:29:44.940+02:00Pride, resistance and imperfection<div><span style="font-size: large;">So, it's 10:30pm and I'm standing in the kitchen, making puppy stew ;) with pork mince and goulash - what a spoiled poopy. It's a lot of extra effort I guess, but I just love doing it! And our puppy made me so proud today - twice! First of all she was doing great at the show training classes - didn't growl or act silly once and she did everything the way she should PLUS she stood like a PRO! While we prepared for the show pose a hadeda shouted in the distance. Jenni's ears picked up and then I said "where's the bird?" BIRD!!? She was looking straight in front of her, poised, ready to run, but frozen like a hunting dog - PERFECTION!! Everyone who knew anything about showing was VERY impressed :) Ahhh :) so Proud of our baby!</span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">The second even more proud moment was when Hunny's nieces came to visit and our little hooligan at some stage realised they were small and stood dead quiet for a hug and kiss from the 2 girls - it was SO precious. She just stood there, all frozen,submissive - totally CALM...?? How did this happen?? She was a star and the kids stroked her for several minutes! I have very rarely seen her standing still for such a long time. It was just too sweet!</span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br>
</div><a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2011/09/pride-resistance-and-imperfection.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-54017375223020917282011-09-01T09:13:00.001+02:002011-09-01T09:31:33.497+02:00160 Snails<div><span style="font-size: large;">This dog that doesn't want to eat her food is driving me up the wall! :P She's a happy, healthy and playful 8 month old pup, but even though she's getting a super meal with specially cooked chicken mince and very nice looking Woolworths pets mince (plus rice, lentils, little veg etc) twice a day, she still doesn't really want to eat it!?? Not even if I put milk on top?! I really have no more ideas regarding her food preferences. And sometimes she'll eat it later in the day, so it's not something she deems inedible... ??? I weighed her at the vet's the other day and she's already 27 kg, now probably even more. I thought the breed (Irish Red setter) only weighs in at about 28 kg as an adult bitch? But clearly I must be wrong... this means that I have actually been feeding her slightly too little. She often doesn't eat all her food though, so feeding more wouldn't have done any better. The amount of Royal Canin pellets she should get is calculated according to her expected adult weight... the breeders haven't got back to me about how much her mom weighs, so I can get a better estimate. I had one last plan in mind for puppy stew, which I cooked last night, and if that doesn't work she's just gonna get straight pellets every day.</span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">This morning while doing my round in the garden I came across the aftermath of Tuesday night's massacre. I wanted to serve the freshest peas for dinner that night and so, headed out with my raincoat and torch in hand to discover a gazillion snails all over our wonderlawn, then all over the cabbage, the stairs, the walls - basically everywhere! The snails were out having a feast on all my hard work and so I decided to squash all of them. I lost count at around 160 snails and I am quite sure that there will still be more of them. With so many snails in our garden I am VERY surprised that there's anything edible left in our garden!! Clearly the other tricks/gimmicks (beer traps, copper steel-wool, egg shells... etc.) don't quite work. Yesterday I saw the most cutetest little chicks ever! I so almost bought them, I'm sure they'll be very entertained by the fine dining on my snails;) I had specially gone out to buy Organic snail bait yesterday but now I might not need it ;) I think I'll put the bait around my next lettuce and cabbage beds, those seem to be the biggest target for our slimy friends. But WOW! I was really dumbfounded by the amount of snails out in the drizzle! Definitely the easiest way to get rid of those buggers.</span><br>
</div><a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2011/09/160-snails.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-66552546920828621042011-08-30T14:42:00.000+02:002011-08-30T14:42:02.752+02:00Spring is here!!<span style="font-size: large;">A special announcement: it is Spring!!</span><br>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It might not look like it judging by the drizzle outside, but Spring has arrived! As usual Nature doesn't keep to anybody else's time-schedule. Some would say right on time, it depends on your perspective. When I walked through the garden yesterday morning there was already a pleasant warmth in the air and a small gang of caterpillars starting to raid the Naturtiums: so I ran back inside to fetch a pair of surgical gloves so I could squash them as I saw the little buggers! I had learned my lesson about using gloves: I accidentally put my dirty fingers in my mouth after squashing a few of the aphids and inevitable ants :P NOT cool!</span><br>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqYn3DXcLODEGp8oM962Z0iodmd5Cs85nUVE_FVjZvlekm5Xvl6PW4UncDy_1krU5Rrx189n5gwhBqW-vyddIKgC9vputh7REa0lS49s_wWwWrpm2cqy9WMl67EtlT026rkpbveWXabiZ/s1600/544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqYn3DXcLODEGp8oM962Z0iodmd5Cs85nUVE_FVjZvlekm5Xvl6PW4UncDy_1krU5Rrx189n5gwhBqW-vyddIKgC9vputh7REa0lS49s_wWwWrpm2cqy9WMl67EtlT026rkpbveWXabiZ/s320/544.JPG" width="320" xaa="true"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">A very wet Jenn the weekend after a splash in the river on my grandparents' farm and peach trees in bloom</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br>
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br>
</div><span style="font-size: large;">Another give-away is the poor little battered wisteria that's shooting new leaves. The Bushwillow and Birches have been forming new leaves for a little while already, but the MOST exciting part is the artichoke, which is making its very first blooms! I am genuinely SO ecstatic - I can't wait to eat our very own artichokes and asparagus from the garden (the asparagus will have to wait another 2 years unfortunately, but 2 years zooms past). We will also be munching our very first sugar snap Peas from the garden tonight for dinner.</span><br>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2011/08/spring-is-here.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-50179166653882061342011-08-22T14:58:00.000+02:002011-08-22T14:58:47.004+02:00When u'r feeling blue...<div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">... all you have to do... </span><br>
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br>
<span style="font-size: large;">is...</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">?</span><br>
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br>
<span style="font-size: large;">No, I donno? U tell me!</span></i></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">It scares me to realise how fast the year has gone by! It feels like we've achieved and finished nothing, but in fact we've been very busy with a LOT of different things! One of those things have been the puppy - that certainly kept both of us VERY busy (fun field trials, training, showing, playing, walking, cleaning up where she's destroyed things... the usual). I am happy to report that I have regained at least SOME measure of control over this hooligan of ours, with the help of the "Charlie" (a rolled-up newspaper-friend discussed in the previous post) and that at least to some extent it works to threaten her with "where's Charlie!!". She becomes submissive and stops growling and performing for a while, </span><span style="font-size: large;">but she is still a little handfull!</span><span style="font-size: large;"> I guess some would consider it cheating or not being a very assertive pack leader, but I don't care anymore - I just want to be able to stop our brat from taking over when she feels like it. I think the mission is accomplished, at least as long as we have the Charlie with us ;)</span> </div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Heheee - this is so fresh! As I'm typing (9:40 am)... I get a ping on Facebook from Hunny to say "Room service order: 1 x coffee and 1x kiss please" ;) technology is just so fascinating! He's playing on his iPad in the room while I'm waiting for the puppy to eat her breakfast :) The Suchness :)</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2011/08/when-ur-feeling-blue.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-12668028728869624852011-08-15T00:34:00.001+02:002011-08-15T00:36:47.256+02:00Final anecdote (August: chapter 4)<span style="font-size: large;">In "chapter 3" I mentioned: "the Suchness of life" Rambling on about how it (Life) is entirely unpredictable, changing and fascinatingly senseless... :) how Life is a dynamic process and there is no predicting what effect one small change will have on the rest of the system" </span><br>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> <span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br>
<span style="font-size: large;">We teach and are taught rules, facts, processes and a LOT of theory and then we try to predict the future and prescribe methods according to these models, when in fact nobody can really predict, prescribe or lecture anything, because the world is constantly changing!</span><br>
<a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2011/08/final-anecdote-august-chapter-4.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-86092143185376237932011-08-15T00:26:00.001+02:002011-08-15T00:28:33.116+02:00The solution...I hope? (August: chapter 3)<div><span style="font-size: large;">So, I have tried really hard to do everything "by the book" and I still do most of the time... but at some stage you really just have to give in on some rules! eg. I know that a person's "supposed to" let the dog sit (or something sort-like), give their food and then take the bowl away after 15 to 20 minutes... especially when the dog's not eating their food, but this routine is just not working for me. I've tried to follow this rule now for 8 months, but Jenni isn't persuaded. </span><br>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So now I decided to give up and I leave the food there until she has eaten it or until the next meal when I clean out the bowl. Jenn is already a very slim breed of dog and she's getting a little on the thin side, therefore I'm just breaking this rule from now on - so sue me ;) Some rules are just made to be broken!</span><br>
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</div><a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2011/08/solutioni-hope-august-chapter-3.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-61793830530305972382011-08-15T00:13:00.002+02:002011-08-15T13:01:40.947+02:00But wait, there's more to complain about... (August chapter 2)<span style="font-size: large;">Ok, so what else is "unhappying" me...?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The garden - oh @%@%@%@ there is SUCH a lot "wrong" with our garden :( </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are So many things to fix and to do, but I just really don't have the time and cannot do all of it on my own! </span><br />
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<div><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">So - moving on to the rest of the garden... well, most of the back garden was either "remodeled" by the dog... or destroyed by the broken stormwater pipe that had to be dug up all the way from the front to the back on the one side of the house (that was at least R 5 000 's landscaping that had to be redone, and what we did was clearly not sufficient because many of the things don't seem to grow so well there) :(</span><br />
</div><div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I am just so frustrated with all the things I "should be" doing and also want to fix, but just don't have the time for! And pets who are not "playing along" even after a lot of time and good work (according to "the book") that I put into them...</span><br />
</div><div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">According to some good philosophy, it is a good idea to counter every complaint with something that is positive about the situation, however small!! Think I should try this. I hope that it works!</span><br />
</div><div></div><div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Something else that irritates the S#%!@ out of me is the builders - who are STILL busy fixing things - at least they finished up last week with the December list and now they are on the Feb/March snag list. What p*sses me off the most about it is that they will do absolutely NOTHING for MONTHS until I am at home one week and THEN they come to fix things. If only they could at least call me beforehand to let me know someone is coming to the house!! This is so infuriating, but I know it won't help to get even more upset about people knocking on my door while I'm in my PJ's... writing blogs and trying to have a little "Me-time" :P </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Small + At least it gives the dog some exposure to visitors ringing the front door bell... and her having to sit and "wait" before she can wriggle and pee all over the floor ;) - why does my life feel insane?</span><br />
</div><div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Anyway - I just decided that I will NOT phone the building project-manager and complain about the unexpected "visitors" because #1 I've done it before and clearly it doesn't help at all and # 2 I'm hoping that if I just accept it at not fight the way it is that it will go away?? one can only be hopeful. I think it's worth a try :P</span><br />
</div></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I have had the privilege and pleasure of complaining to my boyfriend about all the things that "I have decided" make me unhappy... BUT - is it really life that's out to get me or do I seek excuses as to why I cannot just Be happy or at the very least just content with life?! Do I create my own obstacles to feel more entertained? A lot of people only want what they think they can't have... and almost as soon as they have it they have to find something new to desire, a next quarry to chase, better results, more, bigger, better... but is this really better? Is constantly seeking more a good thing? Does it assist us? Does it do us any good?</span><br />
</div><div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I guess my frustrations are partly due to the possibility that I had my goals set too high to start with (or more likely ideals/ imaginings that were just waaaaay unrealistic!!). Even though I have 'solved' my problem it makes me more than just a little sad. :( </span><br />
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<div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">It is rather depressing in a way because I seem to have almost everything I dared to dream about! I have a horse, a dog, an awesome boyfriend...a Big garden exactly the way I planned it (well - almost!) And that seems to be the key to my unhappiness... everything is so near-perfect, but yet so far from it! I guess I had too many great expectations about all of them once again and ... I do realise that life would just be easier to bear if I could adjust my ideals and increase my tolerance to imperfection, but I guess I am scared that if I settle for the less than perfect state of things then life will never be spectacular!! And I guess I have always been brought up with the idea that one should try to be spectacular! WHY - god only knows...? or does s(he)? </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I just have this immense drive to do things close to perfectly and it is keeping me away from just being content with life.</span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">So - now - how do I fix this... any ideas? </span></div><div></div></div>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-23099815778999966112011-08-14T23:51:00.004+02:002011-08-15T12:47:52.654+02:00Disappointed, depro or overwhelmed... (August chapter 1)<div><span style="font-size: large;">... isn't it basically the same thing? It's been a while since I wrote something: I guess I just didn't have much good to say so I rather said nothing but right now I need to give myself some permission to complain. The past week I have been really struggling with the very simple obstacles in life and because it has made me so negative it's like the little issues are even bigger and more debilitating. I feel overwhelmed, trapped and sometimes almost paralysed by the shadowing gripes of everyday life? Am I depressed... or just very disappointed that life isn't quite playing along with the rules of my game? One thing I can say is that things seem much harder than I had anticipated and at times I'm losing hope and enthusiasm for all the things I'm attempting to find time for.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br>
</div><a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2011/08/disappointed-depro-or-overwhelmed.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-41607633424815775292011-07-13T10:35:00.001+02:002011-07-14T21:42:38.359+02:00To pea or not to pea<span style="font-size: large;">I do declare - my life is running away from under me. I think I have just too many interests and things I am trying to get done before I hit 30... happening next year :o</span><br>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I don't know why I suddenly feel compelled to try everything I've always wanted to do in one shot? Possibly because I now sort of have the means to... or do I?</span><br>
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<span style="font-size: large;">All I do know is that Jenni is growing up so quickly and keeping me VERY busy. At times I am convinced that she is even more taxing than raising a child - but I suspect I stand to be corrected and that one day I will return to my philosophy that it would be easier raising 5 dogs than one child. I suppose I make her more effort than she has to be: I insist on cooking her puppy stew to supplement her already balanced meal of Royal Canin pellets, but it makes me happy. It always takes be back to my "Oumagrootjie's" (great grandmother's) kitchen when she cooked stew for her dogs (in the days before Epol). But anyway, while Jenni is chewing up more of my plants I have been dreaming up another plan to try and satisfy my desire to have my own farm... :)</span><br>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQixKMhZ_X2-17eg437l419APrfSd9379AX4UQhdyBgCq-SJqmfltmNtCWLKf80_1pfFBZ63YkK40Gdkw7-Z6uYtz5d6VPhj1mrjUk2B4Ao_XgLydLX4wcYZXT730QanRnBh-nM4pVi75k/s1600/IMG_4743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQixKMhZ_X2-17eg437l419APrfSd9379AX4UQhdyBgCq-SJqmfltmNtCWLKf80_1pfFBZ63YkK40Gdkw7-Z6uYtz5d6VPhj1mrjUk2B4Ao_XgLydLX4wcYZXT730QanRnBh-nM4pVi75k/s320/IMG_4743.JPG" width="320"></a></div><br>
<span style="font-size: large;">After realising that a proper, big farm that is 2 hours away form home would not fit into our current lifestyle and would most likely jeopardise our relationship a lot I devised a new solution: leasing farm land close to town and setting up a small farm business with an organic vegetable patch, horses, chickens, peas etc. Besides the financial strain and demands on our time from a proper farm there is a lot of uncertainty about land ownership and demanding labour laws in our country, so a long-term lease will most likely be the best solution and would decrease our financial commitment substantially. Or so I hope! At least a smaller enterprise closer to the city would be a less risky trial of my determination and capabilities to run my own small farm. I am also not ignorant of my weaknesses and I realise that the biggest risk is perhaps my fluctuating interest in things I start doing, so this business would at least hold better prospects for resale should I later realise that I am not farm-girl material.</span><br>
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span><a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2011/07/to-pea-or-not-to-pea.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-28129283398935179432011-05-19T10:40:00.002+02:002011-07-13T09:34:34.271+02:00TarraGONE<span style="font-size: large;">I was so glad to see our Jenni again after a weekend away from her...<br>
We were adventuring about, "just looking" at farms for a possible weekend getaway and lifestyle investment... but that's a whole different story all together.<br>
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It was a very inspiring breakaway and to me one of our more romantic weekends away together, but I am always glad to come back "home" and even more so since spending 2 days without our "baby" (Jenni). She is so cute and friendly and such a truly happy little pup, but Oh so demanding!! When I peeked around the garden to see what's still growing and where new holes to china have appeared I discovered my little tarragon (now </span> <span style="font-size: large;">tarra-gone!) plant ripped out and wilted under the bushwillow. :( ahhh, oh well, I expected far worse. There's no use crying over spilled milk and I suppose my beautiful garden WILL suffer at the red paws of the demanding miss Cutie-pie until she's a little older. I made my beds and now she will sleep in them (and pull out a few plants while she's at it ;)<br>
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In the above pondering resides a bunch of very important </span> <span style="font-size: large;">philosophical decisions and real life facets tied up together...<br>
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First in my mind is the philosophy that I have always had: You will never know until you try... Indeed, and actually I'm still not even certain whether having a dog is working for us or not... I know that it still CAN work out, if things improve a little on the side of her demands... but I also know that if our priorities/needs changed (eg. if we had to travel abroad while she's still so young and time-consuming/ if we have a baby and our time is even more restricted, etc.) things could go horribly wrong and we could end up with an undisciplined, even more demanding burden on our time.<br>
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The same with the farm. Well, actually even worse, because a dog is a couple of thousand rands worth of hassle, where a farm could be a couple of Million rands' chronic pain. Although I know that I would REALLY like to try it, there are all sorts of factors counting against this decision. But if we just forgot about all the issues and difficulties of farming in the first place, what worries me most is the realisation that there is an obvious difference between the dream and the reality. Knowing my own personal flaws I have experienced the enormous difference between what I always imagined something would be and what it truly is! What I imagined I'd have time for and what I become to lazy to do or just too obsessed with some new thing... etc. To be VERY honest I don't think I have what it takes to make this dream a reality on the steam of my own desires and wishes, I will have to go into it only if I have a partner equally enthusiastic, equally </span> <span style="font-size: large;">committed and equally crazy to plunge in and make it work out. Hmmm...? A VERY hard decision indeed!<br>
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But just look how awesome the natural setting is: I can just see the horses, cattle and alpacas grazing in these "paddocks" :)</span> <br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_sQM2cTpawqEKpGd2fWbfZmwoQ784kIqtoFa9ZNKK8KApprpXoTwIMNS4FyBQQuKqlspogQotoCFsrymHEDZ_cxZF0E1PSh15BmXcC7Af2v1yAiw2pT5ApGk64a7r9HckOA9IVNEVVdEO/s1600/IMG_4325secret+valley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_sQM2cTpawqEKpGd2fWbfZmwoQ784kIqtoFa9ZNKK8KApprpXoTwIMNS4FyBQQuKqlspogQotoCFsrymHEDZ_cxZF0E1PSh15BmXcC7Af2v1yAiw2pT5ApGk64a7r9HckOA9IVNEVVdEO/s320/IMG_4325secret+valley.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br>
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It is such a dreamy place and a true inspiration from nature!!<br>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtO52lFxXLxO0ZpXK74ql5AcL-K0wQqeZKg9rlFi1JbiBk0vhkegdxhN66kWWJG0F8N29sUqFPs_bTniWUdDas6pF7SnaAg4lbaz-j7zrg7NzPFzUq24gyIhfxnW_XetDL-q6lJ0pSpT8t/s1600/IMG_4373secret+valley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtO52lFxXLxO0ZpXK74ql5AcL-K0wQqeZKg9rlFi1JbiBk0vhkegdxhN66kWWJG0F8N29sUqFPs_bTniWUdDas6pF7SnaAg4lbaz-j7zrg7NzPFzUq24gyIhfxnW_XetDL-q6lJ0pSpT8t/s320/IMG_4373secret+valley.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br>
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<a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2011/05/tarragone.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8201514708217354070.post-25841120887188560862011-05-02T20:39:00.001+02:002011-05-02T21:53:02.377+02:00How I wish I'd crawled back into bed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4AIcWg4qZNzOmRkOVcUNkNCAgWmMNutmHfurKLg5ylkNLNbiVOL5q5bxYz-t2FwkkkcDWmjLSeSqwa8-UV-ZED58qPR2TP4YEgO6nVHyo0r6EL9nYYnZVCZYjdrKfU2CnYj9jBMm_UzeH/s1600/IMG_3924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4AIcWg4qZNzOmRkOVcUNkNCAgWmMNutmHfurKLg5ylkNLNbiVOL5q5bxYz-t2FwkkkcDWmjLSeSqwa8-UV-ZED58qPR2TP4YEgO6nVHyo0r6EL9nYYnZVCZYjdrKfU2CnYj9jBMm_UzeH/s320/IMG_3924.jpg" width="320"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Happy as a sunflower... Oh so sweet.</div><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00V77AueAidzG83b7USzaJWRqFhapnKc3t_Od91CXj02Q4Ck_21SQ5tBRD7IIS9LkDCKjnmM-UP9HwbkT07VK-mAAkdwmRY6FeVlORD7IwcCew51TYvKz2EBuQRg7ZiJE3LUfPW7fFQvI/s1600/2011_0419_103048AA.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00V77AueAidzG83b7USzaJWRqFhapnKc3t_Od91CXj02Q4Ck_21SQ5tBRD7IIS9LkDCKjnmM-UP9HwbkT07VK-mAAkdwmRY6FeVlORD7IwcCew51TYvKz2EBuQRg7ZiJE3LUfPW7fFQvI/s320/2011_0419_103048AA.JPG" width="320"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> I'm such a good girl - promise ;)</div><br>
<span style="font-size: large;">It has been a rather eventful week, mainly due to Genevieve, who has been Miss Jackyl and Hyde... ;) It started off with her being an enormous brat, jumping up, biting at me and growling for attention and the next day she was the sweetest angel for just about a day and a half. :P I told Hunny that whatever remedy he had given her should please be continued, but alas! it seems like it was all her own idea. On the perfect day she only slept in her very tiny dog bed (we're still waiting for a crate *sigh*), she played with her own toys, she ate ALL her food (all of a sudden) and snoozed quietly at my feet while I was watching TV (bliss). I felt so amazed and accomplished, believing that all my effort to try and discipline the wild little beast had paid off, but unfortunately all returned to "normal" the day after, when we had, once again, a little hooligan on our hands that bit, growled, eaten my raspberry bush :( and even peed on the blanket she'd slept on in front of the TV!? Eish!!</span><br>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJf1_uF_oTXRQJkkGSs98z2teeLnb9eLvsQY67D6V_3txARMQslodfuS_zpdiJwxXFv1n2kz3i66RnDRDRkTiyHZEeX2WkctR3lDZR4epFe54CSup_9UhvYYiMfoO5ms1GYIMZMfFsPmn/s1600/IMG_4174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJf1_uF_oTXRQJkkGSs98z2teeLnb9eLvsQY67D6V_3txARMQslodfuS_zpdiJwxXFv1n2kz3i66RnDRDRkTiyHZEeX2WkctR3lDZR4epFe54CSup_9UhvYYiMfoO5ms1GYIMZMfFsPmn/s320/IMG_4174.jpg" width="320"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">How can u be mad at me when I'm so cute!</div><br>
<div><span style="font-size: large;">In my desperation to try and relive her moments of best behaviour I tried some dominating tactics, holding her on my lap, rolling her onto her back and getting her to lie still. We eventually had her pacified for 2 minutes, tickling her tummy. I could even (quickly) trim her toenails. In my state of elation at being able to groom her properly I ventured out to get the proper Irish red setter trimming equipment and started trimming her feet, ears and legs. I was a little less successful to say the least. I know I was supposed to introduce the whole trimming and grooming experience more sensitively, but who really has time for all that! I'd been on leave for an entire month and still hadn't managed to get to half the things I'd planned to do and this was my last week of leave, so patience and dominance would have to do the trick. Obviously I was mistaken :P</span></div><div></div><span style="font-size: large;">Jenni wasn't all that bad I suppose, but after a long walk, lunch and a "hurry-up" outside I was hoping to have a passive pooch to trim and brush, however, Madam had other ideas. She had much more fun biting at the scissors, nipping my hands/clothes/shoes or whatever she could reach. Presenting her favourite toys had zero effect and she squiggled and squirmed most of the time. I had to be more than just stern and really lost my temper at times and would just pin her down to the floor, which would work for all of 10 seconds. *another Deep Sigh* At least in the end she was sort of trimmed and I could brush her undercoat with the pin brush. It is recommended that for showing one not brush a completely dry coat and so I brewed a fragrant tea of rose geranium to spray on her body. The showing gurus recommend some conditioning mist, but I don't know where to get hold of that so I decided to be creative ;) At least it made her smell lovely.</span><br>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlrgAOLW0g04rsWBVNxIsankyi2MRHWNVh_O1EVrcwsv7XGaUUIkVFxf-OL3CALMTBjABK25nXVU9MTs8OQEq1YdtXwLzsLWW90-CWPwe3NIu0GfU6TBwAXTiE4wWv5O3ygeZ8sJHrVfm/s1600/IMG_4189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlrgAOLW0g04rsWBVNxIsankyi2MRHWNVh_O1EVrcwsv7XGaUUIkVFxf-OL3CALMTBjABK25nXVU9MTs8OQEq1YdtXwLzsLWW90-CWPwe3NIu0GfU6TBwAXTiE4wWv5O3ygeZ8sJHrVfm/s320/IMG_4189.jpg" width="320"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">At last!</div><div> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmIVEIzb9TmLGRrA6fy7fy1T6PyVNQV7Nk_FJsG1ckllKNu5fz7WzrN3vN239wQCipftItBY-WB8eyF4NTen1EHem2b6T981p8kbIxdrG0FCGaoBjM7K1QmK0fDdVzE6YevoKgnkqw4UM/s1600/IMG_4178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmIVEIzb9TmLGRrA6fy7fy1T6PyVNQV7Nk_FJsG1ckllKNu5fz7WzrN3vN239wQCipftItBY-WB8eyF4NTen1EHem2b6T981p8kbIxdrG0FCGaoBjM7K1QmK0fDdVzE6YevoKgnkqw4UM/s320/IMG_4178.jpg" width="320"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Disappearing whiskers...?</div><br>
<a href="http://whynot-have-a-go.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-i-wish-id-crawled-back-into-bed.html#more">Read more »</a>WhyNothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01808975809483392664noreply@blogger.com0