Saturday, August 26, 2017

Sequel To Peeping Tom

A while ago I posted about my feeling very uncomfortable in my home and that I had discovered I have a Peeping Tom. Well, it turns out I was definitely under "surveillance". I was probably not the only one here in our complex except other people were probably not even aware that they were being watched. I suspected a couple of things, one of which was that someone was coming over the wall from the servitude at an empty unit diagonally across from me. This certainly was the case. It turns out about three or four weeks after my discovery, I heard that a couple in the complex on the other side of the servitude from where I am was held up at gunpoint for 40 minutes at 03:00am in the morning! Thank goodness they were not harmed but they were completely ransacked by these perpetrators. It is a known fact that perpetrators will find a property and first stake it out for at least three weeks before they hit their target. They watch the movements of the people living at the property, they obviously check out the security situation and find the weakest point of entry.

I can thank my lucky stars that I have good security and that I am relatively alert to my surroundings. The problem with people living in security complexes is that they become complacent. They think that because there are security guards patrolling the complex that they are safe. 

We have since upped our security here and have even gone so far as to increase activity within the complex. We are all taking turns to patrol the complex at various times of the day and night. I have a shift every day during the day. We all alternate with the security guard on duty through out the day and night. It really is sad that life has come to these extremes....

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Check Once Check Twice

If you are anything like me, then you can relate to this. Check once. Check twice. Then check once more. Oh, and once more again...just in case you missed something that last time. The joys of being OCD! Hahaha...There's no such thing as "being too careful", after all! But, actually, there is. "Caution" can easily become synonymous with "self-doubt". But why on earth should you doubt yourself? Have you been wrong on this before? Perhaps. But you can follow your instincts. Your instincts are legendary. If you're not careful you'll forget what it is to take a leap of faith. Believe in yourself! You really can do this!


Sunday, August 20, 2017

Little Drummer Boy

It is nearing the end of August and here I am listening to a Christmas song....a song that I have always loved by Boney M...but this version takes the Golden Award for spine chilling, goosebumps galore!! It is INCREDIBLY beautiful!



Friday, August 11, 2017

Water Under The Bridge

When we were at camp it was like this song was following me around...every time I became aware of the radio this song was playing. I reckon I must have heard it three or four times every day. They say when you hear a song consistently it's the Universe's way of trying to get your attention and that inevitably there is a message the Angels are trying to get through to you. 


Back To Reality

I feel completely deflated! My reason, I was hit with a reality check today. I was reminded of the cruel, gruesome environment I live in! I was on such a high and hit the ground so hard it knocked the wind right out of me.

I have just spent a glorious week in the African Bush. My sisters and I went on our yearly break to Dikhololo Game Reserve in the North West Province. It is about an hour and a half drive from my home. We all needed the break. The stresses of life just get unbearable to the point where you seriously start feeling it build up in your body! I had such pains on the right side of my back it was actually getting so uncomfortable. Then the magic happens...you arrive in the bush on a Monday just after lunch...You breathe in the fresh air of the African bush...you hear the birds...and you know the animals are out there...there is no traffic...no noise...just peace and quiet and immediately you feel the stresses of life melt from your body!!

We got to the chalet, unpacked and then went to get Charcoal for the fire and the plan was then to go for a brief Game drive. Our Game drive began the minute we left our camp. Just round the corner we encountered a whole herd of Kudu on each side of the road. It was amazing. Right there! They even had new baby Kudu with them. On our Game drive we encountered Blue Wildebeest, Eland, Rooibuck, Impala, Blesbuck and Springbuck. We never saw Giraffe on that drive. We got back to camp and started the fire for the BBQ or as we say here in South Africa - the braai. The evening was absolute bliss and we even got to see the partial lunar eclipse! 

Tuesday morning we went for a long walk got back to the chalet, showered and had breakfast. I had a lot of work to do that day so while I worked, Angie just chilled. My sister, Rita,could only join us from Wednesday. So Tuesday was just a chill out day for Angie. 

Wednesday Rita joined us. We cycled through the bush late afternoon and again had a braai. Thursday we once again went for a long walk through the bush but possibly left it too late to really see any animals as we had slept late, it was mid morning by the time we got out. The animals were clearly already gone for their Siesta! Early afternoon we decided to go find Giraffe. Well, we did not have to go far. As we were about to drive off we saw them right there in our camp so we just got out and took some pics. What a graceful animal! I love them!! We then took a drive to the dam and just sat there on a bench and relaxed while watching some Zebra drinking water and some Stork catching fish. Late afternoon we cycled again. We did not even get to the pool. That is not such a huge issue as it is still too cold to swim right now!

Friday came and that was when reality hit me smack in the face! First thing this morning I get a warning message to becareful. A couple was hijacked in Bryanston, which is just "up the road" from me. The woman was rushed to hospital as her finger was bitten off for her wedding ring!!! Excuse my language here but FUCK man! Really?? What the fuck kind of person goes and bites a woman's finger off just so that he can get his filthy hands on her wedding ring? That is no "normal" human being!! I hate this place!! The people are just getting more and more violent. To take a life is just so simple for these perpetrators. It has gotten to the point where they kill for a cell phone! Then I hear some politician was shot in his home. Then I hear another's grandson was gunned down the night before in a drive by shooting. A young woman of 19 was found in a field with two bullet wounds in her head!! All this I hear in a space of not even one hour. Crikey Moses man! That is enough to just bring all the stress back again. This is my life! I don't even listen to the news anymore as I just cannot handle it all. I have to just look the other way - turn a blind eye and block my ears. I have to just get through each day and make the most of it. The scary thing is that the white people are the minority here in South Africa. There is nothing we can do to change any of this violence. Our pleas for peace and harmony have fallen on deaf ears....


The full moon just before the partial lunar eclipse

Angie in the Hammock

A Hyrax on the wall at our chalet

This Kudu decided to follow us back to the chalet on our walk

This little Mongoose was so cute lying right at our front door

The Giraffe right in our camp...so close I could almost touch him!

Rita on the left and Angie on the right

Zebra drinking water at the dam

A Stork fishing

Me feeding a carrot to the Kudu